Category Archives: Martha Lucia Gomez

Easy Watercoloring with Chalk Inks Makes Beautiful Results

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by Martha Lucia Gomez

Watercoloring is always a unique technique that you can use to produce colorful and unusual results. Most people think of Memento dye inks with watercoloring because they are the most obvious water-based crafting ink, but have you tried chalk inks like VersaMagic? Today’s cardmaking project, I will show you how easy and wonderful your projects can look with these inks. And yes VersaMagic is water-based so they work wonderfully with this technique. See for yourself!

Directions


Step 1

I started using a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock, you can also use watercolor paper but I preferred to use regular cardstock because the final texture of the chalk inks is very soft. Over your craft mat apply some spots of ink directly from the inkpad. I used three different colors of VersaMagic: Mango, Red Magic and Purple Hydrangea. Spray the ink with Ink Potion No. 9 and mix if you want or keep the colors separated. Place the cardstock over the sprayed area, press easily, remove and let the paper dry. If you want to speed up the process you can use the heat tool.


Step 2

When the paper is totally dry, stamp the image background using VersaFine Clair Summertime with a Misti or Stamparatus tool. Cover the entire layer with clear embossing powder and activate the powder with the heat tool.


Step 3

If you consider necessary, you can enhance some details of your stamped image with a Memento Marker. I used the Dandelion Marker to enhance some details of the Ornate Background. Also using VersaFine Clair Norturne, stamp a sentiment in a separate piece of Very Vanilla cardstock. If you want you can emboss this message with clear embossing or leave it in its original state.


Step 4

Resize your stamped layer and paste directly over the Tangerine Tango card base using Tear It Tape. Paste the stamped sentiment using dimensionals or double-sided foam tape and finalize decorating with some drops create with irRESISTible Pico Embellisher in Dandelion Color. Easy and fun!

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Cardstock – Very Vanilla, Tangerine Tango
  • Simon Says Stamp – Ornate Background
  • MISTI or Stamparatus Stamping Tool
  • Double sided foam tape or Dimensionals
  • Heat tool

See What Craft Supplies Our Artists Recommend for Weddings

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See What Craft Supplies Our Artists Recommend for Weddings

There are so many kinds of craft projects that would successfully create a DIY wedding. We see all sorts of fabulous ideas on Pinterest and highlights from crafter’s blogs that blow our minds. We decided to ask our Artists in Residence (and some members of the Imagine team) to recommend their favorite Tsukineko or Imagine products to use in wedding cardmaking and crafting. Here is what they had to say!

Product Recommendations

3 Votes for Delicata!

Steph Ackerman

I recommend Delicata in Celestial Copper and Imagine’s Embossing Powder in Clear. This metallic pigment ink creates a beautiful effect on vellum. For further detail add a touch of color with Memento Markers to coordinate with the colors of the bridal party. The full-size inkpad should be enough to create a large number of cards and this ink has an inker available. So if you are creating more than usual then purchase the inker with the large inkpad.

Nadine Carlier

Delicata in White Shimmer and Imagine’s Embossing Powder in Iridescent on black cardstock is a great combo. For a video tutorial, I created this gorgeous black and white themed wedding invitation card. If you need the extra shimmery wedding then spray some Sheer Shimmer Spritz Sparkle. Watch Nadine’s video.

Jowilna Nolte

I recommend using All-Purpose Ink Pale Mint Green and Delicata in White Shimmer on top, all on a pearly cardstock. One lovely stamping technique I recommend for making an invitation would be to use a layered stamp set like you would find in the Altenew collection.

Shop Delicata

 

3 Votes for Embossing Powders!

Jennifer Vanderbeek

Gold and silver embossing powder is the best way to bring a touch of elegance. If you don’t have time to DIY it all, a touch of gold or silver embossing on your paper goods can elevate purchased items with a bit of pizazz.

Melissa Andrew

I really love Imagine’s Embossing Powders on vellum. I love a beautiful soft look for weddings and a gorgeous embossing powder on or under vellum is simple yet stunning. The beautiful colors, gold or silver, are the perfect colors to represent long-lasting love. They seem to compliment any colors a bride would choose. VersaMark ink is a great ink for embossing because of it’s tacky qualities. 

Arjita Sepaha Singh 

For an Indian wedding, perspective red is the color! Red is considered auspicious and adding Imagine’s Embossing Powder in Gold will be like a match made in heaven.

Shop Embossing

2 Votes for Creative Medium!

Kyriakos Pachadiroglou

I recommend Creative Medium in any of the Iridescent colors as a great way to create backgrounds that are not visible at first sight, giving an elegant and festive style with a distinctive glamour.

Martha Lucia Gomez

I enjoy Creative Medium in Clear and created a floral design using a watercolor technique with Fireworks Shimmery Craft Spray and Memento dye inks. See the full tutorial for this card. 

Shop Creative Medium

2 Votes for Sheer Shimmer Spritz!

Roni Johnson

For wedding projects, there’s nothing I like more than Sheer Shimmer Spray to add a touch of elegance, sparkle, and shine. It comes in 6 different colors, perfect to match any theme the bride and groom have chosen. Sheer Shimmer Spray can make plain white sparkle and they make colored backgrounds really pop! 

Marcie McCabe

My recommendation is Sheer Shimmer Spray in Sparkle and Fireworks Craft Spray in the colors of the wedding party. 

Shop Sheer Shimmer Spray

 

1 Vote for Fireworks Sprays

Iris Rodriguez

I recommend Fireworks Shimmery Craft Sprays for crafting in wedding decor. It can be hard to match the right colors for wedding decor. Since Fireworks is available in 24 colors and is a dye-based ink, you can choose one of the colors or blend colors to make the desired color. For example, to make a simple cork place card holder (in photo above), add a paper flower embellishment and color it with Fireworks! It’s elegant, inexpensive and personal. To make a zero waste wedding, make a wreath by attaching all remaining cork place card holders and flowers to a frame.

Shop Fireworks!

2 Votes for VersaFine Clair

Kassandra Tousignant

I recommend a delicate floral background stamp on paper with Sheer Shimmer Spray in Sparkle. In the photo above, I layered the paper with an acrylic sheet on top stamped with VersaFine Clair inked “It’s Your Special Day” sentiment. 

 Amanda Harryman

For those who don’t want to emboss, but want a touch of that elegant look, I would recommend Delicata in Golden Glitz or Silvery Shimmer depending on colors or preferences. I can also say that I would recommend VersaFine Clair in Nocturne, or other wedding colors, to use for the return address stamp on invitations since it will stamp the details clearly, and be smudge-proof quickly.

Shop VersaFine Clair

Create a Beautiful “Mr & Mrs” Congratulations Card

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by Martha Lucia Gomez

Create a Beautiful "Mr & Mrs" Congratulations Card

Stenciling with color and texture always makes for a stunning project. This concept is perfect for wedding cards as it keeps the look elegant and still unique. Make something special for the happy couple with just one design element and two different products: Memento and Creative Medium. Take a look at how to do it!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1 hour + dry time

Directions


Step 1

Secure the stencil over cardstock and using a jumbo dauber apply the Memento ink in circular motions. Try to create an ombre effect or gradient of color. Leave the stencil and paper where it is for step 2.


Step 2

Now apply Creative Medium Clear over the inked area. Not only will it add texture, but you will notice how it will intensify the color when it is dry. When you finish this step, remove the stencil immediately and wash with warm water. Let this dry completely before finalizing the card.


Step 3

On a piece of vellum stamp the wedding sentiment or image using VersaMark and White Embossing Powder. I used two images included in the stamp set Wedding Wishes by Joy Clair. Then I cut the stamped image with one Nesting Oval Infinity Die from Hero Arts and colored some details of it using colored pencils that match the Tangelo Memento ink.


Step 4

To finalize the card, paste the stamped oval using double-sided foam tape. To avoid seeing it through the vellum I put the foam under the embossed area. I also complimented the design with a Congratulations die cut word that I adhered using On Point Glue.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Cardstock
  • Vellum
  • Kite – Moroccan Lattice Stencil
  • My Sweet Petunia – MISTI
  • Heat tool
  • Hero Arts – Nesting Oval Infinity Die
  • Joy Clair – Wedding Wishes Stamp Set
  • Congratulations Die Cut
  • Double sided foam tape or Dimensionals
  • Prismacolor – Colored pencils