My Altered Cards
I started creating my own cards a year ago and was immediately seduced by the endless rich combinations of texture and colour (and material). Hallmark and I are now permanently estranged,
You will see the same fabrics reappearing on numerous cards. The white heart above was a clear plastic earring that I gessoed to make white. I'm a shameless scrounge. I found that tin star on the ground at a bus stop one Christmas. Finally found a job for it.
This card is 9 layers deep if you count the horizontal ribbon.
But I love the simple ones, too. The leaf series were made from leaves collected a year ago during an autumn walk and then modge podged to preserve.
They take time to make, but I rarely spend a cent. I have a box of about 100 old cards that I salvaged somehow. I use those as the base, covering the outside with fabric and painting the insides with chalk paint (covers any aging and pre-printed messages). The little buckle is just a pop tab. Sometimes I rust them, but in this case I wanted the silver colour to complement the blue.
I love using wonderful old labels
A naughty moth had its way with one of my favorite red wool felt Christmas coats... so the coat became holiday cards.
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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3 of 4 comments
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Thank you so much. Exactly the point, @Jeanette S. They are a kind of gift in themselves. Last year was the first time I did them and I got phone calls from people that put tears in my eyes. Over a card!
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Love your cards, as a long time traditional card maker, I was ready for something new and fresh, I have tons of fabric and ephemera to use. Thank you so much for the inspiration. checked out your blog and wonderful ideas
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