Birthday Cat

Hello! I hope you are coping well with lockdown. We had a special birthday to celebrate as Toby was 50 last week. We are very lucky in living two minutes away from Birkenhead Park so we don't feel at all deprived when it comes to walks.

I made this pop-up box card as my husband (like me) is cat-mad. It was super-fiddly and naturally I left it to the last minute which was a bit stressy - fussy cutting a tiny mouse at night is a bit daft!! He liked it very much though and we managed a celebratory, but obviously rather unusual birthday. I used SU's Nine Lives to make the card. I do love the ball of wool and tiny mouse and fish stamps! I was inspired by my friend Too Much Glue Sam. She made a whole bunch of these cats and made a Mother's Day bouquet with them - so cool!

Here is the cake...

And here are a couple of pics from the birthday walk!

 

Here is a rather attractive box of humbugs that came in a hamper. They were red, white and blue. The birthday boy said he wasn't actually that keen on humbugs, so I ate them (always happy to oblige!)

My card used some super snippety tiny snippets for mice, food dishes etc. so I am sending my card to Di, Dudley, Parsnip, Hedgies and Walter Pigeon at Pixie's Snippets Playground.

Happy lockdown crafting! April xx

Birthday Butterflies

Hello! I made this birthday card for my friend's daughter who is 16 today. Such strange times with us all having to resort to rather makeshift celebrations, but I hear she managed to have a good time. The lovely lady who is often on the till at Sainsbury's told me that she was meant to be going to the US for her son's wedding in four weeks. She had also had a whole day of people moaning about the empty shelves! I'm a bit of a loner at the best of times, but I think when this is all over I will be much more appreciative of all the little social things that I tended to take for granted!

This card uses really lovely stamps and paper from the IndigoBlu magazine. I particularly like the snippet of black card that was run through the embossing folder that comes with the magazine. You can't really see it in the photo, but it's comprised of cogs and a clock face. I sprayed it with some pearl Cosmic Shimmer Mist. The paper has been stencilled and stamped with SU Sahara Sand ink and the butterflies have Wink of Stella on their wings. Lots of sparkle!

 I hope that you are keeping well and that crafting is bringing some comfort to you! I am sending my card off to Di, Dudley, Stinky Monkey IV,  Parsnip & the Hedgies at Pixie's Snippets Playground. I'm aware that that is possibly the maddest card recipient list ever!!

April x

Power of Hope

Hello! This is my card for this week's Global Design Project which was inspired by this sketch here -



The sketch made me think of windows, so I cut a 'window frame' using a die from the Ornate Frames collection from Basic Black cardstock. There are pieces of vellum in the windows and I used the Power of Hope stamp set to create a background scene.

I used a piece of platinum foil embossed with the Stone 3D folder to make the 'seal' thingy. The other cardstock used is Petal Pink. I have also added some sequins from the Woven Threads Sequin Assortment. Lots of fun to make!

Happy crafting! April xx

More masking tape and a post-it note

 

 

Hello! Here is another card made using masking tape to create an inked background. The stamp set is SU's Seaside Notions - I just couldn't resist that seahorse!

The colour scheme is inspired by this week's Global Design Project

I'm also sending this seahorse along to Di, Dudley & Parsnip at Pixie's Snippets Playground. The Real Red card was one of a small pile of snippets that took some serious searching for. For some unknown reason I seem to have no red card at all!

Happy crafting! April xx

Fun with Masking Tape

 

 

Hello! My post title is only slightly ironic - I really did have fun with masking tape whilst making this colourful card! It was inspired by the beautiful creation over at Global Design Project.

Isn't that a lovely card? I used the masking tape technique to make stripes of colour with Lovely Lipstick, Grapefruit Grove, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Blueberry Bushel and Highland Heather. Very easy and lots of fun to do, as you just squidge ripped pieces of masking tape down on an inkpad and then transfer to the card. I love it because you get such interesting and unpredictable variations.

Here it is in action! Very therapeutic - all that inky squidging around...

I also followed the original by stamping the sentiment on vellum and fussy-cutting it. I wouldn't have thought of doing that, but it certainly gives a greater depth than if you just stamped it directly, I think. Some sequins stuck on and there you go! Rather more 'rough and ready' than the exquisite original lol!

Happy crafting, April xx










Happy Birthday to You

Hello! Today's card was made using 'Happy Birthday to You', one of SU's Saleabration stamp sets. I'm never that crazy about birthday cake stamps, but I do like the flowers on this one. I coloured them with a blender pen and a Highland Heather inkpad. This card also used up some snippets of Old Olive and Sahara Sand cardstock, a piece of platinum foil for the cake stand and some vellum 'repurposed' from a kit.

I am sending hugs to Di, Dudley and Parsnip over at Pixie's Snippets Playground (avoiding squeezing your shoulder!!)

My card also fits the theme of 'Celebration' over at Global Design Project.
 

 Happy crafting! April xx

Layered With Kindness

Hello! This is a lovely stamp set from the new Stampin' Up spring catalogue called 'Layered With Kindness' - so pretty! I used Blueberry Bushel (full colour and stamped off) combined with Old Olive to make this thank you card. I was inspired by this sketch at Global Design Project

It was definitely very nice to make a springy card after lots of Christmas crafting!

Happy crafting! April xx