More Cat Cards

Making the cards has been a good diversion for my state of mind.  I've been a bit low this week with external factors getting to me.  I tend to keep busy in the garden or making food or doing other domestic chores.  I am used to spending long hours alone so it has been a learning curve for me to have two other adults working from home. 

When things return to 'normal' and I get my space back I may feel inclined to do painting again but I need complete quiet to do that.  Card making keeps me occupied and I have something to show for my time! 

Did Some Card Making

It has been so long since I made a card that I hardly knew where to start!  Luckily I have a lot of craft supplies but am a bit bored of seeing the same papers.  I watched a YouTube video and found a new way of using my papers by mixing them up, cutting/tearing into strips and sticking them down onto a base card.

Using a wood block stamp and black paint I stamped a jolly cat design onto printed papers and carefully cut round the edge.

These were such fun to do.  I know how I am going to be spending some of today!

Edited:  Forgot to say that the small motifs are on the backs of the cards.

Card Making in February

This card took hours to make today!  Hopefully it should be easy to replicate now I have the formula for making it. 

I took a printed picture and then made a die-cut frame for it using an inner and and outer die.  I then put the card frame into an embossing folder and ran it through the manual die cut/embossing machine.  I die cut a few flowers.

A white card blank was stamped with flower stamps and a sentiment.  I then assembled the card and added some colored gems.

Card Making in January

My life has taken a busy detour just now so I am unable to blog as often as usual.  My 'free' time is constrained so I am taking advantage of spare time at the weekends to enjoy making cards or other 'mindless' activities purely for enjoyment.

I used various techniques to produce the cards above and am pleased with their simplicity.

Cas Card Three

This is the final CAS (Clean and Simple) card I will be showing for now.  It may be clean but it was far from simple!  The bird cage die was difficult to cut out using my die cutting machine and took many attempts of finding a card stock that would cut crisply so that all the detail could be popped out.

Here is a close up.  I left the middle section of the cage in as I didn't want to spoil another one by tearing it!

Cards by Daylight

 

Following on from yesterdays post, here is the card in daylight.  Not very good daylight as the weather is overcast and miserable.

 

Here is a close up of the detail.  I painted some thin gold lines over the stamped ones to add a subtle but interesting touch.

 A close up of the bright red gems that I added.

Feeling spurred on from what I considered a good card I created another one using pink ink and a butterfly stamp.  I am on a roll now!

Here is a close up where you can see that I added gold sequins for added sparkle.

Cards by Candlelight

Not quite candlelight but I have been working under a lamplight!  It gets dark quickly now and daylight hours are short.  I made this card at my newly tidied craft space.  Night fell before I could photograph it so I am putting up this picture now and then may put up another one when I am able to take a picture in natural daylight.

It is such a pleasure for me to work in such a tidy space.  I know some people prefer to work in chaos  but I really don't!  Making this type of card is meditative for me.  I get totally immersed in creating the embellishments, coming up with a pleasing arrangement and putting it all together. 

Masculine Card

I don't often make 'manly' cards but made this one with some down loadable images from a CD-ROM and some die cuts that I already had.  I added some dimension with layers and used glossy accents to make the hat and watch face shiny.

It was therapeutic to make the card as I have had a four day migraine which is now receding.  Immersing oneself in a project is a good way to forget other problems.

Shabby Chic Card

I am going through a 'shabby chic' phase.  I have so many beautiful paper embellishments and lace it seems a shame not to use them!  I am making this card for a very special person so I can't show the card in its entirety in case they are reading this!  I still need to add gesso and glitter highlights.  It has been fun to make but taken me best part of a day so far!

This month is my 9th anniversary of blogging.  Time certainly flies when you are having fun - it's true!  Hopefully this year I will reach the mile stone of 1000 posts!   Thank you for those that continue to read and leave comments, especially my long time commenter's - you all know who you are!

Have a lovely weekend!

More Tiny Cards

Apologies for the dark picture but it was a bit gloomy when I took the photo.  These tiny cards are such fun to make and will hopefully be a best seller at the upcoming craft fair. 

Itty Bitty Cards

Sometimes I want to make clean and simple cards with little fuss or preparation.  A few stickers, minimum card stock, an ink pad and stamp and I'm ready to go.

So much pleasure from so few things.

Happy Weekend!

Body in September Mind in November

It seems ridiculous that on one of the hottest September's on record I am making cards with Christmas in mind for the November craft fair!  The thought of snow is cooling me down but we rarely get snow in the South East of England. 

I am making some cards with wintry messages but they are not overtly 'Christmas'.  I love my wooden block hare stamp and have stamped it with black paint and used iridescent glitter over the top.  The card is only small; about 4 x 4 inches, and I am hoping to offer a wide range of tiny cards!

The fabric behind the card is cream velour.  It is beautifully soft and I am hoping it will add a decadent touch to my table. 

Thank you for all the suggestions of what I could sell at the fair.  I have heard that Downton Abbey inspired jewellery is popular as are chokers and tiaras! 

Autumn and Old Friends

A card inspired by the season and old friends.

Vintage Lady Card

I made this card for a friend's Birthday today.  I don't generally make Birthday cards but I know she will appreciate something handmade.  The topper was made a long time ago so it was just a case of mounting onto a card.  I could critique it to the end of the Earth but there comes a time when you have to stop and realise the limit of your skills. 

The Elusive Craft Fair

I am having a bit of a whinge today partly because I have a cold and feel like I have swallowed a packet of razor blades and also because my OH has a hacking cough that has kept us both awake at night for over a week.  I have continued to make cards - mainly 'get well' ones funnily enough, but my enjoyment is marred by the lack of an outlet to sell them.

I recently found out that there is monthly craft fair not too far from where I live and I thought this would be the ideal opportunity for me to showcase my wares.  I contacted the group but was told that 'unfortunately'  cards and jewellery are the two most popular items made and that the fair had filled up all places for these items.  I am not a two trick pony though and can turn my hand at making most things.  I have contacted them again enclosing a picture of one of my 'summer sprites' as an example of other things I make and asked them if there is a gap in the market they would like me to fill.  I have yet to hear back but my cynical self believes that they want to keep the fair as a bit of a clique between particular groups.  I would love to be proved wrong!  Edited: I have been proved wrong!   I can have a stall if I don't sell cards or jewellery items.  It looks like I will be busy learning new skills then! :)

So here I am today feeling despondent.  My son thinks my cards are too plain.  I have explained to him that they are thank you cards and get well cards and don't have to be fancy or over embellished.  He thinks I have the market all wrong and we lock horns because each of us think we are right.  My idea is to focus on these types of cards and offer a few really special large wedding or special anniversary cards but I don't want to put a lot of time into the types of cards that don't bring me joy.

Whenever I am in a dilemma I turn to you, my blogging friends, to help me put things into perspective with your cool reasoned heads!  Can you think of anything I can make either for a craft stall or my etsy shop that people would want to buy?

This is a topic I go round and round in circles with. My son thinks I should give up craft altogether and concentrate on painting instead.

Maybe in this overcrowded market he has a point.

A Simple Card Making Tutorial

For people that aren't into card making it can all seem a bit complicated.  Today you can buy dies, masks, embossing and cutting machines, embossing powders, punches, digital software etc. Over the past couple of decades I have tried all types of card making and I enjoy the most simple form of card making most of all.

• Stamp an image onto pretty paper.
• Cut it out.
• Stick it on to a card base.
• Stamp on a sentiment.

Simples!!!

Joy in June - Rubber Stamped Cards

I have been itching to get back to rubber stamping for some time now.  Inspired by Ann, a multi-talented crafter from Wales, I have taken the plunge once more.  Ann has a wonderful blog and I often go back and read her old posts as they are so interesting.  Click here to go to her blog.  The cards above are the size of a gift tag and such fun to make.

The owl card above is stamped with lots of mini stamps formed into a circle.  The owl was stamped onto brown card, cut out and adhered to the front of the card.  Sweet simple cards.  Just the way I like them.

The Butterflies Have Flown....................

The butterfly card in the previous post flew out as quick as I listed it in my etsy shop!  I have been busy making more cards in the hope that they will fly out too!!!