Hello! I’m Alison Heikkila and today I have a fun card with a foliage theme today that you can use for pretty much anyone, and almost any occasion. We’re going to use a variety of greens and a couple of fun tricks.
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Skill Level: Beginner Time to Complete: 20 minutes
I love how this came out, and it was so fast to make. Wouldn’t it be fun to try it with different colors….even like pinks and purples? That’s it for me today. Thanks so much for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!
Hi everyone! Summer is finally here and I’m so excited for the sunny weather! What reminds you of summer? I think of pools, ice cream and acai bowls, which is the inspiration for today’s card. Most of my creations are more advanced with lots of tools and techniques, but I thought today I would do a simple card with just stamps and inks.
Skill: Beginner Time: 30 minutes
Directions:
Step 1: I’m using two stamp sets today: Sweet Strawberry and Berry Blessings. I stamped the fruit outline images with VersaFine Clair ink in Nocturne. This is my favorite black ink! Today’s card is a smaller notecard style so I’m stamping on a 6’’ x 6’’ square piece cardstock. I am also trying out a new rotating stamping technique on the We R stamp platform. This is such a fun tool to use to create your own patterned backgrounds. I placed the stamps within the 3’’ x 3’’ grid and rotated the plate 4 times with 90 degrees each time. If you don’t have this particular stamping tool, you could stamp the outlines freehand as well.
Step 2: I then stamped the layering images with these VersaFine Clair inks. I love the bright, bold colors, especially for a summertime themed card.
Step 3: To keep the sentiment simple, I used StazOn Pigment ink in Snowflake and stamped it on black cardstock. For a more vibrant look, you could heat emboss with white embossing powder. But the StazOn Pigment ink is a great alternative for beginners with just inks and stamps in their stash. I adhered some sequins with On Point glue as some finishing touches, and a simple summer notecard is complete! Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed this quick project.
It’s summer, which makes me want to go to the beach to cool off in the ocean and pretend I’m a mermaid. Let’s make a card that fulfills those dreams using inks, stencils, and stamps!
Skill Level: Intermediate Time: 1.5 hours
Instructions:
Step 1: Use a craft knife to cut a piece of Low-tack tape in a curved pattern. Place the tape at the bottom of a 5.5” x 8.5” piece of white cardstock (no photo).
Lightly apply Bahama Blue Memento Ink to the white area of the cardstock.
Steps 2A & B: Place a magnetic page onto the craft mat. Use low-tack tape to secure the cardstock panel to the magnetic page. Use magnets and low-tack tape to secure the Currents Stencil to the cardstock panel. Use a Sponge Dauber to apply the lightest blue ink from the Kaleidacolor Blue Breeze Ink pad over the stencil onto the cardstock panel (2A). Randomly apply Teal Zeal Memento Ink over the stencil onto the cardstock to deepen the colors.
Step 3: Remove the stencil, then spritz the panel with 91% Isopropyl Alcohol to blend the inks and add white splatters and splotches.
Step 4: Remove the low-tack tape and replace with the negative part of the tape cut in Step 1. Sponge Desert Sand Memento Ink over the tape onto the image panel to create the sea floor. Remove the tape.
Step 5: Place the panel onto the base of a stamping platform and secure with magnets. Position the mermaid stamp from the Guinevere Clear Polymer Stamp Set so that it’s face down along the lower right side of the image panel. Press the platform’s lid onto the back of the stamp, lift, and ink the stamp with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink. Stamp. Re-ink and stamp again if necessary to attain a good impression.
Remove the panel and thoroughly heat set the ink.
Step 6: Use Copic markers to color the mermaid’s rocky throne. Usually I don’t use Copic markers with any ink other than Memento, but since I had duplicate markers, I gave it a shot and it worked! Sorry! No photos!
Step 7: Use Triplus pens to color the mermaid’s hair. Use Marine and Black Stardust Glitter Gel Pens to add detail the mermaid’s scales. The ink of both pens work well with most inks. Sorry! No photos again!
Steps 8A & B: Place the image panel back onto the base of the stamping platform and secure with magnets. Use low-tack tape to cover the top of the ocean floor to the left of the mermaid.
Position the mid-sized Skeleton Tree stamp from the Skeleton Tree Clear Stamp Set facedown on the top left. Press the lid of the platform onto the back of the stamp and lift. Ink the stamp with Summertime VersaFine Clair Ink and stamp (8A). Remove the tape.
Remove, clean and dry the stamp. Reposition the mid-sized Skeleton Tree stamp so that it’s facedown on the bottom left of the image panel. Position the smallest Skeleton Tree Stamp from the facedown on the bottom right of the image panel
Press the lid into the back of the stamps and lift. Ink both stamps with Summertime VersaFine Clair Ink and stamp (8B). Remove the stamps from the platform.
Step 9: Position the bubbles stamp from the Faerie Clear Polymer Stamp Set facedown on the image panel slightly above the mermaid’s outstretched hand. Press the lid into the back of the stamps and lift. Ink the stamp with Morning Mist VersaFine Clair Ink and stamp. Remove the panel from the platform. Heat set the panel.
Step 10: Place the image panel back onto the magnetic page. Use magnets and low-tack tape to secure the Sunshine Small Stencil over the image panel as shown. Sponge White Shimmer Delicata Ink over the stencil onto the image panel. Remove the panel and heat set.
Step 11: Use Tear-It! Tape to adhere the image panel to a black A2 card.
Today I am sharing a card that uses VersaFine Clair inks to create a dramatic sunset. You will need to gather the following supplies to recreate this card. I have them pictured below.
Skill: Advanced Time: 1 to 1 ½ hours
Directions:
Step 1: Cut the window die out of black cardstock.
Step 2: Using the large stamp in the layering stamp set, place it near the bottom of the panel and ink one third of the top portion with Cheerful ink. Next ink the middle portion with Pink VersaColor. The bottom portion should be inked with Charming Pink and Glamorous. The very edge of the stamp should be inked with Purple Delight. I also used a dauber to add purple delight to the bottom of the panel and later went over that with a Copic marker.
The next layer adds more definition to the sea. I inked it up with Pink VersaColor which turns orange when stamped over yellow.
The last layer is to stamp the reflection which I stamped in Cheerful (yellow) ink.
Step 3: I used a post it note to mask off the bottom portion so I could create the sky. To do this I used a dauber and blended Warm Breeze and Paradise ink and then added a little of the Fantasia ink to the top portion. I placed the panel back in the Misti and stamped the sky using Warm Breeze on the bottom portion of the stamp, Paradise in the middle and Fantasia on the very edge.
Step 4: Cut out a circle for the sun and ink blend Cheerful at the top, Charming Pink in the middle and Glamorous at the very bottom.
Step 5: Cut the panel into two pieces in order to layer them on an A2 panel.
Step 6: Adhere the sky panel to the top of the white A2 panel, add the sun and then add the sea panel so you overlap the sun and sky just a bit. You can see the white portion left in the photo above.
Step 7: Stamp a sentiment with VersaMark ink and emboss with white Mboss powder and then cut it out with the coordinating die and add to the front of the card.
Other Products • Neenah Solar White 110lb and 80lb cardstock • Pitch Black cardstock – Hero Arts • Color Layering Sunset Over Waves Bundle – Hero Arts • Tropical Foliage Window – Hero Arts
Let’s make a summer wedding card with Memento and Golden Glitz Delicata Inks!
Skill Level: Intermediate Time: 1.5 hours
Instructions:
Step 1: Use a stamping platform and VersaFine Clair Nocturne Ink to stamp the Arty Hearts Collage Cling Stamp onto white cardstock.
Step 2: Use a stamping platform and VersaFine Clair Nocturne Ink to stamp the wedding rings from the Accessorize Clear Stamp Set twice — once onto 140 lb. Mixed Media Cardstock and once onto repositionable label paper.
Step 3: Apply Clear MBoss Powder to the stamped image, dump the excess back into the packet, and heat set the image.
Step 4: Add a few drops of Golden Glitz Delicata Ink to a small container. Dilute with a few drops of water.
Step 5: Use a brush to paint the wedding rings with diluted Golden Glitz Delicata ink. Set aside.
Step 6: Place the Arty Hearts Stencil over the image stamped in Step 1. Use Sponge Daubers to apply Angel Pink, Rose Bud, Summer Sky, Danube Blue, Lulu Lavender, Lilac Posies, Dandelion, and Tangelo Memento through the stencil onto the stamped hearts on the image panel. Set aside.
Steps 7A and 7B: Smoosh Summer Sky Memento Ink onto a piece of acetate packaging. Mist the acetate with 91% Isopropyl Alcohol, then smoosh onto the right side of a piece of white cardstock.
Clean the acetate, then repeat this process using Angel Pink, Rose Bud, Danube Blue, and Dandelion Memento Inks until you’re happy with the ink coverage on the panel.
Safety Note: Please be sure to have good ventilation via an open window to minimize your exposure to alcohol fumes.
Step 8: Fussy-cut the sticker paper version of the Wedding Rings from Step 2. Place atop the image. Use low-tack tape to secure the small rectangle die from the Specimen Thinlits Die Set onto the image panel. Run the die through your cutting machine.
Step 9: Keeping the image panel in the die, use a Sponge Dauber to apply Angel Pink Memento Ink over the die onto the die-cut, which will leave a thin white border around the pink
Step 10: Place the die-cut onto the base of a stamping platform. Ink the “Congratulations” stamp from the More Classic Sentiments Clear Stamp Set with Nocturne VersaFine Clair and stamp. Re-ink and stamp again if necessary to attain a good impression.
Step 11: Adhere the heart-stamped and stenciled panel (Steps 1 and 6) onto the left side of the smooshed ink panel (Step 7). Add a foil border sticker to cover the seam.
Use a Sponge Dauber to edge the heart image panel and the rings/sentiment die-cut with Golden Glitz Delicata Ink.
Step 12: Use Tear It! Tape to adhere the card front to a white A2 card.
Hello! It’s Alison Heikkila. In my latest YouTube video for Imagine, we’re going to create a sunset with Fireworks! Sprays. These pigmented sprays also have mica in them, which help you to achieve beautiful shiny effects. Creating backgrounds with these are really fun, and we’ll use a couple of techniques to do it.
*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.
Skill Level: Intermediate Time to Complete: 40 minutes
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