Obsession... Oh My!

I used to be obsessed.  I mean, knock-down drag out in love.  You know how some girls are all "Team Edward!" "Team Jacob!" "Team Anything Hot and Popular!!!"  Yeah, well, when I was 10 I was like "Team I Freaking Love Books!" and "Team What Is Twilight?" and "Team I Love The Wizard of Oz!"

Yep, the Wizard of Oz.  I was into guys made of metal before Iron Man made them cool.  I liked green people before the Hulk made them awesome.  I liked people without brains before Bella made them... oh wait, no, she didn't really give anything a good name.  Anyways, while other kids shuddered at the sight of a flying monkey I was like "ermergerd rubyr slerperrrs!"  And not because I was particularly fond of shoes.

I had this calendar with pictures from the movie and my mom and I cut it up and laminated it and then hung them all over my room and painted the walls and furniture to match.  I had a Glinda bank, a Wizard of Oz clock, and Oz themed fabric.  I collected all the books and movies.  Wait - books and movies?  Plural?  Oh yeah - it didn't stop with The Wizard of Oz.  You've got Ozma of Oz, Rinkitink in Oz, The Road to Oz and a whole host of others.  Plus the books other authors wrote when L. Frank Baum died - including some by his illustrator and also his son.

I like to think I've gotten out of the Oz obsession phase and have moved on to other things like Harry Potter and Doctor Who.  But I admit I still like it.  In fact, just naming off some of those old books really makes me want to re-read them.  However, perhaps the reason I know the phase is over is because I found The Wizard of Oz shoved under my bed a few days ago and it looked so sad and lonely I just couldn't bear to shove it back under... so I cut it up and made it into some cards.








Okay, I left you guys some room to gasp and freak out for a moment.  I promise you I love books.  And I promise I still love the Wizard of Oz.  But I hate books that just sit under my bed so lonely.  Plus, it's not like it was my only copy!  And, I also figured some of the pages would feel much more loved when they were in the hands of a soldier overseas.  I used the pages to decorate the front of AnyHero Mail, that is, letters of encouragement for our American hero's.  The cards will then be donated to Operation Write Home which will mail them to hero's who don't get much mail.

 

 

This card-making technique is so easy and... I don't know, I guess I just love books even if they are cut up into pieces.  I'm sort of hooked and can't stop making them!  I think half of my motivation to write letters is just to make these cards at this point.  Seriously, I freaking love making these cards!  And the quotes are sometimes so perfect and... shoot.

I'm obsessed.

Again.

One of My Nicest Thoughts

This is one of the handmade cards I made for Operation Write Home.  I folded an origami heart from a book page and then used a stamp set for the sentiment.

Stars and Stamps Our Daily Bread February Challenge

My first challenge!  This card was made for the Stars and Stamps ODBD challenge and we were supposed to use "yummy ribbon."  I don't know how "yummy" this ribbon is, but I am really happy I learned to tie such a neat looking bow, courtesy of this video here.  It also features an origami dress folded from a 3x3inch piece of origami paper.  I don't usually do such pastel colors, nor three patterned papers together, but I was happy at how this card turned out!

This was my first challenge for OWH and... it was really fun!  I don't know if I can do them regularly, I'm sorta strapped for time and do cards sporadically whenever I have a free day, but I certainly hope I can participate in more!

Thanks for visiting!

Spirelli and spirelli and spirelli... oh my!

I've been having more fun with Spirelli cards!  These are all made for OperationWriteHome.org.

One tip for making Spirelli cards is to remember that dark thread shows up well on light paper, but light thread doesn't "pop" when wound around dark paper.  My solution?  Use thicker strands of light colored threads.

Using thick embroidery thread makes this a bold fun card.  Now, see how it contrasts with a card made with single strands of dark embroidery thread on a light background.



These are two totally different looks, using the same colors - just reversed!

I also made a rather patriotic card... perfect for our military! 

I have also made a flower with Spirelli.  I didn't have any stamps with flower stems, so I had to improvise and draw one of my own.  I'm not sure what this means as far as sending it to OWH, I know that crafters can't include handwritten sentiments, so it might be the same rules for hand-drawn.



I hope you enjoyed these Spirelli cards!  I hope to post a tutorial on how to make them one of these days.

Metallic Spirelli Cards

Remember making Spirelli as a kid?  It's still fun years later!

I have wound metallic thread around a flower shape cut from a Cricut.  

These are cards I am donating to Operation Write Home (an organization that sends handmade cards to our heroes overseas so they have something nice on which to write home!)  Since this was made for a soldier to write home on, the inside of the card is not black because I mounted the black square onto a white cardstock base.

Have you noticed my background?  I have several hardback books that are the same color and I simply stood them upright to block out the (very) messy background.

Why Handmade Cards?

On Monday I wrote a post explaining why you should send a greeting card, regardless of whether it is handmade.  This a follow-up post answering why handmade cards are so much more meaningful than commercial cards.

Whether you make the card or you buy it from someone who did, time and effort went into the production of the card.  The card wasn’t spit out of a machine making countless card clones (nice alliteration, eh?)  In fact, most handmade cards are probably a “limited edition” (only made until the crafter runs out of supplies) or entirely one of a kind.

Not only did the crafter put effort into making the card, but the buyer (or the creator) put effort into figuring out what sort of card the recipient would like best, along with some extra time and money into getting that card.  Although handmade cards often speak for themselves, the value of the card is bumped up considerably if you write a heartfelt message inside the card instead of just signing your name.

The great thing about handmade cards is that they can stick around for a long time.  Facebook posts are all to soon lost in the deluge, e-cards are smiled at and deleted a week later, standard greeting cards are thrown away, memories of a phone call or an in-person conversation will fade but not so with handmade cards.  They are put on bookshelves where the recipient will smile and think of the sender whenever they see the card.  Even when the card is banished to the memory box it can still be enjoyed every time it is pulled out and is unlikely to be thrown away.

So why handmade cards?  They are gifts in and of themselves: gifts from the crafter, gifts of time, effort, or money from the giver, and gifts of encouragement and smiles to the recipient.

Why Greeting Cards?

Since I have a business selling handmade greeting cards I thought I’d answer the question: why handmade cards?  Well, another question needs to be answered first: why greeting cards in general?

I believe there are degrees of the effort we put into wishing someone Happy Birthday (this will be the example for this post, but replace it for whatever fits you – thank you, congratulations, etc.)  The easiest way is to text them or post a message on Facebook.  The next easiest way is to send them some sort of e-card.  After that comes sending a standard greeting card, then comes talking to them in person or giving them a call along with buying and sending a meaningful greeting card.  Giving a gift can be placed anywhere in this list depending on what the gift is, how meaningful it is to the recipient and how much time, effort, or money the giver put into acquiring it.

What is the difference between a “standard greeting card” and a “meaningful greeting card”?  A meaningful greeting card is one that will propped up on the table and won’t be thrown away for several years.  It could be saved because it was especially beautiful or funny, or maybe it was because the message you wrote inside was especially meaningful.  A standard greeting card is just like all the other cards the recipient will receive - nothing (apart from your signature and perhaps a laugh or “aww” after reading the printed message) sets it apart.

I put giving someone a call and sending a meaningful greeting card on the same level.  Both of those take time (and perhaps a small amount of money or precious cell-phone minutes) to complete.  Either is the absolute best way to show someone that you care (short of throwing them a party or taking them to Europe!)

If the message isn’t meaningful and the card isn’t representative of the recipient’s personality then the difficulty of wishing someone happy birthday is between that of sending an e-card and giving the person a call.  Even then, a standard greeting card is still more meaningful then a Facebook message or an e-card. 

Stay tuned for a post on Wednesday answering the question "Why handmade cards?"

I just wanted another bottle of water…

You know those people who seem to give much more than you asked for?  You ask for the newest matchbox racing set – they give you a kid-friendly riding jeep.  You ask for an iTunes gift card, they get you an iPhone.  Well, I asked for a bottle of water.

See, I was at a craft fair this weekend, selling my handmade cards and other craft items.

My table filled with handmade cards.

  

Cool ironing board with my book folding, origami lucky stars, and a jar of 1001 origami cranes.

My table where people could write a letter or make a coloring page to be
sent to Operation Write Home so a hero could be encouraged.

Business had been rather slow for all the vendors, but it seemed to be picking up.  I didn't have a canopy like all the other vendors so I was grateful for the clouds blocking out the sun's heat.

My mom stopped to check in on me at one point and I asked her to get me another bottle of water and as she was walking away she said “watch out for the wind.”  It was a little breezy, but it didn’t seem too bad until WHOOSH.  All my cards, falling off the table.  Business cards flying.  Origami lucky stars falling from the sky… or rather the ironing board.



Tiny origami lucky stars in glass ornaments.

At that point I was just dropping anything I could gather into plastic Wal*Mart bags.  Thank goodness some friends had arrived earlier and had stuck around, because they were a great help making sure nothing was damaged.  Moments after all the loose cards were gathered into a plastic baggy I could feel a few drops of rain and so we immediately took all the permeable items to the vehicle… and then the ironing board… and then the tubs.  By the time only my desk was left out it had started to pour. 

Because we threw everything helter-skelter into the vehicle there wasn’t room left for me so I went to stand under the church awning to wait it out.  After five minutes it showed no sign of quitting and was getting worse, so I ran around to see if any venders needed help (everybody seemed to have their things under control.) 

I was drenched and didn’t fancy setting my cards up only to have it rain again OR to have the wind blow my cards into a nice puddle of water so my family headed home.   Thirty minutes later the rain had stopped and I couldn’t help laughing to God “goodness me, I only asked for a bottle of water… not a whole lakeful!”

I can’t help thinking God is like that person who gives so much more than we ask for… so much more than we deserve.  Sometimes it’s funny, like a lakeful of water instead of a bottle full, but often it’s more serious like forgiving our sins.  I often ask “God, please forgive me for Sin X” and God says, “Child, I will forgive you for Sin X, and I’ll also forgive you for Sins A-Z that you didn’t even know about.”  We ask for the crumbs of His mercifulness and he feeds us a full meal.  And, really, with all He has done for me, I don't think too much water at an inopportune moment is something I am worthy of complaining about.



Now announcing... JustByJo.com!

Now announcing… JustByJo.com!  This is my “official” website but I will actually be selling my handmade cards on Etsy.com.

In order to "get the party started" I am hosting a contest!  This contest is mostly on facebook but for my friends who don't have a facebook or who have found this blog I am also posting it here.  You could win a pack of eight handmade cards... just by guessing the number of origami lucky stars in the wineglass!  Please only guess the number of stars inside the wineglass.

This is what 10 stars looks like next to a penny (and one on the penny.)

 .

Here are the stars in the wineglass:

Please post a comment with your guess before September 1st.  Whoever gets closest without going over will win. If everyone goes over, whoever is closest to the number will win. In the event of a tie I’ll solve it the old fashioned way – drawing names from a hat.

Here are some pictures of the 8 cards you will be recieving.

If you are a guy and are thinking, “What am I going to do with a pack of handmade cards??? I would be ridiculed if I sent such beautiful cards to any of my man-friends!.” Well, who says you need to keep them? Give them to your girlfriend or mom as a present on special days. Or keep them to send if you’re the type that forgets birthday’s and mother’s day until the last minute.

If you win, I will need your address and will then ship the cards and envelopes to you for free.

Included with the cards are eight envelopes slightly larger than the cards themselves. The cards are placed in individual plastic sleeves and are put into a beautiful ivory organza bag.

If you would like to buy something from my Etsy.com shop then you can use coupon code “kickoff111” when you purchase it to receive 10% off your purchases! Please note that (as with amazon, ebay, and anywhere else) you will have to create an Etsy account to purchase something. This coupon code will end on September 1st (but you don’t have to buy anything to make a guess =)

Any questions? Ask! No questions? Then what are you waiting for… guess!

My new website: http://www.justbyjo.com/
Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/justbyjosephine
Blog: http://justbyjosephine.blogspot.com/

Now that my shop is officially “out there” I hope to be posting here more regularly and I might create a Facebook page.

Thanks for reading and come back soon!

Origami Cards for OWH

I must be a writer – I edited that last post at least 5 times.  The first two to fix typos, the second and third time to add paragraphs, and the last time to fix one other typo.   So, if anyone reads my posts and thinks “huh… I swear that wasn’t phrased that way and I’m sure I didn’t read that paragraph before” well... you’re probably right.

Anyways, I shipped off a package of 25 cards to Operation Write Home just yesterday.  I hope they arrive safely, I'm not sure that big envelope they were packaged in was quite sturdy enough.  Anyways, I thought I would share a few more of the cards I made for them - these ones featuring my one true love... origami!

What guy wouldn't want a giraffe shirt?  Actually, there are probably tons but we never see them because of us females.  What girl wants to show off her boyfriend if he's wearing such atrocious colors?  And what wife wants to be asked "Honey, does this shirt bring out the caveman in me?"  And any teenage girl hoping to become wildly popular by dragging her father out while he wears such attire will be disappointed to find that animal prints *are* "in"... just not for men.  In spite of this, I couldn't resist making this outfit!  I just hope it won’t give anyone any ideas…

Oooh – sparklyyy!  But still totally safe.  Safe?  Yeah, glitter can be dangerous.  OWH doesn’t allow cardmakers to use glitter or sparkles that could rub off the card because it is a safety hazard to our heroes.  Luckily, the sparklies in this paper are fully embedded and won’t be rubbed off!

Here's another masculine card but with a little more sense of fashion (and the paper is all matchy-matchy!)

This card features an origami rosette which, in my humble opinion, are just adorable!

And my last card is another man card =]  I think it looks very American and patriotic.

Cards for Operation Write Home

I discovered Operation Write Home a few months ago and have since been setting aside a handmade card or two from the "sets" of cards I make to donate to them.  For those that don't know, Operation Write Home (OWH) is an organization that collects handmade cards from crafters around the nation and then sends them to "heroes" (soldiers, Marines, deployed Coast Guard) stationed overseas so those men and women have something nice on which to write home.

OWH reached 1,000,000 handmade cards last month!  I am hoping to get my cards shipped off within the next week or so.  I don't have very many (maybe 25?) but the thing I love about OWH is that you can send any number of cards - be it 1 or 300!  I don't have the time, funds, or resources to go about making 300 cards to ship off every month, but I am grateful for the ladies that do.  As for me, as I make cards for my soon-to-be business I take a card or two every few sets and make sure that they have plenty of extra glue (extreme heat tends to dry out adhesives).  I thought I'd share some of the cards I've been making.

I have never been much of a stamper - I don't have the patience (or the skills) to color in stamps and especially recently, as I've been trying to get my card business going, I haven't used them due to all the Angel Policies (those laws regarding whether you can sell things stamped with a particular image.)  But I really wanted to try digi-stamps and I found this adorable one from Sliekje (she draws digi-stamps and posts them on her blog for others to use for free.)  I love all things Japanese and this one was printed on vellum paper and then embossed.  The digi-stamp can be found here.

This is another digi-stamp from the same blog.  It reminds me of Strawberry Shortcake!  But I decided to do it in blue instead of Strawberry's signature pink so the "you are my sunshine" would match if I put it on the inside.  It's probably hard to see since I took this picture head-on, but the sticker is actually a pop-up!  I simply stuck it on some paper, cut out the sticker, and made a simple little pop-up box.

I made a few other cards with digi-stamps from Sliekje's blog but found that, because I was trying to use actual glue runner and glue dots (I didn't think cards with vellum tape would be practical to send to countries so hot that the Wicked Witch of the West could melt without the aid of water), the glue showed right through.  I'm going to have to find something to cover up those areas (really just the corners).  I'm thinking about using glitter glue to make a border or circles where the dots show through (they won't be OWH worthy at that point, but at least I'd be able to use them or give them away.)

I hope to share some more cards with y'all very soon.  These next ones for OWH will feature my true passion: origami!