Category Archives: Techniques

Use Simple Shapes to Make Holiday Cards

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by Jennifer Vanderbeek

Use Simple Shapes to Make Holiday Cards

There are so many cute and fun stamps and dies on the market these days for the holidays that it’s truly tough to resist them. I don’t know about you but there’s only so much room in the budget and the stamp storage to go around, so I’m always happy to come up with ways to use the things I already have and getting more mileage out of my tools and supplies. To that end, these cards use patterned stamps that are not holiday-specific and simple shapes you can cut with basic dies, punches, or even just scissors. These simple shape cards are also perfect for crafting with kids in preparation for the holidays!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1 hour depending on the number of cards

Directions

Supplies

Imagine

• Delicata – White Shimmer, Pink Shimmer, Ruby Red
• VersaFine – Olympia Green
• VersaMark – Champagne Dazzle
• Embossing Powder – Gold, Clear
• All-Purpose Ink – Vegas Gold
• StazOn Studio Glaze – Claret
• irRESISTibles Spray – Wedding Dress
• Fantastix – Brush Tip
• Creative Medium – Shimmer
• Palette Knives
• Tear It! Tape
• On Point Glue

Other

• Cardstock – Dark green, Green, Royal Blue, Burgundy, Cream, Yellow
• Patterned Paper – Red with White Dots
• Pencil
• Fiskars – Scissors
• Darice – Heat Tool
• Acrylic Blocks
• Stampers Anonymous – Doily Stamp
• Studio Calico – Make a Wish stamp set
• Joy Clair Stamps – Lovely Swirl Background stamp
• Our Daily Bread – Vine Background stamp
• Simon Says Stamp – Merry and Bright stamps
• Bo Bunny – Sentiments Stamp
• Marvy Uchida – Star Punch
• My Favorite Things – Pierced Oval Stax dies
• Lawn Fawn – Stitched Circle Frames dies
• Sizzix – Big Shot Plus
• Bone Folder
• Ribbons & Threads

Create Beautiful Mixed Media Artist Trading Coins

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by Kassy Tousignant

Artist Trading Coins are very popular right now and so fun! I love having different shapes to work with to create fun projects. Of course, Imagine supplies pair perfectly with these ATC Coins to create a cute banner to decorate your space. Use Fireworks Shimmery Craft Spray and Creative Medium to apply great colors and textures to your background. StazOn Ink is always the perfect choice when you need a permanent ink for your mixed media project.

Skill: Advanced
Time: 1 hour + dry time

Directions

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Unity Stamp Co- sentiment stamp
  • Washi tape
  • Stencils
  • DecoArt – matte medium
  • Elizabeth Craft Designs – moonbeam glitter
  • Twine
  • Prima – flowers
  • Fringe ribbon
  • Heavy gel
  • Office clips

Create Shiny Floral Background Using Irresistible Pico Embellisher

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by Arjita Sepaha Singh

For today’s card, I used one tiny stamp and VersaFine in Onyx Black to create a cute and simple card design. I stamped the open line flower image all over the card stock and then used the Irresistible Pico Embellisher to fill the petals. The shine you get after the product dries is breathtaking. I love the simple yet unusual look of the card.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1 hour + dry time

Directions

Supplies

Imagine

• Irresistible Pico Embellisher – Danube Blue, Lilac Posies, Rose Bud, Angel Pink, Gold
• VersaFine – Onyx Black
• On Point Glue 

Other

• Xpress It smooth card stock
• Acrylic Blocks
• Scoring tool
• Gina K Designs Stamp – Mandala Maker

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!)