Secret Crafter Challenge, brother's birthday & a couple of books....

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I haven't done much crafty stuff lately. Strange, but since clearing and organising a special craft area I seem to have ground to bit of a halt! I hope this inertia doesn't last!
I think the much shorter days are part of it. It's pitch black before 4.30pm here. I hate hate hate that! It also means there is no natural light during the times I have normally carfted and drawn, painted, etc. I need to re-schedule myself!

Hey ho! Here are a couple of things I HAVE managed this last week or so....

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The Secret Crafter's Challenge this week is the theme "CUTE AS A BUTTON".

I did an ATC, using:

• my latest stamp, a cute kitten photo-like portrait;
• strips of paper left over from other projects;
• buttons from a pot sent to me by Julie :)
• gold heat-embossed scribble;
• and white 'Fluffy Stuff' as a touchy-feely frame to mimic a kitten's soft tummy :)

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Here is the birthday card I made for my brother, Roy. The strips of paper underneath the image are from Julie's parcel again :) :

The above photo was taken in artificial light, the one below in daylight- not sure that either shows the card very well!!!

I coloured loose stripes in water-colour pencil then washed over it with a water-pencil.
The forground is the same, but with less water, to leave more of a textured look. I added small gold stars from a strip of outline stickers to the sky to suggest the night sky coming through.

The tree stamp- I used one stamp twice and a smaller one once. They were freebies from Crafty Individuals.

I put a smaller picture, made the same way but darker, inside the card. The pine cones are rub-on transfers.

I also made a wee book for him as well.
The white square on the front is some shrunk plastic. It was going to be a keyring but wasn't quite up to it :)

Recipe:

• I bought a small wiro-bound note book for 50p.
• I took the wire out and covered the covers with paper (by Laura Ashley).
• Then I reassembled it inserting a patterned first page to show through the window in the cover. The letters are freebie stickers that came with a magazine this month.
• I laced it all together with gold cord that came free in the same pack :)

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I love the idea of making books, and must get round to doing more. Here's one I did last week. I don't know WHY it turned out so girly. I'm not a girly girl ;)This was really just an excuse to try out a certain birthday present:
Thanks, Luvbug :)

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Update on sales:

1. The table at the Indoor Craft Market isn't doing very well. I think I've made about £10 so far, and it cost that much to have the table there! I think this is partly because all the cards are upstairs so not all the shoppers see them- the staircase is slim and spiral, so no pushchairs, walking sticks or heavy shopping!
2. The shop in Ireland that asked for some cards to sell has had more luck- they only arrived there this week and already they have sold three!
3. I am nearly ready to launch my online store. I have to finish developing my banner and logo and getting all the cards photographed better. I had planned to go my mum's this weekend but given the weather (blowy and snowy!), I might stay in and work on this, instead!