on second thought, this should probably say "ni hao"

i like the greeting "namaste"... but there's really quite a bit of chinese on this card, isn't there? ah well, let's just call it "multi-cultural" ok?!  :)

this card is not only made entirely of off-cuts and scraps, they are actually all from the same project; or rather, they are from the same "art play" session which produced the hybrid lotus card i made recently. i hadn't intended to make something else, i only meant to glue the negative space from the butterfly to another scrap and put it in my journal. but there were just too many "good bits" to toss... and yet nothing substantial enough to save. so i just glued them all together, grabbed a bit of grungy green glitz paper and the off-cut of cardstock, and made a second card. i love it when a (non)-plan comes together! 

(patterned paper: glitz design; glossy black cardstock: ranger; vintage: chinese newspaper, sheet music, index from an atlas; digital collage printed on inkjet transparency; inks: ranger, colorbox, glimmer mist; pearls: recollections; label: dymo; adhesives: tombow monorunner, uhu gluestick)

here's a really vital thing to know when working with vintage paper: if, like me, you prefer a dry adhesive like a tombow roller, or xyron machine, DO NOT apply it directly to the vintage, as it will tear a layer right off your paper! this is also true for any very thin paper like tissue or newspaper, and even some really textural things like handmade or india paper. luckily, there's away around this distressing fact, just make sure you apply it to the OTHER SURFACE to which you're adhering your fragile paper: cardstock, chipboard, designer paper, whatever! if that's not an option you'll need a fallback adhesive. i know i lot of people LOVE gel medium and i do, too, but i m also quite whiny about having to wash a brush afterwards. if the item you are gluing onto is very textured or dimensional you will NEED gel medium (or mod podge), but for everyday use on a flat surface, i like gluestick. the one i like... and it's the ONLY one i like... is by uhu, it's the *white* glue in a big fat yellow stick. i apply it liberally... and i mean i go over my entire item thoroughly enough that i can see the coating of glue on there. i keep an old magazine or catalog next to my work table as a "gluebook" to put under my items whilst i am preparing them, so that i can work OVER the edge of my item... because that's where things can literally come unstuck if you've skimped on the glue! then i just fold the gluey page over and i'm ready for the next item. woohoo.

and now after that very long explanation, i expect YOU are ready for the next card on the next blog... so off you go, darlings! 

♥NAMASTE♥

or 

♥NI HAO♥ 

or

♥CIAO♥