CFK for the UKSN

The coded heading stands for:

Card for Kindness for the United Kingdom Stampers Network.

Here is my card that I made for a fellow member of our club.  I have mentioned before that the members are monthly each given a name with whom to swap a Card for Kindness

Because of my Carpal Tunnel Syndrome I am - at the moment - using my graphic CDs and programmes more than usual in my card making.  Even typing this today is a problem as my whole arm and hand is tingling like crazy.

Here is the card together with a matching calendar.

I don't find it onerous to be making cards this way as I love all the Card Hut CDs and programmes. 

I just feel bad that I haven't managed to fulfill my commenting duties for CD Sunday Plus.  I can manage occasionally but not all the time.  With the major problems that the NHS is facing it will be many many months before I can get treatment for the Carpal Tunnel. I will just have to be patient.

In the meantime may I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a good safe New Year.

Positively the last Christmas cards for 2021

Some of you may have picked up from some of my postings that I am a member of the UK Stampers Network.  This lovely group are primarily about all things stamping but they do have certain internal little groups that you can get involved in and not use stamps - like the ATC group .  They also do craft retreats and on one of these they learned some card shapes - one of which was a 3 point card.   It was talked about on the blog and I loved what they had done.  I am known amongst some of my friends as an 'any shape as long as it is square' kind of crafter but I did like the cards they showed me.  So I had a go and here are my last two Christmas cards for 2021.   I love them and plan to use the shape more often when I am making my 2022 Christmas cards.

Now the blue one was my 1st go and I still have that one but the second is in an envelope ready for the postbox.

For them both I used backing paper from stash.  The images are die cuts.  The meeces are from Carnation Crafts and the Santa is from Tattered Lace.  The sentiments were cut with dies I have had for ages.

Admittedly I made the basis of the cards  some time ago (September) but with help of the new pain medication from my GP to help with the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome I managed to complete the red one yesterday but only because I had already cut out the images and they were safe and ready in my die cut stash.

I think I like the shape more each time I look at them.

Thanks for looking.

Hugs

Carol

xx

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge - #75 - Anything Goes hosted by Moi.

This is the last challenge for CD Sunday Plus until after Christmas and the New year.

I have saved one of the Christmas cards I made with the new Tattered Lace dies and charisma sets - Christmas Tidings - that I bought a little while ago.  I showed you one that I had made (here) and this is the second I kept under wraps until now.

Out of the two I made at the time I think this is my favourite.  I found the background on the net but couldn't find to whom to attribute it to.  Who ever it was - thank you - and I only used a very little.

I love finding images to use that say Happy Christmas without always having to add the  words - and I think this is one of those.

So for the card I used the aforementioned background over which I placed the bauble made using the die cut charisma in two embossed layers,  over the extra bauble die cut,   and then a die cut bow.

As always I look forward to browsing through the entries we receive.  I am still hors de combat with the carpal tunnel syndrome and will do my best to get back to commentating asap.

This won't be my last post before Christmas but it is not too early to wish all a very happy festive season.

Carol

xx

CD Sunday Plus Challenge - #74

I have a special card to share for this challenge.  During this month my beloved Granddaughter - Ellie - celebrated her 18th birthday.  Ellie was named after my own mother - Eleanor.

It certainly doesn't feel like 18 years ago that we welcomed her into the world - but it was.

This is the card I made especially for her:

This was created using a Card Hut CD -  'In the Doghouse'.  The poem was written by the CD artist Mark Bardsley, and is in his illustrated book 'Dogs' of which I have a signed copy. 

Ellie has a wonderful Cockerpoo named Alfie.  Here he is sitting on the arm of my sofa.  He was waiting for Chris to come home and here he could see out of the window.:

Alfie comes to stay with us occasionally.  He adores my son Chris and will follow him everywhere.  They look like a comedy duo as Alfie is barely 18" tall and Chris is 6' 2".

Ellie didn't have a big celebration because of Covid but we did have a family tea and get together and Grandma was asked to make a couple of cakes. 

Here is one of the cakes - I was asked to make two and they were exactly the same.

All this happened last Tuesday and we did have a lovely time - as special as it could have been.

I have been told since that both the cakes have been consumed and not a crumb left.   Alfie, I am told, was not pleased.

Carol

xx

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #73 - hosted by Margaret - 'Anything Goes' (as long as Rule 3 has been obeyed)

 This is the card I have made for Challenge #73:

I went to La Pashe again for the image for this card.    From 'The Best of La Pashe - 2012' - Disc 2 -  Decoupage plus -  'On Manoeuvres'.  The tank and soldiers are decoupaged. The cacti  were found on the internet - downloaded and cut out and attached with sticky pads.  The two background mats were die cut using Carnation Crafts 'Shabby' dies.

This is for my son-in-law who has a birthday in November. He has many hobbies and is a very talented builder of models.  All working ones - like helicopters that fly and tanks that manoeuvre.

I just now have to find out - via my daughter - what little something he needs for the next model.

I look forward to visiting the entries to the new challenge.  In the meantime please be careful out there.

Carol xx

Christmas is coming.

 There isn't much serious crafting I can do at the moment with my right wrist in a splint but I have been able to do some very gentle craft work for a little while with the splint off.  Only in little spurts - I promise.

A while ago I bought some kits to make tiny Angel and glass bauble hanging ornaments to make up.  I went a bit mad with the Angel kits and bought 5 kits (10 in each) in Poppy, Ivy, Honeysuckle, Heather and Harebell.

The Angels came from here  and the glass baubles came from Amazon.

Then on Amazon I found some small Pre-lit little trees to use as table centres or coffee table displays.  So I bought some of those to display my new Angels and baubles.  Here is a photo of the first one I have made.  Still to be played with a bit more.

The little trees are beautifully made and as I have so many Angels and baubles I have bought several and intend to give them as Christmas gifts.  I even found Christmas Ted  to be in the photo.

Carol

xxx

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #72 - hosted by Jo

 As always the challenge is Anything Goes as long as Rule 3 has been followed - see here in the sidebar.

For my DT card for this challenge I am presenting a card I made for my lovely nephew on his recent 43rd birthday.  He has been an Arsenal supporter since he really knew that there was such a thing as football.  We sometimes tease and embarass him by reminding him that when he was very little he used put on the kit when he was watching matches on the box.  I read this out to my son Chris  - his cousin - who commented  that it wasn't much fun being an Arsenal fan at the moment.  Much better to support his team - Liverpool. 

I don't understand the game - I was a golfer!

It all came from the La Pashe CD -  'Big One' Disc 2.  From the Football Birthdays folder.    It took a bit of fiddling and adjustments to get the 'strip' right before I decoupaged it.  It must be OK though as I haven't heard any complaints.

The red and white mats were cut using Carnation Crafts dies and I used the small centre oblong from one of the sets to make the sentiment.

As always I look forward to visiting many blogs.

Hugs

Carol xx 

A Halloween special

I  have received a fabulous and unexpected Halloween card from my friend and fellow CD Sunday Plus  teamie  - Pamela.  It is wonderful and I wanted to show it off.  Thank you Pamela. xx

More for Christmas 2021

Because at CD Sunday Plus we now accept cards and projects made using digital stamps and images I have become much more aware of what - in the digital world -  is out there and available to purchase.

When I see a new to me site mentioned as a source used in an entry I go off to investigate.  Such a site I found the other day - HettyClare.  I have added the site - with a link -  to my side bar.

I purchased a few images and one in particular was a Christmas one.  I have made three cards using the purchased image.  I used a background from MCS and my graphics programme, ACDSee, to add the borders and text.  I really do not know what I would do without ACDSee.  Here are the three.

Later I might add  a little glitter or even some enamel type colouring to the fairy lights.  I try to make all my Christmas cards different but I do choose one each year to be my go to one in case I have not made enough.  I like this one so it may well be the one I choose.

I am so glad that my cards for the rest of the year are now complete - touching wood - as I am suffering a recurrence of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in my right hand.  I had cortisone injection back in 2017 and was fine but it seems to be back.  Now I will start the long process of trying to get treatment.  Unlikely but we will see.

Hugs

Carol

 xx

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #71 - hosted by Pamela

As always the CD Sunday Plus Challenges are anything goes as long as the challenge rules are followed - which you can find here.

Sadly my card for this challenge is a Sympathy card.  In these uncertain times we are making more of these than we like or would wish.

I made this card for a friend on the forum that I talked about, back in Challenge #70.  I had found the image of the Forget-me-nots sometime ago - as a download - and I think they are the perfect flower for such a card.   They have always been one of my favourite flowers with which to craft.  The Victorians used them a great deal.  I have a Kaleidoscope CD and it is this that I used to make the card.  I entered the image into the CD graphics programme and 'played' until I created the image that I wanted to use.  Here is the card:

The little square centrepiece shows the original image and the rest of the card is the kaleidoscope.  I added the border with my ACDSee programme and then some toning crystal gems.

I look forward - as always - to visiting your blogs and admiring the wonderful creations.  Aren't we lucky to be crafters at such a time?  Keeping us busy and sane.  Certainly the first but not sure about the second.

Hugs, Carol

xx

Halloween

I have dipped my toe into the world of Halloween card making.  It is not a 'festival' that I have ever really been interested in except that I have always enjoyed making Halloween ATCs.  So I joined a group of Halloween card swappers and set to with - I must admit - enthusiasm.  I enjoyed every minute and am quite pleased with the results.  I am now going to bore you with them all.

The scene came from ?  The ghosts and sentiments are a download purchase from Jans Digi Stamps. The book and candle are from Tattered Lace.

 

The crypt scene is from Tattered Lace, as is the cauldron. The others are cut using dies that I have had for ages.   May be from Tattered Lace.

The scene is a Tattered Lace background. The gravestone is also from Tattered Lace. The ghosts and 'Boos' are from dies I have had for some time and the tree is a download from Jans Digi Stamps.

The ghosts and cats are cut using  dies from stash and the rest are downloads from Beccys Place.

The scene is from ?.  I have added the sentiment using my graphics programme.

Another background from Tattered Lace. The die-cuts made using dies from stash.

Background from stash. The window, spider and web are all peel offs. The ghost is from Tattered Lace and the black cat.pumpkins  and sentiment are cut with a dies from stash.

Tattered Lace background. All the die-cuts used dies from stash.

All this was made using a pyramage from an Ooh La La CD called 'Faithful Friends'

  I have mentioned everything I used  under the appropriate image.  I used my graphics programme (ACDSee) for any borders and for adding my name to each image.  The font- in case you are interested is - chiller.  Looks good in red -  doesn't it?                                 

I am looking forward to receiving my swaps for this first venture into 'Halloween'.

Carol

xx

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #70 - hosted by Carol (me)

 I belong to a craft forum and have done so since it's inception back in 2006.  It has got smaller over the years but there are still a hard core of us who still chat about crafts, card making and all sorts of other things.  We have even been known to have meets and visit each others houses.  We have become firm friends over the years.   Amongst other things  I have visited and stayed a few times with a friend in Northumberland.  Had meetings in Cardiff.   Been to Cambridge and  Essex and organised quite a few meets at Wisley (Royal Horticultural Gardens) and Covent Garden - and had a few come stay with me.

All these lovely people I have met through the forum and I am delighted to say that they include fellow CD Sunday Plus teamies Pamela and Jocelyn.

My card today is a birthday card for one of those friends. It is her birthday today.  Sadly I have never met Yvonne but over the years I feel I have got to know her.  I know she makes lovely cards and I hope she likes mine when she opens it. 

The card is from one of  The Card Hut CDs  -  'A Burst of Celebrations'  and I used my graphics   programme - ACDSee  for the borders and Yvonne's name.

I look forward to some more blog hopping.  In the meantime please stay safe.

P.S. Two of these lovely friends I have met through the forum are coming to visit me tomorrow and Tuesday.  I am so looking forward to their visit. 

Carol

xx

CD Sunday Challenge #69 - hosted by Jocelyn

As always the CD Sunday Plus Challenges are anything goes as long as the challenge rules are followed - which you can find here.

This is my card for this challenge:

Now I have made a very very similar card before and shown it on here.  There seems to be a thing about camper vans.  Actually I think this is the 4th time I have used this image as the base of a card.

This was a special request from my DIL for her to give to her neice at her wedding.   My granddaughter Ellie was one of the bridesmaids.  As the other wedding card  was for the same family my DIL was very familiar with it and wanted one as like it as possible - with one or two tweaks.  The wedding itself was to take place on a cliff top but that I couldn't do so the beach it had to be. The groom was in the army and a Scot.  I couldn't find a suitable groom in a kilt so we settled for tartan bows and sentiment.  The wedding colours were green and navy.  This time I managed to hide the extra face between the bride and the chaplain.  The date of the wedding was on the number plate.  Last time it was the name of the camper van.

I was quite surprised that I enjoyed making it all again - well almost.  I am blowing my own trumpet I know but I was told that the happy couple want to frame the card.

So if you need a wedding card and have a camper van - I am your gal.

Carol xx

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #68 - hosted by Margaret

Here is my 'make' for this new challenge.   It can be used as a Birthday card or perhaps a Get Well card.   In fact - on reflection - for almost any greeting.

This is made using the 'Vibrance' die set and vignette (download) from Carnation Crafts together with background dies from the 'Equinox' blooms collection - again from Carnation Crafts.   The dies for the little sentiment tags are also with the background set. This was all done using glossy photo paper.

There are at least another 4 colourways for the flowers and several background colours with the Equinox Blooms so many more combinations can be made.

I hope all are well and still being careful.  I don't think that we can relax yet.

Hugs

Carol

xx

Another for the Christmas box

This time I have made a 7" x 7" card.   I needed the space to get everything on.  I have used all Carnation Craft goodies, for this one except for one sheet of backing paper:

It took me quite a while to design and stick.  A slightly new style for me but I enjoyed the playing around.

The gold and cream backing sheets were printed from Carnation Craft (lets call them CC for short) and Tattered Lace (TL). The gold comes from 'Illuminating' (TL) and the cream from 'Christmas Time'  (CC) - which is also where the circles and centres come from.  The Christmas Roses, Sherry and glasses are from CC Christmas Accessories.  I chose to use a sentiment die that I have had for some time.  Where from I disremember.

There are three circles in the Christmas Time collection and I have made up the other two but haven't decided how to present them yet.

I hope you are all well into your Christmas Card making.  This makes my no: 52.

Carol

xx

Christmas 2021

Back in February this year I made a Christmas card for a CD Sunday Plus Challenge - here.

At the time I said that I would probably make some more as I enjoyed making them, and the 'look'.

Well, I have made another 3 with just a tiny difference on each.

 

I still think that the charisma for the stag is fantastic.  There are another two decoupage layers that could be used but I prefer the single layer on this occasion.

Happy Christmas!

Carol

xx

Christmas 2021

I think this is possibly Christmas card no: 48.  For this I have used a new to me  collection  by Tattered Lace called 'Christmas Tidings'.  There are six die sets in the collection - each comes with  two outer rings and the image die. The Charisma image is in a download as usual and, I believe, on a USB.  To make it look like a bauble with a hanger you have to buy another die from the same set - The Festive Bauble.

I have made a couple so far and but am only going to show one of the two at the moment.

I found the background from somewhere and cropped it and added a couple of toning borders with my graphics programme.

Here is a picture of the die that I used for this card.

 

These dies and images do make lovely cards and am now off to make some more.  I will show you these later.    It is just the first one I cannot show you as I have made it for CD Sunday Plus and 'rules is rules'.

Hugs

Carol

xx

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #67 - hosted by Jo

 As always our challenges are Anything Goes as long as our Rule 3 has been followed - here

For this challenge I have made a card for one of my cousins who lives in France.  His birthday is this month so it is already winging its way.

I used Carnation Crafts Shabby (rectangular) dies for the two backgrounds and then the 'Naughty but Mice' dies and vignettes.

It is obviously a very simple card but I enjoyed the overall effect.  Have you guessed his name yet?

I look forward to plenty more blog hopping.

Carol

xx

 

Another Christmas Wreath but different hues

 I haven't added any Christmas wording yet.  I haven't decided what to say or where to say it.  I have though added a little glitter to the centre of the Christmas roses.

As before I used the Carnation Crafts 'Christmas Wreath' maker but with a different selection of colours.  I also used less items than with the first wreath.

Hope all are well.

Carol

xx

CD Sunday Plus Challenge #66 - hosted by Pamela

 As always our challenges are Anything Goes as long as our Rule 3 has been adhered to, which is shown on the CD Sunday Plus blog.

Here is my design team card for this challenge:

The digital part of this creation is the taking of a photograph with my digital camera and downloading it to my computer, and then using my graphics programme to resize, add the borders and the text.

The photograph was taken in my garden on a small wall by some steps. The flowers are from the garden.  I don't know the names I am afraid except for the central Peony and I think the leaves are from a 'Smoke Bush'?  I think there may possibly be some Lily of the Valley.

The 'vase' or in fact 'glass' is a Coca Cola glass that belonged to my son. I say 'belonged' as it doesn't any more.  Somehow it is now in the cupboard with my other vases.  It was a perfect colour and size for the arrangement.

As these flowers and leaves appear each year I do like to use this arrangement quite often.

I am afraid the very heavy rain has finished off the few flowers I had left.  The roses have been stripped of all the petals.  Even the Foxgloves look very sorry for themselves but the grasses have gone berserk.

I look forward to some blog hopping. In the meantime stay well and safe. 

Carol xx

p.s.  I can now reveal that this card was for my lovely friend Mandi whose birthday was on the 11th August  but  came to visit me at the beginning of July.   It was lovely to get together.  This 'Covid' stuff is making it so difficult to meet up with friends.

More goodies to play with.

I have been trying out my new Carnation Crafts die set - 'Christmas Wreath' maker.  The die-cutting takes quite a while and isn't for the faint hearted,  but oh so worth it.  I have had such fun creating my first wreath.  I must admit to searching the internet for an already made example to put me on the right track.

Here is the one I finally made:

I just have to now cut lots more die cuts in different hues so that I can create a few more.  Happy days.

Carol

xx

p.s. Do you think a little glitter dust might be the thing?

Another for the Christmas box

This was made using a new Carnation Crafts purchase - Classic Christmas frame.  I like that is makes such a simple but attractive card with just the addition of a die-cut sentiment.  I can't remember where the sentiment came from.  The two opposing corners each have three layers of decoupage.

I have also purchased the new Christmas Wreath Maker so I am going to be busy for while.

Keep staying safe.

Carol

xx

And yet more stitching - plus a little decoupage

 I sat and did the stitched one  last evening whilst collapsed in the armchair with the rotating fan whirring away.

I wasn't sure about this pattern as the stitch instructions seems to be a bit muddled - so I did it my way.

The die cut mistletoe charisma comes from Tattered Lace 'Sparkle and Lace'.

I decided to present this one as landscape rather than the usual portrait and I must admit I prefer it so.

Now this card I made for my son Chris - who has a birthday today.

This is to celebrate one of his many hobbies. This image comes from a La Pashe CD but the chips had dollar signs on them so I had to play about a bit to remove them.  

I am now running out of 'hobbies' so will have to encourage him to take up some new ones.

Keep safe and sensible.

Carol xx

More stitching

 I have sat and stitched these cards during these last few days.   Mostly in the evenings whilst catching up with recordings on the box.  I have quite a few toppers of various kinds already made up so I choose a border and then the colours to go with a particular topper and hey presto.  All the borders are from 'Stitch and Do':

The die cut topper comes from Tattered Lace and I bought the die-cuts from eBay.

This topper and the one in the card above both come from a Carnation Craft die and vignette collection.

 

 

I have used this topper before and it comes from Tattered Lace Sparkle and Lace Collection.

 

I can't remember if the topper is a peel off or a die cut. The bow is a die cut.

The hanging stars are cut using an old die I have had for some time.  Where from? I can't remember.

I really am enjoying mixing stitching with die cutting.   I like making a variety so I have plenty to choose from when sending off a card -  trying the match the card with the recipient - if I can.

Hugs

Carol

xx

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #65 - hosted by Carol (moi)

 Here is my DT card for this new challenge:

I used Tattered Lace Collections - Wild Silk and Daisy Hill  for all of the card except for the blue bird which came from  Carnation Crafts - The Cherry Blossom Collection - Coming Home.  I have decoupaged quite a bit of the card.  I enjoyed the making of this especially adding the gold swirly bits which are made with a new (to me) die, also from from Tattered Lace - Flourish of Pearl.

I haven't added a sentiment as yet but when the time comes I will probably use my latest idea which is to tuck in amongst the design a sentiment I have made myself.  Here is an example of how I used that idea in a previous challenge.

I hope all are well.  I also hope that everyone is sensible when the restrictions are lifted.  Personally I will be very cautious.

On the day of our last challenge (4th) I welcomed some old friends (Mandi and Debs) to lunch.  It was so wonderful to see them after such a long time.  We have been friends since 2006/7.  We have met many times and they have stayed here with me I have stayed with them. We first met when we all joined an online forum at the same time and just 'clicked'.  My lovely fellow teamies Pamela and Jocelyn are also friends from the same forum.   Debs - is off soon sailing across the seas - hopefully to Jamaica - and if she reads before she goes  I am sending love and safe sailing and please come back fit and well.

Carol

xx

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #64 - hosted by Jocelyn

Here is my DT card for this challenge.  Another using Carnation Craft dies etc.  I am having such fun with all my purchases.

This one is from the  'Stand Out Floral Frames' collection.  The background is a sheet of watercolour A4 card.

This is the second of the three frames that I have used.   I have shown you the round and square ones here before so I just have to use the square one myself to have now used the set.

I used a Carnation Craft shabby die for the sentiment which was printed using my  graphics programme.

I hope all are well.   I have just had my first time away from home since before 'the beginning'.   Just to stay with my sister.  We have both had both jabs and we did extra tests so we had a hug after all this time.  

I gather the weather is going to be awful today so be careful, and, perhaps more crafting?

So -  a safe distance hug.

Carol

xx

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #63 - hosted by Margaret

The weather is miserable again which makes me somewhat fearful.   I have mentioned before that back in late May- during the last horrendous rainfall -  I had a very bad leak in my Conservatory/craft room roof and I certainly don't want a repeat performance.

No more leaks-  so far - so here to celebrate is a bright and cheerful card for this challenge:

This was made using Tattered Lace 'Sensational Celebrations' collection and a background from a La Pashe CD.  The small white circular doily style mat came with a  'lot' that I purchased from eBay quite some time ago.

I really do think that the fruit looks good enough to eat.  Some of the dies and charisma's are amazingly lifelike.

I am writing this on Friday - now 1. 15 pm,  and the rain has at last stopped, but we have been promised more for the next few days.  A few more fearful days chez Carol.

Keep dry.

Hugs

Carol

xx