Blackout Poem with Stamped Woodland Animals

By Anna Escalada York

When I’m not making cards, I am a high school teacher and graduate student. I made something way out of my comfort zone for the final project for my graduate school class, and wanted to share it here as well. I created a blackout poem from a copy of a text related to my project and then added some stamped images related to it over the poem. I had a lot of fun making it, so I may have to start making more blackout poems in the future….

Skill: Intermediate

Time: 3 hours

Directions:

Step 1:
Paint a thin layer of white gesso onto a 5” by 7” medium density fiberboard (MDF) panel.

Step 2:
Identify words that you want to keep by underlying them or drawing boxes around them in pencil (the other words will be crossed out).

Step 3:
Using a white marker, cross out the other words, leaving the underlined words as the only words that we can see on the page. Erase the pencil marks.

Step 4:
Stamp two deer using Warm Breeze and Bali Blue VersaFine Clair Ink and then heat emboss both of them with clear Mboss powder. Die cut them with their corresponding dies. If desired, die cut the additional layers of scrap cardstock to fit behind the Warm Breeze buck (the deer that is standing rather than jumping) and glue them behind the stamped and embossed layer for dimension.

Step 5:
If you are very quick and add embossing powder onto die ink immediately, you can emboss it! I decided to stamp and die cut one more deer for the panel and so repeated the process from step 4 with Teal Zeal Memento ink and more clear Mboss powder.

Step 6:
Stamp butterflies onto another piece of watercolor paper with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink. Heat emboss again with more clear Mboss powder.

Step 7:
Die cut the butterflies with their corresponding die.
Not pictured: Color in the butterflies with New Sprout, Summer Sky and Danube Blue Memento Dual Markers and spray them with water to make the color blend into each other. After the water dried, color parts of the butterflies with a gold pen.

Step 8:
Cut a piece of vellum with scissors to look like a mountain. Color the bottom of the vellum with Northern Pine Memento Dual Marker and then use your finger to smudge the marker color.

Step 9:
Cut another smaller hill shape out of vellum and then smudge Avocado VersaFine Clair ink along the bottom and allow it to dry.

Steps 10-12:
My decided not to save the pictures of steps 10-12. This picture was taken the next day after I realized that my camera betrayed me! Here are the steps that I took to get to finish the panel:

Step 10:
Glue the blackout poem onto the backing panel. Then press the Night Sky VersaMagic ink pad onto the top and sides of the panel (to help cover up the fact that the blackout poem didn’t quite meet the edges of the panel) and heat emboss with clear Mboss powder. Repeat the process three times to help build up the amount of embossing powder on the side of the panel (and obscure the edges of the paper). Using a brush (or in my case my finger), smudge some Danube Blue Memento Dual Marker mixed with water on a piece of acetate around the top and

sides of the panel. Then press a Gold Sheer Shimmer Stix Dauber onto a piece of acetate packaging and add it to the sides and top edges of the panel as well. Allow to dry.

Step 11:
Glue down the two vellum mountains on the bottom edge of the panel, making sure to have the glue hiding behind the deer and other elements on the panel as well as the butterflies. Add washi tape stickers across the bottom of the panel.

Step 12:
Glue the deer onto the panel to finish the piece.

Art Supplies
Imagine
Mboss – Clear
• Memento Dual Marker – Danube Blue, New Sprout, Summer Sky and Teal Zeal
• Sheer Shimmer Shimmer Sticks Dauber – Gold VersaFine Clair ink – Avocado
• VersaFine Clair ink – Bali Blue , Nocturne, Warm Breeze and Night Sky

Other
• Art Alternatives – MDF Panel (5” x 7”)
• Catherine Pooler – die set – Peaceful Deer
• Catherine Pooler – stamp set – Peaceful Deer
• Golden – Gesso Semi-Opaque Acrylic Primer
• Pinkfresh Studios – die set – Small Butterflies
• Pinkfresh Studios – stamp set – Small Butterflies
• The Washi Tape Shop – washi tape stickers – Green Oasis Gold pen
• Copied book page (for the blackout poem) White marker
• Watercolor paper Vellum
• Pencil Paintbrush
• Die cutting machine Paint brush
• Paper trimmer Scissors
• Glue

2 Cards, 1 Embossing Folder with Kaleidacolor Inks

By Alison Heikkila

Hello! Alison Heikkila here. Let’s make 2 fun cards with 1 embossing folder and a Kaleidacolor Ink Pad lickety-split! This is so much fun, it’s perfect for beginners, and will work with pretty much any embossing folder you may have.

Skill Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Time to Complete: 10-15 Minutes

*Some affiliate links are used in this post. That means that if you shop through these links, I may receive a small compensation, at no cost to you.

Here is the YouTube video. If it doesn’t play properly, please click HERE.

Supplies:
Imagine:
Blue Breeze Kaleidacolor Inks
Fantasia VersaFine Clair Ink
Warm Breeze VersaFine Clair Ink
On Point Glue

Other:
Simon Says Stamp: Refined Snowflakes Embossing Folder
A Colorful Life Designs: Crystal Opaque Poseidon Card Bling (code AlFan10 to save 10%)
A Colorful Life Designs: Crystal Iris Skyline Card Bling (code AlFan10 to save 10%)
Pinkfresh Studio: Perfect Sentiment Stamp
Pinkfresh Studio: Perfect Sentiment Die
Accent Opaque: 100lb. White Cardstock
Scrapbook.com: Artis Craft Glue
Glassboard Studio: Color Burst Craft Mat (code ALISONHEIKKILA to save 15%)
Glassboard Studio: Trendy Color Pawn Magnets 8 Pack (code ALISONHEIKKILA to save 15%)

That’s it for me today. Thanks so much for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!

Love-Themed Art Journaling Page

By Helen Gullett

Hello crafty friends! Can you feel the love fill the air? With love in our hearts and minds today, we are going to have fun creating this Love Wins art journaling page together.
Let’s get crafting!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 45-60 minutes

Direction:

Step 1
Cut out the Canson watercolor leftover or strips into squares and rectangles.
Add the pieces to the journal page with On Point Glue. Let them dry well for a few minutes.
This will create the tile background to give extra texture to the journal page.
(Optional: you can skip this if you want to have smoother background to your page)

Step 2
Add some of the texture paste around the corners and edges of the journal page using a stencil and palette knife.
Remove the stencil and wash it right away with warm water.
Let the texture paste to dry. You can use a craft heater to speed up the drying time, but be very careful to not heat it up too much, move around your craft heat all over the page. Let the page cool down.

Step 3
This is a fun step!
Start spraying your page with the Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray, one color at the time. You do not need to wait for each color to dry to spray the next one. It is fun to watch how each color blends together.
Use a craft heater to dry the background.
Optional: you can repeat spraying until you get the color blending you like to have.

Step 4
Add some of the Wedding Dress Memento Luxe ink to the page using your finger on the texture paste heart on the background. This will bring out the hearts and muted the bright colors a little bit.
Dry the background with a craft heat gun.

Step 5
Building up the background texture on the journal page by randomly stamping each texture stamp one by one using the Memento Luxe ink pads (Tuxedo Black, Rich Cocoa, Espresso Truffle) and VersaFine Clair Charming Pink ink pad.
Dry the ink after stamping each image on the journal page.

Step 6
Using sponge dauber, add some of the Memento Luxe Rick Cocoa ink around the corner of the page to create the shadow border.
Dry the ink with a craft heat gun.

Step 7
On a piece of white cardstock, stamp the letters for the title or sentiment using VersaFine Clair Charming Pink inkpad. Dry the stamped letters with a craft heat gun.
Cut out each letter with scissors.
Add some of the VersaFine Clair Charming Pink ink around the edges of the letters using a sponge dauber to give some shadows effect to the letters.

Step 8
Add each letter to the journal page with On Point Glue.

Step 9
This is an optional step.
I decided to muted down the Rick Cocoa border by adding some of the Memento Luxe Wedding Dress ink with a blending brush.

Step 10
Add some shimmer sparkle to the page by spraying some of the Sheer Shimmer Sparkle Spritzer.
Dry the whole page once more time with a craft heat gun.
It’s done.

Let unconditional love fill each of your hearts every day so we can show love to others. At the end… Love wins!
Thank you for stopping by our blog today. Have a wonderful day.

Craft Supplies

Imagine Crafts:

Others:

  • Texture Tiles 1 stamp set (Creative Worship Stamps)
  • Grunge Elements 3 stamp set (Creative Worship Stamps)
  • Mini Marks 1 stamp set (Creative Worship Stamps)
  • Shake It Off Caps Alpha stamp set (Creative Worship Stamps)
  • Hearts Galore stencil (Creative Worship Stamps)
  • Canson Watercolor Cardstock (leftover or paper strips)
  • White cardstock
  • White Gesso
  • Texture Paste
  • Flat brush
  • Tweezers
  • Blending brush
  • Stamping Blocks
  • Micro-tip scissors
  • Craft heat gun
  • Paper trimmer
  • Die cutting Machine

Stunning Monochromic Winter Snowflake Card

By Jessica Lin

Skill: Advanced
Time: 45 minutes

Hi everyone, it’s Jessica here. Have you seen the latest addition of colors for the VersaFine Clair ink line? I am a big fan of the VCF inks and am swooning over the new pastel colors. There are some really gorgeous shades of purples and blues, which are perfect for today’s wintery themed card. Let’s get started!

Step 1:
Emboss a piece of purple cardstock with Stampin’ Up!’s Whimsical Woodland embossing folder. This is one of my favorite embossing folders to use to create any christmas or winter themed cards. It looks great on both white and colored cardstock.

Step 2:
Ink blend the edges of the embossed panel with Lilac Bloom VersaFine Clair ink. I like to dab off excess ink on my craft mat before blending onto the cardstock so that there would be no harsh lines. I also tried to ink blend in a circular motion to create a spotlight effect.

Step 3:
Then ink blend Very Peri VersaFine Clair ink to create a color gradient. This beautiful dusty blue complements Lilac Bloom nicely. I just love the blended look of these two colors.

Step 4:
I ink blended a small amount of Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink to add a dramatic feel to this forest scene.

Step 5:
Using the same VersaFine Clair inks (Lilac Bloom and Very Peri), ink blend the center of a square piece of cardstock. Then die cut a large snowflake with Hero Art’s Snowflake die. If your snowflake die does not have thin, intricate lines, you could die cut the shape before ink blending.

Step 6:
Spritz a generous layer of Sheer Shimmer Spray in Sparkle to add a shimmery look to the snowflake die cut. Make sure you shake well before spritzing! I spritzed several layers, letting one layer dry briefly before applying the next, to get a thick coat of shimmer. The photos don’t do it justice! I wish you could see the amount of sparkle in person.

Step 7:
I also splattered on some white acrylic paint droplets to the embossed background by flicking the paint brush. After that is dry, I adhered the snowflake onto a strip of white cardstock and mounted the center piece onto the background with foam tape. For some finishing touches, I adhered a couple of rhinestones as well using On Point Glue.

Step 8:
To complete the card, I stamped the sentiment using the Silvery Shimmer Delicata ink pad. This sentiment stamp is from My Favorite Things’ Hand Lettered Holiday set.

Imagine Supplies:

Other Supplies:

  • Stampin’ Up! – Embossing Folder – Whimsical Woodland
  • Hero Arts – Die – Snowflake
  • My Favorite Things – Stamps – Hand Lettered Holiday
  • Die Cutting Machine
  • Blending brushes
  • Stampin’ Up! – Cardstock – Wisteria Wonder

Let’s Make a Happy New Year’s Card

By Ceil Pritchett

Hello crafty friends!
It’s Ceal, here. Today I am sharing a New Year’s card with yo.

Skill Level: Intermediate
Time: 45 mins

Directions: Gather your supplies. You will need an embossing folder, two different colors of dark ink, metallic ink, shimmer spray, number dies, and glitter paper.

Step 1:
Blend the two dark inks together on a panel cut to 4x 5.25 to give the appearance of a night sky.

Step 2:
Run the blended panel through the die cutting machine with a 3D embossing folder.

Step 3:
Rub a metallic ink pad over the raised areas of the panel.

Step 4:
Spray a shimmer spray over the panel to give it more sparkle.

Step 5:
Cut the number 2 and 5 out of glitter paper.

Step 6:
Add number to the panel and adhere the panel to the card base. Stamp the sentiment on panel.

Supplies:

Imagine products:

VersaFine Clair – Medieval Blue, Twilight
Delicata – Silvery Shimmer
Sheer Shimmer Spritz – Silver
On Point Glue

Other products:

Fireworks embossing folder – Altenew
Fancy Die Number 2 – Hero Arts
Fancy Die Number 5 – Hero Arts
Happy New Year Stamp – Taylored Expressions
Glitter paper – Altenew

Let’s Make a New Years Card

By Anna Escalada York

Today I wanted to share a card with you featuring

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1.5 hours

Directions:

Step 1:
Spray Frost Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray onto a piece of white watercolor paper and set aside to dry.

Step 2:
Trim a piece of gray watercolor paper to 4” by 5.25” with a paper trimmer. Then spray the panel and the inside of an embossing folder with more of the Frost Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray, place the gray watercolor panel inside of the embossing folder and then run the embossing folder through a die cutting machine. Allow the panel to dry.

Step 3:
Gently run a Teal Zeal Memento Ink pad across both of the embossed stars and around the edges of the panel. Using a small sponge dauber (or your finger), spread some shiny GlazOn onto both of the embossed stars to “lock in” the teal color.

Step 4:
Using a sponge dauber, ink blend Paris Dusk Memento ink around the panel (not on the stars).

Step 5:
Die cut letters to form the sentiment out of the the sprayed white cardstock from step 1.

Step 6:
Spray the panel with more of the Frost Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray and allow it to dry. Then glue the letters from the sentiment onto the lower right corner of the panel.

Step 7:
Glue the panel onto an A2-sized white card base.

Art Supplies

Imagine

GlazOn – clear
Memento ink – Paris Dusk, Teal Zeal
Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Frost
Sponge Dauber

Other

Altenew – embossing folder – Stellar Cascade
Sizzix – die set – Letterboard (666859)
White watercolor paper
Gray watercolor paper
Die cutting machine
Paper trimmer
Scissors
Glue