Framed!

As I am actually up to date with my crafting right now, I thought I would share with you something I have been 'playing' with for a few days. Up until now I have made birthday cards as and when I need one, which most of the time is just fine. But occasionally someone will ask me if I have a spare card they can buy, or I learn that a friend's birthday is the next day and I have nothing ready. So I decided to build up a small stock of quick and easy cards for when I get caught unprepared. There is also a gap in the local market for something a little more than just old cards recycled, but not as expensive as a special hand-crafted one. Also I have some beautiful flower photos on my computer that I would like to use for something. I am continuing to work my way through my photo-editing manual, one chapter at a time, to try to make better use of the program, and this week I had a look at how to make a frame for a photo. I chose five of my better flower photos and made frames for them, so now all I have to do is print them out and mount them in an interesting way, and I will have a set of cards and/or notelets. Here is what I have done so far, all using the photos I took very recently, except the grass one which is from last year. I welcome your comments, good or bad.

First we have a pink Crown of thorns with a very pink frame!

This is a bourganvillea that we bought last year for a couple of euros because it was little more than a dead stick, but I have been talking to it, (and giving it the odd drop of water), and it is coming along nicely. I just love the colour.

These daisies love bright sunshine. They are a very vivid orange/yellow that compliments the mexican style frame.

I used this photo of grasses because I wanted something with a light enough surround to show the dark swirl frame.

And finally we have the oleander from out at the back of us. It is almost like a little rose isn't it?

(Click on the images for a larger view).