Monday, September 21, 2009

One-Panel Note Cards...I'm a Genius!

Bwaaahaaahaaa! Saturday was a genius day in the Raihala craft room. When this happens, I just strap on my seatbelt and go with the flow. Over the next few days, I'll show the results.

First, the back story. I decided a quick way to make lots of thank you cards would be to make one-panel notecards. I made 18 sets of these for Christmas gifts last year, packaged in PTI's clear boxes (with envelopes) for teachers/therapists/secretaries. At a total cost of just over $2 each, these were an affordable and pretty way to thank all the wonderful people who help my sons learn.

Obviously, the design of one-panel notecards is different from the design of regular cards. Some sort of border is all you need to leave plenty of room for the written note.

To start, I stamped the poppy from Oh, So Lovely on the sides of four panels (cut from one sheet of PTI white cardstock) in black, intending to color them in, but they looked so good in black and white, that I left two plain. I also stamped the thank you from Pocket Silhouettes next to the flowers. I doodled (with a very fine 03 black Micron pen) the border in imitation of the lines of the stamped image, which was really, really easy. I actually giggled while doing this.

I knew the B&W needed a little "something-something" to kick it up a notch. My Sakura Stardust pen was just the ticket. Here's a close-up.

I repeated the notecard with another stamp from Oh, So Lovely. Giggled again.

After making 8 cards this way, I decided to experiment with other stamps using the same idea. Pocket Silhouettes worked beautifully, and I used autumnal colors for a seasonal feel. The pen used for these is a chocolate Zig Memory Writer.



As you can see, these are super easy and very, very CAS. Over the next few days, I'll share some more variations to demonstrate just how flexible and versatile this idea is. In a very short time, I made 20 cards (mostly one of a kind) using just 5 sheets of PTI cardstock and ink. I'll also talk about easy ways to create the lines as neatly as possible with minimal supplies.

Hope you've enjoyed these cards and see their potential as very affordable holiday/birthday gifts. You could even wrap a ribbon around the stack rather than buy PTI's boxes...but those boxes are just $0.60 each, which is still very affordable.

What do you think?

21 comments:

  1. Very clever! :) Not sure I could manage straight lines, but I love this.

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  2. What a great gift idea! Can't wait to get your tips on how to neatly draw the lines...

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  3. yup, you are a genius. i'm loving these and would love some tips.

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  4. Well, I already knew you are a genius! But you've confirmed it for sure, now. I need LOTS of thank you cards. I wonder if I can do these. Looking forward to your tips. Thanks.

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  5. You are a genius! I love those and some of the people on my Christmas list might just be getting some as gifts this year. I, too, am looking forward to your line drawing tips. I love the doodled look, too.

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  6. I love these! Your doodled lines look very artistic, and your straight lines look very straight--which is pretty much the opposite of any lines produced by me. I hope your tips are more like detailed step-by-step line-drawing-for-dummies instructions.

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  7. Gorgeous! It's true, you can't get much cleaner and simpler than this.

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  8. I love this CAS design-- what a
    beautiful and useful gift idea!

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  9. Yup you have confirmed my belief that you are a creative genius! Thanks so much for sharing these - I love this idea!! I can see making Christmas sets like this to sell at a holiday boutique in November!! I have a Christmas light border stamp that could actually be used in place of the lines too. But Christmas trees, snowmen, snowflakes - all could be used with this design!

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  10. Love, love, love this! Thank you for sharing your amazing talents with us! I fell in love with your cards on SCS and after reading your blogs, learned of your experience with autism. I have two sons with moderate to severe autism and have found much relief in stamping and card making. I, too, have lots of folks who pour into my sons that I want to thank and these card fronts are an amazing idea - easy, yet fabulous looking. Thanks again for sharing your talent in the special ways you do!

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  11. Sorry, didn't mean to be anonymous in the email before- just closed too quickly on me. My name is Terri Garrett : )

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  12. YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!
    susan you are truly amazing. you make it look so easy. such elegant results. thanks for your energy. thanks for your inspiration. thanks for sharing. marty ferraro

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  13. What do I think???? I think these are wonderful!!!! Total CAS perfection and such a great idea, Jo x

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  14. I'm a fairly recent Lurker called Bahb by my grandkids. I can't stay just lurking when there's genius like this among us!!!! Hooray for Susan's inspiration. When I think of you I think of the mysterious ways God opens windows if He has closed a door. Thanks for sharing, Susan.

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  15. look at you go girl!!! :-) nice job...I'd love to see one of the poppies colored in...did you do the coloring ?? the black and white looks great too! I really like how you doodled your box on the ones with the "doodle like" lines in the stamp!

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  16. Phenomenal, absolutely love them...will most definitely be utilizing it in the very near future!

    Jeannette aka Jnett

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  17. Boy have you been busy while I was away!!!! My in box was full and it was heaven to look at all your beautiful work. Tooooooooooo many to comment on individually but surfice to say I love them all and these cards are the tops. Now I can say my lines are doodled not crooked ;-
    You are not only a genius but a very generous one sharing all your talent with us mere mortals!!! Your CAS style leads by miles ..... please keep sharing. Thank you

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  18. I want to be sure I understand the one-panel note cards. Are these mailed like postcards, or are the put into an envelope and mailed just like our regular folded cards?

    They are so lovely!
    Thanks for sharing!
    chaun

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  19. Chaun,

    These are put in envelopes and mailed like cards. You write on the front (stamped side) of them, which is why there's so much empty space. It's also why these are such an easy, fun project!

    Thanks for your interest in them!

    Susan

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  20. I join the ranks who are in awe of your simply elegant designs! Thanks for sharing and commenting on the thread at SCS. Truly, your doodled lines look perfectly professional!! I'll try to emulate, but I don't expect to come even close.

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment!