Distressed Layers on a Vintage Photo Card

Do you know that moment when you see a photo in a magazine and you just have to use it in your craft? Our Crew member, Leanne McAlpine had a moment like this when she saw one of the papers in our Architextures paper pad – a photo of a 1920s dancer.
She just HAD TO use it! And she did.
Here’s how…

I absolutely love this photo of this 1920’s lady! While flicking through the Architextures mixed media pad, she kind of leapt out at me! I love the 1920’s; especially the fashion, and I would have loved to be partying and dancing the Charleston! When I see pictures like this, I invent a story around it and I’ve decided the woman in the photo was at a beach party. She is certainly very beautiful. This picture is so captivating, it needs to be a centrepiece.

Materials used in the project:
7gypsies Architextures Gypsy Mixed Media Pad
7gypsies Architextures Parchment Rub On – Pose
7gypsies Architextures Stash Paque
Tattered Angels Naturally Aged Paint System – Rusty Metal 
7×7 card blank used as a base for the project
patterned paper, lace, kraft card
paper flowers, twine & beads from my stash
Memento and Ranger ink pads
Heat tool, scissors, hot glue gun, bone folder

To start, I fussy cut the picture frame from the Mixed Media Pad.
I thought this frame was a perfect background for displaying the photo.

Using the Rusty Metal kit, I randomly applied the paints onto the frame, following the step by step guide that comes with the kit. This paint set is amazing and if you dry the layers using a heat tool close to the project, the paint bubbles giving authentic rusty texture. I would recommend practising the technique on some scrap card first. Once dried, I added the photo to the centre of the frame with foam pads. I have distressed the edges with scissors and rubbed them with some old paper distress ink before attaching.

To create texture for the background of the card, I sprayed a piece of lace with the Vintage Pink mist from the Naturally Aged kit and glued it to the card base.

Next, I cut 2 pieces of ephemera from the stash paque. To give them a more vintage look, I distressed the edges with scissors and rubbed the edges with a Memento ink pad.

Using a bone folder, I added the ‘be wonderful’ rub-on from the Pose parchment onto a piece of scrap card.
I absolutely love these rub-ons!

I then cut a rectangle of patterned paper and distressed the edges of this as well as the sentiment.

I attached all the items to the card as shown above. I used foam pads to add dimension between the layers.

To finish, I added a length of pearl string and a selection of paper flowers, twine bow, beads and stamens using hot glue.
I then completed the card by tucking the sentiment behind the twine bow.

I hope you like the finished project.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

– Leanne –
blog and Instagram

Sign up to Receive Inspiring Content, Exclusive Offers and More!

Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party.