• Texture sheets come in an assortment of “textures” from distinct patterns to simple lines. The thickness and flexibility of texture sheets also varies from thin and bendable to thick and rigid. Texture sheets are also available in rubber.

• Rubber texture sheets can also be used for stamping images when ink or paint is used.

• Textures include dots, grids, stars, snowflakes, butterflies, flowers, wavy lines, curls, woodgrains, leaves, gravel, stones, bricks, linen, burlap, lace, knits, bubbles, plaids, and squiggles.

• This is a form of embossing. The surface is raised by means of molding or burnishing. The deeper the pattern is etched, the most texture you will achieve. Mix and combine soft texture with harder textures.

• Texture sheets are used to add texture to other materials from commercial paper to air-drying clay to polymer clay to handmade papers.

• You can use both sides of some texture sheets to give 2 different effects.

• To use with clays like paper clay or polymer clay: Roll out clay into a thin sheet. Place texture sheet on top of the clay and using a roller, press down and let the clay sink into the texture sheet. Remove clay from texture sheet and use. You can also use a pasta machine.

• You can use materials like Puffy Paper with texture sheets. Place texture sheet on top of this product and run through a die/embossing system or pasta machine. The Puffy Paper will flatten and take on the imprint of the texture sheet.

• You can texturize commercial papers with texture sheets. Place paper on top of texture sheet and rubbed with a burnisher/embossing tool. Rub softly to avoid ripping or tearing the paper. You can also use a die/embossing system or pasta machine.

• Thin metals can be texturized easily with texture sheets. Run through a die/embossing system, pasta machine, or burnish.

• Texture adds variety, depth, dimension, and interest to materials. Textured materials can then be used in scrapbooking, cardmaking, collage, altered art, and the paper arts.

• Always clean your texture sheets and store flat with no weight on top. 

Materials to have on hand…

• Wallpaper paste
• Water-based paint
• Paper
• Container for each color
• Paint brush (thick flat brushes work best)
• Palette knife, brayer or large spoon
• Texture tools:  combs, sponges, stamps, plastic wrap, toothpick and fingers

Step By Step
  

1. Mix up the wallpaper paste following packaging instructions.  Wallpaper paste is thick, but should be smooth rather than lumpy.
2. Divide the paste into separate containers for each color you want to create.  Start adding a little paint at a time to each container.  Test the tone and hue on a scrap of paper.  Mix well.
3. Cover your work area.  Place a sheet of paper onto work area and start brushing on paste.  You can use a single color or brush on several colors. 
4. Clean brush between colors.  Cover paper with paste as evenly as possible (thick or thin just make sure it’s an even coat) and remember to brush past the edges of the paper.
5. Now have some fun with your texture tools!  You are basically removing the paste to form the pattern or design.  Try combing across the paper, zigzag the comb or comb across in waves.  Dab a sponge here and there.  Take your fingers and create lines, swirls or waves. 
6. Explore and experiment.  Please note that a comb can be the kind you use to part your hair or it can be a soft rubber “comb” found in the art aisle or faux finish section of an art and craft store or home center.
7. Let paper dry flat.  Depending on how thick you spread the paste, drying can take an hour or two or 24 hours. 
8. Immediately clean your brush and work area.  You don’t want to deal with dried paste in the bristles or on your table.

 Materials to have on hand…

• Paper
• Paper cutter or craft knife and self-healing cutting mat
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Glue or tape

A few weaving terms to become familiar with:

Loom:  The frame used for weaving the piece.

Warp:  The pieces that run from top to bottom (up and down).

Weft:  The pieces than run across the warp (side to side…think weft and right…smile)

Web:  The single or whole piece created by weaving.

Step by Step

1. Select two different but compatible papers.  Both should be either 8 ½” x 11″ or 12″ x 12″ while you are learning the technique.
2. The first sheet of paper will act as the loom as well as the warp. On the back of the paper, measure and mark 1″ from the top and both sides. Do not cut beyond these marks or your loom will fall apart. The warp pieces can be cut straight or curved with them being all the same width or different widths.
3. Cut the weft strips from the second sheet of paper (straight or curved). To make it easier, you can draw and number the curved pieces before cutting them.
4. Begin weaving the first row by placing one strip of weft paper over one warps and under the next warp and repeat to the end of the row.  The second row starts with placing a weft strip under one warp and over the next warp and repeat to the end of the row. Keep the weft strips pushed toward the top of the weaving.
5. Alternate row one and row two until the web is complete. Secure weave ends with a touch of glue.  Now you are ready to use your woven paper as an element of scrapbooking, card making, paper art, collage and other fun creations. 

 Materials to have on hand…

• Paper:  All types of paper work well with this technique including cardstock, decorative, handmade, tissue, corrugated, origami, washi, vellum and linen
• Optional:  Straightedge like a ruler.

Step by Step

1. When tearing paper one side will show the paper core and the other will not. (If your paper is a solid color, this is not a concern). Where you want the core to show will determine which way you hold and rip the paper. 
2. Rip a piece of red paper (that has a white core) down the middle.  If you rip with your dominant hand (let’s say your right hand), the core (white) will show on the left hand side.  If you rip with your left hand, then the core shows to the right side.
3. For more controlled tear hold the paper and tear towards you.  Usually the slower you tear the more ragged or deckled the edge of the paper will be.

Tips

• Ripped and torn paper is great for collage, card making and altered art as well as scrapbook pages.
• Mulberry paper gives a soft wispy edge when torn, as do many handmade or specialty papers.
• Try tearing 2-tone or double-hued paper; one color on the front and a different color (not just white) on the back.  This type of paper can be found in origami sheets and cardstock sheets.
• Scraps leftover from ripping and tearing can be used to make serendipity paper.
• Layer the ripped or torn paper.  Layers add texture, depth and interest. 
• Tear paper for the mats around photos or captions.
• Some thick handmade papers are very unpredictable when tearing so to get an even deckled look you can “water cut” the paper.  Dip a thick round brush into water.  Brush the water along the edge you wish to rip.  Rip along the wet area.
• For more control you can use a straight edge or deckled edge ruler to rip against.
• If you aren’t sure how the paper will look torn always practice with a scrap of the same type paper before tearing your main paper.
• Chalk the torn edges.  Especially pretty with white core edges. 
• Don’t stop at paper, rip some fabric, tear some ribbon, and rip some photo edges for fun.

• Don’t be intimidated by the uniqueness of heavily fibered papers and meshes. Experiment, rip, tear, cut, fold, crease, distress and have some fun.

• Fiber papers can be scissor or craft knife cut, punched, ripped and water cut (using a brush or waterbrush, you draw a line of water where you want to cut and then gently tear the paper).

• Mesh papers must be cut with scissors or a sharp craft knife.

• Although usually colorfast, it’s best to test any of these papers before using in collage or decoupage where the paper will get saturated with glue.

• To test the colorfastness of any paper all you need to do is cut a small piece of the paper and lay it down on a clean white sheet of paper. Saturated the test paper with water or glue and then wipe with a clean white paper towel. If you see any color bleeding you’ll know the paper is not colorfast.

• Sew these types of papers with a small sharp needle. Needles will dull quickly and a quick wipe with beeswax or bead thread conditioner will help the needle glide smoothly through the paper. You can also pre-punch your holes with a sharp needle tool.

• Store this paper flat and if possible with an even weight over it to prevent unwanted curling or warping. If you’d like a little curl to the paper this can be done with warmth such as a curling iron on low, light flow from a hair dryer, or wrapping the paper around a round object, dampen the paper lightly, and allow to dry.

• Running mesh paper through a Xyron can give you an even, light spread of adhesive. Just make sure you really rub down the adhesive before removing the paper backing and use a glue remover pad to remove any adhesive that might come through the open weaves.

• These papers were born to be layers with other papers. Mix and match weights, textures and colors. The loose weave meshes look wonderful when you intertwine coordinating fibers, ribbons, and threads through the open sections.

• Just about any type of glue can be used with fibrous, open weave and mesh papers. Since most of these papers have little body solid glues (tapes, dots) and thin-bodied paper glues are best avoiding hard glues like glue sticks and hot glues. You can also adhere these papers with brads, eyelets, ribbon, and threads.

• You need to answer a few questions!  Who?  What?  When?  Where? & Why?  Take a good look at each photo and answer those questions for those who will be enjoying your scrapbook pages.
• Journaling can be a time to reflect and tell the story behind the photos you are using in your layouts.   Does the person have any special talents or skills?  Is the place special for a particular reason?  Is the person related or a friend?  Use exact dates if possible including month, day and year.
• For special events you are scrapbooking include lots of fun information.  For a birthday party include everyone who attended, what gifts were given, the favor of the cake, and if a special theme was used. 
• Journaling is a chance for you to share your tender feelings.  Use the journaling to create heartfelt messages for family and friends.  Don’t worry that you aren’t a poet or did poorly in English class.  All that will be seen is that you created and recorded a memory.
• Journaling can be handwritten, word-processed, stamped, or done with word and alphabet stickers.  Most of us don’t really like our own handwriting, but it is important that some of your scrapbook pages and journals include your handwriting so future generations can enjoy and have a small part of you as an individual.
• You can journal in straight lines, curves, in shapes, around the edges of the page, around the photos, under the photos, or just about anywhere you want. Experiment, have fun, explore, and journal.  The more you journal, the easier it becomes.
• At a loss for words?  Use a favorite poem, song, or saying to get you started.  Learn to pay attention and listen for any “quote-able” quotes that may come your way while taking the photos.
• You are preserving memories.  Journaling tells even more than the photographs!  Think ahead, ten or twenty years from now, you may not remember the name of your first neighbor, your best friend’s cat, or your child’s first babysitter
• Use descriptive phrases and lots of adjectives!  Write feelings and emotions rather than just the facts.  Was it a cold day?  What mood was grandma in?  Was it morning, afternoon, evening or midnight?  Your first visit to this place? 
•  Use different colored inks and different styled fonts or lettering. Incorporate rubber stamped letters, stickers, or die cut letters into your journaling. 
• Check out magazines, websites, and books for journaling styles.  Be inspired by using examples from other scrapbookers and then take it a step further by making it truly your own.

 Materials to have on hand…

• Photos: Black and white photo.  Remember that you can have a color photo printed in black and white at your photo processor or on your own computer if you have a photo quality printer.
• Tinting Markers or Photo Tinting Kit: These are a special marker designed for coloring on photos.  The tints are very subtle.   There are several brands available.  Some manufacturers have a liquid compound included with the photo tinting kit.  Follow manufacturer’s labeling and instructions.

Step by Step

1. Read and follow specific manufacturer’s labeling and instructions.
2. Apply liquid pre-tinting solution if needed.
3. Work one area at a time.  Work with one color of marker at a time.
4. Gently rub the marker in a smooth fashion over the area you want to tint/color.  You don’t have to push down on the marker. 
5. Since the colors are so soft and subtle, you need to “build” color.  Go over an area and step back from the photo.  Do you want more color?  Go over the area again and step back from the photo.  Keep “building” layers of the color until satisfied with the final hue.
6. Repeat process for all other photo areas you want to color
7. Allow photo to dry for 24 hours before using or framing.

Tips

• Have your subject wear light clothing with some contrast. Extremely dark colors will appear almost black on the photo print and tint colors will not be detectible.
• Avoid any heavy shadowing in a photo especially around the face.  Shoot outdoors or with a flash.
• When photographing people use props as a way to add interest and charm to the photo. Props like hats, dolls or teddy bears or flowers. 
• Avoid busy backgrounds.
• Color only the prop or other focal point of the photo.
• Don’t forget that landscapes can be fun to photo tint.
• You can also use chalks and pastels to color black and white photos, but you’ll need to use a fixative to set the chalks/pastels.
• Try printing photos to high quality papers and coloring with colored pencils
• You can use handmade papers in your computer printer, but make sure the paper isn’t too thick for you brand of printer.