Shabby Chic Inspired Cards

ANNA GRIFFIN

It all started with Anna Griffin on HSN and me on "newborn baby watch" trying to kill time until baby would wake up again to be changed, handed to mama to nurse and then back to me - Gramma. My job at the time was to get the princess back to sleep. This is only the second time in my life I have watched HSN!

I started purchasing item after item of Anna Griffin products on HSN and they started to arrive at my home where my husband wanted to know where all these boxes were coming from and what was in them.

When I got home and opened all the boxes, I was overwhelmed.  Too many choices!  Where to begin?  Me? Making cards? On to YouTube!

The card above and the sympathy card I mention below were my humble attempts to combine Anna Griffin's products with flowers I had made or purchased.

I forgot to take a photo of the sympathy card I made for one of my dear friend's who father just passed away.

Angela Holt

While searching YouTube for Anna Griffin cards for ideas, I came across Angela Holt of Angela Holt Designs.  The first YouTube video I watched was called "Anna Griffin/Xron Blog Hop Project". I loved it and was off to the races.  In this video, she combines Anna Griffin's wonderful dimensional flowers with all sorts of dimensional items and ended with a beautiful shabby chic card.  I set out to duplicate her card as much as possible with the items I had on hand.

Card copied as close as I could to Angela Holts 1st video I watched
called Anna Griffin/Xron Blog Hop Project

I made this card for my step-daughter's birthday which she told me she loved and was going to frame!  This means a lot to me because she has an artist's eye and is a detailed person.  I also made this card again for my dear Aunt Chris who has been like a mother to me.  Her birthday is right after Mother's Day.

Below is the 3rd card I made which I sent to my daughter.  I had just watched Angela Holts YouTube video call Prima Princes Card.

Card I made for my daughter

Weeks later I see what glaringly is wrong with the card - not enough stuff/flowers!  I feel it could use a few more layers.  Since my daughter likes the clean, simple look of things, she was happy and probably unimpressed with my effort but did call and thank me immediately upon finally going to get her mail.

While watching HSN (I think this is the 2nd time in my life I have ever tuned into HSN for anything) I saw the demo for Crafter's Companion.  Just in time.  I sure needed this.  I needed to create envelopes that were thick and odd shaped that could hold my card(s).  This did the trick.  I think you can find demos of this product on YouTube.  Everything is on YouTube I have been learning. . .

Card sitting in one of my handmade envelopes

JELISSA MEI

Next artist I discovered was Jelissa Mei.  I believe she lives in Singapore, China.  She is also on FB.  What a talented artist! I love altered art and using paper, fabric and anything dimensional.  But, how many book covers and canvas can one make and find a place for in your home? I watched on her blogspot a video posted on January 31, 2015 called "Card Tutorial for Wild Orchid Crafts".

Plus Jelissa had tutorials for canvases and scrapbook pages on her blog using a multitude of products like paint, sparkling H2O's, etc. I was in LOVE!

Card I made after watching Jelissa's Video

Now, I already have a store room (affectionately called my Art/Computer room) in my home.  I have gone to Prima's two day workshops and have tons of flowers.  And of course, there is always Michael's and two local scrapbook stores - Paper Tales in Point Loma/San Diego area and The Making Place just up the 15 to the first off ramp in Escondido.  Off I went to Escondido which was only about 10 minutes from my son's home where I was staying while the baby was sleeping to purchase more flowers and ribbons.  Like I needed more of either. . .

My desire for more flowers in the colors I wanted was satisfied once again by YouTube.  I first watched "How to Make Paper Roses for Your Scrapbooks and Cards Tutorial" Shabby Chic by Shabby Beautiful.

Then onto YouTube "Pettite (sic) Roses Using EK success mini 5 petal flower punch by Scrapinmaniac Corner.

Luckily back in 1998 I purchased this wonderful tool "Power Punch" by Tapestry in Time model PP-200.  I have to idea if it is available anymore but it is hand saver.  With no effort at all you can punch out tons of flower in no time at all.  Perhaps there is something more current that works, but this came with all the plates you see to fit whatever shape your punch might have.  A life saver for sure.

Power Punch

Various punches and die cuts I have purchases

With sticky fingers from either my hot glue gun or glue I preceded to make a bunch of flowers.  They are kind of time consuming but I found the time.  I also ordered a bunch more flowers (which I truly didn't need from High on Scrapbooking shop on Etsy.

I am using five of the cards I made for this coming Mother's Day for some of my friends that I don't see often enough and do not do anything like this themselves.  They are easily impressed :).

How much does it cost to mail theses cards in the 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick envelopes that are either 4"x8" or 6"x6"?  Less than it cost to purchase a card ready made now a day!  I took one of my cards to the post office and for more than 1 oz and less than 2 oz it took 5 stamps.  I purchases a bunch of pretty stamps that were normal size.  I put some tissue paper over that top of the flowers and into my custom made envelope it goes.  The two I have already sent have arrived with no damage.

Another thing that is wonderful for me about making these shabby chic cards is that nothing is precise.  Those who know me well, like Magda Cortez, know I struggle with this skill.  I go way to fast. Other than the base of the card and the envelopes everything else is free style.  Plus, you get to use all your scraps.  So much fun.

I am looking forward to viewing more of Jelissa Mei's project on her website.  She has young children and does many scrapbook pages.  I have been a "scrapbooker" since 1990.  There are only so many occasions to send cards out.  At this point I am looking for any excuse. The scrapbook pages just can't be as dimensional but can have texture and layers and used all my Golden Products I have stored in that Art Room of mine.

Angela Holt has a couple of other YouTube videos that I found inspirational - "Shabby Chic Botanical Tea Card Tutorial" and "Prima Princess Card Tutorial".

There are probably more artists out there and,  of course, there always is Pinterest.  Hope you click on the links I have tried to provide or else google the artists yourself.  The instructions/tutorial are all free because you need and want product!  Support your local stores and the plethora of websites out there to purchase your products.

Other websites I frequented while making these cards:

Crafty City
Blue Moon
Frantic Stamper
Flowers purchased on Etsy from HighOnScrapbooking.

Various cards and their respective custom envelopes