Dsitress Ink Monoprinting

Zoo sent me a link to a video from Jennifer McGuire Ink, on how to do a background using distress ink and heat embossing. It made two backgrounds for each inking, so of course I had to try it out.

Jennifer McGuire Ink

Distress Ink Monoprint (and 25+ Cards)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsySZEPT8HI&feature=youtu.be

Zoo had given me three of her old Tim Holtz distress ink pads, and as they are the only ones I have it was an easy colour choice to begin experimenting. The colours are: peacock feathers; vintage photo; and tea dye.

In the top two and the bottom left you may notice a faded area where I taped the two pieces of card stock together. I used some masking tape I had sitting beside me and it turned out too thick and affected the way the ink transferred. In the other three I removed the tape before spritzing with water and just made sure I held the pieces together without moving them.

I lost track of the video theme for a few minutes when I used copper embossing powder on some of the backgrounds. I like the effect but I think I would have liked it as a more mono colour style, as well.

I look forward to making new cards with these backgrounds. I will wait awhile though, as I have all but two of my cards for 2019 already made : )

Time stencils and bigz die

This morning I will be writing about the fun I had experimenting with my new stencils and Zoo's Tim Holtz Bigz Pocket watch die. Fairly recently, I purchased two new stencils by Andy Skinner, Time Warp and Old Film. 

I had a few minutes one day to play with them and so I first used a sponge brush to apply blue acrylic paint on the Old Film stencil (I couldn't find my new sponge stencil applicators at the time) and the paint bled through quite a bit. Not wanting to throw away the end product I did use half the page to make a couple cards and used the very destroyed half as the inside of the cards to write on (I flipped them upside down to show the white side, thus not wasting paper. Zoo will be rolling her eyes at me at this point.) 

On the Time Warp stencil I used the one and only Tim Holtz Distress Paint Dobber I own that is a Frayed Burlap colour. It was much better at not bleeding threw and I made three cards with that sheet.

 

I used the concept of Time will help heal wounds on this card and used Zoo's Tim Holtz Alterations Movers & Shapers Pocket Watch Frame Bigz Die (658571) for the focal point. The pocket watch image is one cut from an old magazine and the brown background I free hand cut for the watch. The stamp set I used for this card was from StampinUp, Designer Tee set.

The following two cards done with the Time Warp stencil I used the American Traditional Designs Cut and Fold Template to make a lattice type border along the top edge. I bought these templates after falling in love with lattice borders using a free template downloaded from this fun blog  http://www.barbstamps.com/my_weblog/2017/02/video-lattice-fold.html. I will be doing a post about the cards I did with her template next.

In any case. The stamp I used is a sweet spiral one from the StampinUp Garden Whimsy set. The circles were cut with Sizzix's Circles #2 Bigz die. The adorable arrow eyelet I don't have a brand for but I purchased them at Micheal's years ago. They fit in nice with the time theme.

The blue cards using the Old Film stencil turned out cute. I used; washi tape from Dollarama that  has been on my to do list forever; Tim Holtz Alterations Washer Border die; SpellBinders Nestabilities Fleur de Lis Squares die set; the Sizziz Circles #2 Bigz die; StampinUp Designer Tee stamp set; and a scalloped circle that Zoo sent me a year or two ago.

Surprising what you can do with a couple of 8 1/2'x11' pieces of paper it took you all of two minutes to flop paint through a couple of stencils onto. Imagine what could be done with more time and practice.

Take care and have fun! Red Bear : )

D.I.Y. Texture Paste

This is the YouTube video that started it all, the recipes we ended up using, and some photos of some of my projects with the resulting texture paste.

Homemade Modeling/Texture Paste Comparison
Luvleescrappin

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Recipes we used:

Baking Soda Texture Paste
1 Tablespoon Gesso
4 Tablespoons Baking Soda
1/2 Tablespoon Iridescent Medium

Baby Powder Texture Paste
2 Tablespoons Gesso
4 Tablespoons Baby Powder +*
1 Tablespoon Mod Podge

* needed a couple extra squirts baby powder - not very thick

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I honestly don't remember why I was researching texture paste, perhaps Red Bear does and she can remind me in her post.  I was delighted when I found the comparison video.  The recipes were simple, used ingredients I had in the house, and instantly brought to mind variations to try.

I was anxious to use iridescent medium, anticipating a lovely shimmer in the end result.  --sad face-- Well, that didn't happen!

These are the samples I did the day we made the paste:

Template made with die-cuts.  Glossy black postcard paper.

Well, that one didn't work so well.  Red Bear was ahead of me, of course, and said "You have to be careful with pointy stencils like this.  Best to gently scrape the paste from the outside edge of the point inward, carefully avoiding the point on the opposite side."

Easy Stitches - these would make great borders!

To use a single line, I'd have to mask off the adjacent lines to avoid a mess.  The only part that gives me pause with this stencil is the gaps.

I've used this garden planning template for more crafts projects than I've ever used it for planning any gardens!

This is my favourite design.  It's a quilting stencil.

I don't know if you noticed the date on the last photo.  We made the texture paste in November 2013.

One day I was leafing through my practice altered art journal and noticed this pretty page.  [whenever I have leftover paint that I can't waste, I usually slap it on a page or two in my practice AAJ]  The colours reminded me of Northern Lights and I wondered if I could use a cake icing trick with the texture paste.

I put some of the paste in a small plastic bag, clipped a hole in one corner and used it like a pastry tube to "draw" with the texture paste.

Then I used a moistened finger to push the paste around.  Finally, I added some black gesso I had a sample of.  I haven't taken this project any farther yet.

Twinkling H2O Watercolor Paint ~ "Snapdragon"

Finger smooshing.  yes, that is a technical crafting term.

Black Gesso - who knew there was such a thing?

Now what?
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Fast forward a bit.  To February 2015. Red Bear was in town on a visit.  She brought a lovely stencil she found that was big enough to chop in two and share.  :)  For once, my snail pace was an advantage.  While we were prepping, I had thought that I might want to angle the stencil.

Of course, Red Bear was way ahead of me, and lay her stencil down in a very linear fashion.  I soon as I saw hers, I knew I had to angle mine!

Because of ... reasons ... we're way behind in our second Altered Art Journal [AAJ2], but something I had noticed on a previous shopping trip to the art store was itching at me.  This trip, I had to get each of us a "Mixed Media Journal" by Strathmore.

Truthfully, I can't see much of a difference in the paper compared to any of the other journals but, they are officially now our Altered Art Journal #3, AAJ3.

I wanted us to do our first page together, while she was here in person even though I was still working on page one of AAJ2!

The theme had to be "friendship" and "winter", using the stencil she shared.

AAJ3-1 "friendship" "winter" "circle stencil"

Note:  That texture paste was over a year old.  Made in Nov. 2013, applied Feb. 2015.  Very cool!

I dunno, I'm not 100% happy with the "best friends" tag on the wooden oval.  I might take the sandpaper to it and replace it with something else.  What do you think?

I started adding some colour with Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads, "Peacock Feathers" is the teal and "Lemonade" was the yellow.  But the yellow wasn't showing up much, so out came my watercolor pencils.

Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer watercolor pencil.  I was a bit fearful that when I took my aqua pen to the pencil to paint it around, the texture paste might dissolve, but you can see it did not!

The metal flake is a Tim Holtz charm.  Die cut white cardstock flake swirls are a die that Red Bear has.  I just love it and am thankful that she shared some cuts with me.

In this next shot, you can see the wax paper die cut snowflakes I applied to the center of the circles.  I just stamped them all over with Versamark embossing ink and used an iridescent embossing powder, a new one from Stampin' Up called "Iridescent Ice".

That's the Texture Paste post folks.  Now it's Red Bear's turn to blog!
Edit to add a link to Red Bear's D.I.Y. Texture Paste Post.

Later 'Gators, Zoo

Sneak Peek: Red Bear made these pieces that we're using for an upcoming AAJ2 page.  I can't wait to see what we make of these!

What would YOU make with these?

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My Playlist: DIY_craft_supplies

Texture Paste, Gesso, Glue, Glue Gun Stamps, Stencils, Molds; Stamp Ink Pad, Blending Ink, Roller Stamps [in Sumi Smoosh videos], Glimmery Spray, Twinkly Watercolour Paint, Embossing Folders, and Ink Blending Tools.

For when you just can't wait to obtain supplies and you need to art right this very minute.  Using household supplies and things you may already have in your craft room.

When you can't find just the right stamp or stencil, you can make your own with your glue gun, or inexpensive fun foam and a toilet paper roll.  Adding your own style and expression at the same time.  Make your art more you!

When you want to try a new medium but don't want to purchase something you may not enjoy using.

Some of these are truly cost saving, like the texture paste.  Baking soda, Baby Powder and some kind of medium you already have v.s. a single use product.  Also, making your own roller stamps are far more cost effective than purchasing a ready-made product.

Some of these ideas, like the gesso and the glue, I will probably continue to purchase commercially but isn't it nice to know that if you're in a bind [like living in a remote location, or, say, stuck in a storm] you can proceed to art without a trip to the store!

Includes 27 Tutorials on:
DIY Glimmer Mist [6]
DIY Roller Stamps [in the 2 Sumi Smoosh by Diana Trout Tutorials]
DIY Blending Solution [alcohol - 1]
DIY Texture Paste [2]
DIY Distress Ink Blending Tools
DIY Gesso [1]
DIY Glue [2] one is fascinating making glue from milk, haven't tried it yet.
DIY Stamp Ink Pad
DIY Hot Glue Gun Stamps & Stencils [2 - future post]
DIY Hot Glue Gun Mold [2]
DIY Twinkling Shimmering Watercolour Paint [1]
DIY Embossing Folders [3]
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