Lobbying for my Hobby

I LOOOOOOOOVE making cards, it's great fun, and I think everyone should do it. So here's my shoutout and some pics to go with it. They're not very good because I used my phone camera, but you can get the idea. Enjoy!

This one of my favorite cards. It's a mix between Victorian and vintage country. The ornaments are 3D stickers from Hobby Lobby (my absolutely most frequented store ever).

This is a very simple layout. What makes it "pop" is the texture on the paper, giving it dimension. An easy way to get an evenly textured look without spending money on "petrified" looking paper, is this: Gently dab the edge of the paper on an ink pad of a dark brown color, doing a little extra dabbing on the corners. It's fast, easy, and always looks great! I love this technique.

Don't be afraid to write part of your layout. Instead of a stamp or sticker, I wrote "Merry Christmas" in the corner, giving it accents and scribbles around the shape of the letters, making a sketch look. Again, another inexpensive way to dress up your layout.

The envelope can work just as much as the card does to complete the look you want. Tearing is a great technique and saves time from drawing a line and cutting down it with scissors. Just tear and dab with ink just as you did with your card layout and you're done. (This is if you are making your own envelopes, which I recommend. The sky is the limit to what paper you use, how big or small to make it, and how it's shaped.)

Card and envelope together. Very complete and Christmasy.