A Couple Cards

I love making handmade cards! Unfortunately, I don't always have the time to make personalized cards, but here are 3 that I was able to squeeze in this past winter. I have been painting with oil and acrylic a lot, so cards give me the freedom to use different mediums.

This one is in watercolour. (I'd really like to make more interior scenes especially of places I photographed in the United Kingdom.)

This is a card of William Wordsworth's Rydal Mount that I drew with coloured pencils. If you'd like to view more of my excursion to the Lake District, you can read my post entitled, "A Weekend in the Lake District."

 This is unfortunately the best picture I have of this card that I designed for my friends' 1920's themed wedding. The glue and paint warped it terribly, but I caked it in glitter to try to save it. I strictly live by the rule that glitter makes everything better. ;) If you'd like to see their engagement pictures by LynnDee Photography which also feature a chalk board announcement that I drew, you can visit this "Save the Date" post.

"Fee-shes"

 I had an assignment in November to make something out of origami.

My first attempt was a little crow. He bobbed his head and that was the gist of it.

Then, I started to experiment with spray paint and revisited a design for an origami fish that I learned several years ago. As with all origami, there is an element of surprise when you are finished. I was really pleased how the fins were often different colours than the body of the fish. I hot glued some scraps of bubble wrap to both sides and two sequins for eyes. Oh, and I couldn't forget the glitter!

I was able to get the Martha Stewart 24 pack of glitter last winter. It's so choice. Sometimes I catch myself just starring at the bottles. They're bea-U-ti-ful!

Ooohhh....

 I love the leaf green glitter the most. I try to save as much as possible so I use it the least. The turquoise is the perfect mermaid colour too! It would be fun to make some origami mermaids next!

 Yup. I must have been so bored that I got carried away with all those pictures of glitter. Back to these feeshes.

The orange and black paper wasn't a perfect square, but I used it anyways. The result was that the tail curled around. It just proves that sometime the imperfect features of a project end up adding character.

 

Okay, and then I started to make a origami Titanic...How could I not?

It's terrible. If I had more time I would have made a little Jack and Rose. I think I already threw away the iceberg...so maybe it was always going to be a tragedy.

Janta's Workshop: Part 2

As I explained in Janta's Workshop: Part 1, I spent the vast majority of my December rolling magazine paper. You wouldn't think it would take so long, but if you doubt me, go ahead and try it for yourself.  I suggest having a mini-series to listen to while you roll.

While others wrapped, I rolled...

And rolled the rolls...

 And glued the rolls to frames...

 Even glued to rolls to each other...

And then I traveled through the seven layers of the candy cane forest and watched Buddy the Elf for a 2nd time in a row...because it is just that good. Then I got sick of rolling paper, so I moved on to buttons....

I was suddenly inspired to design  this frame.  It's more of a Wizard of Oz theme.  I wanted to create the ambiance of Kansas compared to Oz.  Okay, maybe the Elmer's Glue fumes were finally starting to get to me...You know, now that I think about it, I found the 2nd viewing of Elf funnier than the first.

 And this little green frame was inspired by The Forgotten Garden.

If you see anything you like, I'd gladly take orders.

I'd even personalize them, that is as long as you're not on the "naughty list."

Glitter

I really love glitter. I had that thought yesterday. I wouldn't mind having a tube of glitter of every colour, but would settle for the Martha Stewart 24 colour collection. Why haven't I broken down and purchased this yet?

Picture from Paper Crave

Ah! Aren't they lovely.

Yes, but glitter truly makes everything better. I once thought if spiders were covered in glitter, I might not be so creeped out by them. If only.

Here's a little card I made for my little cousin from a museum brochure and a little glitter. Hope she likes it!