Painting Sweetpeas

I tried to paint sweetpeas in vases. Watercolour by Jenny Stacy

Last card showing a sweetpea I drew. Jenny Stacy card.

I've been making lots of cards lately but yesterday I decided to finish off a painting I started a few days before. I enjoyed drawing and painting sweetpeas. They look difficult to draw but I think they are at least recognisable as sweetpeas. My favourite flower. I wish they lasted longer in water. On the other hand we have had a heat wave this week which probably made them die sooner than they would in lower temperatures.

The cooler weather is welcome today. 

In normal times I would be starting to make for Christmas about now.

But these times are not normal. Maybe this year I should set up an etsy  page as a selling platform. I have been thinking today about making large tree top fairies. I enjoyed making those when I had the shop and they sold well....

Making different cards

Using paint and painted papers

Not sure whether added handwriting is a good idea or not

Moody colours in this one

More cards.

After what I said about the time it takes to make one individual card I decided to simplify the process and these are relatively quick to make.

I actually like them better that the ones shown in the previous post. What do you think?

Making cards is a great way of using the hundreds of bits of painted paper I've collected. Just tearing a piece across makes a statement and a space for the stem of the flower. Then I use a 'sticky fixer' for the flower head and glue everything else down.

Contrasting the colours of flower and background adds drama and makes the card more noticeable.

In the last post I said I'd share needlework ... maybe in the next post. My brain is taken up with what is happening in the world. So much to worry about, so much that needs to change. If you notice any happy news let me know!

Card making

Collage card designed and made by Jenny Stacy. I like this one

Handmade card designed by Jenny Stacy

Too complex?Collage card by Jenny Stacy

A peach of a card. Designed and made by Jenny Stacy

I spent all of Sunday making cards. I made 10 in all experimenting with different combinations of colour and shapes.

 I have a lot of painted papers and it was good to use some of them to produce original cards.

As a long term designer/ maker there is a problem with cards.

You can spend a long time making just one card until it meets your own satisfaction but because it's a card and not a large picture there is a limit on how much you can charge for it.

I'd say £5 per card is the absolute highest amount I could price a card at. I did see a handmade card once for £100. It was a collaged Christmas tree and it was either in Liberty or Fortnum and Mason, I can't remember which, and I was shocked at the price. But then price is a very subjective thing and if everything around it is beautifully displayed and expensive you expect to see higher prices.

I enjoy making cards even though they are not a cost-effective way of spending my time. But designing and making things from scratch is not supposed to be commercially viable anyway. We make because we love to make.