Create a Death-Head Moth Halloween Card Using Ink Blending Techniques

By Anna Escalada York

In today’s card, I used sprays and and ink-blending to make a Halloween card.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1.5 hours

Directions:

Step 1:
Stamp the Death’s-Head Moth stamp onto a piece of white watercolor paper with Nocturne
VersaFine Clair ink. Emboss with Clear Mboss powder.

Step 2:
Spray a pre-die cut panel of watercolor paper with Lilac Posies Fireworks! Shimmery Craft
Spray and Rose Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray. Allow the panel to dry.

Step 3:
Color two corner filigree stamps–one at the top right corner and one at the lower left corner–with
the Sweet Plum Memento Marker directly and then stamp the sprayed panel. Flip the panel 180
degrees (so the top is now the bottom) and repeat the process to add a stamped image to each
corner.

Step 4:
Ink blend Perfect Plumeria VersaMagic Chalk Ink around the border of the card panel,
overlapping with the stamped decoration just added. Then ink blend the edge of the panel with
Midnight Black VersaMagic Chalk Ink.

Step 5:
Die cut a piece of black watercolor paper with a frame die. Then spray the die cut with Rose
Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray and let dry. If desired, repeat this process to add more shine
and color.

Step 6:
Fussy cut the Death’s-Head Moth, then use a sponge dauber to ink blend the outer part of the
wings with Perfect Plumeria VersaMagic Chalk Ink.

Step 7:
Spray the moth with Angel Pink Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray and allow to dry.

Steps 8 and 9:
Stamp a border and a sentiment on a piece of watercolor paper with Nocturne VersaFine Clair
ink. Heat emboss with Clear Mboss embossing powder. Then fussy cut the border.
Then ink blend the edges of the sentiment with Perfect Plumeria VersaMagic Chalk ink with a
sponge dauber. Then lightly spray the sentiment with Rose Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray.
Allow the spray to dry.

Step 10:
Glue the frame, Death’s-Head Moth and sentiment onto the background panel.

Step 11:
Die cut a piece of sparkly black cardstock with a larger panel die cut. Glue it behind the sprayed
panel as a matte layer.

Step 12:
Glue embellishments onto the panel and finish the card by gluing the whole thing onto an
A2-sized card base.

Art Supplies

Imagine

• Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray – Angel Pink and Lilac Posies
• Mboss – Clear
• Memento Marker – Sweet Plum
• Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Rose Gold
• VersaFine Clair ink – Nocturne
• VersaMagic Chalk Ink – Midnight Black and Perfect Plumeria
• Sponge Daubers

Other
• Crafty Meraki – Embellishments – Meraki Sparkle Gold
• Erin Lee Creative – Paper – Las Vegas Sparkly Cardstock
• Gina Marie Designs – Die set – Big and Little Chain Rectangle die set
• Whimsy Stamps – Stamp Set – Exquisite Beauty stamp set
• Whimsy Stamps – Die Set – Forever Cameo Frames die set
• Watercolor paper
• Paper Trimmer
• Scissors
• Glue

Spooktacular Backgrounds with Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Sprays

By Alison Heikkila

Greetings! Let’s get a little messy and make a spooktacular Halloween card with Fireworks! Sprays. I’ll be using them in 3 different ways on this card. Which way is your favorite?

Skill Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Time to Complete: 20-30 Minutes

*Some affiliate links are used in this post. That means that if you shop through these links, I may receive a small compensation, at no cost to you.

The video is below. If it doesn’t play properly, please click HERE.

Supplies:
Imagine:
Fireworks! Sprays in Cantaloupe, Tangelo, Love Bug, and Grape Jelly
Memento Ink in Desert Sand
Memento Ink in New Sprout
Sponge Daubers
Tear It! Tape
On Point Glue

Other:
Tim Holtz & Sizzix: Big Frights Die Set
Tim Holtz & Sizzix: Tree Rings Texture Fades Embossing Folder
Strathmore: Smooth Bristol Cardstock
Scrapbook.com: 1mm Foam Tape
Scrapbook.com: Artis Craft Glue
Accent Opaque: 100lb. White Cardstock
Vellum
Purple Cardstock
Paintbrush

Making backgrounds like these can be so satisfying. Watching the colors swirl together, then seeing the shimmer after they’re dried….it’s a great way to spend some time, especially if you’re not feeling super crafty. What are some of the ways you would use Fireworks! Spray? Be sure to visit Imagine to see all the beautiful colors they come in. Thanks so much for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Coffee-Themed Card with an Unexpected Tool

By Alison Heikkila

Hello! I’m Alison Heikkila and I have a fun coffee-themed card to share today that uses a bunch of inks from Imagine and an unexpected tool. I hope you get some ideas for how you can create this card in your own way.

*Some affiliate links are used in this post. That means that if you shop through these links, I may receive a small compensation, at no cost to you. 

Skill Level: Intermediate
Time to Complete: 30 Minutes, plus drying time

Supplies:
Imagine:
Java Walnut Ink
Desert Sand Memento Ink
Summer Sky Memento Ink
Rich Cocoa Memento Ink
Espresso Truffle Memento Ink
Wheat VersaMagic Ink
Sahara Sand VersaMagic Ink
Desert Sand Fireworks Spray

Other:
The Greetery: Warm and Wonderful Stamp Set
The Greetery: Warm and Wonderful Die Set
A Colorful Life Designs: Messy Harlequin Stencil
Rubbernecker Stamps/Brass & Bliss: Coffee Stamp Set (No longer available)
Bearly Arts Glue
Strathmore Smooth Bristol Cardstock
Neenah Desert Storm Cardstock
Accent Opaque White 100lb. Cardstock
The Rabbit Hole Designs: Cotton Tail Blending Brush

That was fun! I hope you enjoyed all of these different techniques. I’ll have another video for Imagine soon. Thanks so much for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Ink Blending With Kaleidacolor Inks

By Alison Heikkila

Hello! I’m Alison Heikkila. Kaleidacolor Inks come in beautiful color palettes and help you do some really fun techniques. I love to use my Kaleidacolor Inks with my Gel Press plates. In this case, we’re using one of the Petite Plates to get the look of a watercolored painting without actually watercoloring.

Skill Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Time to Complete: 20-30 Minutes

*Some affiliate links are used in this post. That means that if you shop through these links, I may receive a small compensation, at no cost to you. 

Supplies:
Imagine:
Kaleidacolor Ink in Creole Spice
VersaMark Ink
White Embossing Powder
Fireworks! Spray in Cantaloupe
Memento Ink in Elderberry

Other:
Gel Press: Petites Set A
Gel Press: Rubber Brayer
Stampers Anonymous: Halloween Sketchbook
The Rabbit Hole Designs: Cotton Tail Blending Brush
Accent Opaque 100lb. White Cardstock
Scrapbook.com: Artis Craft Glue
Watercolor Paper
Stamping Platform

Life Begins After Coffee Card

By Anna Escalada York

In today’s post, I made a card featuring earthy colors.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1.5 hours

Directions:

Step 1:
Stamp the top part of the main stamped image onto a piece of masking paper with Nocturne
VersaFine Clair ink. (If you don’t have masking paper, you can use a sticky note.)
Cut out the coffee (or the inside part of the coffee cup) of the masking paper and place it onto a
piece of watercolor paper over the corresponding part of the waterpaper.

Step 2:
Stamp the coffee cup image onto the watercolor paper with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink,
making sure that the masking paper covered up the coffee in the cup.
(Optional step: Heat emboss with clear embossing powder.)

Step 3:
Remove the masking paper. Stamp the coffee in the cup with Acorn VersaFine Clair ink. (I
chose to mask the cup with the remaining masked paper before stamping.)
(Optional step: Heat emboss the coffee with more clear embossing powder.)

Step 4:
Spray Lilac Posies Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray onto a piece of acetate packaging and use
the spray to watercolor the stamped flowers surrounding the coffee cup. Repeat the process
with New Sprout Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray to paint the leaves.
Repeat the process one more time with Rose Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray to paint the cup
and saucer.

Step 4.5:
Die cut the coffee cup with the corresponding die.
(Sorry that the pictures got messed up and you couldn’t see the pink shimmer paint from the
Rose Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray or die cutting the cup. My camera was glitchy. You will
see the rosy pink shimmer in the next few steps.)

Step 5:
Die cut a piece of black watercolor paper (or black cardstock) for the matte layer of the card.

Step 6:
Spray Lilac Posies Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray and Rose Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft
Spray into an embossing folder and emboss a previously die cut watercolor panel. After
removing the watercolor panel, spray more Rose Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray around the
panel and then allow the panel to dry.

Step 7:
Using a sponge dauber, ink blend the edges of the sprayed and embossed panel with Morning
Mist VersaFine Clair ink.

Step 8:
Stamp a sentiment on a piece of watercolor paper with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink. Trim the
edges with your paper trimmer.
(Optional step: Heat emboss with clear Mboss embossing powder.)
Then press the edges of the sentiment into the Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink to create a border.

Step 9:
I decided that I wanted to change the color of the border, so pressed the edges of the sentiment
into the Morning Mist VersaFine Clair ink pad.
(Optional step: Heat emboss with more clear embossing powder.)

Step 10:
Glue the two panels together. Glue the coffee cup onto the pink watercolor panel. Attach a piece
of black and white washi tape just a little bit smaller than the sentiment strip and then glue down
the sentiment strip.

Step 11:
Glue sequins on the lower left and upper right corners of the card.

Step 12:
Finish the care by gluing the matte layer to an A2-sized white card base.

Art Supplies

Imagine
Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray – Lilac Posies, New Sprout
Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Rose Gold
VersaFine Clair ink – Acorn, Morning Mist, Nocturne
Sponge Daubers

For Optional Embossing:
VersaMark
Mboss – Clear

Other
Altenew – Masking Paper – Masking Paper
Erin Lee Creative – Stamp set – Coffee or Die
Erin Lee Creative – Stamp and die set – Stayin’ Alive
Gina Marie Designs – Die set – Big and Little Chain Rectangle die set
Legion – Paper – Stonehenge Black Aqua cold press watercolor paper
Sizzix – Embossing Folder – Mini Kaleidoscope by Tim Holtz
Trinity Stamps – Embellishments – Champagne Twinkle Stardust Rhinestones
Black and white washi tape
Watercolor paper
Paper Trimmer
Scissors
Glue

“Wishing You A Happy Birthday” Card

By Anna Escalada York

In today’s post, I am sharing a fun, summer card that features some bold colors!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1 hour

Directions:

Step 1
Color a piece of acetate packaging with both Cottage Ivy Memento marker and Emerald Fabrico
marker and then spraying the acetate with water. Press the acetate onto a piece of watercolor
paper multiple times, moving the acetate around so add green color around the watercolor
paper. Allow the water to dry.

Step 2
Die cut the watercolor smooshed paper with a circular die cut. Add a small dot of Pink Ultimate
Pigment Pigment Refill into the raised areas of an embossing powder, and then spray the
embossing folder with Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray to both help the watercolor paper
stay moist (so it won’t tear) while embossing, and to help dilute the condensed pink refill ink.
Then sandwich the watercolor paper into the embossing powder and run it through a die cutting
machine.
After the watercolor paper has dried, ink blend the edge of the circular die cut with Pink
VersaColor pigment ink.

Step 3
Die cut another piece of watercolor paper with a slightly larger circular die. Directly press the
Pink VersaColor Pigment ink pad onto the watercolor paper.
Optional step: Heat emboss the ink with clear embossing powder.

Step 4 (and 4.5)
Stamp an image onto watercolor paper with a nature scene with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink.
Heat emboss with clear embossing powder.
Using a variety of media to watercolor the image: Celestial Copper Delicata Ink pad mixed with
water to color the rocks, Emerald Fabrico marker mixed with water to color the frog and leaves,
Bahama Blue Fireworks! Spray to color the sky and water, and Pink Ultimate Pigment Ink Refill
to color the flower petals. Finally, color the centers of the flowers with a Dandelion Memento
marker.

Step 5
Watercolor smoosh some of the leftover inks from the last step to watercolor smoosh a piece of
watercolor paper and then spray the whole thing with Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray. Use
some additional color to stamp a text stamp in my stash to add a little interest onto the panel by
pressing the stamp into the acetate instead of an ink pad. Repeat the process a few times until
you like the amount of extra interest that is added. After everything dried, die cut the watercolor
panel.

Step 6
Glue the two circular die cuts (the embossed panel and the larger pink die cut circle)
and then glue it onto the watercolor background panel. After the glue dried, the whole thing was
die cut again to trim the circular die cuts. The edges were ink blended with more Pink
VersaColor Pigment ink. Splatters of the remaining Bahama Blue Fireworks! Spray from the
acetate packaging were added to the panel as well.

Step 7
Stamp a sentiment with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink.

Optional step: Heat emboss with clear embossing powder.

Step 8:
Die cut sparkly white paper with a slightly larger rectangular die. Glue the main (frog)
stamped and die cut image onto the top panel, glue the matte (sparkly larger panel) behind the
top panel and then glue everything onto an A2-sized white card base. Glue sequins to the card
base.

Art Supplies

Imagine

• Delicata Ink – Celestial Copper
• Fabrico Marker – Emerald
• Fireworks! Spray – Bahama Blue
• Memento Marker – Dandelion
• Memento Marker – Cottage Ivy
• Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Sparkle
• Ultimate Pigment Ink Refill – Pink
• VersaColor Pigment ink – Pink
• VersaFine Clair ink – Nocturne
• VersaMark Dazzle – Frost

Other
• Catherine Pooler Designs – Sequins – Milwaukee
• Gina K Designs – Dies – Master Layout 2 die set
• Hero Arts – Dies – Nesting Circles Infinity die set
• Penny Black – Stamp – Thanks, Thanks stamp (retired)
• Vicki Boutin – Embossing Folder – Let’s Wander (retired)
• Watercolor paper
• Clear embossing powder
• Scissors
• Glue