march meet the maker : day 11 : range
day 11 : range
in terms of product range, there's not much i can't do - or am not willing to try. as previously mentioned, i began with scrapbooks and evolved to cards. along the way i've dabbled in wedding invitations, party favors & decor, announcements, chalkboard signs, crocheted scarves & blankets, wooden houses and more.
my favorite is still cards. i love to share handmade happiness and i think there's just a true joy with sending & receiving a written note.
another favorite element of card making is how detailed they can be! today i decided to share 9 of my favorites from this past year and i thought here on the blog i would share a few reasons why they are my favorites.
lunchbox notes : these evolved as a labor of love that was inspired by the small playful notes my own momma would include in my packed lunch when i was a kid. it wasn't an everyday thing, but it was always special. the nice thing is that you can either fold them so the design is on the outside and your note is tucked inside, or you can have the message on the inside alongside your message! plus, fun colors and encouraging notes are always a good idea. i can't wait to design a new line of these this spring!
stenciled backgrounds : stencils are such a versatile tool and i love being able to design a custom background or area in whatever color[s] i want! i've also discovered texture paste and have been playing and experimenting with that as well. this card was one of my favorites because it was mailed to a stranger as part of my mail it monday series - sent to an employee at the putt putt place we enjoyed in vegas.
[gold] foiling : as i mentioned above, i really enjoy using stencils. this particular card was created by spreading a thin layer of deco foil paste onto the base through a stencil. once it was dry, i applied colored foil, gold in this case, and ran it through my minc machine. the gold adhered to the paste and resulted in a fantastic texture with such amazing color. i can't wait to try this again with so many new shades of foil! this was another edition of mail it monday.
ink blended backgrounds : there's just something smooth and creamy about a perfectly blended ink background and this card was one of my favorites for sure! i blended three colors of distress ink and splashed some dots of water, creating a speckled appearance. i die-cut the adorable koala and colored it in with prismacolor markers. this one went to my momma and i just love the clean simplicity of it.
interactive cards : this card was a few days in the making, but it could not have turned out more perfect! it's a slider card, so the image on the left flips open as the tab is pulled. the front octopus is also on an action wobbler so it moved back and forth like on a spring. you can see it in action here on instagram. all the images were die-cut and colored. while it took awhile to come together, my friend loved it and so did i!
gift card holder - interactive : another favorite card was this one that held a gift card in a secret pocket! the front has a section that reveals a hidden gift card and then the entire card opens like a traditional card. you can see it here on instagram. i love coordinating the colors of the card with the color of the gift card. my friend loved this one and it made my heart happy!
personalized, one of a kind card : this card was designed for a friend who had just adopted a new doggo puppy. i managed to find a stamp that resembled her new addition and so i colored it to look like her pup. i also loved this one because i decorated the envelope to match! it was another edition of mail it monday and you can see more details here on instagram.
unpredictable alcohol ink : this card was truly a one of a kind style and it was perfect for my one of a kind daddio. i love experimenting with various shades of alcohol ink and how they play together. a simple stamped sentiment, embellished with a tiny heart made this card complete. i really enjoy the process of alcohol inks and i can't wait to create more cards in this style.
looking at these cards collectively makes me smile - the lunchbox notes were duplicates, meaning i made more than one. however, the rest of the cards were all one of a kind, made lovingly for some of my favorite people. it makes my heart happy to share that the cards that i send are just as important as the cards that i sell.
which one is your favorite? what would you love to see more of? don't forget, if you want to be on the receiving end of some mail it monday art from me, send me your snail mail address via the contact me form. you never know when you might receive some handmade happiness.