Shimmery White on White with Delicata

Posted on December 13, 2016 by Imagine

I’m Dreaming of White Christmas

by Mark Melnick

I wanted to make a shimmery white on white holiday card. A key technique to keeping this interesting is to create layers. Plus, I couldn’t help but add a pop of color too!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 30 minutes + dry time

Directions

Step 1

Spray medium weight cardstock with Sheer Shimmer Spritz in Sparkle. Let dry.

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Step 2

Run your spritzed cardstock through an embossing folder. Cut a separate piece of cardstock into a tag, and deboss or run through the same folder in opposite direction.

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Step 3

Apply Delicata White Shimmer to the raised areas of both pieces of cardstock with a Sponge
Dauber.

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Step 4

Using a two-piece ornament die, die cut ornament background out of colorful cardstock or vintage ephemera. Die cut ornament top piece out of white cardstock. There are many ornament die cuts available, use what you have or fine one that fits your style!

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Step 5

Punch a hole in the top of tag and lace ribbon through. Adhere ornament pieces together, and to the front of the tag. Adhere tag to main embossed piece. Mount to the card base.

Supplies

Imagine

Other

Cardstock – white, patterned
Adhesive
Ribbon
Interesting Philatelic Stamps or vintage ephemera (optional)
Ornament die of choice
Embossing folder of choice
Die cut machine
Hole punch

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Thanksgiving Napperon

Posted on November 11, 2016 by Imagine

A Dignified Feast

by Mark Melnick

I can’t help but create decor for a Thanksgiving table (it has always been my favorite holiday). What I like best about Thanksgiving is its inherent simplicity. You gather together family and/or friends to share a meal and to consider all that we have to be thankful for in our lives. My inspiration comes from living in France where special table settings for holidays are the norm. On the salad plate you will always find a decorated napperon, or doily.

I know one usually thinks of something lacy and thin when they hear the word doily, but for this idea it doesn’t have to be. I decided to re-use some cardboard as my base. Paint the coardboard with gesso so there is a nice white base to work on. Once it’s dry rub White Shimmer Delicata over the whole thing so it has a lovely sheen. Frost Sheer Shimmer Spritz would be nice too.

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For the main image apply Creative Medium through a stencil with a palette knife. I mixed Bronze with Green Iridescent Creative Medium. Randomly sprinkle colored Microbeads onto the texture paste before it becomes too dry. You can create specific design patterns, or just sprinkle at random. When dry, hand cut round shape to desired size.

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To highlight the rim, use a matching ink or irRESISTible Pico Embellisher right along the edge of your circle. To complete the napperon, I printed a poem that would fit inside a 2 inch cirlce. I printed it on carstock weight vellum. Since I was placing the poem off the edge, I adhered several layers of vellum to get a nice stiff piece. 2016_nov_mm_doily_step-3

Do you have any unique traditions for your Thanksgiving feast table?

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Feather Napkin Rings

Posted on November 8, 2016 by Imagine

Birds of a Feather

by Mark Melnick

I decided to make a bit more fanciful table decor item. This napkin ring tag is easy and fun to create. There are two versions of this project as you will see in the final project images that are side by side.

Skill: Beginner
Time: 30 minutes + drying time

Directions

2016_nov_mm_featherrings_step1

Step 1

Place paper in a crimping device. Crimp paper in one direction and remove. Replace paper in the crimper in the opposite direction and crimp again for an interesting crosshatch design.

Step 2

Adhere paper to one side of tag. Trim to size.

2016_nov_mm_featherrings_step2

Step 3

Apply Delicata White Shimmer to the textured side of the tag. Take Habanero VersaFine Ink and rub onto tag so that the high points are covered in ink.

Step 4

Brush tag with textured bead gel and allow to dry. The tags should sit for at least two hours to dry – overnight for a complete dry. These glass beads shimmer and reflect light adding amazing texture to the project.

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Step 5

Adhere pheasant feathers, cut to desired size, to tag. Place a small colored grommet into tag hole. Take decorative ribbon, raffia, or fabric and tie through hole in tag then around napkins for unique place settings. In my alternate version I only crimped in one directions and didn’t apply any VersaFine ink.

Supplies

Imagine

VersaFine – Habanero
Delicata – White Shimmer

Other

Handmade cotton paper or cardstock
Manila or kraft tag
Paper crimper
Pheasant feathers
Glass bead gel
Adhesive
Scissors
Ribbon or raffia

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Elegant Gratitude

Posted on October 21, 2016 by Imagine

When Autumn Leaves Start to Fall

by Mark Melnick

What embodies autumn more than the colors of fall foliage? This gorgeous project uses handmade paper and masking techniques, with hand stamping to add the finishing touches to this beautiful fall design. Go ahead and personalize this tutorial to add your own unique touch to any Autumn occasion.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 45 minutes + drying time

Directions

2016_oct_mm_autumncard_step1

Step 1

Cut a piece of handmade paper to measure 10 x 10”, keeping at least one edge deckled. Prepare a tea bath for soaking the paper. Allow paper to soak overnight. TIP: If you want a darker color, add some VersaCraft or Walnut Ink colors to the tea solution. Air dry or speed up drying with a heat tool being careful not to burn the paper. The image shows the before and after. Once dry, fold in half and then quarters to create the final 5 x 5” size card.

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Step 2

Using a scrap of cardstock, create a mask in any size/shape to create the effect you imagine. Tape your mask down over another scrap of cardstock. Choose a color from Kaleidacolor Autumn Leaves and apply to a brayer. Roll the brayer in all directions to eliminate leaving lines in the pattern. Apply some darker colors from the palette with a sponge dauber for added dimension.

2016_oct_mm_autumncard_step3

Step 3

Remove the mask and stamp leaf images on top of and just outside the mask edges in Memento Pistachio. To the eye, this will create a secondary border outside the defined mask outline. Stamp your sentiment in your masked shape color.

Step 4

With the deckled edge on the right side of the card, use a pen knife and cutting mat to create slits at the top and bottom of the top layer of the card. Slip finished masked piece into the slits leaving a similar amount of space at both the top and bottom of the card.

Supplies

Imagine

Kaleidacolor – Autumn Leaves
Memento inkpad – Pistachio
Sponge Daubers
VersaCraft or Walnut ink (optional)

Other

Handmade paper
Scrap cardstock
Leaf and sentiment stamps
Brayer
Removable tape
Pen knife
Cutting mat

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Watch DIY Videos with Xyron

Posted on August 17, 2016 by Imagine

We are already halfway thru our Xyron projects! Xyron and Imagine partnering together has sure spurred some great creativity with both of the art teams. Can’t wait to see what the rest of the week has is store…or to share with you today’s projects! Homemade scratch-n-sniff stickers?! Life as we know it has been forever altered.

Here’s an easy way to make sure you can always find your luggage at the baggage claim- make personalized luggage tags. Mark Melnick created these with the Xyron Creative Station. Decorate your tag, place it in the Creative Station, and voilà, instant laminated luggage tags!

Remember scratch & sniff stickers? Nadine Carlier created her very own scratch & sniff stickers by using some Imagine products and the Xyron Creative Station. Watch the video below to see how she did it.

And don’t forget to check out what the Xyron Design Team came up with too! They will be sharing projects all week on their Facebook page.

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Olympic Games Rio 2016

Posted on August 5, 2016 by Imagine

Olympic Ring Foyer Card

by Mark Melnick

Some people have annual parties for the Oscars, Tonys, or the Emmys. But us, well, every four years we throw a fabulous party for the ultimate awards program, the Olympics. This Foyer Card is perfect for this occasion, and easy to customize for any awards program.

Skill: Beginner
Time: 45 Minutes

Directions

Begin by taking a piece of heavy weight white cardstock (110lb) and printing a quote that fits the occasion and print it along with words from some of the categories of your awards program. Cut it into a horizontal shape. My piece is 5.5” x 11”.

2016_aug_MM_olyring_step2a 2016_aug_MM_olyring_step2b

Step 1

Die cut 5 circles out of cardstock. I’m using Spellbinders Seth Apter Splatter Proof die, which will give my Olympic rings a bit of flare, like Rio itself.

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Step 2

Ink each of your die cuts with the Olympic Ring colors: blue, black, red, yellow and green.

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Step 3

Adhere the rings in the proper Olympic order. I added “Rio 2016” stamped in Delicata Black Shimmer in the lower left ring. Display Foyer Card on an easel or up against a shelf – make sure it’s visible so that your friends will oooh and ahhhh.

Supplies

Imagine

Memento Dye Ink – Danube Blue, Tuxedo Black, Lady Bug, Dandelion and Cottage Ivy
Delicata Ink – Black Shimmer

Other

Spellbinders – Seth Apter Splatter Proof Etched Dies
Neenah – 110lb cardstock
Alphabet & number stamp set
Printer
Adhesive

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I’m Dreaming of White Christmas

by Mark Melnick

Directions

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Supplies

Imagine

Other

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A Dignified Feast

by Mark Melnick

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Birds of a Feather

by Mark Melnick

Directions

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Supplies

Imagine

Other

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When Autumn Leaves Start to Fall

by Mark Melnick

Directions

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Supplies

Imagine

Other

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Olympic Ring Foyer Card

by Mark Melnick

Directions

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Supplies

Imagine

Other

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Like this: