On this page, I faced a tricky challenge.  I wanted to preserve the four images on the page (showing hands and vintage photographic equipment) — yet the images were oddly placed, making it difficult to arrange the rest of the page.  My solution: rub ons!

Rub ons are a lot of fun!  I like how they can be precisely placed (unlike rubber stamping, which doesn’t always turn out as planned!)

But first, I created the background using Distress Inks and Distress Oxide Inks.  I applied the inks directly to my non-stick craft sheet, spritzed them with water, and then dipped my open book into the “ink soup”.  I dried it with a heat gun, and then re-dipped the page again to pick up more droplets.  Finally, I spritzed the page with water and blotted it with a paper towel to lift off some of the colour.  When I was satisfied with the look, I dried the page completely and proceeded with rub ons.

I used rub ons from at least 3 different Tim Holtz packages (Numbers, Life Quotes, and Elements).  I like the way this turned out!  The page looks fun and interesting, but I can still see the four original book images hiding in amongst the rub on embellishments.