The first swap was product of the month - for January using Distress Ink. I've made two little projects using a couple of different techniques here. Take a look at the series running in Craft Stamper for great ideas using Distress products. Up first, a jigsaw puzzle blank coloured with the wrinkle free distress technique with depth of colour added round the edges direct to paper with a piece of foam. The images and back ground pattern are stamped on with Distress Ink too. I scanned the puzzle whole to decorate the box lid before breaking it into pieces.
I also used a favourite technique using Brilliance and Distress ink to make this book mark. Stamping Brilliance ink onto glossy card creates a resist. The Distress ink was applied with foam with extra colours applied through a stencil. You need to leave a lot of time for it to dry on shiny card though. The stamps for both projects were from Paper Artsy.
We are also having a monthly colour themed tag book swap. For January the colour is turquoise with a hint of orange. I think I may have used rather more than a hint though. The ftont of each tag is covered with turquoise Gelli print. I stamped Paper Artsy Squiggly Ink dragon flies and stuck on wings stamped and cut from paper coloured with Distress ink again - well I had them out on the work top and it seemed easier than looking for something else...
The photo is a bit dodgy but the reverse sides were embossed with an embossing folder and then highlighted with Versamark and mica powders. You can't see in the picture but they are embellished with a die cut cog in orange and a good splatter of paint. I'll get five different ones back - can't wait to see others' take on the colour scheme.
