Faux Metal Background Distress Paints Tutorial - Cardz 4 Guyz Guest Designer

As many of you may already know, my good-deal loving self picked up an entire cart load of Distress Paints when they were on clearance at Michael's a couple of months ago. Aaaaand then about a month later I got a 30 percent off deal at my local craft store for Distress Stains. What was a girl to do, but to add those to the collection, too? Today I'm going to share a technique tutorial that resulted from a very messy experiment session. 

P.S. (yes I know that means POST script, but I'm a rebel) I would warn you that this is a picture heavy posting, but A) I don't believe in warning people - it's better that they find out what they've gotten themselves into after they're too far sucked in (that's how I've gotten all my boyfriends) and B) Who doesn't like pictures? 

Anywho, I've used my new crafty products once or twice, but mostly they've been woefully staring at me from their mesh bag home. In an effort to remind myself to use them more, I've given them a new, shiny home and plopped them right on my crafting table. 

That storage holder thing-a-ma-bob is actually a spice rack that I purchased at a garage sale for a paltry $5. Woot! So now you know, A spice rack holds spray stains perfectly and Distress Paints perfectly! 

Now back to the card. I'm guest designing over at Cardz 4 Guyz this month and the theme this week is transportation. I have these old trucks from the Tim Holtz "Enjoy the Journey" set and thought I'd create a background to compliment them. 

Step One:

 Dab a bunch of Salty Ocean and Wild Honey Distress Paints 

on a piece of cardstock:

Step Two: 

Make sure layer one is completely dry (you can speed this along with a heat gun) and then apply Tarnished Bronze Distress Paint over the top. Use an flat object to scrape the paint in a thin layer (I used the edge of an acrylic block, but you could use a spatula or a credit card, or even a thick piece of cardstock). 

You can scrape the paint side to side in areas and up and down in other areas for added visual interest. You can also add dabbed areas on top (see right picture) for more texture. It's ok if bits of the first layer show through! 

PAUSE!

At this point your background will look a lil' something like this. You can just stop here and you'll have that aged metal effect. But I wanted a little more texture, so I added a couple more steps.

Step 3:

(optional)

Add an embossing powder for more texture

While the paint was still wet, I selectively added an embossing powder called Rusted Metal (it's really old, so I can't tell you where I got it) and then heat dried. 

Step 4:

Spray it all over with Black Soot Distress Spray Stain

Let it sit for a second or two, and then dab up excess with a paper towel. And then you will have....

An amazingly textural background that looks like oxidized metal!

Now the real question was what to do with it. I opted to use an NBUS Embossing Folder that my Design Team Coordinator, Samantha Aguilera sent to me. (Big thanks!)

I stamped an old truck using a three part process. First in Wild Honey Distress Inks, then in Evergreen Bough, then in embossing with the same Rusted Metal powder. I also used some chipboard and added embossing powder and Salty Ocean Distress Paint to the edges to achieve that oxidized effect again. 

For not being a guy cardmaker, I really loved the way this turned out and want to super thank Cardz 4 Guyz for reminding me that boy cards can be tons of fun, too!

I'm also going to link my card up to the following challenges:

Mixed Media World - Anything Goes

Craft Stamper Magazine - Use a Stamp

NBUS Challenge (because Darnell is the BEST!)
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Retro Sketches - Thanks for the great sketch!

Whew! Well you got through all the pictures. Thank you for coming over and for sticking with me! And you should totally check out Cardz 4 Guyz, too!!! 

Having Fun with Puns - Belated Birthday Card

First of all, I want to say just how overwhelmed I am by the outpouring of support you all showed on my last blog post. It was an emotional card to make and an emotional blog post to write, but you've shown me, once again, that I am not alone.

Getting back into the crafting studio, I just wanted to make something lighthearted. Time snuck up on me this week and I completely forgot to send out a card for my grandpa's 75th birthday. Woops! 

My design aesthetic really vacillates between distressed/vintage and cute and punny. I have some great frogs...but I don't remember which company they are from (they were a garage sale find). They have some great froggy pun sentiments to go with them:

I used this awesome sketch from My Favorite Things latest sketch challenge.

I cut one-inch squares and stamped a variety of frogs, rearranging their placement with each square. Then I colored them with Spectrum Noir markers and arranged them alternately with some striped green paper. I embossed the saying with white powder and fussy cut another little frog, popping his eyes with some glossy accents.

Lastly, for the inside I used another pun. I think my grandpa will appreciate the humor, considering I've dubbed him the "King of Corn". His jokes are just terrible! For instance, this is one of his favorite:

Who is the most famous knight in Pancake Land? 

The answer to the joke is: Sir Up (Syrup... Get it?)

Like I said... King of Corn. But I love him!

I am also going to enter this into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Anything Goes

Chocolate, Coffee and Cards - For the Boys