Hot! Hot! Hot!

I'm sure you've guessed the title for this post is nothing to do with the weather LOL! What a terrible summer we've had - here in Wales it's been more like November.
Hot! Hot!Hot! is the theme Jocelyn has chosen for the next CD Sunday Challenge. The design team have used the theme in a number of ways, pop over to the blog to see what I mean. I have friends living in Australia and decided to use the theme for their Christmas card.

The red backing paper was from a pack I bought in Poundland and I think the holographic card was free in a craft magazine. It was only A5 in size but I managed to squeeze out a sentiment and small images as well as the layer for the topper. I used a topper from an Ooh La La CD rom called Festive Funnies. You can't blame Santa for taking a dip in the sea during his busy schedule!
All the diecuts including the sentiment are made using Tonic dies.
Jocelyn will have a prize for the person who's card she chooses as her favourite and you have until Saturday 3rd September at 13:00 to enter.
Please remember you MUST use something, no matter how small, from a CD Rom and you must name that CD in your blog post to qualify for the prize.
Good Luck!

EDITED TO ADD: Once again Mr Blogger failed to publish my scheduled post. In future I'm going to do it manually before I go to bed on the Saturday.

CD Sunday - Let's Shape It Up

Margaret is one of the new Design team members at CD Sunday and it's her turn to pick a theme to run for the next 2 weeks. She's chosen 'Let's Shape It Up' and wants to see shaped cards.

I decided to make a handbag shaped card and had seen a demo on the TV from Jodie Johnson (who used to be at Tonic) where she'd created a quilted effect on her card. It's quite simple to do - first cut your chosen die out, I used plain white card. Leave the die cut in the die but carefully remove all the cut out bits. Then put your good card stock over the blade side of the die. You should have the die, white card then good card. Run this through your machine with the embossing mat against your good card. Because you already have a die cut in the die it won't cut your good card stock but emboss it to look quilted. The die I used was particularly suited to quilting - Classic Quatrefoil Patterned Panels by Tonic. I then hand cut the quilted card into a handbag shape.

The design I printed onto card was from the Embossibilities Curls and Swirls DVD rom by Sharon Duncan. It's a coffee colour with gold effect spots. If I was to make this again I'd use the plain coffee coloured version without the spots. I then used narrow peel off borders along the embossed lines. I die cut a 'clasp' for the top of the bag, in gold Mirri card, using a die from Marianne Designs Creatables Dies called Anjas Vintage 2 Ornaments (LR0270). I finished decorating the bag with a flower die that was free from a magazine.

Mirri card is difficult to photograph so I took a second photo with the bag angled slightly.

The challenge runs until Saturday 20th August at 13:00. Which ever shaped card Margaret choses as the winner will receive a prize from her. Good luck and have fun everyone!

EDITED TO ADD:  Once again Mr Blogger hasn't published my post! I think I'll give up on scheduling and manually post from now on.