Thursday 8 December 2022

2022 Topic 16 : Splosh {by Nikki Acton} with Ink and the Dog stamps


Hi everyone, it's Nikki with you today, and I'm here to share with you some Christmas gift ideas using a selection of Ink and the Dog Christmas stamps.


I am a great paint lover, so my Distress Inks are often neglected these days, but for this theme I decided to use them as they are great for sploshing and creating effects with water.


I started with my backgrounds using a few techniques. Firstly adding ink to card, spraying and dripping water to remove ink. I also spritzed my stamp with water before 'stamping' on the inked surface to remove more ink. This gives a wonderful subtle impression of the stamp used.


I repeated with some different ink colours and also added some text to some. The stamp above is from PaperArtsy Ink and the Dog XM4.
 

For each background I used a couple of colours - for the browns I used Tim Holtz Distress Inks  - Frayed Burlap and Tea Dye along with Tim Holtz Distress Oxide - Vintage Photo. The reds were Distress Inks in are Aged Mahogany and Festive Berries, the greens - Shabby Shutters and Pine Needles.
 

I also added my ink to my craft mat, added water and 'swooshed' my card through it before adding some salt. This is a great technique allowing the watery ink to pool in some places and the salt to absorb some of it. The results vary depending on the card stock but are nearly always effective.


 

I decided to make a Christmas box for a small present, some chocolates or table gift along with a gift card holder. I cut these out of kraft card.

 
I cut some sploshed backgrounds for my layers and also stamped various elements from PaperArtsy Ink and the Dog stamp sets XM1XM3 and XM4.
 

Some more sploshing as I spattered some elements using PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic - Cherry Red (FF86).





Next to adhere all the pieces to my box and gift card holder.


On the box I used various stamps on brown backgrounds, leaving the red and green for the belly band. The little 'Merry Christmas' is easily cut out from the larger Christmas words stamp.
 

The label stamp didn't fit into the space on my gift card holder (should have thought about that before I made it!) - but was easily trimmed to fit.
 

I added distress ink to the edges of all my elements to add the vintage feel and frame them.


The belly bands, with the addition of some die cut foliage, twine and stars become the focal point for both designs.
 

Now to decide who I give them too!



If you are not familiar with the Ink and the Dog collection from PaperArtsy I encourage you to take a look - there is a wonderful selection of vintage images, not just Christmas ones. Happy sploshing!

Nikki

2 comments:

Words and Pictures said...

These are definitely a joy, Nikki... those fabulous matted layers, the festive colours and of course the vintage tones of the neutrals - all add up to the perfect gift packaging.
Alison x

SewPaperPaint said...

Nikki, this was such a fabulous post and I adore each and every one of these little boxes. Such gorgeous layering and my favorite way to "splotch". :) xx, Autumn