March is International Craft Month and so now us crafters have an excuse.  Do we really need one to go and dig out those stamps, papers, inks, embellishment and hide out in our crafty world.  I know I don’t need Craft Month as an excuse but hey, whatever works. 

What is that you love about crafting?  Is the ability to get creative, or  wanting to preserve your memories, or creating something with a purpose in mind, or it is just because you like crafting.  There are tons more reasons to craft and I will leave it up to you to use your imagination and come up with a few of your own reasons.

Crafting for me is a wonderful pastime and I don’t know where I would be without it.  I have crafted for years in various forms from embroidery, sewing, knitting, crocheting, cross stitching, scrapbooking, Artex painting (remember that craze?), jewelry making, ceramics, and now stamping.  I think I may have missed a few.  Some of them I learned from my Mother (much to her chagrin at times) and others are self taught and some I took classes.

We know that “Chicken Soup” is good for the soul and maybe someone needs to write a book on “Crafting is Good for the Soul”.  Hmmm, do I hear an idea?

I do have a craft to show today and of course it’s a card.  The card is one that I did for my DIL and as she is a crafter too, she understood the passion that went into her card and the package that her gift was in.

Birthday Card

Stamps: Best of Birthdays (c – 132929 25^th Anniversary Stamps), Memorable Moments (c – 1266982, w- 126680, p.139 2012/2013 Annual Catalogue) 

Check out the link so you can see the stamps that Stampin’ Up! has released so far this year for their 25th Anniversary.

Paper: Naturals White, Sahara Sand, Tea for Two DSP, Vellum

Ink: Calypso Coral, So Saffron, Lucky Limeade, Whisper White Craft

Accessories: Big Shot, Ovals Collection Framelits, Early Espresso Bakers Twine, Tea Time Trinkets, Versamark, Tangerine Tango Embossing Powder, Tea Lace Paper Doilies, Vanilla Flower Trim, Crystal Effects, Markers: Lucky Limeade and Calypso Coral,  Other: White Acrylic Paint

The front panel was sponged in a few spots with Calypso Coral and a mixture of the White Acrylic Paint and some Crystal Effects was smeared in places with a sponge brush.  The jury is still out on that treatment.

I also decorated in inside of the card (yes, went all out this time) and created the package for her gift using the Petite Purse Die (125606)

Inside

As you can see it was a Memorable Moments birthday.

Petite Purse

I used a piece of the DSP to create the purse and added an embossed piece of Calypso Coral card stock.  I the flower is from the Very Vanilla Flower trim that I sprayed with So Saffron and then sponged the tips with Calypso Coral.  The leaves were cut using the BIg Shot and the Little Leaves Sizzlit Die.

I know that the packaging was small but the gift was huge in her eyes.

So that is my tribute to International Craft Month. 

Leave me a comment and tell me what types of crafts you do or have done.

Happy Stamping