CD Sunday - Tots to Teens

Good Morning everyone.
There are to be a couple of changes at CD Sunday but Jenny will tell you all about those so I will just tell you about the theme and my own DT card.
The theme this week has been chosen by Sue and should offer a deal of scope as the age range is quite good and it can be for a girl or a boy.
I think there is no doubt that mine is a male card as the gorgeous little machined embellishment I have added is definitely a boy -  and a very smart looking one at that. I bought this embellishment - along with many others -  from a friend at a local craft show.
The card -  which is an easel card

comes from the 'Rachelle Anne Miller Collection' CD.  There are some great images on here suitable for lots of Tots.  I chose the train image as I wanted to use a new die of a Choo Choo train purchased quite recently. The card is very bright and colourful and so easy to make.  The Happy Birthday sentiment is on the back - in an unusual place but why not be different?

Please visit my fellow team members Blogs to see their wonderful ideas on Tots to Teens and we look forward to visiting some more of your amazing creations.
Have a good week.
Carol
xx

CD Sunday - One for the boys

Good morning - and what a beautiful morning it is - as I write this. Time will tell.
When I first tried this morning to fire up the internet nothing happened.  I had seen a man kneeling by the telecom box at the top of our lane yesterday and I thought perhaps he had crossed some wires but it seemed that I just needed a reboot.  Me or the computer?
Jocelyn has chosen Team B's theme this week and it is a golden opportunity to add one more 'male' card to your box.
Here is my offering which is decoupaged and uses some new die purchases.  Well one has to have a play with them.  There are too many bought just to look at.....and I am sure I am not the only one.

I have used 'The Best of La Pashe' CD.  A wonderful supply of images for almost every occasion.  I haven't actually added which occasion to the card. It could be celebrating a New Job, Birthday, Fatherhood, Promotion etc etc.  That can be added inside at the appropriate time.  I loved using the balloon die and I can see it being used many many times.
I look forward to seeing all the entries on the Challenge Blog and please feel free to add your comments here.  I love to know that you have visited.
Hugs
Carol
xx

A very special card

Eve - one of our group of parchers sadly died at the beginning of March.  Eve is greatly missed by us all.  A truly lovely lady with a really wicked sense of humour and despite her illness a twinkle in her eyes.
We decided we wanted to do something as a group and I asked Judith (Maslen) if she would consider designing a parchment pattern for us all to do in Eve's memory.  Of course Judith did and in fact she was bubbling over with ideas as we chatted.  Judith wouldn't take any money from us for her work and suggested that we contributed to a charity.  We did in fact raise £80 for the Hospice that took care of Eve.
So over the last two lessons and some homework we have all been creating our own interpretations of Judith's design.
Here is mine - just finished.

Judith has told us that this has inspired her to do a series of similar designs so it won't be too long before this one and others will be available on her site.
I hope you like this as much as we all do.  Thank you Judith for your design and inspiration.
Carol
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'Wedding Flowers' - pattern by Judith Maslen

On the eve of our second Judith Maslen workshop for the 2014 season I have finally finished a design from the last workshop  in March. 
This is a lovely design but I struggle with creating realistic roses on parchment so I have done a bit ...put it away....done a bit more and have now done as much as I can.

It is the rose on the left that bothers me.  The centre looks more like a jam roll but the frustration with parchment is that you can't take your marks away.
I know we are going to have a most enjoyable day tomorrow.  I am just keeping my fingers crossed for no roses and no felt tips  - please Judith if you read this.

Have a good weekend.
Carol
xx

Parchment card using a Multi Grid

Multi Grids are made by Pergamano for use with parchment and fine embossing and pricking tools.  The are so useful for borders and embellishments and are now being used by most 'parchers' even if it is just as little something extra to the traditional ways of producing some wonderful creations.

There are now about 40 Multi Grids and I must confess to having purchased all but a couple and these involve 'baby' images which I have never needed to use.


Here is a birthday card I made using Multi Grid 17.  A favourite of mine especially when I have to make a card fairly quickly but still want to use parchment. The border and the butterfly are on the grid and I have added the 'trail' with a sun tool, and glass beads for decoration and  fixing the parchment to the card. The sentiment was written using a PCA embossing template.  I have added some 'oofle' dust but it doesn't show well in the photograph.

I think you will agree that the use of the grid produces the basis for a bright and eye catching card that can be made by anyone. Perhaps a way to try out the wonderful pastime that is parchment crafting before deciding if you want to then learn all the techniques  and then get hooked .... like I did.
Carol
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CD Sunday - Ribbon, Lace and Gems

Lovely blue sky and sunshine whilst I am writing this.  Let's hope it stays that way for the Bank Holiday.
Wendy has chosen our theme for this weeks challenge and strangely I found it difficult to make up my mind about what I would do for this one. My fellow teamies seemed to find it easier and time was getting on and I hadn't produced anything.  It was something to do with using lace and ribbon together.  Don't ask why - I don't know - I have plenty of both.
Anyway I have made a card that I like and here it is .......

 Yes it has ribbon and gems but the lace is the lace effect of the fan blades. It does look like lace in real life even though it is card.
I used a blue backing paper from Joanna Sheen's 'Elegant Fans' Cd  to outline the blades and the support.  The flowers were made using the same backing paper printed on parchment.  There is plenty of space on the back of the fan on which to add a sentiment. The bow and gems were from stash.

I have chosen my Top 3 for the 'Deco Drama' Challenge and the results are on the Challenge Blog. I look forward to hearing from the winner.

So have a good rummage for ribbons, lace and gems and I will see you on the Blog.
Have a good week.
Carol
xx

CD Sunday - Deco Drama

Good morning and a very Happy Easter to one and all.  Whilst you are reading this I am enjoying spending some time with my sister. I will be returning after my birthday which has come round to Easter again.  I was born at Easter time which is why I was named Carol.

We had some fantastic entries for  'Something old /Something New ' and I am hoping my choice of Deco Drama for this week will be just as popular.  I will have a small gift for the winner of my Top 3 and I look forward to having a difficult choice to make.
Here is my offering.  This was made as a thank you card to my friend in Northumberland with whom I recently spent a wonderful few days of holiday.

Deco Delights CD  - Kraftyhands

 

I hope you will visit my fellow teamies to see which Deco beauties they have used.  Also I would like to say that it is good to have Christine back with us.
Take care.
Carol
xx

ATC's

Here are some more ATC's.  This time from the new La Pashe CD - Flippin' Families.  We usually give our little works of art a title and in most cases that is easy but I need some help with the first one - the Titanic moment.  So if you can think of something appropriate please offer your suggestion in the comments.  I would be grateful.

The last but one has been named Dad van Dyck - just to give you the idea.
Carol
xx

Pretty Ladies in Parchment

At our 1st workshop of the year last month with Judith Maslen we again did two new patterns.
This is the one we did in the afternoon and is from her new set of 3 patterns called 'Crinolines' and this one is named 'Swingtime'.
The disciplines used were outlining with ink, colouring with Faber Castell Polychromos pencils using a spreading medium, some embossing and use of various Pergamano tools.

'Swingtime' - pattern by Judith Maslen

I have finished the work we did in the morning session but I have yet to mount it on a card.

What I would really like to show you is a card made using another of Judith's patterns from her series - Country Pub Signs.
This one is called 'The Pretty Maid' and I love it.  I shouldn't say this I know - but I am going to - I am really really pleased with how this one has turned out.  I did add a little of my own to the pattern.  I added the little daisies to the circle behind the maid  instead of tracing and embossing the ones that Judith had drawn. I also added the beads whilst stitching the parchment to the backing card.
I started this at our monthly workshop last Wednesday and just finished it last night.  Sitting propped up on the sofa with a hot water bottle warming my aching back.

'The Pretty Maid' - pattern by Judith Maslen

Please feel free to add your comments if you feel so inclined.  They are always avidly read and much appreciated.
Hugs
Carol
xx

CD Sunday........Something beginning with 'D'

Good morning.  The weather is fine here down in the South and if I didn't have a bad back all would be well with the world.
We had some great entries in Jenny's sketch theme and I hope we can do as well for Caz's choice of Something beginning with 'D'.

As you will see from my card I was still in Alice in Wonderland's world, because for you I have a decoupaged Dormouse for my 'D'

MCS - 'A Very Important Date' CD.

 

 

I have really enjoyed using these images from this great CD.  I have decoupaged the coffee and teapots, cups and the Dormouse.  I added some more butterflies from the embellishments on the Cd.  I just resized a few.  It needed something in the gap.  The Happy Birthday peel off was coloured with a peel off pen.  A really simple card - all from the Cd - but I like the effect.

If I don't make it to your entries until later in the week please forgive me.  It takes some effort to climb off the settee.
Have a good week.
Carol
xx

More Alice in Wonderland ATC's

I have finished them all now except for the Queen.  I don't like her very much  and I think she will spoil the set so she is now on the cutting room floor.

The Mad Hatter

The March Hare

The Seven of Spades

The Two of Hearts

Carol
xx

Alice in Wonderland ATC's

Here are some more decoupaged ATC's from the MCS  'A Very Important Date' CD.

Dormouse

Alice and the White Rabbit

The Cheshire Cat and the White Rabbit

 

 

 

The Caterpillar

The background used comes from the CD.  I love these illustrations and feel that they stand on their own without the distraction  of embellishments. I think the Cheshire Cat is enough to give you nightmares and the Caterpillar is no beauty.

CD Sunday - Going round in circles

I am away at the moment enjoying some quality crafting time with a friend so I have scheduled this post.  Jenny is also kindly posting the CD Challenge for me.  Thank you Jenny.

Here is the card I have made for this theme which has been chosen by our Jocelyn.

Joanna Sheen - Jane Shasky - 'from the heart of the garden'.

 

 

I love these butterflies and I  have used them  a couple of times.  They are from the CD as well.
I will catch up with you all on my return.
Take care and have fun.
Carol
xx

Tweedledee and Tweedledum

I was having a wander in MCS for something different for some ATC's and found Tweedledee and Tweedledum from the 'Very Important Date' folder.  I love the artwork so I had a little play to get the sizing just right for the decoupage on the ATC and here they are.

Tweedledee

Tweedledum

Four layers altogether and the backing paper is also from the folder.
I think you could say that they have 'attitude'.

I hope all are enjoying the sunshine.  I had a workshop day with Judith Maslen yesterday.  Great day as always and I will post my efforts when I have finished adding a bit of this and a bit of that.
Hugs
Carol
x

CD Sunday - Simply Red

Good Morning.
First of all I would like to thank you all for your 'Quotations'.  My Top 3 choice has been posted on the Challenge Blog.  I have been making lots of parchment flowers so that I can actually part with some to send to the winner.

Wendy has chosen our theme this week and for this I used Deco Delights CD  by Kraftyhands. There are some beautiful colour choices on this CD.... and some lovely figures....grrrr. 

There are a couple of layers of decoupage and the addition of some black and crystal gems. I have this in mind for a girlfriend whose  birthday is this month. I know that she likes the Deco style.
Keep well.
Carol
xx

Fancy Dies by Nellie Snellen

I was perusing You Tube - as one does and came across this little bit of film and was really taken by the dies and what you could do with them.

So I bought the oval set and one set of the flowers bits and this is what I made.

The butterfly was one already made and in my stash.  I also found the background card in my box of ones waiting to be used some time.  The purple peel off gems were also ones found in a box -  and I had often looked at them and wondered when I was going to be able to use them.  We all have so much in what we lovingly call our 'stash'. As the dies were the only new things used for this card  I am pleased to have used up some stash.

But there is always a downside..... I have now bought the circles and the other three 'flower' dies.
Oh well!!

Carol
xx

Pergamano Multi grid 14

We had a lesson using our tutors design with Multi Grid No: 14

We also used a Pergamano Wing Tool and a Star tool.  Then small flower and leaf punches with green and purple vellum and some purple mini gems.  I chose to add gold peel offs to mine to finish off.

Carol
xx



We had a wonderful day at the Make It Show yesterday.  Quite a few new things to see.  I might be going back tomorrow but I think I am brewing something so I may not bother.

It's that bow again

This time using a piece of the 'ribbon' from the die set.   The die cuts 'ribbon' at just over 6" long so it is big enough for  most cards.  If you want to make it appear longer you could cut 2 and the bow would hide the join.

Here is my bow and ribbon.

I matched the paper for the die cut bow to the bow on the basket in the image.

Carol
xx

My 'owl' friend

I have said before that I love the Woodware singles range of clear magic stamps and here is a new one (to me) used to create a card in parchment.

I stamped the owl on to card and then traced the image on to parchment and embossed etc as the mood took  me.  This time I also used a set of dies that I have had for some time.  I can't remember whose they are.  The smaller die was used to cut the red  mat for the owl.  I also drew round the outside of this one and the next one up on parchment and then embossed the outlines and the dots in between.  The next size up was used for the second red mat.

The owls eyes were coloured with dark brown and black pencils and I cut out second eyelids to give a little 3D effect.

I hope you like my 'owl' friend.

Carol
xx

CD Sunday - 'Quotations'

Good morning on what I hope will be a beautiful day.  It was a glorious day  yesterday when I typed all this.

I am afraid that I chose this weeks theme of 'Quotations'.  I am hoping to see lots of interesting and varied ones.  Unusual ones perhaps that can be stored away for future use.

My card was made using MCS Watercolour World 1.  I fell in love with the backing paper which is funnily enough in the images section.  I then found the butterflies to tie up with the quotation which  I printed in white as I think it looked better than in black or another colour.  I printed it all out on photo paper and then used blue mirror card and matt pink matting on a white card.

MCS Watercolour World 1

I did print out some more butterflies to decoupage but they didn't look right so I will add them to the insert when I make that.  I always leave the insert until I know what I am going to do with the card.

I look forward to reading and cribbing lots of quotations and I will have some of my parchment flowers for No:1 in my Top 3.  Hope you don't mind.

Have fun and take care.
Carol
xx

Wisley Butterflies

I spent a wonderful morning surrounded by some incredible butterflies in the Glasshouse at Wisley.  Although this is an annual event it was my first time and it certainly won't be my last.
The humidity was necessarily very high and first it fogged my glasses so the world disappeared and then the camera seemed a bit blurred.  Here are few decent ones that I managed to take despite difficulties of vying with the....... 'professionals'!

Scarlet Swallowtail

Tree Nymph

Tiger Longwing

Asian Swallowtail

and there were a lot of these ones but I couldn't get a picture of the wings open.

Owl butterfly (landed on someones coat)

and here just to show Spring is on it's way

A single Camelia bloom.

Hope these all helped to cheer spirits.
Carol
xx

Stitched ATC's

Here are a couple of new ATC's for my stash.  I have been playing about with stitch patterns this time.

Two Owls

The Hat

I have the patterns for two more hats for when I get a moment or two.

Off to play with some gilding wax.  A new aquisition.
Carol
xx

An Easter bow with a Sue Wilson die

Can one fall in love with a die?  I think I have.  This wonderful set arrived yesterday and I have been having a play with it this morning and it is just the best.

I grabbed a piece of light card and made this:

I then searched about trying to find something to put it on.  I even looked in my box of already made cards but couldn't find something suitable. Not an easy colour to have chosen.   I did find though a La Pashe decoupage topper ready to be finished off.  I printed off another topper giving it a large border in the right colour using my ACDSee  graphics programme to give me the paper to use for the die.
Here is the result:

There is also a die cut strip of ribbon but I couldn't find a spot for that.    I used 160gsm Ultimate Graphic card (stiff paper)  from Polkadoodles.  I use that for all my toppers and decoupage.  A beautiful finish.

So expect lots of bows to go with my flowers and my favourite La Pashe CD's.

The dies were bought from Joanna Sheen.

You are going to have to get a set.
Carol
xx

CD Sunday - All about Spring

Good morning on this lovely day without rain (at the moment).

Team 'A' at CD Sunday are 'All about Spring' this week and I thought I would join in with some sparkly Spring flowers.

I have made these from parchment which has been printed directly from some of my CD's and a sheet of Special Vellum Glitter Embossed by Papermania.  The CD's that have been used come from Carol Ann's Studio and Debbees CD's.  I can't remember exactly which Carol Ann's Studio I used but the Debbees CD is the 'Paper Flower Boutique'.
Each flower has 4 parts plus a gorgeous sparkly embellishment as a centre.  I will have these to use on my cards when appropriate and I can also give some as a prize when it is my next theme choice.

Spring is coming.  We just need to keep telling ourselves that it is inevitable.  Maybe wet but it will come.
Hugs
Carol
xx

CD Sunday

Another card for a Spring Birthday

This time a parchment one.  I started this after lunch and have just finished. It is another of Judith's lovely clean designs and so enjoyable to do  Mostly whitework and a little colouring - the best of both worlds.
I hope you like it.  I enjoyed the making and was off in a world of my own.  I listen to  audio tapes (stories) whilst I am working and sometimes almost forget where I am.

Carol
xx

Cards for Spring Birthdays

I think we are all hoping that Spring isn't too far away.  To try and cheer myself up yesterday when it was pouring with rain I decided to do some decoupage for a couple of birthdays that are happening in the next few weeks.

Here is Card 1 - from La Pashe.  I used some silicon glue for the first time for months and months as I had printed out the images on 160gsm paper and wanted something to hold the weight of the shaping.

Here is Card 2 - again from La Pashe - this time with the addition of some die cut leaf sprigs.

I hope all are safe and dry.
Carol
xx

May I introduce you to 'Estelle'

'Estelle'  is one of 4 Elegance patterns designed by Judith Maslen sold through the CC Collection.
This is the third of the 4 lovely ladies that I have done.

I did a little of my own take on the pattern by adding the die cut flowers and leaves and not including some drawn and coloured roses in the border.  Also the curved line at the edge is done in gold on the pattern and I am not as good as Judith when it comes to gold pens..

These 4 patterns are wonderful to do .  Here are the first two that I completed a while ago:

Imogene

Cordelia

Octavia is the last in the group and I will tackle her pattern when I can find a quiet moment or two.
Carol
xx


Postscript.  The Elegance patterns are now sold by Judith and available on her site.

CD Sunday - Love Always

Good Morning - she says optimistically.  As I write this the rain is lashing and the wind howling - but then what is new about that.  It will stop eventually and in the meantime my heart goes out to those who are really suffering from floods, the cold and wet and lack of power and I really hope the situation improves for them as soon as possible .

Now Caz  - fellow Team B member - has chosen this theme.   I imagine because Valentines Day is looming. I have very mixed feelings about all this but instead of boring you all to pieces with those feelings  I will show you my card.

This one is as simple as it looks - all from Docraft - Tulip and Friends.  There is nothing more to talk about really except that is about 6 x 6 and printed on my favourite linen look 280gsm white card and looks crisp and fresh in the the flesh.

I don't feel that I have been very inspiring this week but I know that you all will be and I look forward to visiting your blogs and seeing what I could have done.  I know that Caz will have a difficult choice for her Top 3.

Carol
xx

For the man in your life

I think it might be a rather sporty Riley but I am not sure.  I don't know enough about cars.  This is a Judith Maslen pattern.  I just love the way Judith has drawn this and  I wish I could draw half as well.
It has been coloured using Faber Castell Polychromos pencils on the back and then blended with Zest-It.  The number plate has been left blank so that the initials of the card recipient can be added in due course.

I found this in my folder of projects started but not completed and decided that I must finish it.  For some reason - that I have totally forgotten - I had reduced the size of the pattern.  The original is about 6 x 6.
Carol
xx