vintage paper/collage art

Today I made new business cards. My old ones didn't have the Boutique address on them. Plus, my old set of cards didn't have any vintage wallpaper on them at all. Now, that just didn't seem right to me!

For these, I used another business card as a template, traced it onto card stock and with a ruler, draw out the shapes of enough cards to fill the page. (ugh, yes, I had to measure, sometimes you just have to whether you want to or not.  All the cards have to be the same size so they can be cut out).

I drew around each shape with a dark brown marker, so that the edges would look "aged" and if they weren't perfectly lined up (even though I did try to measure them) there wouldn't be strips of white paper showing.

I printed all my info on the computer.  I made up extras, so I could play around with cutting out different shapes.

Mostly, I used a block shape for the wording, but on some, I changed it up a bit.

These really went quickly. I made up 10 tiny collages, with the text added onto them, and then did some hand drawing with inks.  I didn't bother with using glitter, because I knew it wouldn't copy well. Neither does metallic ink.

A few 3-d type pieces work out ok for copies. Like tiny flowers and ribbons, nothing too thick.

This might be my fave.  Beth had given me a teeny wallpaper covered tag, and I used it over a pink flowered wallpaper on this card, then added the text and a flower. It was super simple to do.

Now, I just need to drop the page of cards off at the UPS store, they have the cheapest color copy prices in my town, 39 cents each.  It will be a bit more for card stock, not much. I'll have the store cut them all out for me, and I'll bet they'll have them done in an hour or so, that place is quick.

One thing I always do with color copies, is to ask for a proof to color check before okaying the job. Sometimes, the copier will need adjusting a bit to match the original.

Thank you all again, for your concern and well wishes for my aching back. It gets a little better each day. I'll be back into Kung Foo Panda style kicking soon.

Thank you, to all of you who sent well wishes my way for my bad back and for Aunt Caroline's health.  There are a lot of caring people in blogworld.

I'm sticking with my recipe for curing the back pain, plus added a trip to the Physical Therapist today. Also, a new addition to my cure, is that Sugarwing's Daddy is a massage therapist. He is a handy person to have around!  That guy can stop a migraine before it progresses and has been great for helping out with back aches too.

But I was getting so bored with just watching movies and taking care of the aches and pains. I figured I could do ice and heat just as well from my desk chair in the studio as I could from a recliner in front of the tv.  So, I worked off and on yesterday, making these books.  I needed breaks to stretch and move around, but was able to get quite a few done.

Yep, quite a few. I think about 15 or so.  Some are for a special event that I have planned, and others are for sale.

They were all Beth's idea.  I couldn't think of something to make for the "special event" coming up, so she told me to get out my binding machine and make some tag books. 

I make little wallpaper books a lot, but these are different.  They went much faster for me since only the front and back covers are embellished, the rest of the pages are all plain tags ready for the new owner to add what ever they want, like photos, collages, or rambling notes.

Making these really cheered me up, I always feel better when I play with my vintagey pretties!  And it was a great excuse to get out the good stuff.  What use is a pile of wonderful things  if I don't make it into something? I am a big believer in using all the best items and enjoying them.

I'd love to see one of these finished by its new owner, they have so much possibility and will be cute with all sorts of ribbons and charms tied to the tops of the tags and trailing out.  I've listed a few of them in my Boutique for $26 each, if you'd like one.  And if you get one, please let me know how you use it!

While recuperating, I also got this sketch started.  Its for a swap I am in, and I really am not quite sure how I am going to make it work for the pages, but since I have nothing else to do right now, I have plenty of time to figure it out.

The hardest part of getting my back better is that I can't play with Sugarwings much. If I do, I pick her up, or she dive bombs me and expects to be caught, held, and cuddled.  She's a boisterous kid, not one to sit quietly and play, she is a rough and tumble, no holds barred, hard playing, firecracker of a kid.  Just going near her is painful while my back is hurt!  So, I am taking extra good care of my poor old back, so I can be in shape to play with her. I want to go right back to doing kung foo kicks and leaping in the air, while we watch Kung Foo Panda on TV together.  (which is how my back got this way in the first place)