Time for Friends (and a Freebie)

Since the wedding last September, time has whizzed by and, with the month in Australia and then the three-week flu, followed swiftly by Christmas, I just haven't had time to catch up with friends.  So these two projects are for my dear friends.

A few years ago, when working as a bookbinder became impossible due to illness, I was a temporary secretary for a while (actually, for about two years!), until I found a permanent position.  During that time I was lucky enough to work with some lovely people but made long-lasting friendships with two groups of friends in particular.  I try and meet up regularly with them but I haven't seen either group since the wedding.  So I thought it might be nice to send them a card, rather than an e-mail, to arrange our next outings. 

The first card is to a group of friends I call my 'Girlies'.  We met when I was working for a legal firm at one of their out-of-town offices and we've remained firm friends ever since.  I have made three of these cards, one for each of them, and inside there is an invitation to dinner (although I have blanked out some more personal information that appears inside too).

Image: My teapot - I drew it and you can have it - see below. I paper pieced the teapot on to Funky Hand's Funky Christmas dotty paper before printing it out. Then I shaded it with Prismacolors and cut it out before fixing it to the card with 3D tape.

Papers: Cosmo Cricket

Now, I must confess that I have taken inspiration from Debbie's post on Thinking Inking (see it here) and I hope you don't mind, Debbie.  I just loved Debbie's project so much and I'd already prepared the tea pots and just didn't know what I wanted to do with them.  Debbie had used some Cosmo Cricket papers for her card and, of course, being the Cosmo groupie that I am, it immediately spoke to me and so I used her card as the inspiration for mine. 

I didn't have a teapot stamp so I just drew my teapot (Dot the Pot, she's called) and here it is - dotty version and plain version.  Just make sure you click on the image to enlarge before saving it.

The next card (I made two) is to send to friends I made whilst working for a pensions company on the outskirts of York.  I particularly love the image I've chosen because, like me, one of my friends remembers the old days of manual typewriters - we've come so far since then. 

Image: Free vintage clipart from the web, which I tinted with my Prismacolors.

Papers: I think they're K and Co - they were from my Mum's stash!

I don't usually have any floral/vintage papers in my stash because I don't often use them, so raiding Mum's stash was really useful.  I like this card - the 'girls' will be amused.

Anyway, I must go because the gas man cometh and I don't know when, so I don't want to get caught out.

Happy crafting.

Px