Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
I was kind of curious if anyone has tried putting bleach in pens that are similar to our new Aqua Pens. Does it wreck the pen? Do you dilute it?
I'm a little bit intimidated by using bleach...but there are examples in the new catalog that appear to use bleach. How do you use bleach? Do you use papertowl and plastic plate and throw it away after you use it? Or do you have an uninked pad that you use?
Just curious as to the least messy way of doing this technique as it's something I would like to try.
My first thought upom hearing about the Aquapens was for the bleach!!
Currently I have a pad and instead of dipping the stamp onto the pad I use a cottonball (that I hold with a clothespin) and dab the cottonabll into the bleach, and then the stamp. It makes the bleach a bit less saturated on the stamp. I also have a thin paintbrush I dipped in Crystal Effects once, and it hardened. I now use it for dipping in bleach and painting areas.
I am definitely going to try the Aquapens-can't wait!
__________________ I want people to be afraid of how much they love me-M. Scott
I use my brush for bleaching! I think it is way easier than dipping. I just color it right on the stamp. I use the thicker bleach. You have way more control to get the whole image covered! You've GOT to try it!
Here is a link to a "how to" with water brushes...they have been around for a while. This is a PDF document so you with need the free adobe reader to access it. It comes from one of the original water brush manufacturers.
Thanks for sharing Ashley..... that is the same brush I use. I just fill it with the thick bleach, turn over my stamp so it is rubber side up and paint the bleach on.... then stamp! I love those brushes.... I'm thrilled SU! is going to carry them!
I have an older crayola marker that I soaked the pad in bleach for. It dries a little quick, but it works rather well... oh, and it was one of those that only work on the "special paper" so it was clear to begin with.
I have that aqua pen, too, and I fill it up with Future Floor Polish! I dip it into my pearl ex and it creates a really shiny appearance! I got the idea from someone a long time ago on another site and have been using it and it works great! Way better than just water plus it acts like a sealer! I am so excited that we will be carrying them!
I bought one of the Clorox bleach pens. I have only used it to bleach the inside of an embossed image and have not yet tried putting the bleach on the stamp and then stamping with it. I have an Aqua pen from Michael's, but I don't know what bleach would do to it. I have only used water.
I was really excited that the aqua pens were in the new catalog because I was going to use them for a stamp club project and would rather have people be able to buy the supplies they need from me. Then, I looked at the price--$17! They must be out of their minds! I realize that you get 2 pens, but the one I have was $6 and most people don't need 2. I can't see my customers spending $17 on that sort of thing. Oh, well. I'll probably still show the project because it uses other techniques too.
The bleach is called Clorox Ultra ADVANTAGE.... it is just thicker than normal bleach, but still liquid. It is right next to all the normal liquid bleach and just a few cents extra! I love it!!
I paid $17.00 for one brush! Of course we don't have a Micheals here. I would love to have two of them. I'd like to keep one for bleach, one for just water, and I'd love to have one for the other technique mentioned above with the floor wax. I keep the one I have with bleach in it.... just store it so the the brush side is up..... for far so good!
Hope you can find some of that bleach my canadian dork! :lol:
You know I love ya babe.... skw,
~C
The bleach is called Clorox Ultra ADVANTAGE.... it is just thicker than normal bleach, but still liquid. It is right next to all the normal liquid bleach and just a few cents extra! I love it!!
I paid $17.00 for one brush! Of course we don't have a Micheals here. I would love to have two of them. I'd like to keep one for bleach, one for just water, and I'd love to have one for the other technique mentioned above with the floor wax. I keep the one I have with bleach in it.... just store it so the the brush side is up..... for far so good!
Hope you can find some of that bleach my canadian dork! :lol:
You know I love ya babe.... skw,
~C
Thanks for posting about that Cambria. I was going to ask you some questions but I got so excited when I heard brown stop in front of my house!
O.K., now everyone is going to be able to tell how new I am cause I have no idea what an aqua pen is and why you would want to fill it with water or floor wax. Please explain for the newbie! Thanks Also, is there samples somewhere of all these ideas you talk about?
First of all welcome to this wonderful site. A place were you will spend lots of your time. LOL
The aqua pens are a new accessory in the SU catalog. They are a hollow pen with a brush tip. You can unscrew the top and add water or other things in the hollow part of the pen and then screw the top back on. It's a wonderful tool that makes watercoloring a breeze.
If you add future floor wax in it you can dip it into your Pearl Ex and color your image with it. You will not need to seal that, because Future floor wax does it for you. One thing.....designate one brush for the Future floor wax. It's hard to use it for something else after.
Is the Stampin' Up! Aquabrush worth the price or is there a cheaper version out there? I think with the bleach and floor wax ideas I am going to go through TONS of these brushes! So another question, How long can I expect these to last? How interchangable between colors are they?
Thanks
I have a more expensive brush that I bought at a scrapbook store. It was around $8. I also purchased some at Michael's. I much prefer the more expensive one. I seem to be able to control the water flow more.
How long does it take for Future Floor Wax to dry? Gee whiz, am I gonna have to go out and buy something else? I've been avoiding this one for awhile, but with the mention of it in the Aqua brushes/pens/whatever, I might not be able to avoid much longer.
__________________ Sharon Rogers
My Blog: www.stampwithsharonrogers.com Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching?
Yes, Cami, I know I'm a dork. Now I'm proud of it!
Thanks for the info. I doubt we have the brand way up here (selection? what is this thing you call a selection?!) but can look for it the next time I go to "Lower Canada", as we like to call it way up here...
And this is too funny, because I just got 2 water brushes (Niji, I think) from someone on Rubber Traders! They should be here any day now!! Woohoo! Can't wait to try 'em out!
__________________ ~Debbi~
Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending. ~Author Unknown
When you use the floor wax liquid, do you just rinse the brush part out with water or soap and water. And is it ok to leave the Future in the Aqua brush tube or do you need to keep emptying it after each use! I have ordered these and want to try the floor wax, since I was a fan of Radiant Pearls, and wasnt thrilled with P-Ex beacause you have to seal it and such!
Thanks!
Tandra
Wow, I can't believe that many of you paid $17 for one brush. I bought a pack of 3 for about $4 or maybe $6. My local stamp store had them. 3 different sizes. Love them.
I use bleach on a paper towel, then ink my stamp with Versamark first to preserve the rubber from the bleach (it could eventually eat the rubber) then onto the paper towel, then my CS. I have never had a problem with this technique. I have tried the gel bleach, but it seemed to glop all over my stamp, and I made sure I didn't use too much. Maybe I am just not a gel kind of girl!
So far I've only tried bleach once. It was a wise choice.....I was using the Soft Swirls background. It was all gummy from versamark (couldnt get the stuff off to save my life!), but came spotlessly clean after using bleach. I'm gonna "clean" all my stamps this way!
__________________ ~Debbi~
Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending. ~Author Unknown
Actually, Marlo, the brushes come in a set of 2 (a med. and a large) for $16.95. As to how they compare quality-wise with less expensive ones, I don't know...
I bought some of those cheaper brushes too. They leaked!!!
Lisa S. went to convention and played with our Aqua painter. She said they are soooo much better then even the more expensive brushes from Hobby stores. We are the only place in the US that sells that brand so far! How cool is that.
Of course I listened to Lisa and ordered them.....now I just have to wait until SU has them back in stock since they are backordered. Buhuuu....I want my wonder brush!
I am also curious on the cleaning of the aqua brushes after using with the Future floor wax. I know it can leave a sponge mop really stiff afterwards if it isn't rinsed really good (know from experience), so how do you clean the brush afterwards? I'd hate to buy them and ruin them from using floor wax in them.
I've had my brushes for a very long time now. Well over a year and so far no leaking. I leave them filled with water all the time. I even have them laying down horizontally. I've been very happy with them. I'm sure the ones that SU! will be carrying are better quality, but I'm content with what I have. The stamp store that I bought them from just recently closed down. I want some more, maybe to try the Futura floor cleaner and the bleach in them. I'm sure I'll just love the SU! ones.
Ok this might be a dumb question. I want to try filling a pen when I get them with bleach. I'm thinking I am going to spill bleach everywhere. How do you get the bleach into the pen? Do you use a funnel? Thanks.
For those of you who do use bleach in your pens, please keep us posted. Last year I was in a swap and used a camel hair paint brush with some bleach I had in a used baby food jar, after making 15 cards with the bleach- the brush was just a sorry looking nub when I finished. I did have to toss it out.
Looking at the new aqua brushes, they are synthetic. Maybe they will hold up to the bleach?? Please keep us posted if they do melt, or hold up to the bleach.
Thanks!
I've done the "bleach-soaked paper towel on a paper plate" version of bleaching...when doing this technique for a stamp camp I found that I had to continually add bleach to the plate as it lost it's effect after being exposed to the air for a few minutes...has anyone else had this problem... and when put in the pen will I have to be filling and refilling multiple times in one setting...does anyone know???
TIA...Tracy
__________________ Tracy Randol
Wife to 1...
Mom to 2...
Stampin' 'til 3 in the morning!
I was thinking you could also designate one of your AquaPens for plain embossing refill liquid. Then you could "color in" only certain portions of an image at a time, and use different colored embossing powders to get an enameled effect. Wonder how that would work.....I'll have to experiment!
I was thinking you could also designate one of your AquaPens for plain embossing refill liquid. Then you could "color in" only certain portions of an image at a time, and use different colored embossing powders to get an enameled effect. Wonder how that would work.....I'll have to experiment!
Amy J. in Wisconsin
That sounds soooo coool Try it and post here again!! I want to know how it works!
I have had the niji/yasutomo brush for a few years and have only used it with water. I love mine. I have not ordered the aquabrush from SU yet but I am told they are similar to the one I have. Here is the key........the better more expensive waterbrushes allow you to control the flow of water. Don't be fooled by cheaper versions. I leared this from going to local stamp conventions. If you don't order from SU make sure you know what you are getting. I have seen waterbrushes as cheap as $2 to $6 but they don't compare, you have no control of the water flow, they leak and generally are not as good in overall quality/makeup.
It would be interesting to know who manufactors the brushes for SU.
It would be interesting to know who manufactors the brushes for SU.
I ordered mine during convention so I got them before they went on BO. . They are made by Pentel (probably the japanse division!). They have a different barrel shape then the Niji (which I also have - love them) and seem to be an equivalent quality. I bought the Niji on the recommendation of the web site Tyra Smith Clud 9 http://netnet.net/~cloud9/ , she has some great product reviews, very thorough!.
I sold a couple of teh Aqua painters at my open house last weekend, but of course they are now back ordered! Will let my neighbor borrow my SU brushes until hers come in, since I have the others.
Bleaching and new Aqua Pens
