Category Archives: Beginner

Quick & Easy: How to Make Earrings

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by Kyriakos Pachadiroglou

Having a quick look at your craft supplies, you can always find something more to make than papercrafts. Jewelry is one of the best things and you can make them any day and according to your fashion requirements each time.

These Wind Charm earrings are very easy to make and you can follow the same steps to make a necklace just by replacing the earring hooks with a jump ring and passing a cord to it. You only need basic supplies and no special techniques.

StazOn Pigment
in Peacock Feathers

Inkblushers

Sheet Metal
in Diamond 1.25 in

GlazOn

Jewelry Kit 

Rinea Foil Paper

Tear It Tape

Jewelry Punch

Glue Gun

Jewelry Pliers

Directions

Cut 2 x 1 ½ inch pieces of the Rinea Turquoise starstruck paper, 5 for each earring or more if you are planning to make a necklace too. An alternative can be to use two matching color papers and have a result that goes with more outfits. When you have the papers cut, place Tear It Tape at one of the long edges and use a bamboo skewer starting from the opposite edge tightly roll the paper. Secure with the pre-set Tear It! Tape to create the pipes. Using the double-sided tape is easy and does not create a mess.

Place a drop of hot glue on one of the pipes ends and set a small jump ring inside. Continue with all of the small pipes and only at one side. If you do not have a glue gun then a strong liquid adhesive glue such as On Point Glue should work as well.

Punch small holes on two sides of the SHEET Metal in a diamond shape. You can use a hole punch or a piercing tool, but make sure that the openings allow the jump rings to pass. Then, remove the protective film and just press them on the StazOn Pigment in Peacock Feathers ink pad. Allow a few minutes the ink to dry. You can seal the result with GlazOn. This liquid sealant is formulated to work with StazOn inks.

Add a bit larger jump rings to set the pipes on the SHEET Metal diamond shapes and finish by adding an earring hook.

Quick & Easy: Quick & Easy Stenciling Technique

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by Melissa Andrew

Today, I am sharing a very simple Tuscan Sky using Memento inks and a cloud stencil. Adding different colors of ink, in a repeating pattern gives a lot of interest to your card. The technique is simple, yet the final product looks professional and gorgeous. This is also a popular trend with card makers and having a few simple tools, will allow you to join the fun as a beginning paper crafter.

Memento Inkpad Paris Dusk

Memento Inkpad Morocco

Memento Inkpad Dandelion

Memento Inkpad Danube Blue

Rainy Day – 6×6 Stencil

Cardstock

Imagine Craft Mat

Case base – white or black

Tear It Tape

Sponge Daubers

 

We will be working on a piece of cardstock cut to 4.25 x 5.5 inches, and we will call this our panel. Choose a stencil with a cloud edge. If you do not have a stencil, this is not a problem, simply cut out a piece of thick card stock with bumps like a cloud. Make sure your cut piece is several inches wider than your panel. Next, choose the Dandelion (yellow) Memento Ink and pick up a bit of color with a sponge dauber. Dab a little off onto your craft mat or a scrap piece of paper before inking your panel. Place the stencil edge near the bottom of your panel. Gently add color over the top of the stencil/or cloud cut-out onto the panel. Using a light touch, move the dauber in a circular motion over the edges of the tops of the clouds.

Repeat step one with all four colors of ink. For each layer, move or flip your stencil to get different patterns for each layer. I did two layers each of Dandelion, Morocco, and Danube Blue, and one layer of Paris Dusk at the end to represent the sky behind the clouds. Next, choose a sentiment from any clear stamp set and stamp a sentiment using the Danube Blue Memento Ink on the cloud scene panel.

Add Tear It Tape to the backside of the cloud panel and adhere to an A2 sized card base. Make sure you press the tape down firmly so it will be easier to peel the backing off the tape. It is best to use the tape on the edges of the card so the paper does not curl on the card base. Once you peel off the backing, adhere to the front of your card base. Don’t forget to check that the fold of the card base is on the left side.

At this point, the card is finished and is ready to gift! You can continue to embellish with extra details such as glitter, decorative dots, or hand-drawn elements, but it is pretty just as it is too.

See More Beginner Guide Lessons

Beginner Guide: Acrylic Block Inking Technique

 

Learn How to Create a Quick and Easy Sour Cream Container Craft

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by Martha Lucia Gomez

Hello friends! Today I have a quick package, normally called ‘Sour Cream Container’ shape. I created it with designer paper and added an extra special touch with Versa Magic Inks. I selected a two-step stamp from Altenew, the Leaf Canopy stamp set. It includes the lineal and solid images but this idea can be made with any type of stamps.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 15 minutes

Directions


Step 1

Stamp, with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, the lineal stamp using a stamping tool over a yellow piece of designer paper of 6″x 6″ size.


Step 2

Remove the lineal stamp and place the solid stamp over the lineal stamp and pick up with the acrylic door. Ink the solid images entirely with Mango Madness VersaMagic Ink and stamp. Ink up a few touches on the insides of the leaves with Red Magic VersaMagic Ink and stamp. I used the DewDrop inkpads in VersaMagic because with the teardrop shape it is very easy to add the selective color to the images without getting the second color accidentally over the whole image.


Step 4

Add double-sided Tear It Tape to one entire inside border and paste it over the opposite side to create a tube. Add double-sided tape to one end to close by pinching it together. Place the candy or gifts into the tube. Add the tape to the other end and close, pinching in opposite (90 degrees) direction.


Step 5

As a final touch, I added a tiny sentiment that I created with a die-cut and adhered with On Point Glue.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Designer Paper
  • Stamping Tool
  • Altenew – Leaf Canopy Stamp Set
  • “Thank You” die cut

Learn How To Upcycle A Pencil Holder With Embossing Powder

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by Iris Rodriguez

Learn How To Upcycle A Pencil Holder With Embossing Powder

I just love how the glittery combination of Imagine’s new Mboss Embossing Powders shine. I made this cute pen and pencil holder with Princess Party (silver and purple combination) and Lucky Stars (gold and green combination). I love the way these two colors work together to transform a pencil box from neutral colors to bright vibrant home decor.

Skill: Beginner
Time: 1 hour

Directions


Step 1

Select a cardboard-based pencil box. A plain box works as well. If it has designs it can be covered with gesso.


Step 2

Apply the gesso to the pencil box making sure to paint on enough layers to fully cover the current design. Allow to fully dry.


Step 3

Stamp the textured image with the VersaMark ink. Apply Mboss embossing powders in Lucky Stars and Princess Party. Apply one color in random areas. Shake off the excess on a clean scrap piece of paper and place back in the bag. Apply the second color in the areas that do not contain embossing powder. Shake off the excess on a different clean scrap piece of paper and place back in the bag. Melt the powder with a heat tool.


Step 4

Glue on the flowers.


Step 5

Apply embossing powders on all sides, if desired.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Rubber Stamp
  • Pencil Holder
  • Prima Marketing – Vine Flowers
  • Gesso
  • Paintbrush
  • Adhesive

Learn How to Make a Birthday Card with Ink Blending

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by Lindsay Adreon

Learn How to Make a Birthday Card with Ink Blending Fireworks Ink Sprays in Blue and Pink

Fireworks! Is there a better product to use during the month of July? These shimmery craft ink sprays are gorgeous, full of pigment, shine and sparkle and make some gorgeous backgrounds that require little to no effort! If you’re looking for a sparkly and quick background that makes a big impact on your projects, this is the technique for you!

Skill: Beginner/Intermediate
Time: 30 minutes

Directions

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Painter’s Tape
  • Waffle Flower – Celebrate Die
  • Kat Scrappiness – Happy New Year Die
  • Foam Tape

Quick & Easy: Acrylic Block Inking Technique

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Beginner Guide: Acrylic Block Inking Technique

by Martha Lucia Gomez

Using this acrylic block technique is an easy way to create a colorful background with a watercolor effect on your paper projects like cards and scrapbook layouts. You can do this technique using any water-based pigment or dye inks, and acrylic blocks of different sizes and shapes. You do not need a lot of different supplies to make beautiful backgrounds! You can do this with a single color of ink, but I used two colors of Memento water-based dye inks because the colors in the line blend together so nicely.

shopping list for Imagine

 

Memento Inkpad Tuxedo Black

Memento Inkpad Tangelo

Memento Inkpad Dandelion

Imagine Craft Mat

 Joy Clair Stamps

Stampin Up Cardstock

Acrylic Block by Stampin’ Up

Case base – white or black

2 oz Water Bottle

Tear It Tape

Select the size and shape of the acrylic block that you want to use to create the background. Here I used a block large enough to cover most of a standard size card but small enough to also leave a white border. Apply the ink directly on the acrylic block by swiping the ink pad on the surface.. Dye inks appearance on the block will look clear, but once you press the block onto paper the color will pop! I used two different colors, Memento Dandelion and Tangelo. I love the way the two similar colors fade into one another.

Spray your inked block with water. The intensity of color depends on the amount of water that you apply. Less water  will result in more color, and more water less color. Since the dye inks are waterbased the water will allow the orange and yellow to blend even more. Turn your block around and stamp the color directly over your cardstock or watercolor paper. Press the block into the paper with your hands to transfer the color. Lift the block off of the paper and let the cardstock dry naturally or speed the process with a heat tool. This technique can be used on most types of cardstock.

Arrange your clear stamps on the acrylic block. If you are not sure how you would like the design to look you can practice placement before you ink the stamp. This gives you a sense of the final look and feel. It can be eye-pleasing to have the stamped image use the full panel frame, meaning it covers both the colored and white areas. Here I decided to place the large floral image in the top corner and the sentiment “Thanks” in the opposite corner. Ink your main image using Memento Tuxedo Black to create a contrast. Adhere your inked and stamped panel to the black card base using double-sided tape. The black in the flower print and sentiment will pop even more because it matches the paper of the card base.