Category Archives: Mixed Media

Let’s Give your Clipboard a Makeover

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By Anna Escalada York

– I had an old clipboard that I wanted to decorate and was able to make it work with some of my Imagine Craft supplies.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 2.0 hours (includes drying time)

Directions:

Step 1:
Paint a thin layer of thin layer of white gesso onto an old clipboard and set aside to dry. (I used some old spools of washi tape to hold open the metal clip so that it wouldn’t get stuck in the drying gesso.)

Step 2:
Spray Pear Tart Fireworks! Craft Spray through a detailed heart stencil on the lower left corner of the clipboard. Emboss with clear embossing powder to set the spray.

Here is a closeup of Step 2:

Step 3:
Stamp a large butterfly in the upper left part of the clipboard base and a sentiment (or maybe in this case affirmation) in the lower right corner with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink and then heat emboss both with clear embossing powder.

Step 4:
Watercolor smoosh the clipboard with a variety of blue, green and black watercolor in layers.

  • Starting out with Turquoise Gem VersaMagic Chalk Ink, press the ink pad onto a scrap piece of acetate packaging and spray with water. Then press the acetate over the butterfly to create a light blue area around the butterfly. Press the remaining color from the acetate in a diagonal line across the clipboard from the upper left corner to the lower right corner into the stamped sentiment.
  • Repeat the process with Hint of Pesto VersaMagic Chalk Ink.
  • Then draw on the acetate with Danube Blue Memento Dual Marker and spray with water; this time focus most of this darker color around the butterfly and splatter the clipboard with the remainder of the dark blue watercolor.
  • Finally, draw on the acetate with Tuxedo Black Memento Dual Marker and spray with water. Use the black watercolor to splatter the butterfly (and to cover up any blemishes left behind when stamping).

Let everything dry.

Step 5:
Color in parts of the butterfly image with Tropical Lagoon Fabrico Dual Marker (center of the upper wings) and Pear Tart Memento Dual Marker (small circles on the edge of the lower wings). Color in the word curiosity in the sentiment with more of the Tropical Lagoon Fabrico Dual Marker. Heat emboss with clear embossing powder.

Step 6:
Spray Silver Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray onto the acetate and watercolor smoosh it onto the clipboard. Splatter any remaining spray on the acetate onto the clipboard. If larger individual splatters are desired, unscrew the top and use the tube/straw from the spray bottle to dab large blobs of Silver Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray onto the clipboard and finish the project.

Art Supplies

Imagine
• Fabrico Dual Marker – Tropical Lagoon
• Fireworks! Craft Spray – Pear Tart
• Memento Dual Markers – Danube Blue, Pear Tart and Tuxedo Black
• Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Silver
• VersaFine Clair ink – Nocturne
• VersaMagic Chalk ink – Hint of Pesto and Turquoise Gem

Other
• Golden – Gesso Semi-Opaque Acrylic Primer
• Stampers Anonymous and Tim Holtz – stamp set – Perspective CMS213 Clear Embossing Powder
• Foam paint brush (for the gesso) Thin paint brush (for splattering) Small detail stencil in my stash

Learn How to Make a Faux Blue Delft Bunny Rabbit

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By Roni Johnson

Welcome in Spring with this lovely Faux Blue Delft Bunny Rabbit to brighten up your home. Originating in the city of Delft in the Netherlands in the 1600s, this pottery which consists of blue decoration over a white background is a breath of fresh air and the perfect start of this season of renewal. This technique looks daunting but once you break it down into easy-to-follow steps it’s fun and rewarding. The finished project looks stunning and will delight everyone who comes in contact with it.

This technique combines wide-open geometric stamped patterns with areas of saturation to give the piece defined areas to enhance and highlight certain areas of the animal. For this example, I used the more concentrated stamping on the face, ears and a medallion of sorts on its back. You will come to see how this turns a plain paper mache rabbit into a beautiful Blue Delft Bunny sure to please.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 2 hours + dry time

 

Directions:

Step 1

Gather up your supplies, you will need a paper mache animal – I choose a rabbit for Spring, tissue paper, Medieval Blue VersaFine Clair ink and Creative Medium (Clear or Shimmer).

 

Step 2

You will also need to gather a few small stamps. For this project I am using roses, leaves and vine peg stamps from Rubber Stamp Tapestry.

 

Step 3

Prepare the paper mache animal by painting it with white acrylic paint. Set it aside to dry.

 

Step 4

To create the concentrated stamped sections place a sheet of tissue paper over the desired area, in this case the back and trace the shape you wish to create. For this example I wanted a nice sized oval medallion over the back. You can see the faint pencil marking on the tissue paper in the photo.

 

Step 5

Create the medallion by stamping the border along the pencil line from the previous step.

 

Step 6 – Stamp additional images to fill in the medallion.

 

Step 7 – Once the medallion has been completed let the ink dry completely.

 

Step 8 – Use a ruler to stamp a small rose at 1” intervals in a diagonal line.

 

Step 9 – Continue stamping at 1” intervals until the entire piece of tissue paper has been covered.

 

Step 10 – Repeat steps 4-9 for any additional areas you wish to cover with a concentrated stamping. For this example I made pieces for the back sides of the rabbit ears and one for the top of the nose and forehead.

 

Step 11 – Stamp extra pieces of tissue paper with the diagonal 1” pattern to cover any areas which are not going to be covered with the concentrated pieces.

 

Step 12 – Stamp more tissue paper than you think you’ll need just in case. You don’t want to run out in the middle of covering the project and have to stop gluing to stamp more.

 

Step 13 – Apply a layer of Creative Medium over the section of the paper mache you want to begin with and carefully place the piece of tissue paper over the glue.

 

Step 14 – Pick up more Creative Medium on the paintbrush and gently dab the tissue paper and press it onto the paper mache form. Once in place cover the entire piece of tissue paper with a generous layer of Creative Medium.

 

Step 15 – Continue covering the areas where you want the concentrated stamping, next the ears, one at a time.

 

Step 16 – Again gently layer the tissue paper over the Creative Medium base coat then cover with a top coat of Creative Medium. Gently pull away the excess tissue paper and smooth the edges with the paintbrush. Let these areas dry before continuing.

 

Step 17 – Once all of the concentrated areas have been applied (back medallion, ears, and forehead), use the diagonal stamped tissue paper to fill in any additional areas that need covering in the same fashion. Apply a foundation layer of Creative Medium; add the diagonal tissue paper and gently press into the glue then apply a top coat of Creative Medium.

 

Step 18 – Let the Creative Medium dry completely, I left this example dry overnight.

 

Step 19 – Use a sponge dauber to apply a bit of color around the edge and inside of the ear.

 

Step 20 – (Optional) – Glue a bit of marabou feather boa to the tail area.

 

Step 21 – Dye rayon seam binding with Fireworks! Spray ink to create a bow around the bunny’s neck.

 

 

Art Supplies:

Imagine
Other
  • Paper Mache Rabbit
  • Tissue Paper
  • Rubber Stamp Tapestry – Roses, Leaves, Vine peg stamps
  • Ruler
  • Paint Brush
  • Rayon Seam Binding
  • DecoArt Americana Acrylic Paint – Titanium White
  • (optional) Marabou Feather Boa

Mix Your Mediums for Fall Leaves Home Decor

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by Lori Warren

If you like mixing things up, then you will like this Fall Mixed Media Home Decor sign. This Fall Leaves design uses a variety of techniques. See how to use Creative Medium to upcycle an autumn-themed napkin into leaf shape cutouts. Color and distress paper to create a dynamic look and feel.

This crafting project demonstrates the versatility of Imagine and Tsukineko art supplies and how well they can work together to create interesting pieces full of color and texture.

Skill: Advanced
Time: 1 hour

Directions

Art Supplies

Imagine

• StazOn Pigment Ink Pad – Piano Black
• StazOn Ink Pad — Metallic Gold
• Creative Medium
• VersaFine Ink Pad – Onyx Black
• Memento Ink Pad – Sweet Plum
• Memento Ink Pad – Rich Cocoa
• Memento Ink Pad – Potter’s Clay
• Memento Ink Pad – Desert Sand
• GlazOn
• Jumbo Daubers
• Stipple Brush

Other

• Art Minds – Wood sign
• Fall Florals
• Sheer Ribbon
• TCW Stencil – TCW5002
• Tim Holtz Idea-ology – Pumpkin
• The Paper Studio Ribbon – Vintage Small Rosette
• DecoArt Enchanted – Ultra Black Basecoat, Gold & Magenta iridescent Top Coat
• Art C Stamp & Cut – pumpkin
• Stampers Anonymous, Tim Holtz collection – Skulls & Cobwebs
• Hero Arts – Stamps & frame cuts
• DCWV – Burlap Printed paper
• Cardmaking & Papercrafts – Autumn Wonder leaf embossing plate

Learn to Make a Día de los Muertos – Day of the Dead Mixed Media Thick Board Halloween Tag

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by Nicole Watt

Celebrate Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) with this beautiful sugar skull thick board tag decor. It’s the perfect combination of dark, distressed, but shimmery and beautiful! If it looks like a difficult project, never fear! Nicole will break it down into bite-sized steps that will have you creating one of your own in no time.

See how to use the new StazOn On-Trend Colors for this project.

Skill: Advanced
Time: varies

Directions

Art Supplies 

Imagine
Other

Learn How to Water Color a Halloween Card with Fireworks Shimmery Craft Spray

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by Jowilna Nolte

Hi everyone, today I am sharing a gorgeous embossed Spider Web theme background using Fireworks sprays. One of my favorite techniques with Fireworks is to remove the lid and use the ink as a watercolor. First I stamp a grungy bird with VersaFine Clair. Since VersaFine is an oil-based ink, the stamped area will not lift when water-based inks are applied. This is an important feature to understand about VersaFine.

Hope you enjoyed this quick lesson. Create your own variation to make cards, Halloween decor, Fall, and other festive holiday crafts. Combining orange, purple, and black ink with a touch of gold creates a stunning end result.

Skill: Beginner-Intermediate
Time: 20 minutes

Directions

Art Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Sewing machine
  • Tombow Glue
  • Vellum
  • Smooth white cardstock
  • Embossing folder – Cricut
  • Cuttlebug – Cricut
  • Stamp – Stampers Anonymous
  • Paintbrush

Beginner Guide: Kaleidacolor Ink Variety of Colors for Any Time of the Year

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kaleidacolor swatching video

by LeeAnn McKinney

Greetings crafty friends! In this quick ink swatching video, I used the Waffle Flower Swatch Stamp and Die set for Kaleidacolor Ink Pads to show how these multicolor inks can be used throughout the year. These dye, water-based inkpads are a favorite of mine for fun quick backgrounds, easy stamp pad storage, keeping colors organized and the 5 colors in one ink pad make it even better.

Kaleidacolor in Baby Powder has a light pastel variety — perfect for baby shower invitations with light pinks, blues, and yellows. Kaleidacolor in Autumn Leaves and Vineyard – perfect for Fall themed cards – Halloween + Thanksgiving. My favorite for Winter Christmas Cards or Holiday Cards is Blue Breeze which is an all-blue palette giving that icy winter wonderland mood.

Other