28 February 2007

Man in the Room!


I'm in the middle of the month in which the birthdays of my four male colleagues fall, so cards for men are very much on my mind at the moment.

Why is it that cards for men are so difficult to make? For women, it’s easy – just stick a few pink and purple flowers or butterflies onto a card and you’re done. But there are not many men who would like that sort of card!

Motifs
Stars are fairly neutral motifs to use, as are birthday images like candles or a cake. Or you could use motifs from the recipient’s hobbies and interests, like sports or DIY. Geometric or abstract designs are good too. Another idea is to use words or phrases on the card, like “Happy Birthday”, or the name or initials of the recipient, or perhaps the words of their favourite song.

Colours
Stay away from pinks and lilacs, but most other colours are fine. Try denim or leather effect patterned papers, or striped or plaid patterns. Use black and white for a monochromatic look, or try different shades of blue and green.

Embellishments
Metal embellishments are great for men, especially brads and eyelets. Also try using fibres, buttons, or postage stamps. Try basing a card around a photograph, either of the recipient or something they are interested in.

Overall design
Layer rectangles or strips of patterned paper or cardstock. Try inking the edges of these, or raise them up on sticky foam for more dimension. Try using tags as part of your design, or divide the card up into blocks of colour. Remember that you don’t have to fill the whole of the front of the card – sometimes a small motif can be very effective. Try using different sizes or shapes of cards if you are not feeling very inspired by the standard size of card.

Kraft paper notebook


I got this cute little kraft paper notebook from Paperchase (I wish there was such a thing as a kraft paper Moleskine!). I’ve been meaning to try sketching on kraft paper since seeing some of Danny Gregory’s sketches. This is my first attempt, which uses Copic Multiliners, a white Inktense pencil and a white Sharpie marker.

26 February 2007

What I'm doing for the planet

I recently went to a free showing of the film "An Inconvenient Truth", so I've been thinking about environmental matters and what I am doing for the planet.

Good:
  • Recycling paper, plastic and garden waste
  • Using environmentally friendly household products
  • Beginning to change to low-energy lightbulbs
Bad:
  • Leaving the TV on standby overnight
  • Leaving the cable box switched on

Handmade is the new black



After many years of artists migrating from handmade to digital (for example in the world of scrapbooking), it appears that things are taking a turn in the opposite direction. Take a look at the rise of sites like Moleskinerie and Notebookism, and systems such as the Hipster PDA. The latest Computer Arts Projects magazine is devoted to the melding of digital and handmade arts that is going on at the moment.

This posting is one of the reasons I started a blog – because I was surprised that nobody else had already written it. Oh, and the cardboard computer was a surprise for a colleague who was on holiday.

Jumping on the bandwagon



So I’ve decided at last to create a blog. If you had asked me yesterday whether I had any thoughts of starting a blog, I would have laughed and said it was the last thing on my mind. But today I realised that three of the websites I visit on a daily basis (Polymer Clay Daily, Moleskinerie, and Notebookism) are blogs, and that it might be an easier way of running a website than the method I use at the moment (editing using Claris Home Page then uploading using SmartFTP). So I decided to give it a try as I enjoy a challenge.

I’m planning to post only when I think of something to say, so it will not usually be on a daily basis, but sometimes it may be more than once a day, if the inspiration strikes.
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