Let’s Make a Happy Easter Card

By Anna Escalada York

– In today’s tutorial, I will show you how to use Brilliance Pigment Ink and VersaMagic Chalk Ink
to watercolor an image. This is a wonderful way to stretch your supplies and possibly try a new
technique. In addition, I will share some mistakes I made along the way while making this card.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1.5 hours

Directions:

Step 1:
Using a stamping platform, stamp the floral image with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink.
Optional step: Heat emboss with a clear or holographic embossing powder. I did this because I
didn’t want to wait for the VersaFine Clair ink to dry.

Step 2:
Die cut the floral image with the corresponding die. I was “off” in the die cutting and so some of
the stamped image was cut off. You can mostly see this on the singular bud on the left side of
the image.
Not shown: Using the same die to die cut a piece of pink glitter cardstock.

Step 3:
Press the Pearlescent Orchid Brilliance Dew Drop pad onto a piece of acetate packaging and spray with Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Spray. On another part of the same acetate packaging (or possibly a palette or other non-porous surface, press the Pearlescent Purple Brilliance Dew Drop pad onto the surface and spray with more of the Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Spray. You should have two areas of color that you can mix with the spray to use as a watercolor.

Paint each flower or bud with a single layer of Pearlescent Orchid Brilliance Ink mixed with the
Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Spray. Let the watercolor dry. Add some Pearlescent Purple Brilliance
Ink mixed with the Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Spray to the edges of the petals to add some
dimension and interest.

Repeated the process for the stems. Press the Tea Leaves VersaMagic Chalk Ink pad onto a
piece of acetate and Spray the ink with more of the Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Spray. Use a
paintbrush to paint the stem green. Let dry. If desired, repeat the process to amplify the intensity
of the green watercolor. Let dry.

Not pictured: Gluing the pink glitter cardstock die cut behind the flower so that it can be seen on
the left side of the floral image.

Step 4:
Place a piece of wide washi tape over a piece of cardstock for the background panel
before die cutting that cardstock. (I used a leftover piece of cardstock that had some leftover
pink gel press printing on it so that you can see a little of the pink through the washi tape).
Don’t have washi tape? Use a piece of patterned paper.

Step 5:
The die cut set that was used to make the panel allows for two layers if desired. To make the
matte layer, use a slightly larger die to die cut a piece of pink glitter cardstock and then glue the
two panels together. Set them aside to dry.

Step 6:
Press more of the Pearlescent Orchid Brilliance Ink Dew Drop onto the acetate packaging and
spray more of the Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Spray onto the ink to create more watercolor and
splatter both the floral image and the background with the orchid colored watercolor. To splatter,
extend your finger parallel to the paper and tap a brush that has the Orchid watercolor on it
multiple times. To create a more uniform splatter, move the paint brush or the paper around so
that the splatter is added to a variety of places.

Spray more of the Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Spray (or water) into the gold watercolor pan and
then tap the paintbrush across the floral image and panel a second time. Let dry.

As you can see in the picture, between step 3 and now, the singular bud on the left was trimmed
from both the stamped layer and the pink glitter cardstock so the die cutting mistake was
eliminated.

Step 7:
Stamp the sentiment with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink.
Optional step: Heat emboss the ink with holographic embossing powder to eliminate drying
time. (I originally was going to use this die cut sentiment, but later realized that it wouldn’t fit. I also
forgot to take pictures of the sentiment I trimmed with my paper cutter and ended up adding to
the card. So please use your imagination.)

Step 8:
On the sentiment that you see on the finished card, I trimmed the sentiment with my paper
trimmer. The one picture above was die cut with a hexagon die. Regardless of how you end up
shaping your sentiment (using a trimmer or a die), press the edges of the sentiment into the
Pearlescent Orchid Brilliance Dew Drop pad to add color to the edges. Set aside to dry.

Steps 9 and 10:
Time to glue! Glue the flower on the left third of the background panel. Then glue the panel onto
an A2-sized white card base.

For step 10, attach foam tape behind the sentiment except on the upper left corner (since that
will be overlapping with the floral image. Attach the sentiment to the lower right corner of the
panel.

Step 11:
Add pink and green sequins onto the card–on the lower left corner, close to the sentiment, and
on the upper right corner of the card panel.

Art Supplies
Imagine
• Brilliance Ink – Pearlescent Orchid, Pearlescent Purple
• Sheer Shimmer Spray – Sparkle
• VersaMagic Ink – Tea Leaves
• VersaFine Clair Ink – Nocturne

Other
• Altenew – washi tape – Dotted Wide Washi Tape
• Altenew-Foam Tape-Instant Dimension Foam Tape
• Catherine Pooler- sequins -Mission sequin mix
• Gina K Designs – dies- Master Layout 2 die set
• Kuretake – watercolor – Starry Colors Gansai Tambi Watercolors
• Local King Rubber Stamp – stamp and die set- Cherry Blossom
• Pink & Main – stamp set- Spring Sayings
• Embossing powder in my stash
• Watercolor paper
• Pink glitter cardstock
• Scissors
• Holographic embossing powder
• Small paint brush
• Stamp positioner
• Paper trimmer
• Glue

Delicata Pigment Inks Make Elegant New Year Cards

By Nancy May

Delicata Inks are simply stunning.  I’ve used several of them on my New Year cards today.
Let’s jump into the process and see how they turn out

~Nancy

Skill: Intermediate
Time: undetermined

Art Supplies

Imagine

  • Craft Mat
  • Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
  • Delicata Pigment Ink
  • Golden Glitz
  • Pink Shimmer
  • Ruby Red
  • On Point glue
  • Tear It! Tape

Other

  • Whimsy Stamps
    • Happy New Year Stamp set
    • Mini Slimline Notched Dies
    • Mini Slimline Notched Stitched Dies
    • Frame Labels Dies
  • Technique Junkies: New year New Hope Red Rubber Stamp

Create a Quick and Easy Holiday Card

By Kathi Rerek

Here’s a dramatic, yet quick and easy Season’s Greeting’s Card

Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Time: 1 hour

Step 1.
Use the Mini Globe Thinlits cutting die to cut white metallic cardstock.

Step 2:
Use a Fantastix to apply Cottage Ivy Memento ink to the land areas of the globe.

Step 3:
Use a circle die to cut white cardstock.

Step 4:
Use a sponge dauber to apply Paris Dusk Memento Ink around the outside of the white circle die-cut. Use another sponge dauber to apply Danube Blue Memento Ink from the outside of the circle die-cut blending inwards. Use a third sponge dauber to apply Teal Zeal to the center of the die-cut, taking care to blend the inks together.

Step 5:
Apply On Point Glue to the reverse of the glove, spread the glue with your finger, then adhere the globe to the inked circle. Set aside.

Step 6:
Use a sponge dauber to apply Medieval Blue VersaFine Clair ink around the edges of a piece of 4” x 5.25” cardstock to create the image panel. Use a sponge dauber to apply Blue Belle VersaFine Clair ink from the center of the inked cardstock to the outside, taking care to blend the inks together. Heat set.

Step 7:
Use the doves die to cut white cardstock. Use Copic markers to add details to the doves.

Step 8:
Use the peace die to cut silver metallic cardstock and adhere to the base of the image panel.

Step 9:
Use Tear It! Tape to adhere the globe/circle combination to the card as shown.

Step 10:
Edge the image panel with Starlite Silver Brilliance ink and a sponge dauber. Heat set.

Step 11:
Use On Point Glue to adhere the doves to the image panel.

Step 12:
Use a sponge dauber to apply Medieval blue to the perimeter of a 4.25” x 5.5” white card. Heat set.

Step 13:
Use Tear It! Tape to adhere the image panel to the inked white card.

Imagine Crafts Supplies:

Other Supplies:

  • Solar White Classic Crest Cardstock by Neenah Papers
  • White Metallic Premium Cardstock by Neenah Papers
  • Silver Metallic Premium Cardstock by Neenah Papers
  • Mini Globe Thinlits Die by Tim Holtz for Ranger Ink
  • Doves Die: Source Unknown
  • Circles Die Set by QuicKutz
  • Peace Die: Source Unknown
  • Heat Gun by EK Success
  • Mini Guillotine Trimmer by Tim Holtz for Tonic
  • Big Shot

We Love Holiday Stamping On Kraft Cardstock

By Kathi Rerek

I recently saw a video on Unity Stamps’ Instagram that showed how to use colored inks to stamp snowflakes onto Kraft cardstock. I thought that it would be interesting to try VersaMagic Chalk Inks to see how it would work.

Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Time: 1 hour

Step 1:
Use magnets to secure a 4” x 5.25” piece of Kraft cardstock onto the base of a stamping platform.

Use Hint of Pesto to stamp the leafy snowflake from the Snowflakes Large Clear Polymer Stamp Set on the top left. Re-ink and stamp again if necessary to create good impression.

Position the spiky snowflake from the set facedown on the image panel below green-stamped snowflake. Use Red Magic VersaMagic ink to stamp the snowflake. Re-ink and stamp again if necessary to create good images. Clean and dry both stamps.

Step 2:
Position the third snowflake stamp from the stamp set facedown on the bottom left of the image panel. Ink the stamp with Night Sky VersaMagic Ink and stamp. Re-ink and stamp again if necessary to create a good impression. Clean and dry the stamp.

Repeat Steps 1 and 2 along the right edge of the image panel as shown in the card photo above.

Step 3:
Position one of the snowflake stamps from the Snowflakes Small Clear Polymer Stamp Set facedown in the center top of the image panel. ink the stamp with Red Magic VersaMatic Ink and stamp. Re-ink and stamp again if necessary to create a good impression. Clean and dry the stamp.

Continue the process of stamping snowflakes from the Snowflakes Small Stamp set with all three colors of VersaMagic Inks  taking care to clean and dry the stamps between colors. Remove the image panel from the stamping panel and heat set.

Step 4:
Secure a piece of Kraft cardstock to the base of the image panel. Position the Holiday Spruce Rubber Stamp face-down on the image panel. Press the platform’s lid onto the back of the stamp and lift.

Use Post-It Notes to cover all elements of the stamp except for the Christmas Tree. With the Post-It Notes in place, ink the stamp with Hint of Pesto VersaMagic Ink. Remove the Post-It Notes and stamp twice — once onto the image panel and once onto repositionable sticker paper. Fussy-cut the sticker paper version and place over the stamped tree on the image panel.

Use Post-It Notes to cover each element of the Holiday Spruce Rubber Stamp, ink with one of the the VersaMagic Inks, remove the Post-It Notes, and stamp.

Heat set when the image is completely stamped.

Step 5:
Use low-tack tape to secure a scalloped rectangle die to the sentiment panel. Run the sentiment panel through a die-cutting machine.

Step 6:
Use a sponge dauber and Night Sky VersaMagic Ink to edge both the image panel and the sentiment die-cut. Use a Fantastix to reach between the scallops! Heat set both panels.

Step 7:
Use Tear It! Tape to adhere the image panel to a Kraft A2 Card. Use Tear-It Tape to adhere the sentiment die-cut to finish the card.

Imagine Crafts Supplies:

Other Supplies:

  • Kraft Cardstock by Bazzill Basics
  • Snowflakes Clear Polymer Stamp Set by Lavinia Stamps
  • Snowflakes Large Clear Polymer Stamp Set by Lavinia Stamps
  • Snowflakes Small Clear Polymer Stamp Set by Lavinia Stamps
  • Holiday Spruce Make a Tag Cling Rubber Stamp by Unity Stamps
  • Scalloped Rectangles Nestabilities by Spellbinders
  • Low-Tack Tape
  • Post-It Notes
  • Heat Gun by EK Success
  • Big Shot

Create Custom Wax Seals with StazOn Pigment Inks

By LV Handcrafted

Hello friends! This is Linh (or LV Handcrafted on all the socials). Did you know you can customize wax seals with Imagine inks? This will have you looking at your stamps in a whole new light! Create fabulous wax seals for the holidays as envelop seals for your greeting cards, tag toppers or seal your gifts with these fun custom stamped wax seals!

Skill: Advance
Time: 5-10 minutes (depends on how many you make)

Supplies Used

Imagine

Other Products Used

StazOn Opaque Ink With BetterPress

By LV Handcrafted

Hello friends! This is Linh (or LV Handcrafted on all the socials). I’m back again with more BetterPress fun!  This time I’m using StazOn Opaque ink in Cotton White and Delicata Silvery Shimmer ink.  The StazOn Opaque ink is wonderful because it’s a solvent based pigment ink that you can use on dark or black cardstock. Look how bright and white that is! It works beautifully with this BetterPress plate and makes a very beautiful holiday card. 

To elevate the design a little bit, I smooshed some Delicata ink onto an acrylic block, watered it down a smidge and painted with it. I did a little partial coloring of the holly berries to add a little contrast to the design. The shimmer is subtle but beautiful and perfect for that extra special touch during the holidays.

Skill: Beginner
Time: 5 minutes

Supplies Used

Other Products Used

  • Spellbinders BetterPress System
  • Spellbinders Note BetterPress Plate
  • Black Cardstock 80 lb Cover