Let’s Make A Crazy Cat Lady Card

By Kathi Rerek

I’m delighted to be returning to the Imagine Crafts AIR program again this year. Our first assignment was to create a project that reflected ourselves. I love creating scenic cards, magical creatures, and cats!

Skill Level: Intermediate
Time: 1.5 hour

Step 1:
Use magnets to secure a 4” x 5.25” piece of white cardstock onto the base of a stamping platform.
Use Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink to stamp the Puss in Boots image twice — once onto the image panel and once onto repositionable sticker paper.

Step 2:
Fussy-cut the sticker paper version and place it onto the image panel as a mask.

Step 3:
Use low-tack tape to secure the rolling hills mask from the Acetate Hills Mask set to the image panel as shown.

Use a sponge dauber to apply Dandelion Memento ink over the mask and masked image onto the image panel. (3A). Use another dauber to apply Angel Pink Memento ink onto the image panel so the pink ink is slightly overlapping and blending with the yellow ink (3B). Repeat this step with Summer Sky Memento ink (3C), then Danube Blue Memento ink (3D).

Step 4:
Spray the image panel with 91% Isopropyl Alcohol to slightly blend the colors and to add some white speckles and splatter.

Step 5:
Trace the rolling hills mask from the Acetate Hills Mask set onto white cardstock, fussy-cut along the trace lines. Label the top and bottom of the mask so you know which is which.
Place the top homemade mask over the sky area of the image panel and secure with low-tack tape.
Use a Fantastix to apply Cottage Ivy Memento ink over the mask onto the image panel (5A).
Place the acetate rolling hills mask below the hilly horizon. Use a Fantastix to apply Cottage Ivy Memento ink over the mask onto the image panel (5B). Continue this process to add additional grassy hills.

Step 6:
Use a sponge dauber and Bamboo Leaves Memento ink to fill in the grassy hills.
Colors the white area of the tail and the wings with Copic markers. Set the image panel aside.

Step 7:
Place a piece of 4.75” x 6.75” Mixed Media cardstock into a box. Spray the panel with Danube Blue Firewords Spray to create a shimmery blue background panel. Heat set.

Step 8:
Use magnets to secure the background panel to the base of a stamping platform so that panel is sideways. Position the long leafy border stamp from Puss in Boots Clear Stamp Set facedown along the edge of the background panel. Press the platform’s lid onto the back of the stamp, lift the lid, ink the stamp with Nocturne VersaFine Clair, and stamp. Re-ink and stamp again if necessary to attain a good impression. Heat set.

Keeping the stamp on the platform’s lid, flip the background panel, secure it with magnets, and stamp the border on the other side of the background panel. Heat set.

Step 9:
Reposition the background panel as shown and secure with magnets. Place the small flourish stamp facedown horizontally on the top left of the background panel. Press the platform’s lid onto the back of the stamp, lift the lid, ink the stamp with Nocturne VersaFine Clair, and stamp. Re-ink and stamp again if necessary to attain a good impression. Heat set.

Clean and dry the stamp. Reposition it so that it’s facedown on the top left of the panel. Press the platform’s lid onto the back of the stamp, lift the lid, ink the stamp with Nocturne VersaFine Clair, and stamp. Re-ink and stamp again if necessary to attain a good impression. Heat set.

Remove the flourish stamp. Place the paw print stamp so that it’s centered and facedown on top of the background panel.  Press the platform’s lid onto the back of the stamp, lift the lid, ink the stamp with Nocturne VersaFine Clair, and stamp. Re-ink and stamp again if necessary to attain a good impression. Heat set.

Step 10:
Place the “Crazy Cat Lady” stamp facedown so that it’s centered at the bottom of the image panel. Press the platform’s lid onto the back of the stamp, lift the lid, ink the stamp with Frost VersaMark ink, and stamp. Repeat.

Step 11:
Sprinkle on Black MBoss Powder, slide the the excess powder back into the bag, and heat set the sentiment.

Step 12:
Use a Sponge Dauber to edge the background panel with Black Shimmer Delicata ink (12A). Heat set.
Trim the image panel to 4.25” x 5.25” and edge with Black Shimmer Delicata ink (12B). Heat set.

Step 13:
Use Tear It! Tape to adhere the image panel to the background panel and the background panel to a 5” x 7” black card.

Crafts Supplies

Imagine:

Other Supplies:

  • Solar White Classic Crest Cardstock by Neenah Papers
  • 140 lb. Mixed Media Paper by Strathmore
  • Puss in Boots Clear Photopolymer Stamp Set by Pink Ink Designs
  • Acetate Hills Mask by Lavinia Stamps
  • Copic Markers: Y000, Y02, Y21, YR00, R000, R00, RV10, V20, V22, C00, C0, C1, C3, FV2. R93.UR19 B20. YG45
  • Repositionable Sticker Paper by Avery
  • Fiskars Curved Craft Scissors
  • Low-tack Tape
  • Stamping Platform

Let’s Stamp on Vellum with VersaMagic Ink

By Jessica Lin

Let’s create a simple Easter card using some pretty patterned paper! The pastel colors and floral designs are too pretty to cover up! So I decided to stamp the sentiment on a piece of vellum. Stamping on vellum is tricky; but the VersaMagic ink pads work wonderfully. They don’t bead up and dry beautifully without fuzzy edges. Keep reading to see the final result! 

Skill: Intermediate 
Time: 30 minutes 

Directions: 

Step 1:
Trim a piece of patterned paper to 3 3/16’’ x 1 15/16’’ and a piece of matching cardstock to 3 6/16’’ x 2 2/16’’. I used Flight & Airy paper pack which coordinates with Misty Moonlight cardstock. Adhere the two pieces together with Tear It! Tape. 

Step 2:
Use stamps or, in my case, patterned paper to create a focal image. Fussy cut around the image with a pair of paper snips. These scissors are sharp and my favorite for fussy cutting! 

Step 3:
Die cut a piece of vellum with a circular die of your choice. I used Spellbinders Lacey Circle dies with the Stampin’ Up! Mini Cut and Emboss Machine. 

Step 4:
Stamp a small sentiment using VersaMagic Night Sky ink pad. The image is crisp and clear after stamping, so I didn’t need to restamp with the We R Precision Press. 

Step 5:
Emboss the card front with any embossing folder to add interest to the background. The Distressed Tile embossing folder is simply gorgeous! 

Step 6:
To add a wow factor, lightly spray the whole panel with Sheer Shimmer in Sparkle. It adds just the right amount of glitter mist to elevate your project. 

Step 7:
It’s time to assemble everything together! Apply Tear It! Tape and foam tape to the back and adhere them to the embossed card front. When adhering vellum pieces to your project, remember to only apply tape and/or glue in areas where it would be hidden. Otherwise the adhesive will show through the translucent vellum paper. 

Craft Supplies:
Imagine Supplies: 

Other Supplies: 

How to Use Stenciled Papers and Ink to Create Unique Birthday Cards

By Amalia Montano

I wanted to create some backgrounds just to get my creative juices flowing. I am so glad I did because I was able to use many of the different cardstock scraps and designer paper scraps to make some really cute backgrounds.

I used different stencils from my stash, some blending brushes, and a few Imagine Crafts inks and daubers to create backgrounds that I turned into Birthday cards.

Skill: Beginner to intermediate

Time: 30 minutes

Craft Supplies:

Imagine:

VersaColor In Pads in Turquoise, Canary, Rose and Cardinal
Sponge Daubers
Brilliance Dew Drop 4 Pack
VersaFine Clair Nocturne Ink Pad
Delicata Ink Pads

Other Products Used

Blending Brushes
Brutus Monroe Stick and Stamp Mat
Brutus Monroe Super Sentimental Stamp set

Create Elegant Winter Snowflakes Cards

By Ceal Pritchett

Hello crafty friends!

It’s Ceal, here. Today I am sharing my first post as an Imagine Artist In Residence.  I am so excited to be a part of the Imagine team. I love all things snow related and with the groundhog not seeing his shadow and predicting an early spring, I had to make a couple more winter cards.

Here are the supplies I used:

Skill: Intermediate to Advanced.
Time: 45 mins

Directions:

Step 1
Stamp the snowflake with VersaMark ink onto a piece of white cardstock cut to 4.25″ x 5.5″ .
Emboss the snowflake with MBoss Sparkle embossing powder.

Step 2
Using a Sponge Dauber, Ink blend over it with Brilliance Pearlescent Purple Ink

Step 3
With a die cutting machine, run the snowflake cover plate through.

Step 4
Cut a piece of amethyst cardstock to 4.25” x 5.5” to back the snowflake cover plate.

Step 5
To make the snowflake more dimensional place foam adhesive dots in between the two snowflakes
Tip: Apply a little On Point glue to each foam dot to allow you to move it as needed.

Step 6
Stamp and die cut the sentiment and add it to the card front.

Step 7
Using On Point Glue, layer and glue all the pieces together.

I made a second card using Mboss Hologram and silver foil paper with the same design.

Crafting Supplies

Imagine :
VersaMark Ink Embossing
VersaFine Clair  – Nocturne
Mboss –  Sparkle, Hologram
Brilliance  – Pearlescent Purple ink
On Point Glue
Sponge Daubers
Craft Mat

Other Supplies:
Misti 2.0
Neenah 110lb Solar White cardbase
Neenah 80lb Solar White
Lessebo Amethyst Cardstock
Silver Foil Cardstock
Pinkfresh Studio: Folk Snowflake
Pinkfresh Studio: Folk Snowflake Coordinating Cuts
Pinkfresh Studio: Snowflakes Coverplate die

Create a Watercolor Look with Delicata

By Monica Edwards

Welcome to the Imagine blog, today I will be showing everyone how you can get a watercolor look, coloring your images with Delicata inks and using Fabrico markers to highlight the fine details of the image.  

A bit about Delicata inks. Delicata is the latest generation of metallic inkpad. Remarkably true and bright, it outshines other inkpads and provides stamping results that resemble the true effects of gold and silver leafing without the mess.

Skill Level: Intermediate
Time to Complete: 45min to 60min

DIRECTIONS

Step 1
Stamp your image on watercolor paper using Stazon Black ink.  Then take a water brush and color the image using Delicata ink in Ruby Red.  Then, take your Fabrico marker in burgundy and outline the inner petals to give the image added depth.

Step 2
Mask the image and apply the Delicata Ruby Red ink and Radiant Neon Electric Yellow to create a blended background.

Step 3
Use the Fabrico pens in yellow and green to color your leaves leaving some white background

Step 4
Add a sentiment to complete the card

Craft Supplies
Imagine

Other Supplies Used:
Fabrico Watercolor Paper

Create a Monochromatic Floral Card

By Helen Gullett

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 30 – 45 minutes

Hi everyone! Helen is here. I am super excited today to share with you all my very first project as one of the new Imagine Artists in Residence!!!
I have been a big fan of Imagine Crafts products since I started making crafts. I made this monochromatic card. It is clean-and-simple yet has some layers to create an encouragement card or any occasion card.

Directions:

Step 1
Stamping the sentiment labels. Arrange the stamp labels you want to use on the stamping tool and then stamp them on a piece of white cardstock with VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink pad. Stamping tool will help to get great second stamping for bold result. After stamping, dry the ink with craft heat gun and then trim them using the paper trimmer.

Step 2
Using the stamping tool, stamp the solid image of the flower (the first layer base of the layering flower stamps) using the VersaFine Clair Morning Mist ink pad on the white cardstock. Use the pressure tool to press the inked stamp to the cardstock to get even and better transfer ink. This pressure tool is very handy to use when stamping big images. But you can always stamp it again if needed.

Step 3
Line up the second layer of the flower stamp image on top of the solid stamped image. Make sure you position it in the right direction. Grab the stamp using the lid of the stamping tool and then ink it with VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink pad and then stamp it. Use the pressure tool to press the inked stamp to the cardstock to get even and better transfer ink. You can always stamp it again if needed.

Step 4
Grab the last part of the layering flower stamps, position it in the center of the stamped flower and then stamp it using the VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink pad. For this center part, I stamped it 3 times to get darker stamped image. You still can use the pressure tool to press the inked stamp to the cardstock to get even and better transfer ink.

Repeat these steps: 2, 3, and 4 for the leaves.

After stamping the images, use the StazOn All-Purpose Stamp Cleaner Dauber Top to clean the ink of all the clear stamps.

Step 5
Cut all the flowers and leaves using the matching thin metal dies using the die cutting machine. And then after that, you can cut the pattern paper also with one of the Stitched Rectangle Dies to make a background mat for the flowers.

Step 6
Make a white card base out of the 8.5-inch x 11-inch 110lb white cardstock you cut into 2 pieces using the paper trimmer, using score in the middle of the cardstock, and then fold it into a card.

Put some of the Tear It! Tape on the back for the pattern background mat and then add it to the card base. This tape is strong and permanent, so make sure you position it at the center of the card lightly and then press it down.

Step 7
This is the time we arrange all the stamped flowers and leaves. Using the On Point Glue to add the first layer of the flower and leaves on the card. This glue gives you a few seconds of its drying time so you can position the flower and leaves to the spot where you like it. Then press them down and hold them down for a few seconds for the glue to dry permanently.

Step 8
For the second and third layers, we will use foam tape for extra dimension to the flower. I made the foam tape out of white fun foam and Tear It! Tape. I put pieces of the foam tape on the petals of the flowers and added them to the base flower. And then, add one of the sentiment labels to the card with foam tape, too.

Step 9
Add some splatters of the Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray on the card using the spray bottle nozzle and flat brush (or fan brush). Add also some white paint splatters on it for more texture.

Dry the splatters on the card with a craft heat gun by moving the heat lightly around the top.

It is optional, you can embellish the card with some clear gems or other embellishment you like.

Look at those layers on a CAS style card! That’s my first project to share with you. Thanks for stopping by the blog today!

Craft Supplies
Imagine Craft supplies:

Other Supplies:

  • Altenew – Label Love Stamp Set
  • Altenew – Build A Flower: Peony Blossom (stamp and die set)
  • Altenew – White Ink Spray
  • Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamp – Stitched Rectangle Die Set
  • Neenah Classic Crest White Cardstock 110lb
  • Graciellie Design – Botanical Dream Digital Paper Pack
  • Clear gems (or other embellishments)
  • White fun foam
  • Fiskar Paper Trimmer
  • MISTI Stamping Tool
  • TwiddlersNook Pressure Pal
  • Gemini Junior cutting machine
  • Craft heat gun
  • White brush (flat or fan)
  • Micro-tip scissors