Friends and Flowers

The Linen Look
from a Tutorial by Tammy Tutterow

Hello, Crafty Peeples!

The tag I am posting today was not created for any particular challenge.  A few months ago, I stepped down from five design teams so I could free up time to spend with my husband and also so I could spend more time learning new card making and other paper crafting techniques.

I used to describe myself as a "slow designer" but now I consider myself a "deliberate" designer.  I have in the past, and on my three current design teams, worked with ladies who were/are capable of creating mini masterpieces in five minutes.  I don't even wish I could do that.  For me, the true fun of my hobby is the creative process itself.  I don't want to finish a card in five minutes, I want to linger over it, have an opportunity to run across that "perfect" embellishment that will make this little creation spring to life.  Now, with only 3 DT projects to produce on alternating weeks, I have time to explore YouTube, take classes, and take my time.  None of this makes me a better designer.  But it does allow me to return to the pure enjoyment of relaxing and making cards.

 Today, I am posting a tag that was the result of my efforts to learn a new technique.  The goal was to make my tag background look like "linen".  This post will chronicle my "failed attempt". 
 I really like the tag I eventually created.

I didn't realize that my Ranger Picket Fence Distress Paint was almost empty and because of that, my paint layers were too thin to make the lines appear as distinct as they should. But I think you can see the linen pattern in the area around the large butterfly.  The linen effect is achieved by putting down a layer of Picket Fence Distress Paint and while it is still wet drawing vertical lines the lenght of the tag with your craft scratcher.  Dry the layer with your heat tool and then repeat the process only this time the lines are drawn horizontally.  I did four layers (two each vertical and horizontal).

Unfortunately, I do not own a lot of background stamps, so the image I stamped was a large Flourish.  You can see a bit of it above the butterfly wings.  The image is stamped with embossing ink and then heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  Next you apply the Distress Paint (you cannot use Distress Stains for this) and dry with your heat tool.  Once it is dry, you place the tag inside a folded piece of newsprint or kraft wrapping paper and iron it.  This will remove the embossing powder.

The trick to ironing off the embossing powder is to remove the paper while the embossing powder is still hot.  If you are not quick enough, the paper will stick to your design.  If that happens, you can simply iron it again.  I rather liked the look of the few patches of paper that stuck to my tag, so I left them and dabbed this with a little Ranger "Vintage Photo" Distress Ink.  I really liked the one large patch at the bottom of the tag.  There is a smaller patch above the large butterfly's right wing that I stained with a bit of Ranger "Antique Linen" Distress Ink.

Here is the link to Tammy Tutterow's Tutorial.  As you will see, if you use a stamp with a bold design, your linen look tag will be more dramatic.  Tammy creates the most amazing tags.  She also teaches fabulous techniques so if you have not signed up for her e-mails, you should.

Tammy tried to comment on my project, but the comment did not go through.  Here is her comment.  I feel better about the tag now and how it turned out!

Tammy Tutterow commented on Tuesday Tutorial: Distress Paint Linen Texture.

in response to Chana Malkah:

Thank you so much for giving it a try! I tried leaving a comment, but I am not sure if it went through. I think your tag turned out stunning! I really loved the distressed effects around the edges. Beautiful!

Thanks for Stopping by!

Hugz,

Chana

Materials used:

Dies:  Spellbinders' Parisian Motifs

inks/Paints:  Ranger Distress Paints: Picket Fence, Faded Jeans; Ranger Distress Inks: Vintage Photo, Antique Linen

Other embellishments:  K and Company Grand Adhesions: Small Butterfly;  Prima: Flowers, wooden banner and larger butterfly.  Pearls: Want2Scrap;   Cheese Cloth from stash.

Challenges Entered:
Aud Sentiments Challenge - Anything Goes (must have a sentiment)
4 Crafty Chicks - Flowers
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - Anything But A Card
Crafts and Me Challenge - Shabby Chic
The Paper Shelter - Flower Power
Whimsical Designs - Vintage