Birthday cards and Postcards...

...have been the order of the day. There seem to be a lot of birthdays this month. I have sent two off without remembering to scan them, but these are a few of the others I have made.


I made this last week after being inspired by a couple of Emilia's cards. Her's are much more elegant than mine, but I was stitching the flowers on at Craft Club on Monday, and the girls asked if I would do a demo. next week. As there isn't actually much to it, and I wasn't altogether happy with the silver pen drawing for stems and wording, (I have mislaid my white gel pen) I had another attempt and came up with this one.
The flowers on both of them are punched, and the other bits are free hand cutting. I used an old cream envelope as the paper is just thick enough not to jam up the punch, and one strand of embroidery floss for the stamens.

The next card is paper piecing; one of Alita's designs. She doesn't have a blog as far as I know, but she shared this on my Teabag folding Group. I had it in my box at Craft Club, and a lot of interest was shown, so it looks as if I shall be doing this card the week after! After that, someone else can have a go. I made it a condition of taking over the running of the Club that I didn't demonstrate every week, but that each table would take responsibility for two weeks each session, either by demonstrating something themselves, or by bringing in an outside demonstrator. At least that way, everyone has a chance to do a craft they are interested in... well in theory ... but most people just seem to want to make cards!


This is rather more generic. That is not surprising, as it came from my stash of "ready for anything" cards...get wells, birthday or sympathy, according to the peel-off! This is for an elderly (97 is elderly) lady at the Residential home where I go bowling. She will laugh when she sees Many Happy Returns....
Now we move on to Postcards. I am in a swap with the theme Changing Seasons. I decided on Harvest Moon for mine. I have sent them all on their way, but this is the first one I made, and I have kept it. The colour on the sky was a bit blobby on this one. The others are all slightly different and as I don't know that any of the recipients read this blog, I'm not spoiling any surprises.
The last item is for the Squares and Triangles swap. I sat sewing the sequins on this evening while guarding Chancy as he ate his food down in the garden. There is a new feral Tom around, and Chancy, half feral, but neutered, is having a hard time. He is very, very nervous at the moment, and can't be left to eat alone, or he will be driven of his plate by the marauder. In fact, even the ring-necked doves find him a push-over!
I made it the paper piecing way, except that I didn't use paper. I drew it out on a piece of yellow dishcloth/duster on a roll that I bought in Lidl. It is halfway between batting and stiffener in texture, doesn't fray, and doesn't distort either. I also used it for the moon in Harvest Moon. I haven't edged this card yet, I'll leave that until I have done some more. I hope my points improve...I used tailor's chalk to mark the lines and they were a little indistinct, so next time I'll try something clearer...rollerball or gel pen maybe, and I will play about with the design.

Right, that's me done on the computer for now. 0j0 rang ten minutes ago, having just got in from work, to tell me there is a new series of Ugly Betty starting tonight. Just what I need...something entertaining that lets me keep half my mind on the lace pattern I'm trying for the first time on the latest socks on the needle.