Catch up on cards....

Here are some cards I've made in the last couple of months. I haven't posted them before because I'd wanted them to reach their recipients before I showed them. Erm, then I forgot :)

This first one was for my partner's youngest nephew, Darragh, in Ireland (several months ago!):Funny, that little cat inside looks quite like him, I think! Same "who me?" expresion!

This one was for another nephew, in Scotland. He's a Celtic Football supporter, so I decorated the bear's shirt accordingly:

The card itself was a plain white embossed one but I used a wash of metallic green watercolour paint to tie it in with the Celtic theme and also to highlight the swirls.

The bear sits proud of the card, on little foan pads. The shirt is stamped separately, coloured and placed on top, threading the right paw through the sleeve! An unexpected bonus of this is that you can get the paw to "hold" something. I couldn't decide what to give him, so I chose these "accessories" and put them in a bag inside the card!

I enjoy decorating the inside of my cards (if I remember! D'oh!):
I do hope he got it, and liked playing with it!

This next one was for my partner's Dad, who plays bridge. I used a pattern from a book I've used before for similar stitched cards; Embroidery on Paper for Every Occasion by Joke and Adriaan de Vette.

I used orange felt for the matting and the background paper -very appropriate!- just happened to be the free gift in that month's Creative Cardmaking.

I sewed onto plain white hammered card. I had a little difficulty- must remember to use thicker card as otherwise the stitching holes act like perforations! I had to glue a line of them at the back, as they were causing the card to tear, but from the front it wasn't noticable. Phew!

Here's the inside:

Next, this was the birhtday card I made for my partner's Mum, Oonagh.
I'd picked up that she prefers dogs to cats, hence the unusual lack of cats!!!

The dogs were an outline sticker. I stuck them onto a piece of very heavyweight white card. I used my Letraset Pro-Marker pens to colour them and draw in some grass and sky. I also used one of these pens on the torn edges of the white card.
The Pro-Marker blender is a great tool and you get some fascinating effects with it. E.g., I went over and over the blue sky with it to create a cloudy effect.

The background paper was a free download from Crafts Beautiful.

I used a Long-Reach Ribbon Thread Punch to make little rectangular holes down one side of the card, then threaded coral coloured organza ribbon through them. The Happy Birthday greeting was another sticker.

I wasn't happy with this next card, so it is still sitting in a box here, unsent.

If you know someone who would like it, let me know!

The ribbons and leaves were a gift from Julie :) and the Flower Fairy tags were a free gift with a magazine. (I'm sorry I didn't do better with your lovely gifts, Julie!)

This next one is my most recent card and was made for my partner's niece, Yolanda. She is a very "pink" little girl!!!

I used an A4 piece of heavyweight purple card, folded in two. That nice flowery background paper is by SEI and is called Doodley-doo girl doodled daisies. -Now say that thirty times in a row!

The dress and slippers are by MIC Craft. I found them at Sharon Duncan Crafts.
I added some crystals to the slippers :)

I had to be careful that it didn't tear or fall to pieces when an eager young lady tore open the envelope, so I wrapped it in tissue and secured it with a butterfly sticker. The envelope I used was made of India Cotton so was a bit stronger than the other A5 ones I have. PaperChase sell these for about £3 per 10. I added a swirl and another crystal to the back to the envelope too :)

There was another card, too, but I can't find the photo!