GEOMETRIC THANKS

Today's card features another Dollar Tree find!

I've always been a huge fan of a technique from long ago referred to as Faux Silk. This technique utilizes some form of a tissue-like paper. Commonly crafters use tissue paper used for gifts. However, there are other materials that work equally as well, and often give an even more interesting look. 

When I found this pack of geometric patterned napkins in the party aisle of Dollar Tree, I thought they would make a wonderful background for a fallish card.

Adding a sunflower made with the Sunflowers Dies against my geometric faux silk background yielded a lovely autumn card. As seen below, by using a few Stampin' Dimensionals on the flower against the background, you get some charming 3D feeling.

Because I love the results of using the Sunflowers dies,  I thought I would show you a closeup of the look of it against the napkin background.

Are you interested in learning how to do the Faux Silk technique using a party napkin? Read on for the detailed tutorial.

Of course, the colors you use in your own card will depend on the color palette of the napkin you choose. So, the following supplies are based on my card.

SUPPLIES:

Cajun Craze cardstock

Early Espresso cardstock

Marigold Morning cardstock (retired, but a great color if you still have some around!)

Geometric napkin.

White scrap cardstock for the base

Die Cutting Machine

Sunflowers dies (page 166, Annual Catalog)

Thanks die

Stampin' Dimensionals

Glue Stick (a glue stick really does work best for this technique)

Old Olive ribbon

INSTRUCTIONS:

Fold a 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" piece of Cajun Craze cardstock in half, creasing it well with a bone folder.

Add to this card base a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of Early Espresso cardstock.

Take a scrap of white cardstock that measures 3 3/4" x 5". You will be adding crumpled designed napkin to this piece. 

Crumple a piece of napkin (the top ply only. Separate the plys before beginning this project.) that measures about 4" x 5 1/4" in your hands a few times, slightly flattening it each time slightly. Cover one side of the entire scrap of cardstock with glue stick, from corner to corner and edge to edge. This is very important. Carefully lay the napkin, design side up, onto the glued piece. Without rubbing the napkiin flat, simply press it down until it is completely glued down. YOU WANT CREASES AND VEINS! When it is thoroughly dried, use scissors to trim the napkin to the edge of the cardstock.

A note here: Normally when doing this technique, I cut the napkin or tissue large enough so I can fold the edges onto the back side of the scrap piece. But the design on this particular napkin was very narron. I didn't realize that when I purchased the pack. So I didn't have much design to work with. Thus I needed to trim with scissors. If you find a napkin large enough, I would recommend creasing the edges to the back of the glued piece and fastening them in place. It gives a neater, more finished look.

Take a 5" length of Old Olive ribbon and, after adding a dry adhesive to the back of the ribbon, place it over the napkin piece about 1/2" from the bottom, taping the ends on the back side. Add this piece over the brown on the card base.

From Early Espresso cardstockk, die cut the word "thanks". Using glue sparingly on the back of the word, adhere it to the ribbon.

From Marigold Morning cardstock, die cut the solid portion of the sunflower. From Early Espresso cardstock, die cut the open portion as well as the center of the sunflower. Turning the petals of the two pieces of sunflower until you make them match, adhere the two parts together. Add the sunflower center with a Stampin' dimensinal.

With a few Stampin' Dimensionals, add the sunflower to the upper portion of the napkin, leaving equal borders at the top and the sides.

Have you ever tried the Faux Silk technique before? If you have, what tissue-like paper did you use? Were you happy with the result? Do you use the technique often?

Faux

Smiles

(No, they're REAL smiles!)