Custom-built Ink pads

Custom-built Ink pads

Happy Sunday!
Thanks for popping in.
If you’re reading this in the morning, 
I’m probably hopping about like a loony in the studio, getting ready for the TV show at 9am. 
If you’re reading this in the afternoon, 
I’m probably fast asleep in the car on the way home, or on the sofa!
Either way, the show must go on –
as must Sunday’s blog !
Sometimes, I am so busy running the business (and jet setting!)   that I miss really cool techniques and tricks.
Thank heavens for good friends, who fill me in, so to speak, and keep me in the loop!
Like lovely Maria Simms. She was doing this in France, and I was intrigued, so she gave me a demo. Very impressed I was! And I can see massive potential here, so…
As soon as I got back to the UK, I had a load of Distress Re-inkers flown in! In fact, I ordered the lot! Every colour!
And a load of the Stamp Pad felt, too!
So I just want to show you what Maria showed me.
You know how usually, when you ink up a stamp, you just get the one colour? Now those of you who have known me a while will remember how much I loved the Big n Juicy rainbow pads – until they were discontinued, that is! In fact, before that, they had Rainbow Adirondacks, and discontinued them, too! Why do companies do that? If you knew how hard we tried to set up our own Rainbow pad production line! We were blocked at every turn, so in the end, we concluded that ‘twas not to be.
Well, here is a super way to make your own rainbow pads, if you like, and even mould them to fit a particular stamp, too!
Here’s what you need:
Find a stamp you like. Here are our 2 gerbera.
If you buy the large one, 
we will give you the little one as a gift.
So stamp the flowers onto the felt side of the pad, using Black Archival. i.e. a permanent ink pad.
Cut up the felt with a ruler with a steel edge and a craft knife.
Keep it tight. Waste not want not!
Then pick which colours you want to use, 
and start colouring in the image with the pipette from the bottles. 
The ink soaks in and spreads, so you only need a few drops of each,
If you leave gaps in between the colours like this, 
they will either spread and join up after a little while, 
or you can add a lighter colour in the gaps.
Your ink pad is ready to rock n roll!
The stamp will fit exactly.
The Gerbera is quite samey all the way round, 
so I made a mark with a pen on the pad; 
that way I knew exactly where the middle of the top was each time. 
If this was our Trojan horse, this wouldn’t be necessary. 
You would clearly be able to see 
where the head and the hooves are!
(Bet that stamp would look fabulous laced with colour like this….)
1st generation and second generation ink.
or in Barbara-speak: ink, blot, plot!
You can go back again and again and again;
the ink pad lasts and lasts!

So here I just kept going, 
until both the background tag and Theuvacard 
were completely full.
Then I thought, how about another stamp? Let’s see…
So out came the Alliums.

Inked up the stem, too. Bingo. 
It’s like having our lovely rainbow pads back, but even better, because you control which colours and where the colour is!

Could play all day, but I really must dash.

Beautiful colourful lineart,
Piece of cake.
And when you’ve had enough, pop them in a poly bag, 
ready for next time. 
Now to the re-inkers:
you can can them individually of course.
Or you can buy the whole collection! 
All 48 bottles at a super price.

To see the set, and the individual bottles, 
click here

much love,

51 thoughts on “Custom-built Ink pads

  1. Ooh am liking this Barb! Am ready and waiting for today's show… Have a great show and a restful journey home …. Our Maria is clever !

  2. Maria showed us this technique in class, in fact she made me a beautiful birthday card using this technique and stamp. Yes she is very clever and creative. However I needed to reink my stamp and have been searching for mustard seed and fired brick distress inks…my search is over 🙂 So pleased to see you now stock the felt pads too as now I can go wild with my stamps.
    Looking forward to the show today. Will put in an order for those horses. Best get up now so I'm ready to rock 'n' roll at 9 (and to put in an early order in case those horses turn into pegusus and fly out the door.)
    Love Jeanette x

  3. I like this too remember you doing similar to make pansys. Need felt cut and dry. We had a lovely day with Sazz and dylusion inks and shaving fun that was fun two will live playing doing this too All ready for show my weekend will be complete have safe trip home and a lovely blessed day x

  4. Morning Barbara. Waiting for show to start. Aren't those felt pads so handy and I must say that even though I do have a collection of Rainbow Ink Pads I do use the felt to make up my own also to apply glue to my projects. Have a great show. x

  5. Hello Barb, what a fabulous idea, love it. Need to take a good look at the re-inkers. Looking forward to the show today. Have a great day. Bx

  6. What a fantastic idea, well done Maria. I loved the big and juicy too, still have one or two. Looking forward to 9 am. Good luck Barbs, have a great show. Joan x

  7. Love it!!!! Such a good idea, and what a new world it opens. So many options of colours. Thanks to you for sharing it and to Maria to give you a demo. xx

  8. Great results with this technique, definitely a must try. I'll be at Doncaster next week so will treat myself to a few of my favourite colours to have a go x

  9. A great technique Barbara thank you for sharing. I still have my big and juicy pads they are great and seem to last forever – probably why they stopped making them! Have a great show and I hope Dave is driving you home so you can sleep!!! Love Diane xxx

  10. Wow what a great technique. I've resorted to using marker pens to ink a stamp in different colours, though this is much better as you have the colours to go back to. Thanks to you and Maria. Have a lovely day, good luck with the show. xx

  11. Good morning Barbara! Nearly TV time. It's going to be a great show I think!
    Maria did this technique with us in her workshop and it really is so effective! And as you say you can control where the colour goes. I still have the set of big and Juicy stamp pads which I occasionally give an airings! I also have a rainbow adirondack which I bought from you back in the day! It's still going strong!!!!
    So glad you have the reinkers now though. Love and hugs! X

  12. Hi Barb,
    What a fabulous idea! I have my big and juicy pads still although my sunset one is a bit of a mess as somehow I stored it at an angle and the colours have run! Makes for interesting stamping though! Have a great show, will order directly from you though! Love Alison xx

  13. this looks fabulous barbara – I think i saw something like this on creative chemistry 1 – but its brilliant to see it again – wonderful xx

  14. Good morning Barb,
    I'm watching you, watching Martyn as he's had a few near misses this morning, but there is still time for a dropsy!! lol. My Lord, I'm going to have to re-mortgage the house as you have some wonderful things on the show. Do you know I've had the Gerbera stamps for years and only ever used the small one. I'll get some cut'n'dry felt and have a go because it's a great effect. Enjoy show today and safe home xx

  15. Only last Thurs a friend and I were talking about the Big n Juicy pads and that you had said on telly that you were planning on bringing out the Clarity version. We wondered why we had heard no more about it and now we know! Great idea with the foam pads, each a unique blend of colours. Recording the shows – will watch later. Pat x

  16. Good morning Barbara, thank you so much for the great tutorial on the Stamp Pad Felt, I would never have thought to use this product without your guidance. What a clever product it is and allows us such versatility in our stamping.
    I'm watching you on tv as I type and the great demo's and samples have sent my mind into over drive, I just wish I didn't have to go to work as I need the time to play and try some of the techniques out myself! – many thanks for all the great inspiration! x

  17. Just when you think that there can't be any more new techniques you bring us another one. Absolutely amazing. So simple but very effective. I loved the rainbow pads of the past and I am so glad that there is a way to make the same effect.
    Missing you on TV today as sky box is not working. 🙁

  18. Brilliant to be able to sit here and read your blog, while watching you on Telly! I would absolutely love a complete set of the reinkers, your idea of making your own multicolour ones is inspiring, so I'll try out a kind of one of my own in the absence of enough cash to buy the set, Thank you for sharing your idea.

  19. Fantastic another brilliant idea Barbara. I still have 4 big and juicys and never knew why they had taken them off the market. Maybe they were not selling enough of the small ink pads and the re-fills!! But we crafters can always trump them – well done.

  20. This is a lovely technique Barbara, and I can see the worth of making one to keep in a bag to keep using. The other way of course for a one off go would be to paint the different colours on to the stamp with distress markers if you have some, but unfortunately I don't have either of these. I have just been watching you on C & C and enjoyed every minute as you always show new and wonderful ways of using your gorgeous stamps and stencils. x

  21. Hi Barbara. Thank you for sharing a way of making our own rainbow pads. I love the effects and now can make them to suit, brilliant work Maria : ) I couldn't watch the show but have recorded it to watch while I do the ironing. I hope it went well for you, and that you have a ood sleep on your way home. Take care.

  22. Super technique haven't watch the show yet received my gold club stencil and stamp ect yesterday looking forward to a good read xxx

  23. Great shows this morning. This idea with the re-inkers is great and the ink seems to go on for ages. I had a super surprise yesterday when the postman came, the monthly newsletter, stamp and my first stencil in the club! What a great stencil it is too, I will be using it for my Dads birthday card later in the month.

  24. What a great technique. This proves the point that you can always learn new stuff even when you think you have seen every thing under the sun. Loved the show today especially the horse and plough.

  25. Enjoyed the 'telly' programme this a.m. I think that I would really enjoy getting seriously messy with the ink pads. Kitchen table here I come! (The Kitchen table has been seriously painted with clear polyurethane since the 'the girls' were born,(1971), it will resist any sticky runny mess).

  26. Hi Barb,
    Forgot to say this morning that I received my NDC stamp and the first stencil – both are absolutely fabulous. Going to have a serious play tomorrow if weather not too good. Loved the newsletter especially the bit about the visa – I howled with laughter! Brilliant shows today and say a huge thank you to the Design Team the samples were superb. Congrats to the lucky winner of the art work – sorry can't remember the name. Thanks for everything love Alison xx

  27. What a great idea – I still have a couple of the big n juicy pads, which I love using. Haven't yet had a chance to watch your shows, but I can't wait to get to them! Thanks, Susan x

  28. I have to say I think this is a brilliant idea!!, I cannot manage the reinkers so will have to start small. Please could you consider doing the club in installments… I would love to join in with clarity and learn some of your great techniques with both stamps and stencils

  29. Wow that is brilliant. Another great idea I would like to try. Not sure I can manage the whole set but think one or two might slip in my basket . Wonderful show this morning. I treated myself to flower stencil and stamps think they will have a lot of use but would like lots more items. xxx

  30. What a great idea! I think those inks will be something I have to gradually build up to over time. Gutted I forgot to set the recorder yesterday, for this morning's show. Although I have seen that I can watch it on the iPad via the C&C app, so all is not lost. 🙂 Plus we had a brilliant weekend catching up with family to celebrate our son's 4th birthday! Loving the new stamps and stencils. x

  31. this is a nifty technique. methinks i need the reinkers now. fab show today. working with Martyn is good as you managed to get quite a no. of demos in xx

  32. Hi Barbara.
    I am a day behind as I was at work yesterday morning. Great idea even if you don't do the rainbow effect ( I still have 2 rainbow inkpads. Not as juicey as they were ). A much Cheeper way to having many inkpads. And as you say you can control were you have the ink clever Maria. Great show I watched it last night on the catch up bit on my phone (forgot to record it)
    Now to read today's blog as not at work till later.
    Debra xx

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