Eggshells and Alcohol Ink

Yesterday I played around with a technique I had read about in a magazine, where you used eggshell and alcohol ink (mine is Tim Holtz) to create a background.  I went on-line and the only thing I could find easily was all about using this technique to make jewellery. It looks similar so I started with some JAC paper (a mistake as it turned out - more about that later) and some egg shells I had collected several weeks ago and prepared by removing the membrane inside them and soaking them in boiling water (some sites say bleach). I let them dry off and stored them in an airtight container until I needed them.  I cut off a rectangle of JAC paper and attempted to place the eggshell onto this - interesting. Eggshell by its nature is curved and my surface is flat - as you push the shell to the surface it breaks and scatters - but eventually I got enough to cover the surface to my satisfaction.  I shook off the smaller broken bits and began to apply the alcohol inks - initially using a sponge and an inkpad, then dropping ink and sponging to get coverage. 

The backing paper did not soak the ink up so while it soaked nicely into the shell it didn't soak nicely between the cracks.  It was at this stage that I realised that I should have used another backing paper or have removed the JAC and stuck it to something else. I think I would use adhesive on card next time and let it dry before adding the inks.  Anyway, I then covered the inked shell with Magic Dimension (SU's is called Crystal Effects) and put it aside on a flat surface to dry.  Should have known - as it dried it curled! So I peeled it off the JAC to stick it onto card and it cracked into three! I carefully put the pieces together and used my Copic pen to go around the edges after tidying it up with scissors. It looked amazing.  Then Mistake Number Two happened next!

I thought I would stamp it with blue Stayz On with an old sentiment from SU but it didn't do anything much, and didn't stamp properly on the right hand side.  You can see it just under the butterfly. So it had to be covered up without covering up the work with the shells and ink! 

I added the diecut butterflies - die cut from SU Pacific Point - after I had mounted the piece onto  a piece of background paper taken from Raspberry Road Designs Luxury Paper Collection free with a Cardmaking and Papercaft magazine this year. 

I stamped the sentiment this time with Momento ink - Paris Dusk - onto the DP and again wa disappointed with it - if I do this again, I will use a strong black or emboss it. I added some bling to the butterflies and mounted it all onto a piece of folded Pacific Blue card, and used a piece of the Raspberry Road paper for the inside as well. 

I will enter this in the following challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge: Flowers, which are on my DP (cheeky, I know)

Hiding in My Craft Room: Die Cuts

The Cupboard Trilogy: Things with Wings