Let’s Make a Blackout Technique Card

By Anna Escalada York

– For teachers, April and May are PACKED!! At this time of the year, it is hard for me to find the time to make elaborate cards, but I want to still be able to sit down and make a card in one sitting. So I turn to techniques that allow me to create something that are quick and easy but also are something to be proud of. This card features one of my go-tos for a quick but pretty card: the blackout technique. 

Skill: Intermediate 
Time: less than 1 hour 

Directions: 

Step 1: 
Use a paper trimmer to cut a piece of watercolor paper to be 5.5” x 4.25” (the size of an A2-sized card). Then spray one side a floral embossing folder with Rose Gold Shimmer Craft Spray and run the watercolor panel through the die cutting machine sandwiched between the two sides of the embossing folder. You will be using the debossed (indented) side of the embossed panel. Allow to dry. 

Step 2: 
Color the flowers with Tangelo Memento Dual Marker. Color the edges of the leaves and the stems with Teal Zeal Memento Dual Marker. Then watercolor over all parts of the leaves and the stems with Teal Zeal Memento Dual Marker mixed with water. Allow the water to dry and repeat the process a few times to help add depth to the centers of the leaves. 

Step 3: 
Gently run the Rose Bud Memento ink pad across the card. Because the flowers are indented, they will mostly not be colored with the ink, but the flat parts of the card will be. I liked that some of the areas were not colored with the ink but additional passes of the ink pad can give consistent, universal coverage. 

Spray Copper Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray onto a piece of acetate and watercolor smoosh the panel to add a little more sparkle. Lightly brush more of the copper spray on the leaves and allow the whole thing to dry. 

Step 4: 
Stamp the sentiment with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink and heat emboss with clear embossing powder. Then die cut the sentiment with the corresponding die. Use the die cut to die cut two additional layers of scrap cardstock and glue them behind the sentiment die cut for dimension. 

Glue the sentiment onto the embossed card panel. 

Trim the edges of the embossed card panel and distress the edges with a pair of scissors. Trim a piece of black cardstock a little bit bigger than the pink embossed panel and glue the two layers together. Glue pink and orange sequins on the upper right and lower left corners of the card panel. To finish the card, glue the whole card panel onto a white A2-sized card base. 

Art Supplies 

Imagine 

Memento Dual Markers – Tangelo and Teal Zeal 
Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Copper and Rose Gold 
VersaFine Clair Ink – Nocturne 

Other 

Altenew – die set – Magnificent Magnolias 
Altenew – stamp set – Magnificent Magnolias 
Catherine Pooler – sequin mix – Miami 
Simon Says Stamp – embossing folder – Magnificent Mums 
Clear Embossing Powder 
Heat tool 
Glue 
Watercolor paper 
Black watercolor paper 

Let’s Make a Mother’s Day Card

By Helen Gullett

– Hello crafty friends! The special day to celebrate our mothers is here. We can celebrate them and show them love in many ways. But today, we are going to make a clean-and-simple handmade card for someone who has been a mother in our life.

Let’s get crafting!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 15-20 Minutes

Direction:

Step 1
Cut out a piece of watercolor cardstock into 4×6 inch and put it on the stamping tool.
Stamp the mason jar bouquet image with VersaFine Onyx Black ink.

Step 2
Scribble some of the Memento Marker Summer Sky on the craft mat.
Pick up ink with a wet waterbrush and start painting the water in the jar.
Dry the paint in between to build up the layer of colors and shadow.

I used a waterbrush that can easily squish some water out to the brush, but you also can use any small round watercolor brush and clean water.
Always have a piece of clean paper towel nearby to dab off too much water.

Step 3
Scribble some of the Memento Marker Bamboo Leaves on the craft mat.
Pick up ink with a wet waterbrush and start painting the water in the jar.
Dry the paint in between to build up the layer of colors and shadow.

Step 4
Scribble some of the Memento Marker Rose Bud on the craft mat.
Pick up ink with a wet waterbrush and start painting the water in the jar.
Dry the paint in between to build up the layer of colors and shadow.

Step 5
Scribble some of the Memento Marker Cantaloupe on the craft mat.
Pick up ink with a wet waterbrush and start painting the water in the jar.
Dry the paint in between to build up the layer of colors and shadow.

Step 6
Scribble some of the Memento Marker Paris Dusk on the craft mat.
Pick up ink with a wet waterbrush and start painting the water in the jar.
Dry the paint in between to build up the layer of colors and shadow.

Step 7
Scribble some of the Memento Marker Grape Jelly on the craft mat.
Pick up ink with a wet waterbrush and start painting the water in the jar.
Dry the paint in between to build up the layer of colors and shadow.

Step 8
Dry the whole watercolored image well with a craft heat gun.
Fussy cut the image using the micro-tip scissors.

Step 9
Cut out a piece of white cardstock with one of the Stitched Tag dies.
Stamp the sentiment on the tag with VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink.
Dry the stamped sentiment with a craft heat gun.

Step 10
Add some of the VersaFine Clair Arctic ink on the front card base with finger sponge dauber.
Dry the ink with a craft heat gun.

Step 11
Put some of the Tear It! Double-sided Tape on the back of the mason jar and add it to the tag.
Tie up some of the white twine on the tag.

Step 12
Add the mason jar bouquet tag to the card with some of the On Point Glue.

Step 13
Embellish the card with some of the pearl gems.

This clean-and-simple Mother’s Day card may look simple yet it has layers but it is not bulky so it is perfect to be sent out to someone who has been a mother to you on this special time.

I hope you like this card and give this tutorial a try. Thanks so much for stopping by our blog today. Have a wonderful day!

Craft Supplies

Imagine Crafts:

Others:

Create Your Own Fairy Tale Card

By Anna Escalada York

I am a big fantasy nerd, and was so excited when we were given the option to share a fairy tale project with you this month.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1.5 hours

Directions:

Step 1:
Stamp a dragon and a small mountain range on watercolor paper with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink and heat emboss them with clear ink. Then die cut both images with their corresponding dies.

Step 2:
Die cut a piece of watercolor paper with an A2-sized background die. Take the circular die cut element from the die cut watercolor paper and using an old sponge dauber–which has some parts of the sponge missing due to heavy use–to rub more Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink across it. Then spray the die cut circle with Silver Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray. Set aside to dry.

Step 3:
Color the die cut dragon with Desert Sand and Lilac Posies Memento Dual Markers.

Step 4:
Add Gold irRESTible medium onto the 4 freckles on the dragon’s hip using the Pico Embellisher. Then mix some of the Gold irRESTible medium with water and splatter the black die cut circle.

With the remaining irRESTible medium mixed with water, paint the wings and belly of the dragon to add some shine. Set aside to dry.

Step 5:
Color the mountains with Rich Cocoa Memento Dual Marker. Then press a White Shimmer Delicata Ink pad onto some acetate packaging and spay with water. Use this shiny watercolor to paint the clouds and snowy tips of the mountains. (While you can’t see this in the picture, the Delicata ink added some subtle shine to the image.) Watercolor smoosh the remaining watercolor onto the circular die cut and allow everything to dry.

Step 6:
Returning to the die cut watercolor panel from step 2, stamp a sentiment on the lower right corner of the panel with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink and heat emboss with clear embossing powder. Then press more of the White Shimmer Delicata ink mixed with water onto the panel to add some sparkle. Allow to dry.

Step 7:
Assemble the card. Glue both parts of the watercolor panel onto an A2-sized white card base. Glue the mountain range as well as gold stars and rhinestones onto the panel. Then attach the dragon with foam tape to give her some dimension to finish the card.

Art Supplies

Imagine
• Delicata Ink – White Shimmer
• irRESTible Medium – Gold
• Memento Dual Marker – Desert Sand
• Memento Dual Marker – Lilac Posies
• Memento Dual Marker – Rich Cocoa
• Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Silver
• VersaFine Clair Ink – Nocturne
• Sponge Dauber

Other
• Altenew – foam tape -Instant Dimension Foam Tape
• Altenew – stamp set – Block Sentiments (retired)
• Mama Elephant – die set – Midnight Cover
• Mama Elephant – die set – Me and My Dragon
• Mama Elephant – stamp set – Me and My Dragon
• Scrappy Tails Crafts – embellishments – Starry Christmas Night mix
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Heat tool Glue
• Watercolor paper

 Wishing You Well Spring Card with Memento Inks

By Ceal Pritchett

Hello everyone!
It’s Ceal, here. Today I am sharing a spring get well card (you could make yours for any occasion) using a stamp and stencil combo. Stencils make it so easy to color.

Skill: Beginner to Intermediate
Time: 30 Mins

Directions:

Gather your supplies. You will need a stamp/stencil combo, several colors of ink and a marker for details.  In the photo I have an orange ink but I actually used a pink.

Step 1:
Using a black ink stamp the floral image. I used Memento Tuxedo Black.

Step 2:
Using the leaves portion of the  stencil and two colors of green, color the leaves. I used Memento Pear Tart and Bamboo Leaves

Step 3:
Using the floral portion of the stencil, color the flowers yellow. I used Memento Dandelion.

Step 4:
Using the detailed portion of the stencil color the area pink (which turns into a pretty peach) I used Memento Angel Pink.

Step 5:
Stamp and cut out the greeting and cut a couple extra pieces for dimension.  Adhere the panel with the flowers to the card base and then adhere the greeting anywhere you’d like on the card front.

Craft Supplies:

Imagine Products
Memento ink pad- Tuxedo Black, Angel Pink, Dandelion, Pear Tart and Bamboo Leaves
Memento Marker – Tangelo
On Point Glue

Other Products
Spring Tulips Stamp/Stencil – Unity Stamp Co
Misti Stamping Platform

It’s Your Time To Bloom Card

By Anna Escalada York

I don’t know about you, but I have so much patterned paper that I will probably never use it all. In an attempt to use at least some of it on a card, I turned to my Fireworks! Craft Sprays to enhance the paper to make a card celebrating the colors of spring.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1 hour (plus drying time)

Directions:

Step 1:
Cut a piece of aqua patterned paper into two parts. Spray Spray one piece Eucalyptus Walnut Ink Antiquing Solution and the other with Willow Walnut Ink Antiquing Solution. After the spray dries, die cut the Willow-sprayed paper with leaf dies and the Eucalyptus-sprayed paper with the branch die and set aside.

Step 2:
Spray a piece of purple patterned paper with Lulu Lavender Fireworks! Craft Spray. After the spray dries, die cut the paper with the larger flower in the die set.

Step 3:
Spray a piece of blue patterned paper with Bahama Blue Fireworks! Craft Spray. After the spray dries, die cut the paper with the smaller flower die cut.

Step 4:
Spray a yellow piece of patterned paper with Dandelion Fireworks! Craft Spray. After the spray dries, die cut the paper with both of the flowers’ central areas.

Step 5:
Color the base layer of the smaller (blue) flower’s center with a Rich Cocoa Memento Dual Marker. Then repeat the process for the larger flower’s center (not pictured). Once the marker dried, glue each of these central parts of the flowers to the rest of flowers’ centers. Then glue both of the centers onto their respective flower’s centers.

Step 6:
Color the upper layers of the purple flower with Lilac Posies Memento Dual Marker to make them darker and stand out from the rest of the flower. After the marker dried, glue the small paper layers onto the rest of the flower.

Step 7:
Color the small blue upper layers of the blue flower with Ultramarine Fabrico Dual Marker. Then spray them with more Bahama Blue Fireworks! Craft Spray. After the spray dries, glue these small blue die cut layers onto the rest of the blue flower.

Step 8:
Spray a piece of watercolor paper with Rose Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray and allow to dry. Then die cut the watercolor paper with an A2-sized panel die to create a background for the card.

Not pictured: Die cut a piece of vellum with a mid-sized circular die.

Step 9:
Stamp the sentiment onto a scrap of watercolor paper with Lilac Posies Memento ink and heat emboss with clear embossing powder. Trim the sentiment into a thin strip and press the edges into the ink pad to color the edges. Set aside.

Step 10:
Assemble the card. Glue the Rose Gold floral background onto an A2-sized white card base. Then glue down the circular die cut piece of vellum followed by the leaves and branch die cuts. Add foam tape behind the large upper central petal and the lower left petal on the purple flower as well as the whole blue flower. Then add glue behind the rest of the purple flower to attach it to the card base. Then attach the blue flower on top of the purple flower. Glue purple sequins around the card base. Finally, attach the sentiment with more foam tape to finish the card.

Art Supplies

Imagine

• Fabrico Dual Marker – Ultramarine
• Fireworks! Craft Spray: Bahama Blue, Dandelion and Lulu Lavender
• Memento Dual Marker – Lilac Posies and Rich Cocoa
• Memento Ink – Lilac Posies
• Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Rose Gold
• Walnut Ink Antiquing Solution – Eucalyptus and Willow

Other

• Altenew – foam tape -Instant Dimension Foam Tape
• Hero Arts – die set – Circle Infinity Dies
• Pink and Main – stamp set – Spring Sayings
• Simon Says Stamp – sequins – Lilac Embellishments
• Sizzix and Tim Holtz – die set- Brushstroke Flowers
• Sizzix and Tim Holtz – panel die – Leafy Twigs
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Heat tool
• Scissors Glue
• Watercolor paper
• Vellum

Monoprinting Greeting Card With VersaFine Clair and Memento Markers

By Helen Gullett

Hello crafty friends! Today we are going to do some monoprinting with VersaFine Clair inks and a gelli printing plate to create some fun backgrounds. And also, we will do some coloring with Memento Markers.

Let’s get crafting!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 30 Minutes

Direction:

Step 1
Put the gelli printing plate directly on the Imagine Craft Mat. Make sure it lays flat.

Dab some of the VersaFine Clair inks on the gelli printing plate, do this one color at a time and do not mix them together.

Step 2
Mix the inks on the gelli printing plate with the mini roller. Mix the color from top to bottom, gradually.

Step 3
Put the stencil on the gelli printing plate.

Gently press the stencil to the gelli printing plate.

Step 4
Get a piece of printing/copy paper (preferably thickness 24 lb or more), you can cut it in half or use full size.

Add the paper to the gelli printing with stencil and gently press it down to get ink off the plate.

Step 5
Carefully pick up the paper off the gelli printing plate from one corner.

This is the first printing. For this time, you can keep it aside for future projects.

Step 6
Carefully remove the stencil off the gelli printing plate.

While the inks are still wet (this is why VersaFine Clair inks are the best for this project!), put a piece of white cardstock to the gelli printing plate and gently press down to pick up the ink off the plate.

Step 7
Carefully pick up the printed cardstock of the gelli printing plate.

You get the second print which is a different pattern than the first one.

Use a craft heat gut to dry the ink well.

This is the print that we will use for the background of the card.

Step 8
Once the printed background dried well, cut it with a rectangle die form the Stitched Rectangle dies set.

Then cut another piece of white cardstock with the scallop rectangle die from the same set.

Step 9
Add the white scallop background panel to the card base using the On Point Glue.

And then, add the printed background panel to the card using the same glue.

Set it aside to dry (optional: you can put a couple of large acrylic stamping blocks on it to hold it down while drying).

Step 10
Put a piece of white cardstock on a stamping platform and secure it with some magnets.

Arrange the flower stamps on it and stamp them with the VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink pad.

Remove it from the stamping platform.

Step 11
Dry the stamped images using  a craft heat gun.

Color them using the Memento Markers.

Fussy cut the images with micro-tip scissors.

Step 12
Stamp the sentiment a white cardstock with VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink.

Dry the stamped sentiment with a craft heat gun.

Cut it with one of the banner die from the Banners die set.

Step 13
Add the first flower to the card with On Point Glue.

Using On Point Glue, add a piece of thin foam to the back of the sentiment banner and add it to the card with the same glue.

Then, add some of the thin foam to the second flower and add it to the card with the same glue.

The card is done. Though it looks simple, yet it has some layers to it.

This gelli printing technique is one of a fun way to create pattern backgrounds other stamping.

Thanks for stopping by our blog today.

Craft Supplies

Imagine Crafts:

Others: