Inspirational Butterfly Quote Note Card

"If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies..." I like this because it reminds me that change is good. I design a lot of cards, bookmarks, and magnets using this.

When I worked on this card I used a torn piece of watercolor paper that I'd done a watercolor wash on, added some punched butterflies, and the saying that I'd printed on some handmade paper.

Getting back to blogging and working on some bookmarks...

It's been a while, but I'm hoping to get back to blogging... I've been working on some bookmarks for the Etsy shop. I'm slowly but surely uploading them. I love the saying on this one so much that I made one for myself so that I can remind myself to focus on the things that I CAN get done.

Handmade Primitive Christmas Card

This Christmas card has a bit of a primitive feel to it. I'm not sure that it started out that way in the beginning, but by the time I was done tearing , cutting , and inking, this is what I ended up with. If you have a feeling to pass on some primitive vibes this Christmas, this could be the card for you. It's listed on Etsy in my Etsy store if you'd like to take a look...

Mixed Media Art Card

It's been a while since I made one of these mixed media art cards for my Etsy shop. I used some torn handmade paper in the background, and decorative floral paper and fabric for her outfit. Lots of fun to make... I think I'll have to make a few more.

Love Notes

I'm still in the love mode. I'm not much of a stamper, but I really liked this one because of the love sentiments that it conveys. After stamping I added the heart that's painted on a torn section of handmade paper. Keeping it simple as usual...

Mixed Media Art Card

This is a blank mixed media art card done using colorful torn handmade paper, beads, and coated yarn. I used 140lb watercolor paper to create the card blank and the piece is mounted directly on the front. What I like about these mixed media art cards is that they are cards and gifts rolled into one as they would also look great in a frame.

Happy Earth Day - Handmade Paper Bookmarks

Whenever Earth Day rolls around I always try to think of earth friendly projects that I have worked on -- whether it's up-cycling old napkins for cards and bookmarks or blending scraps of old paper to make new sheets of paper -- and I always hope that I've done my part to be a bit more Eco friendly.

These bookmarks were made from old bits of scrap paper blended together to make something new.

Valentine Collage

With the Christmas hustle and bustle gone, now it's time to settle down and focus on what comes next -- Valentine's Day. This collage mixed media layout was a lot of fun to put together. I used some handmade papers, fabric scraps, and printed ribbon. The best part about the whole thing is that it's a collage so there are no specific rules.

New Card - Handmade Paper,Raffia, and Pop Up Stickers

I've been working on some new cards to put in my Etsy store since it seems as though I've neglected new inventory for a while. This is one of the new cards I've added. I just had some fun playing around with scrap handmade paper,raffia, and some pop up stickers.

Flower Note Card

Handmade paper and patterned card stock help to make this flower note card come to life. I had worked on a bunch of these with the intentions of putting them in my Etsy store, but I took them to an outdoor festival and they were very popular -- this is the only one left! Yeah!

Mixed Media Card Design

This mixed media card incorporates a lot of the things that I like to work with -- handmade paper, jute (has great texture), card stock, and glitter. It's an abstract take on a 'Basket of Flowers', but sometimes that's the beauty of an abstract mixed media piece -- it can go in any direction that you're willing to take it.

Punched Water Color Flowers

I had some left over paper that I had done a water color wash on for another piece, and I couldn't bear to throw the paper away because I liked the way the colors had blended together. So I decided to salvage the scraps by using a flower punch to punch some flowers that I could use for a flower pot design that had been floating around in my head.

I used handmade paper for the background, some type of construction tape (I have no idea what it's called -- I just liked the way it looked) for the flower pot, and added the punched flowers above the pot to finish it off.

So I was happy... I was able to make a card and put the left over paper to some good use.

Simple Mixed Media Art Using Paper and Fabric

Have fun creating simple mixed media art pieces using paper and fabric. They are perfect for cards or for framing and hanging on the wall. For this piece I used torn pieces of handmade paper for the flowers, burlap threads for the stems, and scrap fabric for the flower pot.

Bookmarks Made With Handmade Paper

Whenever I come across a sheet of handmade paper that offers wonderful hues and textures, I am always excited to see which projects I'll be able to incorporate it in. I found this sheet and thought that it would make a perfect bookmark. I love the colors and textured elements that it has.

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.

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.

Handmade Paper Backgrounds

Working with torn pieces of handmade paper is a great way to create a textured look for the background for a collage or mixed media piece. The process is a little bit more labor intensive than using paint, but the end result is usually a good one that will allow you to set the tone for what you're working on, and if you're trying to add some varying levels of texture, then this is another way to do it.

I used a lot of bright colors on this one, but muted tones will work just as well.

Bookmarks Made From Recycled Handmade Paper

Here are 2 bookmarks that I made from recycled handmade paper. I got the blender out (the one that I use exclusively for making paper) and gathered up all of my scrap papers and went to town. I ended up with a few sheets of interesting looking paper, so I decided to make some bookmarks and save the rest for some other projects.

I tore the edges before the paper was completely dry and then once they (the bookmarks) were finished drying, I punched holes at the top and added the tassels.