Kalo playing with ... n u m b e r s ... 1 2 3 4 5

I have been ill in bed for two days perhaps it was the food I ate in Borough Market (I suspect the yummy but evil oyster!) or the cold I caught during a long walk along the Thames or simply the greyish weather in London. But today, I decided to get out of my bed and do something - to play with numbers 1 2 3 4 5 ...


Last Friday, I very very randomly went to a lovely children shop Three Potato Four that sells cute children's items in Newington Green and very very randomly had a good conversation with the shop owner Genna, who kindly advised me that birthday cards especially with numbers generally sell really well in her shop. So I took her advice and created a new set of birthday cards today! 


I did not want to just stick a number onto a birthday card design, because that is just too literal. So instead, I created some animals out of numbers. Similar to the Valentine's card designs, I use colourful papers, handcut each design, glued the ribbons and handwrite 'happy birthday' on each card. 


My favourite one is the green rabbit with pink ribbon! For my next project, I might turn numbers into different types of transportations ...


(After I posted this... *please help*) I had a chat with my friend about these designs, she commented that they look rather too plain and simple and more colours are needed, especially when these cards are for young children. And for her, as a buyer, whether the final work is handcut-finished or not does not make a huge impact on the buying decision (for me as a maker, it feels like handcutting the artwork adds value to the card). It is always good to hear some really honest opinion because it is hard for me to think more thoroughly as an outsider! I look at my artwork all the time and I also tended to make things that please my own eyes. So anyone who can bring in some 'fresh eyes' point of view, you are very very welcome to drop me a line. Thanks!