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A peek into your keepsakes drawer is unlikely to reveal too many commercial greeting cards or envelopes. Usually, the items you treasure will be handmade Mother’s Day or birthday cards or a beautifully decorated sheaf of paper that was used to wrap a present.
Think back to when you were a child – remember all the cards, wrapping paper, invitations, tags, gift boxes and goodie bags you created? That care and attention can be extended into adulthood. Put your own personality into projects made from paper and you’ll reap the rewards of appreciation and maybe save money too. Bespoke is always best and design inspiration is everywhere – in books, magazines or even online.
The simple art of tracing opens up a world of possibilities. You can transfer designs to letterheads, envelopes and cards and guarantee a unique and memorable result. Using stencils is another easy method for amateur craft lovers as it takes the guesswork out of the finished product: look for them at your local art supply shop or download them from the internet.
Linocuts add instant originality and the technique is easy to master. Using a linocut stamp allows you to make many cards at once and keep them tucked away for future use.
NZ House & Garden designer Georgia Williams loves putting her own stamp on cards and wrapping paper: “It adds more to a bought gift if you personalise the card or wrapping.”
Georgia’s grandmother has always made cards featuring her own pencil or watercolour drawings.
With our easy projects, you don’t need to be Michelangelo to make a lasting impression. A heartfelt message on a handmade card is a perfectly good place to start.
“Letter writing is time-consuming and most of us just send an email these days, but an invitation or thank-you note on handmade paper is a lovely gesture,” says Georgia.
Paper princess
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Once you’ve mastered the art of linocut printing, you can use your designs as many times as you like. Create pretty greeting cards, gift wrap or gift bags and boxes, making a few in advance so you always have something on hand for unexpected occasions.
Pink bag made from ‘Bazzill’ basic card $1.49 from Spotlight and ribbon $1 a metre from Geoff’s Emporium; white cards made from ‘Bazzill’ basic card $1.49 from Spotlight; ‘Dune’ jug (left) in sage $21.95 and ‘Grace’ perfume bottle $7.95, both from Freedom; lino, tools and ink for lino cutting all from Gordon Harris; vase stylist’s own.
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Scented pouch
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Bring another dimension to gifts of linen or sleepwear by slipping in a scented pouch filled with dried flowers decorated with a pinhole design. This fragrant addition will stimulate the senses.
Pouch made from ‘Bazzill’ basic card $1.49 from Spotlight; ‘Briar Rose’ PJ pants $39.95 and top $44.95 in cream and blue from Bendon Lingerie; freesias provided by the National Flower Promotion Group.
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Instructions on how to make a scented pouch
Wrap these pouches up with a gift of linen, underwear or pyjamas and they'll lend a lovely floral fragrance.
You'll need: An envelope, a pencil, double-sided tape, scented dried flowers or lavender, a pointed tool for punching holes (we used an etching tool but a drawing pin works well), tracing paper, a computer mouse mat or piece of felt for pressing on.
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Trace your chosen design onto tracing paper (ours is a cherry blossom branch). |
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Open out the envelope completely so you are not punching through the envelope back and flap.
Place tracing paper design on top of the envelope's front panel and punch holes along lines. Make sure you have your protective soft mat underneath so you don't mark the table. |
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Using double-sided tape, remake the envelope then fill with scented flowers.
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Market fare
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Personalised swing tags made from cut-out balsa wood are ideal for labelling home-made goodies for the market or school fair. Use them to record the ingredients and when it was bottled.
Balsa wood $4.30 from Gordon Harris; striped fabric on jar and tag ‘M Miller Pencil Stripe Turquoise’ $18.99 a metre from Spotlight; paper on jar of peaches and floral patterned tags $3 from $3 Japan Shop; pink and blue ribbon 25 cents a metre from Geoff’s Emporium; ‘Berry’ decorative branch 66cm $9.95 and ‘Boracay’ tray 51cm $44.95, both from Freedom; bowls stylist’s own.
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3-D Cards
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This is a quick and effective way of making your own cards and indulging your love of colour and pattern at the same time. Cut a shape or design out of coloured card, leaving the centre of the design uncut (that is, still attached to the card). Fold up the cut sections of card to create a 3-D effect, then fill in the gaps by gluing some pretty paper to the inside of the card, patterned-side down.
Blue card made from ‘Keay/Colourscope’ A4 250g paper 60 cents a sheet from Gordon Harris; all patterned paper $3 from $3 Japan Shop; purple card and yellow card made from ‘Bazzill’ basic card $1.49, both from Spotlight; ‘Berry’ decorative branch 66cm $9.95 from Freedom.
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Stationery on the move
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Use linocut prints on plain paper to create a letterhead that leaves a lasting impression. Make a matching set by decorating some envelopes too. Here, a paeony was traced from a photo and transferred on to lino, which was used as a stamp. Have fun mixing up colours or use white ink on coloured paper.
‘Keay/Colourscope’ A4 120g paper 30 cents a sheet from Gordon Harris; ‘Berry’ decorative branch 66cm $9.95 from Freedom; ‘Matrix’ runner 33 x 150cm $19.95 from Freedom.
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Kids’ goodie bags
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Stencilling with acrylic paint is an easy way to decorate goodie boxes for parties. Cut stencils out of acetate or old overhead transparency sheets, as they are easy to cut and reuse. Sponge on the design using acrylic paint.
Noodle box 870ml $6.99 (pack of six) from Spotlight; plate stylist’s own.
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How to make a linocut card
This same design can be used on gift bags, boxes, gift wrap or swing tags. Have fun with colours and patterns.
You’ll need: A pencil, card or paper, a square of lino, water-based block-printing ink, lino cutter, lino roller.
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Trace or draw your design onto the lino. Now cut away the negative detail around the image, leaving the design as a raised surface (use a corner of the lino to practise your cutting first). |
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Squeeze the ink onto a flat surface in order to get an even coverage on your roller and then apply the ink to the linocut design. |
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On a flat surface, firmly press the inked image on to the card or paper. Carefully peel away the linocut. |
Two ways to trace a design on to another surface:
- Trace your design from the original. Now flip over the paper, place it on the surface you wish to decorate and re-trace the lines with a pencil. This method reverses the original image.
- Photocopy your design. Flip it over and colour in the page with a lead pencil. Then turn pencilled side down and place on to the surface you want to decorate (eg a card). Draw over the photocopied image’s outline and a pencilled line will appear on your chosen surface.
STOCKISTS
Bendon Lingerie 0800 236 366
Freedom 0800 373 336
Geoff’s Emporium (09) 630 5498
Gordon Harris (09) 520 4466
Spotlight 0800 276 222
$3 Japan Shop (09) 309 9110
Story: Claire McCall
Photographs: Kelley Eady Loveridge
Stylist: Georgia Williams
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