Happy Easter

Easter has always been my favourite season, but this year we have been so busy, and the weather has been so cold, it has sort of sneaked up on me and hasn't been the bright, calm, restful period I've come to associate with it!

Never mind. I enjoyed making some cards. It was nice and relaxing.

I'm afraid most of them will be late, so more Eastertide cards than Easter cards!
Here is a selection of what I managed....

(Any guesses for who this peachy feline one went to?!)

Different!

I sent this one to my brother- I thought my young nephews would like the googly-eyed sheep.

This is the stamp I used most, "Emma".....

I really enjoyed colouring her in...

Do you like my cheeky Felix mug?

Lots of punched out flowers on some of them...
There seems to be something of a snobbery about using peel-off outline stickers on cards, but I think they are quite handy sometimes, like with these branches and birds...

....or these flowers, which I've added little gems to...

Simpler cards are a nice change, too, though...
I went to town on Luvbug's though,
using some sparkly paper that I made last summer......and two little "Housemouse" stamps...cute!

Hope you enjoyed the browse!

Now I have to get back to the packing. There's no way we'll be done in time!

First Easter Card

Well I had better get started, I suppose ;)

This stamp is by CC Designs and the character's name is Emma.

This particular design isn't widely available in the UK (although it's on pre-order at Dies to Die For), but The Scrap Junkie, on Ebay, sold me this one. (And, um, for less than "Dies" has it!)
She has lots of stuff like this, so check her out if you have time :)


It isn't the sort of style I go for very often, is it? But I love the thin, clear lines and I wanted something simple for Easter this year.
I've coloured her with water-colour pencils.


I used Sakura Glaze Clear pens to make the glossy bits, e.g., her shoes. You can layer this up so that it gets quite thick, but be careful to let each layer dry out completely first. Don't push down with these pens too hard: the trick is to hold them still a few seconds, with the nib just gently resting on the paper. Then, a little pool of glaze starts to gather. Once you see this, off you go, spreading it over the image. So long as you don't push down and block the flow, it will spread easily.

Right. Only a few dozen more to make now....

Easter is coming...

My first batch of Easter cards is ready for sending. I know it's early, but some are going abroad...
Close ups:

Still more images on the conveyor belt.....
...some cutie Whiff Of Joy images, too....
Basically, if I have your address (e.g., from the Xmas card swap- goodness, that seems an age away now!) then you'll be getting one. I hope you like it. If you'd like one but know I've never had your address, email me and I'll put one in the post to you too :)
(Emily, this includes you!! I'll be sending one to my sister, who lives near Adelaide, so I can always send another one to Oz at the same time!!!)

Sketch Saturday Challenge

It's a while since I joined in with any of the weekly challenges in Craft Blog Land. Thought I'd try to get back into the routine :)

So! Here is this week's layout challenge from Sketch Saturday:

And here is my interpretation, the "twee"est, sweetest, pinkest card I've ever produced, I think. Maybe my recent bug has imprinted Pepto-Bismol deep into my brain :)

• Colouring was done with my Derwent Water Colour pencils, with a little clear Sakura Stardust sparkle on the flower and the rabbit.
• The background papers were freebies with Crafts Beautiful magazine. They are also available to download, free, from their website, here. You just need to sign up for their emailed newsletter and get a log-on and password.
  
• The pink/green circles are made from paper I decorated with my Glitz Pearlescent Paints.
• I've added faux stitching with Sakura Souffle pens.
• The "Easter Wishes" dome sticker was a freebie with the same magazine last year.
  
• The flower is Papermania, I think.
  
• The stamp is a Sugar Nellie, which you can buy online from Funky Kits.
• Sugar Nellies also have a blog, here.
  

I bought the stamp recently, thinking I could make some Easter cards with it. What do you think? I'll have to do some religious ones, too, for people I know who'd prefer those. But for now I'll concentrate on spring colours and this cheeky bunny.

Here is another. Not tied in with the sketch this time, I just wanted to do that stamp again :)
Still not quite happy with the colours I've used for the girl's clothes, especially the shoes. Any ideas?
I like the carrot button, from my local haberdashery, as is the ribbon, which I found there for 20p a metre! MUCH cheaper than the stuff made specialy for craft shops!

Not happy with the "Happy Easter", though it looks a bit better in real life than it does here in the photo: I used a yellow embossing pen with clear embossing powder. It worked ok, I just don't like my writing!
That lovely glass, by the way, in the shape of a cat's foot and with a picture of a cat and pawprints on it, was a Christmas present from Stardust, all the way from Japan! I love it. It's too good to use as a glass though, I don't want to risk breaking it! SO I keep it on the side in the sunlight, and it makes me smile whenever I look at it. That's the best kind of present, don't you think? :)