On Wednesday I posted ‘My 5 Favourite Art Videos Of 2016’ blog post as part of a little review I do around this time every year to take stock of what I have been working on through the year. Today I thought I would share six of my favourite cards designs from my 2016 back catalogue.
But I have to admit I haven’t done a lot of cards for my blog this year. I’ve still made them for magazines but when it comes to making them for my blog content, they have been a little sparse. Even so, the ones that I have collected together to share today are still my favourites from my blog this year and I hope they are yours too!
So to kick off here is a great design for Valentine’s day (affiliate link).
Yep, I know, we haven’t even got past Christmas and New Year yet, but believe me, I have already been making Valentine’s cards and projects for 2017. The original card is on the Blitsy blog with a step by step showing how to put it together and if you are interested you can visit it via the link above the picture.
Another favourite card idea from 2016 has to be one of my clean and simple (CAS) style designs using my new stamp range launched with PaperArtsy this year.
And you could not get much simpler than this design, well, except perhaps just stamping one flower and the sentiment, ok, that might be simpler!
I think I do kind of lean towards CAS design, sometimes through personal taste but also a lot of the time due to deadlines if I’m honest. But even my ‘arty and ‘messy’ cards have a clean and simple vibe as seen in the next two cards.
The first one was from an article in Simply Cards and Papercraft issue 153 where I shared some ideas for using the Ken Oliver Color Bursts which were very popular this year. For this card I used a The Crafter’s Workshop stencil to apply the pigment watercolour paint through.
The second card was a similar make in that it uses watercolour and a stencil but this time the stencil was a chipboard embellishment and the watercolour was a Lindy’s gang spray.
[Photo credit: Practical Publishing International]
I have a video showing how I put the ‘Hey Pineapple’ cards together, it is a really simple method for making multiple cards in one go, great for invite making! You can watch it if you hop to my ‘How To Make Quick Pineapple Party Invites’ blog post.
The last two card designs that might make good ideas to revisit for your cardmaking in 2017 are very different from each other but still in-keeping with my CAS vibe. For the first one I played with die-cuts and patterned paper to make a fun, very loosely inspired by Captain America, card,
As I have mentioned before I do like using circles and stars in designs!
The final share is a mixed media card that uses cut outs with brush work to form the image. The dress was made by adding gouache colour to a piece of cardstock collaged with book pages then I cut out the shape. The dress was then stuck over a body form that I painted on the card directly with a brush. And the lettering was also done by hand with a brush directly on the card.
It was a bit nerve wracking as I don’t tend to draw or letter like this directly on projects for commissions. I tend to do the drawing or lettering on something else, cut it out then stick it on, so no big deal if I get it wrong! But I threw caution to the wind for this one!
That is my look back on my favourite cards for 2016. I hope that some of these are interesting for you and might inspire one of your card designs for 2017.
Let me know if you have or plan to do a look back on your favourite makes for 2016, I would love to see it!
Kim
To find my other 2016 Round-Up Posts click the pictures below or follow the links listed:
My 5 Favourite Art Videos of 2016
Come And Connect With Me:
I've enjoyed seeing these again – the pineapple cards I loved! And I've been looking at my top 9 on Instagram. That has been interesting. I think what has been interesting for me is seeing how I've progressed. I definitely think I've learnt a lot this year! xx
It is great to look back and see how you have progressed and what has interested you through the year isn't it Ruth?! Loved your instagram collection share π Glad you liked the Pineapples π π x
Wonderful, varied selection of cards Kim. The hugs and happy thoughts card is a favorite.
Hi Seth, Thanks so much for popping in and leaving a comment. Glad you liked the cards! Kim