{This is a collaborative post}
It's not anywhere near as easy to be in touch with our friends and loved ones right now. Yes, we have technology and that, of course, is an absolute blessing as we can still see each other and connect, but nothing beats being face-to-face and being able to have a hug and clearly hear their voice.
For people like my husband's grandma, who is 96 there is no option for video calling as she doesn't have any gadgets and she doesn't understand the technology even. So I have been sending her letters, jigsaw puzzles, books and other care packages to help things feel a little brighter and for her to know that we are still thinking of her between the phone calls. It's at times like this when I really feel the difficulty of living over a hundred miles from both our families. I would just love to be able to nip around and leave some groceries on her doorstep, or to have a cuppa in her garden as she sits inside, as per social distancing.
It brings me a lot of joy to create things that I think will speak to the person they are intended for. I wouldn't say I have a natural talent for craft but I think I can create some nice cards from fairly basic materials. My go-to approach is to use card blanks, along with coloured card, printed papers and toppers to create a layered approach. I also like to add some washi tape and things like stick-on diamontes/ pearl beads.
What I discovered this week is that I don't have to keep spending out lots of money on pre-made card toppers, I can buy a bundle from Design Bundles and then print off as many designs as I like, for as long as I like, meaning the cost per piece becomes better and better value over time as I use more of them, and even if I only used each image from the bundle just once they are still just as cheap as the ones I buy from the shops.
I downloaded the unicorn clipart bundle and have been using them to make some cards. I really loved the bright rainbow design and they struck me as perfect for people working within the NHS, care industries or as key workers at the moment. I have a friend Clare, who is a nurse and very sadly she picked up the symptoms of Covid-19 and after testing positive, she is now self-isolating at home. Thankfully a week in and she is improving and it has been a mild case for her, but I thought I'd make her a rainbow unicorn card to say thanks so much for being willing to put herself in this precarious situation day after day.
To Clare and all the other frontline and key workers out there, we salute you and say thanks so much for all you are doing. I wish I could send every one of you a unicorn card!
I really enjoyed having a look around the Design Bundles website, there is such a variety of designs and inspiration on there, from cute zebras to chakra symbols, to rustic monoline icons. I have to be honest and say I had no idea there were sites out there like Design Bundles where a novice like me could source all these great images, icons, templates and clipart. I thought you had to be a professional designer to use them, but no, it is available for everyone - designers, crafters, teachers and students alike. Their super value and great customer service are what have helped them build a database of over a million customers and 150,000 products in their marketplace.
Why don't you join me?
If you like to papercraft like me, or maybe you are a talented online designer, get yourself the fabulous rainbow uniforms bundle (which also includes stars, rainbows, hearts clusters and swathes of stars) from Design Bundles and make some cards to say thank you to some key workers, or maybe to send to loved ones to let them know they are missed. I don't think there is anyone who wouldn't appreciate something physical arriving in the post right now. I know it really brightens my day!
Why not pin this post for later?
