The Little House at Pine Haven

 Here's a short tutorial for faux alligator texture for mini suitcases, etc.

You will need:
Cardboard item (Suitcase, Hatbox, Trunk)
(I cut out a suitcase pattern (found online) from shirt cardboard or cereal box will work, too)
Any Brown color acrylic paint, watered down to make a thin glaze (about half paint, half water)
Glossy Accents, Mod Podge, Judikins Diamond Glaze, or similar
Brownish Sharpie marker
Alcohol Swabs or Alcohol and Kitchen paper towel
Picture from internet of alligator skin/hide


















Start by assembling your item then add a wash of your brown acrylic paint. Don't use too much or your card will warp. (You could paint it then weight it before you assemble)
You don't want this to be a really dark color as this will show through the Glossy Accents later.

When dry, follow picture of alligator hide and dot on your Glossy Accents with a light hand to get small irregular dots all over.
For the larger bumps in the center add a line down the center of each dot after they are dry.
Let all of this dry very well.

Go over the whole object with the brown Sharpie. After this dries rub lightly with your alcohol swabs to remove the marker from the tops of the Glossy Accent dots. The Sharpie marker will stay on the card in between and you are left with a realistic gator hide look.
Depending on how your card soaks up the marker and how dark you may want those areas in between the dots you may need to repeat the layers of marker and wiping with alcohol. Also, color between the dots with your marker.