Introducing Wonder Stix: Part 3 - Four Easy Techniques + A Giveaway!


Hi Friends! By now you're probably read a fair bit about this favorite new-to-me color medium! Today, I'm sharing a card that outlines just a few favorite ways you can use the fabulous, versatile, and uber-affordable Wonder Stix. I won't be getting into all the details in today's post, but you can read more here:

 Intro to Wonder Stix - Part 1 - Why You'll LOVE This Color Medium
Intro to Wonder Stix - Part 2 - Techniques and Tips for Endless Creativity

In case you're wondering, I stumbled upon these crayons while perusing the aisles of my local craft store and being completely struck by the gorgeous colors. I only grew to love them more after taking them home and playing a little. Okay, maybe a lot! :) Since then. I've been in touch with the makers of Wonder Stix, and they have so kindly offered to sponsor this post! Which also means something else is in store today... 

A GIVEAWAY!!

**This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Nancy Penir and Mirella Rogan! Please message me with your address to claim your prize!**

For a chance to win your very own SET OF 24 WONDER STIX:

-Like this post on my feed
-If you don't already, be sure to follow both @ivana.creates and @kwikstixpaint
- Leave a comment on my Instagram feed
- Tag as many crafty friends as you like in separate comments - more friends, more chances to win!
- Leave a comment on this post for extra chances to win

I'll be drawing a random winner one week from today! This contest is open to US residents only.

BUT

I want to also be sure to spread the love to my fellow Canadians and International friends, so I've gone out and picked up a set myself, which I'll also be giving away. That means, I'll have two draws - one for US friends and one for all other locations :) I just ask that the winner pitch in a little bit for shipping - I'll cover shipping up to $10.

Now let's get to the card!


 I am so excited to share that the only color medium used on today's card is these little crayons. My post today focuses on four favorite ways to use these versatile, little color mediums! For a comprehensive review and all the different uses, start here.

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FOUR WAYS TO USE WONDER STIX

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As a Matte Watercolor

Wonder Stix work similarly to other crayons on the market, such as Gelatos. They are water-reactive and water-soluble. BUT, they differ a little in that they provide a more matte, chalky finish, and the pigment has a little smaller spread than typical watercolors. It's almost like painting with a very diluted acrylic paint that is water reactive. You can simply add them to an acrylic block, your craft mat, or palette, and activate with water, or dilute some shavings with your water brush. They also have a much finer tip than other crayons, allowing for detailed application, so you can also apply them directly to paper and then water color on top. I decided to focus on these watercolor-like properties for the background of my card today, to create the soft, marbled look.

Vibrant Color on Vellum

This is perhaps my most exciting discovery about these little wonders! They work incredibly well for coloring vellum. You can read my full explanation here, but for sake of a quick recap - even when working on the back-side of vellum (which I highly recommend for a cleaner look) the color comes through so vibrant on the other side! It's even more vibrant than my Polychromos or Prismacolor Premier colored pencils or high-quality artists pastel crayons. The thinner tip of Wonder Stix (as compared to other crayons on the market), and the fact that they're sharpenable, makes it easy to color in a stamped image with a lot of small details, such as the pretty florals on today's card.

Color Virtually Any Surface or Crafty Supplies

Since Wonder Stix were created for mostly little hands, and many uses - from the classroom to the home - they work on virtually any surface! They perform differently on porous vs. non-porous surfaces (you can learn more here), but the color application is very smooth on both. I decided to add a quick coating on my doily today, just to show how easy it is to add a lighter color onto a more vibrant color.

As a Color Pigment for DIY Color Mediums and Mists

A super exciting feature of Wonder Stix is that you can use bits of your crayons, smash them up, and use them to tint your own color mediums! Everything from acrylic paint, to molding paste, to Glossy Accents, as well as DIY mists with just water! Think of them as color pigment, that is water-reactive, so it can be  mixed with most color mediums. Being super budget-friendly, there's no hesitation to use and abuse these little guys! Or you can use the shavings, like I recommend here. I made a very saturated solution with some water, and used it to dye my ribbon for this project. A quick note - it's super important to make sure the solution is completely diluted, so as not to gunk up your mister. I found that using water on the hot side, helped a little with this. You can also skip the mister, and just flick the solution onto your project with a brush.
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To make my card base today, I used the smooshing technique, as well as some additional added color, which I then diluted with my water brush. I think it makes for a stunning background! I did find it a little bit easier to use these mediums with a super heavy weight watercolor paper, since I used a fair bit of water to move the pigment around, and did two techniques to achieve this look. It takes a little bit of getting used to, because these pigments are water-reactive, but they behave a little differently than standard watercolors. They act more like diluted acrylic paints, so, it's a fairly matte finish. I find the look to be completely unique for this reason.


Aren't these colors gorgeous!??! It's the first thing that drew me to these wonderful little crayons. I've just loved getting to play with all of these soft hues. There is not a single color in the set that I don't love. And guys - they even have two gorgeous browns that both resemble kraft tones. I honestly can't say enough about the color formulations. I find the only color I am missing, is a really nice warm green (or two). But mixing the yellow and blues seems to be yielding good results so far.


For the top of my card, I added a little bow, which I tinted with my DIY Wonder Stix mist. I still can't believe how wonderfully this product works in SO many different applications, especially for such a budget-friendly option.


I also used one of the soft pink hues to cover the outside portions of my doily. I did a very, very quick swipe here for a distressed look, but I am certain I could have achieved a much smoother and full-coverage look too. The colors apply in such a creamy way, that it's super easy to add color to just about any type of surface you're working with!


Which brings me to my last and favorite use! I absolutely, totally, madly LOVE these beautiful colors on vellum! Guys, if this is the only way you end up using these, I PROMISE it will be worth the purchase. Y'all know how much I love to play with vellum, but adding color to it is not always easy. Some options exist, but there is nothing I've come across yet, that is quite as awesome as this. It allows for perfect coverage when coloring on the back-side, and the color comes through just as vibrant on the front. The small tips also make it easy to add a lot of detail, as you can see in some of the smaller little leaves. Heat embossed images also work super well with this technique, because they offer a little more leeway.
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TIP
The only note of caution is when adhering the vellum, the areas where color has been applied, can either come off if using liquid or hot adhesive, or the adhesive may not stick if using a runner. I work around this by leaving portions of my vellum color free, and using a liquid glue or a vellum adhesive in those spots (like I did in the center of the flowers).
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I finished off my little card with a heat-embossed sentiment on acetate, along with a little bit of glitter.
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One last tip is in terms of setting these colors. Since they are fairly creamy (and a little sticky), if you decide to apply them on the front-side of your vellum or project, it is super important to set the colors. I will be diving into a full post very soon on all the ways you can do this. For now, I just recommend using your anti-static pouch to set the color a little. Another option is to heat-emboss with clear powder.
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And that wraps up three crazy days of Wonder Stix posts! I hope it's been helpful! As always, please feel free to send any questions you may have here, or share them below with us in the comments. I will do my best to answer all questions as quickly as possible.
But what I really want to know is.....What do you guys think?!?!
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I'd love to know if you end up giving these a try and I'd especially love to see any art you create with them :) As always, please share your projects with us by tagging them up and don't forget to enter the giveaway!
#letsmakesomethinglovely
+
#wonderstix
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SUPPLIES
This list may feature some affiliate links to products used in the project(s) above. Should you use these links before you shop, it will never add any extra cost to your purchase, but it will go a long way in helping to support this blog and exciting new content.
Affiliate link or not, I only share products I love, and think you will too :)

This is a sponsored post, but all opinions, discoveries and suggestions are my own and not influenced in any way.

18 comments

  1. WOW!! This is SO COOL!! I LOVE the chalky finish of the flowers and now I am going to have to go peruse the aisle of my local craft store since I got a GC for my birthday. I am loving the treatment of the pink doily in the background on this card too. Such a cool effect. Thank you for this blog post. Off to check out the others on this product.

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    1. So glad you like it, Nora!! They are super fun to play with! Just a heads up, you can find these in the bristle board isle :) Sendibg hugs xo

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  2. This is just as pretty as can be! The doily and the soft colors add to the feminine feel it has. I remember being a little girl and cherishing my crayons. Crayons for grown up, how fun!

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    1. Oh Lisa, you’re speaking to my heart...I used to lug my crayons EVERYWHERE :) Loved arranging them in rainbows, too. Thanks so much for your sweet note and trip down memory lane! xoxo

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  3. The colors on vellum is so dreamy and pretty! Makes me want to give this a try! I wonder if these are available in Canada?!

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    1. Hi Viv! Welcome and thank you for the sweet comment! Yes, they are available in Canada at Michael's locations. I am Canadian, and picked mine up locally :) Sending hugs!

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  4. Wonderful, your three posts were super inspirational and informative! Thanks so much for sharing all this information with us!

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    1. I'm so glad you liked them, Mirella! Thank you so much for visiting! xo

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  5. What a stunning design Ivana.

    Hugs Diane

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    1. Thank you so much, Diane! Your sweet notes always make me smile! xo

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  6. Ivana, this was such a great set of posts and because those colors are truly to die for I had to get a set. Off to play! Thanks for sharing and the inspiration!

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    1. Lee Ann, I am so glad you found them useful! Aren't the colors gorgeous?! I sure hope you love playing with them...I haven't been able to put mine down!

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  7. What!!! I won???? So excited to try these. Your card just glows with pastel dreaminess. Thank you! Will message you with my info

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    1. Yes! Congratulations, Nancy!!! I've sent your info along so hopefully they should arrive soon! xoxo

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  8. Oh my goodness, Ivana--one of my favorite cards! The colors are gorgeous! Congrats to Nancy & Mirella!

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    1. Thank you so much, Greta!!! These colors are some of my favorites :)

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