How do you make things "dirty"?

[MazdaUK]

I've got some great items in swaps where the edges of the pages were distressed (DH said "why have they used that dirty old paper?" but he really doesn't get scrapping. He thinks I spend too much on stash, so that just SHOWS he doesn't understand it ). I love that look and would like to use it here and there on pages. What do you use and how do you do it?

 

[Mickster]

I just made my DS his invitations for his birthay party - Indiana Jones themed. The invites needed to look old. DSo I used The Color Box Cat's Eye fluid chalk ink pad. I love the way it makes the edges look old, but it is almost transparent so it doesn't look heavy. If I get a chance today, I'll scan it in for you to check out.

 

[MazdaUK]

Thanks! Where can you get the stuff? Bearing in mind I live in scrappers desert

 

[WDWAurora]

I hadn't done it before, but my friend and I were scrapping the other day, and my pink cardstock didn't quite match my brown/pink background paper. So...she told me to use chalk. I borrowed hers and browned the edges of my cardstock. It looks great! I'm going to have to get some. I just put it on a q-tip and rubbed until I got the desired effect.

 

[kaddjr]

Chalk and inkpads work great! I too am a fan of the cat's eye ink. You can get it in regular or the chalk look. I have the little things that pop into the back of the pad and a stylus that attaches to it. I feel it gives you a little more control when applying it. I don't know what sites will ship internationally, but you can look at them at Joann.com.

 

[Crystal_27]

Making Memories sold a "distressing" kit which has all kinds of stuff in it to make items distressed. It has files, and chalks, and tools and many other things. You can probably pick one up on Ebay fairly cheap. Good luck!

 

[pjlla]

I have used ink (dark brown and/or black), chalk (no one mentioned this, but I use a fixative after the chalk... otherwise I find it ends up on my page protector and photos), sandpaper, crumpling and smoothing the paper, all to age it. Cardstock holds up better to this treatment than patterned paper. Some patterned papers are so lightweight that they tear before they reach the desired stage of "distress". HTH..................P

 

[MazdaUK]

I wondered about chalk coming off! Thanks everyone

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

once the Cat's Eye ink dries it won't rub off like regular chalk does.
I love love love cat's eye!! Let me know if you need me to pick some up for you before I ship the pizza boxes to you.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

I could probably include some in the swap I send back to you. Hopefully Hobby Lobby will have a sale before than so I can get more bang for the buck so to speak.

 

[Pixieshouse]

I also had a pink page that was to pink. I have a little stipple brush that looks like the kind of brush men use for shaving (the old kind). I tapped that into brown ink, I think it was the fluid chalk and then swirled it on my page. It helped to bring the brightness down and the page looks wonderful! I even used a bit on my flowers to bring their color down. I will see if I have a photo of it.

 

[jaycat]

As a fixident for ant type of chalk you can use hairspray, if you do not want to spend 4 - 5 dollars a can on "Fix It".

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I also had a pink page that was to pink. I have a little stipple brush that looks like the kind of brush men use for shaving (the old kind). I tapped that into brown ink, I think it was the fluid chalk and then swirled it on my page. It helped to bring the brightness down and the page looks wonderful! I even used a bit on my flowers to bring their color down. I will see if I have a photo of it.

That sounds cool. DH has 3 shaving brushes (don't ask, LOL) I'm sure he can spare one!

 

[MazdaUK]

Thanks everyone! I've got some thick kid's paintbrushes (the brushes are thick not the kids ) which would probably work. B&MB and AWM, thanks so much for the offers!
Will there be room in the pizza boxes for anything else though B&MB?

If you can let me know the cost (and if you think it will add to the postage) AWM then I can include the extra $ when I send back the boy/girl swap.

Ooooh! I'm going to make COOOOOOOL pages

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Thanks everyone! I've got some thick kid's paintbrushes (the brushes are thick not the kids ) which would probably work. B&MB and AWM, thanks so much for the offers!
Will there be room in the pizza boxes for anything else though B&MB?

If you can let me know the cost (and if you think it will add to the postage) AWM then I can include the extra $ when I send back the boy/girl swap.

Ooooh! I'm going to make COOOOOOOL pages

Don't worry I'll make it fit!! You haven't seen how I got the embellishment box jam packed!!

 

[Mickey4me!]

Besides inks, chalks, charcoal pencils etc. you can also use tea and coffee to age paper in a couple of different ways -

Brew up a strong batch of tea. Use a make up sponge or foam applicator to dab it all over the paper/page/embellishment. Let it sit for several min. then mop off the excess.

One of my favorite techniques is to crumple up a piece of neutral or light color cardstock then immerse it in the tea/coffee. The longer it sits, the darker the stain. After you take it out, carefully spread the sheet out, cover with paper towels and place under a heavy stack of books to dry flat. You can also iron the paper which will set the stain as well as smooth it out. The stain will be darker on the creases where it was crumpled.

If you just want to darken the edges of a piece, take a fresh, wet tea bag and rub it on the edges. If you lightly sand the edges of the paper first, the tea soaks in better.

I love distressing paper because you can't really screw it up. Just play around with it and have fun!

 

[maria34a]

Mazda,
Ranger also has distressing ink, which is great, you can find it on several web sites, or if you want, I can send you some. I like to crumple my paper and put the ink on it and you get the desired effect of the teabag type of distressing without getting the paper wet. I use a stipple brush or cotton balls or q-tips whichever I want to give me the desired effect I want. Let me know what you want to do.
Tks
Maria

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Mazda,
Ranger also has distressing ink, which is great, you can find it on several web sites, or if you want, I can send you some. I like to crumple my paper and put the ink on it and you get the desired effect of the teabag type of distressing without getting the paper wet. I use a stipple brush or cotton balls or q-tips whichever I want to give me the desired effect I want. Let me know what you want to do.
Tks
Maria

speaking of stipple brushes, a men's shaving brush works well too.