Free Greeting Card Booklet Today (Also Thursday and Friday)

Free on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday! (November 14,15, and 16th)

7 Mistakes Greeting Card Writers Make

A booklet on common mistakes greeting card writers make and what to avoid when submitting greeting card verse to publishers. Today, greeting card publishers are shying away from traditional stereotypes, and may even include pets as family members. This article talks about how to create a trendy card that reflects the contemporary world we live in, and how to use our own personal experiences to create great card verse. Topics include: how to avoid limiting the market of who could buy your card, when to use adjectives, how not to creating card for enemies, how to write like people talk and a list of why card sentiment submissions are often rejected. The good news is you can increase your odds of success by 60% by doing a few simple things.

BONUS: Includes a list of card publishers and their guidelines, links to writer interviews, and exercises for creating good verse (4,000 words and 9 Card Sample images).



Don't have an eReader? You can still read this booklet on any smartphone, mobile device or your computer. For more information on how to do this, download any of these free apps.

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Homemade Postage Stamp Art

I met an artist at the Papergirl Art Show who makes her own postage stamps.  She uses a sewing machine to create the ridges and there is glue adhesive on the back just like the old fashioned stamps.  I like her humor. She has some pretty amazing art on her flickr page.

ABOUT GINAVISIONE

GinaVisione works and plays in San Francisco, CA., a re-transplanted native.  Her primary work is focused on maximizing the available rehabilitation service and independence options to all persons with visual impairments and blindness, however, this often spills over into her artwork.  She is a printmaker with linoleum carvings and monotype image techniques, but she is also very active in the MailArt (including arti-stamps!) and letter writing networks around the world (SF Correspondence Co-op, Letter Writers Alliance, PostCrossing, to name a few).  Gina really enjoys the amazing levels of creativity that artists share in her mailbox daily! Check her out on Flickr:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/ginavisione/

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Follow Me Through the Papergirl Art Show (1 minute)

Follow me through the Papergirl art show at the Incline Gallery in San Francisco (I'm in the green jacket with backpack).

This will give you a sense walking through three stories of art held up with clothespins on inclined walls amidst fans who like to ride bicycles (1 minute).

Papergirl Art Show Expresses Wit and Humor

Many of you may have read my prior blog post about two friends and I participating in Papergirl, a community project that distributes art by bicycle, freely and at random, to people in the streets of San Francisco.

Well, before our ride next week, we had the opportunity to participate in the show at Incline Art Gallery in the Mission district of San Francisco. Here's a taste of the unusual, humorous and subversive art on display. The event was sponsored by the local de Young art Museum and bicycle stores.

The sidewalk entrance to the Incline Gallery:

3 Stories of art hanging by clothespins.

Words on these three say "Ex-Girlfriend #1" , Ex-Girlfriend #2", Ex-Girlfriend #3."  

Wonder what the story behind this?

I like this mysterious clock!

These made me smile.

Nice!

Awwww!

 I say this to myself too much!

Cool Keypad.

I'm chatting with the lady who made the cookies and cakes for the opening.

 Lots of art on each floor.

Here's my piece.

Here's Marie Jensen's piece:

Lesli Zephr's pieces:

 

 

 They even made the envelopes as part of the exhibit (the art was mailed in).



1 minute video of what it was like to walk through the 3 story Incline Gallery Show

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Halloween Cards: Outside the Box

Here are some Halloween cards submissions that I found either unusual, interesting or fun.  Not your typical card.

A Halloween queen of everything scary!  Fun for looking at details.  

I could see children seeking out all the creepy images hidden in corners.  Great detail.

 I love the colors and textures, especially the swirly images at the bottom.  

You can feel the wind being stirred up by the ghosts!

 Artist who is REALLY thinking outside of the box.
Perfect card for a chef.

 

I can't help but feel this is the beginning of a great Halloween ghost romance.
I like the background texture mixed with the simplicity of the ghosts.

 Candy corn graphics in a new way:

Sock Puppets seems to be all the rage these days -- now they are popping up in Halloween cards!

Halloween Cards for Dog Lovers

LISA BELLA BRYSON

How could you not give your best candy to these trick-or-treaters?  

This dog wins best Halloween costume award.Adorable characters.  

PATSY COOGAN

I had one of those emotion "awww" responses when I saw this card by Patsy Coogan.  

I think the message is great!  Her website shows animals in other settings.

 FRONT:

 

INSIDE:

Patsy Coogan
www.for-you-flowers.com
Illustration - licensing


There's nothing like a candy corn fanged dog greeting you at the door!

Free Fonts for Commercial Use

My brother-n-Law John Ward, a book cover designer,  tipped me off to this great website of free fonts you can use for commercial purposes. -Kate

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