The Faux Patina Technique has a lot of wow-factor and is simple to do. Some good card stock and embossing powder colour combinations for this technique are Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Night of Navy, Cherry Cobbler, Fresh Fig, Tranquil Tide or Always Artichoke with Gold or Copper embossing powder. Basic Gray or Smoky Slate with Silver embossing powder should look good too. These dark, earthy colours definitely lend themselves to masculine cards, like this one, which is Tranquil Tide and copper...

Bundle: photopolymer: Painted Harvest Stamp Set + Leaf Punch (photopolymer: 146021). Stamps: Cheers to the Year (wood: 144925, clear: 144928), Happy Birthday Gorgeous (photopolymer: 143662). Ink: Early Espresso (126974), Pool Party (126982), Tranquil Tide (144085), VersaMark (102283). Card/Paper: Early Espresso (121686), Tranquil Tide (144252), Calypso Coral (124392), Shimmery White (121717), Wood Textures Designer Series Paper Stack (144177). Accessories: 1/4" Copper Trim (144179), Copper Stampin' Emboss Powder (141636). Tools: Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine (143263), Garden Trellis Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (143741), 2" Circle Punch (133782), Heat Tool (129056), Aqua Painter (103954), Mini Stampin’ Dimensionals (144108).

The Faux Patina Technique is basically a imperfect embossing with a metallic colour. Patina is a tarnish that you get on the surface of copper, bronze and similar metals. The embossing folder replicates the (often) ornamental surface and the imperfect heat embossing is the faux tarnish. To do this, I first used a detailed or brocade embossing folder to get a lovely raised pattern. I then lightly and randomly rubbed the VersaMark stamp pad over the top of the embossed design. Lastly, I applied metallic embossing powder sparely over the surface of the card stock, tapped off the excess and then heat set.

To finish my card I delved into some of my favourite stamp sets in the Holiday Catalogue to select some great images. The skeletal leaf image from the Painted Harvest stamp set has a lovely distressed look, like the faux patina. I stamped it in Tranquil Tide ink on Shimmery White card stock and used an Aqua Painter to move and blend the ink a little. The Leaf Punch made quick work of cutting that out. I also used the Aqua Painter to add a wash of Pool Party ink to a 2" circle. I love the decorative stamps from the Cheers to the Year stamp set, so stamped the circular-swirl stamped in Pool Party ink in the 2" circle, and the spotted border in Early Espresso ink on the Wood Textures Designer Series Paper.

Wood Textures Designer Series Paper Stack (144177) - $21.25
48 sheets: 4 each of 12 double-sided designs. 6" x 6" (15.2 cm x 15.2)

Wood Textures is one of the Designer Series Paper packs in October's promotion, where you can buy three packs of select Designer Series Paper and get one FREE!

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