How to Make a Fall Acorn Box

By Ceal Pritchett

Hello crafty friends!
I’s Ceal, here. Today I am sharing a tutorial on how to make this acorn gift box.

Skill: Intermediate to Advanced
Time: 45 Minutes

Directions:

Gather your supplies. For this project you will need the Fall Favors Box die set and the coordinating stamp set. A dark brown ink (VersaFine Clair used here), Kraft and other colors of cardstock.

Step 1:
Out of kraft cardstock, cut six pieces each of the small (top) and large (bottom) of the acorn, along with the top and bottom hexagon pieces. Cut the stem out of a dark brown cardstock and the leaves out of your color of choice.

Step 2:
Line up the stamp that adds the detail to the acorn top and then stamp all six pieces with a dark brown ink, VersaFine Clair Pinecone used here.

Step 3:
Crease all of the score line on all the die cut pieces. Do not use a bone folder, just simply crease them on the score lines.

Step 4:
Align the large (bottom) pieces of the acorn on the hexagon as shown. Tip: I used liquid glue to allow me to move them as needed.

Step 5:
Align the small (top) pieces of the acorn on the hexagon with the square hole in it.

Step 6:
Fold the stem piece on the score lines and add h=glue to create the stem and then thread it through the square hole on the top. After threading it through the hole, fold back the tabs and glue down as shown.

Finish the project by adding the leaves and some twine.

Supplies:

Imagine Products

• VersaFine Clair: Nocturne
• VersaFine Clair: Pinecone
• On Point Glue

Other Products
• Fall Favors Box Dies – Concord & 9th
• Fall Favor Extras Dies – Concord & 9th
• Fall Favors Stamp Set – Concord & 9th

Let’s Make a Repurposed Tea Tin Box

By Anna Escalada York

I’ve had a small metal tea box that I’ve wanted to repurpose into a mixed media piece for a while, so I took some time on a rainy day to make it happen.

Skill: Advanced
Time: 1 hour active time, 6+ hours (drying between layers)

Directions:

Step 1:

After applying two coats of gesso around all four sides of a tea tin, spray the top of the tin with Cherry Blossom Walnut Ink Antiquing Solution and allow it to drip down the sides of the tin. Set aside to dry.

Step 2:

Spray all four sides of the tin with Lulu Lavender Fireworks! Craft Spray and allow to dry.

Step 3:

While the tin was drying, die cut four leaf clusters out of watercolor paper. Then randomly add Paris Dusk Fireworks! Craft Spray to the centers of each leaf with the stick of the spray nozzle and color the outsides of the leaves with Elderberry Memento Dual Marker.

Step 4:

Spray each of the 4 leaf clusters with Lulu Lavender Fireworks! Craft Spray and allow to dry.

Step 5:

Partially stamp each of the four sides of the tin with Night Sky VersaMagic ink on a background stamp. (I used an old woodblock typewriter stamp.) Then press the ink pad along the top edge of the tin and the raised rib as well. Heat emboss the top rim of ink with clear embossing powder.

Step 6:

Ink blend Lilac VersaColor ink through a stencil on all four sides of the tin using a sponge dauber. (Not pictured was splattering more of the Paris Dusk Fireworks! Craft Spray onto each of the four sides as well.) Then allow everything to dry.

Step 7:

Glue two of the leaf cluster dies (one on top of the other) along the right edge of two of the sides of the tin.

Not pictured was the step after this where I decided to use my sponge daubers to ink blend some more of the Night Sky VersaMagic ink along some of the edges of the leaves while they were glued down, nor using my Gold Sheer Shimmer Stix Dauber Top to add some gold to the leaves as well.

Splatter the tin with more Paris Dusk Fireworks! Craft Spray. Allow it to dry. Then glue dark blue gems around the leaf clusters to finish the box on the two slides with leaves.

Art Supplies

Imagine

Fireworks! – Lulu Lavender and Paris Dusk
Memento Dual Marker – Elderberry
Sheer Shimmer Stix Dauber Top – Gold
VersaColor ink – Lilac
VersaMagic ink – Night Sky
Walnut Ink Antiquing Solution – Cherry Blossom
Sponge Daubers

Other

AALL & Create – stencil – Lotza Starz 6″x6″ stencil
Golden – Gesso Semi-Opaque Acrylic Primer
Scrappy Tails Crafts – embellishment mix
Simon Says Stamp – die cut – Autumn Leaf Branch
Old typewriter woodblock stamp in my stash
Clear Embossing Powder
Watercolor paper
Foam paint brush (for the gesso)
Die cutting machine
Glue

Learn to Make a Dressed Up Gift Box

By Tracy Fear

Hello Friends! Tracy here and today I am delighted to share this tutorial that helps you make gift giving even more spectacular by creating a custom gift box using your stamps and inks!

In today’s video tutorial I am sharing how I used some plain tissue paper and a Dollar Store box along with stamps and inks and a little paint to dress up a gift box!

Tracy

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 30 Minutes to 90 Minutes

Art Supplies

Stamping Platform
Glue
Fan brush
Your choice of stamps
Ephemera of your choice
Tissue paper
Empty gift box
Stencil
Stencil Brush

Imagine Products

• VersaFine Clair in Twilight
• VersaFine Clair in Periwinkle
• VersaFine Clair in Monarch
• VersaFine Clair in Nocturne
• Brilliance in Starlight Silver

Other Products Used

• Assorted Stamps from Lavinia Stamps
• Stencil from Lavinia Stamps
• 120lb paper in white
• Generic White Tissue Paper
• Misti tool
• PVA Adhesive

ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTS THAT CAN BE USED TO RECREATE SOMETHING SIMILAR

Any Inks

To learn how to create your own dressed up box click here!

 DIY Wall Decor with a Sassy Twist

By Anna Escalada-York

As a mom of a teen and tween, I wanted to make a snarky piece of home decor that would make them smile. So I decided to make a pretty piece of art that I was going to put up in our dining room. 

Skill: Intermediate 
Time: 3 hours 

Directions: 

Step 1: 
Paint a thin layer of white gesso onto a 5” by 7” medium density fiberboard (MDF) panel. 

Step 2: 
Glue a ripped piece of text-based patterned paper onto the left side of the panel, making sure that the paper doesn’t go off the side of the fiberboard panel. Then paint over the whole panel again with more white gesso. 

Step 3: 
Stamp a long, floral image onto white watercolor paper with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink and then heat emboss it with clear embossing powder. Then color the main branch and ribs of the leaves with Northern Pine Memento Dual Marker and the flowers with Lady Bug Memento Dual Marker. 

Step 4: 
Die cut the long, floral image. Spray Cottage Ivy Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray onto a piece of scrap acetate packaging and watercolor paint the leaves and edges of the floral image green, making sure to blend the darker marker color with the lighter spray. Set aside to dry. 

Step 5
Add texture to the fireboard panel. Use some of the remaining Cottage Ivy Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray mixed with more white gesso to create a light green paint. Paint the center part of the fireboard panel with the light green paint. Then watercolor smoosh more of the Cottage Ivy Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray (without any gesso) onto the panel to add texture. After the spray and paint have dried, press Celestial Copper Delicata Ink through a circular stencil overlapping the patterned paper. Then press the Celestial Copper Delicata Ink pad around the edges of the panel. 

Step 6: 
Stamp a large butterfly on another piece of watercolor paper using Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink and heat emboss with more clear embossing powder. Then spray Lilac Posies Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray onto more scrap acetate packaging and watercolor spray the butterfly. Spray the whole thing with Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray, which forces the Lilac Posies spray to diffuse outside of the butterfly’s outline. After the spray dried, die cut the butterfly with the corresponding die. Finally, paint the butterfly a second time with more of the Lilac Posies Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray to deepen the color. Set aside to dry. 

Step 7: 
Return to the background panel. Attach two types of washi tape to the left side of the panel–small pieces of black and white dotted washi tape and a white piece of washi tape that comes die cut in a lacy geometric pattern. 

Then stamp a sentiment on the lower right part of the panel with more Nocturne VersaFine Clair in and heat emboss with more clear embossing powder. 

Step 8: 
Using a small musical note stamp, partially stamp the panel multiple times with Spuce VersaFine Clair ink. 

Step 9: 
Stamp the smaller butterfly twice with more Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink and heat emboss them with clear embossing powder. Then color them in with Lulu Lavender and Tangelo Memento Dual Markers (orange butterfly) and with Tangelo and Grape Jelly Memento Dual Markers (purple butterfly). Then spray both butterflies with Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray. Once the spray had dried, die cut the butterflies with their corresponding die. 

(In the final piece, only the orange butterfly colored with Tangelo and Lulu Lavender Memento Dual Markers was used.) 

Step 10: 
Stamp part of the mountain outline stamp on the lower right part of the panel with more Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink and heat emboss with clear embossing powder. Then stamp part of the sun stamp with Summertime VersaFine Clair Ink. 

Step 11: 
Spray around the sun with Cantaloupe Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray. Use a paintbrush or your finger to move dots of the Cantaloupe spray to make the spray less uniform and more organic. 

Step 12: 
Glue the flowers and small butterfly onto the panel. Attach the larger butterfly to the panel with foam tape. If desired, the outer tips of the top wings can be given additional dimension with two layers of foam tape, forcing them to curve. 

Art Supplies 

Imagine 
Delicata Ink – Celestial Copper 
Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray – Cantaloupe 
Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray – Cottage Iv
Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray – Lilac Posies 
Memento Dual Marker – Lady Bug 
Memento Dual Marker – Northern Pine 
Sheer Shimmer Shimmer Craft Spray – Sparkle 
VersaFine Clair ink – Nocturne 
VersaFine Clair ink – Summertime 
VersaFine Clair ink – Spruce 

Other 
Altenew – die set – All Things Orange 
Altenew – stamp set – All Things Orange 
Altenew – foam tape – Instant Dimension Foam Tape 
Altenew – washi tape – Many Dots 
Art Alternatives – MDF Panel (5” x 7”) 
Golden – Gesso Semi-Opaque Acrylic Primer 
Ink Road Stamps – stamp set – Roadies 8 (sentiment stamp) 
Visible Image – die set – Antisocial Butterfly 
Visible Image – stamp set – Antisocial Butterfly 
Circular stencil 
Die cut washi tape 
Watercolor paper 
Vellum 
Pencil 
Paintbrush 
Die cutting machine 
Paint brush 
Scissors 
Glue 
Text-based patterned paper 
Clear embossing powder 

Easy Easter Egg Holders for Sweet Easter Displays

By Nancy May

Hey y’all.  I am going to share how you can create simple Easter egg holder rings that you can use to create an Easter display to match your style, your décor, etc. The sky is the limit! Let get to it!

~Nancy

==============

Skill: Beginner (but adaptable to more advanced learners)

Time: 30-ish minutes

Art Supplies

Imagine

• VersaFine Clair Ink Pad: Nocturn, Shady Lane, Verdant

• VersaColor Dew Drops: Magic Black, Tea Leaves

• Brilliance Dew Drop: Pearlescent Orchid

• On-Point Glue

Other

•  Simon Says Stamp – Clear Stamps – Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous Hipster Bunny 

• Whimsy Stamps – Dies – Grass and Cloud Edger Dies 

• Whimsy Stamps – Supplies – Large Blender Brush

• Lavinia Stamps – Stencils – White Orbs

• Scrapbook.com – Supplies – Reverse Tweezers

Let’s Make a Shaker Ornament

By Martha Lucia Gomez

Hello there! Today’s tutorial is a shaker ornament created with embossing powders and using different colors in a single piece. To make this, I used the MBoss in Blue Icicle, Sapphire and White. To create this type of embellishments or ornaments for your cards, gifts or Christmas Trees, you can also use our traditional Embossing Powders in any color.  

Skill Level: Medium

Time to Complete: 45 minutes

Directions:

Step 1:

Apply a layer of ink to your Shaker Base or Chipboard piece directly with the ink pad of VersaMark. You can also use the small size or cube of VersaMark Ink if you are using a small piece of shaker card or chipboard. Make the emphasis on the center if it has the designed part. 

Step 2:

Cover the center of your ornament with the light color of MBoss or embossing powder. In my sample, I am using the Blue Icicle.

Step 3:

Melt the MBoss or Embossing Powder with the heat tool. Don’t worry if the powder covered some parts of the border.

Step 4:

Repeat steps 2 and 3 if you want a thick effect or want better coverage.

Step 5:

Ink the border or the chipboard ornament or shaker piece with the VersaMark Ink Pad, taking care not to cover the center of the piece. 

Step 6:

Cover the inked area with the dark color of MBoss. I am using the Sapphire.

Step 7:

Melt the powder with the heat tool. Then, add some touches of MBoss White to create more dimension over it. Melt the MBoss White or White Embossing Powder with the heat tool. 

Step 8:

Assemble your shaker card or finish the ornament by adding some sprinkles or small sequins and adding a piece of ribbon to tie it.

Voila! Our ornament is finished and can be used to decorate a card, a gift or to be handled on a Christmas Tree.

Remember that you can use this idea for any type of chipboard piece or for any occasion, not only for Christmas. 

Art Supplies:

Imagine:

• Mboss Sapphire, Blue Icicle and White

• Tear it! Tape

• Craft Mat

• VersaMark

Other:

• Shaker Dimension Set or Chipboard Piece. 

• Heat Tool

• Sequins