Get carded - Valentine's Day greeting card

 Hello! Greeting cards are probably one of my favorite crafts to make. My first efforts were pretty lame, but now, after several years of practice, I'm much more pleased with my efforts. I never buy greeting cards anymore (although I will still occasionally buy notecard sets from artists whose works I like). 


Besides practice, several other factors were involved in my evolution as a crafter of cards: the discovery of Somerset Studio magazine, being inspired by what others are showing off on their blogs, stumbling upon an "art paper nirvana" a couple of times, and learning to use what I've found in antique stores, thrift stores, and rummage, garage and estate sales. (Note: I do go to chains such as Jo Ann's, Hobby Lobby and Michael's, but less and less all the time). 


Each "get carded" post will highlight a card I've made, along with the materials used. So, here's a card I made for an out-of-state friend last month:

From background to foreground:


White cardstock (I buy it in reams at Sam's Club)

Vintage ledger paper from 1890's ledger book that appears to have been used by a teacher in the Milwaukee, WI area. Ledger book was bought for $4.00 last summer at a garage sale run by a couple of antique dealers. The paper is quite yellowed so I softened it a bit with a ivory acrylic paint wash.

Scrapbook paper - white and red polka dots; single sheet bought on sale last month at Michael's.

Off-white paper edged with red acrylic paint (paper source unknown; may have been "paper nirvnana" source).


Heart cut from 1930's Monopoly game card; partially-complete game purchased from thrift store last year for fifty cents. Heart edged with red ink from StazOn stamp pad.


Off-white vintage button; source unknown.


"from heart" and "to heart" saying cut from facsimile of vintage Valentine postcard; don't recall how I got the book from which this postcard came. 


"happy valentine's day" rubber stamp - from dollar bin at Michael's several years ago.


That's it! I hope you enjoyed seeing my card.