Some years ago Stampin’ Up! sold a product that had an art canvas type of texture.  It’s no longer available but I’ve discovered a quick and easy way to get that canvas effect, all courtesy of my new favourite Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder called Subtle.

This project actually started with the Lilypad Lake Stamp Set and Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  I stamped the sailboat image onto a scrap of Whisper White Card and then coloured the pair of boats using Coastal Cabana and Mango Melody Stampin’ Write Markers from the Brights collection.

NOTE – the sailboat image is actually a pair of boats and a single one but for today’s project only the pair would be used.

I started on my water scene with a piece of Very Vanilla Card lightly sponged with Pool Party ink.  Then I masked off all but about the bottom inch of the piece and used Stampin’ Sponge to add some Coastal Cabana ink to the area.  Finally the ‘water’ was finished with Coastal Cabana ink used to stamp the long waves image.

To complete the sky I used a 1″ Circle Punch to punch out a mask from scrap paper and placed it onto my sponged piece before sponging some Mango Melody ink inside the circle.  I took the masks away and then added a light coating of Mango Melody ink around the outside of the ‘sun’ and on the water beneath it.  Finally I went over the whole of the ‘sky’ again in a side to side motion with more Pool Party ink to add a little more depth.

I cut out the boats using my Big Shot and Magnetic Platform with the coordinating die from the Lakeside Framelits and set them aside.  Then using the #9 plain-edged die from the Layering Squares Framelits (counting up from the smallest) I cut out my sponged scene.  Finally I centred the same square die on a 3-1/4″ x 3-1/4″ piece of Early Espresso Card and cut that out to create a frame.

To give my sponged scene a ‘canvas’ texture I placed it inside the Subtle embossing folder and ran it through the Big Shot with all the tabs open on the Multipurpose Platform and only 1 cutting plate (on top of the embossing folder).  As with all Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folders I then ran the folder back through the Big Shot.

The card base is very simple, a piece of Thick Very Vanilla Card cut and scored using my Stampin’ Trimmer, folded along the scored line and the crease sharpened with a Bone Folder.  In the bottom right corner using Tuxedo Black ink I stamped the ‘happy birthday’ sentiment from the Picture Perfect Birthday Stamp Set.

A length of 1/8″ Very Vanilla and Copper ribbon from the Tea Room Ribbon Combo Pack was attached down the left side of the card base with Tear & Tape Adhesive.

I flipped over my die-cut ‘frame’ and placed the sponged piece in the middle, also face down.  Then I used some sellotape to hold the two pieces together.  With that done I could fix the assembled piece to the front of the card with Stampin’ Dimensionals.  More Stampin’ Dimensionals were used to add the die-cut boats.

On a separate piece of Very Vanilla Card I used Tuxedo Black ink to stamp just the pair of boats in the bottom right corner.  I coloured the boats to match the ones on the front of the card and then fixed the layer inside the card base with Multipurpose Liquid Glue (Tombow).

To complete the project I stamped the pair of boats in the bottom right corner on the front of a Very Vanilla Medium Envelope and coloured that to match the card.  Job done.

I love this simple masculine birthday card and the canvas effect turned out so much better than I could have imagined.  I do hope you give it a try.

BUNDLE BONUS – The Lilypad Lake Stamp Set and coordinating Lakeside Framelits can be purchased separately but if you want both items you’ll save 10% if you order them using the special bundle code.  I’ve included both options in my product list below.

Product List