Card Making with Seniors - Postage Stamp

This is a stash busting card.  Many years ago I collected postage stamps from letters sent to the place I worked.  I have sorted, culled, and sorted again several times over the years.

I decided on this bright postage in honor of the 125th Anniversary of the Universal Postal Union issued in 1999.  It was soaked off the paper it was glued to and then allowed to dry.

I mounted it to a piece of card stock slightly smaller to stiffen it.

I created a background with script and cancellation stamp images from The Graphics Fairy which goes with the concept of a postage stamp.  Digitally, I added a box for the stamp then printed the background on a quarter sheet. It was trimmed to leave a small border.  It was adhered to the front of the bright green card.

I applied 3D foam tape to the back of the stiff postage stamp and adhered it in the window.

Here's another version with the Rural Mail Boxes stamps issued in 2000.

Sending these to my card exchange buddies. 

Decorative & Photo Cards

I created this card with a color print of a watercolor I painted years ago.  I added a periwinkle layer then adhered it to a navy card.
I added a french birthday greeting color printed on white card stock and punched with the Stampin Up Modern Label.  I added an offset label in the navy card color. This greeting was mounted with 3D foam tape.

This card features a piece of my bubble paper in a lavender color.  I printed the french greeting onto the decorative paper then trimmed it to leave a small border.
I cut the candle with a QuicKutz die from silver card stock. Unfortunately, the scan does not do it justice. It shines in real life.
I took the stars cut from the candle and adhered them around the card front.
I mounted the bubble paper layer to the front of a lavender card.

This card features one of my 4x4 photos from my Beauty photo calendar. This is a great blue flower taken on a morning walk when the dew was still on the flower.

It was cut to 3.75 x 3.75 inches with Sizzix Square Thinlits.
I printed the french birthday greeting layer onto white card stock.  The sentiment was done in Smoky Slate and the graphic in a coordinating Brilliant Blue. The graphic is from The Graphics Fairy. It was adhered to the card front of a true blue card.
I then adhered the photo in the frame printed on the greeting layer.

Another 4x4 photo from one of my photo calendars.  This one is a green fern.  No sentiment on this one so it can be used for any occasion.  The graphic is the same as the previous card printed in a coordinating color Garden Green.   I glued it to a dark green card.

Another 4x4 photo from one of my photo calendars.
This one is a purple daisy.  No sentiment on this one so it can be used for any occasion.  The graphic is the same as the previous card printed in a coordinating color Handsome Hunter.   I glued it to a very dark green card.

I started with my daisy drawing which I printed onto an orange quarter sheet.
I punched a large daisy from decorative paper made with Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo and Crushed Curry.  I added an orange center to the flower.
It was then layered onto a bright pink card.

These cards were delivered to the Art Gallery gift shop today.  I brought back 6 with English greetings.

Card Club - April - Masculine

We have a masculine card next.

The bird images are from Graphics Fairy.  They were printed onto kraft card stock. A layer of solid card stock was then trimmed to leave a small border.  The piece of caramel seam binding is taped to the back of the colored piece then adhered to the kraft card front.  Then the left hand piece of ribbon is pulled across to the right and the bird layer is adhered over it to the left side of the card with 3D foam tape.  The seam binding is then knotted and the ends trimmed.










The second card has a green layer and greeting.  I did not align my ribbon to allow me to tie a knot so I just cut them at an angle.  I added a small oval greeting in the top right hand corner.

Card Club - April - Eyelet Lace

A great feminine card for this class featuring eyelet lace. I pulled a length of satin 1/8" ribbon through the holes in the lace. Trimmed the ribbon to the length of the lace, saving the small length for later.  I then taped the ends to the inside of the card. I adhered the flower layer to the solid card stock layer. This accent was then adhered to the card front with 6 pieces of 3D foam tape on the left hand side of the card.  I then tied the short piece of ribbon onto the ribbon on the right hand side and trimmed the ends with scissors. 

The second card features a marigold and a golden yellow card with a coordinating satin ribbon into the white lace. 

Paris Mixed Media Canvas

I'm preparing some art work for an event in the Christmas season.  I have only done this type of mixed media once before.  Check it out here.
I am working with Gotrick Stretched Canvas 8"x8"and Liquitex Acrylic Paint. I taped the back with painters tape to keep it clean and provide a defined edge.  I mixed this toned down pink with Winsor Newton Permanent Rose acrylic along with some white and black Liquitex.  I painted the canvas with a large brush including the sides and left to dry over night.  The next morning I applied Tim Holtz Textured Paste with a palette knife through a Heidi Swapp Stencil and just pressed some paste around the canvas with the knife. I left it to dry while I took my morning walk.  I had planned on applying some elements by printing some Paris graphics reversed on freezer paper and transferring them to the canvas.  This DID NOT work. You need a solid and hard surface to press onto and of course the canvas is not.  Plan B.  I diecut the Tim Holtz Eiffel Tower in chipboard and a black shadow layer.  I applied 3 coats of Titanium White to the chipboard making sure I got the sides as well.  I adhered the black shadow just offset a bit to the right.  The white was pretty stark so I took a chance that my printing had not dried on the freezer paper.  It printed pretty well onto the painted chipboard with using a brayer to apply even and consistent pressure.  I cut the letters with the Cricut and the Storybook cartridge at 1.5 inches.  Again white letters with black shadows to repeat what I did on the tower.  The tower and the letters were adhered to the canvas with Quick Dry Adhesive.  I have rubbed some of the edges and corners with a bit of black paint. I then spattered the canvas with some black paint using a old toothbrush and a butter knife.  I'm happy with the way it turned out.

Submitting to Mosaic Monday hosted by Judith at Lavender Cottage. 

One Sheet Wonder 2 - Vintage Cards

This is the sample set of cards I made with the One Sheet Wonder 2 template I designed.

The template produces 3 pieces of designer paper. I chose a vintage designer paper and 3 colors of card stock with the accent layer of black. The neutral is ivory. I chose vintage images from Graphics Fairy.

I placed the first piece in the centre of a blue card and added layer accent layers on each side and behind the vintage plate graphic.  The image on the first one needs to be able to be placed on the diagonal.  The accent strips are half an inch wide.

The second card I placed the piece on the left hand side on a red card with dogwood flowers.

On the third card the piece was placed on the bottom of a landscape card with the accent strip placed on it's top edge.   I used a vintage tea pot graphic on this one. 
Great set of cards!

Home Page Challenge - Doodles

I made this card for a challenge on one of my on-line groups.  The challenge was doodles.  I would not say one of my strong points but I wanted to participate so I went for it.
I found a pumpkin digital image at Graphics Fairy.  I printed it, trimmed it and then added some Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Stain to tone down the white in the back ground.  I rubbed the edges of the image with orange dye ink pad.  I used the same ink to do my hand lettering and doodling at the top of the card.  I used a water brush and picked up some dye ink from the pad and added Fall in hand lettering.  I added the doodles to the right.  I stamped the hello within the doodles with a green ink pad  and a small clear stamp.  I then added a shadow to the hand lettering with a green marker.

Card - Challenge - Paris

I made this card for the Come & Get It Challenges - Let's Go on a Holiday.   I chose Paris as a travel destination.  The background was created with digital graphics from The Graphics Fairy.  Give Karen's site a look for vintage images. I printed the background and then layered it onto a black rectangle then onto a taupe card.  I cut the Eiffel Tower with my Cricut and the Summer in Paris cartridge.  It's a small one with just a few images.  It did not cut right through the card stock so that is why I highlighted the design with gold Perfect Pearls painted on with a brush.  I brushed my leftover onto the background with a wet brush. The tower has been mounted to the card front with 3D foam tape.

Cards - Nifty Notes

I made some note cards over the weekend.  I had some smaller envelopes I wanted to fill so I decided to work up some cards which would fit.  They are too small to mail so they would work great for notes you can give to the person personally or include in a parcel or gift.  I chose 4 areas of subject matter - Birds, masculine, sewing and encouragement.  The ones pictured here are birds and masculine.  The vintage images are from the Graphics Fairy.  Karen has some great images from very old books. I'm calling them Nifty Notes and you can find them on my Ready 2 Give tab.