SOS145: friend or faux?

your enjoyment of this week's challenge at shopping our stash is probably going to depend on how "techniquey" (yes, that is too a word!) you are. if you subscribe to the technique junkie newsletter and love cruising the tutorial boards at SCS, then you are going to think you've died and gone to heaven! because this week we want to see cards and projects that feature "faux" something... whether that be faux woodgrain, faux silk, faux postage, faux patina... well, you get the idea. if you're not a person who enjoys those sorts of endeavors, may i remind you that faux stitching only requires a pen!!! :)

i'm sure you've heard me refer to myself as a "technique-free zone" and i stand by that description. when it comes to papercrafting, i'm really more into the paper than anything else. also, i confess, i am not super-great at following written instructions; though nowadays most tutorials seem to have step-by-step photos, and of course youtube has at least one video of how to do absolutely ANYTHING! however, i genuinely believe that a big part of the point of participating in challenges is to try things i would not otherwise have attempted. so i did a little surfing, and a little reading, and i found this cool tutorial and decided to give faux embossed leather a shot. it turned out to be pretty easy, plus it impressed lovely husband jeff no end. score! 

(patterned paper: basic grey, pink paislee; glitter tag: papaya art; ivy leaf: prima; gem: recollections; lace and seambinding from my stash; faux embossed leather created using: cuttlebug diecutting machine; tim holtz/sizzix embossing folder; ranger distress and archival inks plus blending tool; psx clear embossing powder; adhesives: staples brand gluetape runner, 3m foam tape, gluedots, sewing machine)

i selected this rich brown shade, and started leafing through my stash of vintage illustrations, thinking i'd be making a "guy card" for my uncle ron's upcoming birthday. but somehow, the card took on a life of its own, and decided to become a rather flowery, somewhat frilly, totally glittery "just because" card for my friend diane who has a big event coming up in her life. i'm always a bit bemused by the mysterious way these things seem to happen, but i usually roll with it, just to see where i'll end up. 

my gorgeous faux leather went from being the central element/focus of the card to a sort of "very special guest star" role, so here's another shot that shows it a little closer up:

now i highly recommend a visit to see the amazing work of my SOS cohorts, because i happen to know that none of them are "technique-free zones" and all of them have outdone themselves creating for you this week!