Black Poppy with Alcohol Inks

Morning, folks!  I've been playing with alcohol inks, and getting them to move over my glossy card using an air duster (a can of compressed air, available from your local computer shop).  

Alcohol inks dry really quickly.  Using a straw will move the ink before it dries but an air duster also allows you an element of control over the shape, so it enables you to build up petal-like layers.

Here's how my flower started off:

A few blobs dropped directly onto glossy card, each one given a little blast of air.  Check out the inky fingerprint!

Add some drops of blending solution in the centre and watch it push the colour out, then introduce greens and blues in the background.

Keep on adding drops of ink, blasting with air.  A gentle blast of air gives you the frilly edges on the flowers (as on the left) and a sharp blast of air gives you the spiky edges (on the right).

You don't have a lot of control over the finished flower, but you get some pretty results!

Looks good in yellow, too!

You can find Adirondack Alcohol Inks, Blending Solution and glossy card here.

Abstract alcohol inks !!

Good morning

Tracy here with today's post....

Sometimes you need to just let go and play with no preconceived idea, refresh your inspiration and be free. 

My favourite way to do this is to get out my trusty alcohol inks and alcohol gloss card......

I love the random patterns that alcohol inks make when you drop them onto a multitude of surfaces but the gloss card really does enable the inks to spread and create completely abstract results....

Using a straw to blow the ink around can create some fabulous effects....

Once I have a completed piece and allowed it to dry I love to sit and mindlessly doodle over my alcohol ink patterns with black and white gel pens, I love how every single piece is different and no two will ever be the same...

If you do this technique on white ceramic tiles all you need to do is wipe the tile over with alcohol blending solution and then start to drip the colours onto the tile. The colours spread instantly and you can drop colours inside of colours to create some great effects. They would make a fabulous gift as a set of multi coloured coasters !!!

Come on get out your alcohol inks, dust them off and play.....you'll have a blast but be warned...it's addictive !!!

Thank you for stopping by

Things I used today:

Alcohol inks

Black Posca Pen

White Posca Pen

Alcohol blending solution 
Alcohol Ink Gloss Cardstock

Bright and painty hugs

Tracy

X

Just playing....

Hello!

Sometimes, just sitting and playing with no real plan in mind is very therapeutic! 

It is also really good to revisit stash that you may have had lurking about for a very long time....

I combined both of these things when creating my latest project to share with you!

I came across a box of white tiles when having a clear out, so decided to have a simple crafty session, just dripping alcohol ink onto one of the tiles to create some colourful wall art!

You can sit for ages, adding tiny drops and watching them spread out and merge with one another... it's very relaxing!

I used Ranger Adirondack inks, in a rainbow of different colours. The whiter dots were added using the blender fluid on the end of a wooden skewer!

Keep going until you create something you love... then you can put it in a frame and hang it on the wall. Or, wipe it off and start again as many times as you want!

Loads of vibrant colour:

Such a nice way to while away an hour or so!

Have a good day!

Trish xxx

Dip Marbling- An Inky Technique Tutorial!

Hello!
Thought I'd share some old school, back in the day type ink techniques for my next few posts.... get out stash and tools you already have and create some funky new art!
Today I want to share the dip marbling technique. This is a technique I shared in Craft Stamper magazine a couple of years ago, and as people liked it then, I hope you like it now!
This is the finished piece....

All you'll need are some alcohol inks, (metallic mixatives are fab not not essential!), a container deep enough to have a piece of card dipped into it, and some water.
Fill the container with water....

Drip in some inks. Alcohol inks work because they sit on the surface of the water for a while, something other inks don't do! Adding metallic mixative ink will give you a bit of texture as well as shine! This is an odd picture...looking down onto the surface of the water after I have dripped the ink onto it...

Once the inks are sitting on the surface, dip  a bit of cardstock into the water. Some cards work better than others, thicker is better as it can take more water! Dip the card straight down.....

The card breaks the surface of the water, dragging the inks on the surface down onto the cardstock. Bring the cardstock straight back up through the water. This needs to be done quickly, so the cardstock doesn't take on too much water!

You're now dealing with a very drippy wet bit of card!

Dry it off straight away before it goes all mushy...

The inks give the colour, all be it a little paler than the shade in the bottle! The metal part of the mixatives clump up on the surface, giving a flaky, textured area to your marbling. The mixative that is dissolved in the water gives a sheen to the background, difficult to see in pictures but noticeable in real life!
As both sides of the cardstock  entered the water, you will create a double sided background! This is fab for things like book pages, otherwise it's a difficult decision as to which side to use. This one:

or this one:

I went with the pinker side!

The inks blend together wonderfully....

You can see the flaky bits of metal, some dull and some shiny.
I added to the shine by melting some grains of silver UTEE...

My Stampotique figure is watching over the marbling...

Why not have a go, it's good old messy fun!
Trish xxxxx

Metal Heart....

Hello!
I'm still on my 'use techniques you haven't played with for a while' kick..... so today I want to share a little weathered metal...

(This entire blog post is also a frustrating exercise in how difficult it is to get a good picture of mirrored card...especially a picture that didn't have me reflected in the surface!)
Now, I usually do this with metal foil, never tried it with cardstock, so it was a bit of an adventure! Worked brilliantly though!
Here's how...
Cut a shape from sturdy chipboard or greyboard. I drew around a big wooden heart I have in my 'things to alter' box!

Cut this out, then get the mirror card ready. (This is Ranger foil card)
We need to stick it to the greyboard, but my usual glue n seal/ gel medium approach is not going to work this time. Wet glue will leave a dull, non shiny residue on the surface, however carefully we apply it. I used a sheet of double sided adhesive, Wonder Tape sheets work very well. Once the adhesive sheet is on the back, cut the card into squares and rectangles of varying sizes.

Next, stick the shapes to the big heart shape, making sure they overlap slightly.

(that pic *almost* has me in it at the bottom lol!)
Trim the edges, and add a large eyelet if you want a hole to hang it up!

Next bit is where the 'magic' begins! Using a small balled embossing tool, press hard into the cardstock, and create dots and lines...

Scary bit time.... cover the whole thing with a layer of black alcohol ink...

Mine has a definite dark brown look....not a clue as to why, but I like it!
Next, take some wire wool (from the DIY shop), and rub away at the dried ink...

You will need a little elbow grease here, but remember not to rub too hard. This is cardstock remember, not actual metal! Once done, wipe down with a soft dry cloth to remove any wire wool residue...

So, background done! I've not gone overboard with the finishing touches as I wanted to show off the 'metal' not cover it up! A red clay heart....

and black cord tied through the hole...

So...get out that mirrored cardstock and give it an industrial look!
Trish xxx

Follow The Star: A Christmas Fairy!

Hello!
Today I want to share a little seasonal assemblage.....an Art Doll Christmas Fairy!

Now this may look a bit complicated.....but it really isn't! To prove it, I'll take you through the whole process, so grab a cuppa and get comfy, there are a lot of pictures to share!

The main body of my art doll is a Tando chipboard arch. Great shape for a body, and a nice sized niche to put things in! We need to use the arch as a guide to sketch out the legs for the fairy...

Nothing fancy, just a rough sketch on a bit of thick card. Cut the legs out, and paint them. The legs for my fairy are stripy, with turquoise glitter shoes! The legs need to be attached to the arch in the first stages of this make. There are five layers in the completed arch, so glue two together, then glue the legs on top...

Now glue the on the other three layers, making a leg sandwich!

Don't worry about messy glue at this point, its about to get covered! Now, we need to turn our attention to the inside of the arch, as this will be near on impossible to get at properly once the back is on! Cover the inside with torn up music paper...

Then decorate. I have given the paper a wash of white paint, smeared on a little turquoise paint then sprinkled with white UTEE. Once melted, this looks like snow showers!

We can now concentrate on the back of the arch. This is much easier to decorate before you glue it together! I have covered the arch with music paper and given it a wash of white paint....

Then smeared on a little turquoise....

I then silver embossed a flourish, roughly stamped a few snowflakes and added more UTEE 'snow'!

This can now be glued onto the arch frame....

The outside of the arch now needs our attention! Cover the lot with more music paper, making sure to go right around onto the reverse, as this will also make the back of the arch more secure...

Decorate this as well......

We can add in all the bits and bobs to the niche at this point! I've used a small Idea-ology tree (with the round base removed) along with a couple of tiny vintage trees I had in my stash. The twinkly stars are also Idea-ology...

We can work on the wings next. Bend and shape some wire into oval wing shapes..

Glue these to music paper using Glossy Accents....

Once dry, cut out....

Next, carefully fill in the oval frames with more Glossy Accents, sprinkling a little distress glitter over them too....

You will need six of these if you follow my design....but two can be just as effective! Once dry, group the wings together and twist the wire 'tails' so they are joined....

Whilst you have the wire out, you need to make arms too! Bend and twist the wire to do this, you may need to practice a few times to get the length and shape just right!

Once you have the wings and arms ready, you can glue them to the back of the arch body....

We also need to glue the support 'post' to the back of the arch whilst we're at it! This will help the fairy stand upright on her plinth. I've used a wooden chopstick for this. Cover with music paper and a wash of white paint..... (do the same to the driftwood plinth whilst you're at it!)

Once dry, it can be glued to the back along with the arms and wings...

Now, this is clearly a huge mess of hot glue and untidy edges! To rectify this, decorate the back just as we did the front and sides! Music paper, paint and melted white UTEE...

Much better!
Next, stamp a head (Stampotique) and colour her face...

Colour a large Idea-ology star with alcohol ink....

Glue the star to the head, and add to the fairy body...

Now we can glue the whole thing to the base. This needs lots of hot glue, and don't forget you'll need to hold it in place until it sets hard!

The falling stars being held by the fairy are more Idea-ology mirror stars, simply stuck to a strip of acetate.

The acetate is glued around the fairy hand at one end...

and to the base at the other end....

All the hot glue mess on the base needs some attention....so cover it up with large flaked white glitter, and a few polystyrene balls (from an old beanbag!) to look like snowballs!
The starry base...

The fairy now looks like she is standing in a small snowdrift....

The fairy is all finished!!!!
Lots of little details to draw the eye..... Christmas songs on the musical wings....

Turquoise glitter on the trees...

The clear acetate making the falling stars look suspended in mid air...

and a little typed phrase to finish it all off nicely...

Phew...that was a photo marathon and a half!
I had a ball making her, and I hope you like her too!

Love Trish xxx