Hello Friends! Katy here with another quick project. I love trying new things with my inks and in this video I realized something great about using VersaFine Clair Inks with my BetterPress System and Shimmer Cardstock, you know the one that has a coating and is very smooth.
This particular cardstock is very hard to stamp with any kind of pigment ink because it never really dries. However; using the Betterpress System and pressing the ink into the paper it’s like it forces the ink to absorb. The best part, no smudging!
I personally don’t make coffee themed cards regularly, but I know others do and I hope this gives you some inspiration if you are a coffee card maker.
It’s July, so bring on the holiday cards! I personally love non-traditional colored holiday cards and so created one in pink, blue and purple.
Skill: Intermediate Time: 1.0 hour
Directions:
Step 1: Stamp a large snowflake stamp on watercolor paper with Warm Breeze VersaFine Clair ink and heat emboss with clear embossing powder.
Step 2: Watercolor smoosh the watercolor panel with alternating layers of Lilac Pansies Fireworks! Craft Spray and Champagne Delicata Ink mixed with Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray on scrap acetate.
Step 3: Ink blend a combination of Champagne Delicata Ink and
Step 4: Stamp the sentiment on a small scrap of watercolor paper with more of the Warm Breeze VersaFine Clair ink. Heat emboss with more clear embossing powder. Trim the sentiment down to the desired size with scissors. Then press the edges of the sentiment strip into the remaining mix of colors from step 2’s watercolor smooshing to color the edges.
Steps 5 and 6:
Press the Gold Sheer Shimmer Stix Dauber Top onto another piece of scrap acetate to create a liquid gold medium. Watercolor the gold liquid inside the snowflake to make it shiny. Watercolor smoosh the remaining gold watercolor onto the card panel.
After everything dried, die cut the watercolor panel with the second-largest die from an A2-sized nesting die set and a piece of blue metallic cardstock with the largest die from the same
A2-sized die set. Glue both die cut layers together. Attach the sentiment with foam tape. Glue sequins around the snowflake. Finally, glue the whole thing onto an A2-sized white cardbase.
Other • Altenew – foam tape • Crafty Meraki – embellishments – Meraki Sparkle Prismatic Blue • Idea-ology and Tim Holtz – 6 x 9 cardstock – blue (from the Metallic Colors collection) • Pink and Main – die set – Notched Corners • Scrapbook.com – stencil – String Lights • A2-sized white card base • Clear Embossing Powder • Watercolor paper • Thin paint brush • Die cutting machine • Scissors • Glue
Hi everyone! It’s Jessica here. I am so excited to share a wedding card idea with you today. We will be creating a romantic wedding scene by watercoloring some images. If you like adding shimmer and sparkles to your card, be sure to keep reading to find out how you can watercolor with the Sheer Shimmer Sprays!
Step 1: The focal point of today’s card is the bride and groom images from Stampin’ Up’s Here’s to Love set. I stamped the images on watercolor cardstock with VersaFine Clair Morning Mist ink. Most of the time the VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink is my go-to for stamping image outlines. However, I wanted to create a softer look today, and I thought this dark gray color is a great alternative to the usual crisp, black ink. I also did a little bit of masking on the bride’s right arm, so that the groom’s suit outline does not overlay on top.
Step 2: Now it is time to add some color. I wanted to try watercoloring with the Sheer Shimmer Spray to add some additional sparkle, since the card layout is quite simple. There are several metallic options to choose from for the Sheer Shimmer Sprays. I chose the color Sparkle, which is clear with a golden shimmer. I painted the bride’s dress with 2-3 coats, letting each coat dry before applying the next layer. For the groom’s suit, I mixed the spray with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. (What a coincidence with the ink’s name, ha!)
Step 3: Then I stamped the floral images from Stampin’ Up’s Happiness Abounds set using the same gray ink. I mixed Memento Summer Sky ink with Sheer Shimmer Spray to color the base layer of the flowers, and added shadows with Paris Dusk. This color combination is so lovely and the perfect dusky blue for a wedding palette. The Imagine Craft Mat is also a great tool for mixing colors. Since the Memento inks are water-based, I can apply the ink directly onto the craft mat and clean the surface with a quick water rinse at the end.
Step 4: The leaves were colored with Memento New Sprout and Bamboo Leaves ink. I hope you can see the shimmer from the spray a little better in this picture. It is hard to capture the fine sparkle on camera, but the shimmering effect is truly mesmerizing in person.
Step 5: I also splattered some white acrylic paint droplets to add additional textures to the colored images.
Step 6: Now we are ready to die cut the images. The coordinating Blossoming Happiness dies are compatible with the Mini Stampin’ Cut and Emboss Machine.
Step 7: Finally, I stamped the “congratulations” sentiment with Delicata Silvery Shimmer ink. It complements the gray image outlines nicely and also adds a subtle shine to the project.
You might have noticed that I paired my stamping tool with Altenew’s SlimGrip Sticky Mat now. This Sitcky Mat is a game changer and I love how easy it is to line up narrow sentiment strips.
Here is the final card once I assembled all of the elements. You can recreate this layout with any floral stamps that you may have. I hope you enjoyed today’s tutorial and the tips and tricks about watercoloring with Sheer Shimmer Sprays!
Hello crafty friends! It’s Ceal, here. Today I am sharing how to create a simple but elegant wedding card.
Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced Time: 45 Minutes
Directions:
Gather your supplies. You will need a stamp set with a floral image and wedding sentiments. An A2 sized die and some wedding themed dies, a stamp positioner and a shimmer ink pad.
Step 1: Using a Misti or stamp positioner and a grip mat place the cardstock panel in the center. Place the floral stamp on the corner of the panel and ink with shimmer ink (I used Delicata Silvery Shimmer) stamp, you may have to stamp more than once to get a clean image. Turn your paper, no need to move the stamp thanks to the Misti and ink it up and stamp again on the other corner. This ink is a pigment ink therefore it takes a little longer to dry, you can speed that up by heat setting it.
Step 2: Cut the panel with the die keeping both pieces. Also cut out the wedding themed dies.
Step 3: Place the card base in the corner of the Misti and then glue the borer of your die cut pieces down first. I always place it in the corner of the Misti, this helps me line it up.
Step 4: Add the main die cut piece using foam tape to give it dimension. Tip: after adding the foam adhesive to the panel also add some liquid glue, this allows you to move the panel to get it in place.
Stamp the greeting on a strip of paper and cut it out. Add all of the elements to the card.
I wanted to make my Father-In-Law’s Father’s Day Card with a variety of browns and a pop of another color. So I picked Neptune VersaColor ink for a pop of color on the monochromatic background.
Skill: Intermediate Time: 1.5 hours
Directions:
Step 1: Die cut a piece of watercolor paper with the second-largest die in an A2-sized die set. Press a Sand Dune VersaFine Clair Ink onto the watercolor panel.
Step 2: Spray Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray onto an embossing folder and then emboss the Sand Dune colored panel by running it through a die cutting machine between the two sides of the embossing folder. Allow the panel to dry.
Step 3: Glide a Neptune VersaColor ink across the panel. The raised (embossed) parts of the panel will be colored with the Neptune ink, and the debossed parts of the panel will stay the Sand Dune color. Then run the Neptune VersaColor pad across the edges of the panel to color the border of the panel as well.
Step 4: Stamp the card’s sentiments (both the larger “happy” and the “Father’s Day” subsentiment) on another piece of watercolor paper with Dark Brown Shimmer Delicata ink and then heat emboss both of them with clear embossing powder. Set this aside as well.
Step 5: Press the Dark Brown Shimmer Delicata Ink Pad onto the edges of a watercolor panel until achieving a thick, dark brown border. This panel will become the matte layer of the card.
Step 6: Using the largest die from the A2-sized die set, die cut the dark brown panel . Glue the two panels together and set aside.
Step 7: Trim the sub-sentiment with a paper trimmer. Press the edges of the sentiment strip into the Sand Dune VersaFine Clair ink pad and set the sentiment strip aside to dry.
Steps 8 and 9: Press the Dark Brown Shimmer Delicata ink pad onto another small piece of watercolor paper.
Not pictured: Die cut the larger “Happy” sentiment from step 4 with the corresponding die. Then die cut a piece of the Dark Brown Shimmer colored watercolor paper with the same die to create two layers of the die cut.
Step 10: Glue the two die cut sentiment layers together, with the dark brown layer peeking out on the left side of the stamped (top) layer. Using some of the remaining dark brown watercolor paper from the last step, cut a thin strip to glue on the bottom of the sub sentiment. Glue the thin brown strip behind the sub sentiment as well as some scrap cardstock to make the sub sentiment three layers deep for strength and dimension. Set them both aside.
Step 11: Press the Dark Brown Shimmer Delicata ink pad onto a piece of acetate packaging and mix with water. Splatter the panels and the sub sentiment with the dark brown splatter. Paint the large “happy” sentiment letters with some of the remaining brown-tinted water. Set it all aside to dry.
Step 12: Press a Neptune VersaColor ink pad onto another small piece of watercolor paper. Set it asde for the ink to dry.
Step 13: Die cut the Neptune-colored watercolor paper with a leaf die.
Step 14: Assemble the card. If desired, add some twine and attach to the back of the card panels with washi tape and then add foam tape on the back so the card base will lay flat when attached to the kraft A2-sized card base. Then glue some brass-colored sequins near the sentiment to finish the card.
As a mom of a teen and tween, I wanted to make a snarky piece of home decor that would make them smile. So I decided to make a pretty piece of art that I was going to put up in our dining room.
Skill: Intermediate Time: 3 hours
Directions:
Step 1: Paint a thin layer of white gesso onto a 5” by 7” medium density fiberboard (MDF) panel.
Step 2: Glue a ripped piece of text-based patterned paper onto the left side of the panel, making sure that the paper doesn’t go off the side of the fiberboard panel. Then paint over the whole panel again with more white gesso.
Step 3: Stamp a long, floral image onto white watercolor paper with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink and then heat emboss it with clear embossing powder. Then color the main branch and ribs of the leaves with Northern Pine Memento Dual Marker and the flowers with Lady Bug Memento Dual Marker.
Step 4: Die cut the long, floral image. Spray Cottage Ivy Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray onto a piece of scrap acetate packaging and watercolor paint the leaves and edges of the floral image green, making sure to blend the darker marker color with the lighter spray. Set aside to dry.
Step 5: Add texture to the fireboard panel. Use some of the remaining Cottage Ivy Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray mixed with more white gesso to create a light green paint. Paint the center part of the fireboard panel with the light green paint. Then watercolor smoosh more of the Cottage Ivy Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray (without any gesso) onto the panel to add texture. After the spray and paint have dried, press Celestial Copper Delicata Ink through a circular stencil overlapping the patterned paper. Then press the Celestial Copper Delicata Ink pad around the edges of the panel.
Step 6: Stamp a large butterfly on another piece of watercolor paper using Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink and heat emboss with more clear embossing powder. Then spray Lilac Posies Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray onto more scrap acetate packaging and watercolor spray the butterfly. Spray the whole thing with Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray, which forces the Lilac Posies spray to diffuse outside of the butterfly’s outline. After the spray dried, die cut the butterfly with the corresponding die. Finally, paint the butterfly a second time with more of the Lilac Posies Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray to deepen the color. Set aside to dry.
Step 7: Return to the background panel. Attach two types of washi tape to the left side of the panel–small pieces of black and white dotted washi tape and a white piece of washi tape that comes die cut in a lacy geometric pattern.
Then stamp a sentiment on the lower right part of the panel with more Nocturne VersaFine Clair in and heat emboss with more clear embossing powder.
Step 8: Using a small musical note stamp, partially stamp the panel multiple times with Spuce VersaFine Clair ink.
Step 9: Stamp the smaller butterfly twice with more Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink and heat emboss them with clear embossing powder. Then color them in with Lulu Lavender and Tangelo Memento Dual Markers (orange butterfly) and with Tangelo and Grape Jelly Memento Dual Markers (purple butterfly). Then spray both butterflies with Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray. Once the spray had dried, die cut the butterflies with their corresponding die.
(In the final piece, only the orange butterfly colored with Tangelo and Lulu Lavender Memento Dual Markers was used.)
Step 10: Stamp part of the mountain outline stamp on the lower right part of the panel with more Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink and heat emboss with clear embossing powder. Then stamp part of the sun stamp with Summertime VersaFine Clair Ink.
Step 11: Spray around the sun with Cantaloupe Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray. Use a paintbrush or your finger to move dots of the Cantaloupe spray to make the spray less uniform and more organic.
Step 12: Glue the flowers and small butterfly onto the panel. Attach the larger butterfly to the panel with foam tape. If desired, the outer tips of the top wings can be given additional dimension with two layers of foam tape, forcing them to curve.
Other Altenew – die set – All Things Orange Altenew – stamp set – All Things Orange Altenew – foam tape – Instant Dimension Foam Tape Altenew – washi tape – Many Dots Art Alternatives – MDF Panel (5” x 7”) Golden – Gesso Semi-Opaque Acrylic Primer Ink Road Stamps – stamp set – Roadies 8 (sentiment stamp) Visible Image – die set – Antisocial Butterfly Visible Image – stamp set – Antisocial Butterfly Circular stencil Die cut washi tape Watercolor paper Vellum Pencil Paintbrush Die cutting machine Paint brush Scissors Glue Text-based patterned paper Clear embossing powder
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