Category Archives: Mixed Media

Call for Imagine Design Team for 2020

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Imagine is proud to announce its call for Imagine’s Design Team for 2020! We are looking to change things up this year and are looking for artists and designers who can inspire the next generation of beginning crafters with amazing projects using Imagine and Tsukineko products.

We are looking for 5 energetic video artists to fill two different roles for 2020:

3 Beginner Crafters Project/Tutorial Artists who will submit 2 edited videos per month featuring a quick and easy project and/or technique intended for the beginning level crafter. We intend these projects to look simple, clean and easy to complete in 3-4 steps. See our Blog for an example.

2 Intermediate to Advanced Technique Artists who will submit 2 edited videos per month featuring a crafting technique or how-to project intended for all crafters. We intend these projects to look simple, clean and able to complete in 5-8 steps.

Basic requirements:

  • Commitment of one year — January 1st, 2020 – December 31st, 2020.
  • Ability to professionally photograph, film, edit and submit high-res JPG images and video.
  • Submit clearly written and detailed descriptions in English for each project, including a list of supplies.
  • Socially active online with an established blog and Facebook or Instagram presence.
  • Not currently employed and/or affiliated with competing manufacturers including as a design team member, guest designer, etc.

Perks:

  • Exposure of your work 
  • Generous supply of Imagine and Tsukineko products
  • Opportunities to grow your stash with the product from Imagine’s preferred partners.
  • Links back to your blog or website

Show Us Your Artwork!

Show us just how creative you are! Make a project using Imagine or Tsukineko products. We are looking for clean and simple papercrafting or art projects that reflect a modern aesthetic.

Submission Process for Round 1

Send your submission to marketing@imaginecrafts.com with the subject line of “DesignTeam Round 1 <your name>”. Your email must include: which role you are applying, name, mailing address, phone number, email address, your personal blog and/or website address, and two links to video content of your work, a 700px wide jpg of your original artwork. Please name your photograph “DesignTeam_<your name>_2020.JPG” 

Round 1 submissions are due by 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time on Thursday, November 7th. Those artists who will be continuing on to the next round will be contacted by Wednesday, November 13th with further instructions.

Quick & Easy: Create a Simple and Beautiful Collage on a Wooden Leaf

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by Lori Warren

New to collage and mixed media?  Then this project is for you! Create a simple and beautiful collage on a wood leaf that can be used in card making and home décor projects.


StazOn Pigment
in Piano Black

Sheer Shimmer Stix in Gold

Tissue Paper

Stamp Set

StazOn Cleaner

Creative Medium

Wooden Leaves

Flat Paint Brush

Directions

Separate the top layer of a patterned paper napkin and tear it into large sections. The thin tissue paper is perfect for this project.

Using a flat paint brush, adhere the torn napkin pieces to wood leaf with Creative Artist Medium in Clear. Creative Medium is a light acrylic paste and can perform a lot like Modge Podge paste for this collage. What makes Creative Medium different than Mod Podge is that it is thick enough to form a stiff structure as well. So if you are using Creative Medium with a stencil then the shapes of the stencil will maintain their shape. Paint the Creative Medium layer on the wood shape first. Then lay the tissue paper down and apply another layer on top of the paper. Allow drying.

Stamp a fall theme saying or sentiment onto the leaves with StazOn Pigment in Piano Black. Use the StazOn stamp cleaner to clean your stamps once you are finished. Since the surface has the Creative Medium layer StazOn is the best choice here. Other ink brands might rub off or smear.

Apply Gold Sheer Shimmer Stix to edges of the leaf. The Shimmer Stix is a dauber top applicator and needs to be shaken well before use. The liquid shimmer should apply much like a marker. Test on a separate piece of paper before applying.

Repeat the process with different leaf-shaped.

Learn How to Color and Stamp on Fabric for a Harvest Fall Theme

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by Roni Johnson

Learn How to Color and Stamp on Fabric for a Harvest Fall Theme

I love making new home décor items with the changing season. Here in Indiana we are saying goodbye to summer and welcoming in autumn. This is my favorite time of the year so I always look forward to Fall crafts. I thought it would be fun to create a piece of embroidery hoop art by dying and stamping a piece of linen I had in my stash. Enjoy!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 90 minutes

Directions


Step 1

Gather your supplies; make sure the piece of fabric extends approximately 2” on all sides of the embroidery hoop. This will give you enough material to secure it to the hoop once completed. Spritz the cloth with a bit of water to dampen. Sprinkle the damp fabric with Walnut Ink Crystals around the edges. I held the embroidery hoop over the cloth while I sprinkled the crystals to make sure they were where I wanted them to be. Spray Willow Walnut Ink Spray here and there over the panel. Let the fabric dry completely before moving onto the next step.


Step 2

Secure the cloth in a stamp positioning tool. I used both magnets and washi tape to hold it in place. Stamp the desired image(s) using Memento Luxe Tuxedo Black ink, stamp a second and third time if necessary to get a deep rich image on the fabric. I also stamped several leaves using other colors of Memento Luxe ink around the edge of the panel while it was still secured in the stamp positioning tool.


Step 3

Watercolor the image using All-Purpose Ink and a water brush or paintbrush, you may want your heat tool handy to help dry each area before moving onto the next. Continue coloring until you are satisfied with the image. Iron the entire panel to set the inks on the fabric.


Step 4

Secure the fabric in the embroidery hoop; trim off the excess fabric leaving approximately 1” material to wrap around the hoop and secure to the back using hot glue. Stretch the fabric tightly as you secure it to the back of the hoop.


Step 5

Use a Fantstix to apply dots of Vegas Gold All-Purpose Ink over the canvas for an extra bit of sparkle.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Unity Stamp Co – Bountiful Haul (truck), Faith, Family & Fall (sentiment)
  • Joy Clair – Hello Autumn (leaves)
  • Fabric
  • Embroidery Hoop
  • Heat Tool
  • Iron
  • Hot Glue/Gun

Color of the Month for October is Chili Pepper

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Color of the Month for October is Chili Pepper

Color of the Month for October is Chili Pepper! We see this color as a rich dark red. This richness can be a true red with a hint of brown. We feel that the Fall is a great time to indulge in warm rich colors and this is the perfect match. Some of our ink brands that represent this color are StazOn in Claret, Delicata in Ruby Red, Memento Ink in Rhubarb Stalk and VersaFine Clair in Chianti.

We challenged our artist with this beautiful color as well as the use of Fabric in their projects. So stay tuned for crafty goodness this month.

Here is a Sneak Peek!

Embroidery Hoop Colored with All-Purpose Ink by Iris Rodriguez

Denium & Stamping on Fabric by Kyriakos Pachadiroglou

Farm Harvest Stamp on Fabric by Roni Johnson

 

See How White Embossing Powder Creates a Gorgeous Card Design

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by Melissa Andrew

See How White Embossing Powder Creates a Gorgeous Card Design

Today, I am sharing a very simple technique using white mBoss with Fireworks Sprays. Sometimes, simplicity is the key to creating a gorgeous card. The beautiful WaffleFlower stamp set “In Bloom” is the perfect stamp to use for this gorgeous white on bright shimmer color technique!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 40 minutes

Directions

Supplies

Imagine
Other

See How to Make a Beautiful Beaded Bowl

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by Iris Rodriguez

See How to Make a Beautiful Beaded Bowl

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

Directions


Step 1

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.


Step 2

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.


Step 3

Create a template for the bowl. Make the template out of scratch paper. The template will guide you when cutting out the clay.


Step 4

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.


Step 5

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.


Step 6

Place the bead on the end. Place the circle stencil over the bead and find a circle that fits the bead.


Step 7

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.


Step 8

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.


Step 9

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.


Step 10

Now that the bowl is completely dry. Time to embellish it. You will need beads, plyers and 20 gauge copper wire.


Step 11

Cut out about 15 inches worth of wire. Add the bead to the wire, take it to the center of the wire.


Step 12

Wrap the wire over and under the edge of the bowl.


Step 13

Wrap the wire three times to secure the ends. Cut the wire.


Step 14

Now you have you finished your decorative bowl.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Activa Plus Self Hardening Clay – White
  • Modeling clay tools – rib tool, knife or needle tool
  • Rolling pin
  • Wooden board
  • Large Beads
  • 20 Gauge copper wire
  • Stencils
  • Sealer (spray, polyurethane)