Scrappers, INK.

One of the hottest new trends in the scrapbooking world is inking. This is simply another term to describe the pages that have ink smeared across the background and around the edges. The messier, the better! You have probably seen this technique online or in the magazines recently, and you may have wondered how to achieve the look. I think you'll be surprised to learn that there is really nothing to it! The best thing about inking is that it's inexpensive, and you don't need any special tools to get started. Just grab an inkpad and rub it around the edges of your piece using as little or as much ink as you'd like.

What can you ink? Everything! Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Edges of cardstock

Accents

Duplicate photos

Die cut or template letters

Vellum

I'll admit that I spent a lot of time trying to make my mess look perfect and unplanned. It didn't take long to realize that the mistakes I made actually enhanced the look that I was going for. There is no wrong way to do it!

Through trial and error, I've found a few tricks that I'd like to share with you.

Ink is permanent. Once you've applied ink to your surface, you can't erase it. I recommend taking it slowly until you get the hang of it. You can always add more!

You can get a whole different look by experimenting with different colors. Black is my favorite, but don't be afraid to reach for other shades.

There are various types of ink pads available today. I prefer a dye-based ink for this technique because it dries quickly, but because pigment ink takes longer to dry, it is perfect for blending. Solvent-based inks (Staz-On) are designed for porous surfaces (such as duplicate photos, shrink plastic, glass, metal, etc). Chalk ink pads provide a soft, chalky appearance when dry, so you can achieve an entirely different effect. Choose the type of pad that works best for your project.

If you are right-handed, hold the paper in your left hand and the ink pad in your right hand. Run the pad around the edges of the paper using short swoops. This look is often referred to as a California edge.

Take note of the way you're holding your inkpad. By leaning it at a sharper angle to your paper, you'll get more ink on your design.

If you like a really messy look (and I do!), lay your paper flat on top of some scrap pieces and use your ink pad to lightly tap around the edges and into the center of your paper.

Use ink as you would use chalk. You can use a sponge to apply ink to your page, and it will give you a little more control.

To achieve the ultimate messy look, you can combine inking with the use of alphabet stamps.

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