The master of crafty invention, Tim Holtz (along with his friends at Ranger Ink), has come up with a brand new mini-applicator tool for the ever popular Distress Inks – if you’ve not come across it yet, it’s circular and smaller than his previous rectangular ones. I’m still waiting on my order for the tool, but I had a delivery of the replacement foams…

I came up with a storage dispenser for the foams, but the design was a little flimsy and I wasn’t entirely happy with it. As I was munching through some Cadbury’s mini-eggs (don’t you just love this time of year?) I was pondering the design… and then realised as I was about to chuck the tube away that it might be the solution. A quick check showed it was just the right diameter to take the foams, and a new design was born. Before… and after:

You will need:
Cadbury’s Mini-Egg Tube (120g) – internal diameter is 1½”, height 7″
Printed cardstock (7½” x 5¼” and 1½” disc) – I used TH Lost & Found Paper Stash
Ranger Distress Inkpads: Vintage Photo/Walnut Stain/Black Soot
Ranger Distress Paint: Walnut Stain/Black Soot
Mini-Blending Tool Replacement Foams (obviously)

Edge the top and bottom of your page with distress inks to match the ageing across the rest of the page. The middle doesn’t really show up as it overlaps at the back (as I discovered…)

Flick with water and dry to get similar water stained effect to the rest of the page. Edge the back sides with double sided tape and wrap tightly round the tube, centring the tube.

Snip sections around the overhang at the bottom, fold under and then glue the disc into place to cover the plastic bottom. Press down firmly onto a flat surface to flatten and adhere the edges and help keep it stable once dry.

Fold over the top overhand and glue into place – no real need to snip this.

Paint the lid with the Distress Paint to match the tube covering colours, allowing the paint to fully dry between coats. I used two layers of Walnut Stain followed by a rough mix of Walnut Stain and Black Soot.

Finally, you need to cut a dispensing slot at the bottom of the tube. Measure ⅜” from the bottom and draw a line half way around the tube (keep the seam at the back). Repeat at ¾” from the bottom. Using a sharp knife cut out the letter box – you can see that the bottom plastic support overhangs the opening – I used a hacksaw to cut through as the knife didn’t cope.

Paint the edges of the cut area with Walnut Stain Distress Paint. Age with more Distress Inks and embellish to your heart’s content. Allow everything to dry, fill with your mini-blender foams and you’re done. Keeps them in place, clean and out of the reach of UV light which I’ve found can degrade foam – assuming you don’t work your way through them faster than I do!