Cards so far this year

Here's a round up of the cards I have made so far this year.  I like to post them on my blog as it gives me a reminder of what I have sent to whom and how my cards are developing.  Above is one for a January birthday and I have been enjoying playing with these stamps from Alison Bomber for PaperArtsy. Her Youtube channel (Words and Pictures) is really inspiring and I spend a lot of time watching her projects.  

This was for my brother-in-law.  Cards for men are always a bit trickier - florals, butterflies etc. may not be so appropriate!

This one was for a colleague who had been involved in an accident.

Sympathy cards are ones we don't enjoy making so much, but they are important. This one used the same stamps as the first card, but the mood is so different.

I always enjoy making thank you cards.

This was for a colleague's birthday. She enjoys entomology so the card needed to reflect that.

I also made her a little tag book with watercolour pages inside.  I thought she might enjoy using this on field trips.

A March birthday, celebrating the crocuses.  Another stamp set by Alison Bomber.

Finally, for now, a card for my sister-in-law which again celebrates seasonal flowers. She has a lovely display of 'tete a tete' daffodils in her garden so I think this will be perfect for her.

Crafting projects

 I do enjoy making cards - possibly because they are quite quick to make and are a complete little project in themselves. 

 I also like being able to make a card for different reasons.

 I have recently bought some lovely new stamps and dies - this teasel stamp looks like I have lino cut it.  The best thing is that I can alter the look of it by changing the background, or embossing it, or watercolouring it.  I think it will prove to be really versatile.

Here is another card with a relatively newly purchased stamp (Chris rolls his eyes heavenwards...).  The problem is, just when I think I have all the stamps and dies I could ever need, along comes another one and I need it too!  This stamp has a simple image of dandelions but is really effective and another stamp which will be versatile. It can also be used with other media as it is a rubber stamp, rather than a clear polymer one.  Bring on the experiments!