Playing with Alcohol Inks

A short while ago I challenged myself to come out of my comfort zone... and ... try something different, most of all start using the craft products / items I have instead of hording them. Well a bunch of alcohol ink bottles have been sitting on my shelf for ages and to be honest I did not really know what to do with them.

There is a challenge on the stampman challenge blog I would like to enter but the alcohol ink part was scaring me off so to speak. So.... with my new found courage I started to experiment with my inks.

First I tried the dabbing technique on glossy card... mmmmm the result is ok but I'm not overly enthused by it. Then I saw a video on Andy Skinners Blog about an alcohol ink technique, dropping ink in water and scooping it out with paper. Well I tried it today but I'm still not sure.

The 4 on the left are glossy card... the 3 on the right normal paper en ink and water technique. I guess I will have to keep practising... or come up with something else. I will let you know :)

Special Gift Card

After I had seen a card like this at the stampman, I had to make one. I searched the web and found a tutorial here. I wanted to make a card anyway because I promised a friend to make a card for her niece... a girly one. I decided to use the lovely "Once Upon A Springtime" collection from Graphic 45, he he... about time because the papers were getting dusty on the shelf :)

I have to admit I am not a 'cute' and 'girly' style person, somehow I like this paper as it reminds me of Beatrix Potter. Pink is, just like red, not a colour I use very much... but... I have been challenging myself lately to step out of my comfort zone and to go for it!

Let me know what you think :)

Materials I used are

Bazzil Card Stock - pink

Wild Orchid Crafts - Vintage Seam Binding Rose Petal

Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations On The Edge - Brackets

Graphic 45- Once Upon A Spring Time

Spellbinders Nestabilities  - Petite Oval Large S4-138, Petit Scalloped Ovals Large S4-139

Die-Namics die - Butterflies

 You can find some of the materials here:
- Graphic 45 Paper from A Trip Down Memory Lane

- Vintage Seam Binding from Wild Orchid Crafts

- Tim Holtz Dies, Spellbinders Nestabilities from The Stampman

Black, White and Red

Yesteday I had another craft session with Christine, although a lot of laughing went on we both actually produced a card. I'm still not very confidant with my stamps and I messed up a couple of times... but he... it's all part of the fun we said. Luckily we had some music in the background... a free (first life) preformance from my hubby on the guitar ~smile~.

I finally got to try out my new Framies 5 stamps from Aspects Of Design, they are compatable with the Nestabilities Labels #5. I got the black and white paper (Anna Griffin Inc.) from The Stampman sale..... love it!!

Materials I used are

Paper Mania Cards - 5" x 7"

Black and Red cardstock

Wild Orchid Crafts - Red Lace

Aspects Of Design - Labels 5

Nestabilities Die - #5 S4-229

Die-Namics die - Butterflies

 You can find some of the materials here:

- Red Lace from Wild Orchid Crafts

- Aspects Of Design stamps, Nestabilities & paper from The Stampman

Graphic 45 Communique Collection - Altered Wooden Cigar Box

This started with a wooden Cigar Box ( 6" x 10") living in our attic for years. This handmade sigarbox, given to my husband during his work travel in the Philippines many years ago, had his name engraved in it. When I found it while we were clearing out our loft,  I immidiately confiscated it to alter and re-use it.

After using sandpaper to ruff up the surface I painted the hole box with white gesso (mistake, I should have used black gesso), on top of that I added black acrylic paint. I then modpodged the Graphic 45 Communique Collection Papers (which I had been hording for ages) on top of that. I finished it with another layer of modpodge on top to seal and protect it.

Last but not least a finishing touch by adding a trim on the edge, red felt on the outside and inside bottom of the box. I like things simple and clean - speaking for itself, that is why I decided to leave it without any more embelishments because the paper is too beautiful to mess it up ~smile~.

I envision using it as a correspondance box... filling it with love letters tied together with a lovely ribbon. I'm still working on the love letter part :)

Materials I used are

Wooden Sigar Box

Sandpaper... and lots of elbow greace

White Gesso

Reeves Acrylic paint - Black

Plaid Mod Podge - Mat

Graphic 45 paper - Communique Collection

Tim Holtz Distress ink - Vintage Photo

Felt - red

Vintage Trim

 You can find some of the materials here:

- Ranger & Tim Holtz products from The Stampman