HALLOWEEN

is the theme for our current Facebook ATC swop group.  One of my favourite themes.  I don't know why as Halloween wasn't something that we took part in as children and my own children didn't either - but I love making Halloween ATCs.  At the last count I had 24 to choose from.  Yes I did say 24.
Here are the ones I sent off to the swop.  Beautifully displayed as always by group leader Sue:

I couldn't resist yet another Minion.  I had fun with the skeleton.  It was a freebie image which came in parts. Quite hard to cut out such small pieces and then arrange on a 2.5" x 3.5" card.
I loved the idea of the Pumpkin Maze and I hope the recipient tries to complete it.  The 'Boo' was another image from the net but the cats and the words are table confetti that I was kindly sent by a member of another ATC group to which I belong.
Here are just a couple more.  I will keep them perhaps for next year. There is bound to be another Halloween swop.

Minions - of course!

These are biscuits.

Happy Halloween when it comes and I hope not too many things go bump in the night!!

Carol
xx

CD Sunday - 'Paws' - a challenge sponsored by Sharon Duncan

Good Morning.  Not too chilly where you are  I hope. Autumn seems to have arrived all of a sudden down here. I have had the heating on already.
Sharon Duncan has very generously offered to sponsor a  CD Sunday Challenge and  today is the day (and for the next two weeks of course).  The prize - given by Sharon - will be a copy of her DVD called 'Playful Pups' and the design team have all made cards using folders from the DVD.
Here is mine:

I used one of the backing papers for my base card and changed the colour to tone with  my Labrador puppy (from Stitching Cards) and the paper ribbon and bow.  I took the opportunity to make this for a friends birthday as well as for the challenge.  The friend is a great dog lover and I knew she would like this image.
The team have shown how you can make such different things from one source and I think they are all great. Please visit their Blogs to see the work. I know they will appreciate it.  I am sure Sharon would love you to visit her site too so here is the link. There you will find a  video  to show you the contents of the DVD. Apart from the toppers etc there are some great backgrounds.  I love good backgrounds.
So please join in with us and  make something showing any kind of Paws - use  something from a CD of course - and tell us which CD you have used.
Have fun and I will see you on your Blogs.
Carol
xx

CD Sunday - 'Country Living' - chosen by Pamela

I used Joanna Sheen's 'Cottage Garden' CD for this card. I love the old fashioned image.  It was probably originally a Victorian card - it has that look.  I don't like all Victorian greeting cards as I find many of them a bit sweet and sickly but this one really suited Pamela's theme.
I have done a few mats and one layer of decoupage on the poppies.  The gems are some very tiny black faceted gems.  I die cut Happy Birthday twice - in red and black so that I could stagger them to give the illusion of shading. ( I copied this idea from someone else).  I used a white 8" x 6" landscape card as a portrait card (so the fold is at the top). That gave me the space I wanted for the sentiment.

I enjoyed making this Pamela for your first theme choice.  I hope you get lots of entries to choose from.
Have fun and I will see you on your Blogs.
Carol
xx

'Back to School'

This is the theme for September's swop at ATC Swop Uk.

I found out that our Organisers husband aka 'The Slave' loves Minions.  I do to.  I decided that I was going to send him some of his own so I used  all Minions for my 5 for the swop as well.

Here they are. 

and here are the extras for 'The Slave': 

They are all decoupaged and have some glaze in their goggles to look like glass.

I have collected dozens of these little sayings now so I don't think I am going to run out.

I am looking forward to seeing what I get in return.  We have some awesome ATC makers in our group.

Hugs

Carol

xx

Russian Angel?

Whilst rooting through my box of Christmas card making goodies I came across some sheets of decoupage just waiting to be cut out.  They are of 'Angels' and they look in a Russian style to me.  I have had them so long that I cannot remember when I bought them or from where I bought them.
They are printed on beautiful paper and a real pleasure to cut out and are about 6/7 layers if you use them all.  I always use 1mm sticky pads so they are not too high.

I found a backing sheet from a Robert Addams CD that tones in with the background piece on the Angel so I have used that as the  card.

The green and gold coloured card used for the mats and the bows are from the new pad of adhesive papers ( Christmas and Winter) by DCWV that I bought a couple of weeks ago. I have added 3 gems to the bows.
I have two more of the Angels ready decoupaged but the hardest part is finding the right backing paper for them.  I may just put them on a white card - we'll see.
Thank you for looking.
Hugs
Carol
xx

CD Sunday - 'Things with Wheels' - chosen by me

Well - 'I will go to the foot of our stairs' - an expression I think I have heard somewhere.  I looked back here on my Blog to see when it was my last challenge choice (June) and here are my opening words -
"I hope you haven't had the week we have had here in the South East.  Torrential rain, thunder and lightening."
So for my opening words for this new challenge - please read above.
I hope the weather is now better and here is my card for this challenge:

I am tempting fate - there is snow on this one!!

I have used the 'Behind Closed Doors' folder from The Best of La Pashe 2012.  I also had the ready cut and folded card from La Pashe.  I think essential for this particular card as the images print out to the exact size.  No trimming that can so easily go wrong.
I did add a touch of Wink of Stella to the snow etc but of course it never shows in the photos.
I have made a few others from this folder ready for Christmas and I have bought some more cardstock for plenty more. They are easy when you are busy and unusual to send and receive.
So - I hope to see lots of wheels please.  Please have fun finding them and making something with them.
Hugs
Carol
xx
p.s. Just as a matter of interest I looked up - 'I will go to the foot of our stairs' - and here is what I found.

'A Christmas Wish'

A pattern by Judith Maslen from her series 'The Musicals'.  Judith says this was inspired by 'White Christmas'.
As usual I have played about a bit .  This time it is the border.  I have changed  the use of the Moon tool to the Semi circle tool. Readers of my blog may remember that the Moon tool is a tool  of which I am not particularly fond.  Judith may be interested to note that the outer 'footprint' of the Moon tool is matched by that of the semi circle tool - so it made the change easier.
So I did two rows of the semi circle tool with a mega sun tool impression between the rows. I then stitched some very pretty glass beads along the inside line using the juxstaposition of the  holes for placement.
The lovely tree, moon, snow and poem were done exactly as per the instructions.
I loved creating this card and I hope you like it.

I am also going to enter this in the current Ooh La La Challenge #213 - Anything Goes.

Carol
xx

An old favourite stitch pattern...

I first used this stitch pattern by Carla Prediger back in 2013.  I loved doing this one back then so I thought I would have another go but this time with a different colour thread.  This time the thread is a metallic mix of Silver, Rose Red and Green.  It is also by Gutermann and is CA 2776.  I love the delicate look it gives to the stitches.
I have tried to match the Rose Red  and the Green colours in the thread with the card used for the matt and for the sentiment.   I also managed to find an already printed sheet of backing card in the same rosy red colour used for the printed stars.

I die cut the sentiment using a Creative Expressions die and self adhesive cardstock by DCWV in Christmas and Winter Colours.  So much easier than trying to put glue on the back of the die cuts.
The holly leaves and berries were also cut from the adhesive card.

CD Sunday - Shades of Autumn

A very apt title for this coming challenge as the weather turned quite chilly today (Friday) as I was scheduling my post.

This challenge is Paulines first one  as a CD Sunday Team Member and we are hoping for lots of support from our regulars and perhaps regulars to her own Blog.

I knew I had some good Autumnal photographs in some of my folders especially ones taken at RHS Wisley which - luckily for me - is close by.  I decided to make some notelets as I really needed some and combined MCS Deco Follies, photos of Wisley and use of my own graphics programme - ACDSee which came on a CD with my old Pentax camera..

I love the Deco figures from the Follies CD and use them when I can.  Ideal to put into scenes.
This is what I did with them:

I used ACDSee to add frames and wording.
This brought back some very happy memories for me and for a couple of my fellow teamies, Pamela and Jocelyn.  I have know them both for quite a while now (we met through crafting) and we have had several 'meets' at Wisley together with many other mutual friends and we have had some great times there.
I look forward to seeing all your different shades.  Have fun.
Carol
xx

Modern Baubles

to go with the modern tree.  This is from the same Value Pack.
I made the backing paper - paper weaving.  On the hunt for the right backing paper I found some on a CD called 'Magical Christmas Moments' created by  Sharon Duncan for Cupcakecrafting.  There is a folder called Colourblend Creations and in there I found some fabulous paper just called A4 Glitter.  Wow I thought and just had to print off some straight away - (and why hadn't I noticed this before).  I chose three colours to match my baubles and then set about doing some paper weaving.  I cut 2cm strips and just played about for ages.  I like paper weaving and should do it more often.  When you have made it yourself you can just scan it and hopefully use it again and again.  The red matt behind the stitched image is from the Colourblend Creations folder - just the same red as in the Glitter paper.

Here is the card:

I enjoyed making this one as much as the others.  Whilst I still have this cough (6 weeks and counting) I am just sitting quietly and stitching (in betwen coughing fits).  But there is an improvement brought about by a humidifier.  My GP told me to buy, borrow or ? one and use it as much as possible.  I have done so and it has helped a great deal.  I was also told to turn off the fans I had going all day in the heat waves.  Not good for you I was told.
I have another couple already prepared for stitching so back to the sofa and my humidifier.
Hugs
Carol
xx

Modern Christmas Tree

I found a new to me Christmas Value pack on Stitching cards yesterday - here.  I bought it straight away as I particularly wanted to do the Christmas Tree.  I think it is just fab.  I sort of followed their colour ideas and then went on the hunt for a suitable backing paper.  I found one on one of my favourite CD 's by  Carol Ann's Studio. (CD-8 2nd Xmas CD)  This great purple toned paper is also done in red, green, pink and blue.  I love it because as well as being a background it is also the sentiment.  Nothing else is needed.
So I hope you like a more modern style stitched card:

Now on to the next one.  See you later.
Carol
xx

Stitched 'Bells and Holly'

Another stitched Christmas card for the box.  I used rather a nice multi coloured Sulky thread by Gutermann (CA 02776).  I managed to match the colour tones fairly well with the holly backing paper.

The pattern came from Form a Lines.
I did wonder about adding some die cut holly or some other embellishment but somehow nothing seemed right.  Oh dear - all these dies and I am not using them enough.  I can't be the only one - surely.
Hope you like the card - without extras.
Carol
xx

Happy Happy Reindeer

I am plodding along with my Christmas cards.  I am doing the stitching ones first and this one I have done before but I liked it so here it is again and the pattern is from here:

He does look as though he has been at the sherry trifle - or I should say She - as it is only the lady reindeers who keep their antlers in the Winter.
The decoupaged strip on the left has been cut from a backing paper.  I just cut part of one of the vertical strips and mounted it on to the same gold card I used for backing the image.  I then cut out 4 of the little images again and two of the bows to decoupage the strip.
I have stitched a few more - just got to decided how to present them.
Carol
xx

CD Sunday - HOT HOT HOT

Good Morning everyone.  Jocelyn has chosen an unusual theme for this challenge and I think the team have had great fun producing some inspiration for you all.  Please pop round to visit them all - I know they would be pleased to see you.

Do you know that feeling you get when you have made something that you really like and it  all seems just right?  It is a rare feeling I know but I did feel that about this card.  Any sentiment on the front would spoil it I think so it will have to go on the insert when I use it - if I use it?
I knew I had a stitch pattern I wanted to use but how to incorporate something from a CD? -  so I went looking for a special background.  I found what I wanted on Funky Hands. I love their papers and it is such a shame that they are no more.
So I printed out the background and matched the colours with my threads and here is my offering:

The image is fun and cheerful.  There are some great stitch patterns available and I love using them as a change from doing parchment.
This pattern is from Stitching Cards and is called 'Chili Peppers' and the background paper is from Funky Hands -  Happy Happy Birthday - CD - folder 'Cake Anyone?'  which I stuck to the front of a 7 x 7 white card.
I cut some very thin strips in red from the backing paper to place over the corners and added some red gems to the strips and the topper.
Thank you for popping in to see what I have done and any comments are gratefully received and avidly read.
Carol
xx

Christmas cards with La Pashe

 I have so many of the La Pashe CD's and they are a wonderful source for Christmas images and styles. It would take quite a few Christmases to use them all but even if you repeat favourites  you just have to try not to send them to the same people that you sent them to in the past.
I used the  'Behind Closed Doors' folder from The Best of La Pashe 2012.- a folder I haven't used before.
I have made a few.  I have added some various colurs of Wink of Stella to them but it doesn't always show in the photograph .
So here 3 of them with closed doors and then open doors:

   

    

                                                                                      
I made these whilst nursing this horrendous cough which is now getting better but approaching it's 5th week.  I daren't try parchment as one cough at the wrong moment would have been disastrous.
You can purchase the correct size gatefold cards from La Pashe (at least I think you still can) so the make is quite easy. They do look better in the flesh.  I will put the Christmas sentiment on the back as there is a nice size blank piece of white card.
Carol
xx

BigSplashDigiStamps

is a new Etsy Shop run by my good friend and wonderful Parchment Designer - Judith Maslen.
This is a new venture for Judith, who is such a good artist, and these designs are for all those 'Digi stamp' fans who want to colour with all those myriad pens, pencils and brushes. There is nothing to say that we parchers won't use them but if you don't do parchment then you won't want all the instructions such as border grid patterns etc -  so these are perfect for you.
This is all as well as her established parchment pattern site.  You can find both the links in the sidebar.
Please have look at the new shop and help it get established.  I have already visited and purchased a couple of patterns. For one of them I shall use parchment but I may well get some watercolours out for the second.  They haven't had an airing for quite a while.
Thank you for your time reading this.
Hugs
Carol
xx

CD Sunday - 'Let's shape it up' - chosen by Margaret

Good Morning one and all.  Whilst I type this on Saturday and schedule it for posting tomorrow the sun is shining and it isn't too warm but I fear things may change.  I am not a great lover of very hot weather so I will retire to the centre of the house (coolest place) and use my new all singing all dancing tower fan.

Our new challenge at CD Sunday has been chosen by Margaret who is one of our new team members.  Margaret has chosen the theme of shaped cards. As I said on the Blog -  'square' is a shape to me -  so I approached this challenge with caution as I wasn't in my own comfort zone.   I decided to try and incorporate shaped and Christmas and went to one of may favourite La Pashe CD's- The Christmas Box.
I printed out one of the tags as a 5" x 7" card.  In fact I chose my favourite tag of the two deer with the big goo goo eyes. I added the Happy Christmas greeting with one of my graphic programmes and the red bow was made using a die  - and as usual I can't remember who made it.
I then made 10 tags with ribbon tails and put them in a pocket on the inside left of the card.

Here are the piccies:

I added a greeting page to the inside right and in fact felt quite pleased with my 'shaped card'.  I know it is neither a startling nor an  awe inspiring shape but it has a shape.
I had some girlfriends around for a crafting session and I showed them this card and one of them dropped a very strong hint that they wouldn't mind if this arrived in their Christmas post so it has a home already.
I think I might actually make a few more of these.  There are some beautiful tags on this CD so plenty of choices to be had.
I look forward to some blog hopping and seeing some fantastic shaped cards.  Instead of us inspiring you - you could inspire us  - or me in particular.
Have fun.
Carol
xx

'Snowflake Fairy' in parchment

Here is another new design by Judith Maslen.  Judith has done three of these Christmas Fairy designs and I loved them as soon as I saw them.  This is my second one.  I really don't know which I like the best.

Here she is:

In her pattern Judith had drawn and embossed 3 snowflakes  (in about the same places I have placed mine).  I have never been very good at this very fine embossing and after all my hard work I couldn't bear to spoil it so I added a couple of die cut snowflakes.  I did paint them with Wink of stella first.
I spent a quiet day yesterday doing this pattern.  Am still coughing like crazy.  Have been told by friends who have been there that this can last weeks. I am coping as long as I don't stress myself - like doing housework.
Carol
xx

'Poinsettia Fairy' in parchment

This is a new for Christmas 2016 pattern by Judith Maslen.  Judith has designed 3 new Christmas Fairies and this is my first one.
I love the style of this especially the skirt of the dress. Beautifully designed using Poinsettia leaves.

I hope you like this as much as I liked making it.
Carol
xx

CD Sunday - Fab 'n' Feminine chosen by Wynn

Good morning.  This will be a short entry because the dreaded lurgy is getting worse - my typing is all over the place and it is too hot.
I am sad that we will be losing Sue from our team (read about it here) and I hope that she will come back when she has managed to sort out everything that needs sorting.
For Wynn's challenge I have made 3 ATC's (only one is shown on the challenge blog) and here they are:

I used Joanna Sheen's - Janet Kruskamp CD.  This is a new CD to me.  The blood rushed to my head one day and I purchased 3 new to me CD's from Joanna Sheen and this was one of them.  The gowns have been decoupaged and I have added some cotton lace and lots of gems.
I said it would be short.  I will probably revisit when I am feeling better.
Carol
xx

'Squirrel's Feast' - pattern by Judith Maslen

Here is the second project from our day at Barton-on-Sea last Saturday. Another brand new pattern.
I am afraid I tweaked this one as well as the Swallowtail.  Nothing to do with Judith's wonderful designs - more my ineptitude in the execution.
Here is my interpretation:

Judith had used an Almond Tool for the border and I didn't like my embossing inside the perforations.  I did say in my last posting that I was having trouble with embossing. There wasn't really enough room to do a new border inside the old one so I started afresh with a new piece of parchment.  I made a new border (own design), traced, embossed and coloured the cherries and embossed the sentiment.  I wasn't displeased with my squirrel so I "took him out" by pricking and snipping the oval out from the old card and attaching it to the new card as a topper by sewing with red beads.
There certainly are times when you can rescue a piece of work as I have above but parchment can be very unforgiving.   I was lucky this time. 
Sorry I tweaked so much Judith but I did save the little varmint.
Thank you for looking.
Carol
xx

'Fantasy Swallowtail' - pattern by Judith Maslen.

Well - we have travelled down to Barton-on-Sea for a Judith Maslen Workshop in all kinds of weather. Frosts, just plain cold, monsoons and last Saturday it was the hottest day yet.  Everyone was just plain sticky and there was no air (well of course there was but it didn't feel like it).

We had two projects as always and we had to work hard - no time off for heat exhaustion.
This posting is about the first project - the 'Fantasy Swallowtail' - No: 1 in a new folder to be called Butterflies Galore.
A beautiful pattern which I proceeded to make a pigs ear of on the day.  I put it down to the heat.
So on Sunday I started a new one and this will be a surprise to Judith as hopefully it has improved greatly  on the one she saw me making.

I have done a couple of tweaks Judith - hope you don't mind. One of the problems on Saturday was my embossing of the flowers - apart from doing them from the front instead of the back (a beyond  careless mistake) I just wasn't having a good embossing day.  So - I used a flower stencil I found on a Pergamano grid.  The flower was the right shape but just a little smaller.  I added a touch of pink to the flowers and then some Wink of Stella to the body of the butterfly.  I was more relaxed and sitting in front of a fan whilst I made this one so I am more pleased with my efforts
Now I just have a few tweaks to perform on the second project.  Just waiting for the place to cool down a bit.  Even with the fan it is too hot.

Thank you Judith for yet another fabulous workshop - my favourite days in the year.  And a big thamk you my companions - Charmaine and Jenny.  Charmaine does the driving and Jenny laughs at my jokes. (They both do really).
Hugs
Carol
xx

"Pipeworks"

is a new die and CD by Robert Addams and I have used the die to make a male birthday card.  Not displeased with the first effort but I think I could do better next time.
Next time it might be cooler and perhaps I could type without my glasses slipping off my nose.
On my patio - in the sun - the temp is 31.7C

Carol
xx

'G' is for......................

is our theme for the July swop at 'ATC Swop UK'.
I have done 5 again this month.  I think that 'Letters' and 'Colours' are amongst the most popular themes as the field is really wide open.
My good friends Debs and Mandi stayed with me last week for a couple of nights.  It was so good to catch up with news and gossip after a longish time between seeing each other and I did persuade Debs to get back into some crafting - and hopefully some ATCs is where she is going to start.  Debs had a terrible time last year with many heart attacks and a triple bypass and we are all so glad that she is still with us.
Debs has told our organiser Sue that she is going to enter some this month so I am mentioning it here just to make sure she does.  It was Debs who first got me into doing ATCs.  It was at a craft session at my house - many years ago - and my fellow CD Sunday teamie Pamela was with us as well.  I can't remember if it was Pamela's first go with ATCs then or not.  I remember I had a housefull and I believe Pamela got the short straw and was sleeping on a lilo.  It was a fun time though.
Anyway - here are the 'G' is for ........ ATCs that I sent off

I enjoyed making them.  My favourite is the second one.  I found the image on the internet and I have added lots of sparkly miniature butterflies made with my Pinflair punch. I have added sparkle to the red butterfly and a red gem to her hair.  It doesn't show very well in the photo but even though I say so myself - it does look good.
Have a good day.
Carol
xx

p.s. see comments below for facts about this photo.

CD Sunday - 'Summer Vacation' - chosen by Meg

Good morning everyone.  I am pleased to say that the theme for the next two weeks has been chosen by Meg.  This is her first choice as a new Design Team Member.   A great choice for this time of the year but secretly I am praying that it doesn't start raining again as soon as we hit the post button.
(My prayers weren't answered - it is raining as I type at 9.50am.  It did wait a couple of hours !!)

Here is my contribution to the inspiration by the Design Team:

I used Joanna Sheen's - Faye Whittaker CD for all of the card.   I imagine - judging by the clothes the little ones are wearing - that they are at the seaside (in Edwardian times) with their Nanny and are sending home a postcard to 'Dear Mamma'.
I decoupaged the postbox, the children and the hats. The bunting and the sentiment are both made using fairly newish dies. The bunting die is a Marianne Creatable and the Happy Birthday garland is from Memory Box.
A personal thank you to those who entered my theme choice - 'Once upon a time' - and I will be choosing my Top 3 in time for the next CD Sunday posting.
I love to know if you have visited so any comments you care to leave are greatly appreciated.
Carol
xx

CD Sunday - 'Once upon a time' - chosen by Carol (moi)

Good morning to one and all.  I hope you haven't had the week we have had here in the South East.  Torrential rain, thunder and lightening -  which has been quite spectacular at times - and of course electrical problems. Like a lot of homes that have been altered and/or extended we have two fuse boxes with several trip switches.  We are awaiting a visit from an electrician. We believe that an electrical surge has knocked out one of our trip switches and half the house has no electricity.  Very fortunately it is the sleeping half of the house so I still have my computer up and running.

Back to business.  It was my turn for the theme choice for the next two weeks and I have chosen - 'Once upon a time'.  I thought it would give a wide base for ideas.  Most bedtime stories read to the little ones start with those special words and of course all those made up ones start the same way.  I was never very good at the made up ones.  I think my three were too smart and would pick me up when I made a mistake.

I have used a favourite source of material for my card and turned it into a belated Birthday Wishes card which has gone to the recipient -  and I am pleased to say she liked it.  My source was MCS - A Very Important Date.  Here is my card:

The White Rabbit and the watch are decoupaged and I added the words apart from the Lewis Carroll quote.
I do hope you like the theme and I look forward to visiting many Blogs - old friends and new.
Carol
xx

CD Sunday - No image or photo - chosen by Sue

Good Morning.
I don't think we have had this theme before at CD Sunday - so well  done to Sue for choosing something new.  I must admit that these are my sentiments now but when it was first chosen there were a few gulps and some inter team discussions.  The team took it all on board and I think they have all  come up trumps.  Don't forget we are now 8 at Team CD Sunday so more blogs to visit and leave a little 'love' please  - which I believe is the expression.

My own contribution is so different to anything I have done before.  I saw a die set by Penny Black advertised on a favourite site of mine - Crafts U Love and it was the picture on the front of the packaging that caught my eye.  I kept seeing these dies but didn't buy them until they were in a sale and then snatched them up and here is what I did with them.

The basic idea is similar to the packaging picture but I have changed the coloring, the size and added the sentiment.  I decided that my lovely friends up in Northumberland might like this for their Wedding Anniversary  which was 4 days ago.
The CD I used is a Carol Ann's Studios CD - Glitz 'n'Bitz for the polka dot background paper.

I thought that I would like to try this concept using parchment so I made this card:

The border - which was a little tricky to say the least and took a couple of days - was by Florence Holmes and comes from her CD -  'Say it with Flowers and Lace'.  The card is pink glitter card which was also used for the die cut flowers and the stalk and sentiment used white glitter card.
So two cards - very different - with no image or photo.  At CD Sunday we are all looking forward to seeing what you can create - so please join us.
Carol
xx

Mellow Yellow

Our Facebook ATC Group has chosen 'The Colour Yellow' for it's June 2016 theme.
I have made 4 this time - not 5.  In fact I didn't get to make any for May which was 'Shakespeare'.  I was just too busy.  Too busy for ATC's is unusual for me.

Anyway I was determined to make the time this month and here are the ones I have made.

I love Kevin from the Minions. In fact I have an all singing all dancing battery operated Kevin that loves Bananas and makes rude noises.  I think I am in my second childhood.  Please don't disturb me - I am enjoying it.
And here he is :

I hope whoever receives them likes them as much I liked making them.
Carol
xx

CD Sunday - 'Let's go Lilac' - chosen by Jocelyn

Lilac is one of my favourite colours and one of my favourite flowers.  I have some Lilac in my garden and although people say it is unlucky to bring it into the house I do just for a few days once a year. Sadly it doesn't last long when picked so perhaps it is out of the house before any bad luck can strike.
Below is a photo of one of the fine blooms on my tree.

 But now back to the matter in hand.  A great theme chosen by Jocelyn and for this challenge I went back to stocking up my ATC folder and made these:

I used Joanna Sheen's House Mouse and Gruffies CD's for five of  the ATCs -  and  all of the backgrounds.  Then I used  various butterflies for the other three ATCs.  They were difficult to photo or scan so I hope you can see them well enough.

Another big day today  for CD Sunday as we are announcing the new members of our Design Team over on the Blog. We couldn't be more delighted and we are looking forward to long lasting  and happy teamwork.  I am sure you will welcome them and visit their blogs to see all the wonderful work they do.  They will be showing off their work for CD Sunday  in our next Challenge.  We had to give them time to be creative  and not rush them.

Our 6th Birthday prize winners were announced during the week and their prizes should be on the way to them by now.  We hope they will be pleased with the goodies. One of our prize winners lives in Florida and I was sorely tempted to deliver her prize in person.

I look forward to some serious blog hopping.  We had a great number of entries in our last challenge and I really enjoyed visiting and commenting so let's hope for the same or even more this time.

Carol

xx

CD Sunday - 'Something beginning with 'B' - chosen by Wynn

What a beautiful day here as I type this.
Thank you to all who entered into my challenge of 'Songs from the Movies'.  Some lovely cards and it is going to be difficult to choose my Top 3 -  but I will  - and I have an appropriate prize to give away.
You will see from the CD Sunday Blog that we are taking a little longer for our two big announcements as we are one short. Please bear with us.

Now back to Wynn's challenge - Something beginning with 'B'.

 I think I have the subject covered with my card which is of a Birthday bear with a bevy of  blooms  and two bicycles.  Sounds like a tongue twister.

All from The Best of La Pashe CD except for the diecut bicycle and  hollyhocks and fabric flowers.

 Please come and join us.  There are so many 'B's' to choose from but if we get all butterflies I won't be sorry as I love seeing them.

Carol

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Indian Maid - pattern by Judith Maslen

This was the morning project at our workshop day last Saturday.  Quite a bit of work in this one which is why I didn't finish it on the day.
What an unusual pattern.  I loved it as soon as Judith showed it to us.
I have tried to do it justice but I have got a small nail mark on the parchment.  Unfortunate but it sometimes happens - and always at the end of the project and not the beginning.
Here is my Indian Maid

I hope you like her.
Carol
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Pas- de- deux - new pattern by Judith Maslen

This lovely pattern was the subject of the afternoon session of our workshop yesterday with Judith.
Yes we were down on the coast in the New Forest again  for the second workshop of the year.

Here is the card.  I have just done the finishing touches.

With Judith's blessing I played about a bit with the pattern and did some of my own 'thing'.  I changed the border slightly and altered the 10 semi circles around the central image.
Judith hasn't yet decided under which subject 'umbrella' this will go but regardless of that it would certainly be perfect for a Birthday, Anniversary, Wedding or Engagement.  Where I have placed one of my parchment flowers could be a heart, butterfly or gems.
We had a fantastic day - as always.  The weather was good and our chauffeuse was first class.
I still have some more work to do on the second card which was the morning session work.  There was a lot to do on this card and I couldn't finish it before we had to break for lunch.
Here's to the next workshop in July.
Carol
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CD Sunday -'Songs from the Movies'

This one is my choice but before I get to the nitty gritty I would like to thank everyone who entered our Birthday Challenge and gave us such support . I can't tell you how much it has been appreciated.

I would also like to say here - as well as on the Blog - that we are having a DT call.  The details can be seen on CD Sunday.  We are looking forward to hearing from anyone who may be interested.  We are a friendly quartet and we don't bite.  So please take the plunge.

Now my 'Song from the Movies'.  I chose my song and the images I wanted to use but then struggled to prove that the song was actually in the film and not just in the Opera.  It was in the film so I didn't have to start again.
My song choice is 'Summertime' from Porgy and Bess.  I have always loved the song.

So here is my interpretation of 'Summertime'. I have used this image and background before but not for CD Sunday - and it never hurts to go back to something you liked the first time.  There aren't many La Pashe images that I don't like.

So yes I  have used The Best of La Pashe 2012 CD. for all of the card and it is decoupaged.  I used my graphics programme to add the song title and the second line of the song.

I am just hoping now that we get some days this Summer when we can sit out in the garden like this and just dream about 'living easy'.

Thank you for your visit.  I am looking forward to repaying the compliment.
Hugs
Carol
xx
p.s. Lynn, one of our Blog supporters has put a link to her 'Movie' song on with her card so I decided that I would do the same ---- so here is my link.  Thank you Lynn - a good idea.
The song starts at about 1.15 mins