Monday 8 August 2011

Getting my Grunge On


I'm not fiercely good at this whole untidy, inky, grungy thing.  I think that's why I resist...it sort of spells loads of time inking and blah, and not a lot of productive time.  But like most things I start out resisting, I'm a weak willed woman and I've slowly slowly started trying various techniques and products.  Now mostly, these products have been of Holtz extraction.  My initial resistance was, as many will already know, the seven shades of wee wee that the grungy look required.  So of course then all the Distress Inks in real colours arrived and since then I've been a dabblin'.  However, until recently, I haven't bought or played with grunge paper.  I know.  Loads of you use it so effectively and wax lyrical about it.  Well, so far, I'm surprised to say that I like it.  I haven't made and monumental discoveries of course - that's your job - I'm the follower here.  I haven't made any flowers or exercised it's 3d properties yet.  But I have inked a couple of pieces to death, stamped on it, embossed it and die cut it...my word it stands a beating.  Jennie said in passing how well it responds to the Distress Stains - she's never wrong of course, what she doesn't know about this stuff isn't worth knowing.  But she's right!  It works gorgeously.  Is that a word?  I cynically expected it to mop up and use more ink than I wanted it to, just so I had to rush out to buy more. But it didn't.  Or doesn't seem too.  So, instead, I need to buy every bright colour of Distress Stain to fully explore my grunge-ability. Here's a call to the producers... lots and lots more grunge paper pre-die cut in nice shapes please.  Then I don't have to buy 5 intimidating large plain grey sheets.  That's a bit of a beef for me - large amount..because at the price, I'm being a bit mean with it.  No doubt I'll get over it.  Meanwhile...I have fingernails that will not do for hand modelling work. Oh and why haven't I shown you all my grungey but bright works?  Posted 'em without thinking of the photo requirement.  Don't worry, there'll be plenty more to bore you  with.

18 comments:

Sarah said...

Great post Julia and totally get your drift... Glad you have dared to play and tip-toe onto new ground. And as long as you do it your way all is well. I resisted for a long time too with all things GrungyTimified - I have a severe abhorrence to hype even if something or someone is very good (eg. have never watched Titanic for said reason!). which is my mistake because it is the value of a personal discovery and experience that is precious even if the world and his wife have been raving Hallelujah for yonks... And on saying that I have just blogged a Grunge wrist cuff which is full on Timtown expressed in a few of the darker wees - and yet I love it to bits. I really hope you have fun and by the way there is a 96 piece die-cut Grungeboard set available. Apart from the skulls it's doeable...!

Simple homemade living said...

The snip bit of card looks very interesting Julia. I have a play with the distress inks - as in I ink the edges of card stock lol but thats about as far as I have got. I too find it all a bit intimidating. I need clean and prescise!!

Laura x

Gabrielle said...

Hey! Great grunging!!! I love grungeboard - so versatile and as you have discovered great at being inked! Don't forget you can use it as a mask if you cut a shape out the rest you'd throw away is a perfect mask! Whatcha gonna make next?!

Esther said...

LOL - welcome to the grunge side of life. :)

Helen said...

I knew we'd convert you eventually! It's great die-cut too.... just sayin'!
Thanks for your words of support.

Sunshine Girl said...

Sounds like a new addiction to me! have fun - love the tag.

Dragon said...

There are loads of letters and numbers etc all ready die cut for you, and they are also embossed in swirls and such... check them out now you are getting into the grunge... I love this piece anyway , so enjoy
Frankie
xx

Di said...

Oh Jules - I'm hooting with laughter here! Seven shades of wee wee is such a perfect analogy (my second 'big word' of the day)! Love what you've done - I've got a whole box full of TH stuff and every time I open it I have the vapours and back off :( Time to bite the bullet and hang onto your coat tails I think :) Di xx

Angie said...

When I did my sort of sort out, I found a sheet of grunge paper ...not sure where it came from ...probably DD or DIL as the pack says 3 sheets but there is only one ...its still waiting for me to work out what I should do with it ...so, see you are not the only person who had not used it....I'm definately not craft trendy lol

Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...

Woop Woop welcome to the world of grunge LOL. Love your piece and as long as you do it your way that's what counts oh and that you enjoy the journey along the way. Tracy x x

Liverpool Lou (Anne) said...

Hi Julia, glad you're enjoying your foray into the world of grunge ;-) Love the little peek we have here. You're ahead of me with the distress stains; I have yet to get some, but they are defo on my list of musthaves! I equally love the brightly coloured card below.
Anne xx

Anonymous said...

I agree with you Julia! What I discovered, was to use acrylic paint to paint over the ugly gray. THEN, you can use distress inks on top of the acrylic paint when it is dry. Much more effective for me anyway, and you won't end up with seven shades of wee wee (LOL). Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and leaving you funny comment!
I really should get back to WOYWW, but summer has taken up a lot of my art time, let alone blog time. :-)

misteejay said...

Yeh!!! Mrs Dunnit is getting down with the grunge.

On the finger front - Head & Shoulders works wonders at getting the stain/ink off the fingers (dread to think what this means it is doing to the hair LOL)

Toni xx

Kim said...

From a Grungy-ness addict (and Tim Holtz Deciple!seems I'm no longer happy if I have any clean white areas on a project!) Congrats on getting your feet wet! And, I love the beads on the pin! That was a "duh" moment for me...very nice!

Twiglet said...

Grunge your finger ends into a half of a lemon - it is a mild bleach - well it certainly removes billberry black stains from my nails anyway!!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

You probably won't believe this, but TWO years ago, my friend Kathy bought me a whole big package of that grunge paper. I have never taken it out of the package. It's still factory sealed. All I ever saw were those roses I detest because EVERYONE seems to be making and using them. Now maybe I'll follow you and your examples and make a few things, since there seems to be more to these grungy papers than just roses.

JoZart Designs said...

I really enjoyed sharing your journey into the world of grunge. Glad you are getting to like it and your love will develop as you play more. Me? I'm just addicted to the smell of it... it evokes memories of old cobbler shops ... I sniff it... sad I know.
Love joZarty x

Jennie -The Artistic Stamper said...

oh I was mentioned in dispatches, and I wrote a reply, and then blogger decided that I couldn't write a comment.. frustration has set in, and it si late! lol...have you tried embossing the grungepaper.. works a treat, and oh yes am loving the new coours of distress stains :))))
xxx