CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #187 - hosted by Meg

 The image I have chosen is one of a selection of  beautiful watercolours I purchased via Aliexpress.  I used my ACDSee Graphics programme to add to the depth etc of the image as well as the fancy border and the sentiment.

I have taken the opportunity to use some more of the gorgeous nail art that I have purchased.  Just 5 pieces of daisy blooms.

Now I must apologise - yet again  - for missing out on my commenting this challenge and also the hosting for #186 that had been planned for me.

You couldn't write the script.  I have been doing so well with my recovery from the serious problem last year when suddenly I am back in hospital overnight and having my appendix removed first thing the next morning.

Pamela has very kindly stepped up to the mark again - bless her - and chosen the Top 3 for me. I totally agree with her choices and I do not know what I would do without her.

I am hoping to manage to return to my share of commentating.

Lots of love

Carol xx

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #186 - hosted by Carol (moi)

 It is a long, long time since I hosted a challenge - but here I am - and very pleased to be here.  I hope that there will be many entries from which I can choose my Top 3.  I am so looking forward to being more involved.

Firstly though - here is my team card for your delectation:

The stitch pattern for this card is by Linzoos - pattern no: R95.   The yellow flowers are from 'Favourite Flowers' - die cuts by Carnation Crafts.  Carnation has called this flower - Wildflower - but it does look a bit like a buttercup.

I made this birthday card for my hairdresser - Amanda - it is her birthday on the 29th June and she has been my hairdresser for more years than I can remember - about 30!!

Happy Birthday Amanda.

Carol xx

Please note that the challenges will now close at 9 pm on the second Friday of the Challenge. i.e. This challenge will close at 9 pm on the 3rd of July 2026

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #185 - hosted by Jocelyn

Good morning on this wet Sunday.  We seem to be going from hot and dry to wet and chilly almost on a daily basis.  But I have a 'summery' card for you.  I love these decoupaged teacups showing so many lovely colourful flowers and a butterfly or two.  

The stitch pattern (D17) is by Linzoos and I used variegated thread to compliment the decoupage.  I made the card for a forum friend back in April and she did like it I am glad to say.

I am still making progress and have started having physiotherapy sessions at home.  I am also pleased to say that all being well I will hostess the Challenge for #186  - as planned.  I am looking forward to increasing my involvement. 

I also look forward to visiting your entries and discovering new ideas, styles and must have patterns and equipment.

Please take care of yourselves.

Hugs

Carol

xx

Please note that the challenges will now close at 9 pm on the second Friday of the Challenge. i.e. This challenge will close at 9 pm on the 19th of June 2026

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #184 - hosted by Jo

 

This is a birthday card that I have made for one of my neighbours. The beautiful bird image is a purchase from Aliexpress.  I have used my ACDSee graphics programme to digitally improve  the picture so that the light and colouring has been enhanced.  I then added the shaped and coloured border and the Happy Birthday sentiment.  It is amazing what you can create with these modern graphics programmes.  It does make a change from stitching all the time - even though I love both pastimes.

I hope that all are well and I look forward to studying your works of art

Please note that the challenges will now close at 9 pm on the second Friday of the Challenge. i.e. This challenge will close at 9 pm on the 5th of June 2026.

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #183 - hosted by Meg

 Here is another in the 'Farm Animals' series by Stitching Cards.  There are 6 in the pattern pack.  I love them all so I certainly don't mind how many times I do them.  I do try using different threads and backgrounds to add a little difference to the presentation.  I did though use the same backing paper that I used for the Chili Peppers in the last challenge.  As it was a newish find I wanted to use it again.

I  added the 'Cock-a-doodle do' sentiment when I was pricking out the pattern.  I could almost hear him bellowing it in my ear so I thought it would be appropriate.

I think we are well into Spring now.  I have noticed some Primroses and Lily of the Valley flowers peeping out from under the shrubs on the rockery in the garden.  Primrose are one of my favourite flowers.  I remember them from childhood - seeing them in the hedgerows when we used to travel down to Cornwall in the Easter Holidays to stay with friends.  We were lucky children and spent most of our school holidays in Falmouth.  My father was a teacher (later headmaster) in Bromley  and the friend we used to stay with was a teacher as well -  but in Falmouth.  Happy days.

Please note that the challenges will now close at 9 pm on the second Friday of the Challenge. i.e. This challenge will close at 9 pm on the 22nd of May 2026.

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #182 - hosted by Pamela

Our last challenge for April - the sun is shining - and I hope all is well with everyone.

I have yet another stitched card for you.  I do hope you are not getting bored with them as I certainly don't get bored with stitching them.

I have done this one before but presented it a little differently.  Here  was that presentation to compare with this one.

The pattern comes from Stitching Cards.  The stripey coloured backing paper is a newish find but I can't remember from whence it came.  It matches the Chili Peppers beautifully and isn't a bad fit for perhaps adding a bit of Mexico? to the card.  It is almost the right weather for this card.

Hugs

Carol XX

Please note that the challenges will now close at 9 pm on the second Friday of the Challenge. e.g This challenge will close at 9 pm on the  8th of May 2026.

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #181 - hosted by Jocelyn

 Here is my card for this challenge - #181.  Still with Spring/Easter colouring but just a very simple stitched birthday card.  The pattern is by Linzoos (R39).  I have used this pattern before - Challenge #167 - and I am stitching another version at this moment.  Some of the patterns I have chosen are quite complicated so it is nice to use a simpler one that I like a great deal.

I have used some plain and variegated thread and added some of my huge supply of  diamante gems - and - a few enamel type gems. 

Please note that the challenges will now close at 9 pm on the second Friday of the Challenge. e.g This challenge will close at 9 pm on the  24th of April 2026.

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #180 - hosted by Jo

 I hope all are well.  We are slowly getting closer to some warmer weather  and oodles of chocolate.  Whoopee.

This is my card for this challenge.  I don't very often make Easter Cards but I wanted to make something to show off some more of the nail art I have been buying - so here it is - an Easter Card:

This was an image purchased from Aliexpress - and here it is before I played with it:

I used my ACDSee programme to digitally enhance and improve the light and the colours and then added a border and some text.

Then I had fun with my new nail art delivery.  I have bought quite a bit more since I showed you the cards made back in February.  I also have some more on its way at this very moment.  Naughty I know - but  I need to keep busy and occupied.

I think I managed to visit everyone for the last challenge and I enjoyed looking at everybody's hard work and inventiveness.  If I missed anyone please forgive me.

See you soon.

Hugs

Carol

xx

Please note that the challenges will now close at 9 pm on the second Friday of the Challenge. e.g This challenge will close at 9 pm on the  10th of April 2026.

CD Sunday plus - Challenge #179 - hosted by Meg

 Geisha Girl

Good Morning one and all.  My card for this challenge is - I confess - one I have done before a few times - using a pattern from Stitching cards.  It makes a special unfussy card for a female relative or friend.

I have used a plain background as I prefer the pattern and style of the sweet Geisha to show up  and not fight other patterns and colours.

I hope all are well and making the most of the 'drier ' weather even though it is  chillier. 

The new nail art from China that I mentioned in a previous posting has arrived -  so I will be having fun playing with those.  I might have something ready for our next challenge.  We'll see.

Hugs to all

Carol xx

Please note that the challenges will now close at 9 pm on the second Friday of the Challenge. e.g This challenge will close at 9 pm on the  27th of March 2026.

A Linzoos stitch pattern - second time of making

 Butterflies galore:-

I have sat and stitched P88 again in different colourways. It does take a while to do. Several evenings in fact. The central butterfly is a die-cut that I made when I was still doing quite a lot of die-cutting before stitching took over.

Here is a photo of the 1st time I used this pattern.

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge - #178 - hosted by Pamela

 Good Morning,

I hope that all are well.  I am slowly feeling much more betterer (family saying) but I must admit to it being a very slow progress.  I mustn't moan though  - as it is going the right way.

                             

Here is my card for our latest challenge.  I must admit to having stitched this one before but it is a favourite.  I think it is the eyes.  The Goat is one of a series of 6 farm animals from Stitching Cards.  I already have a couple more of them  in the pipe line to show you - just because I love doing them.

I hope all are well.  We didn't see many of you in the last challenge.   Hopefully it wasn't the bad weather that kept you away.   The rain has been horrendous and can do so much damage - so I hope it wasn't that.

 I did show you some cards I recently made using watercolour images together with Nail Art.   I got "into it" again as they say, and popped onto Aliexpress - to order some more to play with and am now just waiting for the delivery.

Please note that the challenges will now close at 9 pm on the second Friday of the Challenge. e.g This challenge will close at 9 pm on the 13th of March 2026.

Take care and I look forward to visiting you all.

Hugs

Carol

xx

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #177 - hosted by Jocelyn

 Here is the final of my three Bumble bee cards:

I have enjoyed making these three cards.  Nothing fancy or complicated.  Just simple and attractive - I hope.

I have also spent quite a bit of time searching for more patterns to buy.  I do enjoy finding new (to me) designs that incorporate space that allows the use of images.  And together with new patterns - new threads - of course.  Finding new suitable threads isn't always as easy as it sounds but doable - with time.

So this is the last of the Bee patterns.  I have more animal patterns in the pipeline - so plenty to keep me occupied.

Bye for now.

Carol xx

Please note that the challenges will now close at 9 pm on the second Friday of the Challenge. e.g This challenge will close at 9 pm on the 27th of February 2026.

Digital playing instead of stitching.

I am having a little rest from stitching card patterns.  Instead of stitching I have been playing with my ACDSee programme together with some digital Watercolour images that I bought fairly recently.   I added  some Nail Art 'flowers'  that I purchased a while ago  - 2024/2025.  I posted this card the other day on my Facebook page .  This one features some white daisy type flowers heads.  They show up quite well as there are only a few meadow flowers in the foreground to which I could attach the nail art.

 

But below here is another card.  No sentiment decided yet but I have also decorated the image with some 'Nail Art' bits and pieces that I bought some time ago.  The Nail Art flowers are the perfect size for use on cards and the colours are amazing.

You have to look a little more closely to see the Nail Art which includes a couple of bees as well as the white, purple and yellow flower heads.  I can't imagine using the nail art on my fingernails but they are perfect in size and colour for my cards.  They are also a perfect size to use on ATCs. I make quite a few ATCs as I belong to two groups.  So the Nail Art won't be wasted.

The  border was created using my ACDSee programme. There are so many designs in the programme it really is difficult to make a final choice.

Before I forget I wanted to say a thank you to Doris.  Doris is a fellow member of a Forum I belong to and it is through her that I first came accross Nail Art.  Thank you Doris.

Hugs, 

Carol

xx

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #176 - hosted by Jo

My goodness me - hasn't it been wet.  Down here in the depths of Surrey it has rained heavily and constantly -  each day.  I know the British Isles are known for the rain - but this is too much.  

We do have crafting though to keep us busy and to have something else to talk about.  I have the second of my three Bee themed cards that I mentioned last time, to show you.

Here it is:

If they have any sense they will be staying in the hives until the dryer warmer weather arrives.  At least this bee is smiling.

Please note that the challenges will now close at 9 pm on the second Friday of the Challenge. e.g This challenge will close at 9 pm on the 13th of February 2026.

Hugs

Carol xx

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #175 - hosted by Meg

 It was great to see all the new cards entered in our first challenge of 2026.  As usual, apart from giving me the pleasure of studying what our challengers are doing, I also get ideas of what I need to purchase.  This month, a new set of dies is on the way from Amazon as I type.

Back to the reason for my posting - my team card for this challenge:

No sentiment yet, as I haven't decided whether to use the card as a 'Love and Hugs' to a friend on their birthday or perhaps a Valentine card.  Probably the first choice, as I am definitely beyond the age for Valentine cards.

The card pattern is one from Form-a-Lines featuring Hearts and Flowers with the bees. There is a set of three using the bees as a theme, and this is the 1st.

I just want to say that I have - at last -  managed to study all the entries and comment accordingly.  I really felt as though I was "back on duty", and I really enjoyed studying all the wonderful work.

Please note that the challenges will now close at 9 pm on the second Friday of the Challenge. e.g This challenge will close at 9 pm on the 30th of January 2026.

CD Sunday Plus - Challenge #174 - hosted by Pamela

 

 

Here is my first CD Sunday Plus card for the New Year of 2026.  Yet another stitched card, but I do enjoy creating them.  

This one is a pattern from Linzoos.  Pattern no: Kerst 520.  The central image of Sweet Peas is a digital image I purchased from Etsy.  The thread colours were chosen to match the colours of the flowers

Sweet Peas are a particular favourite of mine, and also of the intended recipient, whose birthday is later in January, and who grows them in her garden.  

When I gave  the photo of the card to Pamela for her to add to her posting, I hadn't added the greeting, so here is an extra photo:

I hope everyone enjoyed a Happy Christmas and New Year.  I look forward to seeing all your beautiful creations and joining in more of the activities.

Hugs

Carol xx

Please note that the challenges will now close at 9 pm on the second Friday of the Challenge. e.g This challenge will close at 9 pm on the 16th of January 2026

14/2/26  Now we are past the birthday date I can reveal that the recipient of this card was my younger sister.  She is a very keen gardener and does produce some spectacular Sweet Peas.  And other flowers of course, not just Sweet Peas  Sadly - these days - I can't get down to see her garden anymore so I rely on memories.