Ta Ta Tag Topper Punches

Although I’ve recovered from the cold symptoms I experienced with my recent COVID infection, I still have some lingering side-effects. Most annoying for me is a foggy brain. It’s improving, however not quickly enough for me. So crafting is my release and I’m enjoying revisiting products and techniques I haven’t used in a while. Today’s project was an experiment using an alcohol ink technique on clear window sheet. I liked the results so much I turned it into a bookmark using the retiring Fancy Tag Topper Punch and Peony Dies.

ALCOHOL INK TECHNIQUE

Stampin’ Up! don’t sell alcohol inks, but they do sell Stampin’ Blends alcohol markers which are great for this technique. I’ve found that it works best with really bright colours and chose two retiring Stampin’ Blends; Magenta Madness and Misty Moonlight.

Next I needed the Window Sheet and I found a piece 2″ wide by 6″ tall, perfect for this experiment. Unfortunately the see-through sheet would make it difficult to see what I was doing so I placed it onto a piece of white scrap paper.

The technique itself is really easy, Using the bullet tip of the dark markers I scribbled patches of colour onto the Window Sheet. Then I dipped a Water Painter into a small amount of 90% isopropyl alcohol and gently touched the coloured areas. Immediately the alcohol started to push the colour, creating rings in some places and blending together in others. Once I could see that the ink had dulled and was dry again I went back and this time flicked the brush to add smaller spots of alcohol.

Once I was happy with the effect I decided to flip the Window Sheet over and repeat the process on the other side. Then I set it aside to dry thoroughly.

Before putting away the Stampin’ Blends I decided to create some custom-coloured twine for the bookmark. So I cut three 6″ pieces of white twine from the Baker’s Twine Essentials Pack. Then using the brush tip of the dark Magenta Madness marker I coloured two of the pieces. Finally I coloured the last piece of twine with the light Magenta Madness marker and set them aside to dry and stiffen.

TAG TOPPER TOP

I could have left the Window Sheet as it was and simply punched it with a tag topper punch, however I had an idea. So instead I cut two 1″ x 6″ pieces of retiring Magenta Madness Card and pulled out the retiring Peony Dies.

From the Peony Dies I selected the long edge die and lined up the straight edge level with the edge of a card strip. Then I ran it through my Mini Cut & Emboss Machine. I repeated this process on the other straight edge of the first strip and then on the two sides of the second strip. Now I had everything I needed to assemble my unique bookmark.

First I attached some Tear & Tape Adhesive to the long edges on both sides of the Window Sheet. One by one I removed the backing paper and used the tape to attach the die-cut card strips. I started each strip at the same end so the right and left sides of the bookmark would be symmetrical. Then I flipped the bookmark over and added the other card strips, lining them up over the first two and hiding the adhesive in the process. Then to make sure everything was firmly attached I ran my Bone Folder over the card pieces and pressed down.

Next I trimmed the top of the assembled bookmark to give me a nice straight edge. This went into the retiring Fancy Tag Topper Punch, and with the punch on the desk I pressed down firmly. The punch shaped the top and added a ribbon slot at the same time, all I had to do was attach the twine. I folded the three pieces in half and passed the loops through the slot, then I threaded the cut ends through the loops and pulled to secure them in place.

Finally I trimmed off the bottom of the bookmark and my project was complete.

Of all the products that are being retired from the Stampin’ Up! range, I think I may miss their tag topper punches the most. If you don’t already have one, check them out as once they’re gone, they’re gone forever.