Walnut Ink Crystals Mix with water to create paint or ink pad dye or use with a spray bottle to spritz onto matte paper for aged backgrounds. See below for information on how the tag to the left was created. Adding items to the cart will not automatcially take you to the shopping cart. Click the "View Cart" button if you wish to verify the items in your cart.

Walnut Ink Crystals packaged by Blockheads These ink crystals in a 1 oz plastic jar just may be enough to last a life time. Add to Cart $6.49

JudiKins Extra Fine Mist Spritzer There are other misting bottles in craft stores but this is the only one I've used that is consistent and doesn't release large drops when you're not expecting it. Add to Cart $1.25

click here for pre-mixed tinted walnut inks

This tag duo was created using three different walnut ink techniques. The larger tag started as a stark white die cut tag. By diluting about 1 teaspoon of walnut ink into a JudiKins Spritzer full of warm water a spritz wash was created. The large tag was spritzed several times until the color was the desired darkness. Using a much stronger solution the letters were drawn using a calligraphy nib. This is a nib that needs to be dipped into ink for each letter. They're fairly inexpensive compared to calligraphy pens with reservoirs. Other strengths were used to paint the background of the smaller tag, paint squares on the tag for decoration and draw around the squares using the calligraphy nib. The border was also drawn with the calligraphy nib. These images were not stamped using walnut ink, but you can stamp with walnut ink for a great look. You can brush on a dark solution with a paint brush taking care to make sure the surface of the stamp is still all wet when you stamp but you haven't left large pools of ink between the image lines.

* The material behind the window frame in the large tag is a thin piece of mica.

TIPS FROM THE LEAVE MEMORIES DESIGN TEAM
Walnut ink is one of my favorite techniques. There are so many things you can do with it! First off you should know that it comes two ways; crystals (which I prefer) and a liquid. Either way you will have to add some warm/hot water to it to dilute it and get the coloring you desire. To start, when using the crystals, use about 1 teaspoon of crystals to about 1/2 cup of hot/warm water. You can add more water to lighten the ink up as desired. Test the ink on a piece of scrap paper before you begin to make sure you are happy with the coloring. You should let the ink sit for about 15 minutes or so until the crystals are completely dissolved. Now you are ready to play!

• Take a tag, cardstock, border strip, whatever and put into a sealed plastic bag. Add walnut ink. If desired, crinkled cardstock before placing in walnut ink. Place piece on a paper towel and pat dry. To speed the dry time and straighten out your piece use a hot iron.
• Use a spray bottle to "spritz" walnut ink onto your piece.
• Use a paintbrush to paint the ink on your piece.
• Use a stamp and clear embossing powder. Brush walnut ink over the image. You will get a fun resist effect.
• You can write with walnut ink. Dip a nib pen into the ink and write on your cardstock/patterned paper. You can also use a water brush filled with the ink.
• Use a spritz bottle and spritz the ink around the edges of your piece.
• Sprinkle some salt around the edges to produce a fun look. Use small pieces of sea sponges or regular sponges dipped in the ink and then "sponge" onto your cardstock or patterned paper.
• Sand a piece of patterned paper or light colored cardstock that you would like to tone down a bit. Once sanded, apply walnut ink for a faded look.
• This is also great for aging and distressing papers. Apply drops of the ink onto a piece that has been dipped into the ink already and dry. This will produce some fun water looking type spots. You can do this on a piece that does not have the ink on it as well. You can also play around with the concentration of the ink to produce lighter and/or darker spots.
• Fold up or crinkle a piece of cardstock/patterned paper and apply the ink with a brush (water brush works great!) just inside the creases/folds. There are really so many different things you can do with walnut ink but the most important thing is to just have fun!

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Hugs! Wendy Malichio.

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Click the "View Cart" button if you wish to verify the items in your cart.