Once again, my blogging posts had been put at the bottom of my ‘to do’ list since the holiday season took my time in other directions. But I am back and want to share this short story with you.
I have several items that my two sons had when they were younger. These stencils were theirs and, if I remember correctly, were included in one of their McDonald’s Happy Meals in the 1990’s.
When I was creating a New Year’s card, I needed smaller numbers to match the snowman on this card.
These number stencils were the perfect size! Now these ’vintage’ stencils are in my crafting stash! Thanks McDonald’s!
What is the oldest item in your craft space that you have used recently? I’m sure I am not the only person that hangs on to things from their children’s past!
Enjoy your crafting day and thank you for visiting my blog!
Thank you for visiting my crafting blog. I would like to share how and why I give my cards in decorated envelopes.
First off, when a HorseMark card is delivered to an actual mailbox, the envelope stands out apart from the other mail. I am sure the envelope will be opened first! (Junk mail and other envelopes filled with ads or other correspondence are the last items I open when I discover someone has sent me a card!)
When my mail is delivered, I am usually home. I have met and talked with several mail carriers over the years and have found that many of them appreciate delivering different envelopes, especially those that are decorated.
When I have gone to the post office to purchase stamps or check the amount of postage on cards I am sending, I have been complimented on the decorated envelopes. They do stand out from plain envelopes!
So, in a small, but important way, sending a decorated envelope through the US Postal Service, can help to brighten the day of some employees.
Decorated envelopes that I create are simple. Of course it doesn’t distract from the address on the envelope, it just enhances it. I usually stamp and color a stamp that has been coordinated with the enclosed card. It is usually on the bottom left-hand corner or the left side of the envelope. (I add my return address label on the back, which also gives an extra seal to my envelope.)
It is very easy for me to add a little hint of what’s inside on the envelopes of my cards. I figure that I have made the effort to create a special card and it should have a matching envelope. It is just another way I hope to make a positive ‘mark’ or impression on the recipients of my cards. (After all, that is the reason behind the ‘HorseMark’ Cards’ name!)
Once again, I thank you for stopping by my blog. I hope you enjoy your crafting day!
Hello! I appreciate you taking the time to visit my blog today!
When I create cards, sometimes a design requires a bit of a ‘cover-up’ to make sure the completed card meets my high standards.
The front of a card is the star. When you look inside the card, the printed message and any decorations must also shine. Even the left inside, or top inside, of the card needs to look polished.
If the front of a card has been cut to reveal something on the inside, both sides must look finished.
This heart card is one of my favorites! When I finished the front and lined up the heart on the inside, I goofed. It was a bit off and you could see a part of it when the card was closed. Luckily, the pretty paper has the beautiful flowers which were easy to fussy cut. So, the white inside heart where you would write a message has a flower added to the top! Problem fixed!
When I created this ’Strength and Hope’ card, I realized after I adhered the front panel that the top corner was a bit off. The solution… A purple heart covered it and I don’t think it looks out of place.
Sometimes fixing a problem on a card requires a ’snip’ or two. When I opened this ‘Hello’ card to finish the inside, the top corner accidentally came in contact with an open ink pad. (My fault..always close your inks when not using.) Since it resulted in a smudge, I simply cut the corner and also cut the bottom to match.
I am a fan and frequent user of the ’cover up’ technique in creating cards! Spending time creating a card means I want it to look nice in every way when finished. I am proud of my cards and I hope the people who receive them enjoy them.
Thank you for stopping by for a visit to my blog. I hope you have a wonderful time in crafting your creative projects! Enjoy your day!
I hope you and your families are doing okay, both physically and mentally. These are trying times and we must all do our part to get through these days.
One of the activities that has really helped me is creating my handmade greeting cards. It is a way for me to ‘escape’ the realities of today’s world and focus on something positive.
Yesterday I took a solid piece of card stock and embossed it with one of my favorite ‘swirly’ designs. The paper had a white core, and part of the embossed design revealed several white spots. Well, that was not going to work with the card I had in mind.
Since I do not like to waste papers, I decided to fix the exposed white spots. I turned to my tried and true (and old) chalks. I found the perfect shade to match my paper and started covering up the spots! It worked! I went ahead and lightly dusted the entire surface to give it a more consistent look.
I was very pleased with the results of my repaired background. You can see cracks in the chalks, but they still work beautifully when I need them!
This is the card I created. I love this little squirrel stamp, (also very old) and hope the person I am sending it to will like enjoy it.
(The background looks darker, but it is the same background. I need to work on my photography skills!)
Sending cards is more important now than before, as so many seniors, veterans and others are feeling isolated since they can’t have visitors. If they receive a card it will help them remember they are not alone.
Thank you for supporting HorseMark Cards. Stay Safe.
I hope you had a good year and find time to do some extra crafty creating in 2020! I am planning to add a new post to my blog at least once a month. (I do post regularly on my Instagram and Facebook pages! I hope you get a chance to check them out!)
I decided to have my first post of 2020 be about colors, since that is so important in any craft project!
My creative room is almost overflowing with colorful markers. When I am at a craft store or happen to catch myself in a certain aisle in another store, I can’t resist looking at the extensive selection of colorful marking pens and pencils. A few years ago I would have had several in my shopping cart, but today I realize I own more than my share.
Colored Pencils and Special Markers
On occassion, I will use a marker for a small section on my cards. I do not have the talent to ‘blend’ the colors of markers so I can use them on large spaces of paper. (I continue to improve this skill, but even the best ‘blending’ pens and I don’t seem to get along. 😦 ) So, because of this flaw in my skill set, I use pencils (and chalks) to add color to my cards.
Sharpie Markers & Special Markers
When I apply chalks to color images on my cards, I use a tiny cotton ball held with tweezers and hold it like a pencil. I like chalks as I can blend them more easily than markers.
EK Success Chalk Tower
Other items I used to purchase quite frequenty, were colored gems and stickers to use on my cards. I have since realized that I can just purchase clear gems and color them myself! This makes it much easier to match the colors to the papers! (I do find that the Sharpie markers are the best for this. They dry on most surfaces and don’t smear.)
Using markers to color gems
A few of my cards I created and colored with colored pencils.
I think my love of these colorful tools dates back to my childhood. Colored pencils and crayons were my favorites. Coloring in books was something I was always doing, even in my teen years when I was babysitting. Once the little ones were tucked in their beds, I would enter my coloring world until the parents came home. I guess some things never change!
Thanks for visiting today! Enjoy your creative day!
HorseMark Cards Blog 