Let’s Make Some Bright Summer Art Using the New VersaFine Clair Colors 

By Anna Escalada York

–The new VersaFine Clair ink colors are so bright and fun. I decided to use a few of them to make a piece of art to put up in our home. 

Skill: Intermediate 
Time: 2 hours 

Directions: 

Step 1: 
Press the bottom layer of a layering die cut of watercolor paper into the Spruce VersaFine Clair ink pad and set aside to dry. 

Step 2: 
Press the top layer of die cut watercolor into the Melon Soda VersaFine Clair ink pad. Then heat emboss with clear embossing powder. Glue both layers together and set aside. 

Step 3: 
Run the Lemonade VersaFine Clair ink pad across a watercolor panel horizontally multiple times to give the panel a woodgrain-ish look. Die cut the panel with a burlap-design die. 

Step 4: 
Paint a coat of gesso onto a cotton canvas panel with a large paintbrush and allow it to dry. 

Create layered background texture by stamping the panel with a striped background stamp with Adriatic Sea VersaFine Clair ink and heat embossing with clear embossing powder, then adding another coat of gesso. Repeat with a dot background stamp and a strip of collage paper adhered along the left side. Cover everything with another thin coat of gesso, allowing hints of the stripes, dots, embossing, and collage paper to remain visible. Spray New Sprout Fireworks! Shimmer Spray onto the panel and allow it to dry. Add a large strip of washi tape along the left side. 

Step 5: 
Stamp the sentiment on the lower right corner of the panel with Adriatic Sea VersaFine Clair. Heat emboss with more embossing powder. 

Step 6: 
Glue the yellow burlap design die cut on the middle of the panel, and then glue the botanical die cut onto the panel. Glue yellow sequins on the lower left and upper right corners of the panel to finish the piece. 

Art Supplies 

Imagine 
Fireworks! Craft Spray – New Sprout 
VersaFine Clair Ink
– Adriatic Sea 
– Lemonade 
– Melon Soda 
– Spruce 

Other 
Altenew – die set – Polka Dot Leaves 
Altenew – washi tape – Many Dots washi tape (retired) 
Altenew – stamp – Woven Stripes (for texture in the background) 
Art Alternatives – Panel – 6” x 8” Economy Cotton Canvas Panel 
Dylusions – stamp set – Basic Background (for texture in the background) 
Honey Bee Stamps – die set – Burlap Background 
Idea-ology – collage paper – Archives 
Simon Says Stamp – sequins – Duckling Embellishment Mix 
Stampers Anonymous – stamp set – Flower Garden (retired) 
Golden – Gesso Semi-Opaque Acrylic Primer 
Clear Embossing Powder 
Heat tool 
Glue 
Watercolor paper 

 Let’s Make a Bright Floral Summer Card 

By Anna Escalada York

Summer in the Pacific Northwest is filled with beautiful flowers and the bluest sky. I know I appreciate them so much more since most of the year is so soggy. To celebrate the season, I made a colorful card filled with flowers.

Skill: Intermediate 
Time: 2 hours 

Directions: 

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

Then die cut the flower with the corresponding die. Also die cut a piece of vellum with the same die cut. 

Step 2: 
Watercolor the floral image. The larger two flowers were watercolored with Angel Pink Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray, the center of the largest flower with Dandelion Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray, and the leaves with Cottage Ivy Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray. The smallest flower was watercolored with a mix of Rose Bud Memento Dual Marker mixed with more Angel Pink Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray. After everything dried, the smallest flower’s color was made darker by adding a second layer of the combination of Rose Bud Memento Dual Marker mixed with Angel Pink Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray. 

To cover up a few small blemishes, lightly splatter Cottage Ivy Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray over the flowers. Set aside to dry. 

Step 3: 
Spray Lilac Posies Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray through a stencil on a watercolor panel. 

After the spray dried, die cut the panel with a mid-sized die from an A2-sized nesting die set. While at the die cutting machine, die cut a piece of glossy white cardstock with the next largest die from the A2-sized nesting die set. 

Step 4: 
Ink blend Lilac Posies Memento Ink through selected parts of a second stencil. Then mix Gold irRESISTible Pico Embellisher with a little water to dilute it and use a small paintbrush to paint other parts of the stencil with the Gold irRESISTible onto the panel. Allow to dry. 

Then press the Lilac Posies Memento Ink pad along the edge of the panel to add color to the edges of the panel. 

Step 5: 
Press the Lilac Posies Memento Ink pad onto a small scrap of watercolor paper and allow to dry. Then die cut the colored scrap of watercolor paper with the sentiment die. 

Also die cut a piece of vellum with the shadow layer of the sentiment as well as a couple of scraps of cardstock with the sentiment die. 

Assemble the sentiment by gluing the three die cuts together. Then glue them onto the shadow layer of vellum and set the whole thing aside. 

Step 6: 
Assemble the card. Glue the vellum floral die cut onto the stenciled panel. Use foam tape to adhere the stamped floral image at an angle, allowing the vellum layer to peek out from underneath for extra dimension. Glue the sentiment on the lower left corner of the panel. Add purple and hot pink sequins around the floral image with more glue. Then attach the panel to the glossy cardstock matte layer. To finish the card, glue the whole card panel onto an A2-sized white cardbase. 

Art Supplies 

Imagine 

• Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray
– Angel Pink 
– Cottage Ivy 
– Dandelion 
– Lilac Posies 
• irRESISTible – Gold Pico Embellisher 
• Memento Dual Marker – Rose Bud 
• Memento Ink – Lilac Posies 
• VersaFine Clair Ink – Nocturne 

Other Products:

• Altenew – foam tape 
• Catherine Pooler Designs – sequin mix – Miami 
• Echo Park – stencil – My Valentine: XO 
• Emily Moore Designs – die set – “Hi, hey, hello” (small style) 
• The Crafter’s Workshop – stencil – Chunky Chevron 
• Unity Stamp Company – die set – Birthday Blooms 
• Unity Stamp Company – stamp set – Birthday Blooms 
• Waffle Flower – die set – A2 Layers 
• Clear Embossing Powder 
• Heat tool 
• Glue 
• Watercolor paper 
• Glossy white cardstock 
• Vellum 

Create Summer Vibes with VersaFine Clair Inks

By Katy Ingram

Hello Friends! Katy here with my latest video showcasing VersaFine Clair inks to create a watery blue background and sparkling sea shell Summer vibe card. Video has all the details. Thanks for watching.

Skill: intermediate, advanced
Time: 15 minutes

Art Supplies

Imagine Products

Brilliance Inks
Moonlight White

VersaFine Clair inks

Bali Blue
Warm Breeze
Paradise
Baby Pink
Lilac Bloom
Sand Dune

Sheer Shimmer Stix
https://www.imaginecrafts.com/sheer-shimmer/no-view/2503
Sparkle

Other Products Used

100% Cotton or Watercolor Paper
Hero Arts Sea Shells Die set
White Cardstock
Blending Brushes

Create a Summer Vibes Card with VersaFine Clair

By Ceal Pritchett

Hello friends, it’s Ceal here. Today I am sharing a summer card with you.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 45 minutes

Directions:
Gather your supplies. You will need a summer themed die set, layering stencils, three different shades of blue ink, a grip mat, a stamp positioning tool and a summer sentiment set.

Step 1:
Using a blending tool and the first layering stencil, ink blend blue ink over the stencil. I used VersaFine Clair Paradise.

Step 2:
Using a blending tool and the second layering stencil, ink blend a different shade of blue over the stencil. I used VersaFine Clair Warm Breeze.

Step 3:
Using a blending toll and the third layering stencil, ink blend the third color of blue over the stencil. I used VersaFine Clair Bali Blue.

Step 4:
Using the “water” die and the finished panel of water, cut out the water for the pool.

Step 5:
Using the “pool” die cut out the pool. Cut several but only use the pool outline.

Step 6:
Stack the pool outline around the water, where the water will be lower than the sides to make it more realistic

Step 7:
Cut out all the die cut pieces to place in the pool. For the girl I colored her with a Copic marker. The others are cut out of colored cardstock.

Step 8:
Stamp and cut out the sentiment.

Step 9:
Place all the elements in the pool and the sentiment on the side.

Supplies:

Imagine Products
VersaFine Clair Paradise
VersaFine Clair Warm Breeze
VersaFine Clair Bali Blue

Other Products
My Monthly Hero Pool Party Die set – Hero Arts
MMH Reflection Layering Stencil set – Hero Arts
Hello Summer Stamp & Cut – Hero Arts
Grip Mat – Altenew
Mini Misti – My Sweet Petunia

Watercolored Daffodils Thank You Card

By Anna Escalada York

After winter holidays, my family always needs thank you notes. I really love this wonderful daffodils stamp set and wanted to use it to make one of those cards.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1.5 hours

Directions:

Step 1:
Stamp the main floral stamp on a piece of watercolor paper with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink. Heat emboss with clear embossing powder. Then die cut the image with a mid-sized background panel die

Step 2:
Spray Dandelion Fireworks! Craft Spray onto acetate packaging and watercolor smoosh the two flowers.

Step 3:
Color the corona (the central part of the flower) with the Tangerine Fabrico Dual Marker.

Step 4:
Press the Emerald Green Delicata ink pad onto acetate. Then spray Pear Tart Fireworks! Craft Spray onto the same acetate. Mix the ink and spray together. Press the acetate onto the daffodil’s stem and leaf. Then paint the leaf and stem with the remaining green mix. After the image has dried, spray the mix with water to dilute the green. Paint the sides with this lighter color green watercolor. (I ended up using my finger to spread the watercolor the way I wanted, but I don’t mind getting messy!) After this layer dried, press the Emerald Green Delicata ink pad onto the edge of the die cut. Heat emboss the inked edge with more clear embossing powder.

Step 5:
Die cut light green patterned paper with the next-largest die from the background panel die cut set. Brush the Emerald Green Delicata ink around the edges of the panel to mask the pattern and make the green more intense.

Step 6:
Stamp the sentiment with Nocturne VersaFine CLair ink and heat emboss with clear embossing powder. Then trim the sentiment with a paper trimmer.

Step 7:
Trim a piece of the same light green patterned paper a little bit bigger than the sentiment strip with the paper trimmer. Press the edges into the Emerald Green Delicata ink pad and heat emboss with clear embossing powder.

Step 8:
Assemble the card. Glue the two panels together. Glue the sentiment strip onto the light green, slightly bigger strip. Then attach the sentiment strip to the card panel with foam tape. Glue green and yellow sequins around the sentiment and daffodils. To finish the card, glue the whole thing onto an A2-sized white card base.

Art Supplies

Imagine
• Delicata Ink – Emerald Green
• Fireworks! Craft Spray – Dandelion and Pear Tart
• Fabrico Dual Marker Tangerine
• VersaFine Clair ink – Nocturne

Other
• Altenew – foam tape – Instant Dimension Foam Tape
• Catherine Pooler – sequin mix – North Pole
• Simon Says Stamp – die set – Squovals
• Visible Images – stamp set – Golden Daffodils
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Glue
• Green patterned paper
• Watercolor paper
• A2-sized white card base

Create a Monochromic Winter Wedding Card

By Jessica Lin

Skill: Advanced
Time: 30 minutes

Hi everyone! It’s Jessica here. I am excited to share a wedding card idea today. This elegant layout is also perfect for wedding invitations. I love how this turned out and I’ll definitely be making more color variations in the future!

Step 1:
On a piece of 4 ¼’’ x 5 ½’’ cardstock, score at 3 ⅜’’ and 8 ⅞’’. Then adhere Stick-It adhesive to the inner left and right flaps of the card. The Stick-It adhesive is great for sticking down large pieces of intricate die cut. If you don’t have the Stick-It adhesive, a great alternative would be liquid glue with fine-tip nozzles, such as the On-Point Glue.

Step 2:
Die cut the left and right flaps with Stampin’ Up’s Detailed Floral dies. This would create beautiful card openings with delicate floral designs.

Step 3:
Peel off the Stick-It adhesive backing and adhere it to a piece of navy cardstock. Burnish the die cut area with a bone folder to ensure the two pieces of cardstock are fully stuck together.

Step 4:
Trim the excess navy cardstock along the top and bottom edges with a pair of scissors. Then die cut the floral border again with the Detailed Floral die. I chose to die cut right up against the edge of the first die cut layer. Alternatively, you could leave a border along the die cut piece if you place the die further away from the edge.

Step 5:
I stamped the coordinating floral stamp from Stampin’ Up’s Floral Phrases stamp set. I inked the stamp lightly with Brilliance Mediterranean Blue ink pad so that the shading details of the stamp could be captured.

Step 6:
This stamp set also includes some beautiful sentiment stamps that are perfect for wedding cards. I decided to use VersaFine Clair Medieval Blue ink pad to stamp the sentiment since this ink is known for giving crisp, clean lines. It is my favorite type of ink pad for sentiment stamping.

Step 7:
Since this card has asymmetrical folds, I added a ribbon belly band so that the card flaps would be kept in place. Then I cut a short piece of ribbon and tied it around the belly bend to create the bow.

Imagine Supplies:

Other Supplies:

  • Stampin’ Up! – Stamps – Floral Phrases
  • Stampin’ Up! – Dies – Detailed Floral
  • Navy and white cardstock