Mixed Media Fall Greeting Card
As fall is upon us, I am having so much fun playing with mixed media fall greeting cards. The fall colors are incredible! Beautiful leaves, textures and colors as the trees turn and the weather gets colder. It was the perfect inspiration for this mixed media fall greeting card!
Card Inspiration
The inspiration for this greeting card is not only the beautiful trees and gorgeous fall weather. This weekend is Thanksgiving in Canada and I love making fall greeting cards during this season.
Thanksgiving is a great time to remember the things I am grateful for. I try to have a habit of gratitude throughout the year, but Thanksgiving is a reason to set aside some time to focus on it.
A Habit of Gratitude
It can be hard to create a habit of gratitude. Social media and news can be so overwhelming, and they can bring so much negativity into our lives. I encourage all of us (including myself) to try to move past the negative and remember all the things we can be grateful for.
I feel so blessed to have an amazing spouse, great friends, a job I enjoy, my health and the opportunity to have a creative practice.
What we Focus on Grows
Our perspective of the world and how good our lives are is often determined on what we focus on. As I shared in another project, “What we focus on grows.” If we take the time to remember the amazing things we have in our lives, this can bring contentment and joy. This quote from Eckhart Tolle puts it in words perfectly.
“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”
Eckhard Tolle
Mixed Media Fall Greeting Card
I demoed this mixed media fall greeting card a few weeks ago at the Creative Scrapbooking Carnival. Many people commented on the beauty and simplicity of this card, so I wanted to share it with you today. This mixed media fall greeting card uses watercolor paper, distress crayons, patterned paper and stamps and can be made quite quickly.
Stamping on Watercolor Paper
For this card I used watercolor paper cut to 4” by 5 ¼”. In landscape orientation, stamp the top and bottom third of the watercolor paper using Jet Black Archival Ink and Wild Whisper Designs Ledger and Script cursive stamp. When stamping use the using first, second and third values of the stamped image. For more information about stamping values, please visit this article.
Adding Distress Crayons
Once the ink is fully dry (this usually this takes a couple of minutes), scribble several colors of Distress Crayon randomly on the surface of the watercolor paper. Rub with your finger to mix the colors a bit and push it into the paper fibres. As the watercolor paper has a rough surface, you will not get a very even blend.
To get a softer and more even color blend there are several options. First, you can use a baby wipes to blend the color. Be careful not to press too hard as you blend so as to not damage the paper fibers. The second, and my preferred way, of blending color is with a water brush. Use the water brush to blend the color and set aside to dry.
Stamping Patterned Paper
Choose a piece of patterned paper with a more subtle pattern. For this card I used the Pam Bray Nature’s Bliss collection from Wild Whisper Designs. This paper has texture, color, and vibrancy but does not detract from the design. Cut the paper 3” by 5 1/4”.
Using the leaf from the Wild Whisper Designs Strength of the Season stamp set and archival ink, stamp the image randomly on the piece of patterned paper. Stamp off the edges of the paper to give the project a more organic look. Set aside to fully dry.
Assembling Card & Adding Sentiment
Assemble the card by adding the patterned paper on top of the watercolor paper. To create the sentiment, use the stamp “live fully in the season that you’re in” from the Strength of the Season stamp set. Stamp onto a 2” by 2 ¼” piece of paper and round the corners.
To help the sentiment coordinate with the card, ink the edges of the white paper. Using a mini blending tool, apply a small amount of Distress ink along the edges. Adhere to the card in the bottom right-hand corner following the rule of thirds.
Questions?
Any questions on how to create this card or use Distress Crayons? I would love to hear what you think about this project and how you use these products in your creative practice. You can leave a comment below or contact me directly. I hope that you take some time this week to think on the things that you are grateful for and maybe make some beautiful cards!
Project Supply List
- Paper: Cold Press Watercolor Paper, Wild Whisper Designs Pam Bray Nature’s Bliss Patterned Paper, Staples 90lb Cardstock, Kraft Card and Envelope
- Stamp Sets: Wild Whisper Designs Strength of the Seasons Stamp Set, Nicole Wright Designs Ledger and Script Stamp Set
- Inks: Ranger Jet Black Archival Ink, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Vintage Photo
- Distress Crayons: Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Candied Apple, Fired Brick, Walnut Stain
- Other Materials: Stamping Block, Water Brush, Mini Blending Tool and Foams
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