Blue and white for Christmas

Here is a variation on the pattern by Wendy Walters.  This time I  took the pattern all around the four sides and added one of my white poinsettias in the middle - slightly offset.  Some gems and a little glitter to finish.

I shall keep playing and hopefully I can produce many without repeating  myself.

Carol
xx

CD Sunday - Rock Star - chosen by Wynn

Good Morning.  Has everybody dried out since Friday?  I hope no one has really suffered with any flooding. I couldn't believe the rain we had here in Surrey.
To cheer us up Wynn has come up with a novel theme - new to us I think -  Rock Star.  I used to love a little Rock 'n' Roll  -  being of the right era.  We used to have a weekly hop at our Youth Club.  Memories!!
Enough! - back to business.
Here is my card

I used La Pashe CD - Something for Everyone.   Best place to start when you are not quite sure where to start - if you follow me.  I love the decoupage on all the La Pashe CD's. I like to cut out properly and I find it relaxing.

As you will have realised we have a small team at the moment.  Please stay with us and support us as we go forward.  We have some plans and will mention them as soon as we can.
When I joined the  CD Sunday team back in October 2010 I had no thought of one day being the longest current serving member. I miss Tess and Wendy and now Jenny and Christine.  I have learned so much from them all about Blogland and I am very grateful. It keeps this old Grandmother busy and active.
Please pause to say hello  and any comments are avidy read and greatly appreciated.
Carol xx

Poinsettias for Christmas

I recently discovered (a couple of days ago) a digital pattern by Wendy Walters - Grid pattern Guide - 4 petal flower. I watched the video on Wendy's site and was fascinated at how beautiful and simple it seemed and was in a hurry to have a go.  So I bought all I needed and had a play and here is the result.
Wendy suggests you use the simple pattern to create your own cards and that is what I have done.

I really enjoyed the making of this card and hope that I can produce many in a similar vein quite quickly as I have quite a few cards to make.  The poinsettias are my own parchment creation and the sentiment is one from a cracker die set from Tonic.  I separated the two words being careful to round the edges as I cut. I added small red pearls in the flower centres.
I then went on a spending spree and have bought several new dies that will be suitable to use as the central feature with this grid pattern. Can't wait for them to come. (and I better make a few more poinsettias).
Carol xx

ATC Swop UK

Here are the ATC's I made and sent in for the July 2015 swop.  The theme this time was 'Newsprint' and although you can send in from 1 - 5  I only made 2 this time and this is how they were presented by the organiser's husband -  affectionately known as 'The Slave'.

But here is a sneeky peek at the ones for August which I am sending in soon. The theme this time is 'Trees' and I  had a lot of fun with these and used some of my new Glaze pens (the old ones had dried up).   And I have had a go at showing them off like 'The Slave'.

Do you like the 'tree' easel I have used on 3 of them?


Ah well!!
Back to Christmas cards.
Carol xx

A day by the sea - Part 2

This is the second card made at the workshop - in the afternoon.  A Christmas card.  I was pleased as I am trying to really get started on making all mine.

Here it is:

Most of the work was done at the workshop - just the last bit of the grid and adding the sentiment and the branches done at home.  I know that holly berries don't really go with the fir tree but they finish it nicely.
We used the Faber Castell Polychromos pencils and blending medium for the colouring on the back and then I added some dry work on the front for detail and shadow. I love colouring this way.
About colouring pencils.  I bought my Faber Castell pencils some time ago and love using them but they can be a bit hard.  So I bought myself two tins of the Spectrum Noir pencils as an addition to my arsenal but I must admit that I am disappointed with using them with blending material.  You are supposed to be able to do so but I find they are greasy (perhaps because they are softer) and I have gone back to the Faber.
I will have to find another use for the Spectrum Noir.
Hope you like the card.
Another great pattern thank you Judith. (no long words tonight - too tired).
Carol xx

A day by the Sea

but I didn't see a single wave.  We were of course at Barton on Sea for our third Judith Maslen workshop for 2015.
We have such great days. Diligent but with gaiety (Judith and I are playing word games).
We had two new patterns as always and the first was white work with a hint of colour.
It is called  'Marguerites' and the pattern no: will be - jm069-1.
Here is my finished offering:

I decided to dress the image up a little more than I usually do. The background - printed straight to card - is from a CD - 'from the heart of the garden' by Jane Shasky. The sentiment is die cut and used the same card as the matting  layer. I printed out a paper version of the purple card and the background card and made die cut flowers and added dazzlers.  Also some gems to two of the grid sections on the image.
The pattern for the afternoon session was a Christmas card and I hope to finish that a little later.
Another fun but exhausting day.
Thank you Judith.
Carol xx

Sepia toned butterflies

I have now finished the last of the  butterfly cards  I made at Bristol using the Pergamano Grid No:31.  I showed the photograph of the unfinished one on my Bristol post. Here it is again.

Instead of using a contrasting butterfly in the centre as I had done for the others  I made one from Grid No: 17 (which has larger sized butterflies) using the same coloured parchment.
I remember that about 4 years ago I made a butterfly in the same colour tones using  a stamp by Carolines.  I also remember how nice I thought  the black gems/pearls were that  I had used on the butterfly so....
This is what I have done:

The overall colour looks better because this last photo was taken in my garden this morning with the sunshine.  The other was taken on the scanner.  What a difference?
I hope you like it.  I think I am butterflied out for a wee while.
Carol xx

CD Sunday - Add a stamped image - chosen by Christine

I must admit I don't do a lot of stamping these days.  I still buy stamps though - mostly to stamp out onto card and then use as an image to trace for parchment work  - or for ATC's which is another passion of mine.
This time I have used stamps to make a background card to suit the image I found on an Ooh La La CD - Faithful Friends.
As you will see I have a really early Halloween card for my box of 'here is one I made earlier'.

The image is a pyramage with only the top layer using sticky pads to raise it.  The matting layer is red and not black as it shows in the photograph. The little stamped cats are 'Kitty Silhouettes' by Stampendous and the diecut larger cat is by ???.  I didn't keep the packaging so I don't know the manufacturer I am afraid.

As you will see on the CD Sunday Blog we are losing both Jenny and Christine from our Design Team and this will be their  last  challenge and choice.  Jenny and Christine were both  founder members of CD Sunday and the team are really sorry to see them go but we wish them both  all the best,  and success to Christine  in her venture as a Hobby Demonstrator for Stamping Up.
All the best Jenny and Christine.

Carol xx

A mystery pattern

Whilst I was tidying up some 'stuff' prior to settling down to continue with Christmas cards I found this parchment topper that had been finished but not mounted. Unfortunately I cannot remember where the pattern comes from or who the designer is.  I suspect Judith Maslen as the border is similar to some of her other designs - but I am just not sure.

An unusual design with some interesting grid patterns.
Carol
xx

p.s.  Mystery solved.  I got in touch with Judith and she came up trumps (you'll see the pun in a moment).  Judith had been asked to do a pattern of a Jazz Trumpeter for a workshop and very kindly Judith designed such a card but also gave an alternative to those  of us who didn't want a Trumpeter - hence my rose. The Jazz Trumpeter pattern on her site is JM037(3)7
 

A Deco Delight

This is from a Kraftyhand's CD called 'Deco Delights'.
I love the brilliant blue.   There are 3 layers of decoupage, added gems, and some clear Wink of Stella  to give a touch of sparkle.

A very quick and simple card to make as apart from the gems it is all on the CD.