CD Sunday - Sugar and Spice

Happy Easter to one and all.  A few days with family, friends  and chocolate eggs, so I hope you are all having a good rest and that your weather is as least dry even if cold.

As Jenny said in the Challenge posting there are some changes afoot at CD Sunday.  Jenny is going to take a rest. I emphasise the word rest as we are trying to persuade her (and I am unanimous in this)  that it is just a rest she needs and will therefore be back chatting and posting in the not too distant future.  In the meantime I am going to be doing the posting - no fear - just a little trepidation.  Couldn't have a nicer bunch of teamies so I am sure they will come to my rescue when I do things like losing Mr Linky. (my biggest worry at the moment).
I am not going to make a goodbye speech to Jenny but just say that I hope to to keep up her standards and justify everyone's faith and wish Jenny a good rest.

Thank you for the many DT applications and as Jenny said I will be posting our choice later in the week.

It is Marina's last week with us as our Guest and thank you Marina for the great cards and projects you have designed for us.

Now to this weeks theme - Sugar and Spice -  chosen by Jocelyn.  As I said last week my card for this theme is a little different.  Different certainly, as I discovered, to my fellow teamies cards.

This is my second card made  for this theme.  Both are stitch cards but I felt the first one was a bit tame and didn't really hit the Spice of Sugar and Spice.  So I went back to Stitching Cards and found a series of patterns that are actually called Sugar and Spice. The tights were ........ difficult to stitch and took three attempts  but she certainly will spice up a gentleman's birthday.  The backing card is from Carol Ann's Studio 'Glitz 'n' Bitz' CD. The mirror card I used for the mat, words and the corner die cuts is some new I bought from C & C and cuts beautifully with dies. Seems to be a perfect weight for both.
I look forward to visiting your Blogs and please visit my fellow teamies Blogs.  They have all made great cards.

CD Sunday - Bundle of Joy

Good morning from a snowy Surrey.  Well they promised snow and it did come.  I am just hoping my Sainsbury's delivery makes it or I shall be peckish.
Our Sue has chosen this weeks theme.  I don't think that we have had a baby theme before and the team and our Guest Designer Marina have produced some beautiful cards.  I know you will like them so please visit their blogs.

My contribution  is in parchment again and  another Judith Maslen pattern.  I have said before how much I like her patterns and admire her artistic skills.  If you are designing for parchment it can't be all higgledy- piggledy or sketchy in design so somehow the essence of the subject has to be done in careful simple lines.
This is my card:

I have used lemon, pink and blue in the colouring and, in the background, which is from - Docraft 'Me to You' Spring Chic CD2 .
I enjoyed making this one with the clean and simple lines.  It was good practice in creating longish and  smooth lines in as few sweeps as possible.
My next few creations for Cd Sunday are not parchment and next weeks is ......a little different!
Please feel free to leave a comment.  I love knowing you have visited.
Carol
x

Imogene - pattern by Judith Maslen

This was made for a dear friend whose birthday it is today so it has now been opened.  I chose this pattern as it reminded me of her - nice and slim and similar hairstyle.

The pattern is part of a set of four ladies designed by Judith and on sale here.  I have now completed two of the designs and done the prep work on the remainder.

I am flattered to see that I have some new followers - so welcome and thank you and I hope not to disappoint.

Parchment Workshop in the New Forest

It was down to the woods yesterday to the first workshop of the year at Judith's place. It was so wet going and returning that I think an Ark would have been a more appropriate form of transport.  The sun actually shone whilst we were working but Oh Boy did it rain when we left.  Many of the fields and ditches were flooded.

Despite this we had a wonderful day - as always  - and we had two new patterns to work on.
The first one - Snowy Owl - was a design Judith did in answer to a request by me. We are quite often asked to suggest something we would like so this was my 'like'.  When I stay up in Northumberland with a friend of mine I stay at an Inn called 'The Snowy Owl'.  A lovely place with very welcoming hosts and they have many pictures of Snowy Owls on the wall but not a parchment one - yet.
Here is my effort

The second pattern is one of a new series of  'Seasons'.  This one is 'Summer'.

This was an exercise in embossing in a different way - using definite strokes rather than smooth blending.  Then we used the dry pencil technique of colouring on back and front.

Loved every minute of my day.  Thank you Judith, and my friend Charmaine for the heroic driving in the Monsoon.
xx

CD Sunday - Wonderful Wings (Pegasus)

Good Morning everyone.  Well!  I chose a tough theme last week but gosh what a super response from you all. Thank you all for those wonderful creations and for not leaving me with egg on my face.  I will study them all very carefully and then let Jenny know my Top 3.
Tis Friday evening and I am doing a timed post as on Saturday I am off down to the New Forest to the 1st of the year parchment workshops with Judith Maslen. A friend is kindly taking me as I am still not sure about driving any further than locally.  I am now doing physio and of course that stirs it all up.

On to our theme this week - chosen by Jenny.  I chose to do  a parchment project this time and here it is

Pegasus is a copyright free clip art I found in Google images and I have the artists permission to use it. I printed the image on 140gsm  parchment and then placed it carefully inside an oval patterned Multi  grid to  emboss the borders.  I then embossed the mane and tail and two of the legs and some of the wing segments.  The rest I embossed or pricked with a grid pattern.  The sentiment was traced from a Microsoft Word font and the whole then stitched to  the backing card with glass beads and then  a little sprinkle of Glamour Dust was added to finish.
The background is blue crackle from an Ooh La La CD.

Postscript:  We had a wonderful Workshop - as always - but the weather was horrendous.  I am so grateful to my friend Charmaine for doing the driving.  In some places you couldn't see your hand in front of your face for the rain. It was nice to meet Jacqui at long last.  Her first time working on embossing was awesome.

I hope you find this theme much easier and  look forward to visiting many Blogs.  Please drop me a line when you visit.  It is always nice to know you have called.
Carol
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Ooh La La Challenge # 125 - Four Legged Friends

I am not sure if you could call a goat a four legged friend especially with a pair of horns like those but he does look friendly with the flower in his mouth and that slightly bemused expression on his face. This is another from the pack  of  farm animal stitch  patterns I purchased from here. I used the sheep in a recent CD Sunday theme.

I used Ooh La La Creation's  CD - A Carnival of Colour for two backing papers.  The deep copper brown was printed direct to A4 card and folded to A5.  The very unusual butterfly paper was printed twice - to card for a mat and then to  paper so that I could cut out some of the butterflies to 3D. These paper come from the Bonus Papers folder and like all Ooh La La CD's contain many lovely and unusual papers and patterns.


I hope you like the stitching.  I think next to parchment it is my favourite medium.
x

CD Sunday - Land of the Pharaohs

Second week of March and more sunshine than showers at last.  I am enjoying the milder weather now that I am able to drive out and about again.  I have had to accept some movement restrictions  as a consequence of my accident but I think my own Annus Horribilus is over.
Thank you for all the super entries in our Butterfly challenge last week.  This week the choice is mine - Land of the Pharaohs. I love all things Egyptian.  Have visited Egypt once and would love to go again but probably won't make it.
Here is my card

I have used a  Robert Addams CD - Ancient Egypt - for all of the card.  The card was printed using one of the backing papers and the matching topper was printed on parchment and embossed in appropriate places.  The sentiment says 'Happy Birthday' and I used the interactive heiroglyphic feature.
The top right and bottom left figures have been decoupaged and bronze mirri card used for the mat.
We have some wonderful cards from my fellow teamies on the Challenge Blog so please go and visit them and then we hope that you will join in with your own wonderful interpretations.
I have a little gift ready for the winner of my top three.
x

CD Sunday - Butterflies

Good morning .  It certainly has been a little warmer although I hear we are  promised another cold snap.  But to cheer us up we are asking for many many Butterflies from you all this week.

Caroline of Carolines Creative Stamps is making a welcome return as our Sponsor this month and is offering  Digikits or rubber stamps to the value of £10 to the winner to be drawn at random.  We hope you will join in with us for this theme.

Caroline kindly emailed each teamie  a file to use and this is what I have done with the one I received:

I tweaked the colour a little in MCS and did the simple matting and then printed it out to use on a 6 x 6 white card.
The central butterfly is 3D with a layer of good paper and then some parchment.  The stamens as antennae were fixed between the two layers and then gems added for the body.  Matching gems were added to the centre of the buttons.
I haven't added a sentiment so that I can use it for almost any occasion.  I love the soft colours - almost misty.
Please join in with us and good luck in the draw.

(I am healing well and off to see the surgeon for my check up on Monday.  Hopefully to have the staples out.)

CD Sunday - Hugs and Wishes

The promise of Spring which appeared last week seems to have disappeared quite quickly.  Twice in the last couple of days it has tried to snow again and the temperature has dropped right down.  I hope it wasn't because we had Spring as our theme.  We had some beautiful cards to look at and thank you all for your continued participation in our challenges.

I actually made four cards for this weeks challenge - chosen by Christine.  Here are the two official ones.

I decided to separate the words and do one for Hugs and one for Wishes.  They both come from The Best of La Pashe 2012 - Value Decoupage.

Whilst I was using the Cd I found these two as well:

 I have enjoyed making these smallish simple uncluttered cards with some decoupape - which I have missed doing in recent months.

I have now had my op and am well into recovery.  I have spectacular bruises that are worthy of  all 4 inks of my printer.  I am just hoping now that everything will heal as it should.  Thank you all for your kind messages.

CD Sunday - Spring is in the Air

I have some primroses and crocuses out in the garden so perhaps Spring is really on it's way.
We had some wonderful entries last week in our 'On your Bike' challenge.  I was amazed at the variety of images on the theme.  Thank you all for continuing to support our Blog so well.

For this weeks challenge I have gone back to stitching.  I found a set of 6 Farm Animals here and just had to have them as they are such fun and little quirky.  Really well designed patterns.  I am hoping that I will be able to use the other five in future themes.

The beautiful spring border backing paper design (printed straight to the card) comes from 'from the heart of the garden' CD 2 (Joanna Sheen).
The quilled butterflies and the sheep button were all bought at the Sandown Show.  So glad I managed some shopping that first day as of course we were snowed in at home for the second and final days.
I really enjoyed creating this card and I hope you like it as well.  If you feel inclined to leave a comment when you visit it will be much appreciated.  I will have something to read whilst recovering from my op.

Parchment Fan

 

Pattern by Martha Ospina in a book by Pergamano - Classic Designs.

This is what I have been doing to keep occupied.  I did a couple of the blades many months ago and just decided to finish it.  I need though to find the perfect tassel in colour and size so I will keep an eye out at craft shows and such like.

Not the news I wanted

but I was expecting. Have just seen the Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and I have to have another op.  This time to remove the plate and all the screws.  The top of the humerus has collapsed and turned and this is causing the pain and movement restriction. He is going to do it asap.  Could even be Wednesday if he can fit me in.  In a funny sort of way it is a relief to know that there is a reason and that it will be dealt with quickly.
Carol xx

p.s.  Op will be next Monday.

CD Sunday - On Your Bike

Isn't this an unusual theme.   Thinking caps this week I feel. Well done Beryl for coming up with this one.  One challenger kindly  said last week that they like our 'so different' themes .........so here is another one.

All of the card came from  Crafty Computer Paper - Card Kits for Men CD.  I did add the die cut bicycle and sentiment.  I printed the image out on photographic paper which has resulted in quite a luxurious look.  Unfortunately that doesn't show so well in this scan.

Talking of die cuts I have a confession to make. Purely on medical grounds I have treated myself to an 'embosser'.  I am thrilled with it and now don't have to struggle using my left arm at all. Hopefully my arm will be mended and all better soon..........so I will then call it an early birthday present to myself.  I have one with an '0' coming up in a couple of months so please watch our Blog closely.

I look forward to your visits and please leave a note when you call.
Carol
x

CD Sunday - Showtime

Good morning everyone.  I hope it is finally a bit drier wherever you are. It seems to have stopped raining here in Surrey - for a while.
On to brighter things.   'Showtime'.  Our theme this week has been chosen by fellow teamie Caz.  This theme I am sure will be open to many interpretations and for my contribution I have chosen Ballet.
The pattern comes from Stitching cards and the card itself was printed using a back ground from MCS Deco Follies.  It looks like a stage curtain and I have added the roses because I am sure after her brilliant performance she would have been showered with bouquets.
I hope you like my Prima ballerina.

On a personal note.  I have had the CT Scan and now have an appointment with the Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon on the 11th Feb and will know then if more surgery is necessary.

I look forward to your visits and please leave a note so that I know you have called.
Carol xx

CD Sunday - Hello Doily

No - you are not seeing things - it does say Doily and not Dolly.  An unusual and clever twist and has been chosen by Jocelyn.
I used this theme to make a birthday card for my parchment Tutor.  One has to be very brave to make an all parchment card for a parchment tutor so this one has just a touch.

The lovely tea service topper came from La Pashe.  The blue scalloped round mat was bought at a show and the parchment doily was made using a Pergamano Multi Grid.  The mat and the doily were stitched to the background with blue glass beads.  I found the backing card on Joanna Sheen's -  'from the heart of the garden' CD by Jane Shasky.  I couldn't believe how well the flowers matched those on the tea service in colour and shape.
My fellow teamies have made some fabulous cards so please have a browse on their Blogs and I know they will be inspirational .
Carol
xx

CD Sunday - Forever in Blue Jeans

Good morning from very snowy Surrey.  About the same as every where else I think.  We only managed one day at the show instead of the three but at least we did get to see some of our regulars.

This weeks theme has been chosen by Sue and what an unusual one.  I struggled a bit to begin with and even had friends emailing me various bits and pieces that might have been suitable but then I popped an old favourite Cd into the machine and found the perfect image.

 This all came from Crafty Computer Paper - Card Kits for Men CD.  All except the button - which is real.  I decoupaged the pocket and the phone.  I think that the artwork on this image is amazing.  It really looks like jeans material and even the worn threads look as though they could be pulled and snipped off. So from struggling at the beginning I ended up very pleased with the card I achieved.  Just need to find a suitable recipient.  So it will go into the 'one I made earlier' box.
I hope you have fun with this one and please don't forget to say Hi when you call.
Carol
xx

No Parchment Stand at Sandown today

It has been  decided that it would be daft to struggle in  as it is snowing now and the forecast says it will be continuous.  We will then be worrying all day about getting home - especially in the dark.  I was up and ready to make the effort but our 'leader' made a sensible decision.
We will see what tomorrow brings.  I did bring all my things home last night just in case  and for once I made a sensible decision.
Carol  xx

CD Sunday - Vintage Vogue

Parchment with a 'photograph' is my choice for this theme chosen by Jenny.  I think my fellow teamies have made some really great cards so please visit them to have a look.

Here is my contribution:

This pattern - which I have used before - is a CraftsUprint download by Susan McGuirk.  It is designed as a photo frame but it is easy to adapt and use as a card. The centre image is from MCS 'Deco Follies' which I created and printed out on photographic paper. The gold dots on the frame were made using a new gold pen purchased from Pergamano.  Gold pens are notoriously difficult to use on parchment as the flow seems to break up on the slightly shiny surface but I have been very impressed with this pen.
I look forward to your visits.  Please leave a messsage so I know you have called.
Carol
xx

I need a hug

This is nothing to do with cards, DT's or parchment.  Just me feeling sorry for myself.  I had a 3 month check at the # Clinic today and the x-rays show the possibility that one of the screws in my arm is sticking out beyond the bone.  No boring medical details but it looks as though another op is seriously on the cards (depending on the result of a planned CT scan).  This time to remove all the screws and plate.  I am afraid it will put me back several months in my recovery and to say I am unhappy about it is an understatement. 
So much for my hopes that 2013 couldn't be any worse than 2012.  What a start!
Carol
xx

Easter Card - parchment

I am frantically getting projects made and things ready for the Sandown Show - see sidebar.  Have only  9 days left to get organised. 
I am concentrating on an Easter and Spring theme and to this end I have just finished a parchment Easter card  using a Gilly Howe pattern.  I love Gilly's patterns and have done a few.  The 'egg' itself was quite easy but as they say the devil is in the details.  I found it quite difficult - believe it or not - to get the parchment rainbow liner to fit perfectly.  I am pleased with it though.

Do you remember all those miniature handbags I made?  I have decided to use the open basket style ones and fill them with miniature chocolate eggs.  I hadn't got quite enough of that style so I have been busy making some more.  I then discovered that if I fill them with the eggs they are going to be too heavy to hang from my Fotofall thingie so off to Amazon I went and purchased a more substantial necklace tree.  Well a girl can never have too many of those and it will always be useful for future shows - if not I will have to buy more necklaces.
I am now planning some parchment butterflies and spring type flowers.

CD Sunday - Art Nouveau

Good Morning everyone. Well the New Year has well and truly started and as usual we have a Sponsor for the 1st Sunday of the month.  This month we are delighted to say that we are being sponsored by Peerless Designs.  Sarah has given us a copy of their Cd - Floral Jewels -  to be given to the lucky randomly drawn winner.
The design team were each given a different folder from the Cd to work with and this is what I have done with mine:

I used MCS to play around with the images and backing paper and then printed everything out and assembled the card.  For the first time I used the punch element and had great fun with it.  I went a bit mad with this newly discovered tool and punched out so many.  I wanted to use them all so I came up with this design.  I am still in love with  swirly dies so an  Art Nouveau card was the classic place to use one.  I did have to very carefully cut off one of the swirls as it covered the face.
I have now given this  as a birthday card to someone who loves Art Nouveau and Art Deco so it has gone to a good home.

Thank you Lynn for being our GDT for December and for your beautiful creations - and welcome again to Sue.  Sue had started as our GDT last October but sudden family commitments cut short her stay with us so second time lucky.

Thank you to all who entered our challenge last week - Think of a Number - and I will be choosing my top three later and will have a small gift for the winner.
Have a good week and please feel free to leave a message when you visit.  It is always a delight to know you have called.
Carol
x

CD Sunday - Think of a Number

I hope everyone had a great Christmas.  Fun and festivities with friends and family and lots of good food. I had a great time with my sister and nephew and his lovely wife. A bonus as at one time I wasn't sure if I would be able to join them.

As we are coming to the end of yet another year my choice of the theme -  'Think of a Number' - seemed appropriate.  This is what I have chosen to reflect in my card.

The stitch pattern came from here - and the background card from a Christmas CD from the  - Carol Ann's Studio range.
I wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year.  I am looking forward to another year of exciting and interesting themes, and much blog hopping.
Carol x

CD Sunday - All about Birthdays

Good morning Bloggers.  It will be a good morning for me if I have managed to get away to spend Christmas with my sister.  I am scheduling this week and next weeks posting as anything could be happening.  My run up to Christmas has been littered with fraught medical appts and cancelled arrangements.  One party, one dinner out, one workshop, one physio appt and if my GP hasn't passed me 'fittish' - one Christmas.  I followed a severe and heavy cold and sore throat with an attack of Cellulitis.  All just in case 2012 hadn't been enough of a ****** (fill in the blanks) year for me already.

I enjoyed all the Teddies when I managed to have a look.  Please excuse my lack of comments.  I seem to have said that a few times this year. It is a good job my fellow teamies are so kind and supportive.

Our theme this week has been chosen by Christine and for this one I went back to parchment:

The image pattern is by Anne Quinn and the CD used for the border pattern and sentiment is by Florence Holmes - 'Say it with Flowers and Lace'.
Followers of my Blog will know that I really dislike using felt tip pens for colouring on parchment.  Many 'parchers' are very successful with this medium but not me.  But on this occasion I used some new pens I had bought - Docrafts Artiste Dual-Tip Brush Markers.  I used them on the back of the parchment and found that they went on very smoothly and strongly without leaving lines.

I hope you all have a very Happy Christmas and I will see you next week.
Carol
x

p.s. Update.  I made it to Bristol.  My GP agreed that I could go so my sister dashed up the M4 and kidnapped me.
xx

CD Sunday - Teddy Bears

 A great selection of 'Frosty' cards last week - thank you.  My own 'Frosty Snowman' is now wending it's way North.  A good friend admired it on here so it is on it's way to you Joyce.

Wendy P  (Purple Wendy) has chosen this weeks theme of Teddy Bears.  I don't think we ever lose our love of  our Teddies.  I  have one on my bed which was a gift from friends.  They had asked me what I would like them to bring me back from the States and I said Harrison Ford.  I was disappointed on seeing them come through customs without the said gentleman but they did bring me a gorgeous teddy  instead.  Guess what he is called.

For my card I used Joanna Sheen's  - Jayne Netley Mayhew CD 1

For the sentiment I used die cuts but I can't remember the make.
During the recovery from my broken arm I have had to abandon the use of my Grand Calibur.  It just hurts too much trying to exert the pressure needed to hold the machine down on the work surface. I have found the 'sucker' almost useless.  I have though invested in a Big Shot and have been really impressed with how solid and steady it is and can do most work almost one handed or with a much lighter touch.  I have lent out the GC on a semi permanent loan until I decide if I will ever be able to use it again.  I don't do enough A4 work at the moment  to worry about the smaller capacity of the Big Shot.

I look forward to seeing all those teddies and perhaps reading about the ones you still have or own up to having.
Carol
x

CD Sunday - Frosty Days

The weekends seem to come round too quickly at this time of the year when we are all so busy.  It certainly doesn't seem a week since I was last posting for our Challenge.  I loved all the Christmas Trees last week and this week's challenge is going to help again with those Christmas cards.
I have gone back to parchment for this one. I bought the large Woodware stamp of a jolly snowman when I was at the Sandown Show.  I stamped it out onto a piece of card and used it as a pattern to trace on parchment and then decided what pricking and embossing patterns I was going use.  The stamp itself seems  to be on a patchwork theme so I continued with that thought.

I added a little colour to the Robins, holly and buttons , and then created a border with corner snowflakes.  The snowflake backing card is from a Robert Addams CD - Christmas Backing Papers.

I hope you like my interpretation of our theme and your comments are always appreciated.  I will see you on your Blogs in my travels.
Carol
x

Workshop Wonder - Part 2

I have now finished the second of our two projects started at  our last visit of the year to the New Forest for Judith's workshop.  I managed to use the time at our monthly parchment workshop at The Art of Craft this afternoon to add the finishing touches to :

I think that this project must rank as my favourite of all the ones we have done with Judith.  There were 14 of us at this session and we ended up with 14 different coloured heads of hair.  We were asked  to choose just 3 browns and a black from our pencil box.  The browns had to be a pale, a dark and one in the middle and of course with us all choosing different colours it was amazing to see the results.  We had auburn, almost blonde, chestnut etc. It was a totally absorbing exercise and I loved every minute of it.
I have not followed Judith's pattern to the letter - which is in fact a Christmas card due for publication next year.

CD Sunday - Oh Christmas tree

Good morning one and all.  What a great theme Caz has chosen for the start of December.
The start of a  new week, a new month,  a new Guest designer  and we have  a  great sponsor - The Art of Craft.  What a lot in one sentence.
Thank you so much Pauline for your wonderful cards last month and welcome to Linby who is our GDT for December.

The Art of Craft is my local store or as I prefer to call it  - Aladdins Cave.  If you ever get to North Camp in Hampshire please call - you won't be disappointed.  It is where I go for my parchment lessons and workshops and shopping and chat etc, etc.  Jane - owner - is giving a £10.00 voucher as the prize for the lucky drawn winner.

Here is my card:

I used Robert Addams - Christmas Backing Papers CD for the snowflake 'card' and the word mat.
The stitch card pattern came from 'Stitching Cards' and the coloured parchment, mirri card and threads were all from The Art of Craft.
I look foward to seeing some glorious Christmas Trees.
Carol
x

Workshop Wonder - repair

Sadly we had our last Judith Maslen Workshop for the year on Saturday.  We will now have to wait until March for the next one.
We had two projects again.  The morning one was a real tester and we did a project with our pencils - but more later when I have done the finishing touches.

The afternoon project was white work with just a little colouring behind the image. A very pretty design of brambles  by Judith.   I was very pleased with how mine had gone until the very very last moment.  I had reattached my work back on the pattern to trace the gold lettering and when I was removing the tape I tore the very edge of the work - bottom right. 

Here it is - waiting for me to decide what to do before I finish it off and make a card.

This morning I decided to tackle it.  The usual  'butterfly moment' was a bit obvious so I traced, embossed and cut out  repeats of a flower and leaves from the design and attached to cover the tear.
I also added another to the design itself as a 3D flower..
Here it is

A rescue that I can now use - so I am pleased.  Now off to my monthly parchment lesson.  It is all go here.
Carol
x

CD Sunday - Inspired by Nature

Our 'Layering' theme  last week seems to have been  more to your taste and I don't envy Sue having to choose a winner from all those great entries to the challenge.
This week it is Jocelyn's choice and I particularly enjoyed making my DT card for 'Inspired by Nature'.
I felt the urge to make another 'stitching' card and I found this adorable mouse here.   I used two CD's - Joanna Sheen - 'Fabulous Flowers' - poppy -  and 'Jayne Netley Mayhew' CD1 - cornfield background. The die cut leaves and the matting layer were cut from bronze mirri card.

I look forward to seeing all the wonderful creations that I am sure will be posted this week.

Carol x

CD Sunday - Layer it Up

Good morning.  It really looks like Autumn outside now.  Many many leaves to be cleared away.
We had some lovely entries last week but not as many as I would have thought.  'Christmas in Pink' surprisingly was more popular.
This weeks theme - chosen by Sue - should be OK for most -   especially those that love decoupage.  Decoupage was about all I ever did before I discovered parchment and stitching.

For this theme I have chosen a Christmas card and used two CD's -  La Pashe - The Big One - and Carol Ann's Studio - CD8.

Five layers and lots of glitter added - and a silver Angel charm.  The charm was possibly from here
I look forward as always to much Blog hopping but if things are a bit quiet chez moi it will be because my latest purchase arrived this morning.  A new book by Kannikar Sukseree called - 'Best of the Best Parchment Craft - A classic collection - Grid Work'.  An awesome book,  and grid work has always been my favourite parchment discipline.  Many happy hours ahead.
Carol
x

CD Sunday - Rainy Days

A suitable theme for today as it is really wet out there.  Musn't complain though - at this time of year it could be snow.

Here is my contribution:

I  enjoyed searching for suitable images for this theme and in the end for the background and picture I chose  Joanna Sheen's  CD   - ' Faye Whittaker Collection'.  Like all challenge blogs - I am sure - we always have our themes chosen some weeks ahead so consequently one always has them in mind when shopping at shows or on line.    Just in case we see that perfect something.  I found the beautifully quilled cloud, rain drops and umbrella in the bargain bucket on a stand at the September  Sandown Show.

I would like to apologise for not having done much commenting on the wonderful 'Christmas in Pink' entries.  I thought that each one was a masterpiece.  I was struck down last Sunday with the dreaded lurgi and after a week of antibiotics am still 'proper poorly'.  I decided to look up 'dreaded lurgi' It was a phrase always used when we were children and I have included a link for your amusement.  I assure you though that mine is genuine.
Hugs (from a safe distance)
Carol

CD Sunday - Christmas in Pink

What a week we have had  weatherwise.   Sunshine, hailstones, rain and frost.  Sometimes all on the same day!
Thank you for all the Beautiful Blue's last week.  This week we are having a change of colour - pink.
Our November Sponsors Carol and Hayley of  Dreamees gave all our teamies a folder of pink goodies to use and this is what I have done:

My CD contribution is the greeting tag which came from Carol Ann's Studio Midi Cd-11.
We all used the same folder  and I think you will agree that my fellow teamies have come up with with some great and different cards showing lots of  imagination.
Our Sponsor is very kindly donating a prize of any one of their CD's to the value of £9.99 - so good luck in the draw.

We are also welcoming Pauline as our Guest Designer for this month.  Please visit her Blog where I am sure you will admire her work as much as we do.

I look forward to my visits to your Blogs.
Carol x

Study in Turquoise with parchment

The pattern for the border - by Sue McGuirk - is a download purchased from Craftsuprint.  The butterfly is from Pergamano Magazine M103 - coaster patterns - by Hiskia Wittenaar. The toning background card was printed from 'Enchanted Dreams' by Joanna Sheen
The turquoise beads from my stash - everyone sewn on by hand!

CD Sunday - Beautiful Blue

Good Morning everyone. It is getting a tad colder here but no snow - thank goodness.
Thank you for your entries last week in our not quite so easy theme of Poetry Corner.  I'll be choosing a winner and letting Jenny know.

This week our theme has been chosen by Christine and it is " Beautiful Blue."  I have chosen to use parchment and I printed a willow pattern download from Alan and Barry straight to parchment and then embossed where appropriate.  I then used a fancy grid to achieve the oval shape.  My CD content this week is the background paper which is a crackle blue from Ooh La La's - Shoes in Bloom. 

The mirri card behind the oval is in fact a beautiful blue but the scanner has reduced it to black

p.s.  I am glad to report that there has been a great deal of improvement in the condition of my arm and I am now so pleased to feel so much better than I have done over the last 18 weeks. To quote our family saying.  'I am much more betterer'.
xx

CD Sunday - Poetry Corner

Gosh - what another wet week we have.  Still no sunshine here.  At least it isn't too cold yet.
We had some wonderful entries in our Autumn theme last week and thank you.  I always enjoy my visits to your Blogs and the consequent further travels that always happen.

This week - for some reason or other - it was my choice again.  I think we had a administrative reshuffle.  Anyway - in a moment of madness -  I chose Poetry Corner.  Not an easy one I'll be the first to admit  but as I know our regulars always manage some wonderful interpretations of our themes I am looking forward to what comes.
Our teamies have chosen some great poems so please take a moment to click on the pictures and read them.

I have chosen this one:

 "Monday's child is fair of face..."
by Mother Goose

Monday's child is fair of face,
Tuesday's child is full of grace;
Wednesday's child is full of woe,
Thursday's child has far to go;
Friday's child is loving and giving,
Saturday's child works hard for its living;
But the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay
        
I chose to do 7 ATC's and used MCS.
here they are.

I think a little political correctness has crept into MCS as the last line on my ATC reads:

"Is blithe and bonny, and good always."

On that note -- I'll see you on your Blogs.
Carol x

p.s.  If you want to find out what day of the week you were born I have found this link

Here:

Parchment rescue

I was making a special parchment card for a friends birthday and I was really pleased with the centre image.  This involved tracing with a sepia pen, embossing and then colouring with sepia to give the right aged look.
I then went on to do the border work as per the pattern but when I had finished I really didn't like it.  I was annoyed as I  had spent so long on the image.  I  didn't want to waste it all so I cut out the oval and attached it to an ATC and gave it some bronze corner peel-offs.  The hat feathers and the fur collar originally extended beyond the oval but I had to trim them.
At least I haven't wasted some of the work.

Back to the drawing board.

CD Sunday - Autumn Splendour

This weeks theme has been chosen by our teamie -  Wendy (Purple Crazy) - and I really enjoyed making my card for this one.
I found my image on Ooh La La's CD  - Carnival of Colour.  This is my next favourite CD of theirs after the 'Shoes'.  I chose to do the pyramage  and just mount it simply on gold mirri card and then a toning background.  The painting is good enough to stand on it's own.  I just added a couple of die cuts for balance. The leaf frond is one of my favorite die purchases and I cut this one  from an unused pyramage layer.

The Autumn colours do not seemed to have arrived in any quantity around here.  I haven't been doing much travelling of late as driving is still difficult so may be it just appears that way around where I live.  The oak tree leaves here are still very green.
Thank you all for the great selection of Christmas cards last week and I hope you enjoy this weeks challenge .
Carol
x

CD Sunday - Caroline's Digis - Christmas

As it is the 1st Sunday of the month it is sponsorship time and we are so pleased that Caroline of Carolines  is sponsoring our challenge this week.  Caroline kindly sent all the team a set of her Christmas Silhouettes and we have all made our cards using them.  They are so easy to use and each folder has lots to choose from and some samples of what can be made.  I chose to follow that route and copied one of the samples but added some glitter and some corner gems.
Here is my offering - created using MCS - and I am very pleased with it and intend to use my saved copy for several of my own Christmas cards..

Caroline is giving a set of the Silhouette kits to the lucky winner (their choice) who will be chosen at random.
So to coin a phrase - 'you have to be in it to win it'.  We look forward to your entries and please take the time to look at my fellow teamies blogs to see what you can do  with one of Caroline's kits.
So lots of Christmas cards please.
xx

I would also like to say thank you to Kevin for his wonderful cards whilst our guest designer for September and welcome  the return of Sue as our GD for October.  We look forward to more of her fab cards as part of our challenges.

CD Sunday - Tea Time

Good Morning and welcome to another CD Sunday Challenge and .... thank you for all the wonderful entries for my theme choice of 'Awash with Flowers'.  I will let Jenny know my 1st, 2nd and 3rd as soon as possible.

This weeks theme should be another one with appeal as we all love our tea and there are many suitable images out there on all those CD's.  My  CD choice was a Joanna Sheen CD - Jane Shasky's  'from the heart of the garden'..  I made an easel card and used some parchment embossed with butterflies as a background for the main image.  A parchment butterfly made using a pattern from a multi grid and  teapot and teacup charms are the embellishments I used.  I will add a sentiment later.

 I look forward to some more Blog hopping.  Any comments you care to leave here are avidly read.  It is always  nice to know you have visited.
Carol x

Show report

We were very busy at our stand at the Show.  We met lots of  people interested in learning to do parchment as well as those who are old hands and surprisingly quite a lot who have tried it but fallen by the wayside.
It was nice to see some familiar faces- a forum friend Rona and  fellow CD Sunday teamie Jocelyn who came to see me and we managed to sneak off for a coffee break.

I worked on several things in between chats and demonstrations and did manage to complete a project from start to finish:

This is from a pattern by Judith Maslen and making this one enabled me to demonstrate embossing (deer , lettering, sun tool and edges)  Use of a grid to make the snowflakes and then  to show how to fix the finished glittered topper to the backing sheet I sewed it on using beads.

CD Sunday - Awash with flowers

Good morning.  This is a timed posting as I am busy today at Sandown Park, Esher on the last day of the craft show.
The theme this week is my choice and I am hoping we have lots of entries from which to choose the top three.  I will be looking out for a 'little something' at the show for a prize.

For my card this time I decided to do some stamping because I saw this gorgeous stamp at The Art of Craft when I was there for a Parchment lesson - and I couldn't resist it.  Two other ladies at the lesson saw what I had bought and promptly added them to their own shopping basket.  The stamp is by Woodware.  I have coloured using Sakura pens. Added a little glitter and glaze and some flat backed pearls from stash.  The parchment/card  butterfly is from my stash made using Artylicious - Butterfly Bliss CD.
Hope you like it.  I thoroughly enjoyed  making it.

 The two ovals were cut using a Go Kreate XXL frame dies and the green card is from a Create and Craft special offer of linen look card.
My fellow teamies have made some fab cards for this theme so please visit their blogs.  Any comments you care to leave are always much appreciated.

Christmas ATC's

I found this cream metalwork 'distressed' card display stand whilst on a recent visit to Bristol.  I did wonder at the time how I was going to use it to effect as I wasn't sure about the birds.  But is was too good a bargain to pass by.
I really needed to use it on our Stand somehow (Christmas theme) and suddenly had a brainwave.  Make the birds into Robins.  So I roughly cut out 6 'breasts' in red card and here it is.

The photo isn't brilliant I am afraid and I am hoping it will look better when it is displayed with everything else.  A couple of the ATC's (small bauble and Robin) are a new style copied from freebie patterns here.

CD Sunday - Feline Friends

We had some really interesting and different takes on our Need for Speed theme last week.  Thank you for those.  I expect to see a bumper entry this week as a great number of you seem to love and have cats.   I don't have cats but I don't mind them.  We always had dogs at home.
Anyway here is my offering:

The image and backing paper came from Joanna Sheen's - Pamela West Cd.  I used a new die for the black embellishment and did a little decoupage.  No sentiment as yet so it is destined for my 'here is one I  made earlier'  box.

It will be my theme choice next week and I will be at the Show on  the 23rd so I hope to find a little  something 'different'  for the winner.

Angels for the tree - part 2

I have now finished 6 for the Show and here they are.  They have loops on them ready to hang from the display stand.  I will have some prepared to finish off whilst the Show is going on -  in the best Blue Peter tradition.

Talking of Blue Peter - I bought a sheet of sticky backed holographic gold glitter from The Art of Craft and it is proving perfect for the halos.  I only found it in time to do the last couple but it is a good tip for any one wishing to make halos.

Peacock - pattern by Judith Maslen

I bought this pattern when I went down to the workshop on Saturday and made it this morning. This is a simple one that could easily be created by a beginner.  I  chose what I thought was a turquoise colour for the feathers around the body but after I had used the pen I realised it was too green.  Needless to say it was a felt tip I used.  I should have stuck to my principles but I thought that it would be OK as it was just a tiny bit to be coloured.  If I had used my pencils I could have rubbed it out.  So I then had trouble finding gems to match and ended up using little nailheads which are almost right.
The original pattern is in a series that Judith has designed all suggested by Pub signs.  I changed it slightly by leaving off the gold crown and the gold pen work.

A days shopping tomorrow with girlfriends and then back to making Angels.

More Workshop Wonders

down at Barton on Sea.
Yesterday was our September visit to the New Forest for our parchment workshop with Judith Maslen.  It was a beautiful sunny day and a friend drove us this time as it was too far me at the moment.
We had a lot of hard work to get through but it was fun as always. I was a very tired bunny when I got home but it was worth pushing myself.  I have just managed to put the finishing touches to our two projects and here they are for your delictation.

Poinsettia Wreath.  This project was practice in using mediums straight to the parchment as it is taped to the pattern i.e. no tracing.  We were given the choice and instruction in using felt tips (not this lady), paints or blendable pencils.  I used pencils of course as they are always my medium of choice.

Whitework Convolvulus.  The only colour used here was some blue and green on the back of the image.  Blendable pencils again.  The space at the bottom of the image is for a sentiment - to be decided later.


Thank you Judith for another splendid day. And also thank you to Charmaine for doing the driving.
x