#173 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge.

This is my last CD Sunday post before Christmas. We’re taking a break from 22^nd December to 4^th January. As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.  Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

For one of my nieces I always make a religious Christmas card. Searching through my Christmas die stash I came across a pop up die set that was perfect. I just needed background papers. I turned to AI and asked it to design a dark night sky and sand dune papers. This is the inside of the finished card. 

 And the front of the card. 

   

Items used:

AI to create the digital elements for the sky and sand dunes.

Crafter’s Companion: A Bethlehem Scene Edge ‘Ables die set and Guardian Angel die.

Creative Dies: Joy To The World dies.

The challenge will close on Saturday 20th December 2025 at 1pm.

It will reopen again on 4th January 2026.

#172 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge

As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.  Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

I had to make one of those cards that we all hope not to have to make.

Now you’re probably thinking – where’s the digital element Pamela? Well it’s the insert.

Items used:

Craft Artist Coconut White card.

Crafter’s Companion Delicate Floral embossing folder.

Creative Craft Ultimate Sentiments die set.

Lisa Horton Simply Heartfelt dies.

Creative Crafting World white pearls.

Splash Crafts Verses USB.

Card blank and white ribbon from stash. 

The challenge will close on Saturday 7th November 2025 at 1pm.

 

#171 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge

Anyone who knows me will know that I LOVE HALLOWEEN! And as I’m now into making 3d items then Halloween is the perfect time to make something other than a card.

As soon as I saw the Craftwork Castle Gift Box Die Set (5874e) from Tonic Studios I knew it would be perfect to turn into a Halloween project for the bimonthly swap I’m in. It took me an age to make just the basic castle – the decorations were the easy part! All the characters are from various Carnation Crafts vignettes and die sets.

The centre tower (with the flying mouse) hides a treat box. I put Welsh cakes in there as my local shop didn’t have any Halloween sweets. The person I sent it too enjoyed the Welsh cakes! Her granddaughters begged her to let them have it for Halloween next year. She told them they could borrow it but had to look after it and return it to her to keep.

As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.  Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one. 

The challenge will close on Saturday 22 November 2025 at 1pm.

#170 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge

If you’re a regular visitor to my blog you will have read about the card I make for my brother’s birthday every year. Our family are Welsh but after our dad died mam moved to Shropshire with 3 children under the age of 14. My brother has always been a very proud Welshman so each year I make him a Welsh themed birthday card. Just before his birthday this year my brother was able to retire from work. That gave me a great excuse to use AI to design his card!

He always loves my card and this one was no exception.

As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.  Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

 The challenge will close on Saturday 8^th November 2025 at 1pm.

#169 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge

I’m host for this challenge and I like to try and make something a bit special or different when I’m host.

For this challenge I used a downloaded SVG file to use with my Scan N Cut. The cutting out bit was the easy part but choosing papers took me forever! It’s meant to be for 12 by 12 card but I didn’t have any that I liked enough. It’s a desk top storage unit and will be sitting on my craft desk right in front of me so the papers had to be something I liked. I managed to cobble together enough A4 in colours that worked well together.

As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.  Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

The challenge will close on Saturday 25^th October 2025 at 1pm.

#168 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge

As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.  Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

This is quite a simple make for my late husband’s only remaining Aunt and Uncle. Auntie was a sister to my late father-in-law so we’re not close relatives but they treat me more like a daughter than the wife of their nephew. They’re now in their 90s and both have health issues but they’re such a caring, thoughtful couple.

I’ve always liked DL cards but not the skinny DL. I make my own wider DL card and buy envelopes.

The background purple card is from my stash. It has a wavy pattern on it which is just visible in the photo. The rest of the card is cut using Carnation Crafts Hanging Archway Card Shape. The sentiment is Carnation Crafts To You Both Sentiments die set which is from the Summer Radiance Collection and the geese vignettes and dies are from CC Botanical Bliss Collection – Neighbour Hood Watch set.

The challenge will close on Saturday 11^th October 2025 at 1pm.

#167 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge

As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.  Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

I made this card for my late husband’s only surviving uncle. Uncle Jim is now in his 90s but when he was younger he loved to be in his garden. He still has a small garden but it doesn’t have any grass to cut and the borders are full of established plants. Much easier for him.

As card makers we usually struggle to make cards for the men in our lives. But because Uncle Jim loves his garden I try to make something garden related for him. This year it’s a greenhouse full of flowers and vegetables! I had planned on making a full 3D greenhouse but ‘life’ got in the way! I’d moved half of my stash into a spare room in order to set up another shelf unit but during the construction of the shelf unit I cut my wrist and had to pay a visit to A&E. The first time I’ve had to do that for my own health – not bad for someone in their late 60s!

It took me a few days to get over the shock of the injury and back to the construction and my desk was buried under loads of stash so I had to change my plans and make a flat greenhouse.

The sky background and paved path were created in Serif Craft Artist using digikits. The greenhouse dies and vignettes are from Carnation Crafts Botanical Bliss Collection – Botanical Sanctuary. Wheelbarrow and plants from Carnation Crafts Botanical Bliss Collection – Gardening Essentials and Flourishing Well. The vine inside the greenhouse is from Carnation Crafts Floral Heights Collection – Winding Flourish. I chopped into it to fill the area.

The challenge will close on Saturday 27^th September 2025 at 1pm.

#166 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge

As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.  Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

A member of one of the forums I belong to goes by the name Pink Pig so every year I try and make her a birthday card that has pigs on it!

I’m not very good at using alcohol markers to colour images in but I just had to buy this set of stamps from AALL & Create (#345 designed by Janet Klein) which also included the sentiments. After I coloured the pigs I fussy cut them out (another skill I’m sadly lacking in!) and I added tiny pearls around the female pig's neck. The stamp had a necklace but I prefer the pearls. The background scene is the digital part and was put together in Serif Craft Artist using the following digikits - Home from Home/ Venetian Masquerade/ Girls Night in/Bloke Man Flu. 

The challenge will close on Saturday 13^th September 2025 at 1pm.

#165 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge

As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.  Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

My make for this challenge is a bit of fun. My 16 year old niece recently had an end of term ball. She looked stunning in her red dress with very high heels. When she returned home that evening the red shoes were taken off, she slumped in a chair and said, ‘I’m never wearing heels again!' For her birthday card a few weeks later I couldn’t resist putting red shoes in the hand of the young woman and I also added red shoe brads.

I ran a black fine liner around the edges of the base card and also the central image. It created the impression that there is a layer of black card.

The whole front of the card was created in Serif Craft Artist using lots of digi kits:

Shop – Coffee and Catch up. Sky – VN Enchanted Ruin. Road – Classic Transport.

Top of girls body/ Trainers/ Jeans/ Blouse/Red Shoes in hand – Design Bundles.

The challenge will close on Saturday 30^th August 2025 at 1pm.

#164 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge

The team at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge has some great news – Carol is back with us! YAY!!! Pop over to the challenge blog and read about everything she’s been through.

As usual the theme is Anything Goes. Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

I have a 15 year old great nephew – as in my nephew’s son. Not that he isn’t great because he is – digging myself out of a hole here LOL! He’s quite a shy, very quiet boy. The school’s music department have created a ‘band’ of singers and musicians and my great nephew has taken to playing the electric guitar really well and now performs at concerts with the other pupils. This is the card I made for his 15^th birthday. 

The main background is a layout from Serif Craft Artist. I removed the images of a keyboard, car, jukebox, cassette and some words. I then die cut a keyboard, guitar (using Tonic Studio dies) and Happy Birthday. I cut them a couple of times to make them thicker and raised then up on 3D foam.

The challenge will close on Saturday 16^th August 2025 at 1pm.

#163 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge Blog

As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.  Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

I’m host for this challenge and I thought I’d share a recent make for a swap I’m in. Have you heard of Book Nooks? It seems they’ve been around for some time but I only recently heard of them when two craft companies that I buy from released sets of dies for a Book Nook. The finished item is intended to look like a book sitting on a shelf and when someone reaches for it they’re surprised to find a miniature scene inside. The scene can be anything such as a fairy grotto, the inside of a shop or a room in a house. I bought the set of dies from Carnation Crafts without seeing any demos. The online description is this:

 ‘Get lost in your own little world and create the mini craft space of your dreams’.

I beg to differ with that description! I know of no crafter whose craft area looks like the finished item. It’s an office with filing cabinets, files and a computer. I’m still delighted with the finished item and so was the person I sent it to. Now get yourself a cuppa because there’s a lot of photos and descriptions.

For anyone interested I've included pictures of each section and the items within and also any digital content.

So in the entrance there's a door and window. These are supposed to just show white card but I wanted them to look more 'real'. I printed off a sky from Serif Craft Artist, glued that and a piece of acetate (for the glass) behind the die cuts. The 'fabric' for the curtains were also designed in Craft Artist. On the file shelf unit is a photo of a grandmother with all her grandchildren - again from CA. The cup of coffee is filled with coffee coloured Nuvo drops! The file on the desk has pages in it. The next photo shows the cup of coffee, the computer and the file in more detail.

Close up of Grandma!

 

I used real cork for the notice board and the calendar was from CA also. Every post it note I scribbled on to look more realistic.

The curtains and ‘view’ outside.

 

Next section is the inside of what would be a book's spine. The window had the same treatment as the others. The picture (close up below) was created in CA.

This is the last section. The window and curtain details as before and the photos are all from CA.  I wanted a grey 'metal filing cabinet that you find in every office! So I cut two of the desk draws in grey card and glued them on top of each other to make a tall filing cabinet. Every single file has several 'pages' in that I cut by hand as there wasn't a die for them. In the photo below you can see a cup with the dregs of coffee in the bottom

The photos on the wall.

List of Serif Craft Artist digikits used:

Angie Hinksman’s This Christmas, Craftscapes Cottage Garden, Victoria Nelson’s Enchanted Ruin and Celebrations, Calendar Template and DF Editable Calendar, The Good Life’s Food and Drink. CS People’s Gorgeous Grandkids Manhattan Winter and Riverside Walk.

The challenge will close on Saturday 2^nd August 2025 at 1pm.

Neighbour's birthday card.

I made this card for my next door neighbour. I think most crafters struggle with making cards for men and I've made cards similar to this for other male friends and relatives.

I used various shades of blue card from my stash. I think most of it is Craft Perfect from Tonic Studios. The alphabet dies are also Tonic - Gaming Tiles Alphabet Die Set. The white layers and the letters were cut out using Presscut Nesting Dies - Plain Squares. The Happy Birthday die is from The Paper Boutique. I scattered tiny silver 'nail heads' to finish the card off.

#162 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge Blog

As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.  Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

Another Carnation Crafts card from me for this challenge. I think I should get commission LOL!

A 7 by 5 landscape card turned so the fold is at the top. I used the dies from the Elegant Arbour set to cut the shape and the Table For Two dies to create the scene. The tiny flowers are also from the Elegant Arbour set. The table is on foam pads to bring it forward to make the scene look more realistic.

The challenge will close on Saturday 19^th July 2025 at 1pm

#161 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge

As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.  Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

I’ve been adding more storage to my craft room so there’s boxes of stash all over the place! I also ended up in A&E after cutting my wrist while putting some new metal storage shelves together. My make for this challenge needed to be a quick, simple card and Carnation Crafts came to the rescue!

Items used:

Carnation Crafts: Dainty Daffodil die set and Elongated Frame 2 from the Taking Flight Collection.

DL card blank and gems from my stash. 

The challenge will close on Saturday 5^th July 2025 at 1pm

#160 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Challenge Blog

I really liked how this card turned out so made a second card in different colours.

I used Carnation Crafts Fine Splendour base card die set to cut three sides of a 5 by 7 card blank. You let the die hang over the fold in the base card so that it doesn’t get cut into. I then cut three layers from various coloured card stock and glued them onto the base card. The cream die cut is also from the base card set. The watering can and birds are from the Garden Chatter set and the flowers are a mixture from Vintage Blooms set 1 and 2.

The front of the card was quite heavy so I also decorated the inside to stop the card fallen forward.

 As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.  Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

The challenge will close on Saturday 21^st June 2025 at 1pm

#159 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Challenge Blog

I have a friend who lives in an independent living home ask me to make a birthday card for one of the other residents. The lady is classed as blind but is able to see a little. I used bright colours and decoupaged the flowers to help her to see the design.

 I used a 7x7 card blank  and covered it with green card from my stash. The flower wreath is from Carnation Crafts Petals and Threads Collection using the Classic Composure Card Shape. I finished the card with some large cream pearls.

As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.  Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

The challenge will close on Saturday 7^th June 2025 at 1pm

#158 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Challenge Blog

As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.  Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

I used a landscape card but turned it so that the fold is at the top. The dies and vignettes are from Carnation Crafts Elegant Alfresco Collection. 

The Challenge will close on Saturday 24th May 2025 at 1pm.

 

50th birthday card

 In my mind I knew roughly how I wanted this card to look. It turned out far better than I'd hoped for.

The card was front heavy with all the layers so I also decourated the inside to help it to stand up.

Items used:

Carnation Crafts - Killer Heels Card Shape from the Oh So Chic Collection and Fine Figures from the Moments In Time Collection.

Presscut - Plain Squares and Notched Squares Nesting Dies.

Craft Artist - gold no shed glitter card.

Limetree Crafts - Ice Gold Shimmer card (in real life it has a gorgeous shimmer),

#157 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Challenge Blog

It's 15 years since I first entered a card into the CD Sunday Challenge blog on 3rd May 2010. In those days you could only use items from a craft CD. CDs have now been replaced by USBs and downloads but I still have hundreds of CDs in my stash! 

This card was for my late husband's only remaining auntie. She's a very special lady but sadly she now has dementia. She loves flowers so I went all out with this card!

The card base is made using Carnation Crafts Wild Stepper Card Shape. I covered it in pink card from my stash. Then decorated with flowers from Into Summer Collection – Lovely Lilies, Terrific Tulips, Graceful Gladiolus. I snipped into some of the die cuts and turned them around to use the backs and fill in any gaps.

No sentiment on the front as she likes to keep my cards on display after her birthday.

As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.  Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

The challenge will close on Saturday 10^th May 2025 at 1pm.

#156 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge

On the 18th April it will be 15 years since the first challenge for The CD Sunday Blog Challenge. I think the challenge has done well to survive this long. It's had to keep up with changes in the digital world so as well as CDs you can now use images from USBs and digital downloads - including cutting files.

I haven’t used my Scan N Cut for a while and wanted to make something using an SVG. I found a layered rabbit shaped design on Etsy that I liked.

My make this time is for a forum swap with the theme of Spring. The card stock is all from my stash.

I added an extra layer on the back for a stand.

As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.  Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

The challenge will close on Saturday 26th April 2025 at 1pm.

 

#155 Anything Goes - C D Sunday Plus Challenge

As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.  Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

I made this card for a little girl on her second birthday. I think these dies are just so cute!

I made a tri fold card and covered it in backing papers from my stash.

The dies and vignettes are by Carnation Crafts. I have loads of their collections and I think they make such lovely cards.

All three die sets are from the Bundles of Joy Collection - Riley the bear, Jessie the giraffe and Piper the elephant. 

Each die comes with two outline dies. I cut one from white card and the largest one from card that matched the colour in the main images.

The challenge will close on Saturday 12^th April 2025 at 1pm

#154 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge

As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.  Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

I decided I wanted to use the Rose Handbag die set from Carnation Crafts collection Perfect Accessories. When I looked through the matching vignettes there was one in various shades of grey that I really liked.

 I searched through my stash of coloured card and couldn’t find any shades of grey that were suitable so I turned to my craft USBs. I chose a Digital Portfolio Linen Paper Effects Volume II and printed off papers from folders 2, 3 and 5. I layered two of the papers onto an 8 by 6 landscape card blank from Creative Crafting World. I then used a third shade to cut out Carnation Crafts Elongated Frame #2. 

The handbag and rose die cuts were raised on foam tape. I then cut the sentiment from the final shade – Chloes Creative Cards Sentiments Die Set (free from Die Cutting Essentials Issue 100). Finished with glass dew drops in clear.

 

The challenge will close on Saturday 29th March 2025 at 1pm.

#153 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge

As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.  

I used an 8 by 6 landscape card blank from Creative Crafting World that I turned so the fold was at the top. The backing paper I found in my stash but have no idea where it’s from.

The dies and vignettes are from Carnation Crafts. Magic Mirror from Fond Memories Collection and Totally Made Up from Oh So Chic Collection. I cut the centre of the mirror from silver mirror card using a die from the set. The card was finished with glass dew drops in very pale pink.

The challenge will close on Saturday 15^th March 2025 at 1pm.

Remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

#152 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge

As usual the theme is Anything Goes at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge - remember you must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download, you must state where the item used is from and you must make a physical item and not a digital one.

A very simple card but I think it’s very pretty. 

I cut a piece of card to fit a DL envelope and covered it in pink mirror card. I then cut a piece of acetate the same length but slightly wider. I scored the acetate so that I could bend it around the back of the card where the adhesive wouldn’t be so obvious. I then attached the die cut to the front of the card. I cut a second die cut and glued it to the inside of the acetate to hide the adhesive from the die cut on the front. I managed to find a Happy Birthday sentiment that was small enough to hide behind the main image and glued it to the pink mirror card.

The front of the card is decoupaged but hard to see in the photo.

Items used:

Carnation Crafts: Daisy Rays die set and vignettes from the Summer Radiance Collection.

From stash: Acetate and pink mirror card.

The challenge will close on Saturday 1^st March 2025 at 1pm. 

Don't forget that the CD Sunday Plus Challenge is about making items using something printed from a craft CD Rom, USB or digital download. You can use other craft items on your card/project, such as a stamp or die, but you must include something printed from the new categories. You must also make a physical item and not a digital one. In your blog post you must give the name of the printed item you've used.