Stenciled New Year’s Card

Posted on December 23, 2024 by Imagine

By Alison Heikkila

Hello! Alison Heikkila here. Do you make New Year’s cards? I like to make them when it’s too late to send out Christmas, Hanukkah, etc. cards. It takes off a bit of pressure, but still shows folks we’re thinking about them. I’ve got a quick and fun card that’s perfect not just for New Year’s, but for other celebrations too.

Skill Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Time to Complete: 15-20 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.

Here is the YouTube video. If it doesn’t play properly, please click HERE.

Supplies:
Imagine:
Emerald Green Delicata Ink
Bali Blue VersaFine Clair Ink
Warm Breeze VersaFine Clair Ink
Blue Belle VersaFine Clair Ink
Gold Sheer Shimmer Spritz
Sponge Daubers

Other:
A Colorful Life Designs: Pop the Cork Stencil
Clearly Besotted: Year of You (old version-no longer available)
Scrapbook.com: Artis Craft Glue
Stampendous: Star Dust Embossing Powder (discontinued)
Gel Press: 6×6 Plate
Cosmetic Sponges (optional)

I hope you’ll try blending with your VersaFine Clair Inks. And perhaps you’ll want to make some New Year’s cards too! Thanks for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Hanukkah Card with Vibrant Blues

Posted on December 6, 2024 by Imagine

By Anna Escalada York

Since we are deep in holiday card making seasons, I am sharing a Hanukkah card featuring a lot of different blues.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 2 hours

Directions:

Step 1:
Watercolor smoosh Danube Blue and Grape Jelly Memento Dual Markers as well as Turquoise Gem VersaMagic Chalk Ink mixed with water on a piece of scrap acetate packaging onto a watercolor panel. Allow the panel to dry.

Step 2:
Arrange a variety of six-sided stars onto one side of the watercolor panel in a stamp positioner. Stamp the stars onto the panel with Bali Blue VersaFine Clair Pigment Ink and then heat emboss with clear Mboss powder. Flip the panel and repeat the process. Move any of the stars around on the stamp positioner to fill in any holes on the panel.

Step 3:
Watercolor smoosh the panel again, this time with Teal Zeal Memento Dye ink mixed with Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray on the acetate packaging.

Step 4:
Color in the six-sided stars with Summer Sky and Lulu Lavender Memento Dual Markers.

Step 5:
Ink blend the edges of the panel Neptune VersaColor ink with a sponge dauber. Run the edges of the panel through the Neptune VersaColor ink pad and then heat emboss with more clear Mboss powder.

Step 6:
Stamp the menorah and sentiment on watercolor paper with Medieval Blue VersaFine Clair ink. Heat emboss with more clear Mboss powder. Then die cut with the corresponding dies from the matching die set.

If desired, die cut some scraps of cardstock with the two dies two more times (to create two layers to glue behind the menorah and two layers to glue behind the sentiment) for strength and dimension.

Step 7:
Watercolor the flames with Cantaloupe Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray. Then use some of the remaining Teal Zeal Memento dye ink mixed with Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray (from step 3) to watercolor the tops of each candle. Add some of the Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray (by itself) to the bottom of each candle.

If desired, watercolor the base of the menorah with more of the same Tael Zeal Memento dye ink mixed with Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray.

Set the die cut aside to dry.

Steps 8 and 9:
Add Neptune VersaColor ink directly to another panel of watercolor paper that is slightly larger than the first panel. You may need to do this a few times to get the coverage you want. Allow the panel to dry.

(And this is where my camera crashed after taking pictures so I can’t share the next few steps.) Die cut the panel with a die slightly larger than the stamped panel.

Then glue the two panels together, glue the menorah onto the center of the top panel and the sentiment a little lower and right of the sentiment. Then glue blue gems around the menorah.

Steps 10:
Glue the panel onto an A2-sized white card base.

Art Supplies

Imagine

• Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray – Cantaloupe
• Mboss – Clear
• Memento Dye Ink – Teal Zeal
• Memento Dual Marker – Danube Blue, Grape Jelly, Lulu Lavender, Summer Sky
• Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Sparkle
• VersaColor Ink – Neptune
• VersaFine Clair ink – Bali Blue, Medieval Blue
• VersaMagic Chalk Ink – Turquoise Gem
• Sponge Dauber

Other
• Crafty Meraki – embellishments – Meraki Sparkle Prismatic Blue
• Pink & Main – die set – Notched Corners
• Simon Says Stamp – die set – Light the Menorah
• Simon Says Stamp – stamp set – Light the Menorah
• Watercolor paper
• Die cutting machine
• Paint brush
• Paper trimmer
• Scissors
• Glue

Let’s Make Elegant Holiday Cards

Posted on October 29, 2024 by Imagine

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

Create Custom Wax Seals with StazOn Pigment Inks

Posted on December 12, 2023 by Imagine

By LV Handcrafted

Hello friends! This is Linh (or LV Handcrafted on all the socials). Did you know you can customize wax seals with Imagine inks? This will have you looking at your stamps in a whole new light! Create fabulous wax seals for the holidays as envelop seals for your greeting cards, tag toppers or seal your gifts with these fun custom stamped wax seals!

Skill: Advance
Time: 5-10 minutes (depends on how many you make)

Supplies Used

Imagine

Other Products Used

Let’s Make a Shaker Ornament

Posted on December 1, 2022 by Imagine

By Martha Lucia Gomez

Hello there! Today’s tutorial is a shaker ornament created with embossing powders and using different colors in a single piece. To make this, I used the MBoss in Blue Icicle, Sapphire and White. To create this type of embellishments or ornaments for your cards, gifts or Christmas Trees, you can also use our traditional Embossing Powders in any color.

Skill Level: Medium

Time to Complete: 45 minutes

Directions:

Step 1:

Apply a layer of ink to your Shaker Base or Chipboard piece directly with the ink pad of VersaMark. You can also use the small size or cube of VersaMark Ink if you are using a small piece of shaker card or chipboard. Make the emphasis on the center if it has the designed part.

Step 2:

Cover the center of your ornament with the light color of MBoss or embossing powder. In my sample, I am using the Blue Icicle.

Step 3:

Melt the MBoss or Embossing Powder with the heat tool. Don’t worry if the powder covered some parts of the border.

Step 4:

Repeat steps 2 and 3 if you want a thick effect or want better coverage.

Step 5:

Ink the border or the chipboard ornament or shaker piece with the VersaMark Ink Pad, taking care not to cover the center of the piece.

Step 6:

Cover the inked area with the dark color of MBoss. I am using the Sapphire.

Step 7:

Melt the powder with the heat tool. Then, add some touches of MBoss White to create more dimension over it. Melt the MBoss White or White Embossing Powder with the heat tool.

Step 8:

Assemble your shaker card or finish the ornament by adding some sprinkles or small sequins and adding a piece of ribbon to tie it.

Voila! Our ornament is finished and can be used to decorate a card, a gift or to be handled on a Christmas Tree.

Remember that you can use this idea for any type of chipboard piece or for any occasion, not only for Christmas.

Art Supplies:

Imagine:

• Mboss Sapphire, Blue Icicle and White

• Tear it! Tape

• Craft Mat

• VersaMark

Other:

• Shaker Dimension Set or Chipboard Piece.

• Heat Tool

• Sequins

Making Your Own Ephemera

Posted on November 4, 2022 by Imagine

By Alison Heikkila –

Hello! Today I’ve got a fun tutorial that’s all about making your own ephemera. Ephemera can be ticket stubs, advertisements, postage stamps, handwritten letters, etc. It’s fun to use “found” ephemera, but it’s also a blast to make your own. You can feel free to follow each of the “steps” below, or just choose the ones you like. There’s no real order or correct way to make these elements, and you can use them on any of your paper-crafting projects. I just decided to go with a tag today. This particular project is great if you need to loosen up, break out of a creative block, or you just feel like adding to your stash. Just have fun with it!

*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. For more information, please see my Affiliates page.

Directions:

Ephemera Tag 2

Step 1:

Grab some cardstock and a stencil, and start spraying them with Fireworks! Spray.

Ephemera Tag 3

Step 2:

There’s a lot of spray left on that stencil, so don’t waste it! Grab another scrap of paper and flip the stencil (wet side down) on to it to get the reverse design. You can use a brayer or your hands to push the stencil into the paper to transfer the color better.

Ephemera Tag 4

Step 3:

Still more on the stencil? Spray it with a little water to get the color moving and press it into a third piece of paper.

Ephemera Tag 5

Step 4:

Grab some rubber stamps that have fun designs (especially solid images like this one), spray your craft mat with another color of Fireworks! Spray, and ink up the stamp in the puddle. Stamp some scrap paper with the wet stamp.

Ephemera Tag 6

Step 5:

Apply Kaleidacolor inks to cardstock using your favorite method. I used the Fruitcake palette on my Gel Press with a brayer. Then, take a stencil and apply VersaFine Clair ink on top using a sponge dauber or cosmetic sponge.

Ephemera Tag 7

Step 6:

Run a piece of cardstock through an embossing folder. Then ink the raised areas with Delicata Ink for shine.

Ephemera Tag 8

Step 7:

Stamp out a sentiment with VersaMark Ink and use your favorite Mboss embossing powder on it. For texture, tear the edges and ink them with Rich Cocoa Memento Ink.

Step 8:

Take some old book paper and flick Fireworks! Spray on it to get different sized droplets.

Step 9:

Stamp some small geometric shapes and die cut/fussy cut them.

Look at all the ephemera we’ve created by just using scraps!

Ephemera Tag 9

Step 10:

Die cut a large tag out of cardstock. Start laying your ephemera on to the tag to see where you want your pieces to be.

Ephemera Tag 10

Step 11:

Let pieces hang off the edges of your piece. You can cut them off later, if you wish. Don’t be afraid to move your elements around, cut them, tear them, etc.

Ephemera Tag 11

Step 12:

Use different types of adhesive. I like using Tear It! Tape for the embossed layers, wet glue for flat layers, and foam tape or squares for elements that I want raised. I also love to use On Point Glue for sequins and rhinestones, which I added after I had all of my paper elements adhered.

Ephemera Tag 12 600

Here’s the finished tag. Again, make this however you like. It doesn’t need to be for the holidays, it doesn’t need to be a tag. Just grab a bunch of supplies and play. Whatever ephemera you have leftover can be used at another time.