A trip the grocery store inspired me with a table full of beautiful flowers for sale. As I turned the corner I saw magazines with colorful bouquets of flowers bursting off the covers. That was enough to put me a spring mood. I forgot the groceries but I bought the flowers and the magazines and headed home humming a little tune and feeling creative.
I thought it would be fun to make some cards to send to friends. And since so many magazines are featuring spring photos, with lots of flowers, I decided to make the cards using my simple cut and paste method. This isn’t difficult and the cards turn out so pretty, perhaps you’d like to try it too. Don’t even think about being an”artist”, this is about just relaxing and enjoying the process.
All you need to do to make your own cards, is cut out images that you like from a magazine and then paste them onto a blank card with a glue stick.
It’s creative because you can add different vases to your flowers, food photos, books or words in the magazine that catch your eye. Those images that pop out at you are the images that appeal to you on a deeper level. If something jumps out at you, whether it’s flowers or something else, tear out the pages and save them in a basket for future inspiration.
I like the idea that the beautiful photography in magazines is being preserved in another way and receiving a pretty card that you’ve made is sure to make someone happy.
If you like this technique and get addicted to cutting and pasting, like me, you might want a few extra supplies. I have a collection of scissors that make every job easier.
I love my tiny decoupage scissors which has a rounded tip making it easy to cut around curves, like in flowers or hearts. A larger scissors is also good for straight edges and the Martha Stewart scissors is one of my all time favorites.
Glue sticks are perfect for adhering the cutouts to the cards. Just be sure to smooth the pictures so there are no air bubbles. You can do this with your hands or a brayer.
Plain cards come in all sizes, with envelopes, and are available in craft stores. They come in different shades of white, off white, even tan for a more rustic look. The choices are endless.
The bottom line is that it’s is fun, quick and easy to make a hand made card. The bonus is that this process of cutting and pasting is very stress-free, meditative and calming. The day becomes just a little brighter when we create something for someone else.