My literal/fixed thinking took over when I was making this card and the shoe had to be black and the sole red lol. I also tried a new gold/yellow combo and i like that it looks more like gold, if only I could remember what I used lol.
You could be forgiven for thinking this is my first Pink Fresh stamp set but it is not it is however the first one to see ink, think I need to dig the others out and use them now.
I bought this stamp set for this one specific image lol, I have a friend with a bulldog and after she saw her husbands card with a bulldog on it insisted hers had one too. She loved the card I am pleased to say but now where am I going to find two more images for next year lol.
This was also in my folder and as I liked it I thought it deserved to be shown, I was in my grey background coloured image stage of making cards and I had forgotten how effective this is lol
OMG I forgot to post this last year, its a simple, elegant design so it needs to be shown.
I can fially show these cards as I had to wait until the last birthday passed. I loved using all the images in the set, I should do that more often as it saves so much time too.
I wanted this set when it was first released but it kept selling out so imagine my surprise to find it in the clearance section, I don't think I have ever checked out so fast lol.
I made this design a few years ago and I know I sound like a broken record but all the energy I have had for crafting is to recreate an existing design, trying to come up with an original idea in amongst the chaos would be a step too far at the moment, although the recent heatwaves have made me want to start christmas making lol
Another of the secret stamp club images and another go at one of the sheetload templates, I don't attempt everyone but when I find one I like I can't seem to stop lol
A quick card because I needed to get it in the post and it was winging its way to Australia too. When I am on a time crunch I go with a tried and true design and this is just that.
Another football card this time for a Manchester City fan, its such a generic image you can make it look like any team or player.
I might have made more of these so look out for those too
I was asked to make a retirement card and to include a camper van, this didn't end up like I wanted but the recipient loved it and that is all that matters.
I do think that an eclipse card makes a statement especially for a big birthday. I was searching for inspiration when I came across this manufacturer and it made me fakk in love with them all again. I wish they were still around but alas they are one of many that aren't.
I can always tell if I am pushed for time to make a card and this was one of those, since I came home from Florida in May I have struggled with both my mojo and knowing what date it is, I thought I had lots of time to make this card and then the posting deadline loomed and this was all I could muster. Hopefully next year will be better
Another big birthday and yet again I have gone for the shape on a 7x5 as they definitely stand up much better and they are still effective too. I also made a 3d fishing hat for him and he loved both, I am always concerned making guy cards and I am always pleaseantly suprised when they like them.
Sometimes making new friends means you can send them older designs of cards because they will have never seen them and that means you get to recreate some of your favourites too. I call that a win win lol.
Another two for the price of one card, I liked this layout so I thought why not use it again, it’s very effective and of course I can use up some of the paper mountain. I couldn’t use my go to first birthday image for one of the boys as he has an older brother and I’d made it for him so of course Mo manning is my first choice for babies and little kids as she seems to capture the expressions so perfectly.
I went with my normal design for first birthdays and it will always be my favourite, I just love the large balloon.
It’s been a long time since I used either this stamp set or the nesting cloud dies, I did use the dies to create a stencil which I always forget you can do lol.
It’s that stencil again, it’s so versatile and makes the perfect backdrop for an image, I will probably be using it again soon. This is for my friend who runs marathons, she has done over 50 now and I am so in awe.
The last post talked about me being obsessed with this layout but I hadn’t realised it was the first one I had showed so now you will start to see the pattern lol.
I was obsessed with this layout from MFT, when I find one I like I don’t seem to be able to stop lol. Lots of different companies were used to make this card, the dog is from MFT and the card he is holding is blank but I wanted to add something, I found the mini set from MFT and the sentiment fitted perfectly it just needed an image so mama elephant gashapon set to the rescue. You may or may not see more of this layout and then you can decide how obsessed I was lol.
You might have spotted a theme and again I’m trying to use the backgrounds I’ve already made, this year I’ve not wanted to spend as much time in my craftroom and I hope that changes soon because it’s my sanctuary and safe space and I miss it. Enough waffling onto the card, I bought this stamp set from the ton years ago just for this image but of course it had never been inked lol. So now I can say it has lol.
So I had the supplies out so why not make two cards the same but slightly different, when I showed my hubby he asked me to make one for a friend of his, high praise indeed lol.
Sometimes you see a stamp set and you just have to have it, this happens to me a lot so I often wonder why it takes me ages to use it, this was this stamp set and it took this stencil from spellbinders to make me actually stamp it and use it. Of course now I’m left wondering why I didn’t use it sooner and of course I want to make more lol
I used my normal US A2 for this one and although I like it I think I prefer the square as the white space is larger and more impactful.
Another Deb Hallett inspired card and I must admit I am loving using square cards again, I have so many in my stash and they deserve some love too.
I was inspired by “Deb Hallett” on YouTube who makes the loveliest cards, she leaves a lot of white space and uses black as the accent and I am sure you agree it’s very effective. I had to have this magazine set and I might have used quite a few and they will all be variations on a theme, that seems to be my style at the moment lol.
Almost the last of these, I have one more but I won’t show that until after the birthday so I don’t spoil the surprise lol.
These stamps are from a range that the greeting farm did way back in 2015, it was a secret club and you had no idea what was arriving each month.
Another of the ready coloured images and this time I have used the sheetload sketch that seems to be a favourite of mine especially recently. I have also been using patterned paper a lot too, I don’t think I will ever use all of my stash but it would be good to make room for more lol.
I have had this image coloured for the longest time and unusually for me it’s coloured with pencils on Kraft. The background was left over from another card and that’s not going to get shown for a while.
I decided to try and use some of my already coloured images, I have a lot of those and I have tried several times to use them up but maybe this time I will be successful.
The fourth card and its only May, I am enjoying making them so maybe the secret is to just get all the big birthdays done in one hit. A bit like I do with kids, I make all the cards for each age at the same time so that might just be the secret formula lol.
I didn't print this one to make a 70 but I needed a card for a dinner party so this was the design I had ready to go. So expect to see this again but with different colours later in the year.
I remember saying that there weren't many big birthdays but I think I might have to change my tune on that as I have made quite a few so far and its only May!
A tried and tested design and one I am sure I won't get tired of, I did emboss with clear the background and in real life its subtle but you can see it. I am enjoying making cards for people who have never seen any of my designs as I can recreate some favourites.
I changed up the magnificent seven cards this year and didn't make them identical. I had printed this image and the hair reminded me of my friends grandson so I decided to just go with it. I have used the sheetload template again and even used my coveted doodlebug papers.
I received a video from my friend where her grandson explained why he liked the card and I have to say I was struggling with my mojo and whether I wanted to continue making cards and that video made me realise its about the recipients and that they know someone cares enough to make something by hand for them.
You did have to wait a little longer for this one and I hope that I used all the other images too. Again the cat looks like my friends fur baby although I’m not sure it captures his mischievous personality lol.
Quite a few big birthdays again this year although not as many as 2024 which was astonishing lol. You may notice its not my usual eclipse or shaped card, I was struggling to find my large envelopes so decided to make this 7x5 and I liked it with the card base more than free standing so expect to see more of the same.
I loved this image since I first saw it and it seemed perfect for my uncle, hopefully he will see the funny side.
This wasn't the direction I originally intended for this card but I am pleased with how it turned out. No idea where the stamp is from as it was a gift and I wish I did know as I would like more lol.
Along the same lines as the previous card as the stencil was still on my desk and I had the made to surprise box set out so I thought why not make two same but different cards, this was a go to when I was stressed with making so I am trying to do that again to alleviate some stress. Now I am aware that card making should be a de stress but sometimes when you have a lot to make and not much mojo its not stress free lol
