stenciling with archival inks...

when I started playing working around with the idea of stenciling with archival inks, I discovered that it provided a new way to...

make art!

normally, the first step is to create a background, and then to add the main images on top of the background...

because archival inks are permanent & waterproof when dry, they can be added before the background...

I think this makes it so easy...and it's a fun change...

here's an example from my art parts tag art journal...

it's a #8 manila tag that I cut down to 5 1/2 inches tall...

I started by using this flower stencil...

using a piece of cut n dry foam and red geranium archival ink, I stenciled the flower & gave it a quick dry...

instead of stenciling in the stem & leaves, I used fern green archival to stamp these small flourishes...

***remember*** you don't always need to use the whole stencil or stamp...it's fun to change things up & get more use from your products...

now that my main images were done & DRY...I could add my distress inks & stamping to the background...

I added scattered straw lightly over the whole tag, then some brushed corduroy to accent the edges...

next, using scattered straw again, I added the vertical stripes with the polka dots & stripes border stencil...

it was easy to add the stripes exactly where I wanted them, because the main image was already there...

to add more interest to the background, I filled in some random areas with my unmounted cling text stamp (from botanical art), that was inked with cornflower blue...

this blue is BEAUTIFUL! it's kind of a vintage country blue...

MWAH!

I used jet black to stamp my sentiment...

even with several different colors in the background, the jet black really stands out nicely...

using the same stripes stencil, I added borders to the top & bottom of the tag with fern green...

a little pen stitching with the mowed lawn distress marker & the Blossom Bucket mini star were the finishing touches...

here's another look...

you'll see the stripes stencil used 2 ways...

because of the stamped/inked/stenciled layers, it looks dimensional, but the only really dimension is the star...

that's stenciling with archivals...

****TIP***...to clean the archival inks off your stencils, just use cheap rubbing alcohol from the Dollar Store...with a paper towel...

magic!

try it! it's a fun technique & a new approach to making art...

ok...DRUMROLL...

Rick chose the winner of 5 of my new stencils from the comments on my FACEBOOK PAGE...

Kirsten Alicia Sheridan...

• 

  Kirsten Alicia Sheridan 

  
  

  It is such a gorgeous

  
  

   tag & it's such a help to have great photos too. 

  
  

  Thanks for the chance to win.

  
  

  Like · Reply · August 17 at 10:43am

the winner Rick chose from blog comments is...

THERESA...

Theresa said...

Great tag...you make it look so easy. Then I try it and IT IS

 EASY!!! I JUST love this tag!!! fingers crossed for the giveaway!

August 18, 2013 at 7:58 PM 

CONGRATS ladies!

please email me with your shipping info & we'll get these on the way to their new homes...

that's it for today...

I have a pretty busy time coming up soon...

I'm headed back to Everything Scrapbooks & Stamps in Lake Worth, Florida...LOVE it there!

that is September 7 & 8th...

then it's back to The Queen's Ink in Savage, Md the weekend of September 20-22nd...this is an amazing mixed media store...

the following weekend I'll be teaching at The Collin's Event in Houston, TX...it's my first gig there, so I'm excited about that & I'm excited to meet/teach some store owners...

I just finished my projects this weekend!

and the next weekend (October 4 & 5) I'll be at Adventures in Stamping in Strongsville, Ohio...I have not been to this convention before, so I'm excited about demoing there...

I hope to see some blog friends at one of these stops...

this schedule explains why I get free drink coupons from SOUTHWEST airlines! 

off to work on instructions & kits...

happy Monday to YOU...it's a PERFECT day to...

make (stenciled archival) art!

wendy