"This week, I thought I would share a distressing technique. I'm asked many times how I distress my pages and if I burn my paper. No, there's no burning involved...just lots of ink and patience!

Step 1: Tear the paper around all 4 edges to get a textured edge.

Step 2: This is what is looks like when 4 edges have been torn.


Step 4: Use the foot sanding tool and rub around all the edges, it shapes them nicely and turns up the edges for texture. Be aware, there is going to be lots of paper dust flying around! I wish I would be able to share a better photo of this part. As you can probably see I'm using a back and forth motion, that way that paper will start to curl up.

Step 5: If you rip parts of the paper, it's ok! It gives the paper character. I would recommend a few tears on the page.


A great tip I have is to make some color cards or tags. Just swipe some ink on a spot and write the name of the ink near it. You can hold the card to your project to see what colors coordinate. This will save a lot of time and guess work.

Step 7: Start with the lightest color, Antique Linen, and rub from the edge to about 2 inches into the paper.


Step 8: Next take the 2nd color, Walnut Stain, and go from the edge to about 1 inch into the paper, really working it into the edges and creases.

Step 9: Now, take the Black Soot ink and do just the very edges (this is how I get the burnt effect), get into the torn edges really well too.

See how the black looks in the torn part.

Step 10: When you are finished the edges should look like this. To begin the layout, I centered the distress paper on a piece of pattern paper from Webster's pages.

By cutting out decorative elements from the papers I can embellish the layout. The pretty white butterflies and flowers are from a Prima vine. I cut the vine apart and used pop-dots to hold them down. I then painted over the top of the butterflies and flowers with some sparkly shimmerz product.



~Melanie
11 comments:
I knew this tecnique from before, but you certainly added a new touch with the last touch; the burnt look at the very end of the paper; excellent !
Thanks for sharing :-)
This is a fabulous layout, I love it. Thanks so much for sharing the distress technique with us.
Thanks for sharing the "burned" edges technique. So cool!
Hugs
SueAnn
Thanks for the tutorial. It's very helpful.
I just love this technique and Mel....you have it mastered!!! What talent you share with us!!! Thank you so much on the how to's...I thought I knew distressing...no way!!!
This LO is STUNNING!!!
Awesome!!!!
Thanks for tutorial!!!
Gorgeous layout!!!! So earthy, and beautiful... Love this blog and thanks for the tutorial...
i absolutely loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeee the way that melanie did this!!! taught me some new things! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)
To me, Melanie is the Distressing Queen! She has such a unique, pretty style- like no one else I've seen. Thanks for sharing your tips Melanie You make me want to try this, but no way- this is your baby!! xOxO
Awesome tutorial Mel..I love the look of your distressed edges - and what a gorgeous layout!
This is a fab tutorial - just what I was looking for after getting a Tim Holtz distress ink pad in a blog candy and not knowing what to do with it!!
Esme x
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