Presenting Imagine’s 2024 Design Team

Posted on January 22, 2024 by Imagine

We’re thrilled to unveil our 2024 Artists In Residence Design Team!

Get ready to be inspired by the remarkable creativity of our group of skilled designers.

Let’s get to know them a bit…

LV Handcrafted

Hi! I’m Linh – or LV Handcrafted on social media. I live in Seattle, WA with my husband and our two dogs. I’ve been crafting since I was in high school but took a long break as I started my career. Now (many years later) I am my own boss working as a business consultant, so I can balance my time and do more of what I love – papercrafting! There’s always so much to learn in papercrafting, and I find great joy in adding my own twist and sharing what I’ve learned. I love Imagine products. There’s such a wide range of media supplies. It’s so fun to experiment, have a bit of a play and create something exciting. I’m honored to be a part of this amazing team.

YouTube – https://youtube.com/@LVHandcrafted
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/lvhandcrafted/
Facebook – https://facebook.com/lvhandcrafted
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/lvhandcrafted/

Alison Heikkila

Hello! My name is Alison Heikkila and I have been a crafter my entire life. My mom started me off with coloring and stringing beads from a very young age, and I never stopped. I have an art degree with a specialization in jewelry and sculpture, but I love working in many mediums and styles. Getting inky is absolutely one of my favorite things!

I have an amazing husband who loves to see what I create each day (and even crafts along with me sometimes!) and two very creative kids. Sometimes the four of us craft together, which is so much fun. We’ve also got two dogs, and we reside in New York.

I love to create, as I feel it truly feeds my soul. Getting a little “playtime” in my craft room each day is really important to me. I look forward to sharing projects with you.

Blog – alisonheikkila.com
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/alisonheikkila/
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/AlisonHeikkila
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/alisonheikkiladesigns/

Amalia Montano

Hi, I am Amalia from Cool Cakes and Crafts with Amalia on YouTube. I am new to the team but a longtime paper crafter. I started my crafty adventures as a Wilton Method of Cake Decorating instructor for 17 years, (that’s where the “Cool Cakes” comes from) then a fellow instructor invited me to a SU! Party and I was hooked! I live and work in New York City and while it certainly is a big city you would be surprised how far outside of the city I have to travel to find paper crafting resources! Thank goodness for online shopping and Imagine! Aside from baking and card making, I also make beaded jewelry and create projects with polymer clay. As you can tell, I love all the creative things and I love sharing it with others and showing everyone how fun and easy it is to be creative.

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/cool_cakes_and_crafts/
You Tube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwPB-Whs1LPs0nrxb0uif-w
Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/coolcakesandcrafts
Blog – https://coolcakesandcraftswithamalia.blogspot.com/

Nancy May

Hi, I’m Nancy May, mother, sister, friend, licensed clinical social worker, creative, but you might know me as Handi Scandi. I have been crafting for many years – since my adult children were littles. It started as an inexpensive way to decorate my home to make it cozy for my family, and when my children loved to get messy with me in the process it became so much more. All of my children are creatives and creativity manifests itself differently in each of us. Stamping became my safe space, if you will, shortly after my youngest daughter passed away. I needed something to focus on rather than grief, and I remembered how much I loved stamping and card making. This crafty life has taken on a life of its own and I have been introduced to the wonderful world of card making on a much grander scale. As I learn more and more about art and the creative process I find myself drawn to mixed media, art journaling, grunge, stencils, sprays, pastes, and inks…glorious inks! I am an intuitive crafter who rarely has a plan, loves to get messy and inky and shows myself grace throughout the process. I reframe mistakes as opportunities and almost never throw things away. Through all of this I am developing my own style that I have coined grungy elegance. I am so excited to be a part of the Imagine Crafts team as it opens another door of exploration, creativity and discovery.

Instagram – Nancy May https://www.instagram.com/handi_scandi/
Pinterest – Nancy May https://www.pinterest.com/nancymay1965/
YouTube – Handi Scandi’s Crafty Ventures: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_4SMddMdKd37YsMYDC2fMw
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/nancy.may.904

Helen Gullett

Hi! I am Helen. I am a stay-at-home wife and a mom of 2 daughters. I grew up in Indonesia and now live in Ohio with my family. I am working at home part time as a translator. I love paper crafting, Bible Journaling, working on mixed media and DIY projects. I love coffee, tea, and dark chocolate.

Blog – https://www.helengullett.com
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/helengdesigns
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/helengullett
Pinterest – https://pinterest.com/helengdesigns213
You Tube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz-gVkOO8hxCzSNWOoa_q8A

Monica Edwards

Hi, it’s me Simply Monica mother of two. I have an amazing grandson Jace and another one coming soon to join the bunch. I have been crafting over 20 yrs and love it. It’s my happy place and I hope to inspire others with my journey at Imagine

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/Monicascrapstreasure/
YouTube – https://youtu.be/iPTruDVbVaU?feature=shared

Kathi F. Rerek

I’m a cat-loving card maker who also creates tags, art journals, and home décor pieces. I love stamping, mixed media, and experimenting with different supplies and techniques. I love to paper craft because there’s something so oddly calming about focusing on a project. My favorite part is when a project comes out the way I had envisioned it in my mind’s eye. I also like to share my creations online and always include full supply lists and detailed instructions on my blog posts.

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/kathi_r13/?hl=en
Blog – https://kathstales.blogspot.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/kathi.rerek
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Kaths-Tales-2316828635206019/

Jessica Lin

Hello crafty friends! My name is Jessica Lin. You may have recognized me or seen some of my previous projects, and I am so excited to be back on Imagine’s design team! I am a crafty gal in my late twenties, but my passion for cardmaking started a long time ago when I was 9. I was introduced to wooden stamps and I haven’t stopped stamping since. Some of my other hobbies include sewing, washi tape collaging, and I hope one day I’ll learn how to crochet, too.

I grew up in Taiwan and speak Mandarin as my mother tongue, so my YouTube channel is mostly filmed in Chinese. This year, I decided to create a bilingual Instagram account. If you are inspired by bold, vibrant colors and enjoy detailed projects with lots of layers, come have a visit! I look forward to meeting and crafting with all of you!

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/jessicard2424/
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJDX4PHaBRYKcnSO8kWCmXw
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553280188439

Ceal Pritchett

I am Ceal Pritchett and I reside in the mountains of western North Carolina with my husband and our little fur baby Shih Tzu. I have been a crafter in some form since childhood. I fell in love with cardmaking around 15 years ago. I am a clean and simple cardmaker who sometimes dabbles in other things like art journals, bible journaling, and painting.

Blog – https://simplybeautifulcreations.blogspot.com/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/cealp/
Splitcoaststampers – https://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=170503
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100053614696193
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/cealp/

Anna Escalada York

Anna Escalada York grew up on a farm outside of Phoenix, Arizona and moved to Portland, Oregon to go to college, where she met her husband. They have two children (one in high school and the other in middle school), a cat and two guinea pigs. She is also a proud teacher at her local high school for almost 20 years in SE Portland, Oregon (go Lightning)! Her other hobbies are reading, riding her bike, nerding out to Star Wars, and reading.

Anna has been crafting (almost exclusively card making) since 2004, but stepped away for a while when it was too hard to juggle the demands of being a mom of little children and working full time. She returned to her craft room in 2019 and started blogging consistently in 2020. One of her recent crafty achievements has been creating 700 cards in 2021. Her favorite craft supplies include heat embossing, using splatter, and coloring with markers. Her favorite style is sparkle!

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/sparklywallflower
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/sparklywallflower/
Blog – https://sparklywallflower.blogspot.com/

Delicata Pigment Inks Make Elegant New Year Cards

Posted on December 31, 2023 by Imagine

By Nancy May

Delicata Inks are simply stunning. I’ve used several of them on my New Year cards today.
Let’s jump into the process and see how they turn out

~Nancy

Skill: Intermediate
Time: undetermined

Art Supplies

Imagine

Craft Mat
Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
Delicata Pigment Ink
Golden Glitz
Pink Shimmer
Ruby Red
On Point glue
Tear It! Tape

Other

Whimsy Stamps
- Happy New Year Stamp set
- Mini Slimline Notched Dies
- Mini Slimline Notched Stitched Dies
- Frame Labels Dies
Technique Junkies: New year New Hope Red Rubber Stamp

Fast and Fun Holiday Cards

Posted on December 22, 2023 by Imagine

By LV Handcrafted

Hello friends! This is Linh (or LV Handcrafted on all the socials). Do you make a lot of holiday cards either to sell or to send out? Check out this fast and fun way to create 100% one-of-a-kind cards for the holidays. These are great for making cards in bulk for fairs, to donate or to send out!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 5-10 minutes (depends on how many you make)

Supplies Used
Imagine:
– Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Sprays
– Delicata Inks

Other Products Used
– BetterPress System
– Chic Merry Christmas BetterPress Plate

Winter Wishes Card on Kraft Cardstock

Posted on December 20, 2023 by Imagine

By Kathi Rerek

Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Time: 1 hour

Step 1:
Use magnets to secure a 4” x 5.25” piece of Kraft cardstock onto the base of a stamping platform.

Position two snowflakes from the Snowflakes Large Clear Polymer Stamp Set so that one is facedown at the top left of the image panel and the other one is at the bottom right of the image panel. Ink the snowflake stamps with Emerald Green and Ruby Red Delicata Ink and stamp. Re-ink and stamp again if necessary to create good images. Clean and dry both stamps.

Step 2:
Position the third snowflake stamp from the stamp set facedown between the stamped snowflakes on the image panel. Ink the stamp with Sapphire Blue Delicata Ink and stamp. Re-ink and stamp again if necessary to create a good impression. Clean and dry the stamp. Reposition the same stamp facedown on the other side of the image. Ink the stamp with Sapphire Blue Delicata Ink. Clean and dry the stamp.

Step 3:
Position one of the snowflake stamps from the Snowflakes Small Clear Polymer Stamp Set facedown in the center top of the image panel. ink the stamp with Sapphire Blue Delicata Ink and stamp. Re-ink and stamp again if necessary to create a good impression. Clean and dry the stamp.

Continue the process of stamping snowflakes from the Snowflakes Small and the Snowflakes Clear Stamp sets with all three colors of Delicata Inks, taking care to clean and dry the stamps between colors. Heat set the image panel.

Step 4:
Ink the sentiment stamp with Sapphire Blue Delicata ink and stamp onto a piece of Kraft cardstock.

Step 5:
Use low-tack tape to secure a rectangle die to the sentiment strip. Run the sentiment strip through a die-cutting machine. Use a slightly larger rectangle die to cut a Kraft cardstock.

Step 6:
Use a sponge dauber to apply Emerald Green Delicata Ink to the die-cut. Heat set.

Step 7:
Use a Sponge Dauber to edge the snowflake stamped image panel. Heat set.

Step 8:
Use Tear It! Tape to adhere the image panel to a Kraft A2 Card. Use Tear-It Tape to adhere the sentiment to finish the card.

Imagine Crafts Supplies:

Other Supplies:

Kraft Cardstock by Bazzill Basics
Snowflakes Clear Polymer Stamp Set by Lavinia Stamps
Snowflakes Large Clear Polymer Stamp Set by Lavinia Stamps
Snowflakes Small Clear Polymer Stamp Set by Lavinia Stamps
Sentiment Stamp (Retired) by Unity Stamps
Circles Die Set by QuicKutz
Rectangles Nestabilities by Spellbinders
Heat Gun by EK Success
Big Shot

Open Call For Designers

Posted on December 18, 2023 by Imagine

Become Part Of Our 2024 Design Team

Each year, Imagine selects talented artists for the Artist in Residence program. Our artists create exceptional projects with video tutorials posted on our YT channel and blog. Our team embodies a variety of different styles, from cards to dynamic 3D mixed media pieces.

For more details and to apply – https://forms.gle/SpVnvBeigiLPwz1M8

Create a Quick and Easy Holiday Card

Posted on December 15, 2023 by Imagine

By Kathi Rerek

Here’s a dramatic, yet quick and easy Season’s Greeting’s Card

Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Time: 1 hour

Step 1.
Use the Mini Globe Thinlits cutting die to cut white metallic cardstock.

Step 2:
Use a Fantastix to apply Cottage Ivy Memento ink to the land areas of the globe.

Step 3:
Use a circle die to cut white cardstock.

Step 4:
Use a sponge dauber to apply Paris Dusk Memento Ink around the outside of the white circle die-cut. Use another sponge dauber to apply Danube Blue Memento Ink from the outside of the circle die-cut blending inwards. Use a third sponge dauber to apply Teal Zeal to the center of the die-cut, taking care to blend the inks together.

Step 5:
Apply On Point Glue to the reverse of the glove, spread the glue with your finger, then adhere the globe to the inked circle. Set aside.

Step 6:
Use a sponge dauber to apply Medieval Blue VersaFine Clair ink around the edges of a piece of 4” x 5.25” cardstock to create the image panel. Use a sponge dauber to apply Blue Belle VersaFine Clair ink from the center of the inked cardstock to the outside, taking care to blend the inks together. Heat set.