Keep It Natural.

Wood and turquoise-hued beaded bracelets

There's nothing better than the beauty of nature. I felt like channeling some of that awesomeness when putting together this simple design. The chunky wooden beads caught my eye first. I spent a long time debating what to do with those puppies and bracelets seemed like a natural fit. I particularly like the stacked look:

 Any way you look at it, versatility is a wonderful thing. That's why I love my "stackables!"

Fun with Fibers!

"Starburst Medallion" Necklace

It's autumn. The air is getting cooler, the leaves are turning brilliant shades, and I'm getting the urge to snuggle up into something warm. Naturally, yarns and fibers come to mind. This necklace is part of a series featuring cotton fibers and sterling silver wire elements. I was inspired by the Ojo de Dios ("God's Eye") which probably came from the Huichol Indians, native people of Mexico. Read more about that here.

To see more shots of this necklace, visit the Cardallegiance Etsy site. Stay tuned for more designs in this series and until then, stay warm!

Boo!

"Boo!" Halloween Card

Halloween is almost here and Cardallegiance is commemorating the holiday with two new designs! The first one, pictured above, channels old, cracked stone (the kind you'd find in an old mansion or as part of a tombstone, perhaps?). Here's a shot of the inside, too:

"Boo!" card- inside message

The second design, seen below, was inspired by jack-o-lanterns of recent years. Is it a bit cannibalistic? You be the judge. Someone asked me recently if this hungry pumpkin card would work for a child and my response was, "depends on the kid." Little children and the "G Rated" crowd weren't the intended audience for this card. It's more probable, however, that older kids, teens or adults would go for a design like this.

"Hungry Pumpkin" Halloween Card

Pumpkin Card- inside message

Keep it simple and inspire some fright this year by sending one of these fresh designs to someone.

......and have a Spooktacular Halloween!

Lattices and Filigree

Brass "Lattice Pendant"

The filigree earrings I made (pictured above) have been popular recently. Since these earbobs remind me of a "Lattice pendant" crafted some time ago, I thought this would be the perfect time for an entry about lattices and filigree.

There's something charming about the delicate swirls and elegant wirework typically found in filigree. When I first discovered these diamond shaped filigree elements, I thought they called out for some great decoration. Initially, I made an earlier version of the earrings that  incorporated an aqua teardrop. However, the most recent incarnation of the design (seen above) uses a garnet colored tumbled stone.

Much like filigree, pierced designs-- like the "Lattice pendant" pictured above-- can incorporate great decorative elements. I was inspired to create this "Lattice pendant"  because of my attraction to angles and swirls of all types. Thus, what started out as an experiment in geometry culminated in the creation of this elegant rhombus.

How was the "Lattice pendant" made? The physical process involved drilling, piercing, sawing, soldering, and polishing by hand. Perhaps the next series of this type will involve multiple castings.Such mass production would  cut down on time and cost. Then in future collections, you may see more lattices from Cardallegiance with a few slight modifications to vary the design.

Cheers to beauty and all things swirly, delicate, and filigree! Check out the filigree earrings and new selections in the Cardallegiance Etsy shop.

Rosaries: Fashion or Function?

Cardallegiance rosaries and rosary-style choker (center)

For some time now, rosaries have appeared around the necks of celebrities, fashionistas, and the average Jane or Joe on the street. This begs the question: "Are rosaries objects of fashion or objects with a function?"

Rosaries were created for a specific purpose, namely, to guide people in meditation on the life of Jesus (hence, the crucifix found at the bottom of a traditional rosary). The five sections of ten beads, known as decades, each represent a different event in the life of Christ and those who pray the rosary use its beads to aid in that meditation. For more information on how all this works, click here.

If you've read this far, you can guess where Cardallegiance stands on the "fashion vs. function" question. Although Cardallegiance sells handcrafted rosaries, the intent is for these objects to be used for their proper function-- prayer and meditation. As you can see in the picture at the start of this post, Cardallegiance also makes rosary-style necklaces. These pieces incorporate some visual elements like partitioned sections of beads, but the designs vary when it comes to how big sections are, what colors come into play, or what sort of drops or centerpieces are used.

Why is this important? I like to let customers know what they're buying. I also like when customers understand the design concept and why a particular piece was created. I've had conversations with some of you about card designs or jewelry pieces, so I know that you like a good story. This topic is also important because Cardallegiance wants to respect sacred objects--whatever their origin. It's important to note, though, that when jewelry and cards (of course!) are created, I may draw on many sources of inspiration. These muses can be religious or secular.

In a nutshell, the important thing to remember is that although fashion does rock, it can  and should be overruled  by ideals we hold more dear. 

Happy Birthday to... shoe!

Funky Fresh Birthday Card

Here it is-- your preview of the newest addition to the Cardallegiance family! The Funky Fresh holiday design proved so popular that I'm now introducing you to his fraternal twin-- Funky Fresh Birthday (FFB  for short). In comparison to her sibling, FFB is a little sleeker with a denim-like texture and some cool pops of aqua color. Her cupcake decal tells you she's ready to party while her graffiti-style script reveals an edgy, cosmopolitan side. Hipster to the core, FFB struts her multilingual stuff by wishing you a "Happy Birthday" in six languages-- English, Spanish, French, German, Vietnamese, and Amharic. *The transparent "Cardallegiance 2011" text will disappear in the final version, of course!*

Keep an eye out for FFB; she will soon appear among the selections at Cardallegiance's Etsy shop. You can also find Funky Fresh Birthday IRL (that's "in real life") at Van Ness-UDC's farmer's market from 10am to 1:30pm Saturdays in the District. Get more info on the market from these three hot spots: local radio station WPGC, live Twitter updates, and Farmers Market Online.

Inspiration....Yeah!!!

I'll keep this short and sweet-- I wish the summer heat would do the same! Inspiration rocks. It's what keeps me going. I've been delving more into jewelry crafting, using found objects (beads, filigree, etc) due to my new gig as a vendor at the Van Ness-UDC Farmer's Market in DC. Read a blurb about the June 2011 opening of the market here.

Since it's summer, one of my biggest inspirations is flora. You can see that reflected in my peony card and envelope design above. What can you expect next? Hydrangea, roses, and maybe some lillies, too. These are likely to appear in new jewelry designs like the one I've posted here. I expect flowers will translate in a more literal way than the design concept reflected in Lavender Aura....we'll see!

Light the Fire!

Yes, it's the middle of July. Yes, it's hot. No, that's not really the key inspiration for today's post. I created this design for some folks who recently received confirmation. If you've never heard of it and want the wiki "low down" on confirmation, click here. Otherwise, read on. Browsing this post should give you a general idea of my inspiration.

First, take another look at that pic above (you may want to click and enlarge it). Using my powers of creativity, I embedded some text right through that red heart. Look closely and you'll read the text-- knowledge, piety, fear of the Lord, counsel, fortitude, understanding , and wisdom. These are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit bestowed on a person once he or she undergoes this spiritual rite of passage. The golden flames also incorporate some of the same wording.

My goal here was to create a bold, colorful, simple design. In the end, I think it works since it really expresses the meaning of the occasion-- starting a fire that will ultimately move a person to do good works in the world. Check out the Youtube vid of a song that was a "fire starter" for this design.

Junk Mail!

Yes, junk mail! As the saying goes, one person's trash is another person's treasure. When I receive junk mail, I usually toss it directly in the trash. I recently decided to break this trend and save some trees by converting these items into artful envelopes. Contrary to my usual design process,  I did no drafts or preliminary sketches for these concepts. I just let the lines and pre-printed text "speak" to me as each design took on a life of its own. (Give me a break-- I have to write like an "ar-TISTE" sometimes!). Now that I've given you a chunk of text and a preview above, here's the skinny on each design:

 

Design 1: Crazy Faces....because mail is tasty!

The "place postage here" box and the vertical lines on this business envelope inspired me to create toothy, crazy grins. I can't decide which is my favorite-- the postage-eating face (demanding postage be placed "here" in three languages) or the robot-looking face beneath the back flap. Overall, this design is my top pick of the whole collection...perhaps I was channeling masterpieces of Mesoamerican art when I created it.

Design 2: ICE CREAM!!

SCREAM for "Ice cream!" I know screaming for ice cream is cheesy, but I LOVED creating this design. Once again, I started with those vertical lines to the left of the postage box. Twin pops seemed like the natural way to go and boxes morphed into sleeves. Then the whole thing evolved into a delicious spread of ice creamery and quirky hands:

Random question: Can you balance an icecream cone on the tip of your index finger? If so, maybe you're a closet Globetrotter, or one of the Xmen with the weirdest mutant power ever. I could really buy into that kind of talent-- especially if it would score me bonus scoops of chocolate chip cookie dough, coffee, or mint chocolate chip....mmmmm

Design 3: Geometric

This was the first design I created for the series. I started with the "Business Reply" box and just went from there, playing around with darks and lights, tapered angles, etc. I feel like my eyes are paying tricks on me when I look at this sucker, and that's a good thing!

Design 4: Flora

Flora was the second envelope designed for the series. After doing something so straight-edged and geometric, I had to go back to nature and get organic. Again, I started with the "Business Reply" box. That started flowing into some crazy, hippie-looking vegetation and out came all the flowers, buds and vines. A strange garden grows here, but it looks like a nice cozy place for a letter to live.

Design 5: Baroque Frame

I thought of all things baroque when crafting this. What began with one little frame around the postage box (...starting with the postage box? Big surprise, I know:P) turned into a series of frames everywhere...and voila! Now I kind of wanna go all Lady Gaga, slap a handle on this baby and have it milled into a 3D object. Then I can hold the contraption up to my face whilst I go around looking through all the windows at people who will look back at me and think I'm crazy.

 Design 6: Music

 In the words of Rihanna, "Please don't stop the music!" This design was a fast one to whip up, and I know many people will identify with it as I do. Even if you don't read music, there's something really awesome about getting a letter wrapped in notation. Yes, I cheated a little with the address label because it's not quite finished. I was so excited about this design, though, that I decided to post it anyway. A note to the perfectionists: I'll probably update this post with a shot of the finished product when it's ready. Until then, enjoy the view.

I can't end this post without a shout-out to all the AWESOME FATHERS and FATHER FIGURES out there. I didn't do a Father's Day-specific card for this entry, however, any of these would do well for a guy who likes ice cream, music, or flowers (hey-- don't feed into stereotypes. Guys can like plants and baroque art, too!).

Many thanks to you real men for all you do to raise and support your kids and your grown-up kids.

Finally, if you like what you see here, email me and I'll hook you up with some recycled art. Option 2: visit these designs on Etsy. Go ahead. Recycled envelopes get lonely, too!

Shoes! ...Happy Holidays in June!

Holiday Shoe Card Set

Holiday Sneaker Card (a.k.a. Funky Fresh)

First, I must mention Liam Kyle Sullivan since his viral music video, "Shoes," is one reason I had footwear on the brain.The video won a People's Choice Award in 2008, however, I've decided not to post it here due its content and language. There's my obligatory warning for parents or others who might have concerns. I feel inclined to mention Sullivan's work, though, because I think it's important to acknowledge sources of inspiration.

 Aside from Sullivan's vid featuring a teenage shoe addict, I had other sources of inspiration. These included Steve Madden's gladiator wedges and I continue to reap inspiration from the design house of Alexander McQueen, which counted this floral wedge among the offerings in its Spring 2011 collection.  

Since I'm a fan of fashion, my fascination with outrageous shoes led to the creation of holiday shoe cards. I realize the holidays are long gone, but I love these designs so much and they were begging for their own post!

This collection includes four fab, feminine styles (a.k.a. Green Velvet, Peppermint, Holiday Classic, and Gingerbread) plus a more casual athletic shoe design (Funky Fresh) The textures and lettered detailing were a blast to create. I guess that means Funky Fresh  is my favorite design (though I usually hate to pick favorites!).

Green Velvet and Peppermint

Holiday Classic and Gingerbread

Inside View

Funky Fresh

Funky Fresh: ready for his close-up!

Which is your favorite? Can't decide? See the whole set on Etsy.

Here's to fabulously clad footsies! Deuces!

Happy Birthday!

Here's to a birthday full of peonies and sea dreams! With so many spring birthdays, I had a blast surprising some people. To that end, I'm fortunate enough to have awesome friends who deserve equally awesome birthday gifts:

"Happy Birthday" Peony Card

"Sea Dreams" endless necklace

What was my inspiration? Spring-- the season of flowers and newness. Warm, summer-like weather has also made me think about vacations, beaches, and sea life. That's where these two fab designs came from.


Let me answer a few questions you're surely thinking: "Why are you posting jewelry? Isn't this a blog about cards?" The answers to these questions are

• (a) Jewelry rocks (pun intended). It deserves some blog time.

• (b) This is a blog about cards, and yet this blog isn't exclusively about cards.

Obviously, "Cardallegiance" refers to cards. However, you'll find, dear readers, that I tend to get creative in a variety of ways. Jewelry crafting-- which for me includes beading and metalworking-- is also a passion of mine. So this birthday post gives you a sampling of card and gift ideas inspired by the spring/summer seasons.

To that end, I'm giving a great big shout-out to spring gardens and L'Occitane.

The backstory- On recent outings, I encountered these large, gorgeous peonies budding and in full bloom. Then I noticed the fabulous work produced by L'Occitane for the new "Pivoine Flora Fragrance Collection" :

L'Occitane's Pivoine Fragrance

How inspiring is that? I just had to create something reflecting peonies. Here are more shots of the finished product:

 

What's so cool about this design? Of course, it's based on nature's handiwork. Secondly, the envelope is recycled. I used an old flyer to craft the minty green card holder. Note the plaid detailing on the inside. You can even see original text on the document. I didn't bother to cover up all those rows of numbers since they added so nicely to the design. The outside print comes from my sketch of a peony bud. So precious!

    

Now for the jewelry. This "endless necklace" has no clasp, but it's meant to be worn long or layered (the full length of this baby is about 25.5 inches).







The composition is mostly seed beads in blue, green, and gold hues with a few accent beads (metallic and wood) thrown in. My friend was thrilled with her gift and coincidentally, it matched the vibrant turquoise dress she was wearing. Total awesomeness!

So, there you have it. Happy Born Day, readers!  

Woohoo! Class of 2011...Holla!

No, I'm not graduating. I'm (partially) quoting a graduating middle schooler. It goes without saying, but congrats to all you grads, family members, and friends of grads out there. May your work be well rewarded!

Now to the matter at hand--this card:

Obviously, films and film-making inspired this design (in case you thought those were soccer balls, double chocolate Oreos or tires filling in for the O's in the "woohoo" logo). How did it come about? A friend of mine just graduated with a major in film, so naturally, I paired an image from that field with the exuberance of a "woohoo" and there you go. If you look really closely, you can also see some other choice words used for the backdrop of the banner statement ("Woot!," "Shazam!," "Awesome!," etc.). These kinds of cards are fun to make because you can consider the recipient's personality and then infuse a bit of that into the design. Hence, a notorious woohoo-sayer, for example, can reallly identify with the message.

A new challenge I tackled with this design--3D lettering... of a sort. I've seen a few new commercial card designs with raised lettering and this is my attempt at something similar. How'd I do it? Some recycled cardboard married to my sketch of the title design and...BAM! 3D lettering in the house!

I created the the final touch to this card partly because I find blank envelopes eternally boring. So whenever I get the chance, I like to customize my envelopes. This simple but sweet graduation cap added a cool finishing touch. Here's a look at the finished product:

"Woohoo!" graduation card with "grad cap" envelope. Your grad's name replaces the conspicuous blur.

 So again, WOOHOO! and a final round of applause to the class of 2011!

P.S.- Do P.S.'s exist in blogs? If you like this design, you really, really, like this design, drop me a line here and I'll hook you up!

Who makes a blog about cards?...I do!

I HEART cards. Do you?

Cardallegiance? What’s that?... I can hear you scratching your heads and furrowing your brows. Don’t worry, my friends. I’ve named this blog “Cardallegiance” for a very good reason. Well, let’s just say I have a few good reasons: (a) I previously made an Etsy account with the same name. (b)It’s very hard to fork over cash for buying greeting cards (c) Maybe I take some strange joy in smashing two unrelated words together to make one gargantuan word (I think that’s also why I like german grammar. Gelbenlederhosen, anyone?)

Actually, reason “b” most fully explains why I’ve created this blog. Yes, I like to be thrifty (cheap!) when it comes to spending.  I believe in the whole “a penny saved is a penny earned” thing. Plus, I’ve been in many a greeting card aisle, looked through the cards there, and thought to myself, “I can do this” or in some cases, “I can do better than this.” So, that begged the question, “Why should I pay for greeting cards when I can make them?” Thus, Cardallegiance was born.

In each new blog entry I’ll feature at least one different design and give you a backstory behind its creation. I will *try* to update this on a regular (weekly?) basis or as my time allows. If you enjoy what you see here, therefore, please have patience with me if I don’t always adhere to that deadline. It only means that my next post will be ultra-amazing because great things come to those who wait… Aha! You thought I couldn’t throw in a second cliché in my first post! Boo on you!

How do I come up with design concepts? In almost every case, I start with a concept or idea that I think appeals to the potential recipient. At times, I’m inspired by an event in that person’s life, her favorite color, or a random eccentricity. The best part about the process is surprising people with customized, heartfelt greeting cards. The worst part, I must admit, is saying goodbye to each little piece of art. Over time, I’ve learned to cope with that problem by taking pictures. Join me as I flip through my picture book, an album of beloved “departed” pieces. If you see something you like, email me and help continue this creative addiction. I welcome the chance to create new pieces (or duplicate earlier ones), creating special stuff for special people.  

Design 1: Wedding Congrats

After spending a day doing many things, I had precious little time to come up with a grand design for this card. Since I think the briefest sentiment is sometimes the simplest, I decided to focus on the word, “Congratulations.” Once I got started, that word began bursting with tiny blooms as I sketched it out. I’ve always been partial to spirals and “curly-q” shapes, so those rounded out the design nicely. Finally, I paired this visual up with a personal note. The card was ready to be tucked under the ribbon of a wrapped wedding gift in no time. Voila!

 Congrats! You made it to the end of my first post. In case you missed it, visit my Etsy shop here. Leave a comment at the end of this first blog post or contact me here. Thanks for visiting!