Friendly Friday and the Brayer....

This is a card we made in October's Techniques class, using the brayer.  It was a lot of fun to create and was a huge hit with the girls.  It almost makes you think you are looking out the hotel window over the water!  I sure wish I was there right now instead of in Winnipeg and -22 windchills. 

I recently read this article from fellow demonstrator Joyce, and was so impressed by her info I decided it would be good to share this with everyone!  Here is what she said:

The poor brayer is one of the most neglected tools in our stamping supplies.  Most of us own one and it stays on the shelf in a box, often forgotten.  How often do you use your brayer?

It is a shame how we neglect this remarkable tool.  Most of us think of it only when we want to cover a large section of cardstock.  How many ways do you know to use your brayer?

1.  Use your brayer to ink your large background stamps or large solid images.  It is a great way to get an even coverage for these types of stamps.

2.You can use them to create a mirror image.  Ink the image on the stamp and run your brayer over it.  Then, roll off the image onto the cardstock.  Ink the stamp again and stamp on the cardstock.  Bingo!  The images are facing each other.

3. Use the same as above to reverse the image of a stamp when it needs to be facing the opposite direction in your design.

4. You can make a plaid image by inking the brayer with a Spectrum pad and rolling it across the cardstock.  Ink your brayer again and roll the brayer up and down the cardstock.  Now you have a plaid design.

5. Use markers and scribble lines on your brayer.  Do this by laying the brayer on its back and holding the marker still.  Roll the brayer until the mark is around the brayer.

6. When you are doing a resist technique, use the brayer for the inking after you have applied the embossing design.

7. Kissing!  Brayer over an inked background stamp and then roll the image on to a solid stamp.  Stamp the image on to your cardstock.

8. Put cheesecloth or a lace doily down and brayer over it.  Lift the cheesecloth and you have an interesting design.

9.  Ink your brayer using the Spectrum pad and spritz it with water, and then stamp on your cardstock.  It will give a watercolor effect.

10.  Joseph's Coat technique:  use a spectrum pad and brayer over your glossy cardstock.  Ink your images with Versa Mark and stamp.  Emboss with clear embossing powder.  Ink the brayer with black dye ink and cover the glossy cardstock.  Let this dry and then use a soft cloth and buff to remove excess ink and the ink off of the embossed images.  The color of the spectrum pad will show.

11. Use your brayer when you are applying paper with glue on to a lunch box, wood, etc.  Put the glue on the object to be covered and lay the paper on it.  Use the brayer to get all bubbles out and to secure the paper to the object.

So I hope her suggestions have motivated you, as it has me- to dust off your brayer and get creating!  I would love to see what you come up with!