The design process

Hello everyone,

Apologies for being AWOL last week - just too much to do and not enough hours in the days!

Today I want to let you in on a little bit of the design process that goes on behind the scenes before a card makes it to my shop. We'll start with this card:

This design has always been a popular one but I was never really entirely happy with it, so I set about trying to see if I could improve it. The wrought iron bracket and leaves were stamped on this card, but I wanted to make them more 3D to link in more with the quilled flowers. This was my first attempt:

The leaves are punched with a Martha Stewart punch and I'm perfectly happy with that part of the design. But the bracket just looks too clumsy to me. I spent a lot of money buying a set of Shapeabilities to get that bracket and then I didn't like it.

So the I thought, what about if I quilled the bracket - surely that would look more delicate. But somehow it's still not right. I showed my husband, who just shook his head and said "No, doesn't look right" - thanks for that!!

So back to the drawing board:

Now, in my head, the bracket needed to be black, to reflect the wrought iron design in real life. But as the black looked too clumsy and heavy I thought I would try it in gold - and it seemed to work. The gold links in with the borders on the card and the greeting. For me, this third one is the one. But what do you think? I'd love to hear your views!

Til next time, have fun,

Jill

Something different

Hi everyone,

Hope you've had a happy weekend. Not the best weather here in Surrey, but that's just a good excuse for staying in and making cards!

Today I want to show some cards that are a little different from my usual style. I was inspired by a card I saw online somewhere - apologies for not being able to give credit, but I spend far too many hours every day surfing blogs and can't find the original source. Anyway, I have changed the design enough to make it mine.

I have a whole raft of birthdays of friends and relations in June and July so mass produced these cards to be ready and organised.

These colour combinations just make me sooooo happy!! A far cry from my usual colour palette of muted pastels, but I really love them. Which is your favourite?

I used a Sizzix embossing folder on the black card and the daisies are cut from a Sizzix die which I've had ages but not used much. There is a similar one (if not the same) in the current Stampin Up catalogue. Each daisy has a quilled fringed flower as a centre. The message banners on the pink and yellow cards are again from stash I've had ages - from Craftwork cards. I didn't have a turquoise one, so made it from a scrap of card and a peel off.

Hope you like them. Also hope none of my friends with birthdays coming up are reading this! Haha!

Jill x

Paper quilling Father's Day cards

Hello everyone,

So sorry for missing my regular post last week - just don't know where the time went. Feeling very chilled and relaxed today as I have a week off from the day job to look forward to - lots of card-making opportunities.

Well, I suppose today I should really be posting something that reflects the Jubilee celebrations this weekend. Sadly I am not that organised but I am feeling smug that I have at last managed to list a couple of Father's Day cards in my Etsy and Folksy shops.

This first card is, I think, adapted from a design by Jane Jenkins. I just love how it's possible to make those cute carrots, cabbages and cauliflowers, all from paper.

The second card is a design that I have been making for years but had been sadly neglected.

Both of these cards can easily be personalised for a male birthday, rather than Father's Day. I still find making cards for men a huge challenge, so it's good to have at least a couple of designs in my armoury!

Well that's me for today. Enjoy the Jubilee celebrations if you are in the UK. I may well be back during the week to show any new designs I mange to come up with in my week off!

Jill x