Category Archives: Artist in Residence ALUMNI

Create a Beautiful Mandala Thank You Card

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by Martha Lucia Gomez

Create a Beautiful Mandala Thank You Card

Exploring is part of this creative world, but not all of our readers are experts or have been following us for a long time so today I’ll welcome you back to the basics. A few months ago, I told you that if I had to choose one ink pad (in a hypothetical world), I would choose the VersaMark Ink. Today I am sharing with you one of the multiple reasons why I consider it my must-have product. We have inks in almost all colors but with the VersaMark Ink you create a watermark effect that enhances the color of the paper. I love this effect and love the subtle appearance it creates. In my project, I am using Sahara Sand cardstock and if you notice on the above photo the ink is the same as the paper, just a little darker to create more emphasis over the stamped image.

Skill: Beginner
Time: 30 minutes

Directions


Step 1

Select your color of cardstock and ink your stamp with VersaMark.


Step 2

Stamp your image once, twice or as many times that you need it to obtain all the details and a darker color. In my sample, I stamped twice. Let the ink dry for a few minutes. And this multiple stamping is easier with a stamping tool such as the Misti Stamping Tool.


Step 3

Repeat the process to stamp the “Thanks” sentiment. But this time you can create a totally different effect using the VersaMark with Embossing Powder. You only need to ink your stamp with the VersaMark and then cover the stamped image with Silver Embossing Powder in my case or with any other color of embossing powder and melt it with the heat tool. VersaMark is an excellent embossing ink.


Step 4

To make my card more special, I cut the stamped sentiment with the corresponding die cut and stamped the complement sentiment making the same process. If you want to obtain a major texture you can repeat the stamping process all the time that you wanted…just don’t burn your paper!

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Sahara Sand Card Stock
  • “Thanks” Stamps & Die cuts
  • Mandala stamp
  • Misti Stamping tool
  • Embossing powder anti-static bag
  • Die & embossing machine

Create Shimmery Greetings From Outer Space

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by Jennifer Vanderbeek

How about a little out-of-this-world fun while playing with the color of the month: Pebble Grey. While deciding what to do for this prompt I was reminded of the aliens known as Greys, so created this sky scene with shades of grey and silver and drew up some simple saucers to decorate the skies. In the video, you’ll also see how I fixed a goof and rescued the card front from a galactic disaster!

Skill: Advanced
Time: 1 hour

Directions

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Watercolor Paper
  • Cardstock – Pale Green
  • Paintbrushes
  • Staedtler – Combo Circle Template
  • Pickett – Isometric Ellipse Inking Template
  • Pencil
  • White Eraser
  • Acrylic Block
  • Studio Calico – Make a Wish stamp set
  • Uniball – Signo White Gel Pen
  • Fiskars – Paper Trimmer, Scissors
  • Wooden spoon
  • Post-It Tape

Super Cute and Easy Birthday Cards

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by Elina Stromberg

For this card making project you don’t need any special supplies nor very much time. Just take out a blank card base, your favorite VersaFine Clair inks, and one or two small stamps with different designs. In less than 30 minutes you’ll have a clean and simple colorful card that is perfect for any occasion!

Skill: Beginner
Time: 30 minutes

Directions

Step 1

Fold the blank card base in half. Mask the areas you wish to leave blank i.e. cover both long sides with a post-it note or a piece of paper, revealing only a narrow rectangle panel area of the card base.

Step 2

Stamp random patterns using two or three VersaFine Clair inks of your preferred color scheme. Remove masking papers.

Step 3

Stamp sentiment text on a piece of white paper. Mat on a piece of colored cardstock matching to the chosen ink colors. Attach to card front and trim the excess. Done!

So many combinations to create!

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Card base – white
  • Cardstock – coordinating solid colors
  • Masking paper – Post-it notes, pieces of scrap paper etc.
  • Small stamps of various designs (we love Pegstamps by Rubber Stamp Tapestry!)

Create a Vibrant Night Sky for Halloween Card

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by Melissa Andrew

Create a Vibrant Night Sky for Halloween Card

Blended faded backgrounds on cards are beautiful and in this video, I show you how I create a night sky using a stencil and VersaFine Clair inks. These inks are blendable and have such bright vibrant colors and are perfect for making your night sky pop!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 30 minutes

Directions

 

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Clarity Stencil – Birch Tree
  • Suzy Stamps – Bats Flying By, Bats in Belfry, Ghost Vamp, Pumpkin Smiling
  • Paper Trimmer
  • Heat Tool
  • White Card – Bristol Smooth
  • Black Card
  • Vellum

Use Natural Elements to Color a Greeting Card

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by Iris Rodriguez

Use Natural Elements to Color a Greeting Card

Got tea? I do and I like to make art with the left-over tea bag paper. After the tea bags dry, you can take out the dried leaves you are left with an awesome substrate. Tea bags are versatile, translucent, luminous, and have an awesome vintage look and feel. I made a card using tea bags and Walnut Inks Cornflower and Willow; both awesome inks look great on tea bags. Not only are you making cool cards, but you are upcycling your tea bags.

Skill: Beginner
Time: 1 day for drying tea bags, 30 mins for the card, 5 mins to take apart and clean one tea bag

Directions


Step 1

Begin by allowing your tea bags to dry. I place my tea bags on a ceramic plate with a paper towel and allowed them to dry for several days. The color of your tea bag will be determined by the type of tea use. On this project, I started with a light color tea bag because it is Ginger tea.


Step 2

The tea bags are very delicate so a soft touch will be required to take them apart. Remove the tag by pulling it off. Remove the tiny staple with your nails. Rip open the seams. Take out the dried leaves by sloughing it off. Tear off the seams, otherwise, you’ll see it in your art. Do so, by tearing off the edges on the long side of the rectangle.


Step 3

Lay the tea bag on a nonstick surface; such an as craft mat, or wax paper. Spray a small amount of the Cornflower Walnut Ink on your craft mat and mix with water. Brush on the ink. Allow the bag to dry or use a heat tool.


Step 4

Repeat the same process in step 3, using the Willow Walnut Ink.


Step 5

Stamp or stencil images over a piece of scrap paper. The ink will go through the tea bag and stain your paper; it’s best not to stamp on your main card. The Willow Walnut inked tea bag was used to layer an image over the main substrate tea bag. Heat set.


Step 6

To adhere the stamped tea bag to the watercolor paper or main card, brush on a very thin layer of GlazOn Clear Layer Protectant to the back of the stamped tea bag. Finish the card by adhering it to the main card. I hope you enjoyed this project and will give it a try.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Used tea bags
  • Watercolor paper – 140 lbs
  • Joy Clair – Butterfly Kisses stamp set
  • Key Stamp
  • Crafter’s Workshop – Bird On Branches, Moving Vines – (6 x 6 inches)
  • Hero Arts Stamp – Old French Writing

Mythbusting – StazOn Ink & StazOn Cleaner with Clear Stamps

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by Nadine Carlier

StazOn ink is a solvent ink that can be used on plastic, glass, metal, paper, and a host of mixed media surfaces and ephemera. So it is natural to assume that it might damage your stamps. We asked Nadine to talk a little bit about why StazOn is totally safe to use with any stamp set!

Supplies

Other