Can you believe it's already November? Where is this year going?
This week at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, our theme is "Got Ink?" We want to know about the inks you choose to use and why as you create a wonderful project.
Recently I completed Tim Holtz' Creative Chemistry 102 online class. If you didn't take it, good news...you still can!! Tim is a fantastic teacher and this sequel to his Creative Chemistry 101 class is well worth your time and minimum investment.
I
created this vintage card using a couple of the techniques I learned or
re-learned from Tim in Creative Chemistry 102. The inks I used on this
card are mainly my very favorite line of ink: Distress Inks; both
Distress Markers and Ink Pads. I also used a little Emboss It! Embossing
Ink and my new favorite brown, Wendy Vecchi's Potting Soil Archival
Ink.
I love Distress Inks because they are water soluble and that can lead to all kinds of creative fun...as you will later see on my background. I love the variety of colors, the depth of the colors and the reliability of them. And, they are designed by Tim Holtz and who doesn't love everything he does? Yes, I admit it ... I am a Tim Holtz junkie! if it says "Tim Holtz" on it, I pretty much have to have it!
I love Distress Inks because they are water soluble and that can lead to all kinds of creative fun...as you will later see on my background. I love the variety of colors, the depth of the colors and the reliability of them. And, they are designed by Tim Holtz and who doesn't love everything he does? Yes, I admit it ... I am a Tim Holtz junkie! if it says "Tim Holtz" on it, I pretty much have to have it!
I
am in love with Tim Holtz' new stencils! I love the designs of the
stencils and they go so perfectly with everything else that Tim has
released. On this card, I used two of Tim's Stencils in different ways.
First
I used the Cargo Stencil on Tim's Nostalgic Kraft Core Teal paper and
ran it through my Vagabond to dry emboss the stenciled letters. Then I
sanded them and added Gathered Twigs to the edges and over the tops of
the letters. The Gathered Twigs adds such a rich aged feeling to the
letters and edges.
Next, I brushed a little Glue N Seal to a few of the letters and lightly sprinkled them with Antique Linen Distress Glitter. I removed the excess and heat set it. Then I lightly sanded off the letters; removing some of the glitter. It adds a bit of sparkle but really looks more like an old card that is losing it's glitter over the years.
Finally I added a touch of Black Soot Distress Ink just on the edges to finish that aged look. The ink just completes the look!
Next, I brushed a little Glue N Seal to a few of the letters and lightly sprinkled them with Antique Linen Distress Glitter. I removed the excess and heat set it. Then I lightly sanded off the letters; removing some of the glitter. It adds a bit of sparkle but really looks more like an old card that is losing it's glitter over the years.
Finally I added a touch of Black Soot Distress Ink just on the edges to finish that aged look. The ink just completes the look!
While
I was playing with techniques, I decided to try another one. This
time, I used a piece of Manila Cardstock and created a background using
first Pumice then Vintage Photo then Walnut Stain followed by Black Soot
just at the edges. I used Tim's Spritz and Flick method of mottling
the background.
Next, I laid Tim's new Splatters Stencil (a VERY COOL stencil) over the background and using Stormy Sky Distress Ink and an Ink Blending Tool, I created the splatters design on top of my background.
To create even more interest, I used a small text stamp from Tim's Curiosities Stamp Set and using Jet Black Archival Ink, I stamped directly onto the stencil and over the areas I'd just added. Very cool! (Clean your stencil right away to remove what would be a permanent ink).
Next, I laid Tim's new Splatters Stencil (a VERY COOL stencil) over the background and using Stormy Sky Distress Ink and an Ink Blending Tool, I created the splatters design on top of my background.
To create even more interest, I used a small text stamp from Tim's Curiosities Stamp Set and using Jet Black Archival Ink, I stamped directly onto the stencil and over the areas I'd just added. Very cool! (Clean your stencil right away to remove what would be a permanent ink).
I
really liked my results from playing with these techniques and knew
that they would become part of my card background. Each very different
from the other. One very textural with it's dry embossed letters,
sanded paper and gritty bits of fading glitter. The other very flat but
because of the inks, has a lot of depth.
Next I needed a focal point. Time to play with Tim's Tinting technique. He's taught this online several times; once during his 12 Tags of Christmas. That was before he had released his Distress Markers. You simply used a Water Brush to distribute color from a Distress Ink Pad onto your photograph. But now, you can skip using the Water Brush and use your Distress Marker! It has two tips; one more like a brush and the other more like a fine point pen.
Next I needed a focal point. Time to play with Tim's Tinting technique. He's taught this online several times; once during his 12 Tags of Christmas. That was before he had released his Distress Markers. You simply used a Water Brush to distribute color from a Distress Ink Pad onto your photograph. But now, you can skip using the Water Brush and use your Distress Marker! It has two tips; one more like a brush and the other more like a fine point pen.
I
used Distress Markers for tinting this darling vintage photograph.
Weathered Wood followed by Tumbled Glass transformed one of the little
outfits and Scattered Straw was used to colorize the other. I have to
admit, I did still use the Detailer Water Brush to soften and blend the
colors. I think I am addicted to that thing! Isn't the transformation
just amazing? Simply by adding color with Distress Inks! After
completing the coloring, gently wipe over the entire photograph with
Antique Linen and an Ink Blending Tool. It instantly ages the
photograph! I then added a touch of Gathered Twigs and Black Soot just
to the edges of my pinked edges to further complete the aged look.
Okay...so far, I've used Distress Ink pads and Markers. Time to add a little Emboss It! Embossing Ink!
I
love Tim's Hanging Sign die cut but didn't need to use the sign portion
for my card. But...I did want to use the sign pole; only upside down.
I have to admit that I always get so excited when using Embossing Powders. I've done it for years but I still am amazed as the powder changes once hit with the heat tool! I got so carried away with this step that this is the only photograph I took of the transformation in progress. Dang it! I started with a piece of plain Grungeboard and inked it with Emboss It! Embossing Ink. Then I lightly sprinkled Queen's Gold and Copper Embossing Powder and heated it. Next I added more Embossing Ink and Rust Antiquities over portions of the pole and heated that. Finally, I inked up the pole again and added Verdigris Antiquities sprinkled here and there to create a patina effect on my now "metal" pole and heated that.
Here is the finished pole, turned upside down and with a sentiment from Tim Holtz' Simple Sayings added to it. The sentiment and label are stamped in my new favorite deep, rich permanent brown ink ... Archival Potting Soil. It's a gorgeous brown and it blends perfectly with all of the different colors and textures on the pole because of the various layers of the Embossing Ink and four different Embossing Powders. The Antiquities Embossing Powder line is one of my favorites. It has rich, more matte colors and leaves a little bit of a gritty feeling.
As I was deciding on a layout for this what was to become a card, I knew that I wanted to add a piece of ribbon with a small Tim Holtz Buckle. So, I pried open the metal flanges of the buckle and added a piece of ribbon. I closed them back up, stuck the brad through the hole and bended the brads towards the buckle so they would not be seen on my finished card.
I attached a Tim Holtz Enameled Tag that I altered from a white surface to more of a Scattered Straw color. I then added a Remnant Rub On bee from Tim's Elements collection and attached the tag to the buckle using Tim's Ball Chain. All of his stuff just WORKS TOGETHER SO WELL!
I started playing around with all of my inked pieces and decided to create this piece as my focal point. I love the tinted photograph and thought the splatters background would really compliment it well. I added some machine stitching and some metal buttons for more detail.
Here are all of my pieces on the card stock I decided to use as the background color. I love everything I have made but it sort of dies on the background. Know what it needs? INK!!! Brown around the edges to really warm up the perimeters of the card. So ....
I have to admit that I always get so excited when using Embossing Powders. I've done it for years but I still am amazed as the powder changes once hit with the heat tool! I got so carried away with this step that this is the only photograph I took of the transformation in progress. Dang it! I started with a piece of plain Grungeboard and inked it with Emboss It! Embossing Ink. Then I lightly sprinkled Queen's Gold and Copper Embossing Powder and heated it. Next I added more Embossing Ink and Rust Antiquities over portions of the pole and heated that. Finally, I inked up the pole again and added Verdigris Antiquities sprinkled here and there to create a patina effect on my now "metal" pole and heated that.
Here is the finished pole, turned upside down and with a sentiment from Tim Holtz' Simple Sayings added to it. The sentiment and label are stamped in my new favorite deep, rich permanent brown ink ... Archival Potting Soil. It's a gorgeous brown and it blends perfectly with all of the different colors and textures on the pole because of the various layers of the Embossing Ink and four different Embossing Powders. The Antiquities Embossing Powder line is one of my favorites. It has rich, more matte colors and leaves a little bit of a gritty feeling.
As I was deciding on a layout for this what was to become a card, I knew that I wanted to add a piece of ribbon with a small Tim Holtz Buckle. So, I pried open the metal flanges of the buckle and added a piece of ribbon. I closed them back up, stuck the brad through the hole and bended the brads towards the buckle so they would not be seen on my finished card.
I attached a Tim Holtz Enameled Tag that I altered from a white surface to more of a Scattered Straw color. I then added a Remnant Rub On bee from Tim's Elements collection and attached the tag to the buckle using Tim's Ball Chain. All of his stuff just WORKS TOGETHER SO WELL!
I started playing around with all of my inked pieces and decided to create this piece as my focal point. I love the tinted photograph and thought the splatters background would really compliment it well. I added some machine stitching and some metal buttons for more detail.
Here are all of my pieces on the card stock I decided to use as the background color. I love everything I have made but it sort of dies on the background. Know what it needs? INK!!! Brown around the edges to really warm up the perimeters of the card. So ....
I added Gathered Twigs to the outside edges of the card with a touch of Black Soot just along the edge. See the difference? Amazing what a little ink can do! I put everything together, glued on a couple more metal buttons that I had and it's all finished!
Now it's YOUR turn to share your projects with us. You could be the winner of our most generous sponsor's $50.00 credit voucher.
And ... you can also check out more creative fun at Simon Says Stamps' other blog by clicking on this link.
Good luck and I can't wait to see what inks inspire you and why!
Here is a list of all of the products available at Simon Says Stamp that were used in creating this vintage card:
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