Hi everyone,

We are almost half way through May! Where is the time going? Soon I will be getting ready to make the Christmas Cards for the website. I know... Christmas in May! But you have to start early if you are going to make enough. After all, for me it is not just the Christmas Cards, but also the First Holy Communion Cards, the Confirmation Cards, The Baptism Cards, for babies and adults alike. Then there are the special cards, like Twins cards for example. There are two sets of twins in my family, both sets to my eldest son. He has 13 year old twin boys, and 6 year old twin boys, and I know how difficult it was for me, before I started this, to get cards for twins.

I really enjoy making the cards, I go off into my own little world while making them. Here are a few examples:

These Twin Christening Cards are almost A4 side-on an this one is finished with white ribbon set against grey with yellow flowers. I have done this for Boy and Girl Twins.





Here I have made the same card, but in blue - for a boy - there are many people who insist on buying blue for a boy. I must admit, when my boys were babies I would dress them in something blue. Blue mittens, little knitted helmet - I'm going back over 40 years now. There wasn't a lot of choice for baby boys clothes then, not like now, plenty of choice, making it almost too hard to decide what to get!

Of course, little baby girls, sugar and spice, and all things nice. This card is set for a girl, but instead of pink, I have chosen a soft lilac, and in 'person' so to speak, it does look really good. Can you imagine twin girls all dressed up in pink and bows and pretty booties. Lovely! Over 40 years ago, when my boys were babies, the choice for girls was staggering, and even more so today! For example, my boys used to where romper suits. These were like little dresses, but with buttons underneath so that it didn't look too girlie, and it made it easier to change nappies etc. then soon after came the babygrow - yay - then baby boys and baby girls looked the same unless they were dressed in the appropriate colour for their gender.

I like doing mixed textures on my cards. These examples have parchment crafted toppers, which have been hand-painted in coloured inks.

Take a trip to my website to view the full range at www.leruleoriginals.co.uk I'll see you there!

Well, that's all for now everyone. Enjoy your week.

All the best,

Louise

Beaded Tassel Bookmarks

Hi everyone,

Just a short blog today, so I thought I would talk about the bookmarks that I sell on my website http://www.leruleoriginals.co.uk.

I make beaded tassel bookmarks, which have either an excerpt from the Bible on them, The Lord's Prayer, or a Latin prayer, or the Apostles' Creed, in either English or Latin, etc. They are all laminated, which serves two purposes, it keeps the bookmark clean and adds to its durability.

The tassels are made from Anchor fade-proof cotton, and some tassels have glass beads on them, or acrylic beads. Some tassels have wooden beads from the ancient olive groves in the Holy Land. The ancient olive trees are regularly pollarded. This is a process whereby older wood is cut out, which keeps the trees healthy. It is this pollarded wood which is made into the beads. Any item that I make that has Holy Land Olive Wood, comes with a Certificate of Authenticity confirming its origins.

The bookmarks are wonderful keepsakes, very often bought with one of my cards, for example, First Holy Communion, or Confirmation. I also do bookmarks that are completely personalised. Why not email me at louise@leruleoriginals.co.uk to let me know what you would like. A couple of years ago I was asked to make over 300 bookmarks for a primary school in celebration of their school's anniversary. I followed their design, and they were thrilled with the result. I can do this for you too.

If you would like to see the bookmarks that I sell on my website, then please click on the link below to see them all.

http://www.leruleoriginals.co.uk/bookmarks-c-87.html?osCsid=c551aac68d8468239207aa12f4d2fda9