Mermaid Birthday Invitations

Heather Powers prepares mermaid birthday invitations with a linoleum block print.

All About

Product Ideas

Materials and Tools:

linoleum
linoleum cutter
#2HB soft pencil or softer
brayer
burnisher or barren
Plexiglas sheet
water soluble printing ink
paper, vellum and card stock
oil pastels
paper punch
ribbon or colorful textured yarn

Figure A

Steps:

1. Draw a mermaid (or any desired) image on a piece of paper.

2. Transfer the image to the linoleum printing plate by coloring the back of the paper with soft pencil (figure A).

Figure B

3. Carve the image with the linoleum cutter, leaving linoleum where you want the ink to print (figure B).

4. Roll out the ink onto the Plexiglas using the brayer.

Figure D

5. Roll the ink onto the printing plate.

6. Place the vellum on top of the printing plate and press firmly with the burnisher or barren. Pull the paper off and let dry completely (figure D).

Figure E

7. Cut out the image. Turn the image over and color with oil pastels (figure E).

8. Have a card printed out with all the party information on the side and fold in half.

Figure F

9. Trim your print to fit on top of the card, punch a whole through the cardstock and vellum on the top center, string together with a ribbon or colorful textured yarn (figure F).

Web site: www.humblebeads.com