CutCardstock Brown Bag Papers

Using my Brown Bag Collection of papers from CutCardstock and my Cheery Lynn Designs Big Weaver and Big Wicker dies, I have created a wonderful woven background for a card base.

To create this fabulous woven background panel, I started with a sheet of Blueberry Handtinted Brown Bag paper and 2 sheets of Kraft Brown Bag paper.  Using my Cheery Lynn Designs Big Weaver (1/2" width strips) I embossed and then die cut 2 panels of Kraft paper.  One end of the panels has about a 1/2" border that does not cut, this makes it easy to hold onto while you are weaving in the other strips of paper.  Using my Cheery Lynn Designs Big Wicker (1/4" width strips) I embossed and then die cut 1 panel of Blueberry.

Before I started weaving, I took a Frayed Burlap Distress Ink pad and just rubbed along the base Kraft panel to bring up some of the embossed areas.  Using strips of Kraft and Blueberry, I wove a pattern for my card base.  You can snug the paper right up to each other for a nice tight weave.  When I got a pattern I was happy with, I cut a 5 7/8" base of Kraft paper to which I added a full sheet of Red Liner Tape.  You want this to be really secure or your weaving will come apart.  Then I attached my woven pattern to the base, running a brayer over it for a nice secure surface.

Using my Cheery Lynn Designs French Flair die, I centered it on my woven paper and embossed and then die cut it out.  I was attempting to cut through 3 layers of card stock and the red liner tape.  The die did not cut entirely through the tape but it was a simple matter to trim around the edge of the die cut.  Then using my Cheery Lynn Designs Silver French Flair, I cut the next largest panel out of Blueberry.  And the final step for creating my card base was to cut a Cheery Lynn Designs Scallop French Flair out of Brown Bag Kraft 65# Cover card stock.



Isn't this a fabulous design?  I really hated to cover it up, lol.  If you are into basket weaving, you could easily weave yourself a basket.  And the Brown Bag paper is so perfect for this project, it has that vintage quality about it.  So next it was time for finish my card.  I chose an image from Mo Manning called Savannah at Easter, isn't she a cutie?  I printed her onto Cryogen paper and colored her with Copic markers.  Then using punches and dies along with the handtinted Cranberry, Eggplant and Olive Brown Bag papers, I created some fabulous flowers and leaves, adding a few gems for the centers.

And there we have it, what a fun project and an adorable card.  I just love this paper, it is so easy to work with and as I said before, I love the soft muted tones of the handtinted colors.  Finished size is 5 5/8" square.  I hope you have enjoyed my little tutorial and that I have inspired you to try this fabulous paper and create a project of your own.  

March 2011 Sale is our Brown Bag Collection.
 All Brown Bag Products will be discounted 10% from March 1-31.