Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Distress Stain & Distress Inks Side By Side Comparison

Several people have e-mailed me asking about the new Tim Holtz Distress Stain by Ranger...  Specifically they wanted to know how the stains looked side by side with the Distress Ink from the pad. 

So today I pulled out a couple of my favorite colors and share what they look like.

Of course you know my fav. color is blue so I pulled out Faded Jeans and Broken China Stains and Inks.  I also pulled out my Ink Blending Tool so I could show you how the DI applied with the IBT looks compared to the ink and stain as well.

Here goes...

Faded Jeans....

Distress Stain 002

and

Broken China...

Distress Stain 001

My thoughts on the Stain...  It's really fun stuff.  Makes covering paper, ribbon, tape, etc. a really quick job.  I was amazed at how nicely they covered.  You do need to practice a bit on scrap paper so you don't over ink your project though.  You could easily add LOTS of color in very few strokes.

I played around a bit and whipped up this tag just to see what I could do.  It's not perfect but pretty good for just messing around.  I used stain on the ribbon, masking and tissue tapes, white cardstock and the tag. I'd have to say... LOTS of FUN!

Distress Stain 003

So there you go a peek at the ink and stain side by side. 
Hope this helps those of you who are on the fence about purchasing the Stains :)

Would you like to try them yourself?

Well I've got a bottle of Broken China and Faded Jeans to share with you!!

Simply post a comment telling me your favorite color of Distress Ink to be entered to win!

You have until 5-11 to enter!

87 comments:

  1. Hi Roni

    My favorite distress ink colors are the blues. Thanks for giving us the opportunity to win!

    Have a nice evening!

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  2. Broken China is my fave!
    DeniseB

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  3. I'm like you - blues are my favs! I like broken china.

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  4. hi.you sure had fun! My favourite DI at the moment is forest moss! Thanks for sharing your tips with us

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  5. I love the faded jeans, partly because it was the first I got and it is pretty much used up now. Then again I use my forrest moss and my aged mahogany a lot and love my vintage photo.

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  6. Hi! I haven't had a chance to try them all yet but I find myself often reaching for weathered wood---it seems to creep into a lot of my projects that use DI. Thanks for sharing the comparison!! Paula

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  7. Hi Roni -

    Thank you for posting the visual differences between the Distress Inks and the Stains. I love how your ribbon and tag turned out too. As for my favorite ink color, Broken China.

    Elaine Allen

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  8. My favorite 'stain' colors so far are Peeled Paint & Fired Brick as well as Broken China. I've heard that Wild Honey is very nice. Thanks for the demo comparisons and for a chance to win! ;-)

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  9. I just love your blog! I am a green girl with a blue sidekick. Those are my two favorite colors along with Peeled Paint :) Thanks for the chance to win these inks. Wooohooo

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  10. vintage photo is my favourite!
    Thanks for your tips!
    Greetings!!!

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  11. luvvvvv broken china too... and I really like your tag... and the PP from yesterday rocks.. havent had much time to comment lately as my FIL passed on Easter, but hoping to get more into the swing of things soon.

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  12. My favourite colour is Brushed Corduroy!
    Thanks Roni!

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  13. Thanks for the side-by-side comparison...hope to get some of these soon! My fave distress color is Vintage Photo. Although all the other colors are immediately in 2nd place - lol!

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  14. Oh fun,they are soooooo pretty.
    I haven't tried any yet,do have the alcohol inks and watermelon is a favorite. Hugs, Amy

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  15. Vintage Photo, I think I use it every time I make something.

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  16. I Still use Tea Stain a lot of the time. I love them all and use the ones I have, but grab tea stain the most

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  17. somehow, Walnut Stain gets onto a lot of my work!

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  18. Thanks for the comparisons! My favorite color is Broken China, I also use Antique Linen a lot.

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  19. Thank you for posting the visual differences between the Distress Inks and the Stain.
    My favorite distress ink colors are the blues.
    Thanks for the chance to win!

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  20. My favorite color is faded jeans but I also love walnut stain and use that a lot because it goes with everything. I havr one distress stain and its so cool, I would lobe to try to blend colors and see the different effects I can get. I would love to win, and thanks for the chance!
    Samjambam at optonline dot net

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  21. I love, love, love them all! I tend to use a lot of greens but one of my faves is to add Mustard Seed to brighten things up. I've been on a real yellowy-orangish kick lately and could use some blues to move me along!

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  22. I love distress inks and I think I am going to like the stains as well - I love the blues, pinks and greens. thanks for a chance.

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  23. Thank You for this demo & answering the questions for us all! I have been wondering what all the hoo-arh was about!! The stains look great for colouring ribbons.

    I have to say I am a broken china girl everytime especially the re-inker in a spritz bottle!

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  24. Thank you for the comparison; now I know I have to get the stains too! I have always been very indifferent to shades of orange but I love the spiced marmalade.

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  25. I've been wanting to try those.
    Antique linen is one of my favs and go-to.

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  26. There are some great colors, but my current favorite is Fired Brick.
    Donna djgarden13@hotmail.com

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  27. I tend to gravitate towards Broken China the most.

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  28. i love my di ink pads..and love vintage..so always use somewhere somehow..vintage photo or walnut..tfs roni..loves ya

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  29. Well, if you define favorite as the one used most frequently, it would have to be vintage photo because I use that for distressing edges of tons of stuff. But I consider that a neutral so wish to vote for my favorite as my newest one - that would be fired brick. It is hard to choose - love all things color.

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  30. My favorite color is faded jeans. I love blue, everything I own is blue pretty much!

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  31. Thank you for posting this, Roni. The visual is worth a thousand words! It's a toss up for me ~ the blues or the greens.
    xo
    Karen

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  32. I like them all, but vintage photo is one of my favorites. Thanks again for the lovely give away!

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  33. My favorite DI is Tumbled glass.

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  34. Great post.

    Would you mind doing something with the Color washes? I purchases some of them and the first time I used it, they were so strong in color and concentration that I am now intimidated to use them. I would love some suggestions.

    Thanks

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  35. Thanks, Roni. I wondered about this and asked at my LSS and they just said the colors were darker from the stain, which really doesn't tell you much. This is much more helpful. I'm with you on the blues. Probably, tumbled glass or broken china. thanks for showing this.

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  36. Great review, comparisons were most helpful. I'm a purple gal, so eggplant is my fave. Would love to try them all of course.

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  37. Awesome... I'd love to win the stain... You know... I have a hard time deciding on colors... I tend to gravitate towards the blue hues with some lavendar in there.. I really like the combination of broken china and dusty concord.

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  38. Hello Roni!


    Thanks for sharing this!

    My favorite Distress Inks are Vinatge photo (I use it every time I can) and Peeled Paint.

    Greetings

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  39. My favorite color of DI is Broken China, with a few others coming in as a close 2nd. I seem to use Broken China the most too.

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  40. I'm with you, I love blues. But I broke from tradition and brought the Wild Honey to play with. I had a project in mind and I am having fun with it.

    Thanks for the chance to win

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  41. My most fav Distress Ink colour definately is Fired Brick.....I LOVE it!

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  42. I have so many favourites, but always seem to come back to Faded Jeans, Victorian Velvet, and Weathered Wood.

    I'm off to play with Pirates now. Avast ye landlubbers ;)

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  43. Love the blues weatheredwood andfor some odd reason just love spun sugar.
    Dee

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  44. I too love the blues, any of them. And I use walnut stain a lot for edging. Thanks for the chance.

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  45. I was going to say Broken China, because that's the one I use most often, but I have to say my favorite is Worn Lipstick.

    Beautiful tag! Thanks for sharing this insight; I have a chance to get the stains this weekend and was debating whether to invest or not.

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  46. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Distress Inks and have them all! My favorites are the greens, especially Forest Moss. Anne, yourmainestamper

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  47. Well, I'd have to say my favs are still Broken China and Peeled Paint. Those are pretty much my 'go to' colors. Love Tea Dye for just added a quick aged look though.

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  48. I like the blues but my favorite colors are the pinks/purple family. I'm impressed with how rich the distress stains are. Thanks for the comparison.

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  49. Sounds like you have a lot of followers who love blue, including me! Broken China is my favorite, but also like Dusty Concord, Fired Brick, and Mustard. Thanks for the demo.

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  50. I haven't tried the Distress Inks but I use the alcohol ink constantly on my metal projects and I love Mushroom. 'Liked your side by side comparison!

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  51. ilove any shade of blue, haven't found a blue i hate yet. i'd love to win some DS,

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  52. My favorite so far is Barn Door because you can use it for Valentines & Christmas. Add some Forever Red Perfect Pears powder & it shines beautifully!

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  53. Great demo! I've been wondering what the difference was between the Inks and the Stains.
    Do I have to pick a favorite? Tough choice! I love all things blue, throw in some peeled paint and antique linen and I'm a happy gal.

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  54. First off, I love evrything you make! My fav is China Blue....I would love to win these. Thanks for a chance. Hugs

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  55. I love all the colours but the one I use the most is Walnut stain!

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  56. My most used color is Vintage Photo. It goes around the edges of almost everything I make.

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  57. My favorite color is the Faded jeans, of course. I love all the blues.
    Elaine in Jersey

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  58. Too many to limit myself to one favorite. :) Any of the blues or greens will do.

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  59. Thanks for the demo Roni! I have been wondering about the Stains every since they were released. Looks like a great way to color ribbon and fabric! My favorite Distress Ink color is actually Vintage Photo. I use it for everything!!!

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  60. I am a earthtone fanatic. Love the tea, vintage phoyo, antique linen etc
    thanks for the info!
    jan wills

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  61. Well, I only have a couple, and I have to say of the two, I love Antique Linen for giving something an overall aged effect. I am *loving* the look of those blues!! Thanks for a chance to win!

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  62. I love peeled paint and any color in the blue family. The distress inks are my faves for so many techniques. I have many of the colors, but don't have any of the distress stains. I like the effects that you showed us, thanks!

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  63. Broken China is my favorite- I think it's a gorgeous blue.thanks for the giveaway.
    benandme@mindspringdotcom

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  64. Todays favorite...broken china.
    love yr site, gerri

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  65. Cool comparison..thanks!! I use the browns a lot...and Peeled paint, Spiced Marmalade, and a couple of Yellows seem to be on my desk top a lot too! My LSS has a poster showing just the diff between using an IBT and the Stains...I like seeing the pads added as I do use them that way too! I don't have any of the Stains yet, am on a spending Slow-down (can't say the word 'freeze') so I'd love to win!!!

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  66. Vintage Photo is my go to distress ink. I look forward to perusing your blog thanks for all your tips. thanks for the chance.

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  67. My fav is peeled paint. No wait maybe... Love them all.

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  68. Vintage Photo, that is my fav, I love the versatility of the Distress inks, love all the colors, and of course the way they interact with water, guess just about everything about them. Thanks for the comparison!
    cheers
    Barbi

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  69. Mine changes all the time but currently rusty hinge is my favourite. Last week it was dusty concord.

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  70. Peeled paint speaks to the gardener in me!

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  71. I haven't tried any yet since I can't decide on a color. Your side by side comparisons have been so elightening, I can't wait to try one, or two, or ....

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  72. my favorite color is tumbled glass wow, it so pretty and would work nicely with the broken china and faded jeans

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  73. well that's an easy question…broken china all the way! Thanks for yet another chance at a giveaway.

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  74. Umm, I only have a few so my favs are forest mos and antique linen. TFS

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  75. I am so glad you did this--I've been holding off on getting the stains until I could see how they were different from the inks (which I love and use all the time). Thanks for giving one of us a chance to sample. WRE

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  76. Spiced Marmalade is my favorite DI color, but when Wild Honey came out, I had to buy it and place it next to Spiced Marmalade. You know, they may mate...

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  77. I love them all, but have not tried weathered paint. Would love that one should I win. Thanks for the opportunity :)

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  78. love the dusty concord but always find myself coming back to walnut stain.

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  79. Peeled Paint, Scattered Straw and Fired Brick! And lots of others, especially some of the blues.... *drooooool*

    --Mina

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  80. My daughters favorite color is blue, her vote is for the broken china (she's nine!). I agree, its pretty. Thanks for sharing' Roni!

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  81. I would love to be the owner of any of the distress stains since I have yet to work with them! Thanks for the chance!

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  82. I've recently made my first purchase of Distress Inks and haven't had time to "play" so don't have a favorite color yet. I'll have to check out the stains now too!
    Joyce

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  83. I love wild honey
    joanshanks@eastlink.ca.
    Joan

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  84. I love distress ink and have not tried the distress ink stains,I was not sure if there was a differences. Now I see that there is a difference, thank you for providing a sample of each color. My favorite colors are broken china and vintage photo.

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  85. I love them ALL, but if you're going to make me pick ONE distress color I'd say peeled paint. THANKS so much for the comparison, I'd been wondering how the stains differed from the inks.

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  86. My absolute favorites are twisted citrus and peacock feathers!

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  87. Festive berries!!!!!

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Thanks for your thoughts and comments!