Category Archives: Mixed Media

Learn How to Make a Retiform Inspired Card in Lavender

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by Jowilna Nolte

Learn How to Make a Retiform Inspired Card in Lavender using Tsukineko's All-Purpose Ink and VersaFine Clair

Create a fun retiform inspired card in shades of Lavender and Pink with a hint of gold. This interesting technique created a fun grid-like pattern on the background filled with stamped images, but this variation uses a stencil and stamped images differently. Take a look at how to create this fun card in bright and vibrant shades.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1 hour

Directions


Step 1

Stamp flower images onto smooth white cardstock using VersaFine Clair in Nocturne and Twilight combined for an interesting effect.


Step 2

Gather at least three colors of All-Purpose Ink to add color to your flowers. I used shades of pink and lavender.


Step 3

First, paint the inside section of your flowers with the darkest shade, I am using Wisteria, with a small soft paint brush.


Step 4

Then use the All-Purpose Ink in Cherry Pink and paint over the Wisteria layer.


Step 5

Lastly, paint a layer of Orchid Odyssey over the entire painted flower – over both colors.


Step 6

Fill a water brush with half water and half Champagne All Purpose Ink. Shake the ink and water to mix together. You now created a glimmer brush for adding shimmer easily to your projects.


Step 7

Paint a layer of shimmer over the painted flowers and leave to dry.


Step 8

See the shimmer over the color – this looks amazing. Cut out the flowers around the edges.


Step 9

Use Gold irRESISTible Pico Embellisher and add detail to the center of your flowers. Leave to dry.


Step 10

Create a stenciled background using Memento Dye inks. Leave the stenciled image to dry.


Step 11

Over the stenciled background, add the retiform inspired inking. Position a scrap piece of cardstock over the background. Pick up ink onto a jumbo dauber using VersaFine Clair Purple Delight and lightly blend over the edge only.


Step 12

Repeat the stenciling and move your scrap cardstock piece each time at a different position. Repeat the inking using a second color like Fantasia for added interest.


Step 13

Trim the inked retiform panel to fit onto the front of a folded card and adhere in place. Stamp a sentiment in VersaFine Clair in Fantasia and adhere the flowers.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Cardstock – white
  • Stencil
  • Jowilna Nolte – Stencil
  • Chiswick
  • Carabelle

Check Out This Fun Mixed Media Door Hanger Project

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by Steph Ackerman

Mixed media projects consist of a variety of projects in all shapes and sizes. Mixed media means you can mix an assortment of products to create a one of a kind piece of artwork. So decide on your base, grab some items from your stash, several colors of ink, a stencil and let your imagination flow. Create with no expectations and see what happens. In today’s tutorial, I put together a beautiful door hanger in a lavender and dandelion color scheme.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1 hour + drying time

Directions


Step 1

Paint door hanger with black gesso; alternatively use a black door hanger. Place stencil on top. Use Creative Medium with a palette knife randomly about the door hanger. Allow to dry thoroughly.


Step 2

Ink assorted chipboard elements with VersaMagic in Purple Hydrangea and Brilliance in Sunflower Yellow, or choose the ink colors that speak to you.


Step 3

Add shimmer by spritzing several chipboard elements with Fireworks Shimmery Craft Spray in Dandelion.


Step 4

Stamp a phrase using VersaFine Clair in Nocturne on a wood sign. Ink a portion of the image stamp with VersaFine Clair in Nocturne and stamp around the oval chipboard element.


Step 5

Using the doily as the base, determine the position of each element. Use On Point Glue to adhere the elements. Glue doily to door hanger. Wrap twine around the heart and adhere. Add twine to the stamped tag and adhere.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Door Hanger
  • The Crafter’s Workshop – Stencil
  • Unity Stamp Co. – Stamp
  • Paper Doily
  • Metal, chipboard elements
  • Black Gesso
  • Twine

Create a Beautiful Lavender Mosaic with Ink and Stencils

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by Roni Johnson

Create a Beautiful Lavender Mosaic with Ink and Stencils

There are so many fun techniques that you can use with stencils. So many techniques that I couldn’t decide which one to use so I decided to see how many I could incorporate into a single creation! Of course, these don’t include everything you could do with a stencil but it’s a pretty good start to get the creative juices flowing. Try the entire project or perhaps just a few stenciling techniques!

Skill: Beginner
Time: Individual Techniques 2-15 minutes each or Entire Canvas 2 hours

Directions


Step 1

Beginning with the easiest technique, sponge a single color of ink through the stencil.


Step 2

Randomly sponge 2 or more inks through a stencil. Here I used Memento which is a dye ink and VersaMagic which is a pigment ink.


Step 3

Sponge a pigment ink over a stencil; remove the stencil; sprinkle with embossing powder and heat to set. The second example was made by flipping the inked stencil onto a piece of cardstock to transfer the excess pigment ink. It was then sprinkled with embossing powder as well.


Step 4

Spray Fireworks Shimmery Craft Spray in Lulu Lavender over a stencil. Flip the wet stencil onto a fresh sheet of cardstock for a reverse impression.


Step 5

Spread Creative Medium over a stencil using a palette knife and carefully remove the stencil; set aside to dry. Before the medium dries press the stencil over onto a fresh sheet of cardstock to remove the excess Creative Medium from the stencil. This makes a grungy reverse image of the stencil.


Step 6

Use a pen or marker to trace the stencil onto cardstock. Doodle inside of the traced image. Sponge ink overall or select areas of the stenciled image for added interest.


Step 7

Position stencil over cardstock. Stamp the desired image over the stencil and smudge the excess ink off the stencil into the individual sections of the image.


Step 8

Sponge or brayer ink onto a sheet of cardstock. Place stencil over inked cardstock wet a sponge dauber with Ink Potion No.9 and pounce the dauber over the stencil. Remove the stencil and heat to speed drying.


Step 9

Sponge a dark color of ink over a stencil. Slightly shift the stencil to one side, ink with a lighter color of ink. Close up of the shifted stenciled pattern.


Step 10

Sponge dark ink over a piece of cardstock. Position the stencil over the inked cardstock and sponge white ink over the surface. Heat emboss with white embossing powder for a more pronounced difference.


Step 11

Brayer ink through a stencil, use a Kaleidacolor ink pad for a fun, vibrant look.


Step 12

Pounce desired colors of ink on craft mat; spritz with water or Ink Potion No.9. Create a monoprint by pressing the cardstock into the ink mixture, set aside to dry. Once the monoprint has dried, brayer ink over a stencil, press the inked stencil over the monoprint for an interesting contrast.


Step 13

To create the canvas, trim the stenciled samples into 2” x 2”; 2” x 3” and 2” x 4” pieces. Ink the edges with VersaFine Clair Fantasia and a sponge dauber. Adhere each piece in a random pattern onto a piece of thick book board or cardboard. Embellish as desired.

Supplies

Imagine
Other

Learn How To Create Artist Trading Coins

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by Elina Stromberg

If you like creating artist trading cards or ATC’s, I’m sure you’ve come across artist trading coins, too. They have become really popular lately; ATC Coins are just like artist trading cards but circular, with a diameter of 2.5 inches. When you make your first ATC Coins you’ll soon realize how fun the circular background is to work on. The coins are quick and easy to make, but even if the size is not too big there’s still quite a lot of space to play with patterns and textures.

Skill: Beginner
Time: 1 hour

Directions


Step 1

My plan was to make a set of light pinkish purple coins, as our beautiful color of the month is Lavender. I created the backgrounds for the entire set that I painted with Fireworks – my favorite liquid watercolors. Fireworks Shimmery Craft Sprays come with a gorgeous lavender color, but as I did not have it in my stash I mixed the pinkish purple lavender color myself. For this, I used ‘Paris Dusk’ and ‘Rose Bud’, and I think it worked out quite nicely. Instead of spraying, I applied the color on the paper with a brush. Before painting, I misted the page with plain water which helped the colors spread on the page. I’m always so intrigued about that process; it’s fun to watch the colors take their own path on the paper, without being able to fully control the flow of the colors. True color mindfulness!


Step 2

I used my heat gun to push the wet color on the page, and once the paper was dry I cut the circles with my BigShot die-cutting machine. One of the Sizzix nesting circle dies has a diameter of 2.5 inches, so the circular coin backgrounds were quick to cut.


Step 3

Using the Memento ‘Lulu Lavender’ ink I stamped some patterns on the background before gluing down my stamped and colored main images. The same ink I also used for inking the edges of the coins. I’m really happy how my lavender artist trading coins turned out!

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • White mixed media paper
  • Watercolor brush
  • Water mister
  • Heat gun
  • Wycinanka – Text pattern stamp
  • Spellbinders – Bird stamp & matching stencil
  • Sizzix – Circle die & die-cutting machine
  • Alcohol markers for coloring
  • Glue

How to Create a Metal Stamped Look with Creative Medium

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by Jennifer Vanderbeek

How to Create a Metal Stamped Look with Creative Medium in Silver and Gold

I’ve been pondering puzzle pieces lately—as a craft medium and metaphor for life. Somewhere along the mental stroll, I was reminded of the old Girl Scouts song “Make New Friends” which goes

Make new friends
But keep the old
One as silver
And the other gold

Today’s project was inspired by the way friends fit into our lives like puzzle pieces, the song, and the best friend necklaces I swapped with those close to me back in the day. Metallic silver and gold Creative Mediums and letter stamps were a perfect combination to turn a couple puzzle pieces into jewelry charms.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Puzzle Pieces
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Sticky Dots
  • Paint Brush
  • Darice – Heat Tool
  • Contact USA – Letter Stamps
  • Cornstarch
  • Craft knife
  • Jewelry findings
  • Satin cord or ribbon

Tips and Tricks: Crafting on a Budget

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by Roni Johnson

Tips and Tricks: Crafting on a Budget

Crafting can get pricey! If you are spending too much on crafting and it is taking some of the joy out of it then we are sharing some easy ways to scale back but still engage in a great crafting routine. There are lots of articles out there about crafting on a budget and most of them discuss the same list of common sense ideas…

  • Price shop
  • Clip Coupons (IRL or web)
  • Shop at Dollar Stores or Thrift Stores
  • Upcycle/Recycle various items
  • Search web for ideas/patterns

These general ideas are nice and they are a good start but I want to give you some specific ideas and tips to help you save not only money but something more valuable…your time.

Buy Unmounted Rubber Stamps

Unmounted stamps can cost as much as 50-80% less than traditional wood mounted stamps, take up less space and are easy to store and use. To use unmounted rubber stamps, apply Tack ‘N Peel to your acrylic blocks. This is a clear reusable cling sheet that has a protective liner sheet that can be used over and over. Once it has been affixed to the acrylic block it is very simple to use, remove the clear liner sheet; position the stamp on the block as desired, ink and stamp. When you are finished stamping simply peel the rubber stamp off the block and replace the liner. If the Tack ‘N Peel loses its “sticky” quality simply wash with water and let it dry. After it is dry it will once again be ready to use.

Make your own Texture Stamps and Stencils

This is a fun and easy task when you stop and look around your home. You’ll be surprised at how many items can be turned into a usable texture for all sorts of crafts. For example, lace, food netting, cheesecloth can all be used as a stamp or stencil. Foam food trays can be carved to create stamps, bubble wrap, rubber bands, fibers, leaves, coins can all be turned into stamps by sticking them to an acrylic block. Pencils tips are great for the bokeh technique, kitchen utensils, game pieces, tools, feathers, flowers, and more can also be put to use. You only have to take a moment and look around to see what you have on hand that will create fun and new stamps or stencils for your art.

Clearly Embossed

Let’s face it there are hundreds if not thousands of colors and brands of embossing powders on the market. You could easily spend a small fortune collecting the various embossing powders available today. A great option is clear embossing powder; the original ink color will shine through and match your project perfectly. No need to sort through jar after jar trying to find the right color to match your project and no more storing all of those little jars either! Tip: Did you know you can turn virtually any dye ink into an emboss-able image? Press your stamp onto a VersaMark ink pad then onto a dye ink pad and then stamp the image. The image can now be embossed because of the VersaMark ink. This works particularly well with a clean VersaMark ink pad for lighter colors and I keep an old grungy VersaMark for darker colors.

Make Pattern Papers

Let’s face it, most of us have more pattern paper to last us the rest of our lives so instead of buying yet another sheet, pack or collection, break out your stamps and make your own pattern! It’s easy; all you need is a sheet of plain cardstock, ink and complimenting stamps. All sorts of designs can be achieved quickly and easily. Give it a try, you’ll be surprised how quickly it is to make. Making a pattern doesn’t have to be perfect…if you make a stamping mistake, look at it as an opportunity to embellish!

Coloring Pages as Art

There are thousands of beautiful coloring sheets up for grabs on the internet free for your personal use. These coloring pages are great because they can be re-sized to fit your particular project and they can be used for backgrounds as well as the main focal point. You can choose to print the images on the appropriate paper to fit your particular use and mediums you would like to incorporate be it plain cardstock, bristol cardstock, watercolor paper, mixed media paper and more. The uses are limitless.

No More Waste

To eliminate wasting various mediums by keeping a supply of plain tags or A2 size blank cardstock panels handy when you are creating. Use these spare pieces to pick up excess medium from your work surface and tools. You may choose to pick up mediums once or several times depending on your preference. These tags and panels can then be used to create one of a kind artwork in a snap. All of the hard work has already been done. Simply pop on the main image and/or sentiment and your set to go. Instant card or tag for whatever your need.

Multiples

When you’re making a card or gift be sure to work in multiples! By doing so you will cut down on waste and left-over scraps. If you use a quarter sheet of cardstock rather than pitch the extra or place it in the never-ending scrap basket make two or three similar cards to help use up all of the extra bits. Rather than having a basket full of scraps that you might or might not use you’ll end up with a basket of finished cards, tags, ATC’s, etc. that can be used in a moment’s notice.

No matter how you structure you crafting habits and budget you will find there are several ways to keep costs at a minimum. Thank you for stopping by the Imagine Blog!

Supplies

Imagine