Postcard Swap

I am thrilled to have taken the plunge to participate in iHanna's Postcard Swap http://www.ihanna.nu/blog/2012/02/diy-postcard-swap-2012/ We were to make 10 postcards in any style to send to 10 people around the world. I am so excited to have finished my cards this afternoon! Now just waiting for my addresses.

I haven't blogged about my process until I finished and could show the steps I took to get to the end. So ...I started with hand-cutting hearts from my art paper (papers painted with any left over paint I have on my paint pallet, usually spread with a credit card) 

This is the first art swap I have participated in and feeling sentimental as I started thinking of the creative women around the world that I would be exchanging with, I felt that I wanted to send a message of love. I had a vague idea of using a heart as a focal image and putting it on a shabby chic style background.

 Here just loosely threw them on to see the proportion to the card and to work out the positioning of the hearts.

 Collaged backgrounds with book pages, music paper, sewing paper tissue and serviettes.

 Then I gave them a peach-coloured wash.

 At this stage, I dry brushed some white paint to blend the background in further and stencilled a lace pattern...with...wait for it.....decorative cupcake wraps! My friend brought me a few from a wedding she attended knowing enough of my mixed-media "madness" to realise how much I would appreciate it ;) Then glued on the hearts.

 I then flicked some cream acrylic paint from a paint-brush. Loved the effect, even if it looked a bit like snow :)

 My finished cards! To finish off, I doodled around the hearts, put my favourite quote on and shaded around it with pencil.
Here are some close ups:

Finally I stuck on some postcard backs that iHanna provided for us. Even though I will be sending them in envelopes to protect them, I glued on some used stamps for that authentic postal look and to give a symbolic gift of my country. There will also be a personal message on each card.