No-Stress Distress Inks #8 – Basic Water Techniques: Easy Watercolor Looks

I’m actually typing this post up 30,000 miles in the sky. Pretty cool! Of course, I’ll be posting it when I’m back on ground (in Ohio at a hotel for a scrapping weekend with 12 amazingly talented scrapbookers/crafters, but more on that later!), but there’s just something so cool about writing up over the clouds. They look like a mashed potato consistency today… a sea of mashed potatoes.

So today’s the eighth lesson in my No-Stress Distress Inks series. How are you liking it so far? I have four more videos planned to bring to you over the next two weeks, and then there will be a special surprise… but you’ll just have to wait around and see what that will be.

Today officially is the start of my spring break, and I’m thrilled to have a week off. I feel like I’m constantly having to catch up with everyone else, so this will give me some time to do things that have been nagging at me for weeks and weeks: my professional portfolio, a couple of school assignments that have been extended and doing some cool things around here. I know people always say that they are amazed at how I can seem to fit this website and my crafting in my schedule, but it is like my job. A job that I love- to teach, to create and to discuss the things that we find inspiring. Because of this, many a time my crafting and blogging has taken priority to my school work. It’s not nearly as fun as you guys. :)

That being said, one of my big goals right now is to work on time management and prioritizing my life a little better. This weekend will help me create and clear my mind so I can know what this means. It may mean that I’m not around here quite as often for the next seven last weeks of classes. It may mean that I make all of my videos in one day and then post them over several weeks. We’ll see. It’s nothing really to be concerned really, just something. Something to consider.

Anyways, here’s today’s lesson. We’re jumping into water today!

Watch here | Watch on YouTube | Watch in HD | Subscribe to my Channel

Here’s the first card:

I love how water changes the look of distress ink completely. Both of these techniques look so much more complex than they actually are. You can totally impress your friends. :)

Supplies: Cardstock – Papertrey Ink (Vintage Cream and Kraft), Ink – Ranger (Distress Inks in Barn Door, Worn Lipstick, Spun Sugar, Milled Lavender, Victorian Velvet and Dusty Concord), Foan Letter Stickers – American Crafts, White Pen – Signo Uniball, Washi Tape – 7 Gypsies, Buttons – unknown, Thread – DMC.

Here’s the second “flower” card:

Look at that pretty watercolor effect just from spraying some ink with water!

Supplies: Cardstock – Papertrey Ink (Vintage Cream), Watercolor Paper – Canson, Ink – Ranger (Barn Door and Wild Honey) and Tsukineko (Versamark), Embossing Powder – Ranger, Stamps – Hero Arts (H5492 Scalloped Flower and CL490 Sending Smile Messages), Button – Papertrey Ink, Gem Stones – Kaiser Craft, Thread – DMC.

The Print-Out

You can download a (free) PDF that goes over what’s covered in the video as well as shows the finished cards for this lesson here.

Techniques in the Video

1. Using watercolor paper from a pad (I use Canson white watercolor paper purchased from a local art store, but any kind will work. The smoother the paper, the better.), stamp and emboss your image in your desired color of powder. I used silver here.

2. Ink the embossed image well with one to three colors that you think will blend well together. Don’t worry about making it look pretty; just get the color down.

3. Mist embossed image with quite a bit of water and let everything run together. Set aside to let dry.

4. For the second technique, blend one or more colors together on a piece of cardstock. (I used regular Vintage Cream cardstock for this and inked it with Barn Door, Worn Lipstick, Spun Sugar, Victorian Velvet, Milled Lavender and Dusty Concord.) Use the ink pad(s) directly on the paper for more vibrant color.

5. Spray your fingers several times until they are dripping and flick the water onto your blended background. The water will react and move the ink around, forming lighter spots across the card. Repeat as desired.

Questions

Q: I don’t use English measurements. Can you do a size chart using metric measurements?

A: I don’t use metric measurements myself, but I could definitely do some conversions and see what I can come up with. That’ll be in a while, though. I hope you can find the video tutorial from yesterday helpful for using a paper trimmer and for the basic concepts of making a card.

If you have any other questions about these distress inks, leave a comment and I’ll answer them next week. :)

Thanks so much for stopping by! Sorry this post is going up a little late; the internet here is veryyyy slow and it took forever to upload the video last night! We’re having a blast here in Cincinnati and I can’t wait to share what I create. That is, if I can get anything done with all of this fun talking. Hehe!

Love,

Britta