Note Cards For My Etsy Store

I worked on some note cards for my Etsy store today and I'm really pleased with the way they turned out. I like the texture of the card stock (I love textured cards), and the simple but elegant statement that they make. They are blank inside so they are perfect for keeping in touch the old fashioned way.

'Happiness Is...' Handmade Note Card

One of best parts about creating cards is that they convey feelings. When I worked on this card I was having a really good day and feeling good about everything. So 'Happiness Is' was 'born'.

I used different patterned papers to create the blouse, the skirt, the head, and the hearts, and I used a solid piece of card stock for the background. Any which way you look at it 'Happiness Is'... creating cards!

Paper Collage

I've been playing with scraps again and working on another collage. I used all kinds of papers to put this piece together -- lots of handmade and painted paper scraps came into play. I chose a lot of bright colors because I wanted a more vibrant piece rather than one with subdued tones and I think that the colorful paper selection helped me to create just that.

Wire, Ribbon, and Handmade Paper

I've been working on adding a few more pieces to my 'Women In Wire' series. This is 'Gina'. I had a lot of fun working on putting her together.

She is mounted onto a canvas board that's been covered with handmade paper. Her body is made from wire and I've dressed her with wired ribbon ( wired ribbon is a lot easier to use when you need to work out the shape of the dress).

I like working on these pieces because I get to work with some of my favorite things --paper, fabric (in this case ribbon), and wire, and I can create these 'women' who all seem to tell a different story.

Write Love Notes on A Handmade Flat Card

If you have someone in your life that's truely special and worth the effort, then why not write them a love note on a handmade flat card? Flat cards are like heavy duty stationery. They are made from card stock so they are easy to work with and they don't wrinkle or tear as easily. When I made this flat card I used a vellum heart sticker and mounted it on pink card stock, but you can use almost anything (a heart shaped button, punched hearts, painted hearts...)to symbolize your love on your cards.

Working In Ink on Card Blanks

Sometimes I like to do simple paintings directly onto a card blank using ink. I always choose a heavy weight, high quality acid free paper for these cards so that I can make sure that the paper is able to support the ink without it bleeding through to the other side. Then when I'm done I'll usually add my sentiment on the front of the card usually underneath or beside what I've drawn or painted. In this case it's 'Thinking of you..." Truth be told, I'm always thinking about somebody, so it gives me an excuse to make a card and send it off!

Create With Wire,Paper, and Fabric

I like to work on mixed media pieces because they allow me to use several different elements all at once, and for the most part they usually work well together.

For this piece I used handmade paper, wire, and fabric to come up with this sassy lady. The gold threads in the fabric are an added bonus as they add a bit of sparkle and highlight the brown hues.

Another Valentine's Day Card Idea

This is another Valentine's Day Card idea. I mounted a heart cut from mulbury paper on top of a textured acrylic painted background and then stamped 'love' on top. It's a simple layout but it gets the message across. I like it because you can use it for Valentine's day or you can use it anytime you want to send a card to someone special.

Give A Valentine Bookmark With Your Valentine's Day Cards

This year when you make your Valentine's Day cards for those special people in your life, think about making a bookmark to go with your cards. Bookmarks are a really nice touch to add, and they are a useful keepsake to pass along.

I chose a sheet of handmade paper that already had hearts on it for this bookmark, and I mounted it on card stock to make it more sturdy. Then I punched a hole at the top and added the ribbon.