Mailable Mixed-Media Cards

One of the most difficult things about making cards is mailability. You have to decide pretty early in the process if you're good with paying that extra dime, using a padded envelope or *gasp* reining in your creative ideas to fit the medium and it's mode of transportation. 

The tension between artistic expression and practicality is never greater for me than when card making. But, since I send most of the cards I make to Canada, I've decided that 

flat is phat and lumpy makes me grumpy. 

LOL. No. I haven't been drinking. I'm just a giant geek today :-)

Michelle Wooderson makes great cards and her designs are easy to flatten if you leave off the top layer - usually buttons, chip board etc. I've used her ideas as a jumping off point for all of these cards. 

Also, soft embellishments, like a modest amount of seam binding, are wonderfully crushable and can rarely be felt through the envelope. It's my go-to supply when I want to add a little softness to a flat(ish) card.

My go-to supplies for cards like this are washi tape, tags and gesso. They pack a lot of punch without adding thickness.

For these cards I employed one of my favorite little tricks, I stamped on pre-printed journal cards.

 The one on the right had the brown border and I added the stamped flower and sentiment. 

I love how the stamping integrates into the design.

This duo was made using the scraps on my craft table.

 I employed a similar design on both, but they ended up looking fairly different. 

Both cards needed a little more oomph so I colored around the tag with watercolor pencils and then softened it with water. This quick technique totally changed the look and feel of the whole card without adding any (literal) depth.

These are my favorite. Notice anything missing? 

I left the sentiments off so I could add them once I know what is appropriate. The style seems versatile enough to accommodate everything from a birthday to a feel better soon. 

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How important is mailing ease for you? Do you make cards with mailing in mind or leave it up to the universe to sort out? Do you struggle with adding interest to relatively flat cards? What's your favorite technique for creating visual interest without bulk?