Using Watercolor Inks with Gina K at Bella Crafts Connection

It is time for my post about the second class I took with Gina K and her Design Team at the Bella Crafts Connection event at the Mall Of America.  If you want to see the post about the first class, just click HERE.  This class was focused on watercolor inks and pens.  Here are all of the sample cards on the display table.

For this class we were able to play with Gina's Wild Blossom stamp set.  I am so glad we got to take this one home with us!  I think I am really going to have fun with this set.

Supplies for the first card . . . pink base, black piece to go behind the stamped piece and a pink trim.

Here is Gina showing us how to ink up and use a LARGE stamp like the vine stamp in this set.

She recommends putting your stamp on the block, inking it and then laying the piece of cardstock on top of the stamp to get the image on the cardstock.  This way you are not messing around with that HUGE block.

Here is mine.  I got a little ink smudge in the lower right corner . . . I will take care of that later.

This is a close up of the sample card.

And then mine . . . with the smudge  :(

Next card!  This card is made with the Smacking Acetate technique.  Yes, we all laughed about the name. 

 Take a piece of acetate and three different colors of watercolor markers and scribble on the acetate.   You don't need to purchase acetate for this project . . . just use the clear piece that comes with your stamp set.  Since you are using watercolor markers it will clean right off.  Then spritz the scribbles with water.  Then put a piece of cardstock down on top of the acetate  

And you end up with this beautiful background!  You can run a ink pad over it to fill in any white space if you would like.  Then just stamp your image and sentiment.

I was having SO MUCH FUN I totally forgot to take in progress photos for this last card!  Here is Gina's sample.  The gray background piece that looks like woodgrain . . . that was actually a white piece of cardstock and we took an ink pad and ran it down the length of the whole piece of cardstock.

Okay, are you ready to see my finished cards?

As you can see, I used my favorite form of "cover up" . . . the rhinestone sticker sheets from The Buckle Boutique!  Since they cut so easily, I could cut a piece just the right size for what I needed to cover.  I used a portion of the Tie Dye print for this, which was nice since it gave me several of the colors that were in the card.  The Tie Dye is on sale right now . . . $8 for a sheet 10" x 20" . . . while supplies last so hurry!

Here is my second card.  I really like this one since it is so quick and easy!  I feel like I could make several of these in a very short time and be ready for all of the family birthday gatherings, yet each card will be different because of the colors and the way the markers will react with the water.

And my third card . . . which also ended up with a smudge on it . . . so more bling for "cover up".

These cards might not have turned out perfect, but they did show me that I don't have to be afraid of using inks and markers.  Even I can do this!  And the more I do it, the better they will get.

If you want to check out Gina K. and her amazing Design Team, I have included some links for you below.  Tell them Shawn sent you!

Gina K. on Stamp TV // Blog // Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest // YouTube // Shop Gina K.

And make sure to tune in Tuesday September 28th at 7:00 PM Central Time to see the new stamp launch!  Tell them Shawn sent you!

If you would like to attend the Bella Crafts Connection next year, be sure to follow Bella Crafts at

Bella Crafts Publishing website // Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest // YouTube

#BellaCon15