Tuesday 30 October 2012

Metal Tags and Alcohol inks

Lisa sells some fab metal tags, they come in boxes, with 2 sizes.

 They have a smooth unfinished surface, ready for you to play with.
 I decided to have a play with them and explore how versatile they are ... please excuse the photos - we have really poor lighting in our house!

So the first thing I did was apply alcohol inks, as they work perfectly with smooth, shiny surfaces.

 I used a blending tool and felt, but didn't use blending solution. 
 I applied several layers, leaving each to dry for a minute or so before applying the next, until I got the effect I wanted.


Gorgeous as the finished tag is, it needs a bit more ...

As the metal tags aren't very thick they are perfect for embossing, to add texture.

 I experimented with several folders to see the effects I could get.
 
And then decided to make  Christmas tag...

I embossed the tag, lining it up with the text I wanted...

Then I applied alcohol inks, as described above, giving it several coats to create a good depth of colour. 
Then I took a sanding block to the tag, sanding off the top coat of ink ...

So you get a burnished effect.

 You can take as much or as little as you want off ... you get a better shine the more you sand.

This tag will hang from my Christmas tree.

6 comments:

  1. Fabulous tutorial Cathy, I really need to try this, they look amazing.
    Hugs
    Suzi x

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  2. WOW"" Such a great effect. Thanks for the tutorial

    Sue

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  3. fabulous tutorial - love it - will need to have a try at that xx

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  4. Fantastic tutorial Cathy, I definitely want to try this.
    Hugs Kerry :-) xxx

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