I am Back!

Wow it has been a long week since I last posted...the wedding is over and they are all married off! The day was wonderful and the sun was shining.....supper was excellent and the dance lots of fun.....now that I think about it last week is all a blur...I need some down time to just play now....everything I created last week was for the wedding....my printer is not working now...I think we wore is out.....This picture is my daughter Christine and my grand daughter Julie, taken minutes before we left for the Church.....it is one of my favorite pictures...(SORRY BLOGGER will not let me up load any pictures today)....hmmmm...I will be posting more once I have a look at all the disks that people have given to me....so For the Fun thing that I want to post today....how to use reinkers!

30 Re-Inkers UsesWhat else can you do with bottles of re-inkers other than re-ink your stamp pads?

To borrow from Dr. Suess: Oh the thinks we can think, though you may ask me "why." The thinks we can think in using that dye.

1. Re-ink your stamp pads:Use the coordinating re-inkers to keep those 48 Stampin Up! Colors "alive." (Bet you already guessed this one.)

2. Re-ink Kaliedacolor pads:Use the standard 48 color re-inkers to re-ink your Kaliedacolor pads. Stampin' Up! has colors that are pretty close matches for the K-pads. You may slightly alter a few of them but at least this provides you another option than throwing the pad away.

3. Shaving Cream Technique:Use them to make your own specialty papers with a technique referred to as the Shaving Cream Technique. This technique for making unique backgrounds for your special cards requires foam shaving cream and the re-inkers. It is a little messy so I recommend wearing thin rubber gloves and working in the kitchen on newspaper. Spread the bottom of a shallow 9 X 12 pan with a layer of shaving cream (the cheap .99 cent stuff). Spread it out with a spatula to about 3/4" thick in the bottom of the pan. Take a couple of coordinating colors (such as Mellow Moss and Pale Plum) of re-inkers and put a couple drops in a random pattern all over the shaving cream. Just a couple drops to start with. You can always add a few more drops. Take something such as a marker, pencil or toothpick to swirl the shaving cream around until you get the look you want. This will give a marbeling effect on finished product. Now press a piece of white cardstock (1/4 sheet is easier to work with) face down into the shaving cream from the center out. Press it to be sure the whole surface is touching. Gently peel the card stock up and scrape off the extra shaving cream with a spatula or wipe off with a paper towel. Dry off the extra bits with a dark colored towel or a clean paper towel. The shaving cream will come off the card stock, but the ink pattern will remain. Don't be afraid of smearing the ink. It will stay where it originally touched the paper. You now have an awesome background, each one a little different from the next. You can repeat until you don't like the design you get. When it is dry, the surface is soft, almost velvety to the touch.

4. Paintbrush Technique:Select a paintbrush and palette (you can buy these in a craft or hobby store or make your own from a plastic plate.) You will actually paint with the re-inkers. No need for a blending pen. This method adds more vibrancy to your finished project and you have the ability to apply undertones and highlights right where you want them. It works best to first emboss your image. Embossing gives a nice edge for the ink to blend to. You can also mix the re-inkers and come up with your own designer color.

5. Christmas Ornaments:Make beautiful glitter bulbs! Take clear glass ball ornaments and remove the top. You will need about 10 drops of one color of our SU ink refills into each clear glass bulb ornament. NOTE: Only add one color ink refill (dye based ink) or it will create a muddy mess and won't look very nice. When you are done, turn the bulb upside down and let the excess ink drain off into a paper/plastic cup. Pour approximately 1/2 teaspoon glitter into the cardstock that is folded. (You can mix different colors of glitter to create your own custom design.) After ink has drained from bulb, pour glitter into glass bulb, QUICKLY, put a small piece of paper or plastic over opening, to protect your finger, now . . . SHAKE. NOTE: You should shake the glitter around *immediately* so that it doesn't sit in one place forming a big blob of glitter. Pour excess dyed glitter into a different plastic film container. (You can reuse it.) Put the top back on the ornament. Tie Organdy or Grosgrain Ribbon, Raffia or whatever you would like around the top or just leave it plain. These are truly beautiful!

6. Paperclay and Re-Inkers:Mix with Paperclay to make your own specialty colors. This is great for matching your embellishments to your projects! You can also choose to not fully mix the re-inker into the Paperclay and leave it in sort of a swirl pattern.

7. Crystal Effects and Re-Inkers:Besides adding Crystal Effects straight from the bottle, to give it color, add a drop or 2 of a re-inker. This will give a raised, 3-D effect to your stamp project. Add a bit of dazzling diamond glitter to the mixture and now you have a colored glitter gloss perfect for adding that extra special touch to any card or project.

8. Easter Egg Background:Do you want to spread a little spring happiness around? Try making your own designer paper using the re-inkers doing the following technique. Use a paper towel that you have "wadded" up, dip inre-inker color and then pounce it all over the US white cardstock. Doing this with 2 or 3 colors ends up looking like dyed Easter Eggs that the little kiddies do. Really pretty. to use an eyedropper, put some drops down and let them run across the page.

9. Resist Techniques:To do this technique you can use several things: wax paper, white or clear crayons, rubber cement or Versamark with clear embossing powder. The results are pretty much the same with any method. After you get your stamped pattern on the paper use an eye dropper to put some drops on the page. Hold the paper slanted down and let the ink run across the page. (Do this over a pan and save the run off ink in a plastic color palette that has a lid to seal. You can find these at art supply stores.) The ink is resisted in the areas where you have placed your wax or VM/EP. You can also use your brayer to place re-inker colors on your card stock. With a little imagination and a bit of experimenting, you can make some pretty cool patterns this way.

10. Batik Technique:Use the Re-inkers to create cards that will have the look of this ancient art form. There are two methods to batiking that use re-inkers. One utilizes Mulberry paper and the other uses tissue paper.Mulberry Batik Method: Emboss on mulberry paper using solid, bold stamp, resist pad, clear embossing powder and heat tool just until image is clear. Then you crunch the paper into a ball to crack the embossing. (This step is optional, depending on the look you'd like for the finished project.) Place on one side of newsprint and spritz with water until it's soaked but not drippy. Drop re-inker of one color is several places. Using brush dribble more water on to spread the color. Clean the brush. Now drop another color and repeat with the brush from a clear cup of water. Fold newsprint over and press and leave for few seconds. Now carefully unfold and transfer to a couple of clean sheets of newsprint in a flip flop method. Fold this newsprint over and with a medium iron press about one minute. Carefully begin to lift off the newsprint. It may stick, if so then put the newsprint down and heat that area until it releases when you lift it up. Card - Cut base card 5 ½" x 11", fold in half. On white card stock cut 5" square. Attach Batik paper as before. Color edge with inkpad. Place saying on white card stock and trim down. Stipple and then color edges with pad. Attach to a piece of the card stock left from the base card. Then attach to front of card using foam tape.** You should have a resist where the embossing is. It will have color cracks running through it like actual batik. The natural fiber lines that are found in Mulberry adds to the batik look. Beautiful!Tissue Paper and Re-Inker Batik Method: Stamp a pattern using VersaMark ink and a bold type of stamp onto tissue paper (white, or even light colors of tissue will work well.) Sprinkle on clear embossing powder and use heat tool to emboss. Then use the re-inkers and "drop" ink onto the tissue paper. The ink absorbed into the paper where there was no embossing. Be sure to protect the area in which you are doing this. I recommend using a small aluminum cookie sheet as a protector. Try different colors of tissue paper like yellow, light green, or whatever will go with your project.

11. Watercolor Brayer:Drop spots of several re-inkers onto a piece of plastic wrap. Fold wrap in half to spread ink around. Then unfold and ink your brayer by rolling it across this newly created palette of color. Then spritz with a water bottle and roll out onto your card stock for a very pretty watercolor look.

12. Liquid Applique: Using the white Liquid Applique, squeeze a bit out and mix it with your choice of re-inker. Allow it to air dry for a smooth, shiney look or "puff" it up with a heat gun. It picks up the color of the ink. Now you have 48 colors of Liquid Applique! Take several colors of your special mixed liquid applique and squirt on card and then brayer (using the lucite attachment) all over the place. Then heat with heat tool and stamp various stamps on top using black ink. Looks great with Southwestern themes.

13. Dye Mulberry:Use the re-inkers to change white Mulberry into any of the 48 colors Stampin' Up! carries. Now you will never have to worry that your colors won't "match."

14. Bubble Background Technique:Do you need the look of bubbles for your scrapbook page or card. I don't mean little bubbles but nice BIG, fat ones. Then you must try this way of using your re-inker. All you need is re-inker, dish washing soap, glossy cardstock, water, wisk, large bowl, drinking straw, refill ink, paper towels, aluminum baking dish.

15. Re-ink your 48 colors of SU! Markers:First let me say that SU! does NOT endorse doing this. It is just something some that can be done to extend the life of the markers. You do this at the risk of ruining the marker and thereby having to replace it anyway. Re-ink Marker Technique #1: Carefully and gently remove the wide tip of the marker. Fill a small container with the coordinating color of re-inker. Place the brush tip of the marker that you've removed into the container that has the re-inker fluid in. Allow to soak from 10 minutes to 24 hours depending on how dry the tip was. Add several amounts of re-inker to the barrel of the marker. Re-insert the brush tip into the barrel of the marker. Do so gently and carefully.Re-ink Marker Technique #2: Another way that has been suggested by a long-time demonstrator is as follows: Don't remove the tip from the barrel at all! If you put some re-inker into a clear film canister and let the marker sit in it for a while the marker will suck up all the ink it needs. Then wipe the tip replace the cap and allow the marker to rest flat this will allow the ink to travel to the small tip as well. It's a lot less messy!

16. Dye Radiant Pearls:You can use your re-inkers to change the color of the lighter Radiant Pearls. Just drop a drop of the color re-inker of your choice on a plastic surface like an old CD, add Lemon Chiffon R.P. and voila!--you've created a custom RP color!

17. Dye Organdy Ribbon:Use the re-inkers to dye white organdy ribbon or grosgrain ribbon to any of the 48 colors. Just be sure to have a piece of paper underneath as you add the color on top of it. This is a great way to get a coordinating ribbon for your projects.

18. Foil Paper/Re-inker Technique:Emboss an open image without a lot of detail (like balloons, hearts, flowers, jar, cauldron, Star of David, etc.) onto the front of a card. Use Black Colorbox & Clear Emboss Powder. Then stamp the same image onto plain foiled holiday gift wrap, simply using a dye-based ink and color in using re-inkers. You can cut out the whole image or parts of it . . . depending on the look you want to go for. Cut on the "inside" line of the image. Glue the foiled piece or pieces inside the embossed image on the card.

19. Paper Casting with Re-inkers:Here's something new to try. Place stamp with image side up on table. Select up to eight squares of toilet paper (any kind) and stack them. Dampen them with water and lay them over the stamp. Place a hand towel on top and gently press down expelling some of the water from the tp and molding it to the stamp image. Now paint on the color you want using your re-inkers and a paintbrush. Carefully remove all the tp at one time from the stamp and lay aside to dry. The image will appear similar to paper casting! Place in a frame, attach to a card, tag, collage work, etc.

20. Tissue Paper/Window Sheets (Acetate)/Re-inkers:On a sheet of window sheets (acetate), squeeze out a blob of clear gel glue. Spread with your finger and leave it fairly thick. Drop a few different colors of re-inkers on glue and spread around. Add more drops to achieve a marbled look as desired. Cut a piece of white tissue slightly larger than the glue/ink area and wad it up. Unroll and leave wrinkly. Place on top of glue/ink and set aside to dry (peel back a corner to check that ink is dry). When dry, peel tissue away from acetate and use whole or in pieces for a cool background. Finished paper has the look of stained glass.

21. Aluminum Foil/Re-inkers:Pull a piece or foil off the roll. Fold it in half - open. Squirt some of your re-inkers on the foil. Fold the foil in half again pressing together (with hand or brayer roller) allowing the ink to mix into each other. Open up and lay a blank card in the inked foil. Fold the foil over the card. Smooth your hand over the foil allowing the ink to get on the card. Open the foil and look to see if you need to add any more paint- if so…repeat the process again.

23. Re-Inkers and Glue with Tissue Paper:Stamp all images on acetate. Color stamped images on reverse side (non-stamped side) of tissue paper. To highlight use Marvy Metallic markers. Put drops of white glue on reverse side (once marker is dry) add drops of dye re-inkers. Use your fingers to smear glue and color as desired (work carefully over marker as it will flake off - it is worth the effort as the Marvy Metallics are really what makes this pop!). Crumple white tissue paper and adhere to glue to seal. Layer with background papers onto card.

24. "Caught in Crystal":This is a very clever use of an ordinary household cleaning product, the clear acrylic floor finish. Give it a try. Stamp design of your choice on copier transparency with Black Fabrico ink. Heat fix. Spray with clear gloss fixative. Heat to dry. Tape transparency, stamped side down onto a sheet of plain white paper. The tape will act as a barrier to keep the inks and floor finish from seeping under the front of the transparency. Pour a puddle of floor finish on the transparency and spread evenly over back. Add a light sprinkle of glitter. Tear a piece of tissue paper a little larger than your transparency. Crumple, open and smooth onto transparency. Add more floor finish - you want the surface wet so the dyes flow easily. Add drops of dye from re-inkers. Blend edges of colors together using a soft paint brush. Blot with a paper towel. You control how deep the colors will be at this step. If the tissue tears, Don't Panic! Tear off a small piece of tissue and patch with more floor finish. Heat to dry. Hold the heat gun about 6 -8 inches from the transparency -- you don't want to melt it! Add another layer of floor finish -- this is what will turn the piece crystal clear. Again, heat to dry. Cut out inside of taped area. The finished piece is now ready to be mounted.

25. Tie Dye:Cut open the bottom and one side of a page protector so it opens like a book. Dribble three or four colors of re-inkers on one side. Close and mush colors around. Open page protector again and place two half sheets of GLOSSY cardstock back to back and lay on ink. Close page protector and lightly brayer to press ink into paper. Open page protector and set papers aside to dry. Can be repeated twice more to make six papers per inking. This makes great papers for invitations to a birthday party.

26. Polished Stone Technique:Apply 4 - 6 very small dots of metallic ink (from refill bottle) onto a quarter sheet of glossy CS. Do not apply too much or too thickly or you will have a problem with it rubbing off finished project. Dip cotton ball into alcohol and squeeze out most of the alcohol. Dot 4 - 5 small drops of 1 or 2 colors of water based ink onto the wet cotton ball. Dab cotton ball in an up & down motion all over the CS as desired (colored inks will blend and metallic ink will marble-ize.) Quickly go back over the "dots" and swirl and pat ink to blend "dots" of color and spread metallic ink into "veins." Let dry. Dry with heat tool for about 30 seconds. Stamp image on top with basic black ink pad or embossing pad and powder. Spray with sealer. Or you may choose to emboss the entire thing background after stamping.

27. Other Objects for Creating Backgrounds Using Re-inkers:* Kooshball - dab in re-inker and paint; * Marbles - put in a shallow dish with drops of re-inker, roll side to side; * Rubber Ball - bounce it in re-inker and then on paper; * Piece of Mesh - dye it or use a sponge and re-inker to create a cool grid on your paper; * Bubble Wrap - dab in re-inker and then press onto paper; * Sandwich Baggie - bunch it up, dab into ink and then on card stock; * Sponges - any of the variety, dab and paint; try any household object.

28. Inks And Water Technique:Another way I like to use the inks is to spray water on my gloss card first before I sponge the card, then when I do sponge it creates a lovely washy softer ink background.

29. Inks And Baby Wipes:Another way to use the re-inkers is with baby wipes! Yes you read that right, pour a tiny amount of ink into a palette, and then take a fresh baby wipe and scrunch it into a ball. Next dab the baby wipe into the ink and swoosh the baby wipe across the card to create unique patterned backgrounds. The alcohol in the baby wipes makes the inks literally shine on the gloss card, not to mention they also add an interesting textured pattern. Try it and See!

30. Radiant Pearls and Re-Inkers:You can change the color of radiant pearls to match the SU! 48 colors by adding re-inkers to one of the lighter colors of Radiant Pears. In a palette well, put in one of the neutral or light colors (oyster or lemon chiffon) and add a drop or two of SU reinker inks and make a color that matches your SU ink or paper. Ink appears to help speed up the drying process as well. Tips:* You may want to use rubber gloves to keep your fingers from becoming a colorful part of your project.* Be sure to wipe tip on re-inker and recap before storing.*** Remember if you can "think it" you can "ink it!" ***

Later Gaters!