Tissue-Painted Card

To make this special card, you will need: 1 piece white paper and 1 piece colored or patterned paper, colored tissue paper larger than the white paper, several cotton-tipped swabs, tape, and a container of water.

1. Spread newspaper to protect your work surface.

2. Lay the white paper on the newspaper and lightly tape it down.

3. Lay one piece of tissue paper over the white paper and tape it to the newspaper, too.

4. Wet the cotton swab and draw with water on the tissue paper, pressing firmly. Be sure to use enough water for the color from the tissue paper to soak into the white paper, but not so much that it runs all over.

5. When the water completely dries, gently pull away the tissue paper. If you wish, tape down a different color of tissue paper and paint more water designs.

6. While the water dries, fold the colored paper in half or in fourths to make a card.

7. When the finished design is dry, cut the white paper into a heart or a rectangle and glue it to the colored paper card.

8. In the card, write a message and the date, and sign your name.

Photos by Lana Leishman