Over the holidays I was commissioned to make some cards using the artwork from my etsy shop and I thought it would be fun to show you how easy and fun these are to make!
The first thing to do is to find some clipart you like. I used my own but you can do an internet search and find whatever you may be looking for. There is plenty to choose from in every theme, color, and interest you can imagine. The reason you want to pick out your art first is so that you can get coordinating accessories to decorate with (I love adding ribbon, small beads, twine etc.) I bet you already have some of this stuff hanging around after the holidays but, of course, your local craft shop has it all (and probably on sale right now, too!).
So, now that you have picked out your clipart and have it all printed out, you can gather up all your supplies. I like to start by getting a nice sharp pair of scissors to cut out the clipart and some blank cards and envelopes (You can get these at any craft store in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors). I chose some standard sized white cards because I print the clipart on white paper. This way I can leave an edge when cutting out the illustrations. It's easier to cut and it blends in on the white background. If you want a more luxe version of your card, you could get some nice watercolor cards and paint in the background as well. I also like to have a hole punch so I can tie bows with the ribbon. Some good old Elmer's glue is great for adhering the ribbon but you could also use this to glue the clipart, as well. Sometimes it's handy to have a small brush to apply the glue but most of the time, I dive right in there and use my hands. My favorite thing to use when making these cards is the mounting tape. It adds such a cool 3-D element to the card. It's also fun to add beads and maybe even charms.
This is a closer look at the tape. It has a nice thick foam to give a 3-D look to the images. There are different brands of these and generics but I always get this one out of habit, I guess. It can be found in the office supply section at your grocery store, any office supply shop, and/or craft stores.
Now is the fun part! Cut out your image and figure out where you want it on the card. Play around until it looks pleasing to your eye. For technical advice on composition you can use the rule of thirds. I did a quick internet search and found a nice link here which does a good job of explaining this concept in greater detail. I thought a little bow on the heel would look nice so I punched a hole there.
I tied on my coordinating ribbon and cut out a little triangle on the bottom to make it more decorative.
I cut out two little pieces of tape. I like my images to really pop off the card so I stack them on top of each other.
I then apply them to the back of the image.
Now turn over the image and affix it to the card. If you are unhappy with the placement, quickly and gently pull it up and reaffix it. It takes a minute for the glue to really take hold so you have a small grace period to fix it.
Now take a step back and see how it looks. I decided to add a little more ribbon on the bottom to bring it all together.
I just added a small line of glue. You don't want to add too much or it will just squish out of the sides when you add the ribbon.
I like to put a piece of ribbon that is a little larger, then I trim it to size once I have it affixed where I want it.
Ta-Da, all done! I like to slip these into cellophane packages with the matching white envelope. I prefer leaving them blank so they could be open to interpretation by the user (Girl's night, bachelorette party, wedding shower, birthday, or whatever it may mean to you!!)
For this next one I went with a manicure theme. I use my sharp little scissors to cut around the images.
I love any and all things mini. Isn't that so cute? A teeny nail polish!
I played around a little with the composition and taped everything down. (O.K, now I want to go get my nails done.)
Hold up different ribbons and see what looks pleasing to your eye.
Experimenting with some bling. Hmmmmm.
Decided to go with some ribbon on the bottom instead.
Cheeseburger anyone?
For the pizza lover.
Fall leaves.
Most important meal of the day.....
Remember these? Old school T.V dinners!!
It's fun to spend a winter afternoon making up a set of these. Get some friends together and make a crafternoon out of it. Then you always have a card at the ready for any occasion!
Warmly,
Pam