Tag Archives: Crafts

Watercolor with VersaMagic, Brilliance and Delicata Ink Pads

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By Jessica Lin

Skill: Beginner
Time: 45 minutes

Hi everyone! It’s Jessica here and welcome back to another card tutorial. Thanksgiving is coming up and I love to make cards to express my gratitude! Today I’m also watercoloring with various ink pads from the VersaMagic, Brilliance and Delicata ink lines. Let’s begin!

Step 1: Stamp the critter images from The Greeting Farm Wood Friends stamp set with VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink. This is my favorite black ink for stamping and it’s perfect for watercoloring.

Step 2: Color the images with VersaMagic inks. I used Gingerbread, Pumpkin Spice and Wheat for the deer, and to add some shimmer and shine, I watercolored a layer of Celestial Copper from the Delicata ink line. For the squirrel, I used Sahara Sand and Jumbo Java as the base color and added Cosmic Copper Brilliance ink as an accent. VersaMagic, Delicata, and Brilliance ink pads are all pigment inks and I love that you can mix and match the colors for maximum creativity. For the final touch, I added small amounts of Pink Grapefruit to create their rosy cheeks.

Step 3: I decided to use Stampin’ Up!’s Mossy Meadow cardstock as the cardbase since it’s a nice foresty color. I also stamped some geometric striped pattern with my VersaMark ink pad. Did you know that you could stamp with VersaMark as well? It’s known for being the best ink for heat embossing, but I also stamp with it quite often to create additional interest to the background.

Step 4: Then I spritzed on a layer of Sheer Shimmer Spray in Sparkle. I wish you could see the shimmer in real life! The photo does not do its justice. The shimmer is just so beautiful and it truly transformed this simple card base.

Step 5: Next, I die cut an oval panel as a frame for the little critters, and I die cut the Grateful sentiment from gold glitter cardstock as well.

Step 6: To make the sentiment stand out a little bit more, I die cut again using white cardstock and layered it underneath the gold one. This creates a subtle shadow effect. The On Point Glue has a fine tip nozzle that makes applying small amounts of glue so easy. If you work with intricate dies all the time, I recommend having this glue in your stash!

Step 7: Finally, I stamped the “For You” stamp in gold as well to complete the sentiment. Initially I picked the Brilliance Galaxy Gold ink pad as it is my go-to gold ink, but I realized that the tone is slightly too warm compared to the gold glitter cardstock I used. So I

re-stamped with Gold Encore ink instead. I have a close-up comparison below as well.

The picture on the top used Brilliance Galaxy Gold and the one below used Encore Gold. Brilliance Galaxy Gold is a really yellow, sunny kind of gold while Encore Gold shows a cooler tone. The finish is different between the two as well! Brilliance ink pads are shimmery and the Encore line is metallic.

Craft Supplies

Imagine Supplies:

Other Supplies:

  • The Greeting Farm – Stamps – Wood Friends
  • Lawn Fawn – Dies – Stitched Oval
  • Stamplorations – Dies – Grateful
  • Stampin’ Up! – Cardstock – Mossy Meadow
  • We R – Tool – Precision Press
  • DCVW – Cardstock – Gold Glitter
  • White and Watercolor cardstock

Design a Clean and Simple Happy Thanksgiving Card

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By Helen Gullett

Hello crafty friends!
Today, I would like to share how to make this clean-and-simple (CAS) Happy Thanksgiving card. It is easy and quick to make for mass-production handmade cards.
Let’s get crafting!

Skill: Beginner
Time: 15-20 minutes

Direction:

Step 1
We are going to stamp directly on top of an A2 card base (4.25 inch x 5.5 inch card).
Start by stamping the texture background on the card with VersaFine Clair Sand Dune ink pad.

Step 2
Next, stamp another texture stamp (on this one I used dots) randomly on the card using VersaFine Clair Portobello ink pad.

Step 3
This step we are going to blend the ink colors on the stamp by adding lighter ink first then darker ink using sponge daubers, and then stamping it on the card.

First, add the VersFine Clair Cheerful ink randomly on the leaf stamp, then add some of the VersaFine Clair Summertime ink, and then add some of the VersaFine Clair Red Tulip ink. Using sponge daubers is the best way adding the ink that will make the ink blending well directly on the stamp.

Stamp inked leaf image on the card as soon as you are done. Using VersaFine Clair inks are great for this technique because they have longer drying time.

Step 4
On a piece of white cardstock, stamp the sentiment and frame using VersaFine Clair Portobello ink pad. Dry the stamped image with a craft heat gun.
Fussy cut the stamped image with scissors around the frame.

Step 5
Add some of the Tear It! Tape on the back of the sentiment and then add some of the burlap twine on it, wrap around to make it  look like a simple wreath. Press the burlap twine firmly on the tape.
Add a small piece of white fun foam and then add some of the Tear It! Tape on it.
Add the sentiment on the card.

Isn’t that quick and easy to make this CAS Thanksgiving card? It looks simple yet has some layers and texture on it. I hope you will give it a try.

Thank you for stopping by our blog today. Have a fabulous day!

Craft Supplies

Imagine Crafts:

Others:

  • Fall Colors Stamp Set (Precious Remembrance Stamps)
  • Neenah Solar White Cardstock 80 lb
  • Burlap Twine
  • Stamping Blocks
  • Micro-tip scissors
  • Paper trimmer
  • Bone folder

Floral Thank You Card

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By Anna Escalada York

In today’s card, I made a thank you card with some new-to-me Memento markers and sprays.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1.5 hours

Directions:

Step 1:
Stamp the large floral image with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink on watercolor paper and then heat emboss with clear Mboss embossing powder.

Step 2:
Die cut the large floral image with the corresponding die cut.

Step 3:
The large floral image was colored by watercolor smooshing a variety of Frost Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray mixed with a variety of colors of Memento Dual Markers–Love Letter and Lilac Posies. After the watercolor smooshing dried, the large floral image was watercolor painted with a Northern Pine and Pistachio Memento Dual Markers mixed with more of the Frost Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray on the greenery. The flowers were colored with a mix of Rhubarb Stalk, Love Letter and Lilac Posies mixed with more of the Frost Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray. Finally, Tangelo Memento Dual Marker was mixed with more of the Frost Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray and watercolor smooshed onto the image.

Step 4:
Spray London Fog Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray onto another piece of watercolor panel through a stencil. Then spray Paris Dusk Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray on a diagonal through the same stencil through the same stencil while the ink was still wet.

Step 5:
Stamp the thanks sentiment with more Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink on watercolor paper and then heat emboss it with more of clear Mboss embossing powder. Then die cut the sentiment with the corresponding die.

Step 6:
Die cut the sprayed background panel with the second-largest die from a nested A2-sized panel die set.

Step 7:
Glue the large floral die cut image onto the sprayed panel and then trim the edges of the floral die.

Step 8:
Mix Northern Pine Memento Dual Marker mixed with water and splatter onto the panel and floral die cut.

Step 9:
Die cut a piece of white glitter cardstock with the largest die from the same nesting die cut set.

Step 10:
Swipe Pistachio Memento Ink across the glitter cardstock to color it green.

Step 11:
Glue clear sequins and the sentiment die cut onto the upper panel. Then glued the green glitter cardstock behind the focal panel. To finish the card, glue the whole thing onto an A2-sized white card base.

Craft Supplies:

Imagine:
Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray – London Fog and Paris Dusk
Mboss – Clear
Memento Dual Marker – Lilac Posies, Love Letter, Northern Pine, Pistachio, Rhubarb Stalk, and Tangelo
Memento – Pistachio
Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Frost
VersaFine Clair ink – Nocturne

Other Products
Altenew – die set – Bougainvillea
Altenew – stamp set – Bougainvillea
Catherine Pooler – sequins – Crater Lake
Gina Marie Designs – Die set – Big and Little Chain Rectangle die set
Ink On 3 – Stencil – Pondie 6×6 stencil
Watercolor paper
White glitter cardstock
Die cutting machine
Paper Trimmer
Scissors
Glue

Create a Monochrome White & Gold Winter Wedding Card

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By Jessica Lin

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 30 minutes

Hi everyone! It’s Jessica here and I’m excited to share this elegant winter wedding card with you today. If you enjoy simple, monochromatic cards, this is the perfect card for you!

Step 1:
The idea for this card is to create a winter wedding church scene inside a wedding ring. I started off by die cutting a narrow circle that will be the base of the wedding band. A trick here is to use layering dies to customize any die cut size you may need.

Step 2:
Then I took my VersaMark ink pad and “stamped” it directly onto the circle die cut piece. After that, I applied a generous coat of gold embossing powder and heat set it with a heat tool. For a smoother finish, I repeated these steps again. After two coats of embossing, the gold embossed surface is shiny and smooth, which really mimics a gold wedding ring.

Step 3:
The Winnie & Walter My Precious stamp set is my favorite for any diamond and gems images. I heat embossed the smaller diamond with gold Mboss powder.

Step 4:
After fussy cutting the embossed diamond image, I adhered both of the wedding ring elements with On Point Glue.

Step 5:
For the wedding church scene, I used the dies from Stampin’ Up!’s Snowglobe Scenes set. I die cut two pieces of the forest backgrounds and layered the church buildings with foam tape. I even added a tiny piece of vellum behind the first church die cut to create the illusion of glass windows. For the sentiment, I stamped this really adorable greeting using Brilliance Galaxy Gold ink pad.

Craft Supplies:

Imagine Supplies:

Other Supplies:

  • Winnie & Walter – Stamps – My Precious
  • Hero Arts – Dies – Infinity Circle
  • Stampin’ Up! – Dies – Snowglobe Scenes
  • Mama Elephant – Stamps – Oh Happy Day (for the greeting)
  • We R – Tool – Precision Press
  • Heat Tool
  • Rhinestones
  • White cardstock

Let’s Make Elegant Holiday Cards

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By Ceil Pritchett

Hello Crafty Friends. Today, I am sharing how to add dimension to your card using diecuts and VersaFine Clair Inks.

Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Time: 30 to 45 Minutes

Directions:

Step 1:
Gather your supplies. You will need several colors of ink, a stencil, a background cover plate, and die cuts for your stenciled image. You will also need VersaMark ink and some clear embossing powder.

Step 2:
Using a grip mat or another sticky mat, lay your panel on the mat and cover with the stencil. Use several colors of ink to color the snowflake. Repeat this process 3 times.

Step 3:
Using the coordinating die, cut out all of the snowflakes you colored along with 6 others out of a heavyweight cardstock. Add the ones cut out of the heavyweight cardstock to the colored ones. This will give you dimension for the snowflakes and will still go through the mail without extra postage.

Step 4:
Stamp the sentiment in purple ink and emboss it with clear powder. For my sample I decided to go with embossing it with silver powder on purple cardstock.

Create a background by using a cover plate die.

Assemble your card.

I created a second card with the left-over pieces.

Craft Supplies:

Imagine products:
VersaFine Clair – Bali Blue, Warm Breeze, Lilac Bloom and Very Peri
VersaMark
On Point Glue

Other products:
Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 120lb – CutCardStock
Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 80lb – CutCardStock
Stardream Silver Metallic 105lb – CutCardStock
Radiating Snowflake Stencil – PinkFresh Studio
Radiating Snowflake Die – PinkFresh Studio
Holiday Greeting Sentiments – PinkFresh Studio
Cover plate die – PinkFresh Studio
Merry Die –  Kristina Werner C9

Make a Ouija Board Halloween Card with VersaFine Clair Inks

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By Kathi Rerek

Halloween is the time of the year when the veil is the thinnest and people seek out spooky experiences. Here’s a card with NO stamping that uses both the old and new VersaFine Clair Inks with stencils and die-cuts!

Skill Level: Intermediate
Time: 1.5 hours

Instructions:

Step 1:
Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Sand Dune VersaFine Clair ink to a piece of white cardstock.

Step 2:
Use low-tack tape to secure the inked cardstock to the back of a wood-grain stencil. Use a sponge dauber to apply Sand Dune VersaFine Clair over the stencil onto the cardstock to create a subtle wood grained look. Remove the stencil and heat set the cardstock.

Steps 3A through 3E:
Use low-tack tape to secure the image panel to the back of the Ouija Board Stencil. Different colors of VersaFine Clair Inks and Moonlight White Brilliance ink will be applied to various areas of the stencil. I ended up adding Starlite Silver over the Moonlight White to add more contrast. Sorry there’s no photo.

Place Post-It Notes to protect areas of the stencil and keep a paper towel at hand to wipe excess ink off of the stencil to avoid unwanted ink transfer.

Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Cheerful VersaFine Clair to the sun area of the stencil. Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Moonlight White Brilliance Ink to the moon and the clouds area of the stencil (3A).

Use Sponge Daubers to apply Grass Green and Strawberry VersaFine Clair Inks to the “Yes” and “No” words on the stencil (3B)

Use Sponge Daubers to apply Purple Delight and Monarch VersaFine Clair Inks to the the alphabet on the stencil (3C). Remember to use a paper towel to wipe away excess ink.

Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Summertime VersaFine Clair Ink to the numbers on the stencil (3D).

Use Fantastix to apply Lilac Bloom, Bali Blue, Summertime, and Cheerful VersaFine Inks to the stars on the stencil (3E)

Remove the stencil and thoroughly heat set the image panel.

Step 4:
Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Lilac Bloom VersaFine Clair Ink to a piece of Mixed Media paper to create the background panel. Heat set.

Steps 5A and 5B:
Use low-tack tape to secure the Lilac Bloom inked paper to the back of the Dynamic Stencil.

Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Purple Delight VersaFine Clair Ink randomly over the stencil (5A) onto the background panel. Use a separate Sponge Dauber to apply Monarch VersaFine Clair Ink over the the rest of the stencil (5B) onto the background panel.  Remove the stencil and heat set the panel.

Step 6:
Use the skeletal hand cutting die to cut three hands from white cardstock.

Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Wheat VersaMagic Ink to the edges of the hands, fingers, and wrist bones. You can use the pointed edge of the DewDrop Inkpad to reach between the fingers! When the bones are aged to your liking, heat set all three hands then set them aside.

Step 7:
Cut a piece of white cardstock to 5.25” x 3.875”. Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Summertime VersaFine Clair Ink to the outer .5” of the panel. Heat set. Use this panel to mat the Ouija Board Panel, then adhere the matted Ouija Board panel to the stenciled background panel. Sorry that there’s no photo.

Steps 8A and B:
Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Bali Blue VersaFine Clair Ink to a sentiment sticker (8A). Heat set.

Use a Flag Die to cut white cardstock. Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Lilac Bloom VersaFine Clair Ink to the die-cut. Heat set.

Adhere the sticker onto the die-cut flag. Set aside.

Step 9:
Press the plastic planchette facedown onto the Pumpkin StazOn Inkpad. Smoosh it around.Carefully remove and allow to dry.

Steps 10A and 10B:
Place dimensional foam adhesive to the back of all three skeletal hands. Fold all the fingers, except the index fingers, backwards at the second joint, and press them onto the adhesive foam. You can add a piece of Tear It! Tape over them to keep them in place. Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Sand Dune VersaFine Clair Ink to the backs of the fingers and the joints to further “age” them (10A).

Use On Point Glue to attach the Planchette so that it’s pointing at the “H” for Halloween. Apply On Point Glue to the back of index fingertips, remove the tape backing, and adhere the skeletal hands as shown (10B).

Step 11:
Create a 5” x 7” card from white textured cardstock. Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Monarch VersaFine Clair Ink to the outer .5” of the card. Heat set.

Step 12:
Use Tear It! Tape to adhere the layers of the card.

Finished Card

Imagine Crafts Supplies:

Other Supplies:

  • Bristol Paper by Strathmore
  • Avalanche Textured Cardstock by Bazzill Basics
  • Ouija Board 6×6 Stencil by Strumpet Stencils
  • Woodgrain Stencil by Prima Marketing
  • Dynamic Stencil by Lavinia Stamps
  • Skeletal Hand Cutting Die Source Unknown
  • Large Ouija Board Planchette by Retro Cafe Art
  • Low-Tack Tape
  • Post-It Notes by 3M