October 1 World Postcard Day

World Postcard Day (October 1st)

Are postcards lost to internet use? A century ago a postcard was sent to let family “back East” know you arrived or that all was well. Often you’d see a family portrait on a post card. 

https://worldpostcardday.com/

In the 1960s when our family went on Summer Vacation, the first thing we looked for we're postcards, 5/$1.00.  We sent one home or to a friend or brought them back for our scrapbooks. The best was a photo collage of all the scenic views you could never capture in your Brownie camera. 

October 1 is upon us - its #World Postcard Day

Here's the simple process to making a post card with water and ink on watercolor paper. 

Use an oval birch tree die or other open tree design, watercolor paper postcards, and liquid ink

*using a stencil as your guide, add ink with a paint brush in the open spaces, keeping in mind the amount of water will cause the ink to run where you might not want it. Let dry completely 

                                                

*with a piece of broccoli, dab it in green ink, then dab it in the area you might want leaves; birch tree leaves are small, so in the size of these trees, the leaves don’t have to be specific

OR

*Outline the tree shapes with a drawing pen before adding the ink

OR

*use low tack tape to strip off areas that become the birch trees  

*to make a sun, place a circle of white crayon or clear wax crayon where you want it to be

*add the ink to the background

*when the ink is completely dry, remove the tape

*with an art pen draw short lines to mimic the bark of a birch tree

*If you want to protect the print from water damage either through the mail or to preserve it, cover it with Mod Podge, white glue or Matte Medium - they all dry clear.

So since it’s #World PostCard Day, I’m sending out a few. Check your mailbox.

Thanks for stopping by! Be blessed!sb

GROCERY BAG - Make 3 Projects

 

With a flat bottom grocery bag, make these 3 projects:

+ roll of paper for note taking or a prayer circle list

+ FOUR pages for a journal

+ File Box or Bag 

The File Bag is what I made first, out of necessity.  I know that I can go to any craft supply store and buy a 12x12 plastic hinged box for such a need, but this file bag is readily available, folds flat for storage, is reusable and recyclable, not to mention it cost me nothing!

I usually have several projects going at once and wanted to corral all the file folders, patterns and die cuts in one place. Thus I cut the bag to use in this way.   Standard size file folders fit perfectly in this size bag, 12" x 5-7".  I put a firm piece of cardboard in the bottom for strength and shape, plus it folds flat when not in use.  I love that I can grab one off the shelf or even out of the bookcase to use for a temporary file bag when needed.

Click on the link below for video instructions on my YouTube Channel. Watch other Paper Bag projects and paper crafting techniques.

card connoisseur susan boback    

Thanks for stopping by!   Be Blessed! sb

Is it a VASE or a VAZZ Part 1

 I've always been a collector of little things that I could use for a new purpose - I'm sure I get that talent from my dad, who could design or make or build just about anything out of something else.   

Although you may know me as the "Card Connoisseur" - since I have been sharing my ideas on cardmaking for at least 5 years - I'd rather be known as the crafter who is inspired to use one pattern to create in many different mediums or forms. That's what you're going to see in Part I.   You may think you know what a VASE (or VAZZ) should or could look like, but you'll be challenged to think otherwise.  

My traditional VASES are one that you could put a grocery-store bouquet in, but I also have a tall, slender vase for one flower, like a rose; a fluted, heavy-weight vase and a tear-drop vase, both from my daughter; and a tall, frosted and etched pitcher with handle that was my parent's wedding gift, that I use for my dried flowers. On occasion these vases also hold a bouquet from the local florist.  But these three glass vessels do not inspire me to create another project with them.

Here are some variations of VASES or uses for vases.

I hot glued 2 tall plastic tubes (Amazon) in between 2 - 1" thick x 5" tall Birch Tree slices.  Then stuff moss in between to hide the tubes.  Add a ribbon and twine.  NOTE:   stand the wood slices on end before you glue them - they are not perfectly round and will lean to whatever shape it is.  You don't want your tubes to end up open to the side instead of the top.

Use one S & P Shaker (Salt & Pepper) as a vessel for dry flowers or fine stemmed real flowers.  I added a small! bit of water through the holes on the top, making sure the plug is in the bottom.   Just in case, I sat this VASE on a paper towel.  I found a dozen of these for FREE at a yard sale - Instant VASES for Baby's Breath flowers.

Do you see the tall necked VASE on the teapot bottom?  Attach it with E6000 glue.  Its waterproof but not winter weatherproof.

I have saved (from the landfill) many little glass bottles to use for real - dried, fresh, or artificial flowers.   In Spring and Summer, there is a sprig of a wildflower - like the one shown above in the birch wood, or a stem of carnations, or a bouquet from my garden or the grocery store.  

Today's project was inspired by Jukiclub.com where the creator has a pattern of a pitcher which she cuts out of oil cloth and sews together on her sewing machine.   The minute I watched her video on Instagram or on her website, my creative mind started to wonder, "how could I make that out of paper?  And what kind(s) of paper would look the best?" That is how my creativity works!

I forwarded her pattern to my phone and printed it off on my laser printer.  There is no need for a color print, but the print helps size my pattern for a paper design.   Please give Jukiclub.com the credit for the original if you share this idea on the internet.  

Now! I have to tell you that I do not have a mathematical thought process!  But I sort of figured out the width of the paper pitcher - AFTER I had made a few of them.  

                                                    

If the jar is 1 1/2" square, then two sides (2 being 1/2 of 4 sides) equal 3".  That ends up being the measurement of the narrowest (is that a word?) part of the pitcher, the top.  The purpose of knowing that top measurement is to make sure that your vessel will fit inside, because you are adding a square vessel (VASE) into a flat or oval shape Someone that's a math whizz can help.   I've already confused myself by trying to think of the shapes as a math problem - yikes!

First I made a pattern out of parchment paper.  

Cut two pieces of the pattern - this can be the same direction because there's no pattern to the paper (and its just your pattern).  Use clips to hold it together after you place it around the jar.   This step also helps you to decide where to put the adhesive to hold the two sides together.

Here's a view of the jar inside the paper pattern, from the top.

I chose heavy weight printed vellum for my paper VASE.  Make sure you don't make the mistake I made.  When you have an inside and outside of the paper (the inside print was much lighter in color) make sure to place one of the pattern pieces in the opposite direction.  

++Remembering that this paper pitcher will have two sides, be attached to each other just on the edges, which will create a "sleeve" type shape that will slide over your jar or vessel.   

This is the photo that shows the error - make sure to cut one piece out of the opposite direction 

I used a coordinating piece of vellum for the second side, making sure that I placed the pattern in the opposite direction.

                                        

Use a strong tape, like Tear & Tape, to secure the sides.

On the spout side, add the adhesive from the bottom, up to the spout.  I added a very small piece of Tear & Tape on the upper corner of the spout.  Its a hard place to add adhesive, but any further in makes the opening tighter.  

                                            

Add some real or dried flowers to your VASE and enjoy a colorful piece you've made.   Change it with the seasons or use a different type of paper.

Being a JJ - Junk Journalist, I have coffee-stained bookpage on my mind, and wanted a more subtle paper for my VASE pitcher.

I really do like the way this bookpage pitcher turned out.  I think the black drips and subtle color bring character and make it look more realistic.   Now my creative mind is already thinking about music page or even old black and white photos - there'll be no end to what I try.

VASE or VAZZ Part 2 will show how to enclose flowers in a rounded vase inside a card that actually folds flat.    

Thanks for stopping by.   Be inspired.  Be Blessed.  Now go get creative! sb

HEXAGON SUNSET - MEMORIAL DAY

This "Scenic Coast" paper is the most beautifully designed paper I've ever worked with (available through Stampin' Up! in the May - Aug 2026 catalog)  

This hexagon punch is the focus for today's card. 

When I saw the sunrises and the sunset views of these papers, I thought of a photo from a cruise I took with my daughter's - this is leaving Miami, Florida, USA. 

This paper also made me think about today, Memorial Day in the United States. And though not all branches of the US Armed Forces include service on the water, I'm partial to the US Navy where my son serves.  Memorial Day is specifically about remembering the sacrifices made by those service men and women who gave their lives for our freedoms.  

                                           

Here's the link for today's card inspiration  - Facebook .  

And here's my first card of the inspiration design.

This card design uses both the positive and negative pieces of the hexagon shape.  The positive piece is the die cut shape.  The negative shape is the punched-out hole in the card stock.  

You could use a square or a diamond shape as long as the pieces interlock like the hexagon pieces do here.   

The very basic design of this card is made by doing one punch in the front of the card base and then attaching a scenic view on the inside that will show through this punch out. 

You could either glue a Scenic Coast print to the back of front behind the punched space or glue it to the inside so that when you open the card you see the full view of the print - then just sign your card above it. 

You'll find that by using the many coordinated prints in your paper packet, that it is like putting a puzzle together - you are choosing which prints look the best in each space.  

Have fun with this.

Add one of the anchor charms, available (May - September 2026) or leave it off.  

                                        

Thanks for stopping by!  Visit my YouTube Channel here.   Be Blessed! sb