Technique Tuesday - Faux Linen Card and Scrapbook backgrounds

FAUX LINEN TECHNIQUE
This is a simple technique that gives you a linen-look background.  Here's how it's done:
Start with glossy white card stock.
Use sandpaper, or a sanding block (I LOVE the Tim Holtz Idea-ology sanding block), and rub the block vertically along the glossy white.  Be sure to keep the sanding somewhat straight, and vertical, not around. 
Next, rub the block horizontally across the card stock, again, keeping straight lines.  Sand until the glossy sheen is almost gone.
Dust the powder from the sanding off the card and your work surface.
Ink a brayer or sponge with ink color desired, and ink over the card.  The lines scratched into the card stock from the sanding will absorb more of the ink than the glossy, giving your piece a linen look.
To bring out extra texture on the paper, you can sand again after inking. 
On this first card, I stamped the word background before I started the sanding.  This is optional.
 I used fire brick and aged mahogany distress ink on this first card, and Penny Black stamps.  I stamped the flowers right over the linen panel.

On this second card, I stayed with the fire brick and aged mahogany distress ink, and used Hero Arts stamps, and K & Company papers.  The birthday greetings and you're special, and the darker red panel under the birthday greetings panel are all made with this technique.
And finally, on this last card, I used peeled paint distress ink, and Penny Black stamps.  The green panel was made with this technique.

All of the pearls (and the crystal on the card above) started out white or clear.  I used permanent markers to color them the color I needed.  I used my Magenta Peel-Off markers, but Sharpie or any other permanent marker will do the same thing.  They also work great on the peel off stickers, and brads and clips.
To get the sponged look with the white border on this card, I die cut the image with a Nestabilities. After cutting, I left the template on the card, and sponged lightly with blue ink.  The template keeps the edge of the card white, so when you remove it, you have a white edge.
To get the narrow border around the panel, I taped the template to black card stock, and cut around it with a very sharp craft knife.  I like the narrower border.

That's it for this evening.  I hope you enjoyed this technique.  It's one of my favorites.  If you go on www.splitcoaststampers.com and do a search for faux linen, you can watch a you-tube video on it.

STAMPING AND SCRAPPING GARAGE SALE - This weekend, Friday and Saturday, July 23 and 24, from 10 AM until 4 PM, I am having a HUGE garage sale at my house.  I have even more stamps and embellishments than last year, and everything is rock-bottom priced to SELL!  Hubby said I have to get this stuff out of the basement and all over the house.  It seems to be taking over. 
If you did not get an email, and live near Rochester NY and would like to come, please email me at keeleysgram@yahoo.com, and I will give you my address and directions.

Have a wonderful evening!

Blessings and peace,
lynda