Faux leather technique and a couple of cowboy cards

Yesterday I tried a new technique – making faux leather from tissue paper. I learned it from Sandy Allnock’s video, and the leather turned out so real! I used Mod podge to glue the tissue paper, then I covered it all with white gesso and painted it with a Prima marketing’s Gold rust paste (which looks just like a yellow acrylic paint). For the brown I dabbed Tim Holtz Vintage photo disterss stain, and sealed it all with his collage medium. So, it’s a messy technique but totally worth it! I especially like how distressed it looks on the edges.

Then I made a couple of cards with it. I picked up a set of cowboy stickers in Jo-Ann the other day and decided to make a challenge for myself – make three or four cards with these stickers, since I never use stickers in my cards. So, the first two cards are here.

One is more cowboyish and the other is more cowgirlish. I struggled with the boyish one since the “leather” is a little heavy and there is not much you can do with it since it sealed. It doesn’t pick up inks from stamping, and I’m not sure if it can be embossed. Things to discover. So, finally I just made a dark die cut ornament and a shining star on the top. The girlish card came together more easily, since I noticed how the blue flowers and jeans paper fit each other. The star sticker, red-toned leather and white and blue paper make a perfect Texas flag, and all that was left for me to do was to finish it with faux stitches on the borders. I really like this card!