Cats, Sheep and websites

Here are a couple of frames that I made yesterday.  Emily wanted me to put them on my blog now rather than wait for the end of the month, so here I am doing as I am told.

For a friend whose cat passed away earlier in the week.  Heart cut using Spellbinders Pawing Around die. Button Trimits mini heart buttons.  Text printed, mounted in Ikea box frame.

Made for my daughter whose favourite toy is a sheep with a purple face who she can't live without, he is rather scruffy and threadbare now, but she still loves him.  Emily says her sheep has purple ears too, so he needs a bit of work to perfect him!  Sheep cut using Create and Craft Metal Sheep Die.  Text printed, mounted in Ikea box frame.  I am tempted to do a Baa Baa black sheep one.  I also have similar dies for a cat, dog, hedgehog and squirrel.

I am hoping that I might be able to get my website back up and running and to sell some of my makes.  It will be slow progress especially with school holidays coming up, but an exciting prospect and makes me feel happier and able to make things for a reason, so watch this space!

I am hopeless with pricing, I am hopeless at pricing. I have to cover the costs which for the framed ones the frames cost £3.50, so would really need to charge at least £5, but then postage would be as much again, obviously not an issue for local people.  The dies used to cut the shapes are a one off cost, but are not cheap.

Cards also have costs, the stitched ones and Iris ones use a pattern which is a one off cost, but if people have particular requirements and want me to purchase a pattern then it is a greater cost, they are also time consuming and have the cost of the card, envelopes and bags to cover, all stuff to think about.

Being ill and not being able to produce large numbers of items means I will never cover all my costs, but it's nice to get some appreciation for what I make.  Also need to be careful not to get too excited and try to do too much.

Update:

The sheep now has purple ears and I have glue in my hair!!

May Makes

I have done quite a few easier makes this month as I have been worn out and just wanted something quick and easy to do, it also means I now have a bit of a selection of cards and don't need to madly make one when I need one.  I did also make some special cards, but have not shown them as they are for later dates, so will appear once they have been given.

Made with Dee Craft card and assorted papers, one of them is printed with the recipients name, but is not very clear.  Printed using Craftville backing paper maker.

Heart die cut with a large heart die (can't remember brand), backing paper printed with Craftville backing paper maker, letters and numbers stitched using Stitching card lettering font 370.  15th wedding anniversary is the Crystal anniversary.

Above and below, made with Spellbinders Pawing around die

Butterfly is X cut small butterfly die cut.  Cream circle cut with Nellies Multi die MFD075.  Background paper by Craft Sensations

Spotty card from Dee Crafts.  Shape made with unknown die cut.

Made with Dee Craft card and assorted papers, one of them is printed with the recipients name, but is not very clear.  Printed using Craftville backing paper maker.

Embossed with Darice Ducks embossing folder

Embossed with Cuttlebug owl flourish embossing folder

Shape cut from wrapping paper with with Nellies Multi die MFD075. Background embossed with Darice Butterfly corner embossing folder

Shape cut from wrapping paper with unknown heart die, background embossed with Darice Paws embossing folder.

Oval die cut from Dianne's Die Cuts strung using spirelli technique

X cut small butterfly on a background of Darice Butterfly corner embossing folder. Spotty card from Dee Craft

Owls cut using Tattered lace owl tree. Background paper by Craft Sensations

Shape cut from wrapping paper with unknown heart die.  Background paper by Craft Sensations

Tree cut with free die on Die Cutting Essentials magazine issue 9.  Buttons Trimits flowers.  Space left under design to add greeting of choice.

X cut small butterfly, circle die cut from Dianne's Die Cuts strung using spirelli technique. Backgroud is wrapping paper.  Space left under design to add greeting of choice.

Oval die cut from Dianne's Die Cuts strung using spirelli technique

Circle die cut from Dianne's Die Cuts strung using spirelli technique. Vellum background Heyda 78942. Space under design for greeting of choice.

Above and below shapes die cut from Dianne's Die Cuts strung using spirelli technique

Above and below shape cut with X cut nesting dies.  Background paper Docrafts Country Life, cover gift with Docrafts magazine

Shape cut from wrapping paper with with Nellies Multi die MFD075.

Made with Spellbinders Pawing around die.  Spotty card from Dee Craft

Last weekend we visited Pink Frog craft shop in Chesterfield.  They have some great dies and Rob's mum bought me some for my birthday.  They had a huge display of cards, but they were very intricate and fussy, I wouldn't have the time and energy to make ones like that.  I find it a bit depressing as it makes me think my cards are not good enough.

Emily helped me to photograph these cards and has joined in a bit with making them.  She thinks I should sell them.  I used to do that with my website Craftyjanes, but stopped when Emily was born.  people are not really interested in the basic ones, but I did get quite a few orders for personalised ones.  There is too much competition now and I don't think mine would sell, so at the moment they are just for personal use and my Mum had some of them.

April Makes

Card from Dee Crafts, papers printed using Craftville backing paper builder.  Union jack paper is paper strips from Yellow Moon, water made using Sizzix grass die and sun using Sizzix sun sizzlet.  Greeting created with powerpoint.

Made using my own photo of sun rise through Emily's bedroom window with dreamcatcher in front.  Dotty card blank from Dee craft.

May 12th is ME awareness day so I made this card using papers printed with Craftville backing paper. Greeting created with powerpoint. Card from Dee Craft

May 12th is ME awareness day so I made this card using papers printed with Craftville backing paper and tea bag tile maker.  Greeting created with powerpoint.  Card from Dee Craft

After seeing my ME elephant I was asked to do a personalised Elephant card for an 80th birthday.  Again I used baking paper created with Craftville backing paper maker and also one from Paperprintables.  Paperprintables has some great papers and costs £1 per month to use. 

Another ME awareness make.  Spoons bought on Ebay, hearts, beads and findings from Beads Direct.

To find out how spoons relate to ME, check out Spoon Theory.  P.S I am useless at using the spoon theory, maybe these earrings will remind me!

Another requested card for a 60th wedding anniversary.  I was really not sure about this one and had several attempts to get it to look right, but the person who ordered it likes it, hope the recipients do to.  What an achievement 60 years of marriage.  Personalised papers printed with backing paper maker at Craftville, card from Deecraft.  Other patterns papers from my stock, source unknown.

Personalised papers printed with backing paper maker at Craftville, card from Deecraft.  Other patterns papers from my stock, source unknown.

Created for my Mum's birthday. Pattern by Carol Lepard, from Craftsuprint.  Embossed with Darice butterfly folder

Embossed with Darice paw print folder.  Heart shapes cut with Spellbinders Shapeabilities Pawing Around cut and emboss stencil.

Card from Dee Crafts, papers printed using Craftville backing paper builder.  

Finally finished off my quilted cat block for bedroom wall.  Heart shapes cut with Spellbinders Shapeabilities Pawing Around cut and emboss stencil.  Framed in Ikea box frame.  Buttons for eyes and nose (not very clear)