More pop-up Boxes

Following on from last week, I thought I’d catch up a it on all the pop-up box cards I’ve made over the last few months. These have become one of my most popular customised order items in the last couple of years.

I have a plastic template for making a box card which I draw around and cut out twice to make the boxes. I can usually get one box out of one piece of A4 cardstock. For these I have been using Hunkydory ink-me cardstock (white) and Kraft card (brown) as it doesn’t crack when scored for the edges. I have also used HD Adorable Scorable in the past. In order to make the cutting out less time-copnsuming and to reduce the amount of hi-tack tape I need, I am also now working on a personal template so it’s only one piece with one side tab to attach.

First up is the box I made for a Swiftie! A 13th birthday card to go with tickets for a concert. I managed to find an image of the set list and the gig poster for the venue to add to the box, as well as adding in some album covers. I used some craftwork cards papers and Hunkydory mirri card and gems to complete the look.

Last year I had lots of weddings to make these cards for and the same lady asked for this one. I try to customise for the recipients as much as I can and this wedding box includes images personal to the couple – wedding and engagement venues as well as hobbies, where they work and the colours of the wedding invitation. Here I used some hammered card for an expensive feel and the foiling is all in silver.

An 80th birthday card for someone that likes bowls, wine and lives by the sea! This was a fun one to make with lots of bright greens and sunshine. Again I looked for image in my boxes of cut-outs and also found some free images online. I particularly love the seagull on the front of this one – probably got his eye on the ice-cream cone!

I really enjoyed making this 50th birthday box as it was for my brother, so I was able to look around for all the things that remind me of him. He’s been a massive Bury FC fan since he was about 5 so I was thrilled to find tiny images of all the club shirts over the years. I basically themed everything around football and added in a few beer bottles, albums and film references. I think he liked it.

Another milestone birthday box, this time for a son’s 40th birthday. I was given lots of ideas to add to this one, mostly games, space and theme park related. The Hunkydory duo design paper pads are great for this type of background too.

I was given lots of photographs to add on to this birthday box along with the hobby of triathlon. Again I have found Hunkydory to be a great source of pop-up pieces and here I have used a running topper set, sporting delightful die-cut book, sporting die set, FTLS stamp set and just my type pad. I finished it off with some Papermania square gems and Hunkydory wheelie paper.

After posting details of the retirement box I made for a teacher, I was asked to make a set of five more. Four of them were very similar to my original, the only difference being the stamped images painted and the colours used. This final one was again along the same lines, but was to include table tennis . For this set I used an old OS map for the background and added in lots of images from the Hunkydory die-cut pads.

Finally, I have just completed a 30th birthday card where I was given so many suggestions and images it was hard to fit everything into the box.

It really has been a summer of pop-up boxes! I hope they were all enjoyed by the recipients.

Time to get on with the Christmas crafting now I think, but in the meantime, have a safe and happy Bonfire Night.

Happy crafting

K x

Hearts Everywhere

This year the heart has never seemed more appropriate to send to someone.  I think we all need to show a bit more love.  I’ve had a few wedding cards to make for and it always restores my faith in humanity when I’m asked to make a special card.

I’ve made a couple fairy recently for a lovely lady who wanted the colours to tie in with the colours on the wedding invitation she had received.  This first one was a classic cream and navy scheme.  I still love this style with the dangler heart on acetate.

The second one was a much more colourful affair.  I was a bit unsure at first, but I rather like the overall effect of the nesting hearts and borders.

I also had a wedding of my own to go to, as my cousin was tying the knot, with my daughter as her little bridesmaid.  Her scheme was very pastel colours, so I went for a pale pink with floral foiling and added pearls.

Last month was so sad with all the terrible events in Manchester and London.  I was at a complete loss after the Manchester Arena  bombing, I knew several people at the concert and we lost two young lives in the town.  I wanted to do something to help so I joined a group #aheart4mcr making hearts to distribute around Manchester city centre.  It was a wonderful way to show support and care for those that had lost loved ones or sustained terrible injuries.

I sent off 27 knitted and crochet hearts in total and they joined over 26,000 others from all over the world, displayed and then taken home by people coming into the city centre.  I was struck just after the first heart drop to find this lovely heart on my lawn.

Sometimes it pays not to mow the lawn every week!

I thought I’d end today with one of the cards I sent in my order to Hearts for Homes in Ramsbottom, a red button heart for an engagement.  I was asked to make a few new engagement cards and the heart just seemed to fit the bill.  I haven’t done a button based card for quite a while and I really enjoyed emptying my ever-growing button stash onto the table to find the right size and colours.

I’m afraid I’m not very organised with my buttons and ribbons.  I wish I was, but I don’t have very much space really, or maybe it’s not having the inclination to sort them out!  I’ve taken over the box room so I’m squashed in with everything else that hasn’t found a home elsewhere in the house.  I really do need to get cracking on sorting it out though, but I always get so distracted whenever I start.

Oh, well, back to finding some more love and make some more hearts.

Happy crafting
x

My First Shop Order

Following my successful meeting with Kerry at ‘Hearts for Homes’, she placed a significant order for a further card selection. So over the last couple of weeks I have been working my way through the list occasions. This always looks easy at the beginning, but I was also left to my own devices regarding colours and design. I don’t know if it’s just me, but having no input isn’t always a good thing. For the most part I have been following my current obsessions and have included several of my ‘dangler’ cards (there really must be a better name for them).

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And with the end of term fast approaching ( I really do need to make a start of Alice’s things), I have also added some of this year’s most popular make – the apple blackboard thank you card.

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I also had a yearning to make some more handbag cards. I haven’t made any for quite some time and I realised why – they take ages and need more desk space than I have available in my little craft area. Next time I will make up a few and use the kitchen table! Having said all that, I really have enjoyed putting the handbags together and I’m pleased with how they turned out, in particular the 40th birthday one.

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The papers are so sumptuous. I think it almost looks like velvet.

I thoroughly enjoyed putting the six wedding cards together, although it’s getting harder to make each one unique. I’m going to have to find some time to do some more research and development and see what designs are the most popular.

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The last cards I made were for engagements and get well soon. I always find these occasions difficult and they certainly took longer than the others in terms of designs. But I managed to use my new hexagon die for some of them and I really like the effect, so I might be doing a little collection in this style in the future!

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Time for a brew now they’ve all been delivered.

Happy crafting
x

Shabby Chic?

The shabby chic style seems set to continue as a trend in home decor and cardmaking. It hasn’t been a trend that I have taken too. Don’t get me wrong, I do like examples of it, however, it hasn’t been something I have been able to make successfully.

But since my lovely relaxed holiday I have been open to trying some new things and thought I’d have a go at making the shabby chic look fit in with my clean and simple style. I like to use fonts in my work, though I often don’t get the opportunity. This week I was asked to make a couple of wedding cards using the word ‘LOVE’ as the focus.

I found a lovely free font which I was able to resize to make it the main topper. I had seen some other cards with ripped pieces of papers used to mat and layer, so I thought I’d give it a try. This is what I came up with….

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Wedding Love card

It was great fun to go through all my papers and putting them together. A great way of using up some of the bits in my bit box. I love the kraft card, and I am going to experiment further with my paper crimper, to give some additional texture to the cards. I think the shabby look of the papers works well in contrast with the shaped card.

I’d love to hear what you do with shabby chic or what you think of my cards.

Happy crafting
x