Faux Wood Technique

I saw the Faux Wood Technique here for the first time and fell in love with the look.  

Then, like I usually do, I made a mistake here and there in the execution!  It turned out fine, though, and since I was gleefully praising myself as I was playing, I decided to make a photo tutorial for you all!  My steps are a bit different than the original tutorial because of my mistakes, which I ended liking.  

I have another card example using this technique at the end of this post!

Faux Wood Technique Photo Tutorial

Choose 3 colors that are a light, medium, and dark of each other, plus Whisper White.  Oh, and that Close to Cocoa ink pad is really Soft Suede.  I kept the pad when the color retired and just reink it with Soft Suede.

Add your lightest color first, which is Crumb Cake here.

This is the way to add the ink in each step to your cardstock.  It's called the direct-to-paper method.  Place your ink pad at the edge of your cardstock, then drag it across.

Add next darkest color, which is Soft Suede here.

Add darkest color next, which is Early Espresso here.  And, yes, you can use your mini ink pads for the direct-to-paper method!

Wait a minute to give the previous applications of ink time to dry, then add Whisper White ink.  I did get a tiny amount of brown ink on my pad, but it's fine!  You can blot it out with a paper towel or be like me and just leave it (I think it's evident from these photos that my supplies are well-used!).

We've made our faux wood cardstock - isn't it wonderful?!  Now it's time to cut our frames.  If your dies are able to nest inside each other, you can do the next three steps at once.

Place the smaller frame inside of the larger frame.  

LOVE!!!  Don't you love that look?  **swoon**  That fabulous wood grain paper in the background is from the Come To Gather DSP.  I pulled on the Copper Ribbon Trim to get a full look.

I loved the Faux Wood Technique so much that I made a second card.

Instead of squares, I used stitched rectangles for the frames.  You could use Stitched Shapes dies to get square, circle, and oval frames, too.

The leaf die is from Gathered Leaves dies (as is the Crushed Curry one in my first card on which I stamped the sentiment).  I pressed the leaf die into a Delicata Gold Glitz ink pad then ran it through my machine with Cajun Craze cardstock.  

The multi-colored leaves were SO easy to create.  I scribbled on the stamp with Stampin' Write markers, breathed on it to rewet the ink, then stamped on Very Vanilla cardstock.  I used my Stampin' Write markers lightest to darkest: Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie, Cherry Cobbler.  

Layering Squares dies (item #141708)

Stitched Shapes dies (item #145372)

Gathered Leaves dies (item #150662)

Delicata Golden Glitz ink (item #150711) *currently on backorder but still orderable

Stampin' Write Markers -Regals (item #147155)

Beauty & Joy stamp set (item #150518) **one of my Top 10 picks!**

Copper Trim (item #144179)

Come To Gather Designer Series Paper (item #150454) *currently on backorder but still orderable

Thank you for choosing me as your demonstrator!  It's always my goal to give you your best crafting experience.  Your support lets me know that you ARE having your best crafting experience!   

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