In addition to machine sewing on my handmade cards, I love adding vintage items as a focal point. We have some excellent flea markets in Ohio, and one I especially like is the Springfield Antique Show & Flea Market. The market holds outdoor Extravaganzas in May and September, with hundreds of vendors selling a little of everything. And thanks to the Midwest location, prices are great too. I love spending the afternoon meandering around the rows of antiques. Between the furniture and dishware, there are bins and bins of little antique buttons, bottle caps, metal trinkets, and my favorite – paper…
I can’t resist the beautiful shapes and colors of mother nature’s foliage, especially early summer. In the Midwest, periodic rains keep everything growing and fresh. While working in the garden or on a walk, I love picking a few of the prettiest ones and pressing them to use in my crafty projects. My “high-tech” way to press leaves is in old phone books I’ve kept for this purpose. If you happen to still have one, they are great to use because the paper is light and absorbent, and of course phone books are big and heavy…
Who doesn’t love cupcakes? Cupcakes are so popular for celebration treats and themes. So when I found some colorful corrugated cardboard, it reminded me of cupcake wrappers and I decided to build some crafty versions made with the cardboard, felt, and sequins. As usual, I used my favorite large glue stick to adhere the cupcakes to my handmade paper. (How to details here.) Using glue sticks is so basic, but it really works – keeping things completely flat and edges sealed. I usually use an A2 envelope (4 3/8 x 5 3/4 inches) for my handmade cards. I…
I love creating cards with little art collages on the front made of handmade paper scraps, vintage illustrations, and scrapbook supplies. To save time, I purchased a set of blank ready-made cards and envelopes in a neutral cream color. Another favorite is kraft paper cards and envelopes. They both go well with vintage and natural themes. These two spring examples can also become “thank you” or “thinking of you” cards by simply changing out the wording. To adhere the collage pieces to the card, I like to use large glue sticks and red line tape. (refer to past posts…