A inky binky spotted background

Today I was surfing the internet for some new info and I meandered over to one of my usual stops, Unruly Paperarts.  Today the post the I read was about the inky backgrounds.  I ADORE ink!  I think I use it on every single thing that I make.  It takes me back some because 20 years ago when I started my first scrapbook I was scared of even an ink pen.  16 years ago, I would not have used ink for anything and now.....I rarely make anything without ink.

My absolute favorite are the Distress inks (a dye based ink). I love what they can do with water, they way they blend, run, and sort of meld into one. 

Then my second favorite ink is the exact opposite...solvent inks.  They will adhere to just about anything, will not change shape, form, or how they look.  Actually, they are a bit of wonderful with the Distress Inks and I use them just about as often as I use the Distress Inks.


Today's projects are ink based.  If you have not tried experimenting with inks you should.  You will get messy and quite possibly so will your work surface but hey that is part of it right?

I cover my table with 2 craft sheets.  They are heat resistant (which is fabulous when you use the heat gun as much as I), they are wonderful for blending inks and sometimes I even use them for paint palates. 

I have many ink blending tools and I like to line them up next to my craft sheets so they are within my reach.  And next to those I stack my Distress Inks.

The project pictured is a very ink intensive project.  The background was inked with my spray inks  (Michelle's Musings).  On top of that I have layered stamped images....using stamps by Technique Tuesday, Hero Arts, Hampton Arts, Tim Holtz, Hot off the Press, Stampin UP and 7 Gypsies.

I used many different inks to achieve this layered look (almost as many inks as I used stamps)....Distress inks, staz on, stampin UP, archival ink, pigment ink, and a chalk ink.  I even added a little texture by using Distress embossing ink and white embossing powder.

The umbrella man is a Tim Holtz Sizzix embossing folder and the flourish is a Cuttlebug die.  Both of which I inked with Walnut Stain Distress ink on top of Evergreen Bough Distress ink.

I decided this was a perfect occasion to use the great quote..."Not all who wander are lost".


Have a fantastic day!!!!