This weekend I designed a felt square called Puffins on Rocks. I liked the Puffins so much that I started thinking about other ways I could use this design.

I decided to try a collage greeting card with the Puffin scene. Somewhere in my stash, I used to have some scrapbooking paper in different fun designs – for a hobby I never did embrace. After an hour of searching, I gave up and started looking at craft papers online – styles that might have small patterns or textures. I was moments away from an Amazon order when I remembered a class I took a couple of years ago on collage. Rather than craft paper, we sourced our materials from magazines. Magazines were a better solution – free, and I could start right away. Instant gratification.

I reduced the Puffins on Rocks pattern to a 5.5-inch square so I could use a piece of 8.5×11″ card stock folded in half (and trimmed) for the base card. I spent an evening scouring through old magazines looking for colors and textures that appealed. I cut out the paper parts the same way I did for the felt version. Using a glue stick, I assembled the pieces for the Puffins. I finished them off by adding the eye details with markers.

When I sat down to put the pieces together, I didn’t like the look of the smooth cut edges. Tossing out all but the completed Puffins, I started over. This time around, I tore the shapes from the paper rather than cut them. 

Depending on the direction you tear the paper, you’ll achieve different results. Hold your paper color side up. To tear, pull the right side toward you, and you’ll have a white edge. Pull the left side toward as you rip, and you’ll end up with a colored edge. 

The irregular edges feel natural and organic. The white edges of the paper showing here and there give the card a more three-dimensional appearance. 

I’m pleased with the result and particularly like the detail on the Puffin bodies – a nautical map. 

I’ll never look at a magazine page again!