CD Sunday - Puss Cat

I have used an image from Joanna Sheen's 'Nostalgia' CD showcasing the paintings by Kevin Walsh. I have always been a fan of his artwork and was so pleased when I saw this Cd for sale. I know I will use it a great deal. I have never had any cats - always been a dog person but I do love this image.

I hope you have enjoyed our Halloween week on Cd Sunday - but what about Strictly's Halloween. I think some good and some very bad sums it up.

I will be away next week so I am apologising in advance as I won't be able to visit your Blogs and leave any comments. I tried taking my laptop with me last year and the reception was non existant so I am not even bothering this year.

Just a Butterfly thing...........................

Whilst I have been struggling with this awful chest infection I haven't been able to do any complicated crafting especially using parchment patterns as the concentration level has been zero. I have though sat and cut out and made some more of the butterflies from the Artylicious Butterfly Bliss CD. Again each one is three layers, 280gsm card, 120gsm paper and 140gsm parchment.
I have watched more television these last 10 days or so that I have in the last year and isn't it boring.

Here are the butterflies:

But here is one special one - first of many I hope - and it comes from the bonus folder on a Debbees Cd - Paper Flower Boutique.
I have used paper only for this one. I did varnish the 'feelers' with nail varnish to strengthen them.

I am planning to make many more of these when I am working on Stand G45 at the NEC next week - so I'll keep taking the tablets - and I will see you there.

Fall Butterfly

A lovely lady in America very kindly said such very nice things about the blue version of this card that I made a little while ago that I decided I would like to make one just for her and post off to the States.
The butterfly is one of those I made using the Artylicious Butterfly Bliss CD and I chose this one because of the 'Fall' colours on the wings.
I used the Multi Grid No: 17 again and coloured the little butterflies to match the big one using Faber Castell Polychromos pencils- Earth Green Yellowish 168, Dark Chrome yellow 109, Burnt Ochre 187 and Deep Scarlet red 219.
The backing paper is one of my own. I took a photograph at Wisley last year of the leaves on one of the fantastic specimen trees they have there just as they were beginning to turn in the Autumn. I used my ACDSee photo manager to add an oil painting effect to the image and was very pleased with the result- and it matched the other colours I had used perfectly.

CD Sunday - Halloween

This is my CD Sunday DT card for the challenge ' Halloween'. I have used Ooh La La's 'Silhouette Magic' CD and MCS with some paper additions and a touch of glitter. I hope to see many 'spooky' entries from our loyal band of followers.
Thank you for your entries in our 'Around the World' challenge last week and I will be letting Jenny know my Top 3 choice as soon as possible.

CD Sunday - Around the World

I got a bit excited about this particular challenge as it was my turn to choose the challenge and consequently to choose the Top 3.
I knew exactly what I was going to do - go off and find my 'Carol's Cubes'. I was fascinated by them when Carol first showed them on C & C and I think I bought all of them. Sadly neglected with my passion for all this parchment but being on this DT means that I have to dig out forgotten supplies and skills. One of the reasons why I love being part of CD Sunday.
So here is my card

I loved making it. I got messy stamping and then got out my watercolours and my best brush and had a whale of a time.
I used the Egypt, Africa and India cubes. The bp for the card is from Ooh La La. The Mappa Mundi is from ?? and the border and wording were added using my ACDSee photo manager programme.

We had some great cards entered last week and it wasn't an easy theme and I know Jocelyn is going to find it difficult to choose her Top 3.
Have fun with our theme this week, which I think is a little bit easier, and I know I will enjoy my trip 'Around the Blogs'. I have a little something for the winner.

Some more from the new Debbees Cd

Four very quick coasters. Printed on to 280 gsm white card. The quality of the images is shown by the fact that the rectangular pictures were altered to 80mm x 80mm squares without any distortion.

Egg Box Fairy - decoupage. Printed on Navigator Silky 120gsm paper and 280 gsm linen look card for the basic card.

Cup Cake Chaos waterfall card. - again all printed using the 280 gsm white linen look card.

I am having such fun with this CD.

A Plate Card and an Easel Card

from the new Debbees CD.
I don't normally make this sort of card but they were so easy to make and I think they look great.

I haven't had the completed Cd yet but I believe there will be one or two of each of these per character. No measuring to do - it was all done for me. I just had to cut it out and stick it together. As an easel novice that suited me.

WOW!!!!

I will start with just one WOW as my fab friend Debs does them much better than I do.
Here is my announcement - in her words:


YES.. Really .... Judith Maslen... Really Really Truly!! (insert more Oh Wows here!) I am sure many of you will have heard lots about this fabulously talented and oh so luvverly and smashing lady. maybe have some her beautiful parchment patterns or been lucky enough to get a much coveted space on one of her workshop, or met her at shows .... and here is a CD full of her beautiful work (insert more Oh Wows please!)

Serious bit.. (if I can stop being excited for long enough!!) on the CD there are 6 main folders, each with it's own quirky little fairy (generally up to a bit of mischief!), hand drawn onto parchment and coloured by the fabulous JUDITH MASLEN. You then have decoupage, toppers, pyramids, waterfalls, papers, inserts etc etc etc Plus Bonus Folders, shaped cards and more papers, PLUS for all you Parchers and Pro-Marker/Pencil/Paint fans there is a bonus Digi Stamp folder with loads of err.. digi stamps :-) and shaped cards, ready to be painted or traced or whatever

Hang on.. Need a couple more Wows!

Loads and loads on here... but way to excited to stop and count the pages.. but lots!!!

Did I mention the artwork was by Judith Maslen??

Available to buy... at the NEC!!!! Stand G45.. see you there.

OK Debs - calm down.

So here is my bit. I have been (and still am )making some sample cards from this new CD for display at the NEC and here is a preview. I am one of the lucky ones who go to Judith's workshops and I adore her work. So I think I am almost as excited as Debs about the new venture.

The Cup Cake Chaos - in parchment.

The Craft Room Fairy - in parchment

The Dressing Table fairy - pyramage

The Egg Box fairy - Recipe Book in linen look card with lined pages.

CD Sunday - Wine Buff

Good Morning. I am quite excited about this challenge as I think it is such an unusual theme and I am intrigued to see what everyone is going to make for this one.
We have such wonderful entries in our challenges and I am sure this will be no exception.
I hadn't got anything on a CD for an image that I felt was suitable so I turned to my 'stitching' folder and found this one that I liked straight away. It looks like a very 'posh' wine label and is better for being all in one colour.

The background paper is from MCS and just seemed perfect to keep it all in balance.
The two wine glasses charms are a bit special as they were given to me by my late friend Sue. Sue was such a generous person and nobody ever left her house without armfuls of crafting goodies. It was so sad when Sue could no longer craft. Here is a toast to you Sue.

Well done to our two prize winners, Linby and Tabitha, and good luck to Pamela choosing her top three. Not an easy task with all those wonderful cards from which to choose.

Just a little personal note: Welcome back Christine and so glad it all went well.

Blissful Butterfly

I suddenly felt the need to make a card using one of those butterflies in my last post.... and here it is:

I went back to the Artylicious CD - Butterfly Bliss - for the toning backing paper. I found this in the same colour folder as the butterfly. I then used Pergamano Multi Grid No:17 for the parchment butterfly border. I coloured in the little butterflies from the back using Faber Castell Polychromos pencils. I chose the four main colours in the butterfly and they are - Phthalo Green - 161, Cobalt Green - 156, Phthalo Blue - 145 and Sky Blue - 146. A small sun tool for the butterfly trail and a sprinkle of Glamour dust - which show up more in the 'flesh'. The card itself is a toning blue with a glitter border. I have had it so long I can't remember the manufacturer. I hope you like it. I enjoyed making it very much.

Some more Parchment Butterflies

I have been using the  Artylicious Butterfly Bliss CD for a future project (can't show it yet) and rediscovered the pages of beautifully coloured and styled butterflies.  Before I knew what had happened I had printed out three sheets each of a couple of the designs.  I printed I in 280gsm linen look card, 1 in 120gsm Navigator Silky touch and 1 in 140gsm parchment.  I cut them all out and layered them having embossed the parchment one and put that on last.  Added some antennae and now have some more for my embellishment box or for the next time I choose the Top 3 on CD Sunday.

Here they are:

CD Sunday - Nature's Wonders

The 1st week of October already.  Our 1st week of the month is a sponsored week as always and this month we have as our very generous sponsor  Sue Wilson of  Creative Expressions.  The prize for the lucky winners whose names are drawn is a share of 4 sets of Christmas Stamps.  We are very grateful to Sue for her generosity.
Sue very kindly sent the design team a set of stamps called Nature's Wonders to play with and we have all come up with very different ideas.
I made a couple of ATC's

I used  Pattern Source Nature 2 CD (Japanese Papers) and three of the stamps from my sheet.

Sadly last week we had to say goodbye to Tess as a team member and this week we are welcoming our new teamie Jocelyn -  of Jocelyn's Place.  I am sure many of you will know Jocelyn from her Blog and the beautiful cards she makes and I can confess that I also know Jocelyn  as a personal friend.

It is a home from home month for me as our Guest Designer  for October is Pamela of  Pamela's Pages  - who is also a friend of mine.  No this isn't a take over bid  - just a coincidence.  I am looking forward to a great month.

ATC's in Parchment

I love making ATC's.  I belong to a couple of ATC swop groups.  The biggest one being the UKSN - United Kingdom Stampers Network.  A great club where you can swop many things, but I just belong to the ATC group.  That is the only section that allows  mediums other than stamping.
I have been making quite a few parchment ones for my 'stock' folder and I thought I would share what I have done.

I have used so many different sources for images, backing papers etc and I can't remember them all but here are those that I do remember:
Judith Maslen, Joanna Sheen, Carol Ann's Studio, Ooh La La, Pauline Loweth, Pergamano Multi Grid 9, Peels Offs, embossing folder, MCS, Rubber stamp and Chocolate Baroque.