I was trying another project from Texture Effects, by Nancy Curry. This time around it was the “Varigation” project. You begin this project by making your own inkpad using Cut n’ Dry foam, Clear Resist ink and an assortment of dye inks. Using this pad you stamp an image onto glossy cardstock, go over it with more dye ink and then overstamp it with dye and metallic inks. As with the other projects in the book, Nancy has provided a beautiful sample to inspire you as well as step by step instructions with photos. So far, so good….

I really tried to stick with Nancy’s plan but I just wasn’t feeling it. I tried cropping my first piece in an effort to find some love for it but all that got me was a pile of small pieces for my trash bin.

I did better on my second try. I still wasn’t 100% happy but I did a little more overstamping and while that ink was still wet I dragged a sponge through it and gave the whole piece a rainy, blurry look. I was starting to feel it at this point.

My next piece is where I really started to have fun. Rather than using the Cut n’ Dry as the pad, I used it as the stamp and did a little DTP. Before this had a chance to dry I smeared it with a sponge, then followed up by sponging on some more dye ink and finally overstamping.

On this final piece I dragged the inked Cut n’ Dry across the cardstock for a colorful background, then stamped a black image on it. It was a good way to use up some of the ink left in the pad. Later I’ll mist the pad with water and see how much more play is still in it.