Blast from the Past - HOTP

 

I've been gifted lots of unused papercraft books by the US company, Hot of The Press, including these colour themed Sarabooks pads

Made a couple of tag cards from the purple pack

and another tag card from the classic pad - might keep most of this one  aside for Christmas cards

These books were produced over 15 years ago, one is dated 1998! Rather than following their dated fancy fold  designs, I've used the backing papers for more a more current styled cards

Independent Shops ..... Craftability

 

I am lucky that nearby in Ipswich, Suffolk, there is a wonderful independent craft shop called Craftability

When I popped in there on Saturday, I picked up 2 sets of spellbinder nested dies for the bargain price of only £3.00 each! That was because they had been used at one of their workshops and were not on the original packaging 

I also went to the Ipswich branch of WH Smiths that was closing down and found these pots of Dovecraft flowers reduced from £1.50 to 25p each. They had the date of 2011 on the back, so had been sitting around in a stockroom somewhere for 15 years!

So that seemed a good excuse to sit in the craft room and marry the die cuts and flowers together in some birthday cards.

And use up a few old peel-offs too!

Similar, but Different ...

Here are 4 different, but similar, birthday cards that I recently made.

I've paired up some of the TEMU Toppers that I bought last August with some yellow frame stickers that I found in Flying Tiger

Stamped on a greeting, then layered them onto some contrasting background papers from the bottom of my stash for 4 quick and easy birthday cards!

 

More cards made with the items I bought at Craftmania in Gt Yarmouth, I thought this image from the Hunkydory Feline Fabulous pad worked well for a Anniversary Card

And this card uses a background paper and die cut sentiment and giraffe that I bought there too. The wooden toucan I have had forever in my stash!

and this oval lily image from an older Hunkydory pad  and fitted perfectly with the oval floral border from the bargain paper pack