Sunday, March 22, 2026

Vintage Easter Cards by Jami Steiger


 

My goodness, it's already my turn for Watercolor Weekend! We've made a few updates with Art Impressions, and now I will post cards twice a month for WC Weekend, plus a card at the end of the month for a monthly Challenge. The new changes are definitely keeping me busy, but it is also a lot of fun creating new cards.

I have been watching Bridgerton on Netflix and love the show's vintage style, so when I made my cards this month, I thought the 5116-Basket of Blessings Set would be perfect. 

I started by stamping the rabbit with Archival Ground Espresso. I used the following Tombow markers to paint: 992, 977, 528, 312, 817, 772, 969, N75, 177, 025, and 933. To paint the buttons on his jacket, I used a Signo Pigment Ink Gel Pen in gold. To die-cut the rabbit, I used the lacy rectangle from 5804-Decorative Belly Bands, and the small decorative die-cut in the upper left corner came from 5591-Journal Rectangle Frames Die. Next, I used the 5724-Nested Rectangle Dies to cut a pale blue mat. The decorative paper for the card base came from 6036-Easter Bunny PP. Before I assembled the card, I used Simon Hurley's die ink pad in Grrr!, which is a very light beige, and a small dauber to antique the edges of all the elements. To complete the design, I added a small paper doily, a vintage button, and a piece of vintage flower lace.
 


____________________




Items used to create the Easter Egg card: 5116-Basket of Blessings, 5809-Decorative Journal Page Set 2, 5724-Nested Rectangle Dies, 6082-Bible Journaling S1 Paper Pack, Archival Ink in Ground Espresso, Dr. Ph. Martin's Bleed Proof White, Small Dot Stencil, and Pearl Embossing Paste, Small Pearls, Vintage Green Lace, Corner Rounder Paper Punch, Foam Adhesive Dots

Tombow Markers used: 526, 933, 025, 312, 837, and 177

____________________


I hope you all enjoy the Easter cards as much as I enjoyed creating them!




Saturday, March 21, 2026

Over the Garden Wall by Gennette Houghton

 


Hello, and Welcome to Watercolor Weekend! Spring fever hit me early this year, we have had one of the coldest winters ever. Unfortunately for us, winter tends to hang its claws in. So I am dreaming of warm days and no more snow!  

For my first card I used the 5817 Potting Garden Shed, I stamped it on my watercolor paper in Distress Ink, Pumice Stone, after stamping off once. 5063 Rectangle A2 Double Stitch Dies, using the 3rd largest to trace out a frame around the Potting Shed for a guide. After dealing with the back and forth of snow and what becomes a mud fest, I wanted strong colors.  So starting with the roof I mixed N15 in with 856, which makes the red more of a burgundy color. I also used this on the door.  For the main part I added some washes of 947 and 565 for the shadows.  For the glass on the door I used 526 and shaded the top and one side with 565.  I then put in the sky with 526 and a wash on the ground of 177, darkening this color around the pot, shed, and watering can.  528 for the birds, along with adding 025 and 026 for the beaks, and a black micron for the eyes and legs.  I started with the bottom left pot and used post-it tape to mask the side guideline and the pot. 4051 Foliage Set 1 with the large foliage, turned so I was using one of the short ends in 126 and filled in the area I wanted covered.  I then colored just a small portion of this stamp and added 177 in different areas. Using a damp brush, I softened these 2 colors together.  856 mixed with 969 for the pot creating a darker terracotta pot, leaving a highlight in the center and darkening the sides.  For the hanging basket, I shaded the sides with 565, I also left the mask on the side just in case.  I then used 4052 Flower Set 1, the daisy bunch, in 905, coloring only a couple of the flowers in 885 and adding that in areas to create more of a definition, also softening this with a damp brush.  For the watering can, I used a mix of 565 and 969, and then added a touch of 249. 947 is great for creating rust, I just continue adding layers until I am happy with it.  For the pot on the right, I shaded this as well with 565, and added stripes in 528.  The daisy bunch was also used for this one, but with 025, a couple in 026, and some in 993. Before adding the foliage I softened this with a damp brush and then used 5126 Foliage Set 4, small vines, in 177 to add in some greenery, lightly touching these with a damp brush.  The leafy branch from the same set, up in both corners after taping them off, with 126 and a line drawn through with 177, which gives a two-toned look on the leaves. I touched each of the leaves with a damp brush.  I then added some grass at the base of the image after taping off by the guide lines, with the grass from 5826 Large Tree Set 2.  This is, by far, my favorite grass stamp, and I like to use 177 with just a touch of 969 in 2 spots at the base of the stamp.  Once softened with a damp brush, to me anyway, gives a more natural look to the grass.  Using the dots from 5418 Bible Foliage Set 2, I added some dots in 177 throughout the scene. Bleed Proof White was added in with each of the florals. I matted my card base with paper from 5873 Mini Birthday Paper Pack and cut out my image with the same die I used for my guidelines. I matted the image with a solid green cardstock and mounted it onto the card base. 

For my 2nd card I used 6112 Pumpkin Parade. I always look at sets to see if something can be used in a different way, and the bunny in this set with her witches costume gave me the Lord of the Rings vibe. I was talking with my son about it and he said it reminded him of Over the Garden Wall, a 2014 animated Mini TV Series, so I ran with it. So, I turned the little rabbit and owl into little adventurers traveling down a forest path. I found the perfect paper in the 6072 Father’s Day Paper Pack, and the dies I used are from my stash. When I inked the stamps, I just left off the lantern faces on both of them.  For the Rabbit I used N57, N49, N79, 772, 856. The hat, cape, and shirt I used 027, 249, 947 and the basket 969, 947. The Owl I used 947, 879. 879 was a little duller than I wanted so I glazed over this with Marvy 108 Black Cherry.  For the beak and talons I used, 025, 026.  I then used the flowers, mushrooms, bee, and butterfly from 5935 Fairytale Houses Set.  For the flower heads I used, 526, 676, 725, and 565. The centers, 055, 025, 026. The leaves and stems, 126, 177.  The mushrooms, 992, 969, 856, 837, and Bleed Proof White was used.  The bee 055, 026, N15, 526, 565. The butterfly, 025, 985, 856, 679, N15.  I cut a slit in both of the baskets for the flowers, and the Rabbit, bee, and butterfly are popped up with foam tape.

Thank you for joining me today, until next time! Create….Share….Inspire!




Hello Sunshine! by Janet

Today I've created a fanciful spring card with a pink bunny, spring tulips and cheerful paper patterns. The fun fold makes this card perfect for the current 3D challenge on the Ai blog. It's a horizontal double z-fold card that is perfect to showcase the beautiful paper patterns in the 5742 - Easter Journal PP.

The scallop shapes decorating the front and interior are from the 6046 - Scallop Oval Dies and 6048 - Scalloped Rectangle Dies. The sentiment piece inside is made with 5724 - Nested Rectangle Set.

The cute bunny and watering can are made with the 6106 - Spring Keepsake Set. The sentiment is also from the set. To make the main front piece, I stamped the watering can first and then I stamped and cut out the bunny and mounted it on foam tape so that it has dimension and appears closer to the front than the watering can. Copic markers were used to color these pieces. I used a Signo Pigment Ink Gel for the white accents. 5745 - Flower Set 6 was used to stamp the tulips in the watering can and adds some simple decoration to the interior sentiment piece.

While this card opens up widely, it still folds up to an A2 size and fits nicely into an envelope for mailing. It stands up well and has a big presentation. I had a lot of fun making it and I hope you have been inspired by the adorable images and spring colors and patterns in my project. 

Thanks for joining me on the blog today. As always, find your favorite stamps, dies, papers, and accessories at the Ai Store!

Happy Crafting!

Janet YouTube - Blog - Facebook - Instagram - Pinterest   

Friday, March 20, 2026

Hello Spring! Card by Tasha

Happy Friday Art Impressions friends!

Tasha here sharing a Spring card featuring the super cute 6008 Bunny Hugs Set and 6046 Scalloped Oval Dies. Now that we are in the Spring season, I have been pulling out my Spring and Easter sets and I cannot stop coloring the bunny stamps. I love all of them, but this sweet bunny with the tulips felt just right for this time of year.



For this card, I stamped the image in black ink and colored it with Copic Markers. I chose a pretty floral pattern paper for the background and matched the tulip colors to the soft pastel shades in the paper. I really love how those colors came together.



For the center, I used cloud and grass stencils to create a simple outdoor scene. I added a few glitter enamel sparkles to the clouds for a little texture and shine. I always like adding a bit of sparkle.

To finish the card, I used a scalloped oval die cut from metallic pink cardstock and layered it with dark purple, white, and lavender cardstock to coordinate with the flowers.

I hope you enjoyed today’s card and that it inspires you to start working on your Spring projects!



Have a wonderful day!



Thursday, March 19, 2026

3D Challenge #423 Week #2

 Hello Ai fans!

Welcome to week #2 of our 3D challenge!


Last week, our Featured Designer was Dori and she created this incredible 3D
Easter card.


Check out the video below the card photo for Sharon's INCREDIBLE Stadium Wave Pop up card.


Stadium Wave Pop Up card video


Gennette created this great masculine card using 
4900 – Reel Great Guys Set
and


Simone's gorgeous floral card used 6106 – Spring Keepsake Set.




Tasha's fun Easter card can be found here.


Lynn shared this darling Story Tile card.




I'm always so excited when I see the wonderful projects our Designers make!
Sometimes, adorable. Sometimes stunning. Sometimes funny.
Always amazing and appreciated!

We have some fabulous entries in our challenge so far!
Keep them coming.
You might be the next winner of a free stamp set.


 ✻ Please make a new card or handmade crafty creation using either stamps, dies and or designer paper from Art Impressions. You can make any item you wish; this is not limited to cards! (unless specified)

✻ Limit two submissions per person.
✻Top Spot Winner and Lucky Random Winner each receive a free stamp set from Art Impressions
 ✻Please include your first name and last initial on your submission. You may include your entire last name, but it's not necessary.
✻We love to comment on your entries, but keep in mind if you use a private group or a platform that you need to sign up for, we probably won't be able to.
✻ The Ai Challenge is open to everyone, international submissions are welcome!
✻ Include a link back to the Ai Blog or grab our button on the top right of our sidebar!
✻ Share the Ai love if you can, by clicking and commenting on your fellow crafters.
✻ Make sure to get your link up by the deadline to enter your creations.
✻ Good luck and happy stamping! 


You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Pop Up Easter Easel Box by Dori Mendiola

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

I found this cute little easel box on youtube and thought I would create one for Easter.  Have you ever fallen down the rabbit hole (no pun intended) when viewing youtube videos or even pinterest?  I love seeing all the creative ideas out there but, man, I get hooked and then away I go.

One of my favorites sites and where I found this box is The Paper Pixie.  If you click on that link, it will take you to her box instructions.  Box measures 3" x 3".  

Here's my version using Art Impressions #5742 - Easter PP and the #5870 - Peeking Bunny set.


When you pull on the ribbon, the box opens and the easel pops up.  I wanted to grab some easter candies and fill the box before I took the picture, but I went to the store and forgot the candy.  😬


I just LOVE the easel on the box top and how it pops up.  Sooo fun!

Thanks for joining me today!  Hope you have a fantastic day!
Keep creating!
Copics used:  E50, E51, E53, E55, E95
N0, N1,       R20, R81, R83
B12, B14       V12, V15
G40, G43         YR20, YR23

Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Cottage Charm - Thinking of You Card by Lynn Dionne

Hello and Welcome!

Watch video tutorial here!

Today we will be using the brand-new Ai Story Tile Template Die Set (6158) and the cute Ai Cottage Charm (6179 Set. This stamp set, as well as three other sets, were designed specifically for this beautiful frame. There is the Ai Birthday Wishes (6178), Ai Garden Friends (6177), and Ai Dear Friend (6180) Sets. 

Let's stamp, color and fussy cut all of our images. For the coloring we will be using the Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens in the following colors: Blender, Lt Pink, Ice Blue, Sea Green, Yellow, Lt Gray, Dk Gray, Mustard, Beige, Mid Brown, Sand.

For the little basket on the bike, we will stamp some tiny hearts using the Ai His Love Set (6150) and we will also color and cut a little puppy from the Ai Dwelling Animal Set 1 (5991) and place him inside the basket....so cute!!!

Next, we will die cut the frame die but we will be cutting it down to a square shape. I thought it would be fun to show you how to change up the frame to suit your needs and to make it more versatile. I'll show you exactly how I did this in today's video!

For each of the panels that are die cut from the frame, we will add a blue sky and some white spattering. And then we can die cut the panels again with some green cardstock and cut them down a bit to create the look of grass.

For one of the panels, we will stamp the "Thinking of You" sentiment from the Ai Dear Friend (6180) stamp set and emboss it using some white embossing powder. Also, for a few of the panels we will add a picket fence using the Ai Box Village Template (6114).

Once we have cut down the frame, we will add it to a pretty pink plaid paper layer from the Ai Valentine's Paper Pack S2 (6181).

Finally, for a few finishing touches we will add some hemp twine and sparkly sequins!

Please check out the Story Tile Frame w/ Birthday Wishes Card that I had done using another one of these brand-new sets and frame:

Thank you so much for joining me today!  Have a fun and crafty day!

Ai Story Tile Template Die Set (6158)

Ai Cottage Charm (6179)

Ai Dwelling Animal Set 1 (5991)

Ai His Love Set (6150)

Ai Box Village Template (6114)

Ai Valentine's PP S2 (6181)


Tuesday, March 17, 2026

Focus on Faith Easter card with Sara Furr

 


Blessings Ai Friends, and welcome back to another edition of "Focus on Faith" with me, Sara Furr! I am so glad you are here with me today! Here were are in the middle of March already, with Easter coming just around the corner, so I knew I wanted to create a pretty Easter card for you today! I hope you like it as much as I enjoyed creating it!




I started my project by pulling out my floral dsp from Art Impressions, and I chose a pretty blue floral and a blue gingham from the "Bible Journaling S1" paper pack. I already had a cross cut from the "Crosses" die set, so I pulled that out as well. I cut a fancy white panel from the "Decorative Journal Page" Die set and used all of those elements to start building my card.

I decided to use some of the pretty florals from the "Water of Life" stamp set. I began by placing my cross die cut,that I had cut from a fine glitter paper, in the center of my white die cut panel, and decided how I wanted to arrange my florals coming off either side of the top and bottom, behind the cross. I set the cross aside, and I began
stamping the outline posies and also one of the leaf branches in Black Momento ink, and I colored the florals with alcohol markers in a very light blue and green. Then, I went into each floral and added in details with the fine point of a dye ink marker in 2 darker shades of blue. I then added some foliage and flowers in the background stamped using dye ink markers. To blend and add in some blue shading, I used a very light greenish blue alcohol marker. Once I was happy with my background florals, I glued down my cross die cut. 
Next, I stamped the Hallelujah from the "Frameworks Sentiments" stamp set onto a piece of white scrap cardstock with Black Versafine Ink, let it dry a bit, and then fussy cut it out with my detail scissors, and popped it up with tiny pieces of foam tape. I applied foam tape to the back of that focal panel and set it aside.




I distressed the edges of both the gingham panel and the floral panel, and added foam tape to the back of the gingham panel and adhered that to the floral panel on the right side. I wrapped and tied a crinkle bow off to the left hand side with a white button tied to the middle of the bow. That whole panel was adhered to my white card base. Lastly, I adhered down the popped up focal panel with my pretty floral spray and cross with the Hallelujah sentiment. 




And that finishes my card for today. I hope you like it and that maybe you got inspired to create some pretty Religious Easter creations as well. I wish could have gotten the Religious Easter sets, as there are so many that I would love to get, but I just don't have the money, so I made do with what I have. After all, you can't go wrong with pretty florals and Crosses, right?! Haha.
I hope you all have a very happy and Blessed Easter with your family, and I will see you back here on the Tuesday just after Easter. 

Wishing you all many Blessings, 
Sara Furr- The Crafty Farm Chick 






Here is a list of all the products I used:

#5909 Crosses die set
#5417-Frameworks Sentiments set 
#5768- Decorative Journal Page 1 die set
#6055- Water of Life set
#6082- Bible Journaling S1 paper pack


LET'S...PAR TEE! By Reneé Matarese

 Hello Ai fans!

My Brother-in-law has a birthday in 3 days and he lives on a golf course.

Yes, for real. His back and side yard butt up to the greens of the course. 

Though I don't think he golfs as much as he used to, I think he'll like this card.


This golfer is an older image so there are no dies with him. He did require fussy cutting
but the paper creates an instant background which saves time, balancing thing out.



Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone.
Though I didn't share a card for the holiday, hopefully you enjoy the green!
Have a great day.



Monday, March 16, 2026

Stadium Wave Pop up card by Sharon Caudle

 Hello AI Fans!

We have a new challenge that started last Thursday and it's to make a 3D card or project. I love anything popped up or 3D, so I definitely had fun with this one! I had seen a fancy fold card called a stadium wave pop up card and knew I was going to use it for this challenge. If you do a search on You Tube, you will find several free videos on how to create this, and I also added a link in my post below. I did my own size as I didn't want a huge card, so I will give you the measurements of what I did. They really are not difficult to make at all, but boy what a presentation it gives! So real quick, let me show you a video of the card, then I'll explain how I made it. 


So to begin with, I cut my card base to create a 5 1/2" square card and added my layered mats to it including the front and inside. The pattern paper used is from #6052 Mother's Day Cover PP and #6057 Baby Girl PP. I then created the strips for the inside. You need a total of eight of these strips. so I needed two pieces of the paper from the cover pack. I cut one full piece to measure 6" x 8", then took another piece and cut it to  measure 2" x 8". With the 8" side along the top of your score board,

score at 3", 6", 6 3/4", and 7 1/2". 

Do this to both the 6" piece and the 2". You will then turn the paper and cut it in one inch strips which will give you a total of eight 1" x 8" strips that are scored at the measurements above. Fold and burnish your strips, then add glue to the 1/2" edge of the strip and attach it to the other end so that the strip ends up looking similar to a long heart. Here is a link to an instructional video. Just remember that mine is a different size. 

https://youtu.be/Lj7C2RltYB0

I really wanted to make a baby card with it, so I used #6106 Spring Keepsake Set and #6103 Baby Keepsake Set for the adorable little animals they both have. To spell out the word BABY, I then used #5910 Large Letter Die Set and cut them each out with pattern paper and then the lavender cardstock so I could offset the letters a smidge to help them stand out better. I stamped, colored, and cut a LOT of beautiful daisies from Baby Keepsake Set. And now that I am typing this post, I don't know why I didn't think of adding some adorable pieces using #5338 Baby Mini Dies!  DOH!!!  Maybe if you make one of these, you will use them to help decorate! For the card front, I added a large heart from #5721 Nested Heart Dies along with that adorable frog, then scattered some open hearts from the same die set. After adding a sweet bow, the front was finished. 








Making my strips shorter than what is stated on the instructional video gave me more room to add a sentiment panel for your message and signature. But it did not take away from the "wow" factor when the card is opened. 



So that's it for me today! I sure hope I was able to inspire you a little with creating a 3D project for our new challenge. You never know when you might win a free set of your choice! Thank you so much for stopping by for a visit and until next time - stay crafty!!


Copic markers used:
E00, 30, 31, 33, 35, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 51, 53, 95, 97, and 99
C00, 0, 1, 2, and 3
YG01, 03, and 05
B00 and 01
R11, 12, 20, 22, 81, and 83
YR20 and 21
Y00, 11, 21, 23, 32, 35, and 38