How to Make Handmade Marbled Cards Using Shaving Cream

This tutorial shows you how to make handmade marbled cards using shaving creams, water color paints, and paper card stock.

If you are new to this blog: Welcome! My name is Anna and I share information on collecting antique/vintage items, refurbishing furniture and making small crafts/projects. The purpose of this blog is to show you how to use creativity and vintage items to make your home beautiful. In addition to information on the blog, you can also follow me on the following social media accounts Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest.

Handcrafted Society

Welcome to the Handcrafted Society! This is a group of talented bloggers who come together monthly to collectively craft creations using a shared medium or theme. This month’s theme was “paper stationary that feels like art”. Each blogger created a project using stationary.  

The projects by the Handcrafted Society are fun and inspiring because we see the varied perspectives and interpretations of the theme by each participant. These women are amazingly creative in making projects for each month’s theme. Towards the conclusion of this post, you’ll find images and links to the projects made by each blogger. I hope you enjoy browsing through all the ideas these ladies have created. Simply click on the image or blog name to view their full post.

Backstory

​On a recent trip to Europe, I entered a small store selling stationary, pens, and similar supplies.  As I walked around admiring the various items, I couldn’t help but appreciate the high quality heavy weight paper used and the handmade elements of the cards.   Many items were made using a hand-inking method with a printing press. Other cards had beautiful marbled exteriors.  Upon returning to the States, I knew exactly what I wanted to create for this month’s Handcrafted Society project.  

With the advent of electronic communication, receiving a handwritten card in the mail has become a rarity.  Each time I receive a card in the mail, it’s akin to receiving a sweet gift.  This person took the time to select a card, write down their thoughts and mail it via “snail mail”.  The sentimental side of me will sometimes keep cards that are especially pretty, meaningful or thoughtful.  

As a result, this month, I am showing you how to make your own handmade paper marbled cards.    This project is a fun way to customize and make greeting cards that are also art. 

Handmade Marbled Cards

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These handmade marbled cards can be shared with your loved ones on special occasions or a set of them can be given as a gift.  The handmade marbled cards process can also be used to create one of a kind invitations for a baby shower, bridal shower, birthday party or anniversary celebration. 

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Supplies

​The supplies needed for this project are minimal.  With the exception of the watercolor paper cards and envelopes, project supplies are available at your local big box store or grocery store. 

• Watercolor paper cards and envelopes – I bought this set from Amazon
• Gouache paints, acrylic paints, or tempera paints – Note, any type of water-based paints will work.
• Shaving cream – Note, use traditional foam shaving cream not gel cream.
• 9×13 baking pan
• Bamboo skewers 
• Craft paint brushes – to mix your paint colors
• Straws – to act as a pipette
• Stiff pieces of cardboard or a squeegee
• Paper towels 
• Thumbtacks and twine to create a drying line
• Heavy book or stack of books

It’s important to use watercolor paper for this project because it is a heavier weight and absorbs the paint colors.

Step 1 – Set up your Work Space

Using your thumbtacks or push pins and some string, set up a a drying line for your cards.  Protect your work surface with newspaper, kraft paper or a tarp.  TIP: Ensure your work surface is protected- this can be a messy art project! 

Step 2 -Shaving Cream Marbling Bath

Thin out the paint colors by mixing them with a little water.  TIP:  customize your paint colors to any palette you desire.  

In the 9×13 baking pan, evenly distribute the shaving cream.  On top of the shaving cream, using a straw as a pipette, add a variety of paint colors. To transfer paint from the container into the shaving cream, simply place your thumb on the top of the straw to create a vacuum. To release the paint from the straw, once you are over the shaving cream, lift up your thumb.

Use the bamboo skewer to swirl the paint colors into the shaving cream.  TIP: Don’t over mix the paint colors to ensure there are a variety of colors in your marbled paper.  If you mix the paints too much, the resulting color can be brown.  The shaving cream and paint mixture will be your “marbling bath”.

Place your watercolor paper on top of the shaving cream and paint mixture.  Gently press the paper down on all the edges into the foam mixture.

Step 3 -Create Marbled Effect

Carefully remove the water-color paper from the marbling bath and use a stiff piece of cardboard or squeegee to remove the excess foam/paint.  The top of your pattern is created by scraping the foam-paint combination off the card.  

Use a paper towel to remove the shaving cream foam from the scraper.  Repeat the process of laying the watercolor paper in the marbling bath and scraping off the excess foam for each card.

The best part about this project is that every card is unique.

Step 4- Let Cards Dry

Once the extra foam has been scraped off the card, place it on the string line to dry. I let my cards dry for an hour on a plate rack.

If your cards curl from the moisture in the foam/paint mixture, simply place them under a heavy book or stack of books for a couple of hours.

​Final Product

Below are photos of the handmade marbled cards. It’s pretty amazing creating art with such simple supplies.

Other Variations

Here are some variation for this project.  

• For marbled cards with a more professional appearance, you can purchase a paper marbling kit online.
• If you don’t have access to water-based paints, liquid food coloring can be used instead. 
• In addition to marbling the exterior of your cards, you can also add marbling to the interior.

TIP: customize the marble colors used on your cards to the occasion you are celebrating.

​More Projects from the Handcrafted Society

Below are other projects using the same theme created by the ladies in the Handcrafted Society. These ladies are all tremendously talented so be sure to visit their sites for more inspiration!

Handmade Cards to Hold Art

Diane from South House Designs shows us how to create a card with a frame holding an original piece of artwork (or even a photo). Your recipient gets a card and a tiny piece of original art they’ll actually keep.

DIY Seed Paper for Handmade Cards

Learn how to make beautiful DIY seed paper at home with this easy step-by-step tutorial from WM Design House. Perfect for handmade cards, Mother’s Day gifts, wedding favors, and botanical stationery, plus a free printable “Plant Me” gift tag inside!

Origami Envelope

Missy from Sonata Designs shows us that this origami envelope is more than a fold. It’s a cardstock flower that opens to reveal a handwritten note inside. A beautiful, intentional paper craft for anyone who believes that how you give a message matters as much as the words themselves.

Handmade Collage Notecards

Michelle from Thistle Key Lane shows us how to make beautiful handmade collage notecards that double as art. Learn how to create note cards with a paper flower arrangement collage. A beautiful way to send a thank you letter or thinking of you greeting.

Easy Handmade Cards with Stamps

Donna from An Organized Season shows us how to make easy handmade cards with stamps and blending chalk that are just as lovely to display as they are to give.

In Closing . . .

Thank you for stopping by the blog today! If you make some handmade marbled cards, I would love to know how they turn out.