WAINSCOT BACKGROUND

When I recently came across Gina K's tutorial for a Wainscot Background, I immediately thought of the weathered wood look associated with nautical scenes. So I rushed to grab a few stamps from my April Paper Pumpkin kit, 'cause it was NAUTICAL! I knew just what I wanted to do!

The weather-beaten background looks great with the lighthouse 

and a bit of (sailor) knotted twine. And it's a really simple-to-make card.

In order to get this Wainscot Background effect, grab your scoring tool (I used the Simply Scored on page 205 in the soon-to-be-retired Annual Catalog). 

Score in 1/2" increments. For this project, however, unlike the traditional way of using a scored piece like this one, flip it over so the lines are raised instead of sunken. 

The rest is so easy: you see, it's simply ink against the paper. 

I used Sahara Sand cardstock for my background. Then, starting at the top of the piece, I dragged the Sahara Sand ink pad directly down the cardstock. I repeated this across the entire piece. Then I flipped top to bottom and repeated. You can keep adding ink until you are happy with the intensity of the weathered effect. 

As for flipping the scored cardstock so the lines are raised, it is so that the raised ridges created by the scoring can grab the ink. If it had been flipped back to the traditional way, the scored lines would have been simply that -- scored lines -- no ink whatsoever.

It's such an easy technique and looks great on any masculine card. 

And, with Father's Day just around the corner, 

grab your scoring tool, some cardstock and ink, and get started!

I want to continue to bring you new things to learn in my blog. You know, "planting Paper Seedlings"? Do you have anything in particular in mind that you would like me to share with the Paper Seedlings readers? Please let me know your thoughts.

Weather-Beaten

Smiles.