Artella’s Step-by-Step
Vintage Holiday Cards
by Marney K. Makridakis
Artsy,
Old-Fashioned
Greetings
in 5 Steps or Less
Published by Artella
www.artellaland.com
This eBook, in its current design and format, is copyright by Artella 2009.
All rights reserved.
This is an eBook purchased in the Artella eBookstore.
Tamara Hensley
eBook Production & Design
Marney K. Makridakis
Artella Founder
I grew up comforted by the tradition of annual handmade Christmas cards. Each year, my
mother lovingly created one-of-a-kind woodcut prints for our family’s annual holiday cards,
which were adorned with an insightful poetic verse written by my father. As a child, I remember actually being shocked when I learned that not every household turned into a factory during the Holidays!
As an adult, I’ve tried to follow the tradition of creating handmade cards each year. Last
year, with a new baby in the house, I was not able to make handmade cards, and even though
everyone understood, I really don’t think my holiday spirit ever recovered!
Indeed, there is something unique about handmade cards that can’t be replicated with even
the fanciest boxed designs. Creating miniature works of art with messages of hope and joy
simply feels good! The trick is to keep the production simple and fun, so that you receive as
much joy creating the cards as the recipients do. Beautiful cards don’t have to take a lot of
time, and that’s why we’ve assembled these lovely vintage-inspired card projects for you.
Cutting, pasting, and decorating beautiful bits of paper is a wonderful way to slow down during the holiday season and feel gratitude for all the creative gifts in your life. When you are
filled with gratitude and joy as your hands do their happy crafting dance, I believe that positive energy fills each and every envelope that you send on its Merry way.
Then, when each special person on your list opens that precious, all-too-rare snail-mail envelope, they receive a gift for their heart, as well as the eyes.
Spread joy this holiday season…make cards!
~Marney
Marney K. Makridakis
Artella Founder
Days
of Yore
design
d
r
a
c
d
e
the finish
SUPPLIES:
Blank card
Color copies of measuring
tape
Strips of green paper
Red fabric: a square and tw
o strips
Imagery
Postage stamps
Glue, double-stick tape or ot
her adhesive
1.Weave the strips together. Don’t worry
about making it perfect – imperfections
lend to old-time charm. Glue or tape
down the ends to keep it together.
2.Adhere the images, stamps, and fabric
square to the center of the card.
3.Add the fabric strips to the edges of the
card to complete it.
Holiday
Elegance
SUPPLIES:
e
dhesiv
a
r
e
h
t
o
r
o
e
tick tap
Glue, double-s
Blank card
d paper
e
n
r
e
t
t
a
p
n
e
e
Gr
er scraps
p
a
p
d
n
a
n
o
Ribb
bber stamp
u
r
t
n
e
m
a
n
r
O
bossing ink
m
e
r
o
t
n
e
m
Pig
sing power
s
o
b
m
e
ld
o
G
Light
litter glue
g
l
a
n
io
s
n
e
im
White d
Scissors
Foam tape
the finished
card design
1.Mount green patterned memory paper on cardstock.
2.Mount several ribbon and paper scraps, collage-style, in the center
of the paper.
3.Rubber stamp ornament with pigment ink, and emboss with gold
embossing powder. Cut out and adhere with foam tape in center.
4.Use white dimensional glitter glue to outline ornament and add
“dots” to edge of card.
the finished card design
Merry &
Bright
:
SUPPLIES
ious sizes
r
a
v
Blank card
n
i
s
r
e
llage pap
o
c
f
o
t
n
e
m
Assort
parasol
A cocktail
ckle”
Ribbon “bu
Ribbon
message
”
s
g
n
i
t
e
e
r
“G
esive
h
d
a
Foam tape
r
e
h
t
o
ck tape or
i
t
s
e
l
b
u
o
d
Glue,
1.Arrange papers in a pleasing design. Play around with different
types of edges: cut, torn, overlapped. Mix a variety of different
kinds of papers: handmade, printed, solids, patterns, until you have
a design you like. Then adhere papers to the card.
2.Remove stem from parasol completely and flatten the parasol and
attach it to the card.
3.Thread the ribbon through the buckle and adhere to card.
All Links are Live! Click to Explore!
Digital Altered Books the Brand New Art Genre!
Digital Altered Books™ are the latest phenomenon to hit the creative world
- here’s your chance to try the brand new art genre that merges the fascinating process of altering beautiful vintage books with the creative ease of digital
imaging technology.
Simply select a vintage book from our library, and you receive 10 high-resolution, excellent-quality scans of pages from a vintage book, including the front
cover, back cover, and 8 inner pages that have been chosen specifically for
their interesting and creative altering potential.
Then, choose any and as many Digital Ephemera Packs as you like! Perhaps you have some gifts or projects in
mind and you would like to use images of authentic buttons, charms, and jewelry parts. Or maybe you’d rather
work with vintage photos of children, labels, and the eclectic pieces in the “Grandma’s Drawer” Pack! With over
25 packs already available and new packs constantly being released, you’ll have great selection of authentic
images.
Also included at no extra charge with every Digital Vintage Book™, is your complimentary coupon for Artella’s
digital altered book conversion service, where we turn your book pages into an interactive digital altered book
that you can share with your friend, family, the entire Artella community or anyone else you choose!
Click on the images to find out more about the books and embellishment packs!
“I would never have imagined that making Altered Books or even just looking at them
could be so addictive. I would recommend that everyone try at least one just for the pure
fun of it.”
- Julie Burger
“After being introduced to digital altered books, life hasn’t been
the same since! It brings together all one’s artistic skills, and also
provides narrative potential. Creating a digital book has been an
invigorating and rewarding project. Thanks, Artella, and everyone
for all your fine efforts.”
- Barb Starrenburg
See a digital altered book in action, here!
See our ever-growing Gallery of Digital Altered Books, here!
NEW! You can now download a free video of an online workshop
called “Digital Altered Books Revealed”, presented by Marney
Makridakis, to introduce you to the intriguing art of Digital Altered
Books™! Click here to go to the video.
All Links are Live! Click to Explore!
Artella’s Studio
Collage Kits
These gorgeous downloadable Collage Art Kits are
truly an all-in-one, project-ready art studio. They
are full of one-of-a-kind elements, but since they are
downloadable, you can use them over and over. Plus,
everything is coordinating and organized by theme,
so you truly have everything you need in one place
to create endless projects.
Click on the images to find out more !
“I just finished unzipping and opening version 1 of this amazing kit. I am
bowled over at your generosity in giving this away! Just for that I will subscribe to the e zine. This was fun to open and look at all the beautiful art.
I see now firsthand the quality ( A1!) of your kits, etc. Loved the music too.
Have a restful holiday season, and thankyou, thankyou, thankyou!!!!”
- Barbara Leahey
“I love the Winged Wonders Kit. It is simply exquisite, a little jewel
of a masterpiece, another one, I should add!”
- Gena Lumbroso
There are so many Collage Kits to choose from those shown here are a mere sampling of all that
Artella offers - over 25 kits to choose from!
ard design
c
d
e
h
is
n
fi
e
h
t
SUPPLIES:
Sparkling
Snowflakes
Blank white card
Acetate transparency film
Blue vellum, cut the same
size as card panel
Rubber stamp of snowflake
s
Black permanent ink
White dimensional glitter gl
ue
Mylar sprinkles
Double-sided tape, glue or
other adhesive
X-Acto knife
Pink ribbon
1.Use X-acto knife to cut out center of card.
2.Rubber stamp snowflakes on acetate transparency with black permanent ink. Turn over and
outline the snowflakes on the underside of the
transparency with white dimensional glitter glue.
Adhere to blue vellum white still wet.
3.Adhere vellum to the back of the card’s front
side, so that the vellum is inside the card.
4.Attach Mylar spinkles around the frame.
5.Add bow to complete the card.
the finished card
design
Happy
Christmas
SUPPLIES:
Large square of red felt
felt
Small square of green
Vintage photograph
White lace
sage
Cutout words with mes
(optional)
c
si
u
m
t
ee
sh
n
ig
re
fo
Piece of
medium, large)
l,
al
m
(s
s
on
tt
bu
e
it
h
w
3
Green marker
er adhesive
h
ot
or
e
u
gl
,
pe
ta
ed
d
Double-si
1.Create snowman out of 3 buttons and glue on red felt panel.
Cut small circles from the lace to create falling snow and glue on
panel. Glue lace at the bottom of the panel to create snow on
the ground.
2.Adhere bottom and sides of panel to card with strong glue or
fabric adhesive, creating a pocket. If desired, layer other papers
underneath the pocket (such as the foreign sheet music shown
here) for additional interest.
3.Adhere cut-out words to card. Outline words with marker.
4.Place vintage photo in pocket so it “peeks” out. Adhere green
felt behind its corner to make it stand out.
5.Use marker to add polka dots in the background.
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“You*U™ has opened my mind to possibilities I haven’t considered before. It’s
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through the process provides a comfortable, safe, yet stimulating, learning environment for my covert artist/writer to emerge into and expand through. I am excited to witness myself exploring areas I never have before and bringing forward
ideas seemingly out of nowhere!”
- Donna McGuigan
“THANK YOU for a wonderfully inspiring, satisfying and juicy teleconference!!! It
was so great to meet you, Marney, and all of the other amazing, creative people
who communed with us. I can see how this exercise would conjure up magical
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The Artella eBooks shown here are only a sampling of all that are
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eCourses to Enrich
Your Creative Spirit
Take an inspiring Artella e-course in your own
time, go at your own pace, and you can even
wear your bunny slippers! Each Artella workshop or e-course is designed to enrich your
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audience of your own.
Click on each book image to find out more !
“I love this workshop-it is so nice to get into conversations with my
visiting muses at the end of the day. Pure Joy!”
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“This class made me monumentally happy! Since it’s only just finished,
I can’t say anything about the lasting effects, but I suspect there will be
many.... I’ve been looking for new ways to practice gratitude and I love
these creative ideas.”
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There are many eCourses to choose from - those
listed here are a mere sampling of what is offered!
For questions about any of our eCourse offerings,
feel free to write [email protected]
the finished card design
Dreamy
Holiday
SUPPL
Blank c
IES:
ard
3 contra
sting de
corative
Acetate
pap
transpar
ency film ers
Pear rub
ber stam
p
“Dream
” rubber
st
Black P
ermanen amp
t in
Crimson
pearlesce k
were use nt paint (Radia
d here)
nt Pearl TM
Heat gu
s n
Doublestick tap
e, glue,
or other
adhesive
1.Cover with background paper. Add strip of contrasting paper to
run horizontally across the middle, and then adhere a square of
another paper to the middle of the card.
2.Rubber stamp pear and “dream” on acetate transparency with
black permanent ink.
3.Turn over and paint back with red pearlescent paint. While paint
is still wet, apply heat from a heat gun over the paint so it “bubbles” a bit, to apply text to the back of the acetate. Adhere to the
middle of the card.
4.Add ribbon to complete the card.
GOLD
SHIMMER
SUPPLIES:
leaf glue
ld
o
g
r
o
m
iu
med
hesive
d
a
r
e
p
a
p
r
e
h
Dimensional
, glue or ot
e
p
a
t
k
ic
t
of colored
-s
s
le
e
r
a
u
q
Doub
s
ll
a
m
e and 4 s
1 large squar
card stock
ck
Gold card sto
en
Orange gel p
es
Gold leaf flak
Paint brush
eads
Gold micro b bon
rib
Green wired
the finished
card design
the finished
card design
1.Doodle on cardstock to create background paper.
2.Dip paintbrush in gold leaf glue and paint strokes on cardstock
squares. Cover with gold leaf flakes, and then burnish. Remove
excess flakes.
3.Arrange cardstock squares in design in center of card.
4.Apply a line of glue around the square design, and then sprinkle
microbeads on the line of glue. Shake off excess beads and let dry.
5.Add bow to complete.
ard design
c
d
e
h
is
n
fi
e
h
t
SUPPLIES:
Blank cream card
Green checkered memory pa
per
Red flecked card stock
Medical gauze
Holly embellishments (Jolee
s shown here)
Scissors
Black Marker
Glue, double-stick tape, or
other adhesive
X-acto knife
White dimensional glitter gl
ue
Baby,
It’s Cold
Outside
1.Use X-acto knife to cut out center of green
checkered paper to create a frame.
2.Adhere frame to cream-colored blank card.
Add holly embellishments to corners.
3.Draw mittens on speckled paper and cut out.
Outline in black marker.
4.Adhere mittens to card. Add medical gauze
strips to bottoms of mittens, cutting to desired shape.
5.Use white dimensional glitter glue to create dots
of snow in background.
the finished card design
Happy
Handmade
Tree
SUPPL
Blank c
IES:
ream ca
r
d
Holly-pa
tterned
paper
Red bea
ds
“Scrabbl
e” letter
s
Scissors
Strong g
lue for b
eads
Glue, do
uble-stic
k tape,
or other
adhesive
1.Cut strips in alternating papers or ribbons in graduating sizes to
create a Christmas tree shape. Here, foreign text is alternated
with a fiber ribbon. Adhere to card, leaving space in between the
strips.
2.Adhere strips of holly paper at the top and bottom of the card.
Cut out a “sprig” from the Holly paper to place at the top of the
tree.
3.Apply bead “berries” with glue.
4.Add letters to complete the card.
the finished card
design
Let it
Snow!
SUPPLIES:
Blank cream card
h and violet
ac
pe
in
d
pa
p
am
st
ct
Chalk-effe
amp
“Let It Snow” rubber st
p
Snowflake rubber stam
Pigment ink
White embossing power
ndmade powder
ha
te
hi
w
of
e
ec
pi
l
al
Sm
aller than card
sm
ly
ht
ig
sl
t
cu
r,
pe
pa
Shimmering violet
panel
Peach ribbon scraps
2 White buttons
or other adhesive
Double-sided tape, glue
d
1.Use the peach chalk stamp pad directly to the paper to add color
to the card.
2.Stamp “Let it Snow” onto the white paper and adhere to the
card.
3.Stamp snowflakes onto shimmery paper and emboss with white
embossing power.
4.Cut snowflake paper into interestingly-shaped fourths and adhere
to corners to frame card.
5.Add buttons on ribbon scraps on either side of card.
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Mixed Media Me-Flections
30 Self-Portrait Projects to Change Your Life!
Creating a self-portrait can be a rich
opportunity for introspective and exciting
self-growth. The Mixed Media Me-Flections
e-Course is an amazing opportunity to
create numerous self-portraits in a variety
of artistic media, each project designed to
inspire you to live more fully, passionately
and authentically!
Enrolling in Mixed Media Me-Flections will bring you a
ME-flection Lesson every day for 60 days including:
30 step-by-step projects for artistic self-portraits, representing an eclectic range of media
and techniques. Assemblage, origami, clay, collage, photography, fine art, watercolor,and
wire ar but a few of techniques and media you’ll use to create your unique, quirky, artistic
self-portraits as Marney shares her art techniques for creating each one, while also offering suggestions and tips for taking your own spin on the project.
A personal guide for the introspective process you can embark upon while creating
each self-portrait with step-by-step inquiries for how to take each project to the next
level and use your art as an opportunity for amazing self-discovery!
Extensive follow-up journaling prompts, to help you integrate the
concepts personified by each self-portrait into your daily life.
Beautiful Artella-style journal pages to print out and write on to further inspire your
journaling. Integrate them into your own art journal, or simply print them out and
put them in a binder for a beautiful record of your ME-flection journey!
A “Mini-Flection” every other day between self-portrait lessons -- a short,
inspiring email message from Marney, along with a daily journal prompt,
to keep you moving along your path of creative self-discovery.
Mixed Media ME-flections offers something for everyone.
No matter what your dreams are, your soul is sure to be
stirred by the introspective lessons and the energy that they
bring with them.
For questions about Mixed Media Me-Flections, feel free to
write [email protected].
Happy Holiday Art-Making
from Artella Land!
www.artellaland.com