Just like the card from yesterday, this one is created from bits and pieces, but my favorite part is a copy of the old stamp from Laos. I won't spend a lot of time explaining how it was made since there isn't much new on it. The pieces are: three different scrapbook papers, lettering from QuicKutz font Sunshine, flourish from Autumn Leaves, stamps and postmarks from an old letter, buttons tied with string, typewriter key labels from stash, a ready made tag that says "favorite things", and a vellum stamp from stash.

Make a card for some you love and include on the front something they will remember. Maybe an old ticket stub, a photograph, a copy of a report card, a bit of fluff or flower from a bouquet, etc.

I think one of the most fun ways to make cards is to incorporate into the making something from your past.

When I was about 10, I collected stamps. Money was in short supply, but my Mom occasionally let me have enough to send off for packets of "free" stamps. Back then, 52 years ago, free really meant free. So, I would get a 6 cent stamp, cut out the ad from a magazine, fill out my address, etc., and send it off in one of Mom's envelopes.

It was an exciting day when the mail carrier left me a big packet of free stamps. Now, I must admit, along with the free stamps were several packets that I could buy for just a small amount. And, occasionally, I had enough pennies saved to buy a packet or two. I probably spent less than a dollar at the most. One time I received a packet with four stamps from Laos. They were all of elephants, and were the most beautiful I had ever seen. I bought them for a few pennies and treasured them from that day to this.

For this card (5in x 7in), I made a photocopy of those stamps. You can see how I cut out one stamp (now I have a stamp border pair of sizzors, but not then), and mounted it on complimentary paper. The background paper is scrapbooking paper. The paper on right is torn and glued on top of that. A rub-on, letters, brads and ribbon completes this card. Make your own "Dare to Dream" card and send me a picture. I'll put in on this blog.

As always, hoping to hear from lots of you.

B

Happy Anniversary

Here is a card I made using one of the free photographs I found on the Internet. It is very simple and takes very little time to make. Maybe I should say "it takes very little time, the second time around." Sometimes I spend hours getting a card together the first time, but can make a similar one in just minutes the next time.

Pick a cardstock and find some vintage looking papers for the background. Cut a piece 1/4 to 1/2 inch smaller than the card, center, and glue. This card was made before I had a Cricut so I used a template to cut out an oval from the photograph and then cut a bit larger one with deckle sizzors. I found the flower in an old box of wedding finery and cut the red leaves from an autumn leaf branch from Wal-Mart. I printed "Happy Anniversary" on the computer and cut it out, and highlighted the edges with a black marker. There is a little pen work around the edges of the vintage look paper. I used dots and dashes and a few xoxoxo sometimes.

Make one of these. You will have so much fun.

Drop by again. I'm always looking forward to hearing from you.

A Brother is a Blessing

Since cards using vintage photographs are among my very favorites, I thought you might enjoy this one created especially for a brother.

The cardstock is white and is A2 size. I cut a piece of my own "homemade" paper 1/4 of an inch smaller than the stock and adhered to the front. I squared off the photo and matted it on a piece of brown cardstock and adhered it at a bit of an angle. Then I rubber stamped several postmarks, added a few old stamps, used a simple flower rub-on and glued on buttons. I always use a heavy string or beadspread cotton to tie through the holes on buttons. After all, buttons should be secured with thread. Right? The comment was created on my computer with a free Internet font called 1942 report.

I found the old photo at a yard sale and had some prints made at the local "Quick Print" on their color copier. Actually, I positioned 9 pictures on a page with a little bit of double stick tape and made several copies, all for around a dollar each.

The background paper is made with old postcards, family letters, and wills, layered and laid at interesting angles. Almost any old documents will work. The more faded, stained, yellowed, and worn the better. Only a color copier will give you really good results. Experiment and send me a picture of your designer paper and I'll post it on my site for others to be inspired.

This could be a wonderful way to surprise a brother with a card. Find an old picture of him or perhaps one of some of your ancestors and go on from there. If you have questons, please email me.
B

Tommy Turtle

This little guy is called Tommy Turtle. He comes from the same part of the country as the little red crab. As a matter of fact they are great friends. I made him by finding a simple picture in a children's coloring book and cutting him out. Then I traced around him on green paper and cut out the shape. Next I traced around just the shell on a green, blue and white paisley and hand drew in the shapes on his shell. I smudged each spot and a little around his head and feet, painted his toenails red (hey, maybe this turtle is Tomette) and glued the shell to the body. I gave him some eyes from the little pieces left over from using QuicKutz font Sunshine. I think his eyes are from the center of letter P. Also used that font for the word "Hi!" I hand drew a couple of flowers and cut out some grass free form. After a little pen work, glue all together, and adding a button the card was ready to send. Hope you enjoy Tom.

Last of the Laos Stamp Cards - Dream

O.K. I promise this will be the last of the Laos Stamp Cards, although there is another one lurking around somewhere. This one was a lot of fun because of all the exotic oriental images I found to use on it.

On the Internet there is a site with pictures of bank notes from every country. Some of them are beautiful works of art. I copied and pasted this one, being careful to use only part of it and also made it a bit smaller than the real one would have been. I don't want to be a counterfeiter. Whew! Also, I covered the picture of a man at the center of the note with a postmark. I chose navy, hot pink, and gold for the color scheme. You can see I pulled it from the peacock stamp. The ginko and dragonfly were rubber stamped, colored and cut out before being added. The buttons are from my stash and the flower is a silk flower, pulled apart and glued on with a tiny gold brad in the center.

Look around and use what you have on hand. I believe it is Jenni Bowlin that says "re-use, and re-purpose". She is the queen of that.

Card from the Past

Here is a simple little card I made a year or so ago and sold on eBay. It is so easy to make. You can find other ideas like it close at hand. First I found a coloring book with simple images, took it to a copier and reduced the image of the crab until I had it at the size I needed for this card. Next I cut it out and traced around the edges onto a colorful piece of paper; I used a bright red. I outlined each part of the crab with a black pen, like Pilot Varsity Extra Fine. Any smooth writing pen will do just fine. There is a minimum of shading done with brown chalk and a Q-Tip.

The background was done with six layers of cardstock. Three are sand and three are water. The top of each row of sand is smudged a bit with brown chalk and the waves are all cut free form and inked a bit with the black pen. To get uniform pieces for the eyes and eyebrows, I used little throw away pieces left after cutting out letters with QuicKutz Sunshine Font. Also used the font to say "Whassup ?". A few grains of sand penned in finished up this lil ole crab.

Hope you try one too. If you do let me know. I would love to hear from you.

B