Back with a Big One

The past month has been a mix of highs and lows, hence the absence of any creative efforts from me. I think I'm now over the low spots so without further ado let me show off my latest effort: an e-NOR-mous card for my daughter's forthcoming 40th birthday. I take no credit for originality - my crafty friend Joy made one like this a couple of years ago for her son-in-law, and not only did she encourage me to consider making one like it for Claire but she gave me a template and picures plus periodic nudges to get on with it!

The template was actually a card blank from Craftwork Cards in the shape of 4 candles. I merely opened it out so there were 8 candles, traced round it on a large A3 sheet, cut it out, stuck on bits of foil paper and repeated four more times, then joined them together to make a 5 panel accordian folded card. The two problems were the flimsy nature of the foil, which creases if you so much as look at it, and the sheer size....when extended the card is 70", or 1.75 metres. The inner part of the flame is made with an X-Cut leaf punch exactly the same shape; the decorative circles are all by JustRite Stampers cut with Nestabilities Classic Circles and mounted on purple pearlised card cut with scalloped Nesties. The figures are from the Cuttlebug Hippie Chick alphabet dies.

Here are some more pics to show detail from left to right, the dark patches are shadow/reflections of me as I stood on a chair to take the photos:

It has taken many hours of work over the past eight days to make the card, and not for the first time I'm glad Claire wasn't twins :)