Sometimes you just need a quick card or even a set of cards to give as a gift. This background is the perfect way to create those at this time of year! And all you need is cardstock, painter’s tape, and an ink pad!
Skill: Intermediate
Time: 15 minutes
They say it’s the little things that matter. So one day, I was at my local craft store and noticed the beads were on clearance. How can I pass up this aisle, right? I saw these two large turquoise beads. I got inspired to wire wrap them into a small bowl. I made the bowl using Activa Self Hardening clay, a nice porous clay that takes pigment inks nicely. I decided to use inks that would complement the beads. I used Turquoise Gem, VersaMagic, a stunning turquoise that contrasts nicely with the Crimson Copper and Rocket Red Gold Brilliance inks.
Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1 Hour to make the bowl, 2 days total for bowls to air dry
For this project, I used Activa Plus clay. In case you’re not familiar with this clay, I will describe its properties. It is an air-dry clay. It is fine, moist, malleable, firm, but not hard. Keep the clay moist by spraying a little water, which also makes it softer. When the clay is wet, it is a beige like color, and when dry it turns off white color. The rate that it dries will depend on the thickness of the project and room temperature. The drier the room, the faster it dries. It is highly porous, which is nice, because it takes just about any kind of medium for coloring onto the clay, such as Imagine’s dye/pigment inks and craft sprays. For this project, I used pigment inks. Use a wooden board or another non-porous surface to work with this clay.
Condition the clay by wedging the clay or just rolling it around. Roll out a sheet of clay. You can use a pin roller used or use a clay roller. The clay is usually very smooth when it’s rolled out. If it is not, then smooth out the clay with your fingers, rib tool or another smooth-edged tool.
Create a template for the bowl. Make the template out of scratch paper. The template will guide you when cutting out the clay.
Place the stencil over the clay and in a pouncing motion ink the clay with Turquoise Gem VersaMagic ink. Then ink on the Crimson Copper Brilliance ink. Add the Rocket Red Gold Brilliance ink over the Crimson Copper. If you do not have a stencil, you can cut shapes out of paper and place over the clay. The moisture of the clay keeps the paper in place.
Place the template over the clay and cut out the shape. Ensure that you work on the wooden board when cutting out the clay. DO NOT use the craft mat to cut.
Place the bead on the end. Place the circle stencil over the bead and find a circle that fits the bead.
Using the stencil as a guide, cut out the shapes. Repeat steps 7 and 8 for the other side. Ensure that you work on the wooden board when cutting out the clay. DO NOT use the craft mat to cut.
Place the clay bowl into a real bowl or other object and allow it dry for one day. It will take on the shape of the object.
At the start of day 2. The clay will be slightly moist. Perfect time for drilling the holes. If the clay is completely dry, and you try drilling, you risk the clay breaking. Use a small drill bit and manually drill the holes. Ensure that the wire will fit through the holes. Do not use a power drill; it’s overkill and the clay is too delicate. Wipe off the clay burrs with a brush. Let the clay dry for another day. No need to put it back in the real bowl. At this point, the shape will stay in place. To determine if it’s dry, take a look at the natural clay color; it will turn an off-white when dry. Also, if the clay feels cold then it’s still wet. It is very important to seal the bowls. The clay is porous, therefore liquids can weaken or activate the clay. The sealer makes it look purposely finished. You can use a spray sealers like 3M/Krylon or brush on a water-based varnish or polyurethane.
Now that the bowl is completely dry. Time to embellish it. You will need beads, plyers and 20 gauge copper wire.
Cut out about 15 inches worth of wire. Add the bead to the wire, take it to the center of the wire.
Wrap the wire over and under the edge of the bowl.
Wrap the wire three times to secure the ends. Cut the wire.
Now you have you finished your decorative bowl.
Amethyst is a lovely stone found in nature that’s color ranges from a deep rich purple to a smokey gray with all the sparkle and shimmer of diamonds. That is our color of the month and it is also the color scheme I used to create this triple layer card using Waffle Flower’s lovely Bouquet Builder 3 and a MISTI stamp positioner.
Skill: Intermediate
Time: 30 minutes
Cut 3 cardstock panels from white cardstock using the following dimensions: 4 ¾” X 6.25”, 2.5” x 4.5”, 1.5” x 3.5”. Place the largest panel in the stamp positioner and center the large flower bouquet stamp in the center of the paper. Close the lid to pick up the stamp. Ink the stamp with Morning Mist VersaFine Clair ink; press the image onto the cardstock. Remove this panel from the stamping tool, leaving the stamp in place.
Insert the 2nd panel into the positioning tool using the grid as a guide for proper placement. Ink the stamp with Electric Purple Radiant Neon ink and close the lid to stamp the image onto the second panel. Remove this panel from the positioning tool.
Position the smallest panel into the positioning tool again using the grid as a guide for placement. Ink the stamp with Fantasia VersaFine Clair ink and stamp the image onto the third and last panel.
Sprinkle Sparkle Mboss embossing powder over all three images; shake off excess and return the excess to the pouch. Heat each panel to melt the embossing powder.
Mat each panel on a piece of coordinating cardstock with an 1/8” margin on each side.
Stamp the sentiment onto a piece of scrap cardstock using VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink. Trim the excess cardstock and mat on a piece of black cardstock.
Mount the largest panel onto a black card base. Adhere the other two panels over the first panel, aligning the image properly each time. Add a few Waffle Flower Stardust Enamel Dots to the card.
Affix the sentiment to the card using double stick foam tape.
Just look at that sparkle and shine created by the Sparkle Mboss embossing powder. Simply lovely and it captures the essence of a real amethyst.
We hope you enjoyed our kick-off project in our collaboration with Waffle Flower. The most exciting part? You can WIN prizes! To enter all you need to do is subscribe to both Imagine and Waffle Flower’s YouTube channels and comment on the videos published this month using both of our products! (One comment per video per person.) Two lucky winners will win $50 gift certificates – one from each sponsor.
Hello everyone, today I have a quick and elegant card. This technique would be perfect for a wedding invitation. I create the shimmer and texture using the new Sheer Shimmer Stix in Frost and an embossing folder. The base of my card is Whisper White cardstock and I cut a second layer using the same color of cardstock, but apply the shimmer-texture technique for a very cool tone on tone look.
Skill: Beginner
Time: 30 minutes
Determine the area that you want to paint and add texture. I used post it tape to obtain a straight line.
Evenly apply the Sheer Shimmer Frost with the Stix Dauber. Let the paper dry naturally, it takes a few seconds only.
Without removing the post it tape, take an embossing folder of your preference and align the borders to only emboss the painted area. Pass the sandwich through your cutting machine.
Remove the post it tape and stamp your message on the upper area. I used VersaMark and embossing powder in Gold to stamp my message. It is an image included on the stamp set Happily Ever After from The Rabbit Hole Designs.
Resize your layer and paste it directly over the card base. If you want to add more decorations or details you can do it before to paste the decorated layer on to the card base.
I have always loved the look of vellum overlays on wedding invitations and making them yourself is super simple! In today’s video, I’m sharing a few different designs along with different ways to attach the vellum overlays! I hope you all enjoy it!
Skill: Beginner/Intermediate
Time: 20 minutes per invitation
On Point Glue and Tear It! Tape worked wonders on my die-cut wedding frame construction. Imagine’s adhesives are very strong, durable, and easy to work with! Also, I really love using the new Sheer Shimmer Stix in Sparkle to enhance this project and I thought it would be perfect for this wedding frame keepsake that could be used to have your guests sign instead of a guest book.
Skill: Beginner
Time: 1 hour
• On Point Glue
• Sheer Shimmer Stix – Sparkle
• Large dauber
• Tear It! Tape
• Delicata Inkpad – White Shimmer
• Imagine Craft Mat
• Prima – Flowers
• Glue gun and sticks
• Crafter’s Companion – silver mirror CS, Silver glitter CS, Love sentiment
• Build a frame die heart & birds die
• Neenah – white cardstock
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