Sunday 22 September 2019

A cat-themed birthday card for my son

I don't normally make greeting cards because I find the constraints of trying to make something that other people like a bit stressful and restrictive to my creativity.  One exception is my son's birthday. The tradition started back in 2014 in my first year of discovering mixed media - so, this is the sixth project in the series. You can find all the previous ones under the birthday label.

Mike wanted a "cat-shaped" card - well, it didn't turn out to be cat-shaped but it's very much cat themed! It's made out of a large recycled cardboard envelope, which was covered in book paper to make it more sturdy. Several layers of gesso, paint and collage later, the substrate became strong enough to hold its own weight standing up, despite its large size, which is just under 14" X 10".

I didn't really have a plan before I started this project - it sort of evolved as I went along over the course of several days. The blood moon was printed off the internet, the cat shape cut on my Cameo and the rest are die-cut pieces.

The inside of the card features photos, cat cartoons printed from the internet, letter stickers, washi tape and a pocket holding a little note card (which you might recognise from an earlier project) with a birthday message on the back and a gelli pinted mini envelope from years ago that holds Oreo's whiskers. We've been collecting his lost whiskers ever since he was a kitten - it kind of became a good luck tradition!




The back of the card has some squares cut from a cute cat fabric that I'd had for many years, even before I became interested in crafting. They just happen to feature the same cat/moon/stars theme as my design on the front of the card so they were a perfect match! 



My son said this is the best card yet I've ever made him so I have my job cut out for next year! There was also the obligatory cake, with god knows how much butter and sugar in it - I'd rather not think about it (and it still looks like it's missing a layer LOL) - and the "official" birthday portrait with Oreo (looking a bit unimpressed!) who celebrated his fourth birthday at the same time.





Happy Sunday! xx

6 comments:

  1. Wow, this birthday card is so full of creativity and love, your son must have loved it! I had to laugh looking at Oreo's whiskers! As a child, I used to collect whiskers and hair of dogs that I met on the streets (I was not allowed to have one on my own): I put them in a small booklet with name and date, and I was sure they would bring me luck!
    The picture with Mike and Oreo is great art as well.

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  2. Cool card - I really like the silhouettes. I love to make birthday cards - a chance to challenge myself with a smaller area.

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  3. I love this card, Zsuzsa! It is such fun, and I love all the cartoons, and the envelope with Oreo's whiskers! I can't believe your son is now 15. He's turning into a very handsome young man, isn't he. Lovely picture of him with Oreo. His cake is great, too! Well done you, all round. I am sure he had a lovely birthday.

    Shoshi

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  4. I think I commented on the photo of the two of them on FB previously - it is a lovely photo. As for the card - well ... what can I say? I can understand your son saying it is the best ever, the cover is bold with strong colours but the inside is truly inspired. I love the idea of the whisker collection the cartoons are so funny and what a brilliant idea for a 15 year old boy the whole card is
    Hugs, Neet xx.

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