Learn the basics of rubber stamping with this free class from Stampendous and Paper Craft Planet. Lesson Nine: Out of ink? No worries -- this lesson is all about learning to stamp with bleach! Create dramatic results by stamping with this household cleaner.

2. Stamping with Bleach Technique Prepare the bleach pad. First place a folded paper towel in a plastic tray. I use a clamshell case like this one with a lid so I can close it between stampings. Pour bleach on the paper towel until it is soaked. Then place a second folded towel on top of the first one. Use a stamp to push down on the dry towel until it is all wet. This makes a bleach stamp pad. Clean your stamps immediately after using bleach! You never know exactly how a particular color card stock will bleach. Always experiment on a small piece of your paper before stamping your card. It’s fun to try and find coordinating card stocks in the bleached color.

3. Fall Swirls Card Bleach provides a looser look than stamp ink. It is not precise and often areas are missing or “blobby” where there was not enough or too much bleach. This technique works best with well defined images that aren’t too detailed. The random look is part of its charm. These Fall Swirls Perfectly Clear Stamps from Stampendous really lend themselves to this technique.

4. Fall Swirls Card Supplies used to make this card: From Stampendous SSC119 Fall Swirls Perfectly Clear™ Stamps SSH26 Long Acrylic Handle CRC200 Cling Little Bushel From Tsukineko: Truffle All Purpose Ink Fantastix – Bullet Tip Sponge Dauber From Creative Impressions: Copper Mini Spiral Clip Cream ½” Silk Ribbon Card stock from Bazzill Basics™ Mocha Divine Card stock from WorldWin™ Desert Dune DoubleMates™ Plus: Homemade Bleach Pad, white colored pencil

6. Fall Swirls Card Fold Mocha Divine card panel in half to form card base. To ink long swirl, tap gently several times on bleach pad. Re-ink before each stamping. Stamp Fall Swirls long swirl on top and bottom in bleach. Allow bleached image to “develop”.

7. Fall Swirls Card Shake the All Purpose ink and remove the cap. Use a sponge dauber and the ink from the lid of the All Purpose Truffle ink to ink the Little Bushel stamp. Stamp it on the right end of the Desert Dune strip. Ink Happy Thanksgiving with the sponge dauber and stamp it on the strip. Sponge the edges of the strip by brushing the sponge dauber along the edge.

8. Fall Swirls Card Dip the bullet tip Fantastix in the Truffle ink in the bottle lid and use it to add some shading to the basket, leaves, and a small amount of shadow under them. You will need to rub some of the ink off on scratch paper until the Fantastix is almost dry. Then use the white colored pencil to add highlights to the basket and leaves.

9. Fall Swirls Card Tie a piece of cream silk ribbon to a mini spiral clip and attach it to the Thanksgiving strip. Glue the Greeting strip to the card front with adhesive.

10. Fall Swirls Card A fast, elegant card that will leave your friends and family wondering how you did it!

11. Winter Trees Card These beautiful winter trees provide a delicate background in bleach and color for the tiny winter house in the woods.

12. Winter Trees Card Supplies used to make this card: From Stampendous: SSC1013 Winter Trees Perfectly Clear™ Stamps SSH38 Small Rectangle Acrylic Handle GX220U Multi Ultra Fine Crystal Glitter From Creative Impressions: Teal Glimmer Ribbon Pewter Label Holders From Tsukineko: Paris Dusk Memento™ Ink Pad Bahama Blue Memento™ Ink Pad Summer Sky Memento™ Ink Pad Fantastix Card stock from Bazzill Basics™ Arctic Card stock from WorldWin™ Turquoise Cascata White Card Stock

14. Fold Turquoise panel in half to form card base. Use bleach pad to stamp tree tops all around edge of card front. Winter Trees Card Allow bleached trees to dry and “develop”.

15. Use the Summer Sky pad to stamp the trees on the white panel as a background. Winter Trees Card Add turquoise trees with the Bahama Blue Pad. Use a different tree so your forest has variety. It’s also not necessary to ink every time you stamp.

16. Use the Paris Dusk pad to add dark blue trees on top of the other colors. Also use this pad with a Sponge Dauber to sponge the edges of this panel. Adhere panel to turquoise card. Winter Trees Card Stamp the small house image on a scrap of white card stock in the dark blue ink.

17. Align your label holder over the house image and trace the outside of it with a pencil. Winter Trees Card Cut out the traced image cutting off the pencil line and a generous margin of white.

18. Attach your small image to the back of the label holder with adhesive in an inconspicuous spot. Thread 17” of ribbon through the holes and tie around the tree panel in a knot. Winter Trees Card Apply adhesive foam squares to the back of the layered image panel and adhere to the front of the card.

19. Add a little glitter to your house image with a glue pen and your winter scene is complete. The bleached background adds interest and texture while tying the turquoise and navy colors together. Winter Trees Card

20. Card Challenge Prize Package One lucky stamper will win all the products used on these two projects in our Challenge Prize Package! Thanks to: Stampendous, Tsukineko, Creative Impressions, and Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L for these generous prizes.