Learn How to Create a Faux Wood Burning Stamping Technique

By Nancy May –

Pyrography is the art of wood burning and it has a very distinctive look. This stamping technique has a very similar look. Be sure to use watercolor card or this technique will likely not work. You will also need a stamping platform, water mister and a water reactive dye ink like VersaMagic, and a non-water reactive pigment ink, like VersaFine Clair.  Let’s get into it. 

~Nancy

Skill: Beginner, Intermediate

Time: undetermined

Art Supplies

Imagine:

● VersaMagic Dew Drop – Jumbo Java

● VersaMagic Dew Drop – Tea Leaves

● VersaFine Clair – Nocturne

Other:

● Stampendous – Snowy Birds Red Rubber Stamp

● Whimsy Stamps – You Are Loved Die set

● Dress My Craft – Rich Red 12×12 Cardstock

● PinkFresh – Slimline Lacy Edgers Dies

Let’s Make a Gel Print Cat Card

By Kathi F. Rerek 

Using a Gel Press with VersaFine Clair inks is a great way to create a quick background.

Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Time: 1 hour

Directions:

Step 1.

Use a 2” brayer to apply Paradise VersaFine Clair ink to the top part of a 4” round gel press. Clean the brayer, then use to apply Green Oasis VersaFine Clair Ink to the bottom  of the gel press.

Press a 6” x 4.25” piece of mixed media paper onto the gel press and pull the print. I actually used a leftover panel from a previous gel print session that was not successful.

Step 2:

Mist the print with with 91% Isopropyl Alcohol.

Use Fantastix to apply Verdant VersaFine Clair Ink to even out the green area of the print and then apply Rain Forest VersaFine Clair Ink to add dimension.

Step 3:

Use paper towel to gently dab the sky and grassy areas of the print with Purell to further blend the ink.

Heat set.

Step 4:

Use magnets to secure the image panel to the base of a stamping platform.

Position the stretching cat stamp from the The Furieux/Caffeinated Cats Unmounted Stamp Set facedown so that its paws are on the grass.

Ink the stamp with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink and stamp. Re-ink and stamp again if needed. Remove the stamp and heat set the panel.

Step 5:

The left paws were stamped slightly above the grass, so I used Fantastix and Green Oasis VersaFine Clair Ink to add a tuft of grass under his floating paws and to add detail to the lawn.

Step 6:

Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Pearlescent Sky Blue Brilliance Ink around the image circle, leaving a bit of a halo effect around the circle.

Step 7:

Tape the image panel to the back of the Pawprint Stencil so that the smallest paw prints run horizontally across the top of the image panel.

Use Sponge Daubers to apply Pearlescent Sky Blue and Mediterranean Blue Brilliance Inks over the stencil onto the image panel.

Remove and clean the stencil, then repeat the steps above to stencil the small paw prints across the bottom of the image panel.

Lift the stencil and use the Sponge Dauber to edge the panel with Mediterranean Blue Brilliance Ink. Heat set the panel.

Step 8:

Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Pearlescent Sky Blue Brilliance Ink to a strip of white cardstock. Heat set.

Secure the cardstock strip to the base of a stamping platform. Position the “You talking’ to me?” sentiment from the Whatchamacallit Unmounted Stamp Set facedown on the strip.

Ink the stamp with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink and stamp. Heat set.

Use scissors or a die-cut to cut the sentiment and edge it with Mediterranean Blue Brilliance Ink. Heat set.

Step 9:

Cut a piece of white cardstock to 9” x 6.25”, score at 4.5”, and fold to form a 4.5” x 6.25” card.

Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Mediterranean Blue Brilliance Ink around the the edges of the card. Heat Set.

Step 10:

Use Tear It! Tape to secure the image panel to the card front.

Step 11:

After looking at the finished card,I decided that the card needed a larger sentiment up at the top left.

Secure the entire card with magnets to the base of a stamping platform. Position the “Hello” stamp from the Holiday Quotes. Unmounted Stamp Set facedown on the upper left. Use Nocturne VersaMark Ink to stamp the sentiment. Heat set.

Supplies used:

Imagine:

Other Supplies:

  • 140 lb. Mixed Media Paper by Strathmore
  • Solar White Classic Crest Cardstock by Neenah Papers
  • The Furieux/Caffeinated Cats Unmounted Stamp Set 127 by Katzelkraft
  • Whatchamacallit Unmounted Stamp Set 276 by Katzelkraft
  • Holiday Quotes Unmounted Stamp Set 207 by Katzelkraft
  • 4” Circle Gel Press
  • Paw Prints 6×6 Stencil by KaiserCraft
  • Lemon Yellow Zig Clear Color Real Brush Marker by Kuretake
  • 91% Isopropyl Alcohol
  • Purell
  • Stamping Platform
  • Heat Gun by EK Success

Swipe Ink Technique Summer Card

By Martha Lucia Gomez 

Hello crafty friends! Today, I have a new tutorial to create backgrounds. On this opportunity I am using the Swipe Ink Technique. Basically, you swipe the ink pad over your cardstock but this time we are using Kaleidacolor Inks that has 5 different colors in one single ink pad or swipe.  

Skill: Intermedia
Time: 60 minutes

Directions:

Step 1:

Pick your favorite Kaleidacolor Ink Pad. To make my project, I selected the Bouquet and white smooth cardstock.

Step 2:

Active your swipe putting together all the colors of your ink pad. Place the cardstock over the mat and softly swipe the ink over the paper without up your hand.
If you want, you can go from up to down in a single swipe or in any direction. In my sample, I stopped in the middle and turn around the cardstock to repeat the process and have the center of the cardstock clean or without color.

Let the ink dry naturally before continuing with the next steps or repeat the process to create your own layout.

Step 3:

When the inked cardstock is totally dry, you can resize it or die cut It. Also, you can stamp over it, just like I made. I stamped a larger image over the center of the inked panel with VersaFine Clair Nocturne and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder. Then, I resized the layer with Zig Zag Stitched Rectangles.

Step 4:

To add more interest to the card, I pasted the large frame with Tear It! Tape over the card base. Then, I pasted the small rectangle with crafty foam tape to have more dimension.

Thanks for stopping by and remember, you don’t need to create complicated projects. Just use the best inks and let your creativity shine!

Art Supplies:

Imagine:

Other:

  • Melon Mambo and White Smooth Cardstock
  • Die Cut Machine
  • Zig Zag Stitched Die Cut Frames
  • Crafty Foam Tape

Learn How to Dye Your Own Ribbon to Match Your Project’s Color Palette

By LV Handcrafted

Hello friends! This is Linh (or LV Handcrafted on all the socials). In today’s video I’m showing how to customize your ribbon to match your project perfectly!  You can turn white ribbon to any color you need using your ink pads. Why buy different colors of ribbon when all you need is white!

Skill: Beginner

Time: 10 minutes

Supplies Used

Imagine:

– Delicata Ink – Ruby Red

Other Products Used :

– White ribbon 3/8”

– Crafter’s Companion tag punch

– Spellbinders Wax Seal

– Spellbinders Pattern Paper

– White Cardstock

How To Make Fun Stenciled Card for Summer

By LeeAnn McKinney 

– Greetings friends and fellow crafters, it’s LeeAnn here with a Fun Clean Stenciled Card that evokes Summer in my brain. First because living in Florida I always remember beginning of summer getting a Hurricane Tracking Map at the grocery store and mom hanging it on the fridge. Anytime there was a hurricane out in the Atlantic we would track it. 

I also love cruising, and have been on many cruises in this area of the Caribbean. 

There are a lot of cruisers in the family. I can put a Rhinestone to mark the ports they are visiting and give to them as a Bon Voyage card. 

Skill: Beginner

Time: 1 hour

Art Supplies:

Imagine:

• On Point Glue

• Delicata Golden Glitz

• Imagine Tear It! Tape

• VersaFine Clair Nocturne

• VersaFine Clair Ink Pad Paradise

• StazOn Stamp Cleaner

• Delicata Shimmery Silver Ink Pad

• VersaMagic Tea Leaves

• VersaMagic Turquoise Gem

• VersaMagic Ocean Depth

• VersaMagic Jumbo Java

Other Supplies Used:

• 6×8 Caribbean Map Stamp Set by Scrappy Tails

• Caribbean Map Layering Stencil Set of 3

• 6×8 Guiding Light Stamp Set and Coordinating Metal Craft Die Bundle

• GinaK Designs White HeavyWeight Cardstock

Create a Magical Card with Brilliance Inks

By Kathi Rerek 

Intro: Brilliance inks blend beautifully and the pearlescent ones create a beautiful shimmer that enhances magical scenes like this one.

Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Time: 1 hour

Directions:

Step 1.

Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Mediterranean Blue Brilliance ink horizontally across the top of a 4” x 5.25” panel of white cardstock. Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Pearlescent Sky Blue Brilliance ink below the darker blue. Use both daubers to create a blended shimmery sky.

Use a Sponge Dauber to apply the Pearlescent Coral Brilliance ink from the Aurora 3-Color Brilliance Ink Pad. Sorry that there’s no photo!

Step 2:

Tape the image panel to the back of the Clouds Stencil.

Using a Sponge Dauber, apply Moonlight White Brilliance ink over the stencil onto the image panel.

Remove the stencil and heat set the ink.

Step 3:

Use magnets to secure the ink-sponged panel approximately .5” from the right edge and 1” from the bottom of the stamping platform.

Position the Cityscape Reflections Stamp facedown along the bottom of the stamping platform.

Ink the stamp with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink and stamp. Re-ink and stamp again if needed. Remove the stamp and heat set the panel.

Step 4:

Move the image panel so that it’s flush the right and bottom edges of the stamping platform. Secure with magnets.

Position the Silhouette Lady with Umbrella Stamp facedown along the right edge above the cityscape.

Ink the stamp with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink and stamp. Re-ink and stamp again if needed. Remove the stamp and heat set the panel.

Step 5:

Trim the image panel to 3 7/8” x 5 1/8”.

Use a Sponge Dauber and Mediterranean Blue Brilliance Ink to edge the image panel.

Step 6:

Cut a piece of Raven cardstock to 4” x 5.25”.

Use Tear It! Tape to adhere the image panel to the black cardstock.

Step 7:

Create an A2 Card from White cardstock.

Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Mediterranean Blue Brilliance Ink to the outer .5” of the folded card. Heat set.

Step 8:

Use Tear It! Tape to adhere the image panel to the card.

Adhere the sentiment sticker to finish the card.

Imagine Crafts Supplies:

Other Supplies:

  • 140 lb. Bristol Paper by Strathmore
  • Raven Black Cardstock by Bazzill Basics
  • Solar White Classic Crest Cardstock by Neenah Papers
  • Cityscape Reflections Cling Rubber Stamp by Andy Skinner for Creative Expressions
  • Silhouette Lady With Umbrella Unmounted Rubber Stamp by Lost Coast Stamps
  • Small Talk Idea-ology Stickers by Tim Holtz for Advents
  • Stamping Platform
  • Heat Gun by EK Success