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Tumbled Marble Tile ~ Heat Set Inks & Markers

By M. Elizabeth Lee,
Rubber Roadsters
Publisher/Editor~Advanced Stamping Team Designer/Writer

The most popular method of rendering color to tiles is using heat set inks and markers.  The surface has no need for sealing, which will then naturally absorb moisture and heat for use as coasters and trivets.  StazOn, Crafter’s Inks, Palette Inks, Versacraft Inks and Markers, Adirondack Markers are acceptable medium options.  While the manufacture states that StazOn is a self curing ink and needs no heat setting, I have found this ink to move some when applying colors over it.  I highly recommend heat setting this ink, which has been successful in reducing this possibility.

Tumbled Marble Tile needs very little prepping.  Dampen a Viva paper towel and wipe off the surface.  Also, the tile can be completely immersed and washed with soap and water.  Rinse out any soap residue thoroughly and allow tile to dry completely prior to decorating.

Regarding my personal approach to designing Tumble Marble Tiles, I prefer adding color to the background of the tile.  This accentuates the natural marble effects, veins and sparkle of the tile. 

Supplies

Sunflower Stamp (TAC, The Angel Company)
Timber Brown StazOn (Tsukineko~*TAC)
Sky Mist All Purpose Ink (Tsukineko~*TAC)
Versa Craft Markers: Lemon Yellow; Maize; Autumn Leaf; Pine; Kiwi (Tsukineko~*TAC)
Tumbled Marble Tile (Lowe’s Hardware)
#8 Flat La Corneille Brush (Loew-Cornell)
#4 Round Soft-Grip Brush (Royal)
Water receptacle
Palette with wells
Sheet of Cork (Lowes)
Glue: Golden Gel Mediums Soft Get ( Matte) (Golden)
Palette Knife (Royal)
5.0 Mechanical Pencil (Pentech)
Kneaded Eraser (Staedtler)
Paper Towel (Viva)
ProCraft Craft Gloves (Wilshire Technologies)
Oven Mit
Toaster Oven (Black & Decker)

Instructions

1. Prepare tile by lightly wiping it down with a damp Viva paper towel to remove any dust and allow to dry. Lay the tile on the cork sheet and mark around it with a pencil. Remove any pencil lines from the tile with a kneaded eraser. Cut the cork approximately 1/8" inside the pencil line and set aside as a backing for the tile.
    

2. Ink up the Sunflower image with Timber Brown StazOn and stamp in the center of the tile.  Heat set ink by placing the tile in a toaster oven at 350° F. for 15 minutes.  Remove tile with an oven mitt and allow to cool.
    

3. Refer to photo for color placement.  Apply Maize to the Sunflower petals and highlight with Lemon Yellow.  Apply Lemon Yellow to the center of the Sunflower and shade with Autumn Leaf and Brick making small dots of color.  Allow a ring of Lemon Yellow to show through.  Apply Kiwi to the flower stem and leaves and shade with Pine.
    

4. Pour Sky Mist into the well of a palette.  Apply to the background and sides of the tile using the flat brush for the open areas and a round brush for the tighter areas around the Sunflower.  Heat set inks by placing the tile in a toaster oven at 350° F. for 15 minutes.  Remove tile with an oven mitt and allow to cool.  This process needs no sealer, and the tile will absorb moisture from cold drinks when used as a coaster.
    

5. Glue the cork onto the backside of the tile with Golden Gel Medium and a palette knife.  This provides a professional finished look and protects furniture from scratches.

 Published previously on SS Reflections

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