Paper Seedlings: FAUX TEARING BIRDS ON A BRANCH

It seems as if I have been on a streak of revisiting age old beloved stamping techniques lately.

I know I don't have to remind all of you how much in love I am with the stamp set that is shown on page 92 of the Annual Catalog, Free As a Bird. These four birds on a branch have completely captured my heart. I wanted to use it again for a Stamp-In Workshop, and was debating what sort of backdrop for the image would be most effective.

I knew I wanted to incorporate two colors, specifically blue and green. What to do? All of a sudden I got one of those bright lightbulb flashes that I just couldn't ignore.

FAUX TEARING!

I tore several strips of scrap cardstock and went to work with my blue and green, Balmy Blue and Pear Pizzazz. They are both soft colors, which enable me to make a background onto which I can stamp my birdie branch in black ink. And the image would still show up wonderfully. And it would seem to be a combination of leafy tree and balmy blue sky.

I admit that I do have more trouble sponging with the new style ink pads that Stampin' Up! released a few years ago, in that to me it doesn't blend quite as well as the old fashioned ink pads, of which I still have a great many.

The photo below shows the difference in the inks and their capability for even blending. The Balmy Blue is, of course, a new style ink pad, with much juicier ink, while the Pear Pizzazz has as its home an old style pad.

A fairly simple, but a little time consuming technique, the Faux Tearing look can never displease.

To re-create this card, follow along.

SUPPLIES:

Whisper White cardstock

Balmy Blue cardstock

Pear Pizzazz ink

Balmy Blue ink

Pear Pizzazz ink

Black ink

Curly Cute stamp set (long retired)

Free As a Bird (page 92, Annual Catalog)

Torn cardstock

Stampin' Sponges

5/8" Polka Dot Tulle Ribbon (page 175, Annual Catalog)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Fold a 4 1/4" x 11" piece of Whisper White cardstock in half, creasing it well with a bone folder.

To this card base, add a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of Balmy Blue cardstock. Set aside.

You will be doing this next step on a piece of Whisper White cardstock that measures 3 3/4" x 5".

Tear a piece of scrap cardstock into several strips, varying each one slightly.

Place a torn strip of cardstock somewhat across the top of the white cardstock, and using a Stampin' Sponge, gently sponge the blue, starting on the torn strip onto the white cardstock, holding the strip tightly in place. When you finish with the first line of sponging, use either the same strip or another one and place it down somewhat from the first one. Don't place these strips evenly so to give your background some interest. Keep repeating this, using the matching sponge each time you change color, down to the bottom, until it is completely filled with Faux Tearing.

In black ink, stamp the birds on a branch centered onto this piece.

Take a length of the Polka Dot Tulle Ribbon that is about an inch longer than the inked piece and place it about 1/4" from the bottom, taping the two ends onto the back.

Stamp the sentiment in black ink onto a strip of Whisper White cardstock that measures 5/8" x 3". Adhere this flat over the ribbon to the lower right.

Adhere this completed piece to the card front.