Friday 9 March 2018

Tove Jansson and the Moomins

In January I went to see a really super exhibition with my Mum and Dad at Dulwich Picture Gallery in South East London. I have waited until now to share this post as I made something from it for a very dear blogging friend'a birthday and I wanted her to have received it first. It was a very wet miserable January day when we visited but the poster advert really cheered everything up.

 Until I was 18 I lived in nearby Peckham and some of my good friends lived in Dulwich so I have visited the gallery many times in years gone by. In recent years it has undergone extensive renovation and it really is a little gem tucked away in South East London. If you are ever nearby it really is worth a visit.
and yes it even has an old London telephone box in its grounds.
 Who out there remembers Press button A and then Button B?
Gosh it took me back to my childhood. 
Photos are allowed inside but not for the visiting exhibitions. There are some gorgeous artworks housed there permanently.

I loved these Moomins stickers that were also part of the advertising


We had such a lovely morning and even spotted these lovely flowers in the Village Florist when we walked to lunch.
Now I have a dear Finnish blogging friend Mia who I met on line about 9 years ago through our mutual delight in all things Moomins. Mia makes delightful handmade things and over the years I have owned lots of her gorgeous work. Although Mia does not blog as she did years ago, she is more an Instagram girl, we still have a very close friendship and are in regular contact. Her birthday in March I knew just what I would do with the sweet Moomin Programme.
Yes....I would use it to make her birthday card. What was perfect is that she is such a "pink" girl that I had the colourway already there.
I got out my matching distress inks

and made a watercolour background adding some star stencilling in grey. 
I wanted to use the window idea from the programme so I die cut my own in black and white card to layer them up.
I decided my Moomin would be looking out from the window to a moon lit starry night so I die cut a man in the moon and some stars using my Tim Holz bigz die.
and then it was time to put on my creative hat and put my ideas together. 

Here is Mia's finished birthday card.
The sentiment is by Visible Image. 
Here are a few close ups
and one last shot

I really had fun making this and I am so delighted that Mia loved it when she opened it on Sunday morning. 

I would like to enter my Moomin card into the following challenges;

Pixie's snippets playground #321 I really went to town with my snippets with this card......cutting up the programme and all the rest of my die cuts were snippets too!
Allsorts 3/3 ladies only
Simon says stamp girl power Tove Jansson was the epitome of girl power in the 1930s and 40s..very ahead of her time!
Creative Inspirations 1/3 any occasion mine is birthday
let's craft and create 1/3 anything goes
Get Creative 1/3 fantasy
As you like it 1/3 single or multiple layers Mine is multiple as I love the  more realistic 3d effect you can achieve

Another week has whizzed by and we are looking forward to catching up with our babies tomorrow. Enjoy your weekend and I will be back bright and breezy on Monday morning.

Bye for now,

Jane x





16 comments:

  1. What a fun card, you're a very good friend to make this as a gift! I'd love to be able to give a close look to those wonderful paintings! Lucky you! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wonderful card Jane and a lovely story behind it too. Glad your friend loved it...a lucky lady!

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a wonderful place to visit! I have no idea the meaning behind the cartoon guys, but they sure are fun to look at! Your card is a perfect fit for the occasion and your friend must have been totally tickled to receive it! Hope you didn't get snowed on too much when the storm hit. Sending hugs :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh I LOVE your charming card dear Jane!
    Thanks for sharing your visit with us ;-)

    xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh Jane - this really is absolutely brilliant! How perfect for your friend Mia - she will certainly appreciate all the love and care you put into this beautiful creation. And I do so hope you had a spare copy of the Moomin Programme to keep for yourself?

    Hugs

    Di xx

    ReplyDelete
  6. Very lovely card for our mutual friend!! I heard about that T. Jansson exhibit.. how I wish London was closer. 0-:
    Happy celebrating to you and your Mum this weekend. Think spring.

    Anne xx
    PlumTrees22

    ReplyDelete
  7. Dear sweet Jane,

    Thank you so so so very much for not only for my beautiful card which I loved but also this post! It tells a wonderful story of how people can meet&bond even they live far, far away! I really do miss those early blogging days sometimes, it's all so busybusybusy these days, is it me getting older and slower or...? Thank you for sharing all this, and happy you enjoyed our National Treasury Tove's art!

    Much love,
    Mia

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a fabulous card, Jane, I'm sure Mia was thrilled when she received it. The Dulwich Picture Gallery looks a lovely place to visit, thanks for sharing the photos. As for the telephone box, what memories that brought back! xx

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a brilliant card and so very, very Mia!! :) What a great little gallery.......and yes I remember press buttons A and B!!
    Wishing you a lovely weekend end with your babies....we've had a great day with ours big and little!!
    V x

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wonderful! And, as always, enjoyed the other pictures! Thank you so much for sharing your adorable card with us at Creative Inspirations. Good luck!
    Rene

    ReplyDelete
  11. Fabulous. Thanks for sharing with us at Get Creative Challenges. Hope to see you again.
    Hugs, Sandy DT.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh, I want to go! Beautiful art that I'd really like to see up close and personal. I'm glad you got to enjoy a special day with your parents. Adorable card too :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. So glad that you join the fun over Simon Says Stamp Wednesday “Girl Power” Challenge! Awesome details and design! Super work!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Quite a story and the card is adorable. Thanks for joining us at LCC. Anne @ Let’s Craft and Create DT

    ReplyDelete
  15. A wonderful card and a lovely story, I hope Mia likes her little Moomin. Thank you for joining in at As You Like It x

    ReplyDelete
  16. Wow, what a lovely multi layered card!! Such a great post too. Thank you for sharing with us at AYLI. Sarah DT

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for leaving a comment; I really enjoy reading every single one of them.

To comply with the new Data Protection legislation (GDPR) May 2018 I wish to state that any comments left here are with your consent that your name & comment are visible to anyone who visits my blog and that you accept that your personal information is being used for that specific purpose.

Jane x