Greeting Cards!

I've been on a note cards and envelopes set kick for a while now, and I thought I'd throw in a few examples of greeting cards.  A dear aunt of my husband's commissioned me to make adult birthday cards, thinking of you, and sympathy cards, and I was more than happy to accept.  I try to embellish one of a kind greeting cards a bit more than the norm, and use special papers, three-dimensional accouterments, and interesting trims.  When I use patterned or darker colored paper for the envelopes, I also include mailing labels.  And, I use double sided tape with peel off backing for the sender to use to close up the envelopes.  And, I recently learned how to do heat embossing...stamping, plus embossing powder, plus a heat tool...and voila!  You'll see an example of both in the fifth picture down.  Enjoy!  

I love this bee and honeycomb paper!  But I'm almost out!  I added yellow and white baker's twine to close up the folded card.

Here I used foam stickers to make the inscription stand out above the patterned paper behind.

Chartreuse and hot pink, how could that not be awesome!?  I added a khaki colored sticker stamped with "happy birthday" and dabbed on some coordinating enamel dots for effect.

Classy and gender neutral tan and black, with hand-made wrinkled paper for the envelope liner and card embellishment.

Here's where you can see an example of heat embossing...clear stamp glue, sprinkled with white opaque embossing powder and heated up to melt and then dry.  I used a navy blue burlap ribbon behind and denim patterned paper for the envelope.

I thought this one could be for a guy too.  Wood grain paper for the enveloped and card, heat embossed stamp and blue and white baker's twine for the ribbon.

Butterfly three-dimensional ornament for the embellishment, accented with pink satin ribbon and enameled dots.

Navy blue, spicy orange and forest green.  'Ain't Nothin' wrong with that!  

The ABC's...and a Pig

I bought a bunch of this alphabet paper a long time ago, and it has been super handy for making kid's birthday cards and other sets.  I even cut out and sewed on a felt pig once!  I thought the set with the brightly colored liners and matching note cards turned out really neat.  Maybe someone has a teacher friend that would appreciate just such a set.  Oink, oink!  Enjoy!

Blue, Blue, and More Blue

I really like blue.  I might even say it's my favorite color. And despite the fact that I wear a lot of pink (when I'm feeling perky) and a lot of black (when I'm feeling mysterious, professional, or can't decide what else to wear), I really do prefer blue in almost any circumstance.  So, it's actually hard to believe that I don't have more blue note cards up on my blog. Maybe I haven't made that many!  I must rectify that.  And soon.

So, in the meantime, here are a few that I have done recently. One set of eight note cards and envelopes with liners in various shades and patterns of blue.  You'll note that the Little Cat likes them too.  Next comes a birthday card and then a thank you card...embellished with store bought card stock die cuts.  Short and sweet, enjoy!

Black and Gold

Whoa baby!  Two posts in the past three days!  Woot!  Woot!  Well, like I said last time, it's not that I haven't been making anything, it's just that I haven't been posting it!  Plus, the tiny human is asleep and my washing machine is on the fritz, so I sort of HAVE to sit down in the basement and there's nothing to do here except get on the computer.  And, rather than surfing the interwebs and making myself feel poor (creating wish lists on jcrew.com), making myself feel technologically incompetent (I still don't understand hashtags on twitter), or making myself feel completely unproductive (pinning on Pinterest instead of actually making the things I pin on Pinterest), I shall post on my blog and erase at least a few of those misgivings.

Several weeks ago I sent a somewhat desperate sounding email to several women in my family.  Something along the lines of, "Please, pretty please, with sugar on top, order note card sets for your loved ones for Christmas!"  And, I'm not kidding you, less than an hour later, my wonderful mother-in-law wrote back and said, "I need six."  I'll say it again...  Woot!  Woot!  The only instruction was, "One of the ladies is a University of Iowa Hawkeyes fan, so black and gold would be good."  Yes, I can do that.  

Actually, I did that.  The result is below.  Bright yellow-gold note cards with black and ivory stripe and chevron accents.  Half of the envelopes are yellow with black liners and the opposite for the others.  I think it turned out really great.  What say you?  I have three more sets done for her, and the wheels are turning for the remaining two.  And then it's on to the next projects.  You'll just have to stay tuned. 

Where to Re-Begin!?!

Alas, it has been quite some time since I last updated my blog. It's not that I haven't been making cards or note card sets, it's just that sitting down at a computer to write something that sounds at least partially intelligent and witty has somehow eluded me. (And by the way, I really did just double check to make sure I was using "elude" correctly. My momma would have been so embarrassed if I used "allude" instead. The curse and blessing of being the daughter of an elementary school language teacher - among her many, many talents and gifts.) But, back to the task at hand...

I've actually had many opportunities to make single cards and sets for my loved ones. Baby showers, birthdays, thank you notes, special orders, etc. I'll have to play catch up a little bit, and although I'm tempted to start with the most colorful or the most recent or the most heartfelt, I really should go in chronological order, lest I forget where I left off.  That's just how my mind works.

As it happens, however, the project first up is all of those things (except, of course, the most recent)...super colorful, completely heartfelt! I made this set of note cards and envelopes for a dear friend expecting her first baby. They were keeping the gender a surprise for all (including themselves!), and I was challenged with making a set of thank you notes that was both "baby" and gender neutral, and fun and classy, just like the baby's momma. I really love how they turned out!  I got the letterpress note cards from Paper Source, although I did actually attend a letterpress workshop they hosted...giving credit where credit is due. And I used multicolored paper for the envelopes and liners.  All tied up with a coordinating organza bow, and voila!  Shower gift!  (I also bought the momma and daddy a diaper pail and washable liner and a cloth diaper cover and wet bag, but those things are not nearly as exciting...I mean, who really wants to think about pee and poop when you can write thank you notes on these lovely darlings!)

More later...and yes, I will write "update blog" on my to do list.  Don't underestimate the power of the "to do" list!  TTFN!

I'm in love with Sharpie markers!

This will be quick.  I promise.  

I'm sure this is coming as absolutely no surprise to most of you who have known me for a while, but I absolutely adore Sharpie markers.  Any color, any size.  I think I actually jumped up and down in the store when the Sharpie pens came out in stores!  (They write just like Sharpie markers but don't bleed through paper!)  My husband bought me a package of 80's Glam Limited Edition Sharpie markers for Christmas, and I might have been more excited for those than the fancier and pricier items he got me last year.  Shrug. 

So, I'm sure you can see me shaking my head in disbelief, "Why didn't I think to outline paper with metallic Sharpies for note cards and envelopes!?!?"  It seems like a really "duh" moment, but now I'm obsessed.  Fun, but classy.  Can't wait to try out different combinations!  Don't be surprised if you get one of these from me in the near future.  TTFN.

Weaving Paper

My momma sent me a large rolled sheet of some very fine and ridiculously beautiful botanical print paper several months ago.  And before I could bring myself to cut into it, I hung it on the wall to admire in all it's splendor.  Eventually it beckoned, and I made a handful of envelopes paired with black and white, botanical-printed vellum envelope liners and blush pink note cards.  I tried my hand with weaving some of the papers onto one of the note cards.  'Twas a bit tricky (double-sided tape certainly helped), but I think the result is quite pretty.  Enjoy!

Embarrassing!

Embarrassing! It's been two entire months since my last post.  Ah!  Yes, TWO months...and not just on this blog, but on my other blog as well...even longer!  My last post on Museum + Momma was from June 17th!  Despicable.  Really.  Just totally embarrassing.  I suppose though, I really do have a good excuse.  And though I'm not one for excuses, I'll just come out and say it.  My husband had brain surgery and apparently I have a heart condition that landed me in the hospital for three days.  Oh, and I have a two year old.  So, yeah, I guess that's a lot going on this summer.  One of our dear friends told me, "How 'bout we just write off 2013 for you guys?"  Agreed.  Though parts of it were great...being surrounded by family and friends who love us, sharing tears and laughs with the people we care most about, and (let's face it) having an excuse (or two, or three!) to just chill out, prioritize, and throw your hands up in disbelief.  So be it.  This too shall pass.  

Thank goodness for crafting, yes?!  Some people eat ice cream when they're stressed.  I cut paper with scissors.  

Over the next few days (or probably weeks, if I'm being honest) I'll post some photographs of what I've been up to in my self-imposed down time. I could be vacuuming or doing laundry, or doing dishes, etc., etc. but I don't wanna.  I'd rather being making snail mail.

Here's one of my favorite projects.  (Someone with a birthday in November best not look too closely...'cause you'll be seeing it in person in the not so distant future. Wink, wink.)

Below:  I went a bit monochromatic with this set of eight cards.  I paired bright sunshine yellow and golden yellow folded note cards with honeycomb envelop liners and lace-patterned envelopes.  I embellished with note cards with layers of the coordinating papers, all random, all what spoke to me at the time.  No two cards are the same, and that's just the way I like it.  All tied up with ivory tulle.

Below:  I first encountered the honeycomb paper when making a thank you note for a dear friend.  I thumbed through my stacks of paper and was struck by something I remembered about her.  She shared once in our Bible study that when she was going through a rough spot she was moved by the verse Psalm 46:10, which reads, in part, "Be still and know that I am God."  (NIV)  Shouldn't we all just "be(e) still" sometimes?  I made the card below for her.  She was there for me when I needed her.  And I will be forever thankful.  I was inspired, and then used the rest of the paper for the set of eight above...for another person who is always there when I need her too.

   

Spring Wedding and Father's Day

Alas, it's the first day of summer and my crafting self has been on a bit of a vacation - putting off craftiness in lieu of outside play dates and long afternoons paddling in the baby pool.  But, that isn't to say that I haven't been doing any crafting.  I have, just not a lot.  So, without further ado, here are a few of my recent projects. (I also made a felt hippo plush for a little boy's birthday present, but it's already wrapped up and ready for gifting!)

Above:  I didn't make this for any particular purpose...I was just dying to use this brightly colored floral paper.  And, of course, one can rarely go wrong with lime green polka dots.  The envelope liner is adhesive backed card stock - I was rather pleased with the ultra smooth finish, rather than the occasional lump underneath the liner via errant glue stick.

Below:  One of my very best childhood friends got married a few months back, and I wanted to make her a heartfelt and useful gift.  I made her a set of thank you notes and envelopes in springy, coordinating shades of purple with yellow striped envelop liners.  I sent lavender adhesive mailing labels too.  I found some beautiful floral stamps at the post office and thought they'd be the perfect match.  What newly weds couldn't use a few extra, pre-stamped thank you notes to send off to other wedding guests?!  Hope they liked them as much as I enjoyed making them!

Below:  I'm lucky enough to have three deserving men in my life to which I sent Father's Day cards.  Here's my favorite one.  Ah ha, the lime green polka dots again...this time paired with a wood grain envelope and kraft card stock notecard with a pocket made out of the same adhesive green card stock as in the first image above.  Draw on the stitches in fine point marker, and voila!

Mustache!

A few weeks ago I made a little mustache card for a dear, dear friend who lives so very, very far away.  In full disclosure, I did not make the envelope...'twas a purchase quite some time back from my most favoritest of paper stores.  And, I have to admit, I didn't come up with the idea of a mustache on a tooth pick all on my own.  I got the idea from the book Craft-a-Day by Sarah Goldschadt.  I checked it out from the "new books" section of the public library last fall...and then purchased it from Amazon two days later!  It's awesome.  Super easy instructions, but oh-so-very-genius ideas for adorable crafts you can make any day.  It's loosely organized around seasons and holidays, and with a different theme every week, there's certainly no shortage of cute crafts you can keep, give away, or send via snail mail.  Ahem, cough...you should send snail mail...cough, ahem. 

So, for this card, I simply traced the mustache out of the book and onto tracing paper.  I cut it out of black felt, and then cut a small rectangular piece to fit around the back of the mustache to cover the top of the toothpick...which I hot glued onto the felt.  Two simple cuts with a craft knife to make a slit in the card, and voila!  I also stamped "hello!" onto the front using super cheap stamps (like $1.00 for all twenty-six letters plus some punctuation).  Oh, and FYI, toothpicks totally go through the mail just fine and dandy.  Try it out, and send someone a little surprise.

For My Niece

My sister-in-law once told me that my niece likes crafty stuff.  That might have been a mistake.  Because, now, instead of getting awesome clothes or music downloads, she gets gift cards to Michael's and crafting supplies and...

...wait for it...

...wait for it...

...THIS!  See below!  This is the awesome "make your own note cards and envelopes set" I made for her birthday a few weeks ago!

I made templates out of card stock using the plastic templates from my own stash.  I made templates for the envelopes, liners, and note cards in three different sizes and wrote the instructions directly on the templates.  No keeping track of separate instructions sheet required!  I folded them up the way they would be put together when finished and then wrapped them up with a variety of fancy paper in all different patterns, some pre-cut note cards, a glue stick, a Sharpie pen, various embellishments and labels, and some hot pink striped washi tape.

I hope she liked it!

Here's the template for the smallest card, perfect for gift cards or gift tags.  The circled numbers indicate which flaps to fold in first.  I wrote "glue" wherever she'd need glue to secure the flaps.  In this case, some of the "glue" instructions are on the edges of the flaps facing toward the table.

Here are the templates for the middle-sized card and envelope.  For the note card template, I used just a flat rectangle.  Notice that I suggested tracing it twice, edge to edge, and folding where the two come together to create a folded card.

Here you can see where I indicate to "glue" to secure the flaps and make the envelope.

Here's the finished set of all three template sizes.

I folded the templates into "envelopes" with the liner templates and note card templates inside so that she could see how it would all fit together.

And here's the whole set!  I made sure to include small stickers so that she could secure the final envelope flap without using the glue stick.  (It's easier for the recipient to open and allows them to better see the liner paper.)  I also added some light-colored mailing labels so that she could use darker colored or patterned paper for the outside of the envelopes and the address can still be read easily by the postal service.  I'm all about snail mail, as you know.  I also included some pre-cut rectangular and scalloped note cards, because, why not!?

What I Made for Mother's Day!

So, here's just a quick post to show you all what I made for Mother's Day.  I'm lucky enough to have three mommas in my life...who have all received their fair share of hand made note card sets from me.  I hope they like them.  

First, I made a set for my very own momma.  She's one classy lady, so I kept it simple with black dots on ivory and toile for the envelopes and liners and included thick cardstock note cards that are black on one side and khaki on the other.  

Envelopes and liners.

I also made a "matching" greeting card with profile silhouettes. 

"Love you more!" Added a scalloped medallion to the front of a larger card and stamped on a greeting.

Next I whipped up a set of six note cards with envelopes made in white lace on a tan background and wood grain paper.  The folded note cards are kraft paper cardstock with a little help from Martha's paper flowers.

Wood grain liner inside lace envelope, small flower on card.

Lace liner inside wood grain envelope, larger flower on card.

Completed set of six, with two "baby" envelopes just for fun.

And at long last, here is the follow up to a previous posting about what I did with the green note cards with washi tape.  I made two of each of three different combinations of envelopes, coordinated to the washi tape.  Voila!  These were sent off as the third Mother's Day set.  

Green with green, with more green.