Tag Archives: INSPIRATION

Creating Beautiful Skies with VersaMagic Chalk Ink

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by Melissa Andrew

In this cardmaking project, I use VersaMagic Chalk Ink and ink daubers to create a beautiful blended sky. This technique can be used for various background blending techniques as the VersaMagic Chalk Ink blends. The kitty cat images and “Thanks for being there!” sentiment is from the Best Buds stamp set from Joy Clair Stamps which as several additional cute animals such as bunnies and turtles.

Directions

 

Supplies

Imagine
Other

 

See How to Create a Family Tree Wall Hanging

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by Iris Rodriguez

See How to Create a Family Tree Wall Hanging using Tsukineko All-Purpose Ink and VersaFine Clair

This month we have the pleasure of working with Joy Clair stamps. Today, I am using the Love Tree stamp set which made me think of the strong bond that exists amongst family. I created a wall hanging as an ode to family and the love that binds us and keeps us together. For this project, I stamped the sentiment “Love Blossoms Here” onto watercolor paper, personalized it with alphabet stamps, added wire hanging and added a book paper backing to represent the family stories that get created along the way and then passed on. Keep reading to see how I created this lovely home decor piece.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1.5 hours

Directions


Step 1

Spray the watercolor paper with water. Then brush on the Tropical Lagoon All-Purpose ink. Dry the paper. This will become the background.


Step 2

Stamp the tree and sentiment with Acorn Versafine Clair ink. Add Imagine’s Embossing Powder in Clear and heat set. Then continue to stamp the rest of elements.


Step 3

Color in the tree with the Chocolate All-Purpose ink and water. Dry the paper.


Step 4

Measure a piece of discarded cardboard to fit behind your main tree image.


Step 5

Adhere the book paper onto the cardboard with Matte Medium. Add the Matte Medium on the cardboard, on the book paper. Burnish with your fingers or brayer to ensure bubbles do not develop under the book paper. Brush on Matte Medium over the paper. Then adhere to the back of the wall hanging. This also helps give weight to the watercolor paper, which keeps the paper straight.


Step 6

Paint the dowels with Terra Cotta Walnut ink with a brush and water. Dry the dowels with the heating tool.


Step 7

Punch holes on the top and the bottom of wall hanging using the hole punch.


Step 8

Add the eyelets with the eyelet setter. Wrap wire in the hole and around the dowel several times. Ensure to leave a loop in the center to hang on the wall.

And, this is it! A new art piece for your home or a great gift for a family member or friend. I hope you give it a try.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Joy Clair Stamps – The Love Tree set
  • Eyelets
  • Eyelet Setter
  • 20 gauge Steel Wire
  • Wooden Dowel
  • Watercolor paper
  • Cardboard
  • Book Paper
  • Matte Medium or Mod Podge
  • 1/16 hole punch

Project Swap: Create a “You Are a Superstar” Lime-ade Card

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Welcome to another set for our Artist Project Swap with Iris and Jowilna. For the Month of May, we challenged our artists to exchange tutorials and create each other’s designs in order to see how each of our artists interprets style and choices. The receiving artist did not know who designed the project, nor did they receive any images! In today’s post, Jowilna gives the directions and recommended supplies list and Iris created the project.

Create a “You Are a Super Star” Lime-ade Card by Iris Rodriguez

I had the pleasure of creating Jowilna Nolte’s project. It’s a lime and black colored star card, which I found unique and fun to make. I learned new ways of using StazOn Studio Glaze on paper. Jowilna’s project calls for real or faux stitching. I always found stitching on mixed media and cards to look awesome but I can’t sew. I found that hand-drawn stitching created a fun whimsical look in its place. I can’t believe I never tried it before, but will from now on!

I like the “You’re a Superstar” sentiment for this card. I think it can be suitable for a graduate. It also makes for a great mother’s or father’s day card as well. Many of us think one or both parents are superstars; for raising us, being supportive and cheerleaders in our lives. I hope you consider making this card for the superstars in your life.

Directions


Step 1

Use smooth white cardstock and attach an alphabet stencil to the cardstock piece using washi tape or masking tape.


Step 2

Ink with Memento Dye Ink in Pear Tart and Inkblushers.


Step 3

Carefully remove the stencil and leave the ink to dry thoroughly.


Step 4

Add a few drops of StazOn Studio Glaze in Cactus Green onto the stenciled sheet. Let Dry.


Step 5

Use StazOn black ink and stamp a star image onto the background as a focal point. Did not have the star stencil, so I cut out my stencil with using a precision knife and card stock paper.


Step 6

Add sewing machine stitched detail around the star or add fake stitches using a permanent marker. Here I used a gel pen in white.


Step 8

Use Memento in Cottage Ivy and Pear Tart and an ink blusher and add ink around the outside edge of the star to highlight it.


Step 9

Once the ink is dry add graphite pencil scribbles over those highlights.


Step 10

Use a gold glitter star (or die cut one from glitter paper) and add a layer of StazOn Studio Glaze to add a green tint to the glitter. Add a glitter star to the center of your stamped star. Stamp a happy sentiment onto a scrap of cardstock and place below concentric stars. I hand cut a cardstock star, used gold glitter and glue. The glaze seals the glitter nicely.


Step 11

Trim the background to fit onto a folded card and adhere to the front of the card.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Cardstock – white
  • Alphabet Stencil
  • Dina Wakely – Star Stamp
  • Sizzix – Star die-cut
  • Glitter cardstock or pre-cut glitter star
  • “You Are A Superstar” sentiment stamp
  • Graphite pencil
  • Sewing machine or permanent marker

Original Design by Jowilna Nolte

What did you think of Iris’s interpretation of Jowilna’s design?

Comment below!

Project Swap: Create a Summertime Hello Card

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Welcome to another set for our Artist Project Swap with Nadine and Roni. For the Month of May, we challenged our artists to exchange tutorials and create each other’s designs in order to see how each of our artists interprets style and choices. The receiving artist did not know who designed the project, nor did they receive any images! In today’s post, Nadine gives the directions and recommended supplies list and Roni created the project.

Summertime Hello Card by Roni Johnson

We had a little fun here recently at Imagine by challenging ourselves to an art swap. Each of us created a project, wrote up instructions and then Imagine swapped out all of the projects with a fellow Artist in Residence. I had the pleasure of working with Nadine Carlier’s project, as you can see it turned out amazing. It’s funny when we compared finished projects we even chose to use the exact same “hello” stamp!

Skill: Beginner
Time: 30 Minutes + dry time

Directions


Step 1

Cut a strip of white cardstock so it fits the width of a card and about 3 inches wide.


Step 2

On the strip, stamp a leaf image and a hello sentiment using VersaMark and then emboss and heat set it with white embossing powder.


Step 3

Kaleidacolor Fresh Greens and a brayer work best for this step. Use sponge daubers and individual green ink colors in varying tones as long as they are a water-based ink, for example, Memento inks.


Step 4

Slide the Kaleidacolor inks together and roll a brayer over the ink pad. Make sure to keep rolling in the same spot to not mix the colors up on the brayer.


Step 5

Using the cardstock strip roll the brayer lengthwise so the lightest ink color is in the center of the cardstock strip. At this point, only half of the cardstock strip should have color on it. Don’t worry about getting full coverage on the strip, this is normal especially around the embossed areas. You actually want some white areas showing.


Step 6

Flip the cardstock 90 degrees and repeat the steps from 4 and 5. Once cardstock piece is completely rolled, you should have an ombre effect with the lightest ink color in the middle and with it getting darker towards the top and bottom of the strip. Because my brayer width was wider than my cardstock strip I had the darker ink colors rolled on my craft mat. Spray the ink left on the craft mat with water and use the mix as an ink or lift technique. This will create a texture effect. Repeat until you have the look you desire. Using a dry paper towel rub over the embossed areas to remove extra ink. Let your cardstock strip dry.


Step 7

Finish the design by adhering the cardstock strip to the front of a card base with Tear It! Tape. Add sequins, dew drops or tiny dots of irRESISTible Pico Embellisher in Clear or Wedding Dress. Enjoy!

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Joy Clair – “Hello” stamp
  • Just For Fun Rubber Stamps – Stamptangle Leaf
  • Brayer
  • Sequins
  • Cardstock – white
  • Heat Tool

Original Design by Nadine

What do you think of Roni’s interpretation of Nadine’s tutorial?

Comment below!

See How to Make a “Thinking of You” Fairy Card

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by Steph Ackerman

Fairies are sweet little mythical creatures from stories we read as a child and they are the inspiration for today’s cardmaking tutorial. They were always colorful, happy and enjoying life and make the perfect subject for a greeting card that reads “Hello” or “Thinking of You!” I recently got these stamps and dies from Heartfelt Creations and just had to use them. I knew that Fireworks Shimmery Craft Sprays would be perfect for creating magical color backgrounds. I absolutely loved creating these cards!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1 hour + dry time

Directions


Step 1

Spritz Fireworks Spray in Grape Jelly and Bamboo Leaves on the Craft Mat. Repeatedly dab a white cardstock panel in the inks until the panel is covered. Spritz Ink Potion #9 on the craft mat. Pick up the remaining ink with the second panel of white cardstock. This is a great blending technique because the contrasting colors will mix while still in the liquid form.


Step 2

Spritz Fireworks Spray in Angel Pink and Bamboo Leaves on the craft mat. Repeatedly dab a white cardstock panel in the inks until the panel is covered. Spritz Ink Potion #9 on the craft mat. Pick up the remaining ink with the second panel of white cardstock.


Step 3

Stamp two separate fairy images with Memento Luxe Tuxedo Black or VersaFine Clair in Nocturne. Emboss with Clear Embossing Powder. Die cut image.


Step 4

Use a selection of Memento Markers to color both fairies.


Step 5

Ink the Fireworks Grape Jelly panel with matching VersaMagic in Purple Hydrangea Ink. Die cut white and purple ovals in graduating sizes. Ink the edges of the white oval with VersaMagic Purple Hydrangea Ink. Die cut image and adhere with On Point Glue.


Step 6

Cut yellow cardstock to fit the card. Ink edges of panels with VersaMagic in Sahara Sand. Adhere the Fireworks in Angel Pink panel to the yellow cardstock. Die cut a second sheet of yellow cardstock. Cut the Fireworks in Angel Pink panel to fit. Adhere to the card. Adhere the die cut image to the pink panel. Add dimension to the dandelions with Wedding Dress irRESISTible.


Step 7

Stamp the phrase “Thinking of You” in Memento Luxe Tuxedo Black or VersaFine Clair and emboss with Clear Embossing Powder. Die cut and ink around the edge with VersaMagic Sahara Sand. Mat with a larger die and add to card with foam adhesives.


Step 8

Add the Fireworks Grape Jelly panel to a purple card and wrap with ribbon. Add image to card with foam adhesives. Stamp sentiment in Memento Luxe Tuxedo Black and emboss with Clear Embossing Powder. Die cut and mat with the larger purple die.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Cardstock – white, yellow, purple
  • Spellbinders dies
  • Joy Clair sentiment stamps
  • Heartfelt Creations Fairies stamps and dies
  • May Arts Ribbon

Color of the Month for May is Lime!

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Color of the Month for May is Lime!

The Color of the Month for May is Lime. We are excited about this color challenge because we have a couple of bright green color swatches in the Tsukineko brands such as VersaFine Clair in Verdant, Brilliance in Pearlescent Lime, and All-Purpose Ink in Green Apple that are wonderful inks for your crafting projects. We think this Lime color is a fresh color to bring in the summer vibes. Create craft projects with floral images, picnic and food images or elements in a simple scrapbook layout.

Another fun feature of the Month of May is Project Swap! We wanted to do a different kind of art challenge and for this month. We matched up two of our artists and had them switch tutorials and create each other’s work or ideas. It has been a real treat to see the fun interaction between our team members and we are excited to publish the results.

Here is a sneak peek of a Couple of Swapped Projects!

Another event to look forward to in May is a Blog Hop!

We have teamed up with Precious Remembrance Shop for a Blog Hop on May 16th – 17th! So stay tuned for the details!