Simple Ink Swiping Technique For Quick Backgrounds

By Katy Ingram

Hello friends, Katy here and in today’s video tutorial, I’m going to show you how to make a quick background using Memento inks and Sheer Shimmer Spray. Todays project is for Mother’s Day, but it can lend itself to Many different sentiments. Listed below are products I used in todays video including some Affiliate links at no additional cost to you. l thank you for using those links and supporting my work.

Skill: Beginner
Time: 20 minutes

Art Supplies

Imagine

• VersaFine Clair Ink Pad – Nocturne
• Sheer Shimmer Spray – Sparkle

Other

  • Simon Says Stamp – Devine Peony- Die
  • Hammermill – 100 lb cardstock
  • Linen Pearl Cardstock
  • Black 100 lb Cardstock
  • 1/2 inch double sided adhesive
  • 6 inch double sided adhesive
  • The Greetery Stamp Set – To Mom With Love
  • The Greetery Die Set – To Mom With Love

Mother’s Day Card Using Stencils

By Ceil Pritchett

Hello crafty friends!
It’s Ceal, here. Today I will show you how to create a Mother’s Day card with you that uses several layers of stenciling, some stamping and then die cut out.  This card can also be used for other occasions because the “Happy Mother’s Day” greeting is on the inside.

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Time: 45 mins to an hour

Directions:

Gather your supplies. You will need cardstock, a layering stencil (Pinkfresh Studio used here) Coordinating Dies, several colors of ink (listed below) and a sentiment stamp set (Taylored Expressions used here).

Step 1:
Lay stencil one over a piece of cardstock cut to 5.5 x 8.5 and blend VersaFine Clair Verdant ink over it. Remove and clean stencil.

A little tip for you, I place mine in the corner of the Misti so I will be placing all of them in the same place. This set also has alignment guides which are triangles, be sure to add ink to them.

Step 2:
Lay stencil 2 over the cardstock, lining up the triangle placement guides and blend VersaFine Clair Grass Green over it. Remover stencil and clean it.

Step 3:
Lay stencil 3 over the cardstock, lining up the triangles and blend VersaFine Clair Spruce over it. Remove stencil and clean it.

Step 4:
This step starts the flowers. Lay stencil 4 over the cardstock and blend VersaFine Clair Baby Pink over the open flowers. This photo shows the triangles that are used to align the stencils. Remove stencil and clean it.

Step 5:
Lay stencil 5 over the cardstock, lining up the triangles and blend VersaFine Clair Charming pink over open spaces on the pink flowers and VersaFine Clair Lilac Bloom over the other open spaces. Remove and clean the stencil.

**I forgot to take a photo of the Lilac Bloom, but you can see it below.

Step 6:
Lay Stencil 6 over the cardstock and blend VersaFine Clair Cheerful and VersaFine Clair Summertime inks over the open flowers. Remove and clean the stencil.

Step 7:
Lay stencil 7 over the cardstock and blend VersaFine Clair Charming Pink in the open spaces. Remove and clean the stencil.

This photo is showing the alignment triangles I have been referring to. For the next step you will need to know where they are.

Step 8:
Lay the coordinating die over the flowers lining up the triangles as pictured above. Tape it down so it doesn’t move and run it through the die cutting machine.  This also adds the texture to the flowers.

Step 9:
Cut a piece of kraft cardstock to A2 size 4.25 x 5.5.  Ink up a script stamp with VersaColor White and lay the kraft panel over the ink and rub across with your hand.

Step 10:
Stamp the sentiment and cut it out multiple times for dimension.
Adhere the kraft panel to an A2 white card base. Add the floral panel and then the sentiment. Also stamp a sentiment on the inside.

Supply list:

Imagine Products:

VersaFine Clair:

• VersaFine Clair: Nocturne
• VersaFine Clair: Baby Pink
• VersaFine Clair: Charming Pink
• VersaFine Clair: Summertime
• VersaFine Clair: Cheerful
• VersaFine Clair: Verdant
• VersaFine Clair: Grass Green
• VersaFine Clair: Spruce
• VersaFine Clair: Lilac Bloom
• VersaColor: White
• On Point Glue

Other Supplies:

• White Cardstock: Concord & 9th
• Wheat cardstock: Concord & 9th
• Floral Field Stencils: Pinkfresh Studio
• Floral Field Die: Pinkfresh Studio
• Hello Lovely stamp set: Taylored Expressions
• Hello Lovely Dies: Taylored Expressions
• Script Stamp: Hero Arts
• Penned Pretty stamp set.
• Misti: My Sweet Petunia
• Grip Mat: Waffle Flower

Create Ink Swatches for New VersaFine Clair Inks 

By Jessica Lin

Skill: Beginner 
Time: 30 minutes 

Hi everyone, it’s Jessica here. I am loving the new VersaFine Clair inks and I hope you are enjoying the creations from the Imagine team! Today I decided to create new ink swatches so I can have a quick on-hand reference for the colors. 

Step 1:
Print the labels onto your go-to white cardstock. For me, that is Neenah Solar White Cover in 80lbs. I used Word to create the labels template and it takes a bit of trial and error to align everything perfectly. I found that checking the “show grid lines” box was helpful during the process. 

Step 2:
Trim the labels to 2 x 2’’ squares. I used a standard 8.5 x 11’’ cardstock to print so each page equals to 20 labels at the end. 

Step 3:
Then stamp each label with the corresponding ink pad. I used a stamp positioning tool but it is completely optional. As for the stamp used for ink swatching, I would recommend an image that is solid so that there is enough area to truly showcase the ink color. I like to pick something that also has some fine lines; some inks have great coverage but are not the best at showing fine details. I recently bought a coffee-themed stamp set called Latte Love from Stampin’ Up!, and this coffee swirl stamp is perfect. 

Below are all the new VersaFine Clair colors. As you can see, they are great inks that offer great ink coverage and retain super-fine details of the stamps. I double stamped most of them as I 

typically double stamp my images when I am creating. I tried to minimize the amount of editing on these images so the colors are kept as true as possible. Hopefully they can provide a visual for you as well if you are interested in these inks. 

I hope today’s tutorial inspires you to create new ink swatches! They are handy tools and the ink swatching process is so cathartic. I can’t wait to create more projects with these inks! 

Imagine Supplies: 

● VersaFine Clair -Baby Pink, Hawthorn Rose, Lilac Bloom, Arctic, Bali Blue, Very Peri, Grass Green, Avocado, Spruce, Sand Dune, Portobello, Strawberry 
● StazOn Cleaner 
● Craft Mat 

Other Supplies: 

● Stampin’ Up! – Stamps – Latte Love 
● Paper Trimmer 
● Neenah Solar White Cardstock 

 Let’s Make a Multimedia Thank You Card 

By Anna Escalada York

I used to be intimidated by the idea of multimedia cards, but all they are cards that have different types of products. This card features stamping, watercoloring with sprays and Amplify! Ink, and embossing.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 2 hours

Directions:

Step 1:
Die cut a piece of watercolor paper.

Step 2:
Spray Dandelion Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray onto the center part of an embossing folder and Frost Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray around the edges. Place the die cut watercolor panel in the embossing folder. (The folder had some residual color from a previous project, but it will be covered up later.)

Step 3:
Rub a Sunflower Yellow Brilliance Ink pad over the edges of the embossed watercolor panel.

Step 4:
Stamp the main image onto another piece of watercolor paper with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink. Heat emboss with clear embossing powder.

Step 5:
Use a variety of sprays and other media to color in the image.

  • The leaves were watercolored with Cottage Ivy Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray.
  • The green stems were colored with Emerald Fabrico Dual Marker.
  • The small branches were colored in with Rich Cocoa Memento Dual Marker.
  • The flowers were watercolored with Angel Pink Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray on the petals. After the petals dried, the center of the flower and the center part of the petals were water colored with Cantaloupe Shimmery Craft Spray. Finally, the outside parts of the petals were colored with Lulu Lavender Memento Dual Marker.
  • Electric Orange Radiant Neon Amplify! pigment ink and Cantaloupe Shimmery Craft Spray were mixed on a piece of scrap acetate and was watercolored onto the tangerines.

Step 6:
Die cut the image with the corresponding die.

Step 7:
Press Angel Pink Memento Dye Ink onto a scrap of watercolor paper. After the ink dries, spray Angel Pink Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray onto the same scrap of watercolor paper and allow it to dry.

Step 8:
Die cut the pink watercolor paper with a thanks sentiment die and a piece of vellum with the sentiment’s shadow die.

Step 9:
Glue the tangerine image onto the embossed watercolor background panel. Then glue the sentiment die cut to the vellum shadow sentiment die cut. Glue the sentiment onto the panel as well.

Step 10:
Glue the panel onto a 6” by 6” square cardbase. Glue sequins on the lower left and upper right parts of the panel to finish the card.

Art Supplies

Imagine

• Amplify! Radiant Neon pigment ink – Electric Orange
• Brilliance Ink – Sunflower Yellow
• Fabrico Dual Marker – Emerald
• Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray – Angel Pink, Cottage Ivy, Cantaloupe and Dandelion
• Memento Dual Marker – Lulu Lavender and Rich Cocoa
• Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Frost
• VersaFine Clair Ink – Nocturne

Other

AALL & Create – die set – Nature’s Doily
Alex Syberia Designs – die set – Large Thanks die Altenew- die set – Tangerine Grove
Altenew- stamp set – Tangerine Grove
Catherine Pooler – sequin mix – València Sequin Mix Pink & Main – Embossing Folder – Sun Ray
Clear Embossing Powder 6” by 6” cardbase Watercolor paper
Vellum
Die cutting machine Scissors
Glue

Tone on Tone Stamping You Are Loved Card

By Alison Heikkila

Hello! Alison Heikkila here. Grab a sentiment that’s worth repeating and let’s do some tone on tone stamping. You can do any color combo you want, just try not to overlap colors that are opposite on the color wheel. The techniques we’re doing today are great ways to mix various inks you may have in your stash.

Skill Level: Intermediate
Time to Complete: 20-30 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. For more information, please see my Affiliates page, where I also have some coupon codes.

Supplies:
Imagine:
Memento Ink: Angel Pink
Memento Ink: Sweet Plum
Memento Ink: New Sprout
VersaFine Clair: Baby Pink
VersaFine Clair: Hawthorn Rose
VersaFine Clair: Avocado
Fireworks! Spray: Angel Pink, Sweet Plum, Pear Tart
On Point Glue

Other:
Concord & 9th: Checking In Stamps
Spellbinders: Eyelet Scallop Border
A Colorful Life Designs: Luminous Whisper Pink, Luminous Petticoat Pink, Metallic Lime Card Bling (use code AlFan10 to save 10%)
Scrapbook.com: Blending Brushes
Scrapbook.com: Artis Craft Glue
Accent Opaque: 100lb. White Cardstock
Glossy Magenta Cardstock (substitute with any color you have)

This was so much fun to create. I’d love to make it again with different colors. What colors would you use? I might try teal, terra cotta, and cocoa next. 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