trouble with distress pads

I am having a lot of trouble with distress inks. I bought 2 pads and the tool but I can't seem to get the ink to blend. Do I need special paper? I keep getting a stamp of the tool (no blending) I have watched countless videos on it but I must be missing something. HELP please?

I had that problem when I first started. One of the things I did was to purchase one of those easy to wipe off sheets. Forgot what they're called but if you watch Tim's videos, you can see the brown sheet. They have something in the store here. It definitely helped a lot.

When I want to blend the distress ink, I hold the blending tool around the base. I start off the thing that I'm going to blend on--like a tag--and rub in circles onto it. This has prevented me from getting blending tool impressions. I just keep doing that it in a circular motion also starting off the tag and moving onto it.

Man, that doesn't make sense even to me.

Well Ruh Roh! I have no idea what you guys are talking about! You are talking about the blending tool that has replacable cotten thingy's? I'm not following what the problem you are encountering is but if there is one....I probably have it too?

Michele's right, you need to put something under the edge of whatever you are trying to blend on, put your blending tool down on it and pull onto the paper. You also want to have the blending tool at an angle, not pressed straight down. Watch a video of Tim Holtz doing it and you will see his technique. Blend in circles adding pressure or multiple strokes.

• CrimsonMama Said:

Yep, that's what she's talking about. And me too. Let's see, I'm also talking about this brown thing that you put down on your scrapping surface and it wipes clean with one stroke.

What she's having a problem with is she's getting the rectangular shape from going straight down to blend instead of starting off the object she wants to blend ink onto and then going in a circular motion onto the object. Now if you're totally confused, it would probably help to watch a Tim Holtz video.

Okay, the brown thing I use is a non stick craft sheet. Ranger has one in the superstore and then there's another one that I got from sb.com for my NSD package.

Ok, on another thread here we are discussing the blending too and a couple of us, including me, use a cosmetic sponge sometimes. Changes the effect of course.

The craft mat makes all the difference. Works much better than a sheet of paper below your project, maybe because it's a slippery which makes the applicator move more freely.

I always get the best results by starting off my project and wiping the ink on to the project. The colour is very soft so you have to go over it a few times until you get the level of intensity you're looking for.

Also, make sure you're using the foam pads, not the felt ones. Foam is for ink pads, felt is for alcohol ink bottles.

I couldn't' figure out how to get the pictures to show up in my post. I can embed my layouts but not the stuff in the store.

But the craft sheet makes all the difference in the world. Plus you can just wipe it off after you're done. I love my blending tool for both the distress inks and alcohol inks. I use cosmetic sponges sometimes, but I like the blending tool better.

I think I am going to get some other colors and try again. I got antique linen and walnut but I have seen some great pages with blues and reds.
I will play around with it more and see if I can figure it out.
Def going to get the non stick craft sheet and try that too.
So any paper will work?

Yes, you can use it on any paper...cardstock or pp or vellum or anything....

Alison

I don't have a non stick craft sheet yet so I just use waxed paper. I put the paper I want to blend on the wax paper and do the circular blending motion and get great results. Just a suggestion if buying a mat isn't in your immediate future. Best of luck to you.

Don't think of the blending tool as a 'stamping tool'. You start off on your non stick craft sheet (or try the waxed paper as suggested above by Sarah) and kind of roll your way onto the paper, going around in circles. It's more of a 'wipe action' rather than a stamp action.
Also, I find it better to not have too much ink on the tool to start with and add more as I feel is needed or even just increase the pressure.

Yes, you can't "stamp" with the tool. I just tap it on the ink pad lightly before I stRt. Just make sure to start off the pad. I'd practice with the walnut stain first. You'll be able to see your results better. Antique linen is awesome, but sometimes you have to stop and look at it before you see how much you really have on there because it is so light.
Make sure the things you have on the tool are the spongie ones with the blue back. Not the little cotton pads. The cotton pads are for alcohol inks. You won't get the blending out of them. Needs the sponge.

I am happy to report I did my first lay out with the distressed inks and I think I am hooked. Thank you all for your help.

SarahWscraps- I couldn't find a non stick craft sheet so I tried the wax paper like you said and it works like a charm. I took the box out of the kitchen for my scrap room until I find a mat.

I'm going to look at the Dollar Tree for a non-stick silicone baking mat. I think it's Kory that says they work wonderful for this purpose.

Just FYI Js has the craft sheets on sale on their website and in their stores. At my store it's cheaper than their website, but not by much. $9 in store, $11 online I think.

For blending with distres inks use the foam pads not the cotton ones. They look like this, I have used makeup wedges but they have something in them that changes the color.

• flintridgescrapper Said:

I'm going to do the same thing. I have a large 17x24 frame with glass in it that I use for misting and even as a palate for acrylic paint, but for small inking jobs I am getting tire of heaving it onto my table. Not that it's that heavy but it's big like you would want for some jobs but so big you have to make room when you have so many tools out! I guess I need more elbow room.

Speeking of Distress Pads, I have found I love working with the Distess Stain daubers more than anything! They are wonderful!

• Cinj Said:

I found a box of 30 TH Distress ink pads at the mission last week for $2.....I hate these things, but probably because Im trying to use them like the Dew Drops...and its not working for me. Maybe I need a cosmetic sponge or 2......Im ready to pitch these.

• Cinj Said:

I have a non stick brown oven mat I got at the discount store. I wouldn't use a silcone mat but the oven liner is thin and non stick for thei inks, sprays, glue, etc. I have one taped done underneath my large MM mat and I more the MM mat when I need to use the non stick mat. I have silcone baking sheets for my spellbinders but they are thick and not slppery for blending etc.

• traceyjean Said:

I have a lot of distress inks but only 3 bottles of alcohol ink. I did not know the pads for them were different

Thanks for the info!!!