Quilled lanterns on CNY cards

I wanted to make some Chinese New Year cards for my neighbours this year. I didn't have time to make complicated and overly fancy cards for them this year, therefore I opted for something really simple and fast to do. So I decided to make these quilled lanterns. It's the first time for me to make them. They are not that difficult to make too.

I made two types, one vertical card and the other a horizontal one. The horizontal one has pop up cherry blossoms inside it. I haven't been making new pop up card designs for quite a while now. It was great fun making them this year. Really thrilling even though it was a simple one :). Gosh...I'm so easy to please hahahaha!!

You can view how the cherry blossoms pops up inside the card at the video below. :)

Hand-carved rubber stamps

I remembered, way back in 2009, a good friend of mine gave me a set of carving tools for me to use to make my own rubber stamps. I did gave it try on an old and new rubber and gave them a new life. I posted some photos of them back then at my personal blog. You can view the posts at the link HERE and HERE. I did made more after that but I stopped carving rubbers until just recently. Somehow, the mood to carve came and I just couldn't stop! I can't believe that I've been keeping the carving tools and rubbers for the past 6 years!! OMG!! I felt so bad for neglecting them :(.

I guess the thing that triggered me to make my own handmade rubber stamps now is my need for simple stamp designs for my own handmade cards. I really need something simple but I can't find them at the craft store. Another reason is of course the price. I think it's better for me to try making them myself since the designs that I wanted are quite easy to do. 

I just start with something easy and who know perhaps in future I will be able to make complicated ones. I have doubts about that since I have shaky hands. It's not easy to carve when your hands are shaking. It's a real challenge.

I love making stamps like the ones I made above. Simply because they are the easiest type to make! Playing with the positive and negative space in a design is fun! And when carving a rubber stamp using a design that has a lot of negative space is much easier compared to the ones with a lot of positive space. And I love carving out the positive space and just holding them on my fingers as they are just so cute!!

The ones below are the type of designs that has a positive image. They are a bit difficult to carve out. Really tested my patience but it was a good experience nonetheless. I just need to focus more and be gentle when carving them.

Of course this won't be the last time I carve rubber stamps. There will be more to come in future in shaa Allah. As long as there is a need, then there will be time for me to make them. This is just the beginning of a wonderful journey..... :).