Make a Congrats Card with Fireworks!

Posted on June 3, 2022 by Imagine

By Alison Heikkila –

Hello! Alison Heikkila here. It’s getting close to fireworks season, and I am pretty stoked about it. My kids and I love watching fireworks, and I get so happy to see their faces light up, literally and figuratively. I decided to make a fireworks card for Imagine this month…not necessarily for a specific holiday, but as a congratulatory card instead.

Skill Level: Beginner
Time to Complete: 30 minutes

Directions:

Step 1:

Shake up your Fireworks Spray (I chose 3 colors). Choose your lightest color (Bahama Blue for me) and open the spray bottle. Dip a brush into the bottle and apply the color to watercolor paper. Cover around 1/3rd of the paper.

*My paper was cut to 4” x 5 1/4.”

Fireworks 3

Step 2:

Repeat this with the other two colors. I used Danube Blue, then Paris Dusk. Try to blend the colors together where they meet. Let dry.

Fireworks 4

Step 3:

With a Sponge Dauber, apply VersaMark Ink through the stencil. I opted to use the Dazzle version, but you can use the regular one.

Fireworks 5

Step 4:

After you apply each firework, sprinkle on some Mboss embossing powder and heat set. Fill the panel with embossed fireworks.

Fireworks 6

Step 5:

Shake up the Sheer Shimmer Spritz in Gold, open the cap, and tap on to the card panel. Let dry.

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Here you can see how shimmery the panel is. It’s even prettier in person.

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Step 6:

Apply VersaMark to a scrap of cardstock. Sprinkle on some Mboss embossing powder, shake off excess, and heat set.

Fireworks 9

Step 7:

Die cut your sentiment from the embossed cardstock. I used vellum for my shadow layer. Glue together with On Point Glue.

Step 8:

Adhere your sentiment and panel to a white card base.

Step 9:

Optional: Add some sequins to the card front with On Point Glue.

Fireworks 10

Finished!

Art Supplies:

Imagine:

Fireworks! Spray in Bahama Blue, Danube Blue, and Paris Dusk

Sheer Shimmer Spritz in Gold

Mboss in Rose Gold, Silver, and Shimmering Night Sky

VersaMark Ink: Regular or Dazzle

On Point Glue

Sponge Dauber

Other:

Brutus Monroe: Fireworks Stencil

Doodles Paper Playground: Flags and Fireworks Sparkle Blend

White Cardstock

Watercolor Paper

Paintbrush

Vellum

Make a Hibiscus Sympathy Card with Creative Medium

Posted on May 27, 2022 by Imagine

By Neva Cole

I am always searching for new ways to use supplies and tools. Creative Medium comes in many colors, but the Iridescent Green creates stunning results on black paper. The use of an Embossing Folder helps the layers of the iridescent effect really shine. A few layered stamped images and I have a beautiful sympathy card to send to a dear friend.

Skill: Beginner

Time: 1 Hour plus dry time

Directions:

Step 1

Cover a section of black paper (with or without texture) with a thin layer of Creative Medium in Iridescent Green. I used Imagine’s Squeegee to spread the layer across the paper. The rubber edge was very helpful to get a thin even layer. Set aside to dry, possibly overnight. After it is dry it will still have a slightly rubbery texture.

Step 2:

Trim a section of the paper to 4” x 5 1/4” and pressure emboss with Sizzix Tropical Paisley Embossing Folder. You can really see the detail in this photo.

Step 3:

Layer stamp the Hero Arts Hibiscus and leaves images. Start with the lightest ink first. For the Hibiscus–Radiant Neon Electric Yellow, Memento Cantaloupe, Memento Tangelo, and VersaFine Habanero. The leaves are stamped in Memento Bamboo Leaves and Northern Pine. The images are die cut twice more from white and layered under matching die cuts with OnPoint glue.

Step 4:

The sentiment from Unity Stamp Company is stamped in Versa Fine Habanero then heat embossed with Iridescent Embossing powder. (Not shown) The image is die cut with Lawn Cuts Everyday Sentiments die. One end is trimmed off square. The banner is inked with an ink dauber and Radiant Neon Electric Yellow. The edges are inked with Memento Cantaloupe.

Step 5:

Ink the edges of a 4 1/4” x 5 1/2” card with Radiant Neon Electric Yellow ink with an ink dauber.

Step 6:

The layers are adhered together with Tear It! Tape. It adheres well with the textured layers of the card. The two Hibiscus flower are lifted a bit with dimensional foam adhesive.

Art Supplies

Imagine

• Creative Medium Iridescent Green

• Imagine Squeegee

• Radiant Neon Electric Yellow

• Memento–Cantaloupe, Tangelo, Bamboo Leaves, Northern Pines

• VersaFine Habanero

• Tear It! Tape

• Ink Dauber

Other

• Black and white cardstock

• Sizzix Tropical Paisley Embossing Folder

• Stamp Platform

• Heat Embossing Gun

• Hero Arts Hibiscus C1868

• Unity Stamp Company “beautiful life, blessed memories”

• Lawn Cuts Die Everyday Sentiments

• Dimensional Foam Adhesive

Make a Thank You Card for your Teacher

Posted on May 6, 2022 by Imagine

By Alison Heikkila –

Hello! It’s getting close to the end of the school, so I thought it was time to make cards for teachers that have worked so hard this year (and every year!). If you have a stamp set with coordinating dies, I’ve got some fun techniques that you can recreate. We’ll be using 2 types of masks and several colors of Memento inks.

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Time to Complete: Approx. 20-30 minutes

Directions:

Step 1:

Let’s grab all of our supplies. Be sure to have focal images, a sentiment, the dies, and plenty of ink. We’ll be using Memento Inks because they blend so nicely.

Step 2: On a piece of white cardstock, cut to 4” x 5 1/4,” stamp the apple with Nocturne Ink. This is the apple that will be in the front.

Step 3: Stamp an additional apple on some scrap paper and fussy cut it out. You could use the die for this, but I wanted to get right up to the edge of my apple. This will be our first type of mask.

Apples 3

Step 4:

Place the fussy cut apple on to the one you stamped on your card front (you can use some low tack glue to hold it in place if you like). Then stamp your second apple, as shown above. When you remove the mask from the first apple, it will look like the second apple is behind the original.

Apples 4

Here’s what the apples look like after they’re stamped.

Apples 5

Step 5: Die cut an apple out of scrap paper. Make sure you have plenty of negative space around the die cut. This will be our second type of mask and will be used to protect the card front except for the apple you’re ink blending.

Apples 6

Step 6: Let’s start ink blending! I love coloring apples because there is often so much variation in colors on them. I started with Lady Bug ink, then moved into Cantaloupe, and finished with Pear Tart. The mask we made with the die cut allows us to get a perfect edge around the apple.

Apples 7

Again, these dies cut slightly larger than the stamped image, but I don’t mind that clean, extra rim of color around the apple.

Apples 8

Step 7: Place the fussy cut apple on to the inked apple, then line up your other mask around the uninked apple. Repeat the ink blending on this apple, but try to make it look a little different from the first one.

Apples 9

Step 8: Grab one of your brown Memento markers (I used Espresso Truffle) and color in the stems.

Apples 10

Step 9: Stamp a leaf on a separate piece of cardstock with Nocturne Ink. Ink blend Pear Tart ink on top and die cut it.

Apples 11

Step 10:

Use the same 3 colors you used on the apples to ink blend the edges of your card base.

Step 11:

Stamp the sentiment with Shady Lane ink.

Step 12:

Adhere the card front with your favorite adhesive. Attach the leaf using foam tape.

Apples 12 600

Finished!

Art Supplies:

Imagine:

Memento Inks in Lady Bug, Cantaloupe, and Pear Tart

VersaFine Clair Inks in Nocturne and Shady Lane

Memento Marker in Espresso Truffle

Other:

Mama Elephant: Fresh Fruits Stamps and Dies (discontinued…but there are many other fruit sets out there)

Stamping Bella: Planty Dandy

Blending Brushes

White Cardstock

Adhesive

Foam Tape

Colorful Peonies Created with Ink and Stencils Birthday Card

Posted on April 29, 2022 by Imagine

By Neva Cole

See how to use a variety of inks to create a stunning card using layering stencils and Fireworks! as an embellishment. Layering stamps have been around for a few years, but recently a few companies have come out with layering stencils that match stamp sets. It takes a bit more time, but the results are phenomenal and I find that the placement is just a tiny bit easier. For a finishing touch, The Essential Glue Pad produces the look of foil without the need for heated plates or a laminating machine, a win in my book!

Skill: Intermediate

Time: 1 Hour

Directions:

Step 1

Stamp Pink Fresh Painted Peony Mix in Delicata Golden Glitz and heat emboss with Iridescent Embossing Powder. I placed the stamp at a 45 degree angle on my stamp platform, as the stamped image is longer than most platforms. This technique creates enough images for at least three cards!

Step 2:

Most Peonies are white or light pink. I choose Memento Angel Pink and used a heavy hand with the ink dauber to ink the first stencil. Using an ink dauber allows for a bit of shading in the process as well. Each stencil has registration marks to allow precise placement.

Step 3:

The next stencil in the series colors the complementary flowers in the design. Memento Dandelion Yellow is inked with an ink dauber, again with a heavy hand.

Step 4:

The next layer creates the leafy background. It is inked with Memento New Sprout.

Step 5:

To shade in the fourth layer of color I used VersaColor Orchid. As you can see the images are coming together.

Step 6:

Each successive layer adds more dimension, so pretty! Memento Rose Bud is added in this layer.

Step 7:

Small pieces of removable tape are placed on the flowers that I preferred to accent with something other than the Memento Cottage Ivy used on the leaves.

Step 8

To finish the flowers, Memento Sweet Plum was inked through the previously covered sections of the stencil.

Step 9

Die cut with the matching die. All nine pieces cut at the same time!

Step 10

Trim a section of white linen textured cardstock to 4” x 5.25”. Shake each Fireworks! and Shimmer spray until the fine shimmer particles are dispersed in the bottle. Remove sprayer nozzle and tap gently to add color sprays around the white cardstock. This method produces larger droplets that are not as closely placed together as compared to using the direct spray technique.

Step 11

Stamp the sentiment on a piece of black cardstock with The Essential Glue Pad and gently place Metallic Flakes over the glue. Use a brush to remove larger pieces of Metallic Flakes and return to the jar. A paper towel will clean up the rest of the image. Trim to desired shape, in this case a fishtail banner.

Step 12

Trim black cardstock to 5 3/8” x 4 1/8”. Adhere layers together on a A-2 size card base with Tear It! tape. The flower bouquet is adhere with dimensional foam adhesive.

Art Supplies

Imagine

• Delicate Golden Glitz

• Iridescent Embossing Powder

• Memento–Angel Pink, Dandelion, New Sprout, Rose Bud, Cottage Ivy

• VersaColor: Orchid

• Fireworks!–Rose Bud, New Sprout

• Sheer Shimmer Spray Gold

• Tear It! Tape

• Sponge Daubers

Other

• Pink Fresh–Painted Peony Mix Stamp, Stencil Set, Die

• Black and white cardstock

• Stamp Platform

• Heat Embossing Gun

• Paper Studio Fish Tail punch

• Painter’s tape

• Prima Art Ingredients Metallic Flakes Vintage

• Small paint brush

• Dimensional Foam Adhesive

• The Essential Glue Pad

Create a Beautiful Wedding Scrapbook Page

Posted on April 1, 2022 by Imagine

By Alison Heikkila –

Hello! It’s time for my latest tutorial for Imagine, and I decided to make another scrapbook page. This time, I went way back and pulled out some wedding photos. I never did finish our wedding album, so this was a great opportunity to get one more page completed.

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Time to Complete: 1-2 Hours (I’m a slow scrapbooker)

Directions:

With This Ring 2

Step 1:

Gather your supplies. This may seem obvious, but it helps quite a bit to grab a bunch of things that you may wind up using on your page. Inks, ephemera, dies, stencils, etc. are all things that you could use. I grabbed a bunch of items for the photo above, but I didn’t use all of them, and some things i used aren’t shown here. I don’t often have a plan when I am scrapbooking, but I like to grab things to help get me started.

With This Ring 3

Step 2:

Based on the colors in the photo, I wanted to use the Vineyard Kaleidacolor Ink Pad. I took a piece of Mixed Media Paper and rolled the ink on to it using my brayer and Ink Potion No. 9. The Ink Potion No. 9 helps the color to move and transfer better. It took a number of passes to get the paper covered, but I love how it looks painted and uneven. This piece will go behind the photos to “ground” them. Let dry.

Step 3:

Paint or enhance your ephemera. I found some feathers that have foil on them in my stash, and the negative space was white. So I applied some of the Kaleidacolor Ink to my Craft Mat and painted it on with a brush and water. The look is subtle, but it helped it to coordinate with the rest of my page better. I also added some color to the stopwatch.

Step 4:

Add die cuts. I die cut a few lavender stems from white cardstock. I used Elderberry Memento ink and the greens from the Vineyard Ink to paint them. These pieces are delicate, so don’t oversaturate them. I also die cut some foliage from white cardstock and lightly spritzed them with Desert Sand Fireworks! Spray. Using white die cuts allows you to completely customize them.

Step 5:

Add die cuts with colored cardstock. I die cut the wreath out of green cardstock. It needed to be enhanced a bit, so I lightly applied Pistachio and Olive Grove. It’s subtle, but adds a lot of interest.

With This Ring 6

Step 6:

Enhance textured die cuts. I used an Impresslits border under both of my photos. I cut it out of white cardstock, and used Pretty Petunia VersaMagic Ink to enhance the design. I just rubbed the ink pad across the piece. I also sprayed it unevenly with Desert Sand fireworks! Spray for shine and to dull down the white a bit.

With This Ring 7

Step 7:

Begin to place your elements. Play with torn edges, overlapping items, and creating a sense of movement. Move things around to make sure you have good, even placement, and feel free to add or remove pieces as necessary.

Step 8:

Add some splatter. I used some more Elderberry ink that I squished on to my Craft Mat to apply splatter to the entire white background. It’s just a bit more color, but it adds a lot to the finished page.

Step 9:

Add your title. I found some ridiculously old rub-ons and letters to help me create the perfect title.

With This Ring 9

Step 10:

Start gluing down your elements. It helps to take a photo of your layout before you start gluing, so that you can place your pieces back exactly where you had them. On Point Glue is perfect for the teeny die cuts I used.

Step 11

Finishing touches. Do you need an additional sprig of foliage? Do you need a touch more ink somewhere? This is the point where the page is just about finished, and you just need to add a tiny detail here and there.

With-This-Ring-1

Finished!

We’ve got a very pretty wedding page that works beautifully with the photos and feel of our wedding. Don’t forget…even if your embellishments and/or color scheme are completely different from mine, you can still use these techniques when creating your own layout. Playing with your inks to help enhance items you have in your stash can really tie everything together. Play with your papers and dies to see how you can alter them with inks and sprays to get exactly the look you want. Thanks so much for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Art Supplies:

Imagine:

Kaleidacolor Inks in Vineyard
Memento Inks in Olive Grove, Pistachio, and Elderberry
Ink Potion No. 9
On Point Glue
Desert Sand Fireworks! Spray
VersaMagic Ink in Pretty Petunia

Other:

Canson Mixed Media XL Paper
Brayer
Princeton Snap Brush: Size 4
Sizzix/Tim Holtz: Wildflowers Dies
Sizzix/Tim Holtz: Impresslits Embossing folder- Mini Provincial
Sizzix/Tim Holtz: Funky Wreath
Rub-Ons
Ephemera
Die Cut Letters
Additional Adhesive (for bigger items)

Pastel Easter Card Made Easy with Kaleidacolor

Posted on March 18, 2022 by Imagine

By Neva Cole

See how to use the Kaleidacolor ink pad to create a pastel Easter Card with subtle style that can be completed in a short amount of time. Layering with contrasting cardstock and texture added with embossing folders gives this card great dimension.

Skill: Beginner

Time: 30 Minutes.

Directions:

Step 1

Trim white cardstock to 8.5″ x 5.5″ to make card base. Fold in half and use a rubber brayer to ink the front of the card with Kaleidacolor in Baby Powder. Move the brayer to fully cover the card and re-ink brayer as needed to create a well inked surface. Pay attention to direction of ink pad and brayer to avoid mixing the ink colors beyond the ombre look.

2022-March-Neva-EasterCard-step2

Step 2

Trace the outside of a cross die on craft cardstock to create a matching layering piece. Fussy cut the layer three time or use a electronic die cut machine to cut three layers. Glue the layers together with OnPoint Glue. Using a wet glue allows a little time to wiggle the layers into perfect position.

2022-March-Neva-EasterCard-step3

Step 3

Place die on white cardstock and die cut and pressure emboss with rubber mat. Use a make-up sponge rolled to pick up ink in the same ombre of the Kaleidacolor ink pad and ink through the die onto the raised embossed areas. Die cut two more layers and glue the colored die cut to the top of the first two white layers.

2022-March-Neva-EasterCard-step4

Step 4

Ink the raised portion of the embossing folder with Kaleidacolor Baby Powder in the same color direction as the card base. Pressure emboss a 3.75″ x 5″ section of white cardstock. The ink will transfer to the indentations of the design.

2022-March-Neva-EasterCard-step5

Step 5

Trim a section of Kraft cardstock to 4″ x 5.25″. Layer the assembled parts of the card without adhering them together to determine the placement of the sentiment. I choose the appropriate size circle die to die cut the corner of the pressure embossed white cardstock.

2022-March-Neva-EasterCard-step6

Step 6

Using the next size smaller circle die and pressure embossed white cardstock to determine placement of the smaller circle die on the Kraft cardstock and die cut.

2022-March-Neva-EasterCard-step7

Step 7

Determine placement of sentiment and remove the layers.

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Step 8

Stamp the sentiment in Delicata Sapphire Blue.

2022-March-Neva-EasterCard-Step9-Beauty_700x700

Step 9

Adhere the layers of the card together. The Kraft cardstock layer is adhered with dimensional foam adhesive. All the other layers used Tear It! Tape for best adhesion.

Art Supplies

Imagine

Other

Brayer
Spellbinders Crosses Two, Standard Circles Large and Small
Darice Crosses Embossing Folder
Scan n Cut
Taylored Expressions Inside Scoop Easter Blessings
Dimensional Foam Adhesive
Make-up sponge

Directions:

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Finished!

Art Supplies:

Imagine:

Other:

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Finished!

Art Supplies:

Imagine:

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Finished!

Art Supplies:

Imagine:

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