Hi, scrapbookers, I'm Nic Howard and I'm thrilled to be here as a Creating Keepsakes guest blogger. I love crafting with paper, but it's not often I use things as-is. I usually take pre-made items and add ink or paint or alter them in some other way, all with the aim of making things suit my layout that little bit more.

"Ten Things Tour" by Nic Howard, from recent class "Double Take" at Big Picture Classes.

Here's an example, a two-page layout created in honor of the ten things my children said they'd miss around our town if we moved away. (Try that photo scavenger hunt one day... we had such fun travelling around taking pics one Sunday afternoon!). The photos take command the main focus in this layout, but I made sure to use a little creative license in the title area by adding a little ink and grunging it up.

Altering Alphabet Stickers with Ink

Here's how to alter your alphabet stickers with ink:

1. Pull the alphabet stickers off their backing sheet and add the lower tips to a clear ruler.
2. Brush lightly over the edges of your stickers with ink. Add a little color to the bottom or top of the stickers, or perhaps around the edges or all over, depending on the look you are trying to achieve.
3. Holding the clear ruler over the top of your layout, press the tops of the alphas down and pull out the ruler from underneath.

This technique will work with alphabet stickers made from all sorts of materials. My favorite is to ink the edges of alphabets made from fabric; the weaving picks up the ink and looks fabulous!

1-Hour Challenge

It's easy to add a bit of pizazz to your alphas, whether it's ink or paint, so I hope you are inspired to give it a try in today's one-hour challenge! To participate in this challenge, just create a layout, card, or other project featuring alphabet stickers that you have altered with ink or paint (or in some other way--feel free to get creative!). You can participate in the 1-hour version right now, or join in the fun for the long version of the challenge (see below for details).

This technique is so effective and is just the kind of technique that we might visit in my new class "Dimensional Details - The Expanded Version," which starts July 5 at Big Picture Classes. Two lucky winners will win a seat in this class with me for 13 weeks of layout techniques and textural fun.

Enjoy the challenge and thanks for letting me pop in!

--Nic Howard

Are you ready for the challenge? There are two ways to win:

1. If you'd like to participate in the one-hour version of the challenge, you have one hour to create a layout featuring altered alphabet stickers. Photograph or scan your project and upload the image to the Club CK gallery (how to upload your project); then leave a comment below with the URL link to your page by 3:15 pm MDT today, June 28 (that's 2:15 pm PDT, 4:15 pm CDT, and 5:15 pm EDT). For example, your comment could look like this: "Thanks for the fantastic challenge! My project is posted here: http://clubcreatingkeepsakes.com/media/p/31086.aspx."
2. If you weren't able to complete your project during the live challenge, or if you'd like to spend more time working on it, you have until 9:00 am (MDT) Monday, July 2, to complete the "long challenge." Follow the above instructions for posting your project and commenting. One winner will be chosen from each group, and each will receive a seat in the online class "Dimensional Details - The Expanded Version," by Nic Howard for Big Picture Classes. Our international friends are eligible to receive this prize, so be sure to participate!

Congratulations to the winner of the 1-hour version of this challenge, Becky! 

Hi Card with inked letters by Becky.

And congratulations to the winner of the long version of this challenge, lboregon. To claim your prize, watch for a message on your profile page.

Thanks card by lboregon.