Kill Your Monday Blues with Hils Hints: All Things Distress Part 12

All Things Distress

Part 11 

Distress Inks, and why they are so special

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This week and next, I’m going to show you how to get a cool, rusty look on your tags and embellishments.  This is particularly handy if you are going for the vintage look, but don’t want to use real rusty items!

This first technique simply uses distress inks and clear embossing powder, and gives the appearance of something that was enameled or painted, but is now largely rusted.

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what do you need?

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Tag or cardstock - I have used a Ranger kraft tag.

Distress inks - I have used Faded Jeans and Vintage Photo

Clear embossing powder

Ink blending tool

A heat gun

Craft sheet

{Items can be purchased at Scrap-n-Crop.com HERE}

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Instructions:

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Ink your tag or cardstock by rubbing a distress ink pad directly over it.  Make sure you completely cover the surface with ink.

Pour clear embossing powder all over your tag, and then pour off the excess.  Distress ink can be used for embossing, so the powder will stick.

Hold your tag over a bin or a box, face down, and flick the back of it hard in several places.  This will make some of the embossing powder come off.

Heat emboss the tag until the powder has gone shiny.  Note that the tag will probably be quite wet because the ink was applied directly to it, and so you may get some steam coming off it when you use the heat gun.  Don’t panic, unless you can smell burning it’s not catching fire!

Let the tag cool. 

Using the ink blending tool, ink over the entire tag, making sure you work the ink into any cracks and crevices left by the embossing powder.

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Use a cloth or paper towel to rub the excess ink off the embossed areas.

You will now have a tag that is rust coloured, with bits of blue peeking through.

If you want to stamp over the tag, you will need to use a permanent ink such as Archival Ink or Staz On.

This technique has great possibilities – imagine using it on shaped die cuts such as keys and locks, book plates, even flowers.

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Handy tip

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Make sure your crafting surface is protected with a heatproof craft sheet.  Not all craft sheets are heatproof (the Ranger ones are), so double-check first before you ruin your furniture!

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