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. 

Christmas Card Challenge - January - Gold / Star

Card making is not as popular as it used to be. In my card making classes, attendance is dwindling.  My Stack Classes are in serious decline.   The cost of postage and electronic methods of communication has affected how many cards are sent each year. All Occasion cards in my classes have been in declined but Christmas cards hung on for longer. I gave 140 handmade Christmas cards this year but received about 20% of that.  I have to say that result affected my card making mojo. I hope that people are still connecting.  I was raised to send thank you cards for the gifts I receive but I would say that it is not a prevalent practice these days. 

Christmas is such a special time for me that I cannot stop sending Christmas greetings but I think in 2017 I will embrace some the new ways.  I can see a photo card and an electronic letters are possibilities.

After some serious self talk, I finally got my card making mojo working.  I learned many years ago that I need to make my Christmas card throughout the year so come Dec 1st they are ready to address. In that effort, I run a blog challenge every month.  January`s theme was gold and star.

I chose a script background I designed a few years ago which includes scripture.  I added a large word in the bottom right hand corner `Joy`.  This was printed on red card stock and trimmed to leave a small border.
I mounted that to the front of a black card.

I cut a gold star from non shed glitter paper with the Sizzix Star #2 die.  I  mounted that onto the card front with 3D foam tape. 

Card Fronts Relayered

I have designed and made Christmas cards for churches for many years.  They were always simple designs to make them affordable.

These are my designs where the card front was trimmed and then layered onto a new card base.

This one is a background I designed using scripture as the words in a script font.
The word Rejoice was added over the script background in navy blue.

I then cut a star using the Sizzix Star #2 die which is a large single star. It almost does not fit on the card front so I just offset it.  The yellow card stock was spattered with gold acrylic paint and allowed to dry then it was die cut.

This layer was then adhered to the navy card to match with the greeting on the front.

This card featured angel clipart.

This is a heralding angel with her trumpet and it printed in a dark grey color. 

The greeting was printed in red.

A piece of decorative paper which repeats the colors of black, grey and red was adhered to the left of the angel.

The card front was trimmed and adhered to a black card.  Works really well.


Left: The same card done with the angel in green with red, green and gold decorative paper.  The front was layered onto a kelly green card.

 

This design featured heralding angels again.

This time it is a symbol available from the DF Calligraphic Ornaments font set.  It was sized to fit on a 1 3/8 inch circle, printed on white card stock and punched with the Stampin Up circle punch.  It was layered onto a SU scallop circle punchie in a coordinating color of card stock.

The greeting was created with a decorative script font in the same color as the angel.

The card front was trimmed and layered onto a new coordinating purple card base.

This card features a vintage Christmas card image with folks headed into church Christmas Eve.

I cropped the image into an oval format and added a shadow.

It was printed onto white card stock.

I added a double snowflake element in the top right hand corner.  The white card stock snowflake is a Martha Stewart punch and the iridescent one is a fiber one sold as confetti.  These were placed on the border and held in place with a white tiny brad.

This card front was trimmed layered onto a new card base in a warm green color.

I've had a successful day getting cards ready for my card box and the box for craft sales.

My box now has 125 cards in it!!

Decorative Paper - Card Set 1

This is another collection of cards for sale at the gallery.  I started with the green paste paper which I trimmed to leave small border.  I adhered it to a dark green card.  I printed a large greeting layer on white then cut out the Happy with the Sizzix Phrase die.  This was adhered to the paste paper then I added 3 gold stars cut with the Sizzix Stars die.


This card features a piece of decorative paper made with pink ink and marked with a letterpress die from Sizzix. I brayed some Night of Navy ink onto it then pressed it onto the pink paper.  It only left a faint mark.  I cut the piece to leave a small border.  I place a piece of crisp ribbon down the centre and taped the ends to the back. It was adhered to the card front.  I then place a silver metallic scallop circle then a white silk flower topped with a smaller pink one held in place with a tiny navy brad.  I trimmed the vellum greeting to 4" and placed onto the card front as shown and held it in place with 2 tiny brads.

This card features ink sponged background paper in light to dark green. I printed some script and postage digital stamps onto it in black.  The paper was trimmed and adhered with postage on the left to a medium warm teal card front.  I added a teal teapot cut with the Cricut and the Folk Art Festival cartridge.  I mounted the teapot with 3D foam tape.  Before I adhered it I placed a piece of mint green card stock behind the holes to highlight them.

Cards - Shrink Plastic Flowers

Here are the cards I made with my shrink plastic flowers. Check this post for details on how to make the flowers.

I found yellow buttons to put in the centre of the flowers which I will string into the holes I made in the shrink plastic flowers.  I made a background starting with a white quarter sheet which I sponged with Tim Holtz Distress Stain in Tattered Rose (light) and Victorian Velvet (darker). I stamped the SU Background Builder (script) stamp with Paprika ink in several directions. I glued this layer to a warm rosy ginger card leaving a small border. I cut the stem and leaves by hand and glued them to the card front.  I tacked the flower in place, used a push pin to make the holes through the card front using the holes in the flower.  I strung yellow thread through the button, the flower and the card front and tied in a knot on the front.



For the card on the right I used  Tim Holtz Distress Stain in Antique Linen (light) and Crushed Olive (darker). I stamped the SU Background Builder (script) stamp with Paprika ink in several directions.

These cards likely will not go through the mail without extra postage.

Christmas Stack - Joy Background

I love this card.  When I saw this card stock background I just had to buy it.  I was not sure how I was going to use it but I just love the way this simple card turned out.  I color printed several images I designed onto vellum.  The strip is 2.75" wide.  Cut the white/kraft background to 3.75 x 5.00 inches.  I placed the vellum on the front of the background and folded over the top and bottom to the back.  I added several wraps of crochet cotton around this layer and tied a knot and trimmed the ends. This layer was then adhered to the front of a white card.





I included an ornament, an angel, a tree and a wreath in the set of cards.

You can find my Ready 2 Go Christmas kits here.

Card Challenge - Clock

Still another card for the CST Home Page Card Challenge.  It was to include a clock on the card.  I found some images of clock faces on line and printed them on vellum along with a greeting.
The clock face is vintage and the hands are just about the same size so a little harder to read the time.
This is a black card with script background designer paper.  The colors worked but the greeting gets lost in the background.  I punched the corners with my corner rounder. I added some definition to the hands from the back side of the vellum with a fine black marker to help with the readability of the time. Again a tiny black brad in the centre of the clock and some vellum adhesive behind the greeting.

Card - Challenge - Jar

I made this card for one of my on-line groups.  The challenge was to use a jar on the card.

I searched on-line and found this jar at Sweetly Scrapped.  I printed it on vellum and fussy cut around the image.  I printed the daisies from Graphics Fairy on yellow DP.  I then dug out the chalks I haven't used in a while and applied some to the back of the jar, the flowers and stems, and the background of the image. I mounted the flowers onto a blue card with french script from Graphics Fairy too as the background.  I added some thin twine around the neck of the jar. It needed something else, so I added a thin black border on the yellow done by hand.

Card - Wax Crayon Paper Flowers

Here's the card I made with my wax crayon paper from yesterday.

I cut the paper with the Sizzix Flower Layers #10 Bigz die.  I printed my nature poem onto white in blue.  I added the stem and flowers I designed over the script background.  This layer was color printed and trimmed to leave a small border.  I mounted it onto a medium blue card.  I placed my blue wax paper flower to work with the stem.  I added a white then a yellow silk flower and held all the flowers to the card front with a small white brad.  I made a hole for the brad with a push pin. I'm really happy with the way the card turned out.

I may have to use this idea for card club!!!  Great idea for earth day crafts.

R2G Card Kits - Bethlehem Star

I made another set of these Ready 2 Go Card kits. Similar to these last year.  I chose bright card stock this time.  I printed the Christmas script background on neutral card stock and selected ink color to match the card.  Trimmed it to leave a small border. I created the star accent by cutting the star in the same card stock as the card using the Cricut and the Joy of the Season cartridge.  I mounted a gold star circle sequin onto the front and held it in place with 2 tiny gold brads.  The star accent is held in place with 3D foam tape.
I have used bright card stock in the kit - black, red, green and blue.

Card - No Greeting Flower

I made this card to offer some options to a friend who has requested several.  It's similar to this one.  I chose a bright burgundy card.  I embossed the white background with Stampin Up! Pretty Print Textured Impressions Embossing Folder then rubbed it with a coordinating ink pad.  I layered 2 silk deep pink flowers onto the left hand side.  I then added a small white button held in place with a Zot.

Challenges - Reindeer

I started with a ivory card.  I added the 2 pieces of washi tape on the top left and bottom right and trimmed them at an angle. I colored a chipboard deer with Tim Holtz Fired Brick.  I created a background from script paper from left over cards from a recent project. I found some card stock that coordinated with the red in the washi tape.  I punched it with the new Stampin Up Artisan Label punch.  I added a blue SU Modern Label punchie with a red SU Word Window punchie.  I stamped the sentiment in black with a small clear stamp with a VersaFine ink pad. 
I'm submitting this card in the Holly Jolly - Something New and Clean & Simple FLT247 Sketch.  

Challenge - Card with No Greeting

I made this card for the challenge at CST which is a card with no greeting. 
I found the hexagon shapes on my desk left over from this card from club card. I mounted it on a script background left over from this card from my All Occasion Stack Class.  The script background is glued to the green card front. The hexagon shapes were cut with Spellbinder Nestabilities.  I glued 5 hexagon shapes along the right hand side.  I placed a brown ribbon along the left hand side of the hexagons and taped the ends to the inside of the card.  I got the butterflies in an exchange so I don't know how they were created.  I layered a brown one onto a larger white butterfly. 

Christmas Stack Class - Candle

I put black, blue, green and burgundy cards in this set.  The cream script background with a flocked bow came from a set of note cards I bought a while back.  To create the candle I embossed some pearl card stock. The embossing folders I used are the Cuttlebug D'vine Swirl and Season's Greetings.  I backed the rectangle with a piece of card stock which matched the card color leaving a tiny border.  To get the candle behind the bow I made a slit just along the top edge with an e-xacto knife.  Then I slipped the end of the candle through the slit. Now, I know where the flame needs to go. The outside frame is adhered first then the yellow center is glued in the middle of the frame  The flame is created with a QuicKutz die. I washed some of the same pearl card stock with yellow liquid acrylic paint.  Now I positioned the candle to overlap the wick.  I adhered the candle in place and taped the end through the slit to the back of the background.

Earth Day - Cookie Cutter Shapes

Here's a card made with Handmade Paper shapes made with cookie cutters. This shape was made with a cookie cutter. The paper was blended and mixed up and the placed into the cookie cutter with a turkey baster. 

For the card I printed a background poem onto white card. I then hot glued the leaf onto the card.  I added a stem to the leaf with a marker.  I used some chalk to added a bit of dimension to the leaf.



Here's a couple of links to get more information.
http://cutcardstock.blogspot.ca/2010/02/happy-recycling-paper-art-by-martha.html
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/769893/
http://www.hillcitybride.com/2010/11/diy-from-pulp-art-plantable-paper/

All Occasion Stack Class - Daisy

Here's a great card to have in your stash just waiting for the right time.  I made these card kits in turquoise shown here, pink, purple, and bright green.  I designed a script background which I color printed to match the card color.  I then selected 1/4 inch gross grain ribbon in a matching color which I placed across the script layer and taped the ends to the back.This layer was glued to the card front. I assembled the accent by gluing the white circle in the centre of die cut label.  It was cut with one of the framelits from the SU Apothecary set in the same card stock as the card. I punched a daisy in the same color which was glued in the centre of the white circle.  I placed a rhinestone in the centre of the daisy.  This accent was adhered over the ribbon with 2 pieces of 3D foam tape on either end.

Notecard - Bee with Script

I'm making note cards for a friend who lost her husband. These are the first in a few.  I used the same script background I used on this card printed in black. The bee was cut with a Sizzix Bee #4 sizzlet die.  I printed the background on designer paper and placed it on a dark purple card with the bee in a coordinating card stock.  I wrapped an organza ribbon around the card front and tied it in a knot.  On the right hand card I used a light green card.

Card Club - Feb - Butterfly

I made the decorative paper. See notes below.  This paper was then trimmed and mounted to the turquoise card front.  I added a dark green organza ribbon wrapped around the whole card front and knotted on the front.  Trimmed the ends.  I added a bit of tape on the inside of the card to keep it in place.  I die cut the butterfly with Spellbinder die in dark green card stock.  I just adhered the body to the card front to allow the wings to be elevated from the card front. I did print greetings in case the girls wanted to make this an Easter or birthday card.

Decorative Paper: I created this decorative paper with the paper I used when I dabbed the green on to my doilies for these cards. I added some Nick Bantock turquoise ink to the paper with a foam paint brush. Once dry, I ironed the sheets flat.  I then created a collage of scripts from Graphics Fairy as background.  I did print this onto the decorative paper but ended up with a paper jam and it wrecked my printer which resulted in a new printer. So Be WARNED!

Card - Card Club Incentive

I created these larger enclosure cards for my card club girls.  I printed the frames and backgrounds with Opoxy Underlay digitals by Prima Hybrid.  I added a Sizzix flower, a coordinating green leaf and a yellow circle punchie in the centre. 

R2G - Sequin Star - Card Kit

I've been working on my inventory of card kits.  Here's a Christmas one.
I started with a black card.  I printed the Christmas script background on gold parchment and trimmed it to leave a small border.  I created the star accent by cutting the star in the same card stock as the card using the Cricut and the Joy of the Season cartridge.  I mounted a gold star circle sequin onto the front and hold it in place with 2 tiny gold brads.  This star accent is held in place with 3D foam tape.
I have used jewel toned card stock in the kit - black, burgundy, green and blue.