Valentine Mail Art

For me, it is such a joy to collect the day's mail and find some mail art from a dear one to wipe away the disappointment of junk mail and bills.  So I love making that happen for others.  Not to mention that it's the best excuse to keep playing!

This card is my favorite.  The photo doesn't really show its 3-D appearance using pop dots and beads.  I made an envelope from old paper I never seem to choose for anything.

This postcard was fun to create off-the-cuff.  Why can't I remember to take a photo BEFORE I address the mail??? 

This art postcard got made because I wanted to try that idea of adding an h and an e to the "follow your art" rubber stamp.  I found a piece of cardstock that I had played with awhile back for  a water coloring technique.  

I've decided I love creating Valentines as much as I love creating Halloween art.  Well, at least this year anyway.  

Happy Valentine's Day!

xxx

Annie

Vintage Romance

This week at the Sunday Postcard Art challenge, we are challenged to create a VINTAGE ROMANCE themed postcard.

I hadn't intended to play as the notice came up a bit late for me.  But I was working on a birthday card and thought the background I made would work well for an art card.

I don't normally take process photos as I never know whether it will be a waste of my time.  I took some this time since it was my second try at this background.

I started with these two scrapbook papers.

Then I die cut these two background pieces.

Then a tiny bit of stenciling and little bit of rubber stamping and gluing and ink tinting and I suddenly realized I had a vintage romance postcard.

I had to stamp the correspondence side with my vintage Private Mailing Card rubber stamp.

Happy Mail Day!

xxx

Annie  

January 2017 Calendar Journal

January already has come and gone!  But never will be forgotten.  No matter how boring.

I still miss the very first calendar journaling format when I look back at those months.  But this style is so much more workable for me.

Have a great February!

xxx

Annie

Sepia Garden

The Sunday Postcard Art theme this week is SEPIA.

Time to jump in and play.  I pulled several Sepia bits of paper out, cut them up then stitched them together.  After that a splash of color was needed.

And the back is ready for finishing when the recipient is known.

Happy Mail Day!

xxx

Annie

Just Because Card

I so seldom take the time to make a "just because" card these days.  So it felt quite refreshing to do exactly that.  My daughter will be so surprised.

I bought a hearts set of rubber stamps that I have been resisting for almost 2 years.  But now I had to have them.  My Valentine card for my daughter is already done, but I so wanted to play with these heart stamps.  So a "Just Because" card was just the ticket.

I begin with an A2 (4.25" X 5.5") card made from 140# smooth white cardstock.  

When I only have one sheet of a scrapbook paper design I love, I photocopy it then cut the photocopy to the size of my card front and spray glue it on.

  Next comes all the fun stamping and inking.

And then when I love how the card turns out, I have a terrible time letting it go.  This one I thought would make a fun art postcard (that I could keep). You'd think that would be simple but it took 3 tries. And the postcard is a bit longer, so the larger heart worked better here.

I think this design has room for another play day.  I can see adding a small stamped "h e" in front of "art" to change the sentiment to "Follow your heart". Do you see it?  :-)

Happy "Just Because" mail day!

xxx

Annie

January Cards

My January cards are inspired by some scrapbook borders I saw on Pinterest.  I thought I'd try the idea on my scrapbook pages (but who knows when that will happen).  So I took the inspiration to my cardmaking (which is my current passion for creativity at the moment).

They don't look anything like the Pinterest borders, but that's why we call it inspiration.

I've been having some fun with foil and glitter cardstock.

This thank you card is for a guy.  I was going for an industrial look.  That was pretty fun to work on.

The foil is reflecting and looks yellow, but it's really silver.

This little Tim Holtz punch birdie is turning into quite the family and showing up in many of my cards.  

All the teeny tiny rhinestone gems and metals are for nail art. But I have trouble getting them to stick well and stay on my nails.  Now they are a favorite paper crafting supply.

If I could keep my nose out of books, I could have half a year of cards made already.  But the stories keep calling to me and I must answer.  I love to read.

Greetings!

xxx

Annie

Calendar Journal - Year Five

I'm beginning year FIVE with my calendar journal project.

Obviously I love documenting a bit of each day.  My struggle has been the format.  Yep, I have another new format going.  This might be the one...***have I said that before?...snicker***. 

Three months of 2017 are ready for the day's happenings.

It's pretty simple.  I just need this one template.

I photocopy my template and cut away the blocks I don't need for that month.  Then I number the days.  These templates will work for whatever month starts on these days.  From here I just choose a fun piece of scrapbook paper and photocopy the template to the scrapbook paper.  From there just a little bit of artsy/craftsy page deco is needed.  This is working for me nicely.

Depending how the days fall for the month, some months will allow for more deco fun than others.

I couldn't really wait for January to give it a try, so I began with December 2016.

Here's to the bits and bobs of the 365 days of 2017.

xxx

Annie

2017! Happy New Year!

Wow!  2017!  Where does the time go?!

I've got a good start on my 2017 handmade cards challenge.  January cards are done.

I was after a classy glitzy look for this New Year greeting.

The mail carriers did well delivering this envelope with the large bold year in their way of easily identifying the address.

I liked the subdued color scheme I used and it seemed a good fit for my Grandson's birthday card.  I also liked the big bold numbers on the envelope.  And I really love getting some extra mileage from a card idea.  

May 2017 be our best year ever for one and all!

xxx

Annie

Money Gift Wrapping

My most favorite gifts to wrap are money gifts. 

And I certainly had some fun with these!

It's all about the wrapping.

And the glitz!

Everything is ready.  It's now all about the coffee with Bailey's Irish Cream and enjoying the sights and sounds of this beautiful Christmas season.

Merry Christmas to everyone

xxx

Annie

Snowflake Christmas Card

I DID IT!  I made handmade greeting cards for the entire year for 2016!  Inspired by my daughter, who makes all her cards, I challenged myself to make the cards I would need all year, and I DID IT!

I wrote out a calendared list and kept to it.  It did get a little dicey from July on, but I managed somehow.  

This is my Christmas card.  I knew if I were going to mass produce, it had to be simple.  But I loved this simple elegant card as soon as I saw it on Pinterest here.  Having an Embosser/Die Cutting machine makes life much simpler and funner.  

I stamped, then heat embossed the phrase, then die cut the sentiment for the card inside.  That way I was free to mess up without ruining the card.  

To say the least, I am quite proud of myself for completing this self challenge.

May you all have a very merry, bright & cheery, happy little Christmas!

xxx

Annie