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.

Featured on ImageKind

One of my favorite pieces that I have available at Calabash Studio -- 'My Sister Sepia' -- was featured on the front page of Imagekind the other day. It was quite a thrill since there are so MANY talented artists on that site.

It's the second piece from the bottom on the left.

More Decopaged Cards

I've been busy playing with more napkins (compliments of

All About The Buttons) and here is another one that I came up with -- perfect for all of you coffee lovers out there!

Etsy Seller Using Unique Photographs For Cards

Using photographs for cards is an easy way to put all the unique pictures that we take to good use. I recently had the pleasure of visiting a fellow Etsy seller's shop who does just that. Linda, at LindaButterfly Cards and Art uses neat photos for her cards.

These two really caught my attention. She's managed to take images that we see everyday -- trees and branches -- and make a very artistic statement. Great job, and great cards!

Bookmarks From Napkin Scraps

Since I'm never inclined to toss out scraps, I found a use for the edges of the napkins that I cut off when making the cards in the previous post -- bookmarks. The steps are the same as before, only this time you're using the edge of the napkin and trimming it down to the size of a bookmark, punching a hole at the top (or not if you prefer it without), and adding a tassel of some sort.

Using Decorative Napkins To Make Cards And Tags

I love decorative napkins. I think they add a lot to a table setting and they can really help to set a theme for a party. Well, I finally figured out what to do with those left over napkins that never get used -- use them on cards of course.

Find an image on the napkin that you like and cut it out. Then peel the (usually two) layers of backing papers off. This leaves you with a single(very thin) layer with the image you want on it. Lightly spray the back of the image with a spray adhesive and mount it onto card stock. This will give you a sturdy piece to work with, and you will be able to place it on your cards and tags.

Playing Around With Ribbons

I've been adding new cards to my Etsy store this week and playing around with some ribbons while I've been at it. Ribbons always manage to add that extra 'umph' to a card. This one sends birthday wishes and would be great for any age.

I like the color and the finishing touch that the ribbon adds to it.