Hi folks! To kick off national letterwriting month and I consider it also send your cards month, here’s a super simple Mother’s Day card you can make. I am really big on using digital elements because of the ease of being able to download them immediately and also because I can create my own matching designs if I’m missing something. However, I also love the real paper, textures and touchy-feeling elements of handmade cards. So the best of both worlds in my opinion would be hybrid cards! Combining both sides of cardmaking I think really maximizes the potential for all of us to create. To start this lovely month of stationery and card goodness here on BackToPaper.com, here’s a super easy peasy way to use digital elements. The idea is to make a simple card by combining elements digitally for printout, but then adding a real-life embellishment to bring out the handmade feel.

To make the card above I used the free Sketch Tulips digital element from Hero Arts, my own designing in Photoshop and simple embellishments I had lying around already.

1. I wanted a distressed style, so I created the faded music paper background in Photoshop and put that behind the Sketch Tulip element in Photoshop.
2. Then I added a simple sentiment to the bottom with the basic text tool and added a drop shadow in white – so really it’s a glow to make the words pop a bit more.
3. I planned to add embellishments in the middle, so that’s why I left the space there, so now my is ready.
4. I printed out onto white cardstock in the size I wanted for my card.
5. I cut out the graphic a bit smaller than my white card base and added some dimension by inking and distressing the edges.
6. Then I added my real-life embellishment of string with a bright button around the center with a simple bow.
7. I glued that whole finished panel onto my white card base and tah-dah!  All done!

Really easy, right? You can download the faded music paper background I created below, just click for high-resolution JPG. Feel free to use for your personal projects or paper crafting projects. I know sometimes it can be intimidating to use Photoshop or related programs, but this same card could have been done by simply printing all elements out and cutting them out individually to combine by hand as well. I really like simple hybrid cards like this, especially if you need to make 50 thank you cards, for example.  You can quickly print out 50 copies of your design. I hope this will inspire you to use those digital elements out there and make a hybrid card.  Enjoy and stay tuned for more hybrid projects like this one

Posted on April 2, 2010 at 2:29 pm | Free-Template-Tutorial-Links, Showcase | 15 comments

Everything but the Kitchen Sink has a challenge currently regarding using string. I read through the details and immediately had an idea for a card…using string to make a star on the card! I added a braided tassel like part only because the first time I tried I didn’t have enough string… but I like how it turned out in the end. I also realized I don’t really have black or gray cardstock and just ripped up some paper from a notebook I had…pretty grungy! Hope you like my entry…but I realized you could do this for any shape…almost like embroidery, but more like connect the dots easy peasy.

Posted on April 1, 2010 at 2:33 pm | Showcase | 3 comments

I practiced my copic coloring again – I’m a total beginner and really have a hard time staying within the lines though. Perhaps I should cheat and just thicken all the black lines of my digital stamps…but it seems like that would be giving up! I do know that I like the regular Copic markers rather than the ciao, because I like the small hard tip, instead of the brush tip. So, I don’t always want to have to cut out my colored images, but if I can’t stay in the lines it really does present a problem. So this time I tried coloring the background with my copic markers as well and creating variations with the colorless blender – which actually takes away color. In the end I distressed the little image a bit to go with my imperfect coloring. I think all in all it turned out pretty cute in the end! I realized also that my white gel pen creates a resist for the copic ink…interesting to experiment with in the future. I created this card for the digital tuesday challenge of using scraps. See all those scraps of paper to create the background – just stapled in place?  Hope you like it!

Posted on April 1, 2010 at 2:28 pm | Showcase | 13 comments

I have been practicing coloring with my copic markers, still have so much to learn…but finished my happy cat stamp, so decided to use it in a quick card.  Lots of happy bright colors for Springtime that also goes well for the current digital tuesday challenge – so I entered it in.  Let me know what you think!

Posted on March 29, 2010 at 6:27 pm | Showcase | No comments

When I first entered the more commercial scrapbooking world…I followed along digital layout designs and kits offered online…you can see my layouts I post on my personal blog.  However, I’ve been trying to work towards creating something that is my own style. I feel like a lot of the stuff I have created just looks like everyone else’s.  I don’t know if it’s because I’m using elements created by other people – but it seems odd to me in the end – like my scrapbooking turns out not as personal because of all the commercial elements. Hmm…I still think it’s pretty though and love all the cool designs…but somehow I struggle with the idea…sigh!

Working on another prompt from shimelle’s Something From Almost Nothing class – I created a transparent pocket to hold multiple photos. I suppose it’s pretty bland even with the stitching and cotton ribbon…I have this issue with cutting because my paper cuter seriously just does not cut straight! Still playing around and seeing how I can find a style that I like…one page at a time…

Posted on March 24, 2010 at 4:31 pm | Showcase, scrapbooking | No comments

Today I made a quick card after finding a blog called One More Scrap that is actually in Italian!  It’s so nice to find scrapbookers and crafters here in Italy…and although my Italian is not perfect I think I understand the challenge enough to participate with a quick card.  I made the background on the computer to print out and added a big heart that is heat embossed with sparkly powder.  Added a little ribbon and the sentiment is written with the copic twinkling pens…

Posted on March 22, 2010 at 7:30 pm | Showcase | 3 comments

Okay, it didn’t exactly go as I had imagined but here is my first card using copics for coloring.  I definitely still have a lot to learn and I must also say thank you so much to Micki from Artful Xpressions for sending me Neenah paper to try out – it works soooo well with Copics. Thank you thank you thank you!

I made this card to go along with the Dare You 2 Digistamp challenge of not using patterned paper…somehow I wanted to use masking tape at the bottom there, but didn’t exactly turn out as I had imagined. It’s cute, but not what I had in mind…it’s funny how things turn out like that.  Well, got to go practice more…practice makes perfect!

Posted on March 21, 2010 at 1:16 pm | Showcase | 3 comments

I was a bit lazy today and just did a quick scrapbook page using a little strip of brown cardstock to anchor the photo.  That was it…easy, huh?

Posted on March 18, 2010 at 12:37 pm | Showcase | 1 comment

I’m currently taking an online scrapbooking class with Shimelle called Something From Almost Nothing, all about hitting our stashes and using up our scrap supplies. It’s a nice subject for me especially since I’m going through major Spring cleaning and organization – or at least attempting to do so! I’m catching up on the prompts and going through a simple hybrid process.  I decided to use some kraft paper I have, working digitally to design the layout or create a journaling element, printing it out and then combining all of it together to finish.  Simple and clean, I think…

My first page is the cover for the celebrate life album – about my life here in Italy.  The theme of celebrate life seemed to fit perfectly and for this first page we were challenged to use up metal elements in our stash.  I rocked out some brads and jewelry making supplies that have just been sitting around. Bright yellow background because I love it as my happy color.

The second prompt gave us ideas on using all those smaller scraps of patterned paper we might have and this is the layout I came up with. I journaled about the things that make me want to celebrate life.

Third page I did was using up ribbon and in my case, it wasn’t a lot of bits, rather just leftover white ribbon from wedding crafts last year. My journaling and doodle is all about togetherness, a simple and clean layout.

There’s already another prompt to work on for today – 3 a week – so I’m off to play now! Thanks for stopping by.

Posted on March 17, 2010 at 5:22 pm | Showcase | 2 comments

Hi folks!  This lovely Saturday I wanted to share two cards I made, using two different digital stamp designs from other designers. It’s so fun to connect with others and swap stamps to play with! First up I used Lindsay’s Carousel Horse Montage – you can also check out her blog the frugal crafter.

As soon as I saw that lovely carousel image I knew what I wanted to create.  The montage version of it would make a perfect panel for a gatefold card.  I colored it with markers, distress inks and added white gel pen dots to certain spots. Then I embossed with clear sparkling powder over the whole image to make it a glossy sparkly panel. The rest is just random papers I had lying around a cute coordinating ribbon. I am so happy with this card and love that the design is front and center, so all the writing can be inside. You should definitely check out Lindsay’s blog and all her stamps in various shops.

Moving on to Tiffany’s Doodles Tea Time stamp set - totally cute design! I decided to go with a simple no sentiment layout again, to emphasize the image.

I used the teapot image and colored it digitally, then printed and cut it out.  Using a cute pink button and white ribbon to suspend it on the card on top of pretty shabby chic papers. Pretty cool, huh?  You can also check out Tiffany’s Garden which is her blog to link to so many other great work she has created.  Hope you have enjoyed the cards I shared today and the two lovely designers offering a wide array of digital stamps. I can’t wait to see what they have created with some of my stamps as well. Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

Posted on March 13, 2010 at 1:21 pm | Shops and Blogs, Showcase | 4 comments