Bleach Stamping TechniqueBefore you begin bleach stamping there are some important things to take note of. First, you cannot transfer the liquid from the bottle it comes in to another bottle. I don't know the reason for this but I do know it will probably not work for you the way you expect it to work. Secondly, stamping with bleach is very hard on your rubber stamps. Be sure you follow my directions immediately after stamping to keep your stamps in good condition. Ready? Gather the following supplies: -a bottle of household bleach -alcohol free baby wipes -2 saucers or small plates -2 squares of Bounty paper towels, or 4 squares of other brand -solid image rubber stamp -solid-core coloured carstock (This is very important. To tell, tear your cardstock. If you see white in between layers of colours the technique will not work) Start by folding your paper towel into quarters, and placing one folded sheet onto each plate. Next, dampen one plate with plain water. This will serve as part 1 of your clean-up process. Then pour a small amount of bleach onto the second plate of paper towel. Think about how damp a squeezed-out wet sponge is, and that is how much you want to pour onto your paper towel. Too wet and the image will run; too dry and you won't get even coverage.
Lightly push your solid image stamp into the "bleach pad", lift up, and push down onto your cardstock, applying even pressure. Immediately place this stamp onto the "water pad". Use your other stamps in exactly the same way- when you are done stamping with the bleach, place it onto the water pad. Don't worry if your image isn't very visible right away. It will take a few minutes for the bleach to work its' way down to the core of the cardstock. I suggest you clean your stamps while you wait using a baby wipe after you've used the water pad. Give your stamps a sniff test to make sure you can't smell any chlorine before putting them away. Because papers are dyed differently at different times, they will not always produce the same effect when bleach stamping. It depends on a few factors- how strong the bleach is (which might be related to how long it's been in the cupboard!), where you got your paper, and what dye lot it was in.
I've created a gallery that will showcase finished cards using each of the techniques I'll be discussing. I've got a card using bleach stamping to make the border...check it out! Go from Bleach Stamping back to Rubber Stamping Techniques
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