How to Bring Doodle Flower Background Stamp to the Foreground

by Jennifer Vanderbeek

How to Bring Doodle Flower Background Stamp to the Foreground with embossing powder and VersaMark ink

By definition and design, background stamps are usually the foundation of a piece, not the focus. In this project, I show a way to highlight an amazingly detailed Mandala style background stamp from Joy Clair with embossing and ink blending to create a simply beautiful card with the look of a rich textile. Choosing a pattern stamp with fine details and plenty of open spaces is key to this particular technique, but experiment and see what works for you.

 

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Cardstock – White, Teal, Grey
  • Joy Clair – Doodle Flower Background Stamp
  • Darice – Heat Tool
  • Paper Tape
  • Water Spritzer
  • Acrylic Blocks
  • Button
  • Brad
  • Wire Cutters
  • American Crafts – Paper Trimmer
  • Helmar – Liquid Scrap Dots

See How to Stamp and Color with Fabric Inks

by Kyriakos Pachadiroglou

See How to Stamp and Color with Fabric Inks with All-Purpose Ink, Fabrico markers, and VersaFine Clair.

See how to decorate a cotton zipper tote bag using your favorite stamps and All-Purpose Inks to match summer colors and inspiring a positive mood. With this design, I stamped the words “smiles, hugs and kisses” along with swirls and flowers which could be used for cosmetics, small items, and for casual walks. Add glass beads to decorate it further and make a small metallic tag using SHEET Metal from Imagine and StazOn ink. The possibilities are endless!

Skill: Beginner
Time: 2 hours

Directions


Step 1

Stamp the swirls design from Joy Clair stamps with VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink pad on the cotton bag.


Step 2

Mix All-Purpose Inks on Imagine’s Craft Mat and paint the stamped design.


Step 3

Distress the rest of the bag using a Large Sponge Dauber and Memento Luxe in Bahama Blue.


Step 4

Sharpen the flowers from the stamped design with the Fabrico Marker in Midnight.


Step 5

Stamp words from the stamp set with the VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink pad. Repeat on the other side and set colors with an iron.


Step 6

Hand sew beads on in matching colors.


Step 7

Cover a diamond SHEET Metal shape with StazOn in Teal Blue.


Step 8

Stamp the heart design with VersaMark, cover with Imagine’s Embossing Powder in White and heat set.


Step 9

Cover the SHEET metal shape with GlazOn to seal and protect the color. Attach the metal shape with a ribbon on the zipper.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Joy Clair – Hugs and Smiles stamp set
  • Cotton zipper tote bag
  • Paintbrush
  • Heat tool
  • Beads, needle, and thread
  • Satin ribbon

See How to Use Embossing Powder to Create Mermaid Scales

by Kassy Tousignant

See How to Use Embossing Powder to Create Mermaid Scales Joy Clair Stamps and VersaMagic DewDrops

In this video, I share a different way to use embossing powder and Joy Clair Stamps to create a beautiful mermaid scales background for this card. Start by embossing a piece of cardstock 5 times. Yes, that is right–5 times. This heavy use of embossing powder creates a thick fish scale look and feel. I love using craft products in new ways, always pushing the boundaries and this is surely an example of that.

Directions

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Liquitex – Flexible Modeling Paste
  • Joy Clair Stamps – Mermaid Tail Background
  • Zots adhesive dots
  • Prima flowers, crystal embellishments
  • Gold thread
  • Cardstock – White
  • Spray Bottle

 

How to Blend Different Stamps in the Same Mermaid Card Project

by Jennifer Vanderbeek

How to Blend Different Stamps in the Same Mermaid Card Project with VersaFine Clair

This Fintastic Mermaid card is one of those examples of how a color and a single image can inspire a whole project. This month’s color challenge is Sea Breeze, so I immediately reached for VersaFine Clair in Warm Breeze—a favorite from the first time I stamped it. That plus the Lovely Swirl background (which, when turned on its side, reminds me of waves) gave me a clear direction for this delightful little mermaid card.

One of my favorite parts of the process was mixing various stamps from different manufacturers but tying them together seamlessly by keeping the same non-traditional outline color throughout. Try it next time and see how it works for you!

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Cardstock – White, Blue
  • Joy Clair Stamps – Lovely Swirl Background Stamp
  • Santoro – No 31 Awashed Stamp
  • Waffle Flower – Little Mermaids Stamp Set
  • Darice – Heat Tool
  • Water Brush
  • Acrylic Blocks
  • Tweezers
  • American Crafts – Paper Trimmer
  • Fiskars – Scissors
  • Craft Knife
  • Helmar – Liquid Scrap Dots, Zap Dots

You Got This! Love, Coffee

by Kyriakos Pachadiroglou

You Got This! Love, Coffee Cards

Having the Joy Clair’s Coffee Love stamp set, I couldn’t resist from making something for the love for coffee. I decided to create handmade pockets that hold the gift cards with a natural kraft paper look that you often see as the color of coffee bags or elements in coffee shops. This is a perfect card design for the coffee lover in your life.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1 hour

Directions


Step 1

Stamp the coffee cup image with VersaFine Clair in Rain Forest, cover with Imagine’s Embossing Powder in Clear and heat set.


Step 2

Lightly color the stamped image with VersaColor in Pinecone and Black ink pads using a BrushStix and stamp a coffee bean with the VersaFine Clair Pinecone ink pad.


Step 3

Cut along the stamped coffee cup.


Step 4

Stamp coffee mug using the VersaFine Clair Tulip red instead, shade with VersaColor and fussy cut the shape.


Step 5

On a piece of kraft cardstock 3 ½ x 8 inch, scored in half long side, stamp the circle design with VersaMark, cover with Imagine’s Embossing Powder in White and heat set.


Step 6

Mark ½ in from both short sides, cut straight from one to about 1-inch from the scored point and follow the stamped design removing the kraft paper.


Step 7

Turn the kraft card around and place Tear It! Tape on the sides. Fold and glue. The pocket is ready. Repeat with the second one.


Step 8

Distress edges of the kraft paper pockets with VersaColor White.


Step 9

Stamp sentiments from Joy Clair Coffee Love stamp set on white and kraft card stocks with VersaFine Clair in Nocturne.


Step 10

Cut curvy shapes along the white paper. Cut straight the kraft paper and distress with VersaColor White.


Step 11

Glue the coffee mug and cup. Then glue the kraft stamped “Enjoy”sentiment and end with the white cardstock “You Got This” sentiment.


Step 12

Add coffee beans by stamping with the VersaFine Clair in Pinecone.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Joy Clair – Coffee Love stamp set, Hugs and Smiles stamp set
  • Cardstock – white, kraft
  • Heat tool
  • Scissors
  • Craft knife

Project Swap: Create a Hello Greeting Card from Book Pages

Project Swap: Create a Hello Greeting Card from Book Pages

Welcome to another set for our Artist Project Swap with Iris and Jowilna. For the Month of May, we challenged our artists to exchange tutorials and create each other’s designs in order to see how each of our artists interprets style and choices. The receiving artist did not know who designed the project, nor did they receive any images! In today’s post, Iris gives the directions and recommended supplies list and Jowilna created the project.

Create a Hello Greeting Card from Book Pages by Jowilna Nolte

Being creative can literally happen anywhere and using whatever products you have, but under the pressure of a challenge the creativity can be ramped up a little. With my project swap challenge card, I did not have the same colors of VersaFine Clair inks Iris suggested and opted to use my Memento Luxe ink pads in similar shades. I love the chalky look the inks gave my card and the outcome is just as amazing. See how I made it!

Skill: Beginner
Time: 30 minutes + dry time

Directions


Step 1

Brush on watered down Gesso onto the book (printed text) paper, ensuring that the text is still visible. Dry paper.


Step 2

Stamp a flower with VersaFine Clair in Nocturne off center; about a third of the way from the left-hand side. Emboss the flower with black embossing powder and set with a heat tool.


Step 3

Cut two rectangle pieces of card stock paper; ensure that the length will cover the desired size the gesso book paper and a minimum of an inch in width. These pieces will be used to the block ink, so using scrap card stock paper is okay for this step.


Step 4

Tape down the corners of book paper with the masking tape. You will be inking part of the book paper. The rectangles cut in the step above will be used to block the ink. Select a rectangle area over the embossed flower to ink (leave unmasked). For added interest, do not ink the flower completely, make sure some of the flower images is masked to allow parts of the flower to go outside the inked area.


Step 5

Using the book paper that was cut in the step above as a guide, cut three rectangular pieces of white cardstock paper. Cut so that two of the three rectangles set side by side will create a mask below your book paper piece.


Step 6

Ink each matting cardstock piece with the same ink used in steps above. In essence, you are color coordinating with inked area of the book paper.


Step 7

Layer and adhere the inked cardstock pieces behind the book paper, overlap and vary their angles for added interest.


Step 8

Stamp a “hello” or “dropping you a note” sentiment onto card stock paper, fussy cut and adhere to the card front.

Supplies 

Imagine
Other
  • Cardstock – white
  • Carabelle – “Hello” stamp
  • Book Paper
  • Heat gun
  • Gesso

Original Design by Iris

What do you think of Jowilna’s interpretation of Iris’s design?

Comment below!