Thank You Marianne

Last July, the woman who'd taught Bethany and I baby signing for over a year and a half, had her last class. Some in the group had been with her for years! So we had a collection, and I volunteered to make a card for everyone to sign. (It's taken me a while to get round to blogging it!)

As it needed to be quite large, I used an 8x8 card blank, and 7x7 stencil card for the main image, without trimming it.

I attached the brick wall stencil from Clarity with masking tape, and brushed over a light layer of distress ink, peacock feather round the outside, crushed olive inside this, leaving the centre light. I then added the left swirl stencil over the top, and added more ink, to give a more subtle swirl pattern. I used the same inks, and added salty ocean to deepen the colour.

With the stencils removed, this is the result.

Very pretty I think!

Next step is to add the message in the middle. I used the word chains for this - I don't have a Thank You, so had to mask letters from other words to create this, and the name. I used black archival ink.

I don't have a K in any of the words, so used the R from Remember, with the top masked off. I neatened up the edge with a permanent pen, and also the i which didn't stamp completely.

Next to create a frame and cover the white strip round the outside of the card.

I used the wee flowers and foliage stamps from Clarity, and (mostly) second generation distress ink, peacock feather and crushed olive again. 

I used the leafy stamps above, like tree branches, and the more grassy ones below. I used the full length, coming right into the picture.

I then repeated with black archival ink, stamping off the page to give a black frame at the outside of the card.

I like this effect, they're such useful stamps.

To mount the card, I edged this with a black sharpie. I cut a larger mount and edged this too.

I quite like the black and white, but decided colour would work better, so blended the peacock feather round the mount card.

I also decorated the envelope, using the same stamps and colours.

I usually forget to do this until after I've put everything away!

I think there's a nice balance in this card - the colours are bright and fresh, but not too pretty, and the flowers and swirl are offset by the brick pattern. At this angle you really get a sense of dimension.





I liked the design enough to make some variations over the next few months.

This was a 6x6 card so the border was more restrained, with a cooler colour choice, in horizontal bands rather than circles.

I used a circles stencil, rather than the leafy swirl for this version, and bright reds and oranges.

I swapped out the foliage stamps for some funky circle patterns.







While not super quick to do, this is a great go-to design for birthday cards. The colours and patterns can be swapped to suit the recipient, and of course the name added - what's the point of handmade birthday cards if you can't personalise them?