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Paper Quilts and Purple Hearts: Creating Cards With Postage

The cards featured in today’s post are the last in a series of greeting cards I designed using postage stamps. I’ll definitely make more in the future. You can read the first two posts here and here.

While most of my cards feature postage from several countries, this quilt-inspired card features sixteen flower stamps from Germany (Deutschland). I wanted to create a paper quilt, so I spaced the stamps symmetrically, with each color following a diagonal pattern. I used my quilt embossing folder to add to the effect and added a green border.

This card feels unfinished, but I’ve yet to figure out why. I love the stamps. It needs something to break up the symmetry, but what? Creative input is welcome.

The following two cards use a simple collage technique with a monochromatic theme. I had an extensive collection of blue stamps to begin with, so it allowed me to pick and choose. I went with the brightest blues, using sizes that allowed edge-to-edge contact.

Here is the finished card. I mounted the blue collage on a white background, then wrapped some vellum with a birthday sentiment so you can see all the images. I used fifteen stamps from eight countries: Austria, China, Finland, Germany, The Netherlands, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the US.

Purple stamps are uncommon, so I needed a die to feature the few that I had. I went with a heart.

In some cases I used the corner of a multi-colored stamp, saving the five prominent purple ones for the center. There is a bit of luck at play here, too. As I pulled together this card for my sister, I found one purple stamp from Canada, where we’re from. Sharon loves music, so finding the Charlie Parker stamp with the beautiful background seemed equally fortuitous.

I assembled the purple heart from twelve stamps representing Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, The Philippines, Poland, Russia, Spain, and the US.

This last card is my favorite. I used three stamps for the greenery, five for the flower, and four for the vase. I like its simplicity.

I assembled this card using white textured card stock, giving the top third a wash of aqua ink. I stamped the image of the jar on vellum in black ink, then tucked a few blue stamps behind it. Postage used for this card came from China, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, New Zealand, and Poland.

This is also a card that I can see myself replicating.

Before tidying my desk, I made a handful of bookmarks for our Little Free Library.

Playing with postage has been a lot of fun. Thank you for following along.

22 thoughts on “Paper Quilts and Purple Hearts: Creating Cards With Postage”

  1. These are all so beautiful, Alsy. You have so much experience and creativity. I wouldn’t even know where to begin. I do know that I get inspired and excited by all of the amazing things you post. They’re all lovely

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    • Betsy, that is lovely of you to say. I learn a lot by watching crafting videos on YouTube, but then I sit down and do my own thing. I wanted a die cutter for years, but I didn’t think I could justify the price. I’m so glad I finally took the plunge as I use it quite a bit. I also cut things for my sister, too. Thank you.

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  2. It really does sound like fun Alys! The receivers of those cards will be thrilled. I think it is amazing that you got the whole collection of those German stamps. (Sadly, when I go to the post office these days, they rarely have the newest stamps and you get the plain boring standard ones or a print out from the computer!) You have worked wonders with them all. 😃

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  4. You know me, and that my favourite is the ‘quilt’, right? Can I make a suggestion or two to see if that sorts the visual problem? What you’re missing may be a more detailed texture than that lovely embossing.

    1. maybe do some hand stitching-in of the franks, using a dark grey thread to suggest rather than emphasise the shapes?
    2. Alternatively, if you’re feeling quilty, use a sewing machine to stitch wavy lines across the ‘quilt’, echoing the waved-line frank on the second stamp down on the left?
    3. If you don’t think stitching will solve it, many quilts that have bordered blocks use ‘cornerstones’ in a contrasting colour at the intersections. That might work too.

    And even if you add nothing at all, it will still be my favourite!

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  5. Good luck with that quilt card, which looks lovely as is. The heart card for your sister is so sweet, just perfect for someone who loves music and purple. Finally, the vase and flowers are hard to beat. I can understand why it’s your favorite. Again, amazed by what you can do with stamps. I never would have imagined it.

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    • Thank you, Laurie. I’ve really enjoyed myself with this collection of stamps, and realize that as I continue to send and receive Postcrossing cards, I will get a steady supply. Some of the cards arrive with five stamps! There are a few serious Postcrossers who’ve sent and received over 7,000 cards. I wonder if they’re also stamp collectors?

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  6. Alys, all of these are lovely. For your quilt if you have left over stamps maybe make a tiny binding but I don’t feel it needs a thing. it is gorgeous. You could also go to some quilting sites to look at photos of quilts for ideas if you really feel it is not finished. The other cards are all beautiful. Thank you for sharing this. I’m a huge fan of postal mail so these were really fun. Have a great day. 

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    • Thank you, again. I enjoy working with stamps, and have dabbled with projects here and there. I turned my dad’s collection into a table top for our home, and several years later, I made another one for my sister. The skies the limit!

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  8. I love the incorporation of the stamps, Alys. So clever, and the colors are cheerfully mixed! I am impressed with the overall designs. And adding bookmarks to your Little Free Library is just the best. I am impressed with your creativity, my friend! 😉

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