Lets start at the beginning...

* the march kit was sold out... We have added a few more *
_______________________________________________
As we become more "experienced" crafters, we forget that not everyone knows about the products we take for granted, they don't know what matting and layering is or the different types of inks and stamps and glues...all those things we just do, or talk about and take for granted can seem really daunting to those now starting out.  Not only that, as we take things for granted, and move forward with our crafting, we sometimes forget the basics and just how versatile the product is.

So, with that in mind, I'm going back a few years to a product that most of us have, and perhaps there are some out there that haven't heard of it, or just forgotten what basics we can do with it...

So, what am I talking about of course its "DISTRESS INKS"  by Ranger..

Now these ink pads come in a wide pallette of colours and now there are various other products in the "distress" line...which we will cover much later on... here I'm going to cover just a few things we can do...and then later on in the week I'll detail a simple project that everyone can have a go at.

So, distress inks what are they?
Distress inks are water based dye inks which are acid free and fade resistant, so great not only for altered art projects, but, scrapbooking too.

Techniques used to apply the ink:-
Direct to page - where you can swipe the pad across your page, to add a bit of colour or to colourize an item, say a piece of chipboard.  Sprinkle water onto the ink and see it wick...
Using a blending tool - this is the best way to apply your inks to a project or create a background.  Use a different felt pad per colour to avoid cross contamination on your project, these pads can be washed and reused. Bringing the tool from your mat onto your tag in a circular motion adding colour as you go - keep the pad flush with your paper.  Lines can easily appear if you don't keep the tool flush with the paper.

Cut and dry foam - this versatile product, can be cut into neat little cubes and used to add colour.  The colour goes on much paler than with the blending tool and can tend to "line" on your paper.

As with all forms of crafting the tools we use are just as essential as the quality of the product we use - for best results with your distress inks and other distress lines, spray inks and paints, a non stick craft mat is essential.  These mats are also heat resistant and so can also be used for your heat embossing.

 (these are some of the items we will be using on our project)

Another way of using distress inks is using your non stick craft mat, swipe your distress ink across the mat and spritz with water, watch the ink bubble up and then drag your paper thro' the ink, drying off at each swipe, this will ensure that the colour intensifies rather than mudding....

The best thing to do with your distress inks is to play and enjoy.....

Next time we will be using the techniques mentioned to create a project....

Carol