Handicrafts by Kate Perry and other ramblings

Monday, February 16, 2015

Recycled Robins

Two posts in one day! Seeing as it is ages since I was here, I am having a catch up. My internet problems seem to have settled down now the high winds have dropped. In fact I am sitting by an open window, with the sun streaming in, and I´m writing about snowy robins!
As I send, and make, around 150 Christmas cards each year, I really need to make 12-15 each month to avoid a mad panic at the end of the year.
My score for January;- 2 !!!
So I thought I had better get my act together this month, and I pulled out my box of salvaged bits from this year´s cards. Robins seem to have been top of the charts, and I had quite a few. Some were huge and filled the whole card front, and there is not much I can do with those, but I selected some of a more usable size and went through my file of dies to find ones they fitted in. When they were all cut out I raided my snippets box to cut a mat for each one, and my Christmas paper off-cuts box for pieces of backing paper. Then I just had to match them up, make some base cards, and add a few embellishments - perfect pearls for holly berries, gems, glitter glue, peel-offs etc.
So here are my first three.
Dies used: Creative Expressions from  Sue Wilson´s California Collection, Spellbinders Floral Ovals, and Sizzix framelets - Fancy lables.

It is worth remembering when making cards like this, that one snippet of card can be made to go a long way. For the green card, (top left), I only had one
piece of that particular shade so when I had cut it to size for the large mat, I cut the frame from the centre of it. I put a small piece of white card stock in the ´hole´to bring it up to level with the rest, and glued my backing paper over it. Then before I used the frame, I cut the sentiment from it and hid that under the robin image. So I had a mat, frame and sentiment that all matched, from one off-cut of card.

Here is my next set. These two are smaller; an A6 card and a 12cm square.
This time I used some paper off-cuts for the first one, as well as some pieces from the original card, and a Martha Stewart punch to make the borders. I liked the little red square one, and for this I used a Impression Obsession Cover-a-card stamp on plain white card to make the backing paper. Red frame - Nellie Snellen die.

And finally, two more A6 cards.
For the first one I used a snippet of snowy paper, and a Marianne snowflake die, and for the second I used my favourite holly stamp, a very old one by Penny Black, with red perfect pearls for the berries.
Dies used. Spellbinders Resplendent Rectangles, and Nellie Snellen foliage frame.
Well that is seven made this month so things are improving. (I have actually made nine because my Rudolph Day ones are ready to post on 25th as I have visitors until then so I won´t be doing a lot of crafting!).
I have made a small dent in my snippets boxes with these cards so I am off to Pixie´s Snippets Playground. I have just posted some Spring flowers over there, so she´ll be thinking I´ve got my seasons in a muddle.

8 comments:

Jean said...

You've been a busy bee. A lovely collection of robin cards here. I think my favourite is the one with the gold spotted card and red punched borders. I have a pile of cards waiting for this kind of treatment but I haven't got round to doing it yet.
Jean x

kiwimeskreations said...

Kate these are gorgeous - love how you can get so much from one snippet - you really are a frugal crafter!
Blessings
Maxine

Virginia said...

Oh you are on a roll with these, so lovely to see someone else recycling the cards they receive in the same way I do, I also find the addition of glitter glue/stickles can make anything look festive tee hee!

Di said...

Wow Kate, these are absolutely fabulous - brilliant up cycling! Each one is different and obviously has been well thought out too. I'm interested in the Resplendant Rectangles card (bottom left). I find that particular die really hard to extract without damaging the long 'slits' - think it's one that I should remember to always used waxed paper with!

A real flock of lovely robins!

Hugs

Di xx

MaryH said...

Wow, Kate, you've been busy. I love your recycled Robins, and it's wonderful that another person will get to enjoy what ya'll did previously. You've done such clever & colorful treatments on each card. I see that we share a similar taste in dies. When I just need a mat, I save the center cut for another project and it's amazing what can be done with the snippets! (if I remember where it is, of course). Each card that you've shared is a treasure, yet each design is so unique, while using the lovely robins. (you know I do love birds!). Yep, Rudy Day is fast approaching. Good for you at being ahead of the game. TFS & Enjoy your company. Glad the internet problems have eased up a bit for you. Hugs.

veronica said...

great recycling Kate, and some lovely cards as a result. You're way ahead of me with the Christmas cards, still on 0!

Sarn said...

Morning Kate . . . What a lovely array of puffed up Christmas Robins greeted me in this post! WONDERFUL.

Congrats on making NINE as well. Will look forward to seeing the other two on Rudolph Day over at Mo's.

Hugs, Sarn xxx

Pat said...

Wow what a profusion of robins Kate and all the cards are so different and pretty, and thank you so much for the tips on getting the most out of paper and card snippets. x