Kool Aid kid became a card maker

What happens when a Kool-Aid kid grows up and likes to make crafts? She becomes a Kool-Aid embosser!

I didn't create this technique and don't remember where I first saw it. I mixed dry Kool-Aid from the packet with embossing powder. I didn't measure, but I'd guess that I used a 1 to 3 or maybe 1 to 4 ration of Kool-Aid to embossing powder. The Kool-Aid isn't there to emboss, it is there to add a scent.

I used the lemon slice and wedge stamp first on white paper (lower left, upper two images). They are from Stamps of Life. That didn't leave much Kool-Aid on the paper as the images were outlines. Same thing with the stamp from Inky Antics on that same piece of paper. On those attempts, I used yellow embossing powder, lemon Kool-Aid, and yellow ink on the stamp.

I added white embossing powder to the yellow in a small paper cup and added a bit more Kool-Aid before stamping on light yellow cardstock. It still didn't look right to me so I added white pencil to the areas between the segments and yellow pencil on the segments. Better, but not truly lemony and not much area for scent.

I tried using a thick white embossing powder next, the upper right image in the group photo. I don't know if I held the heat too long in the area that looks like crystals have burned or if that was a clump of Kool-Aid that wasn't evenly mixed with embossing powder. 

I got out a strawberry stamp, also from Stamps of Life, stamped the large and small berry with Stampin' Up Real Red ink, then embossed with a mixture of clear embossing powder that has a bit of sparkle in it with strawberry Kool-Aid. I used a white gel pen for the spots on the berry but they are a bit lost. The scent is much better because of the larger surface area.

I could probably turn the strawberry panel into a card but I want to work on the seeds first. Maybe a paint pen is the answer. 

What I like about the scents created with Kool-Aid is that there is a hint of the fruit smell, not an overwhelming cloud of it hitting you in the face like the candle or oil aisle in some stores.

I have grape, orange and tropical punch to play with and I'm suddenly thinking rainbows and unicorns. With a 3-year old granddaughter, this sounds perfect!

When we extend this product to become a craft supply, we'll never outgrow our need for Kool-Aid!

Koi stamp used for an anniversary card

I've had the Hero Arts Color Layering Koi stamp set for a while but didn't use it until yesterday when I made an anniversary card.

It was not difficult to use and while my layering was not perfect, it wasn't off by much and I liked the result. 

My first layer was stamped with Stampin' Up's Daffodil Delight ink, the second layer was Stampin' Up's Peekaboo Peach, the third layer was a Hero Arts ink cube that came in a kit and I don't know the name. It was a reddish orange which I lightly stamped on scrap paper before bringing it to the fish. Black was used on the small stamp for the eyes and mouth. The seaweed (?) is from another Hero Arts stamp,  Color Layering Goldfish. I used Stampin' Up Lost Lagoon ink on the seaweed, some full strength, some stamped onto scrap paper first. 

The koi were mounted on Lost Lagoon cardstock, then placed on the card base. The front of the card was stamped in Lost Lagoon ink on Simon Says Stamp's Beach Waves. 

The inside of the card simply says Happy Anniversary with room for a personal message. I liked the peace, harmony and love sentiment from the koi set. I considered adding "wishing you" at the top of the card but preferred just the clear bubble embellishments.