A resolution. That's a scary thing. I don't like making them.
I had been, however, wanting to start blogging more consistently (duh) and I want to use my huge stash of supplies and tools in the Bat Cave.
So, I am going to attempt to create more. Hopefully this will happen weekly. I may need to delete all the games off of my iPad to do it, but by golly, it needs to get done. If I don't use up some of this stuff, I will have to annex another room in the house. Say, that's not a bad idea...
To start the New Year off right, I have completed a little project that was totally practical. I received several gifts from students and I needed some Thank You cards. What better project to help me use up my stash?
I want to stop here and say that I am going to be giving written instructions right now. That is because while I know how to use the video cameras that I have, I can't figure out how to get them up above my head to film down on the process. I probably need some super special little thingy ma bob that I can get for a few bucks. I don't have that. I also am not sure what you have to do to post them to your blog. Hopefully, I will progress to film as I know you all would like that better.
1. I started with a sketch of what I wanted to do. I know, I know. But, in this case it was super helpful.
2. Next, I slopped some gesso on a piece of plain white cardstock (maybe they call it index?) that you can buy at any office supply store.
3. After the gesso was dry I cut the cardstock into two 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" pieces. This is the size of the card I will make. I also will have an extra if I screw one up.
4. I then sketched the design onto the card. I did it portrait style at first, but then felt that a landscape card would fit the design better. I love my eraser. Note: you could just copy the sketch onto your gessoed paper if you can get it to run through your copier. I didn't try it since I need all of the drawing practice that I can get.
5. I then used my Caran d'Ache Neo Colors to color in the design. These are very cool watercolor crayons. I use them all of the time, but I haven't touched them in a while.
6. After I colored in my design, I chose a watercolor paint brush, wet it and then went to town. Note that the words aren't on there. I can't tell you how many times I have finished something and then screwed up the lettering.
7. I wasn't going to, but I wound up cutting the watercolor off of the rest of the card. It made it easier for copying. Yup. I am crazy, but even I don't want to watercolor 12 thank you notes from scratch. I had to play with my copier a bit, but I was finally able to copy directly onto the white cardstock so that I could get two cards per sheet. Each copier is different so you will have to experiment with yours.
8. Because I am not any good at folding things nicely, I have a little tool called a Scor-It-All. It helps me make a really nice straight fold. You do have to know how to divide by 2, which on some days...
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| All copied and folded. |
10. Now I just need to write the words on each card. You are probably thinking that I should have written on one of the cards and then copied that. It would be easier, but I wanted copies from the original, not from a copy of the original. Got it? Oh, I used my Faber Castell Pitt pens for this part. I think it was the next to thickest one (medium?).
11. Ta da! Finished cards. I made a few extras so that I have some to grab when I need them. I will keep the original and make up more as needed. Just think, if you give me something, you will get an original piece of art, albeit a copy.
So, there is the process in a nutshell. Or two. It wasn't hard to do and I used some of my favorite tools.
My next project is gessoed. I just have to find time to work on it. I will give you a hint: wood and doodles.
Have a Happy and Wonderful New Year. Time to eat! Oh, and write 12 Thank Yous.
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