Inspired by Nature - Ooh La La Challenge #131

Today I decided that I would enter the Ooh La La Challenge -' Inspired by Nature'.
I needed something gentle to sit and do so I was inspired to do some stitching.  I chose a William Morris design of tulips which I obtained from Pinbroidery.  It may have been gentle to do but it was frustrating .  The patterns always seem to be printed very clearly but sometimes they just don't seem to work and a lot of undoing and consequential mutterings happen.
Here it is:

I used the largest die from the Xcut set of Rectangle Parenthesis 1 for the stitching base. The beautiful backing paper is from Cupcakecrafting 'The Premium Collection' CD6  ( a recent rediscovery)  and the mirror card tulips were cut using a Memory Box die - 'Dancing Tulips'.
I did enjoy the stitching -  and also choosing the colour palette.

Carol xx

Stamping with Woodware - again

When I attended the Woodware stamping workshop at The Art of Craft (when I made 3 flower cards) I purchased a Woodware stamp designed by Jane Gill - who was our tutor on that day.
I stamped the image onto card and traced it on parchment using a sepia pen and then did a little pricking and embossing.  Jane told me that she designed it whilst on a barge holiday.  Something she saw must have given her an idea.  It is a beautiful stamp - nice bold clear lines which I love and it will stand on it's own or with colour or with parchment as I have done.
The black mat was a sudden inspiration - I think it works.
Carol x

CD Sunday - Aged to Perfection

I have chosen the Brighton run from La Pashe for my card this week. I have actually done the Commercial Vehicle Brighton Run and it was very exciting.  At the time my eldest son was helping to keep an old Denis Fire Engine on the road and was  part of a team taking it to shows and fetes.  We had a wonderful day  Here is the very same Fire Engine before we set off.

Back to my card from La Pashe

I live in the right area to have maps of Brighton so I have used an old one for the background.  If you look carefully you can just see Brighton under 'Anniversary'.
I love the sense of humour on most of the La Pashe cards... have you seen what the bird is doing!!

I look forward to seeing everyone's idea of 'Aged'.

Carol
x

More Christmas cards from La pashe

Just 96 to go.
xx

Christmas cards

I have decided to start on my Christmas cards really early this year.  I need to make at least 100 and for the last couple of years the most I have managed is about 30....and then a quick trip to buy some from Smith's or somewhere.
I plan lots from La Pashe as the Christmas cards on this disc are brilliant and I do like decoupage and want to get back to doing some.  Some will be die cut - which would justify some of the dies I couldn't resist and the rest perhaps from the Docrafts graphics programme that I invested in.
So here are the first  - from La Pashe - under the 'Remember When' heading:

Sorry - this second one wasn't in the scanner properly.   It is all straight.
Happy Christmas.
Carol
xx

CD Sunday - Go Green

Good Morning, good morning, good morning etc... as Stephen Fry would say on QI.  One of my favourite programmes. Well he says Good Evening etc but that would be a bit silly.
I had a lovely day yesterday at the workshop but now down to business.
Jenny had chosen a theme (in rotation) before her sabbatical and we all wanted to continue with it so here it is.  I chose to recycle and use green.  It is called hedging your bets.

The beautifully made topper was on a  Get Well card that I was sent by a friend who doesn't  make her own cards but always manages to find stunning hand finished cards from somewhere. The gingham background is from that great standby CD by Robert Addams - Printable Ginghams etc. The die for the bow is a new acquisition.  Comes of seeing all these new things I haven't got (well didn't have) when visiting all the Blogs as part of my team duties.

Please leave a note when you visit - if you feel so inclined.  It is always nice to read a message or two.
Carol
x

Stamping with Woodware

I have quite a few Woodware stamps. I love the clean bold lines because I can use them for stamping and tracing in parchment work. Remember the lovely Snowman I did for CD Sunday.
Today I spent a full day at The Art Of Craft attending a workshop run by Jane Gill who designs for Woodware.  We were stamping and water colouring three of her flower designs.   Below are my efforts.  I wasn't over the moon with my painting.  Three full cards is quite a lot to make in 4 hours of the class (we had to eat and drink as well) and I would have liked a little longer.  I rushed through the second one especially and the leaves of the Violets should have had a great deal more shading etc but I just slapped on the paint I am afraid.

Jane is a very good teacher - pity about the pupil.  A lovely fun day though.  Always is at The Art of Craft.
Carol x

CD Sunday - Ornate Blossom

Good morning.  I hope you are having a good weekend.  I am having a great time as my good friends Debs and Mandi are here with me for the weekend.  We have been out this evening to my favourite local Chinese Restaurant and had a wonderful meal and maybe imbibed a little.   I am doing my posting now as I know I won't be up early in the morning.
This weeks theme was Christine's choice and it really does cover a wide field of possibilities.  Here is my card :

For this I used a Kraftyhands CD - The Edwardian Rose Garden.  I have only added some gems and a paper flower from stash.  Everything else is from the CD. I made this with a particular friend in mind and she will have received it by now.
I wish everyone a good week.
Hugs
Carol x

More Workshop Wonders from

Judith Maslens bi- monthly workshop down in the New Forest.
 As we set off in the early hours it was raining and we thought - Oh no!  not a repeat of the awful journeys back in March but the sun came out and the weather was glorious.

Two new patterns again and a full house including some new faces.

Our first pattern was in the ' Seasons '  Series and in typical Judith style this was No: 1 - Spring.  We did 'Summer' back in March?
This was a beautiful white work design of a daffodil with leaves and some other flowers. I felt pleased with my work until the last moments spent on the daffodils trumpet.  Those who do parchment work will know that you are always turning the work over to work on the back and then back again to the front to see what you have done and  compare with the picture that you are working from.  Somehow it is easy then to forget which is left and which is right when you have turned it over.  I felt I needed to emphasise some of the embossing to the left of the flower (looking from the front) and then turned my work over and promptly embossed on the left on the back. Wrong place  of course.  I asked Judith to please help and of course she rescued my daffodil trumpet and showed me how to work on other parts so that my incorrect embossing disappeared into the background. So thank you Judith and my daffodil has a trumpet.

Our afternoon session was spent with a pattern in her series - 'All At Sea' and this is called - 'In the Harbour'

Specifically designed for the man in your life this pattern uses a little white work, tracing with black and sepia pens,  colouring on the back and the front of the design and then a little embossing to add highlights.

Thank you Judith for another great session.  Always fun and instructive.

CD Sunday - Weddings

Good morning.
I hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine we have been having.  At least we have had sunshine down here in the South.  The mornings can still be quite cold though.
For this weeks theme I returned to parchment and used a lovely pattern by Judith Maslen.  I was with  Judith yesterday at her May workshop and hope to have some more of her great designs to show you (when I have finished them of course).

This pattern is of the Wedding Coach.  It reminded me of Cinderella's coach after the Fairy Godmother had transformed the pumpkin.

I wanted a particular blue for the background.  A bit like Wedgwood Blue and I found this colour on a Cupcakecrafting CD - Beautiful Botanicals.  I had forgotten that I had this CD and consequently spend a good time rediscovering all the images and found some wonderful backing papers.  I have made a mental note to look again when I next need a background for parchment.

Over at CD Sunday we have a new Guest Designer.  Gloria (Misty's Mum) has joined us and we are delighted to welcome her.  The theme of 'Weddings' is in Gloria's honour  who was married on April 25th

Please leave a message when you visit.  It is always nice to know you have called.
Hugs
Carol x