Dredging up the past..... Versamark

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Shopkeeper Gal said that a handful of people wanted some technique based workshops showing how to use some basic commodities.  Turned out to be not many people, but hey, I have cards to show, so that's a bonus!  These cards were all about proving the Versatility of the Versamark. (Geddit?)  So the first card shows the famous watermark impression that the pad was developed for. You'll have to take my word for it that the text was stamped in Versamark and embossed with the purple powder..!

The Versamark ink pad is a gift for trouble.  It's easy to use a dirty stamp on it...that's it contaminated.  It's easy to forget that you need a permanent and dry ink surface on which to swipe the ink pad if you're going to emboss a big area...and that's it contaminated.  It's very, very easy to use what you think is a clean stamp on it..I swear, it's a disguised stamp cleaner....but these are worth the worry, it's a wonderful, controllable stamping tool.  

I don't have any, but this card is crying out for some of those metal bits that are all over the TH style cards...i will remedy my lacking stash.  One day!  This image is stamped on a distress stain blended background and then embossed all over using the Versamark as the embossing ink.  Simple.  Again, you can't tell....and let me tell you...you need clean clear embossing powder.

Clear embossing powder - well, you dip wet inked card into it...and tap off the excess...that drops micro granules of coloured powder back into it.  You're all about making the most of your stuff, so spillages get swept back into the pot wherever possible...enter loads of spots of paper dust, chads, etc. So you weren't expecting to emboss, so the excess powder has gone all over the scrap you're protecting the desk with..enter more dust and dirty bits.  Before you know it...your clear powder is speckled with dirty bits.  I have two pots in operation.  One is utterly pristine, for all over embossing and for use with pale inks where the specks and so forth would really show up. If I use this, I am disciplined enough to capture excess properly and return only clean powder.  I know, you don't expect this of me.  I have my moments! The other pot full is used for embossing dark colours and black in particular and is just fine for that..and is most regularly used.  

But, if you've got a filthied up but still useable Versamark ink pad, don't discard it... get your chalks out! Because it's a pigment ink, the glycerine makes it slow drying which means it's not just a glue for embossing powder.  I stamped the smaller houses in Versamark and lightly sponged red chalk over them.  The bigger house was embossed with pearly black powder, and the Versamark swiped over it, then chalk sponged heavily onto it....same with the stencilled bit at the left top.  


Was that an ode to the Versamark?  I think it was.  And do you know, I feel like I've been talking about something from the 70's!  Still, it all goes around and comes around in this world doesn't it...I mean, look at the re-discovery of honeycomb paper!


Have a lovely weekend.