Several cards using faux linen backgrounds

 Needed to add a few sympathy cards to my stash so went looking for a technique to use for my background.  I always find inspiration on Splitcoast Stampers  so I went looking and found someone who had created a card using the Faux Linen technique.  Had not created some of those for quite a while so I decided to give it a go!  I used quarter sheets of glossy white cardstock, sanded them vertically a.d horizontally and then sponged on some colour using four different dye ink pads.

For my first card I stamped a fern leaf (Salt Spring Island Stamps) using a light wheat colour highlighted with dark brown before stamping.  I added a length of mesh (gold embossed window screen) along with three lengths of twine which I tied on the left with a short piece.  I stamped my greeting on ivory in dark brown, sponged on some colour and added stippling.  Layered it onto dark brown, distressed the edges and mounted it over the mesh/twine using 3D foam tape,  I added a coordinating paper butterfly to which I tied some twine to create a body and antenna.
For my second card I stamped a flower image in black after stamping it in gray which did not show up well enough.  I offset the black one a bit which is another technique I found on Splitcoast when I was cruising the other day.  I coloured the image with markers, stippled the back ground a bit, added three eyelets (coloured with Sharpie to coordinate) and added a layered vellum greeting.  I layered a flagged piece of parchment just below the greeting on my vellum to help it stand out, adhered it to the background with glue then folded the ends to the back and secured them with double sided tape.  I glued this whole element to a red card front.
For my third card I stamped a leaf stamp (SU) all over my background in two different brown inks.  I layered my watercoloured image onto a dark brown circle and watercoloured my greeting (CLKER) as well.  I added a length of blue vintage seam binding adhering the ends to the back of my background, added my image and greeting with 3D foam tape and then tied on another short piece of seam binding to simulate a bow.  I glued this whole element to a dark brown card front.
For my fourth card I stamped a large solid flower (SU) using coordinating ink onto my background six times without reinking which gave a perfectly dimensional look to my design.  I used the small three flower stamp (SU) to add flowers in between my large ones in coordinating ink.  Added a bit of stippling in the same colour.  Love they way it turned out!!  I added a vellum greeting adhering the ends to the back.  I found this little butterfly in my stash so I added tied on some white fiber to create a body and antenna and glued it right near the greeting.
It was fun to revisit this technique and use some of my stamps again!!!

Therese