Distressing and Staining Junk Journal Pages: Vanilla Extract, Tea Staining, Alcohol Ink and More!

[@ru4repeattoo]

I love your creative "anything goes" approach! You make crafting seem so freeing and beginner friendly. I really like that quote at the end..."I am at peace, and in pieces." Proof that you can have peace even in the midst of the storm tossed seas.

[@abitofbirdsong]

Thank you! xx

[@lynnboyd33]

Lynn, what an informative tute!! You've been a really busy bee! Thanks for all the tips. One of my faves was stamping with alcohol inks on photo paper! Really, really cool, have never heard about this one before! And I loved the little square pattern that your grid pieces made. Way to go Miss Lynn!!!

[@abitofbirdsong]

Hi Lynn! Good morning to you! Thank you so much. I think I could sit all day and just play with and stain paper. 😂💖 xx

[@aleksandra.s.89]

Thanks for the great ideas! Love how you sprayed around the plant. 💕 And now I really need to try colouring with vanilla!

[@abitofbirdsong]

Hi Aleksandra! I am really loving it so far!! My workshop smells great, that's for sure. 💖 xx

[@updatedjustnow271]

I used to do archival picture framing for a museum. “Archival” and “junk journal” shouldn’t even be used in the same sentence. None of the items used in making a junk journal are archival. Not even the water used in painting or dyeing. Just have fun “making” and have no concerns about how long it will last. 🌺

[@abitofbirdsong]

I so agree! Thank you very much for sharing your expertise. I love how you said they don’t even belong in the same sentence. 😂 I’ve had so many questions since I uploaded my Dollar Tree journal that I felt like I better address some things. Thank you so much for being here and for sharing! 🌸 xxLynn

[@jayne3944]

What a GREAT video!! Thank you so much, Lynn, for all your wonderful inspiration!! Also I love your nail polish!! ... sooo cute!! :-)

[@abitofbirdsong]

Hi JC! Thank you so much! I love this nail polish, and I was not sure if I would. It's sort of orange, which I am newly fond of since Poetic Rust. LOL I bought it from the Dollar Tree. Some of the brands there I find are not that great, but the Wet n Wild is usually pretty good. That's what this is. xxLynn

[@jayne3944]

@@abitofbirdsong It looks sooo cute on you!! :-) Love it!!

[@YvetteQuale]

New subbie. I enjoyed this video. Thanks for sharing.

[@abitofbirdsong]

Hi Yvette! Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the video, and I'm very happy to have you here! 🍄💗🍄 😊

[@ArcticBanshee]

I love this video! So I’ve recently discovered the glycerin is used in watercolor paper, to keep the paint from seeping into the fibers, BUT. It degrades over time. I looked up properties of glycerine compared to glycol, which have a lot in common, and glycol is the stickier one. 😂 But properties are similar. Based on this, I would just keep in mind that both these will degrade over a couple years time. I learned the hard way not to save watercolor paper (use it or lose it), and things sprayed with food-grade glycol may invite paper bugs potentially.

[@abitofbirdsong]

Wow! Thank you so much for the info! ❤🙏

[@TheMjj164TibBitsFromTheAttic]

Oh Lynn I would love to buy that journal please, I love using vanilla in a spray bottle for fabrics and paper. And cinnamon. Oh yummy

[@abitofbirdsong]

Hi Mary! Okay! Will message you. You are the one who shared with me the idea of using vanilla and cinnamon. Adding it to a spray bottle takes it to another level!! I bet your workshop smells divine!! Hugs!!! I’ll message you! ❤️

[@TheMjj164TibBitsFromTheAttic]

@@abitofbirdsong oh it does 😊❤️I’m so glad you love it too rub the cinnamon on the paper when paper is a little wet and I soak my paper in cinnamon and vanilla sometimes with the tea or coffee or alone. We use food coloring , tea coffee etc so why not spices of all kinds

[@abitofbirdsong]

I do. Thank you!!!!

[@jenns_artlandia7896]

OoooO I purchased similar handmade papers with vanilla & cinnamon. A while ago lol I will have to dig for it. Lol 😆 I have no idea where it is.

[@abitofbirdsong]

I totally understand that!! I’ve been cleaning out again. I keep finding things I forgot I had. ❤️😊

[@GeorgieGirl1012]

Aluminum pans began to pit because of the acidity in the tea, this is why I will not use them for cooking in general. Aluminum foil begins to react differently with various foods/liquids, reuse of the pan or having certain items remain in the pan for long periods of time will just find it breaking down. Also just for your own protection proceed with caution since those little bits may be ever so tiny & make contact with your skin. Maybe some large ceramic or pyrex baking dish at Goodwill or something ?. Thanks for the video, be well.

[@abitofbirdsong]

Hi GeorgieGirl! Wow, thank you so much for this info!! Truly appreciate it! I wondered about that, because I knew I had not done anything physical to break through the pan. Definitely makes me wonder what ends up in our food! I don't typically cook with these, but I think I have in the past for portable things. I will definitely be on the lookout for something glass from the thrift store.💖 xx

[@GeorgieGirl1012]

@@abitofbirdsong We all learn as we go, we never had so much information in the past & just had to rely on judgement & to our own discretions I guess. I learned quickly early on in life since we always had birds as pets growing up and they can be quite sensitive to chemicals, sprays etc. When they began announcing about nonstick pans being harmful to animals common sense would make us say well we are human animals right, LOL. I however really became most aware of the aluminums although never favored when I saw at a pot luck someones lasagne the sauce had eaten holes through the foil and thus began my true awakening. One of Martha Stewart"s older shows she mentioned in cooking segment that she put parchment paper then covered with foil so that there was the barrier between the food but the ability to keep the item sealed in when cooking, I am sure she has adapted other ways now, knowledge is a powerful thing. I use parchment paper when cooking to cover an item like a turkey etc., Here's my tip, if you buy roasting pans with handles that are movable (IKEA has stainless ones that are affordable ) you can tuck the parchment under the handles and it stays perfectly. Always glad to share with others and hope to be helpful without judgement. Have a lovely weekend!

[@abitofbirdsong]

Awesome information!! Thank you so much for sharing what you’ve learned!! Yes, the nonstick pan into has scared me in the past. Thank you again!! ❤️ I love the parchment paper idea. That’s cool you grew up with birds.