The kids are settling back into their school routines, and soon enough you’ll need a special card to thank a teacher or coach who really made a difference. Here’s an easy card full of rich ink techniques to tell someone thanks.

1.  Choose your favorite fall shades of Tim Holtz Distress ink and apply to an office supply manila tag. I used Aged Mahonany, Peeled Paint, Vintage Photo, Spiced Marmalade and Brushed Corduroy. I usually remove the string on the tag before inking because I like to add my own ribbon later.  Blend colors as you go using a swirling motion.

2. Stamp the numbers 2468 from the myStampBOX Birthday Numbers set in a row using StazOn Opaque Butter Cream ink. When I first tried stamping, I didn’t realize that my inkpad was nearly dry. After reinking the Butter Cream color, I restamped the numbers onto the tag. As you can see from the 2, I didn’t line up the stamp perfectly. For this technique it really doesn’t matter – lucky me!

3. Stamp the numbers again, this with with Black Soot Tim Holtz Distress ink onto ivory cardstock. Use the same fall-toned inks from the tag and ink over the stamped numbers. Hand trim each of the numbers out of the cardstock while leaving the center “holes” intact. Use a black marker to fill in those black holes in the numbers.

4. Using your favorite dimensional adhesive such as Pop Dots or Helmar Scrap Dots, adhere cut numbers on top of their stamped partners on the tag. The Butter Cream stamping acts as a shadow and enhances the layering.

To finish the card I printed a sentiment onto ivory cardstock, inked the edges and adhered just under the numbers. I attached the tag to a block of leaf print paper and a black card base. A simple black knot finished off the whole project.

Be sure to stop by myStampBOX to see other great sets of stamps you could use for an Autumn thank you card. Here are a few of my favorites:

Floating Leaves

International Thanks

Many Many Thanks

Hope you have a happy stamping day!

- Jolene

Here’s a fun technique to try! Create an embossed resist background using watercolor paints. Here are the supplies you’ll need:

• your favorite my Stamp BOX stamps
• Versamark Watermark ink or any embossing ink
• white embossing powder
• watercolor paper and paints (palette, pencils, crayons)
• fine point marker or pen

1. Stamp your images using embossing ink. I used the Birthday Numbers set of stamps from my Stamp BOX. I left a spot open for my focal point right above the words in this image. Cover with white embossing powder, tap off excess powder and return it to the jar.

2.  Using a heat tool, emboss your stamped images. *TIP: The Basic Grey Magnetic Precision Mat Kit makes a great surface for stamping and embossing! The little magnets hold your paper down while you emboss so it doesn’t blow away. Please be careful – the magnets also get hot when the heat gun is applied! Allow them to cool before removing them from your project.

3. Use a piece of scrap paper or a craft mat under your project. Using watercolor paints, crayons or pencils, apply color in any pattern you like. Here I chose a rainbow swash of colors and allowed them to blend when wet. You could also color in certain images at this point using your desired color scheme. The embossed areas will remain white!

4. Using a fine point pen or marker, outline or color in your stamped images.

5. Stamp the focal point image onto black cardstock and emboss with white powder. Cut out image and adhere to a punched piece of paper or cardstock.

Here’s a look at the finished card once more. I inked the edges of the watercolor background and adhered the piece to a piece of colorful striped paper by KI Memories and a card made from American Crafts cardstock. For some extra sparkle I painted Stardust Stickles onto all the numbers on the watercolor background.

Give this goof-proof technique a try with your favorite stamps and let out the inner artist within you!

- Jolene

Supplies: Birthday Numbers stamps from my Stamp BOX, American Crafts cardstock, KI Memories paper, Doodlebug Designs Sugar Coated cardstock, Marvy Uchida scalloped circle punch, Sharpie Fine Point marker, Ranger Stickles, Crayola watercolor paints, Canson 90 lb watercolor paper, Versamark Watermark ink, Clearsnap Colorbox Fluid Chalk ink