Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Tip Tuesday: Household products



Today the team would like to present some tips for using things you might already have around your house in your paper crafting.

Tip #1
Use the eraser from a pencil as a stamp to make small dots on your paper. Simply ink and stamp the eraser as you would a stamp.

Tip #2
A sink stopper can also be used as a stamp, and will make very nice round rings.

Tip #3
Alcohol-free baby wipes are great for cleaning stamps, but they can also be used to apply ink. Fold one or two wipes into eighths and apply a small amount of ink from a re-inker bottle to one edge of the folded wipes. Apply two or three related colors, leaving a small gap, or allowing the inks spots to just touch. Swipe the wipe across your card-stock, or dab with it onto your card-stock to produce a different look.

Tip #4
Shaving cream combined with re-inkers or acrylic paint can be used to create wonderful marbled effects on paper. Spread the shaving cream onto a thin plate or tray. Add a few drops of ink or paint. Swirl with a toothpick to produce an interesting swirl of color. Place card-stock lightly onto the shaving cream. Lift off carefully. Wipe off excess shaving cream that adheres to the card. Set aside to dry.

Tip #5
Future brand clear acrylic floor polish (also marketed as Pledge with Future Shine) can be used as a sealant for all sorts of craft projects. It can be painted onto paper or polymer clay beads to seal them and make them shine. It can be used like modge-podge for collage projects, both to adhere the objects and to seal them. It can also be used to affix glitter or pearl-ex. Just remember that, as with most finishes, it is better to use several light layers than one heavy one.

Tip #6
Waxed paper placed on your work surface can really help to prevent gooey glue globs from ruining a project if you use a tape gun. The wax resists the glue tape so if you accidentally go off the edge of your project, the glue won't stick to it.

Tip #7
Waxed paper doesn't only resist glue... it also resists ink. Try crumpling up a piece of waxed paper, opening it back up, and then ironing the waxed paper between two sheets of glossy card-stock (with the shiny sides toward the waxed paper). Brayer or sponge ink onto the glossy card-stock to create interesting background paper.

OR for a different look, instead of crumpling the paper, run the waxed paper placed into an embossing folder through a die cutting machine. Iron and ink as above.

Tip #8
Use waxed paper to keep your scissors and punches lubricated. Simply cut or punch on the waxed surface. Cut or punch aluminum foil to help keep them sharp. Cut or punch very fine grit sandpaper to remove small burrs.

Tip #9
Wrap a piece of cardboard with non-stick aluminum foil to create a heat-resistant non-stick surface for embossing on. Place the piece to be embossed on this surface and heat with a heat gun. This is also a perfect surface for shrinking shrink plastic.

Tip #10
Use nail polish to color on stamped acetate sheets for a really wonderful stained glass effect.

Tip #11
Use dish detergent and acrylic paint to make a fun bubble print on your card-stock. Place a small amount of dish detergent in a shallow tray. Add water to the detergent. Add several drops of acrylic paint. Swirl the paint into the water and detergent mixture. Use a drinking straw placed into the tray of water/detergent/paint to blow bubbles. Carefully place the card-stock onto the bubbles to make a print of the bubbles. Lift the card-stock off immediately. Repeat the bubble blowing and printing until you have the desired effect. Set the card-stock aside to dry.


Do you have some tips on using household product in your stamping projects? If so, please share them with us! Those tips, and other comments, are always appreciated!

2 comments:

  1. Hi everyone! I like to use aluminum foil as a metallic accent. I color it with alcohol inks, emboss it, cut it, shape it. You can get the heavier foil at the market too if you need something a little more sturdy.

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  2. I love to use a mouse pad for all sorts of things when I am stamping. They provide great cushion for stamping. I put my card-stock on the mousepad prior to stamping and get an even impression with little effort. I also use the mousepad when I want to pierce paper for faux-stitching, and under my punched flowers when I want to add shape to them with embossing tools. The surface has a little give while still being fairly firm and doesn't seem to ever show that it has been pierced!

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