Volunteering for Keiki Cards

I've found a wonderful way to be a volunteer for a great organization while I get to do my favorite thing ... make cards. Keiki Cards http://www.keikicards.org/ is a nonprofit group based in Hawaii that sends out handmade cards every week to children with life threatening illnesses. Being a volunteer is easy. All you have to do is make the cards and send them in, Keiki Cards handles all the rest. If you have the time, and some extra cards you should consider sending in a few. The kids will really appreciate it! I'm just happy that I'm able to put a smile on a child's face and brighten their day.

Here are a few that I'll be sending this week:

Writing Poetry For Cards

There are times when I'm inspired to write a simple poem and use it for a card. I think that's why I like working with flat cards -- they are perfect for displaying a short poem or a cute rhyme, and you still get to embellish. If I do it right, the poem will express sentiments that I'm thinking or feeling, and whoever gets the card always has the option of framing it or putting it in a scrapbook as a keepsake.

Gearing up for a Handmade Holiday

I'm beginning to gear up for a festive holiday season. I know ... Thanksgiving first, but I couldn't resist starting to work on Christmas cards. I'm all for celebrating a handmade holiday season. I know that since I started sending out handmade cards to friends and family at Christmas time, they look forward to getting them and I have fun making them.

You've got to love hang tags. What a great way to spruce up a gift or a package. These tags are 2 x 3 inches and are cut from textured patterened cardstock photo mat paper. Tags are just another way to make a gift or package extra special.

More Simple Touches

I think that it's always important to say 'thank you' in an extra special way. I always keep a stack of 'thank you' cards handy just in case. Sometimes you find yourself saying 'thank you' just because someone said something nice that made your day (on a day when you really needed to hear something nice).

This is a cute card that let's you say 'thank you' with simplistic style.

Paper and Fabric Together

On a lot of the cards I make I like to use both paper and fabric together for a little mixed media magic. On this art card I combined coordinating paper and fabric to create her outfit and I used handmade paper for the background. Again I kept the design simple, and let the different shades of brown, the patterns and the textures do all the work to create the effect.

Gotta Love Buttons!

Buttons are really versatile. We can use them for so many different things. We can use them for practical things -- like on our clothes, and the not so practical things --like putting them on cards. It's like thinking outside the box when you use bottons on your cards. They add a touch of whimsy and they offer an alternative to traditional embelishments.

Wire, Paper, and Fabric

Here is a piece from my 'Women In Wire' series. For me, a little mixed media heaven. I get to work with paper, wire, and fabric, so I get the best of all worlds. It's a simple piece but I like the effect that the three elements being used together have-- simplistic presence I guess.

More Ideas For Paper Collage

Sometimes when I'm in the mood to work on a collage and I don't have a long period of time to work, or I just want to work on something quick and simple, I'll end up working on collaged bookmarks. I use handmade and Mullberry papers for the most part, and I just tear and layer until I end up with a 'look' that I like. The best part about these projects is that they are not time consuming and I get instant gratification.

Something Different

So far I've only been talking about different types of handmade cards. Well today will be different.

Did I mention that I just love paper? Well I really do, and working on a paper collage is heavenly to me. There's something about the look and feel of Mulberry and handmade paper that just makes you want to work with them. Who can resit tearing and arranging the paper pieces until you get the look that you're going for? There are times when I have an idea in mind before I start workingbut then there are times when I just let the pieces fall where they may.

Either way I have a whole lot of fun getting to the end result!

Let color take control

There's nothing like receiving colorful correspondence or seeing a gift adorned with a colorful gift tag. This set of blank note cards and gift tags is a great example of just how well vibrant, colorful papers will 'pop' when layered on top of a complimentary solid colored background. I always try to find papers that have interesting patterns, shapes, and designs on them because those are the papers that will usually get your attention. Soft muted tones are beautiful too, but every now and again it's good to have a splash of color.

Mixed Media Art Cards

I love mixed media! I really like it when I'm able to use both paper and fabric to create an original art card. I just like the additional depth you get when you use various patterned fabrics and mix them with different grades of paper. On this card I used handmade paper as the background, and then I made my 'Humble Abode' using different fabric scraps.

The beauty of brown

Brown is such a rich color. Whenever I combine papers using variations of brown hues as the main accent color, I am always pleased with the earthy look that my cards have. By adding a simple birthday embellishment to the torn papers used on this card, I've created a card that would be a great birthday card for anyone; but because of the color palate, this would be a great card for a guy -- no girlie colors here!

Playing with Paper

There are so many different types of papers out there, that the creative posibilities are endless. Mixing and matching different styles and patterns of paper really allows you to create unique, one -of -a- kind pieces that are perfect for any occasion.

I love the look and feel of Mulburry and handmade papers. They help to add another dimension to the look and feel of my cards. By simply taking a mixed media approach to the layout, I am able to come up with a different 'mini art piece' every time.