Let's Journal! Pt III

Well, thankfully I was able to get rid of the "pepto pink" I gave myself...I'll tell you how!

God's gift to the dirty journal page lover is "walnut ink". Walnut ink spray in a spray pump is fantastic. I use it everywhere. If I could touch up my roots with it, I probably would! The spray will take to old papers really strongly. Before I use the spray, I always spray water all over the page first. This will dilute the walnut color and allow it to move around a bit instead of looking like a harsh brown mess. After I spray the ink on, I blot it with my rag. Not dark enough? I repeat the process until I am happy. Blotting with the rag gives you different results every time.

If you don't have any walnut ink, you can replicate a similar result with any of the Distress Inks (Ranger).  Rub your ink pad face down onto a non-stick craft sheet or wax paper. Spray on water to make the ink bead up and then blot the wax paper to the journal or the journal to the craft sheet. Repeat the process until your ink gives you the color you desire, allowing the layers to dry in between each round.

My next step to darken the bright pink was to add some white spray paint. You can mimic the look of spray paint through a stencil by using the dry brushing technique I mentioned in Lesson II or with chalk ink. (Tip: When you're using things other than spray paint with stencils, they can bleed a lot easier. Make sure you tape the stencils down really well or have your friend put their hands in harms way by holding the stencil in place while you ink.) When I pulled my sequin scrap out of my bin, two of them were stuck together as shown above. I just went with it! Out to the garage...under the car for the spray session.

Here's how we look after the spray paint. Nice? I like it. But alas, I am fickle. More walnut ink to simmer that pink down still...you get where I am going with this? You can go back and repeat, skip, repeat whatever you want. You don't have to follow directions at all! Do what you feel.

(Were going to move on to focusing on some little details in the aging process now...I've switched over to my macro lens and a flash. There is no sheen on the pages, just flash reflection.)

I used my scallop punch to make a little border out of some vintage paper I have. Using a black colored pencil (not charcoal this time), I used short strokes to make the page border and then the border on the scallop. I like to outline the elements to give them more definition.

I don't like clean lines, so I use my finger to rub rub rub the lines. I love to smudge! At this point, I also gingerly outline the torn paper to make it look like there is a slight shadow. Smudge these lines too. Rub hard.

Even though that scallop paper is from 1895, it's still too "white" for my taste. You guessed it, more walnut ink. (Be carful when your watering vintage paper like this. Make sure the glue stick has thoroughly dried before you add the water spray..otherwise, it will buckle and bubble. It's also a good idea to work very fast with the walnut ink and blot up the moisture as quickly as possible!)

Here's where we ended up after today's steps:

Get your pens ready! Tomorrow we're going to doodle away!

How's it going so far?