We’re all mad here!

Happy Friday!  My first card of the New Year is a birthday card which I made for my Son-in-laws birthday last week.  I knew I wanted to make something which was very different from a regular ‘Happy Birthday’ type card, because he’s a very different kind of chap and I love him to the moon and back, so wanted to make him a card which would make him smile right from the start.  So … I made him a Mad Hatter card!   Not because he’s mad, nor because he’s a hatter – but purely because  “We’re all mad here” – it speaks of ‘us’ as a family.  (not me of course.  I’m the sane one [cough])

The papers I used for this card are made by Tinker n Co – who I discovered via Ebay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/tinkernco/m.html?item=110970808057&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562) .

The over-sized playing card on top of the box is from a collection of cards I had already – but they aren’t Tinker &Co – however, you can buy these really easily all over the place (including eBay).

card, large and medium-sized tags and small tag shaped money wallet

The card itself is a Cross-Over card, which I stuck down the ‘flaps’ to make it a big pocket so that I could tuck tags and a money wallet inside the card. (if you don’t know what a ‘cross over’ card is just let me know and I’ll try to help).   I made a stand for the back of the card so that it could stand up independently.

There are three hat pins tucked into the ribbon – upper right hand side of the card (from the Mad Hatters top hat);  a tiny glass bottle in which there is a mystical blue ‘liquid’ on the left of the card – (set glue which I tinted blue and added a few tiny flakes of gilding flakes) with a little tag on it saying ‘drink me’;   a tiny brass cake charm with a tag saying ‘eat me’ hanging from it,  and a beautiful large round brad with a top hat picture held behind resin, which I added to the lower right corner.

All the little pictures of the Mad Hatter were fussy cut and mounted onto black card stock, – and I printed out a little sign to tuck behind the three hat pins which reads:  ‘In this style, 10/6’ – which is the price tag which the Mad Hatter has tucked into the ribbon of his top hat.

The ribbon I used for this card is a black and cream striped Grosgrain ribbon, which I wrapped around the centre of the card and simply tied.  (I also used this ribbon to make a rosette rose on the lid of the card box).   The two larger of the tags have two ribbon loops fixed to the top through which I threaded a short length of bamboo – (cut down bamboo skewers).

Each of the three tags have a front and back.  The long, slim tag has the poem:  “You Are Old,  Father William” on the one side,  which was recited by Alice (in Alice in Wonderland) – and it’s a nod to my son-in-law having a birthday and getting old(er).

The shadows in this photo makes the bamboo pole on the larger tag three times thicker than it is .. this is just the shadow from the pole on the back drop behind the tags. The pole is very slim, and it threads through the two ribbon loops.

The back of the large tag has quotes from Alice in Wonderland along with a fob watch charm which I nex sat to the quote:  “No wonder you’re late. Why this watch is exactly two days slow!” (said by the Mad Hatter).   The back of the long slim tag has a picture of Alice chatting to the Caterpillar, and the space above the picture is so I could hand write a Birthday greeting (‘to’ and ‘from’).

Yes – I think we just might be!

The ‘money wallet’ was made from black cardstock.  Shown here  ↑  with a Cobweborium card tucked into the pocket so that you can see where the gift of birthday money will sit.

All three tags sit nicely into the pocket, and the whole card and tags fits into a hand-made 6×6″ white card box, which I decorated the lid of to match the card.

I was thrilled to pieces that my Son-in-law loved his card.  My daughter (his wife) phoned me after she’d sat reading the card and tags, and said it was the best card I’d ever made.  Coo …  I was beside myself with happiness right there and then!

Thank you so much for coming and spending some time with me, and taking a peep at my latest card.  I really enjoy your company – it can get a little lonely in Blog land sometimes.  So thank you for popping by.

Have a truly wonderful weekend all,  ~ 

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