I met with the South Burlington stamp club gals last evening, and this is one of the cards that I designed for them. We made 2 cards that featured some of the patterned paper that is on sale for the rest of this month. I have to say that it was so great to see them again – since this is our second month of meeting in person it felt a little bit more like a “normal” thing. One thing that was different is a member who has moved to South Carolina joined us via Facetime. A club member set up her iPad in the spot at the table where the distant member has historically sat and it was almost like old times. She worked away at a project that she had going, and we worked away on our projects and we chatted away the evening while crafting. It was so wonderful!
This card features a technique called “Faux Silk”. It is a very simple way to make bright or bold patterned papers be a little more muted. I used one of the sheets of the patterned paper from the ‘You’re a Peach’ paper pack, and there is so much going on that it would be hard to see much other than the paper in its natural state. Don’t get me wrong, the paper is very pretty. But I wanted to have it fade a little more into the background. You only need a couple of standard household items to create the look, so you can likely give it a try right now. Here’s how to do it:
- Cut the patterned paper to the size needed for your project
- Cut tissue paper (what you use in gift wrapping) to be larger than the patterned paper you’re covering – I do ~1″ larger in both directions
- Scrunch up the tissue paper and gently open it back up, being careful to avoid tearing it
- Completely cover the front of the patterned paper with glue from a glue stick
- Place the tissue paper over the front, tap in spots to stick it down, and push down all over – having wrinkles is good
- Trim the corners of the tissue on a 45° angle
- Fold the sides of the tissue and glue down on the back of the patterned paper
- Your faux silk paper is ready to use in your project
This technique is so simple, and I hope that you’ll give it a try expand your paper crafting artistic repertoire. Another great option instead of patterned paper is to stamp your own paper, and then add the tissue paper over the top. So many great opportunities to explore!
We are in the waning days of the Designer Series Paper sale. If you have some paper that you’ve been considering purchasing, now is the time to get it while you can save 15%. When you place your order to get some of this gorgeous paper, please add Host Code HH2AUYNG when checking out. Also, please make sure to click the “Apply” button to make sure that it ‘sticks’. Click on the image to see the papers that are included in the sale and shop to your hearts’ content.