Dictionary Pages everywhere

This design is adorable with the ballet skirt
cut separately and slipped on the doll. Makes
a pretty hanging ornament.

After buying two huge dictionaries at a yard sale I began working them into all kinds of projects. The paper is thin, so it collages well and light background so it can be stamped and colored.


Try those paper chain dolls or just a solo dancer for a design reminiscent of childhood treasures.

All three of the dancer cards were featured
in a make-n-take at the FCC Crop & Stamp
fundraiser. They can be assembled quickly

Adapt and change patterns to work with the dictionary paper. I used one I found through Pinterest that was designed to hang. The pattern was large and the skirt had cuts like a snowflake.

Friendship Blooms in Open Hearts--Recycled from previously used greeting cards

Let's give some art away

Wish Big with three candles.

Designing and delivering creative arts classes for the first time in years has been a joyful experience for me in 2013. These creative art sessions are free and designed with the premise that it doesn't take a ton of supplies and tools to make fun cards and gifts. One of the philosophies of these programs is that when we create we honor our Great Creator.

Wish Big sentiment printed from computer.
Candle and flame cut from greeting cards.

The sessions are held monthly (except November and December) at First Christian Church in West Palm Beach, FL. We meet on Saturday morning from 10am-12pm. Feel welcome to email me if you wish to attend or start a similar program in your area.

One of my favorite sessions featured recycling previously used greeting cards into new cards. We starting with free-hand drawing of shapes onto the cards, cut them out, and pieced the shapes together. We used a "guide sheet" of shapes to get us started and I've published that here along with a few samples. Stay tuned for more designs from this session.

Pattern/guide for freehand drawings

Noni art --cheery girl

I have been pinning lots of doodles on my board and found a pin with all kinds of faces. I used one on this curly haired girl. Her heart shape cheeks are filled with a Sakura Gelly Roll pen.

 

See http://www.artfultourist.blogspot.com/2013/04/noni-art-what-you-get-when.html for background on the Noni Art

Give a little bit of your art away

Small things are charming. I've been making artist's trading cards for over 10 years and they still feel new. The standard marketing line is "make it miniature or put it on a stick and you've got a top seller."

I'm working on an ATC gallery for NAChattin.com and I keep getting distracted by designs I want to try again or ideas that would be fun to teach. One of my latest favorite techniques with ATCs is to adhere them to a card base and make an "instant" greeting card.

I had the pleasure of exchanging trading cards in a swap last June with some amazing artists including Pam Grant. Here are two greeting cards I made with her Artist Trading Cards.

She used collage images of photos from the 1920s and jewel embellishments to create these treasures. I added a bit of ribbon or string and a print background card base from DCWV. Oh joy.

Re-Runs, Reclaimed, Recycled

I cropped and improved the lighting on this photo once but dang if I can't find the photo now...sorry.

Being a part of the artful card making community means I receive as well as send some really great cards. I save them, it's only natural.

My parents get the majority of my card art and they live in a small space that cannot accommodate the dozens of cards they get every year from me and from others. They can't bear to throw them away.

I participate in card swaps that are enjoyable and inspiring and that means I have more cards in my "saved" files too.

I got out my box of saved cards and started re-designing them one week and the result is pictured above. This entire grouping was finished in about 3 hours--now that's a FLASH CARD.

When I used a design from someone else, they are always credited on the back. I have had some fun sending them back to the people who first made them as well.

I had a stack of larger envelopes that originally matched holiday cards and odd greeting card sets I picked up at yard sales. This project was a great way to enlarge some of my A-4 size greetings into larger cards that fit the envelopes.

Stop hoarding your solid card stock (I know you do this--grin) and cut some larger card bases that can be translated into reclaimed cards to mail out. Share the environmentally friendly joy my friends.

More cards from the DCV card set

This acetate tag has a pretty fairy sticker in between two layers of clear paper from Paper Temptress. The edge of the card was punched with a Martha Stewart border punch.

Vase full of Hearts

Card Notes:
This Penny Black stamp isn't the type of stamp I usually feel drawn to when shopping. I liked the the block style and I have really enjoyed working with it. I use EK Success watercolor markers  The original card front was trimmed and matted on a double sided print card stock base.


Posting Notes:
November and December are rich with holiday joy. This year I'm relishing the season with fewer gifts, more meaningful gifts, and more time with my spirit and my loved ones. My blog posts through the end of the year will be a series of cards I've been working on called "Recycled Flash Cards." I've done a video but the editing isn't done and I'm not worried about that right now.

The cards in this series were made June 2011-November 2011 and feature designs created by recycling other greeting cards. Some are done from "store bought" cards, some from handmade cards sent to me by others, and some from cards I made and sent to people who didn't want to throw them away but didn't have space to keep them either. (Thanks Mom)

Celebrating a Beautiful Pear

                                                                             Card Notes:

I own at least four pear stamp images--this, however, is not one of the ones I own. It was created at a Stamping Up party hosted by my friend Kim Byrne around 2003. It's stamped in a dark green ink and lightly colored with chalks. Very simple and fast to create without looking too 'standardized." I just can't help myself with the pears--they often turn into anniversary cards with happy wishes to a beautiful pair.

Posting Notes:

November and December are rich with holiday joy. This year I'm relishing the season with fewer gifts, more meaningful gifts, and more time with my spirit and my loved ones. My blog posts through the end of the year will be a series of cards I've been working on called "Recycled Flash Cards." I've done a video but the editing isn't done and I'm not worried about that right now.

The cards in this series were made June 2011-November 2011 and feature designs created by recycling other greeting cards. Some are done from "store bought" cards, some from handmade cards sent to me by others, and some from cards I made and sent to people who didn't want to throw them away but didn't have space to keep them either. (Thanks Mom)

Dragonfly Blessings

Card Notes:
The tag and vellum dragonfly were from a Father's Day card I made for my Dad in 2004. I pulled them off the original card stock, matted on brown and then matted that on a green card stock base. The word Blessings was from a different card I took apart during another session.



Posting Notes:
November and December are rich with holiday joy. This year I'm relishing the season with fewer gifts, more meaningful gifts, and more time with my spirit and my loved ones. My blog posts through the end of the year will be a series of cards I've been working on called "Recycled Flash Cards." I've done a video but the editing isn't done and I'm not worried about that right now.

The cards in this series were made June 2011-November 2011 and feature designs created by recycling other greeting cards. Some are done from "store bought" cards, some from handmade cards sent to me by others, and some from cards I made and sent to people who didn't want to throw them away but didn't have space to keep them either. (Thanks Mom)

A mother's Love

Card Notes:

Somewhere in the late 90's I purchased books of stickers depicting fine art paintings. This Picasso makes me think of that Paul Simon song, "Mother and child reunion is only a motion away..." the original card front was matted on a blue card base. I like this revised version better than the original.


Posting Notes:
November and December are rich with holiday joy. This year I'm relishing the season with fewer gifts, more meaningful gifts, and more time with my spirit and my loved ones. My blog posts through the end of the year will be a series of cards I've been working on called "Recycled Flash Cards." I've done a video but the editing isn't done and I'm not worried about that right now.

The cards in this series were made June 2011-November 2011 and feature designs created by recycling other greeting cards. Some are done from "store bought" cards, some from handmade cards sent to me by others, and some from cards I made and sent to people who didn't want to throw them away but didn't have space to keep them either. (Thanks Mom)

A Queen of Hearts

Card Notes:
This design with the heart and the queen is a favorite of mine. I've done it in several color combinations. The heart was colored with markers and sprayed with water to blend. This particular image was originally a card for my Mom in 2005. I liked it so much I just cut around the whole piece and matted it on a larger card.




Posting Notes:

November and December are rich with holiday joy. This year I'm relishing the season with fewer gifts, more meaningful gifts, and more time with my spirit and my loved ones. My blog posts through the end of the year will be a series of cards I've been working on called "Recycled Flash Cards." I've done a video but the editing isn't done and I'm not worried about that right now.



The cards in this series were made June 2011-November 2011 and feature designs created by recycling other greeting cards. Some are done from "store bought" cards, some from handmade cards sent to me by others, and some from cards I made and sent to people who didn't want to throw them away but didn't have space to keep them either. (Thanks Mom)

Tin Can Dolly

Card Notes:
Empty soda cans don't have to go straight to the bin. I cut this Pepsi can with my Spellbinders' Wizard and their art doll die. The doll was cut somewhere around 2004 and the card was finally assembled summer 2010. Somethings never go stale for me...
Posting Notes:




 November and December are rich with holiday joy. This year I'm relishing the season with fewer gifts, more meaningful gifts, and more time with my spirit and my loved ones. My blog posts through the end of the year will be a series of cards I've been working on called "Recycled Flash Cards." I've done a video but the editing isn't done and I'm not worried about that right now.


The cards in this series were made June 2011-November 2011 and feature designs created by recycling other greeting cards. Some are done from "store bought" cards, some from handmade cards sent to me by others, and some from cards I made and sent to people who didn't want to throw them away but didn't have space to keep them either. (Thanks Mom)

Recycled Flash Cards--a closer look 1

Birthday for my GRAND-niece

Card Notes:
My friend Laurie sent me the original card with the dog in glasses for my birthday 2010. The papers are from a pack of double sided designs I got on sale at a local craft store. The card was sized to fit into an envelope that came from a yard sale. Ta-Da!

Posting Notes:
November and December are rich with holiday joy. This year I'm relishing the season with fewer gifts, more meaningful gifts, and more time with my spirit and my loved ones. My blog posts through the end of the year will be a series of cards I've been working on called "Recycled Flash Cards." I've done a video but the editing isn't done and I'm not worried about that right now.

The cards in this series were made June 2011-November 2011 and feature designs created by recycling other greeting cards. Some are done from "store bought" cards, some from handmade cards sent to me by others, and some from cards I made and sent to people who didn't want to throw them away but didn't have space to keep them either. (Thanks Mom)