Creating Beautiful Skies with VersaMagic Chalk Ink

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

 

How to Blend Different Stamps in the Same Mermaid Card Project

by Jennifer Vanderbeek

How to Blend Different Stamps in the Same Mermaid Card Project with VersaFine Clair

This Fintastic Mermaid card is one of those examples of how a color and a single image can inspire a whole project. This month’s color challenge is Sea Breeze, so I immediately reached for VersaFine Clair in Warm Breeze—a favorite from the first time I stamped it. That plus the Lovely Swirl background (which, when turned on its side, reminds me of waves) gave me a clear direction for this delightful little mermaid card.

One of my favorite parts of the process was mixing various stamps from different manufacturers but tying them together seamlessly by keeping the same non-traditional outline color throughout. Try it next time and see how it works for you!

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Cardstock – White, Blue
  • Joy Clair Stamps – Lovely Swirl Background Stamp
  • Santoro – No 31 Awashed Stamp
  • Waffle Flower – Little Mermaids Stamp Set
  • Darice – Heat Tool
  • Water Brush
  • Acrylic Blocks
  • Tweezers
  • American Crafts – Paper Trimmer
  • Fiskars – Scissors
  • Craft Knife
  • Helmar – Liquid Scrap Dots, Zap Dots

Make a Cute “Gnome is Where the Heart is” Card

by Steph Ackerman

Make a Cute "Gnome is Where the Heart is" Card. Joy Clair Stamps.

In today’s project, I created two cards with a fun garden gnome themes with Tsukineko inks. This month we had the opportunity of creating with Joy Clair stamps and I chose a woodgrain background and a whimsical stamp set. Who doesn’t love mushroom houses and gnomes?

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1 hour + dry time

Directions


Step 1

Stamp houses with VersaFine Clair in Nocturne on white cardstock.


Step 2

Color images with Memento Markers.


Step 3

To achieve color variations, ink the woodgrain stamp with Brilliance in Pearlescent Beige and Coffee Bean Inks and stamp onto white cardstock.


Step 4

Ink the woodgrain stamp with VersaFine Clair in Pinecone and stamp onto brown cardstock.


Step 5

Die cut house with circle dies. Ink around edges with Brilliance in Pearlescent Beige. Stamp fences with VersaFine Clair in Pinecone Ink.


Step 6

Mat die cut house with yellow cardstock and add to the background. Stamp “Hello” with VersaFine Clair in Nocturne. Mat with cardstock and add to the card. Stamp mushroom images along the bottom edge of an envelope.


Step 7

Die cut trellis from brown cardstock. Ink with VersaFine Clair Pinecone and spritz with Ink Potion No. 9.


Step 8

Mat woodgrain panel with brown cardstock. Fussy cut house and mat with brown cardstock. Add to card. Stamp “Gnome is where the heart is” phrase with Brilliance in Coffee Bean. Die cut and mat with larger die. Add trellis to the card, adhering sentiment on top. Add leaves, tiny flowers, and dew drops.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Joy Clair Stamps – Gnome is Where the Heart Is
  • Heartfelt Creations – Leaves die
  • Cheery Lynn – Trellis die
  • Spellbinders – Circles, Ovals die
  • Prima Marketing – Flowers
  • The Robin’s Nest – Gold Dew Drops
  • Cardstock – white, brown, yellow, green

Project Swap: Create a You Are My Hero Card

Project Swap: Create a You Are My Hero Card

Welcome to another set for our Artist Project Swap with Kassy and Melissa. 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, Kassy gives the directions and recommended supplies list and Melissa created the project.

Create a You Are My Hero Card by Melissa Andrew

Today, I create a fun card using a number of techniques that were designed and instructed by design team member Kassy Tousignant. This was a challenge created by Imagine to help show customers how diverse Imagine and Tsukineko products really are. If you don’t have something a designer uses, you can improvise!

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Whimsy Stamps –  Lattice Stencil, sentiment stamp
  • SugarPea Designs Stamp – Peony stamp, Postage Stamp die
  • Paper Trimmer
  • Scissors – fine and regular
  • Foam Dots
  • Heat Tool
  • Watercolor Palette
  • Cardbase

Original Design by Kassy

What do you think of Melissa’s interpretation of Kassy’s tutorial?

Comment below!

How to Create a Pressed Flower Art Journal Page

by Jennifer Vanderbeek

How to Create a Pressed Flower Art Journal Page

Wisteria is one of my favorite flowers but its season is all too brief. This year I’ve preserved a cluster in my art journal on a rich bed of pigment made up of layers of Fireworks Sprays and Creative Medium, taking my color inspiration from the blooms themselves. Creative Medium both protects the layers I’ve built up and gives a perfect surface to build upon—it’s invaluable!

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Art Journal
  • White Cardstock
  • Gesso
  • Pressed Flowers
  • Darice – Heat Tool
  • Uniball – White Signo Pen
  • Faber Castel – Pitt Brush Pen
  • Tweezers
  • Wax Paper

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

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