Written By: Guest Pegg Thomas, BellaOnline's Spinning Editor




If you’ve never used a VersaMark ink pad, you are missing out on a great product. VersaMark is a clear pigment ink. It is probably the most versatile ink on the market and every stamper should have one. And a refill! There are so many uses:

1. VersaMark is super for heat embossing. Because it has no color of its own, it works with any colored embossing powder without interfering with the finished color. It also works well with the sparkling kind of embossing powders; it lets the color of the cardstock come through while adding the glimmer and sparkle of the embossing powder.




Here’s fun way to use VersaMark and sparkling embossing powder. Stamp a favorite image on your card stock. Let it dry thoroughly. Now pat the VersaMark pad over the whole stamped image to apply the ink evenly. Sprinkle on the embossing powder and heat set. You’ll get a glitzy, glimmering image! These are very nice cut out and added for scrapbook or card embellishments.


2. VersaMark works to hold pastels to make an image “pop” out from dark card stock. Because it is a sticky ink, it will hold onto the powder pastels. This works best on very dark card stock like black, deep burgundy or forest green.




Find a favorite stamp that is at least partly solid. This won’t work well with the very lacy, fine detail stamps. Stamp on the dark card stock with the VersaMark. Using a cotton ball or sponge applicators, pounce the pastels onto the image. Get really creative by using a larger image and starting with a bright/lighter color in the center, then work out with darker shades of pastel.


3. VersaMark makes a ‘watermark’ image on card stock. This isn’t very visible on very dark or very light card stock, but it shows up well on most. Simply ink the stamp on the VersaMark and press on your card stock. It makes a “new” color on every different color of card stock. It’s like having dozens of ink colors in one pad!



Instead of buying expensive patterned background papers for all your scrapbooking needs, try making them with the VersaMark. Use a simple image, such as a leaf, flower or heart. Ink it with the VersaMark and stamp all over your background paper. Be sure to twist and turn the stamp and stamp some off the edge of the card stock so that it looks “printed”. You’ll have a beautiful tone-on-tone background when you’re done.

These are by no means all the ways to use VersaMark. Once you have one of these ink pads, I’m sure you’ll come up with more. Share them with us on the forum when you do!