Torn Paper Backgrounds with Layered Star Flowers by Anne Thompson

I've been studying Chinese collage works recently which use elements of torn paper to create backgrounds and images.  For the three cards I made for this post, I used torn paper to create backgrounds for the Layered Star Flowers all-occasion cards.

Card One

materials used

• white notecard
• scraps of light blue cardstock
• medium green cardstock from LUSH GREEN COLLECTION SP1003
• green plaid paper from MADRAS PLAID CORAL AND GREEN PP1013
• VersaFine Clair Shady Lane ink to edge the torn papers
• white pearl paper from VINTAGE PASTEL MIRROR PAD FP1002
• LAYERED STAR FLOWERS 94612
• AUTUMN FAIRY CRYSTALS CRY101
• "For You" from SIGNATURE GREETINGS CL5272

to make this card

• orient a white notecard so the fold is at the top
• add a small strip of light blue cardstock at the top of the notecard...I let all of my paper strips go over the edges and trimmed the extra off once all of the strips were in place.
• tear two strips of the medium green cardstock and three strips of a green plaid paper; use the Shady Lane VersaFine Clair ink to add color to the torn white edges
• place the strips from top to bottom on the notecard, plaid-green-plaid-green-plaid
• die cut three sets of the Layered Star Flowers blossoms from the white pearl paper and the leaves from the medium green cardstock; assemble them; add Fairy Crystals to the flower centers; add them to the card front
  
• stamp "For You" on a scrap of light blue cardstock; tear around the lettering and ink the edges; add to the card

 

Card Two

materials used

• white notecard, top-fold
• papers from GARDEN FOLLY PP1005
• LAYERED STAR FLOWERS 94612
• AUTUMN FAIRY CRYSTALS CRY101

to make this card

• top-fold white notecard
• tear strips of papers from the GARDEN FOLLY PP1005 paper pad--I used the red one with the gold Xs, the gold honeycomb paper, the penmanship paper, the two shades of red leaves--add to the notecard from the top to the bottom--red-gold-red-gold-red-lined
• cut two of the Layered Star Flowers from the Xed paper and the honeycomb paper; add Autumn Fairy Crystals CRY101 to the flower centers and to the centers of the Xs; add the flowers to the notecard 

Card Three

materials used

• white notecard, side-fold
• light green cardstock from LUSH GREEN COLLECTION SP1003
• plaid paper from SPRING PLAID SLIM PP101SS
• flowered paper scrap from GARDEN FOLLY PP1005
• LAYERED STAR FLOWERS 94612
• WINTER FANTASY FAIRY GEMSTONES GEM102
• PASTEL FAIRY JEWELS JWL002

to make this card

• tear paper strips and add to the card front, top to bottom--solid, plaid, solid, flowers, solid, plaid, solid
• die cut five flowers and three sets of stems; assemble and add to the card front
• add the pale green Fairy Gemstones to the flower centers and the gold Fairy Jewels to the centers of the larger printed paper flowers

Tearing your paper scraps into strips is another way to use the bits that you have left from previous projects to add extra texture to a card.  Those scraps are often just the thing, too, for stamping a sentiment or for even die cutting a small image.  Try a torn paper background on one of your cards.

Happy Crafting!