Cards | haiku cards

Melon mambo and pumpkin pie agapanthus

04 Sep 2016 2 Comments

by Helen in Birthday, Cards, floral, Ladies Tags: agapanthus

This one is for the colourQ challenge #357…

melon mambo pumpkin pie

It’s a watercoloured background rather than ink but I think I’ve nailed the colours.

Not sure I’ve nailed the hand lettering though 🙁 Need more practice!

A garden sunset
Day, weekend, summer, all gone
Flowers just black stalks

Flying high

04 Sep 2016 8 Comments

by Helen in Birthday, Cards, CAS, Masculine

I have been trying hard to come up with cards that can be used for boys and men. There are so many easy motifs suitable for women (flowers!), but not so many for males.

This card uses some of the same watercoloured background I used in the Squaring Up card, but in a very different context.

happy birthday kite

I’m entering this in Muse #181 challenge as it’s inspired by Sarah Platt’s stunning card:

and also Seize the Birthday (Anything Goes Birthday)

(edited to add the link – not sure where that went!)

And here’s the haiku:

Are you leaving us?
Fly on: your adventure is
elsewhere. Cut your string.

Squaring up

01 Sep 2016 9 Comments

by Helen in Cards, CAS

I’ve got a lot of duty stuff done recently so feel justified in a little playful crafting.

This card is inspired by the challenges at Less is More (Using a peel-off – or several in this case!) and Cards in Envy (Hip to be Square).

squaring up

The watercolouring of the background took the longest: the result of several trials. I added Woodware Francoise Leaves peel-offs (I’ve had them for a while!) and more peel-offs for the frame (straighter than they look in the photo, honest!).

Feeling square and grey
Age comes before you’re aware
Don’t let it slip in…

Agapanthus orange birthday

06 Aug 2016 6 Comments

by Helen in Birthday, Cards, floral Tags: agapanthus

I’ve been using my new favourite agapanthus stamps (Stampendous Agapanthus Thank You) to create a birthday card for a lovely aunt. I would love to have more floral stamps, and am looking for some good ones to add to my Need-to-have list…

I will add this card to the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Fabulous florals

Just Add Ink #323; Add F (Flowers!)

That’s crafty Zesty Zing challenge I love these bright zesty colours!

May the bright sun warm
your aching bones, bring echoes
of youth and freedom.

Sorry you’re leaving

23 Jun 2016 Comments Off on Sorry you’re leaving

by Helen in Cards, CAS, Leaving, Masculine Tags: clocks, Time

I need a leaving card for a chap at work. Tried one yesterday and you know how sometimes the muse just doesn’t come? I ended up with something that looked like a 5 year old had done it. In fact most five year olds could do a lot better. Just didn’t work!

So today I had another go and came up with three. Here’s my favourite. Watercoloured with post-it masking and Heidi Swapp clock stamps. I’ve been wanting to try the grey and yellow combination for a while.

Where you’re going to:
Not greener on the other side
but don’t be blue

Fire butterflies

19 Jun 2016 5 Comments

by Helen in Cards, Ladies Tags: butterflies

A second post in a day!

fire butterflies

Water-coloured medieval manuscript pattern paper cut out using two stencils and a punch. The background is clear embossed Autumn Leaves Rhonna Farrer swirls stamp.

This one is inspired by a few challenges which I am entering. Including CAS on Sunday: Butterflies

and Muse #170 from Anita Bowden with the butterflies and a fiery colour palette.

My words, blown out, sent
into the cold world, setting
fire to the debate.

Let’s just say I’ve been thinking about the EU debate and that I believe in people collaborating and working for change from the inside.

Agapanthus thank you

19 Jun 2016 3 Comments

by Helen in Cards, CAS, floral, Thank you Tags: agapanthus, CASual Fridays, challenge, Stampendous

I have been trying to use up my stash rather than buy more, but needing more Herma I caved in and made an order, and of course more than just glue fell into my cart. I have a new flower stamp, the Agapanthus Thank You from Stampendous, to play with.

Here is the first card with that stamp. The background is watercoloured – it’s an attempt to reproduce the Pantone Colour of the Year 2016, rose quartz and serenity (yes they picked two colours this year). I don’t think I got them right, especially the blue, but it’s a pretty combination anyway.

I’m entering this in

CAS-ual Fridays challenge: thanks with twine

and Penny Black and More: June challenge – Flower Power

One thing about not being a carer any more is that I get more time to craft. It’s a bitter-sweet opportunity.

Caring no longer
Time to play and make things, but
chance is bittersweet.

Sympathy – sketch and colour challenge

12 Jun 2016 3 Comments

by Helen in Cards

I started on challenges and got interrupted by losing someone dear to me. So I’ve made virtually nothing but funeral service cards for the past few weeks.

I realise now that all those sympathy cards actually help a lot, so now I will be sending a lot more.

Here is my first:

And the haiku that goes with it, in memoriam.

Teacher’s epitaph:
The lesson is ended but
the learning goes on

I’m entering this in TWO challenges (very daring!)

Freshly made Sketches #240

and Colour Q #345

Hearts mew

11 Jun 2016 Comments Off on Hearts mew

by Helen in Cards, Love, Masculine

I went to a communication workshop at work and they got us to pair up and then try to sell something – a skill or item of our own – to the other person. I sold my card making skills 🙂 I was so successful that my colleague actually did commission and pay for the card (the fee was donated to charity). A card for her cat loving husband: created with hand drawing and fussy cutting, black paint and chalk, and a few glitter stars.