Learn How to Create Christmas Magic

by Kyriakos Pachadiroglou

Learn How to Create Christmas Magic

Share the magic of Christmas with silver embossed stars and feathers in a turquoise color. The interchange of stripes covered with Creative Medium and the stamped tracing paper with VersaColor add depth to the background and give a sense of a screen. The multiple layers of the Creative Medium used and then heated, create a rough texture on the paper.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1 hour

Directions


Step 1

Cover a piece of watercolor paper at least the size of the card will be used with Creative Medium Iridescent Turquoise. Use a heat tool to dry and overheat the paper. The Creative Medium will start making baubles. Repeat the process at least 3 times to give the surface a rough look.


Step 2

Cut stripes of the watercolor paper in various widths and in 6 inch long (one inch less than the card used here).


Step 3

Stamp the tracing paper with the swirls design of the stamp set and the VersaColor Turquoise ink.


Step 4

Cut strips of the stamped image in various widths and in 6 inch length.


Step 5

Use Tear It! Tape to set the watercolor and tracing paper stripes on the front of a card base.


Step 6

On a piece of watercolor paper, on the smooth side, color with the VersaColor Turquoise and Celadon ink pads.


Step 7

Stamp with VersaMark the same stamp design as above. Cover with Imagine silver embossing powder and heat set.


Step 8

Die cut stars in different sizes from the embossed paper.


Step 9

Make a circle of the craft wire, glue with hot glue and continue with the feathers.


Step 10

Use the On Point Glue to place the paper stars, while the main star, set it with some foam tape to raise from the front. Add rhinestones with the On Point Glue.


Step 11

Remove the words from the sticker and set them on a piece of tracing paper and then glue on the card.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Tracing paper
  • Viva Decor – Peacock feathers stamp set
  • Star dies
  • Die cutting machine
  • Heat tool
  • Feathers
  • Jewelry wire
  • Rhinestones
  • Canson watercolor paper
  • Craft creations – Peel off stickers, Christmas words
  • Hot glue gun
  • Foam tape

Make an Easy Fabric Necklace with All-Purpose Ink

by Kyriakos Pachadiroglou

Make an Easy Fabric Necklace with All-Purpose Ink

Make your own fabric cords necklace colored with All-Purpose Ink. The fabric creates a distressed look while the square metal piece creates a modern look. The added shine will catch the eye with a piece of Sheet Metal that works a buckle to hold the fabric stripes and connects them with the wax cord of the rest of the necklace. This is a super fun craft project but also will make a beautiful gift or fashion statement!

Skill: Advanced
Time: 1 hour

Directions


Step 1

On a 14 inch-long piece of fabric mark triangles with a base of 1 ½ in. Cut 3 of them.


Step 2

Color the stripes with the All-Purpose Ink and a medium paintbrush making large strokes. No need to fully cover the fabric. Let the paint dries or use a heat tool. Iron the fabric to set the paint.


Step 3

Use a sponge dauber and the Memento Luxe in Rhubarb stalk to make a deeper red shade, fading the lightness of the red paint. Iron the fabric to set the ink.


Step 4

Using a thin stick start wrapping the fabric stripe, beginning of the base. Use fabric glue on the edge to set it and move further. Continue with all three.


Step 5

Cut in half a Sheet Metal ATC card and punch the corners with a round corner punch.


Step 6

Use a metallic ruler or something steady and thin to nicely fold in half the Sheet Metal piece.


Step 7

Glue the wider edges of the fabric cords between the Sheet Metal piece, making sure that they don’t reach the deep end of it.


Step 8

Loosely braid the fabric cords at the beginning of them. Attach a flat jewelry end cap on the other side (at this point you can trim to the desired length).


Step 9

Pass through the Sheet Metal piece 4 pieces of a waxed black cord 4 inches in length. Add a cap and lobster lock and you are finished.

For more tips on jewelry making please see Kyriakos’ tutorial.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Lightweight cotton fabric
  • Fabric glue
  • Round corner punch
  • Metallic ruler
  • Jewelry supplies – end caps, lobster locks
  • 1mm black waxed cord

See How to Make Rose Petal Using Creative Medium

by Kyriakos Pachadiroglou

See How to Make Rose Petal Using Creative Medium

Working with the Creative Medium on some of my crafting projects, I noticed how it shows when it gets dry on the craft mat. Combining the nonstick feature of Imagine’s Craft Mat with the elasticity of the Creative Medium, I thought it could create a new kind of project–rose petals! Leaving a thick coat of the Creative Medium on the Craft Mat, it gives you a material for dimensional creation. The roses crafted with it can be part of the decoration on a festive table, attached on gift boxes, gifted as they are, or be an inspiration to use on various craft projects. The Creative Medium can be also mixed with different inks to make multiple colors of flowers.

Skill: Advance
Time: 1 hour + drying time

Directions


Step 1

Use a palette knife to lay a thick layer of Creative Medium on the Craft Mat making circles. Let the Creative Medium dry well. For each rose, you will need 7 circles to create the petals.


Step 2

When the Creative Medium dries, remove the circles and start rolling one to make the center of the rose.


Step 3

Continue by attaching more circles forming them to petals. Note that you may need to trim around a bit the circles if the Creative Medium is not spread nicely on the craft mat.


Step 4

While you attach more petals, bend the edges a bit and hold them to keep the shape of the petal. The Creative Medium is sticky enough to keep the petals together with no need of extra glue.


Step 5

Press the branches on the VersaMark inkpad, cover with Imagine’s Embossing Powder in Gold and heat set.


Step 6

Cut small pieces of the florist brown tape and trim the edges to form triangles.


Step 7

Press lightly the branch in the rose, secure with hot glue and cover with the trimmed tape. Add more tape around them for a better presentation.


Step 8

Color the fabric roses with the VersaFine Clair Chanti ink pad and then distress them with the irRESISTible Pico Embellisher in Gold. When they dry, glue them on the branches.

 

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Thin branches
  • Faux/fabric rose leaves
  • Florist brown tape
  • Scissors
  • Hot glue gun

Send Smiles, Hugs and Kisses with a Stenciled Card

by Kyriakos Pachadiroglou

Share your love with hugs, smiles, and kisses with a card using a Creative Medium to add details and an embossed surface with the help of a stencil. The Creative Medium is used as a background shade where repetitive layers of color in different green shades add depth on the card. Pieces of masking tape work also as stencils to create a simple design.

Skill: Beginner
Time: 1 hour

Directions


Step 1

Create a ¾ inch blank stripe placing parallel two pieces of masking tape.


Step 2

Using a palette knife cover the blank stripe with Creative Medium Chartreuse color. Remove the masking tape.


Step 3

Stamp the words “smiles, hugs, kisses” from the Joy Clair stamp set with VersaMark, cover with Imagine’s Embossing Powder in Gold and heat set.


Step 4

Cover the decorated stripe with masking tape.


Step 5

Place the stencil on top of the card and using a palette knife, cover with Creative Medium Chartreuse. Let it dry.


Step 6

Slightly move the stencil and using sponge dauber color heavily on places of the stencil and lighter on others with the VersaFine Clair in Rain Forest.


Step 7

Remove the stencil and distress the card with the VersaFine Clair Verdant ink pad and a sponge dauber.


Step 8

Position the stencil again on first place, where the Creative Medium was used, and add details on the leaves with the Fabrico Pine marker.


Step 9

Add sequins with the On Point Glue.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Masking tape
  • Card base
  • Joy Clair Stamps – Hugs and Smiles stamp set
  • Imagination crafts MA-25 stencil
  • Gold sequins

 

Make Lavender Feather Earrings Out Of Clay

by Kyriakos Pachadiroglou

Make these quick and easy jewelry pieces out of lightweight clay. The feathers are colored with Memento markers in Angel Pink and Lulu Lavender colors to create  contrasting but still matching shades. I decided to use markers instead of ink pads as they can easily color in the fine details of the clay feathers. The clay feathers are covered with gold embossing powder around the edge and on the backside to give a faux metallic case for the feather.

Skill: Beginner
Time: 30 minutes + dry time

Directions


Step 1

Press lightweight clay in the feathers mold and set it aside until it is dried.


Step 2

Color the clay feathers with the Memento Angel Pink marker and continue with the Lulu Lavender marker following the pattern of the feather.


Step 3

Press the back side of the feather on the VersaMark inkpad, cover with Imagine gold embossing powder and heat set. Repeat the process with the second feather. To give a bit of extra shine, emboss the edges of the clay feather.


Step 4

Color a couple of same size white feathers with the Memento Lulu Lavender marker. Let them dry well.


Step 5

Cover the clay feathers with the Creative Medium Iridescent Blue to protect the colors and to add effect.


Step 6

Attach earring clasps and jump rings.

See my tutorial on jewelry making for more information on supplies: Want to Learn How to Make Jewelry?

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Silicone feathers mold
  • Lightweight clay
  • White Feathers
  • Heat tool
  • Earring clasps
  • Jump rings
  • Pliers

Color of the Month for August is Lavender

The Color of the Month for August is Lavender. We love this soft purple color and with summer in full gear, the lavender is blooming in full. We are reminded of how well this color compliments green leaves and also is the favorite of honey bees. With cardmaking and scrapbooking, lavender is a must-have to express sensitivity and delight! Imagine and Tsukineko offer several products to help achieve this beautiful color. Ink swatches such as Memento in Lulu Lavender, Brilliance in Pearlescent Purple, and All-Purpose Ink in Wisteria are great examples! In the meantime, we have a couple of sneak peeks of this month’s tutorials for you!

Kyriakos Pachadiroglou creates Lavender Feather Earrings 

Martha Lucia Gomez creates a beautiful Geometric Butterfly Card

Roni Johnson goes stencil crazy with this Mixed Media Stencil Art

Stay tuned to the Imagine Blog for more inspiration!