Have you ever played with alcohol inks and Heidi Swapp's ghost shapes? I recently found out that they are super fun and make your acryllic shapes look amazing! I just used them on some of those hibiscus flowers and got a really cool watercolor/tie dye effect to brighten up my page. I have also used them on stars to give them a variegated look. If you look in my gallery they are titled "Stitch" (look at the hibiscus flowers and the bookplate), "A Birthday Visit from the Fire Department" (the stars on the layout were done using these awesome tints and a gold leafing pen), and "Read In" (again the stars because they look so darn cool! The only thing with this one is that the faces are blurred out because they are my students and I can't post their pictures due to privacy laws.) I have also seen it done to look like autumn leaves and water...both very cool effects!

This is how you achieve these looks:

For the Hibiscus Flower (watercolor look), you will need alcohol inks, the alcohol inks applicator and felts, clear acryllic letters or shapes (I like Heidi Swapp's), and an antiseptic wipe with at least 90% alcohol content (Wet ones are good to use). Cover your workspace well and lay the acryllic shape with the backside facing up at you. Wet the shape with your wipe and dab on at least two different colors of alcohol inks on the back. Let them spread for a minute then use the applicator and felt to pick up the puddles of ink and blend the rest of the shape. Then go back and add drops of ink one at a time in random places on the shape and then blot them off quickly. This gives it the mottled look. Let it dry. Clean off your fingers with the alcohol wipe. Once it is dry, flip it over and your shape is done. *Note: After it was dry I painted the back with white acryllic paint so that my design would show up on the patterned and dark paper. If you are laying the object on white or light paper, you don't need to do this step.*

For the stars (tie dye look) you will need alcohol inks, the alcohol inks applicator and felts, clear acryllic letters or shapes (I like Heidi Swapp's), and a gold or silver leafing pen. Cover your workspace well and lay the acryllic shape with the backside facing up at you. Take the applicator and a felt pad and apply 2-3 different colors on the pad a few centimeters from one another, sort of in a triangle shape. Then use your applicator to dab the color on the back of your shape, rotating the applicator to apply different colors to the shape. Then go back and add drops of ink one at a time in random places on the shape and then blot them off quickly. Next, touch your leafing pen to the top of your alcohol inks and form a puddle of "leafing fluid". Once again, use your applicator to blend the "leafing fluid" with the ink. Let the shape dry and then use the leafing pen to outline the edges of your shape to add definition to it.

Give this technique a try. You can also use them to color metal and clear buttons, but I haven't given those a try yet. Play around with them and see what you can create! :)