Steps to Making an Alcohol Ink Christmas Ornament

Alcohol Ink

Christmas Ornaments with Glitter Inside

Supplies:

Alcohol Ink-Tim Holtz Adirondak
Rubbing Alcohol (I like 91% because it dries faster) There is a "Blending" solution that you can purchase but is pricey and I have not noticed a difference between it and rubbing alcohol. I also like a little cup and/or spray bottle for rubbing alcohol for different effects.
Plastic Blending Tray-I use my devil egg holders cause I never make devil eggs.  They also sell really cheap plastic trays for this.
Paint Brush (small, cheap)
Paper Towels
Clear Glass Christmas Ornaments
Tacky Glue (Spray)
Fine Glitter (may also use regular glitter) I now have a litttle funnel which has been handy.
Spray Sealant such as Clear Engine Enamel.
Cotton swabs
Heat Wand or Blow Dryer and/or Straw
Parchment Paper
Vinyl Gloves and Protective Barrier for your work surface. Walmart sells very cheap plastic table clothes with a fuzzy back for around $5. I bought a yoga mat on sale for $6 that covers my counter exactly.
Place to dry ornaments.I happened to have some skewer sticks and they have come in handy for drying pieces in a vase. You could put the ornaments on parchement paper or a metal rack.

Work Area:

Protect your work area!!! Alcohol Ink will come off most non porous surfaces with rubbing alcohol.  I have even used acetone fingernail polish remover in a pinch. However, it did not come off my jeans and I doubt it will come off carpet or curtains. Unless, of coarse, you like that look. :}}

Steps:

1. Take off the tops of the ornaments and spray some tacky glue inside the small opening being sure that you include enough so that it pools and coats all of the sides. Shaking the ornament like you are getting an old fashioned glass thermometer to zero helps move the glue. Poor out the extra into the next ornament as too much left behind may cause the glitter to clump and fall off the sides.

-the problem with not getting enough glue in the first place is...you realize it when your glitter is not covering your sides and then it is too late.
-if you have a hard to cover spot, I have found that a cotton swab can help reach
-I use a small square of parchment paper to cover the hole with my finger while I shake the ornament/a vinyl glove tends to stick to the top and eveything else
-any extra glue can be poored into the next ornament
-I have found that if you allow the glue to dry too much it is not as effective in attatching the glitter (Like when I was trying to do and assembly line of ornaments...)
-be careful becase there can be tiny glass shards in the opening that can cut your finger

2. Pour in way more glitter than you think you need. Approximaelky 2-3 Tablespoons. They do make little funnels that are really cheap that help with this. Again, use your same little square of parchment paper, cover the top with it under your finger, and give the ornament a good shake. All of the sides should be coated. Poor out the excess and save for your next ornament.

3. Choose your ink colors and start to drip them on the ornament. I use several different techniques. I recommend wearing gloves to assure your cuticles are not colored when you go out in public. It did get me quite a bit of attention at work......Holding the ornament can be a challenge. I have found it useful to insert a round spoon handle or long pencil in the opening so that I can grip the end and still give support to the ornament when manipulating it.
-Drip, rotate, blow with straw
-Drip, heat wand, layer colors
-Coat with rubbing alcohol solution, add several inks
-use the paint brush to remove color and add color

-The great thing about al ink is that if you don't like what you have--just wipe down with rubbing alcohol and start fresh. I do this if all the sudden my color combos are creating...brown.
-I keep adding ink, drying it with a heat wand (a hair blow dryer will work as well), and wetting my paint brush with alcohol to remove any black or dark spots I do not like. Sometimes the brush is wet and sometimes barely wet so I do not disturb the color pattern.
-Adding colors together will get you different effects. Wild plum (a magenta color) and Blue will make a dark purple. Dripping red onto it will lighten up the area. I use tiny drips as well as a line around the ornament of ink.
-Keep adding and experimenting. Eventually you will get something you will like. Below, I used a straw to gently form a pattern.

4. Once the inks are dry, you can seal them with a glossy spray. I use Engine
Enamel while other people have used Krylon Crystal Clear top coat or Glossy Modge Podge.
Some people wait for them to dry for 7 days before putting on sealer. It has been my experience that 2 hours or 7 days did not matter. What did matter is the distance that you spay from, the amount that you spray, and humidity of the day.
-spray from 10 inches away two light coats 10 minutes apart on a low humidity day with plently of ventilation.
-Spray the last coat an hour after the first two with a just a little more.
-I have had trouble controlling myself with the amount of spay and the closeness.......if you also have this trouble you will find that it looks great for a few seconds and then the sealant will start to interact with your alcohol ink making the colors run together more than you want and turning some colors black. :{ 

5. When spraying the ornament I have found it useful to hold it on a rounded spoon handle and allow to dry in a vase.  I have also used a metal rack with parchement paper under and it seems it does not stick or mar the finish.

6. Some people have also inked the metal caps to coordinate with their project.








I have also used paint inside the ornaments to give a different effect. I have found that the paint on the inside takes FOREVER (more than two weeks to dry). Probably because I used pearl acrylic paint and a metalic washable paint I saw in a big bottle. I did try to do it with a blast of air that you get out of a computer duster can...which helped the dry time but seemed like a waste of money. Some people have painted the outside and some have used special paint that can be baked.

In any event, I did not mind the slow drying time cause you could still paint them on the outside and then put on the lid.
 Here is a couple of pictures of the painted ones before alcohol ink.

These had paint inside instead of glitter. The heat has gold and the round one had the pearl acrylic in the interior.

 

 

 

Let me know how it goes for you! If you would like to see more examples visit my Pinterest site or Etsy site.