Parchment Advent Calendar for the Christmas Tree

The pattern is by Alison Yeates from quite a while ago.  When the pattern first appeared in the Parchment Magazine - Sept and Oct 2008 -  I made a set for my own tree.  Now, many years later, I have made a set to take down to my sister this year for her tree.
Here it is - in two photos:

They are designed so that you can slip down the coloured interior lining and insert sweeties or somesuch if you wish.  This is why the ribbons are longer and knotted at the top (to prevent it from pulling out of the pyramid).
Each pyramid has two sides with a grid pattern, one side with the image you have chosen and the last side has the day written in gold and a lickle bow.
Looking like this:

I thoroughly enjoyed making them all again.  Just hope my sister likes them too.
Hugs
Carol
xx

CD Sunday Plus - Christmas Prize Challenge - #25

Good Morning.  I hope the slightly warmer weather has arrived by the time this goes live. It is really freezing whilst I am writing this  -2.0.

This is our last CD Sunday Plus challenge for the year 2019 and it is a prize challenge.  We are asking for 'Anything Christmassy' rather than Anything Goes.  It doesn't have to be a card - just a celebration of Christmas.   Don't forget that downloads, USBs and CDs can all now be used in your creations - in fact, at least one of them must be used.

This is the card I have chosen to make:

This is a download sheet purchased from Craftsuprint many moons ago and was designed by  Ann-Marie Vaux.  I must admit to this not being my usual style but I liked it because it reminded me of Parchment work, and it is decoupaged,  which is another of my crafting loves.   In fact, my fellow teamies thought it was made using parchment.

All the details about the Prize Challenge can be found here.

It was my turn to choose the Top 3 for Challenge #24 and my choices will be published when we return after Christmas- 5th January 2020.
Thank you for your visits to my blog over the last year and I look forward to a productive year in 2020.

A very Happy Christmas and Prosperous New Year to everyone.
Hugs
Carol
xx

Christmas parchment

I have been trying to get back to some parchment for Christmas now that I have finished all my Christmas cards.
Firstly I have made a gift envelope using a pattern by Anne Quinn.  Although I have had the patterns for quite some time this is the first time I have used one of them.  This will be for my Grandaughter who, when asked if she wanted something special or money for Christmas replied,  Ooh money please, Grandma Carol.

Secondly, I have been making some Christmas Angels using an old Pergamano template.  I did make a few some time ago but now I have made more and found a way to present them as a table or side table decoration.  I needed some decent bows to decorate the stand and these arrived yesterday via Amazon.  Incidentally, they are the best-made bows I have ever bought.

I took the photo out in the garden this morning in between the showers.

I am now working on another Christmas Tree Advent Calendar. I have one for my own tree and I want to make one for my sister.  I have managed to make 12 of the required 24 pyramids so I had better keep going. The pattern is by Alison Yeates.

Here is  my own set which was on display at the Sandown Show many moons ago.

It never rains but it pours.....

and on Saturday it sure did.  Our little group of three were Barton on Sea bound for the last Judith Maslen workshop of the year and the heavens opened and the wind howled.  Unbelievable weather conditions.  How our chauffeuse Charmaine coped I don't know? -  but she did and we got there safely but.....just to add to the day (which had only just started) I took a tumble.  Dashing through the door to the hall carrying stuff and trying to get out of the wind and rain I fell headlong flat on the ground.  How embarrassing!!  Oh, boy, do I know about it now.  I have bruises and aches and pains everywhere.  It did shake me up quite a bit.  Let's face it I am too big and too old to go throwing myself around like that.  I didn't parch very well in the morning as I couldn't really concentrate so the morning card I am going to show you was started again from scratch yesterday.  The afternoon one didn't fare much better but apart from having to rescue the border, it wasn't too bad.

Here are the cards:

Christmas Reindeer - jm 138

'Keys' - jm 139

I hope you like them. They are two cards I won't forget in a hurry.

Stay upright - tis safer and more dignified.
Carol
xx

Christmas 2019 - last few

Parchment and Groovi plate.

Digital from Serif with added parchment poinsettias.

Parchment and Groovi plate with Faber Castell Polychromos pencils used for colouring and a very small parchment poinsettia added.

Die-cut decoupage sheet from?

Parchment and PCA plate for the image and Groovi plate for the sentiment and Faber Castell for the colouring.

After I had finished these last cards and whilst posting them to my computer I realised that I hadn't done any stamped cards this year.  I will have to rectify that next year.  I have too many stamps not to use.
xx

Another parchment Christmas card

I have made this one before ( here ) but I have made it again with some differences.

 This time I did portrait instead of landscape and used a different central image (but still from La Pashe).  Last time the border was done around the image but this time the image has been done separately and glued to the aperture and the whole has been stitched to the green backing card.

I found some old peel-off sheets of gems and borders and decided to do a little titivating.  All to celebrate my new 'eyes' - which reminds me that I must go and do my third lot of drops for the day.

Carol
xx

The border pattern was by Gwen Paxton and was in the Parchment Magazine in Dec 2009

Celebration

The cataract operation on Monday was a success and I have celebrated by making a parchment card.  I couldn't wait and started it yesterday. I was so keen to find out by how much my sight has improved especially for fine detail and for colour.  I used a pattern  by Judith Maslen in November/December's Parchment Magazine.  Judith had designed a gorgeous image of  the head of Father Christmas which involves the use of colouring and embossing.  Some of the colouring involved the face which is always the most difficult to get right.

I shouldn't say so but I am thrilled with the result and am so glad that I have had the cataracts removed.  I cannot fault the wonderful service, care and attention I received from my local hospital - Frimley Park.

Here is Father Christmas.

Thank you for the gorgeous pattern Judith. It was a joy to do.

Judith Maslen Workshop - 28th September 2019

We completed two new patterns - as usual - today and I enjoyed the making of them both equally.  They are very different in style.

They are both finished and ready to be mounted on cards. I haven't decided what colour card to use yet so that is partly why I haven't finished them completely.

The first card is called 'Ribbons'  Pat no. jm132.
Judith explained the background to her design and it is based on a Japanese 'Noshi'.
Originally this was a bunch of reed, tied in the middle and represented 'humility'.  Now 'Noshi' is a bunch of ribbons, usually given for good luck, or to decorate a gift.

Here is 'Noshi'.

The second card is called 'Bells across the Snow' and is Pat no. jm131.  Again I haven't finished the presentation.

 I need to be able to see a bit better before I can mount them on matts that are straight so I will show them off again when that has been done.
xx

More stitched Christmas cards for 2019

I have managed to finish off the last of my stitched cards for this Christmas.  In all I have now made 64 cards of different styles  but not as many parchment as I would have liked . Hopefully both cataracts will have been done in time for me to make some before Christmas.
Anyway here are the 9 I have just finished.

My favourites are Nos: 5 & 6 - the two star cards. Even as you are stitching them you don't think that the pattern is going to look as good as it does in the end.  The colour combinations can be endless.

I now have some ATCs to get on with.  Nothing too complicated until I am less like a Pirate with one good eye.
Hugs
Carol
xx

More for Christmas 2019

I have been making some more Christmas stitch cards. Most of the patterns I have used before but used  different threads, colours and backgrounds.
This first card is using very new to me thread called Sulky Antique Christmas. It is a multicolour blend and I love the effect it gives.

I haven't used this pattern before but the threads are old friends.

Old favourite - new colours.

A special favourite - Tipsy Reindeer.

La Pashe and die cuts for Christmas 2019

I have used yet more images from La Pashe CD's and this time just one die cut frame for all except one. I had fun with colours and gems.  I have now made at least half of the quantity I will need and I plan to make some stitch cards - for a change.

Carol
xx

More Christmas 2019

As promised here is a Christmas card made in parchment using parts of the Groovi plate 'Tina's Henna Corners 2'.  I had used it earlier during a lesson here.

It has made a slightly unusual card - certainly very different to my usual makes.

The jury is still out.  My son says he likes it. Well it was paraded in front of him and poor lad couldn't say much else - but I am still not sure. Perhaps it just isn't 'Christmassy'.

Carol
xx

More for Christmas 2019

This time I used die cuts, gems and some La Pashe circular pictures .

These were fun to make and I plan to add some more .

My fellow CD Sunday teamie Margaret has just come back from a trip to the far North and she brought back a couple of Babushka dolls. They are on her Blog and I liked the look of them so I made her a couple of ATCs using her photos and adding some words in English and Russian.  Margaret has received them so it is safe to show them here.

Hugs
Carol
xx

Christmas 2019

Sorry about this but I have started in earnest on my Christmas cards.  I have various things coming up during the year one of which is an op for cataract removals so I am getting on whilst I can.

I have been using my La Pashe CD's .  I copy and paste them into my own graphics programme so that I can add borders and sentiments. I then print out each one twice so that I can do a little decoupage ( only one layer) and fimally sprinkle a little glitter.

I must confess to having used these images before but I do love using them and as long as I don't send the same ones to the same people I should be OK.....for a while at least.

Carol
xx