Product Review - Tim Holtz® Distress Ink Pads

 

Tim Holtz® Distress Ink Pads

Hello Everyone, today I would like to review Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads. 

The description for this product is:

Tim Holtz Distress Inks are a collection of 49 acid-free, non-toxic, fade resistant, water-based dye inks. They're perfect for the new vintage, stained, aged effect crafters are creating in their altered books, scrapbook pages, cards and paper craft projects.

Tim selected the colors and helped develop these inks to produce a realistic, weathered look on paper, photos and decorative fibers. All the colorful Distress Inks afford added versatility when photo tinting and color layering with the original, award winning tones.

The 2" x 2" pads are made with a higher raised felt for easier use with direct to paper techniques, Re-inkers available in .5 oz. amber glass bottles with eye drop applicators.

 The first time I tried these Inks I watched a video on how to use them by Tim Holtz himself.

Distress Ink Video

These Inks work by laying the ink down (either on craft sheet or card stock)and then spraying with water to create the Distress look. If you use a craft sheet you run your card stock through the ink after you spritz with water. If you use card stock i found its better to spritz the card stock then run the Ink through.

 The inks where simple to use and you really cant go wrong with how your project turns out. I like to mix multiple colors especially rainbow colors as it makes a nice background. I like that the colors, after spritzing with water, are bright and not dull like some other dye inks.

I have found no downside to the Distress Ink Pads, they create really cool distress backgrounds.
Ranger sells this product.
Ranger Store

Have you tried out this product? If so leave your comments below on your experience I would love to hear it. :)

The Upcycle Exchange

Hey everybody, I found a really cool store in St. Louis for those who love to craft and sew!! Its called "The Upcycle Exchange". 

Its an awesome Resale Shop for art/craft/sewing supplies. This shop has such a great selection with affordable prices its unbelievable!

If you love to sew, the fabric selection is great, along with the unlimited items you can get for Mixed Media/Altered Art. They even have scrap booking supplies. This is just the beginning of what type of projects you can do with the items in this store!!
 
Their even having a deal going on where you fill one of their huge baskets with anything you want and all you pay is $20!!! You can also pick and chose items for really cheap as well.
 
Lets not forget this is a Resale Shop so their is alsways new stock in coming in. The shop also has a Wishlist of items they take on their website which you can get store credit for. I can't rave about this place enough so stop on by!! 

The website with all the info is http://www.upxchange.com/

Product Review - Dylusions Art Journal

Dylusions Mixed Media Art Journal

 I would like to talk about this product and review it. First the description of the product on Ranger.com is as follows-

Dyan's "perfect" journal - a blank journal that features matte white heavy cardstock, ideal for the application of Dylusions Ink Sprays and techniques using water, inks, paints and mediums. The journal cover is made from sturdy chipboard and filled with 64 unlined pages for endless paper crafting creativity.
• Ideal with Dylusions Ink Sprays, Stencils and Stamps
• Sturdy cover, elastic closing and string-tie envelope included
• 64 pages of unlined white matte cardstock
• Sturdy cover, elastic closing and string-tie envelope included
• Cover measures 11 13/16" x 9"; book pages measure 11 3/8" x 8 1/4"

The reason I bought this journal was because i wanted to start an art journal for the first time.

The journal comes in two sized the one shown above and a smaller size at 8-3/8x5-5/8.

The pages are stiched instead of wire bound like other journals. I find this better because you can use two pages and use it like one page.

 I did do a little research on this and some reviews where good and some bad. I thought i would try it my self because I am the best critic for my preferences as is the same for everyone.

What really made me want to try this journal, compared to others, was 1, it is completely customizable, in other words you can decorate the cover as well, and 2 there is an yellow envelope (also customizable) that you can store your collage clippings (I have not found any other art journal that has this). Which is great because if your like me you are doing multiple projects on the same surface and need someway to keep items together.

My only downside that I have found is the pages while semi thick does not stop ink or anything that wets the page from going through to the next page.(sometimes more than one page)

I found that its not that big of deal as I can just put a piece of cardboard or something thick that wont let ink or paint go through between the pages and that fixes the problem. You can also prep every page with Gesso which works too.

So overall I do like the journal and there really is not that big of downside. I would recommend this to people who don't mind have to put something in between the pages. :)

Places to Buy:

Amazon

Hobby Lobby

Walmart

These are just some of the links i would do a search to find the best prices near you.

 Have you tried out this product? If so leave your comments below on your experience I would love to hear it. :)