Using Your Smooch: Part 2

Utilizing free-form dots around images like the Irish monks did may not be for everyone, but a second use of Smooch definitely is. Using the Smooch applicator to embellish or highlight parts of a stamped image is easier because you have a guide. You just cover the parts of an image you want to highlight.

Here are two different examples of this much easier technique.

First up, this abstract flower was made with one of the leaves from Papertrey's Mighty Oak set. It's stamped in Memento teal ink and then embellished with lime Smooch.

The close-up picture brings up two very important points. 1) Smooch ink is opaque, so when used at full strength, it provides very dense color coverage. That allows you to cover up an underlying color completely. 2) Smooch is water-based, meaning that if you don't use a waterproof or at least water-resistant ink, it will make the ink bleed unattractively. Memento is waterproof enough to tolerate this technique, but if you've stamped with a non-waterproof dye ink like SU's classic inks, you might make a mess. Just sayin'.

Don't you love how the lime makes the teal petals so much more interesting!?!

Next up, we have a card that lets the Smooch take center stage. I stamped the polka dot border in Memento sky blue, which is a VERY light blue. Then, I covered all the dots with a rainbow of Smooch colors. The dots are irregular, but I love how that irregularity adds some whimsy and sense of movement to the otherwise very static design.

Substitution Tips: If you like this look but don't have Smooch, the best product I know of to substitute is Sakura Stardust pens. The colors are opaque and perhaps a bit more shimmery than the Smooch, the roller-ball pens are easy to handle, and you can purchase several colors for very little money. The clear Sakura Stardust pens (my personal favorite) are not opaque, so whatever color you stamp gets a make-over with a silvery, glittery sheen.

You could also use an opaque paint like gouache or acrylics and a small brush, but that would take practice and skill with a brush to pull off neatly.

Supplies
stamps: Papertrey Mighty Oak, Polka Dot Basics, Birthday Basics; Gina K thinking of you
ink: Memento
paper: Papertrey Ink
accessories: rhinestone, Sharpie marker (to color the rhinestone), dimensionals, corner rounder, Smooch