I dubbed this month’s Craft it Forward: Three’s a Charm. I incorporated three loves (photo manipulation, paper and cats) to create my third craft it forward: a series of greeting cards. If you’re new to the concept of Craft it Forward, you can read about it here.  Links to the first and second project are at the end of this post.

I’m trying a little something different with each craft, stretching the old comfort zone if you will.  It’s good challenging myself.

This set of cards is for Sheila.  She’s an animal lover, photographer and all-around nice person. She fosters cats and nurtures children and is always quick with support or a compliment.  She’s guiding and supporting a young woman through a difficult time now.  I hope these cards serve as a little pick-me-up.

At my request, Sheila sent a digital photo of one of her cats, a stunner named Rodent. I altered the photo using Picasa software, creating three different images. Sheila loves purple and robin’s egg blue, so I applied colored filters to the photo to achieve the effect you see below. The third photo is in its original form. After manipulating the image, I printed the photo on heavy-duty watercolor paper. The paper absorbs some of the color, creating a mat finish. Let me know what you think.

Included with Three’s a Charm:

• Twelve, 5 x 7 greeting cards, 4 of each design
• Twelve ‘Secret Garden’ envelope seals
• A small, faux birdcage.

The small faux cage currently houses the cards.  Once empty, she can reuse it to hold a small house plant or fill it with laundry lint and other soft materials for nesting birds.

Birdhouse of Cards

Lovely Lavender

Kitty in the Garden

Shades of Blue

Cards in a cage

Craft it Forward:

Here’s how it works. The first five people to comment on the original post receive a handmade item with the gardening nirvana touch. In return, they agree to pay it forward, crafting their own unique item for the first five people on their list. Craft it Forward encourages community, creative spirit and camaraderie. It also encourages flexibility, so I expanded my list from five to seven based on interest in the project. Isn’t it fun making your own rules?

Further, in the era of the internet, who doesn’t like ‘real’ mail? If you haven’t started your own Craft it Forward, today is a good day to get one going.

• Craft it Forward #1: Living Journal
• Craft it Forward #2: Flowers and Oscar Wilde
• What is Craft it Forward?