Realising I was quickly running out of homemade cards, this afternoon I got busy with my Stanley knife, the double-sided Sellotape and all the card blanks I had left.
I ended up with half-a-dozen more cards culled from the damaged-beyond-any-other-use Ladybird book I found at a jumble sale last autumn. (I'm particularly liking the ambulance image, I think that would make a great 'get well' card.)
I've still got a few more images left in the book but they are all rather boyish so I thought I'd save making those until I get a few more card blanks. Each card probably cost me just over 30p to make. I think I paid 30p per card blank on ebay and the cost of the double-sided tape is negligible as I got two rolls at a car boot sale a while ago at some incredibly cheap price.
After I'd done those, and used up a loose knitting image from a 'Things to Make' Ladybird book too, I suddenly remembered some rather nice recycled paper card blanks I bought at the Vintage and Handmade Fair in Chipping Sodbury a few weeks ago. I knew the cards were too small for the Ladybird images but had a bit of a 'eureka' moment when I remembered an old 'Complete Book of Sewing' from the 1940's that was knocking around somewhere.
Again, it was a book that was totally beyond use - even the covers had been ripped off at some point - but it does have some lovely 1940's sewing images in it. I rather like the utilitarian one-colour prints against the brown card background.
Total cost of these cards - 50p each for the blanks and maybe 1p on top for the double-sided tape and the original cost of the book. Don't think WH Smiths or Clinton Cards could match that sort of bargain price! And these cards are all one-offs too. Not bad for an hour or so's work.
Inspired idea!
Victoria xx
Posted by: Victoria | 07/08/2011 at 08:07 PM
These are fabulous, Elizabeth. I'm going to have to copy!
Posted by: Loo xx | 07/08/2011 at 08:12 PM
Love the retro pictures of vehicles-these surely must be from Tootles the Taxi ,my sons favourite book years ago. Brings back memories
regards
kath
Posted by: kath barker | 07/08/2011 at 09:47 PM
Great idea, I like making cards, I like ladybird books. Why did I never think of this before?!
Posted by: Lakota [Faith Hope and Charity Shopping] | 07/08/2011 at 11:00 PM
Love these, and what a good way to recycle an old book or two.
Posted by: Briget | 07/09/2011 at 01:07 AM
What a wonderful idea for card making - I love the ones of the vintage vehicles.
Love from Mum
xx
Posted by: Mum | 07/09/2011 at 06:18 PM
While I love making cards, I was swayed by the cut-price cards in my local CR-UK shop, as they were 49p each for gorgeous glossy cards. I can't seem to make very manly cards, so I filled up on the bought cards, picking as manly/unisex as I could manage, and will supplement the card collection with more girly hand-made cards.
Do you ever get card blanks in the cut-price book shops ? That's where I get mine from, and they're about £3.99 for 50 cards. I also bought a corner punch a few weeks ago and it's made the world of difference to the look of my cards.
Posted by: Ponytail | 07/15/2011 at 11:06 AM