#176 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge

One of my brothers (I have 5) is into music. He has an electric guitar and has in the past played in a small local band. I try to make cards for him that reflect his interest in music. 

This card was created in Serif Craft Artist adding the music notes and figures. Then printed and glued to a card blank.

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.

Digi kits used: Name that Tune, Sweet Melody and Big School. 

The challenge will close on Friday13th February 2026 at 9pm.

#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.

#150 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.

In a recent craft magazine there was instructions on how to make a triangle or teepee card base. I’d made these many years ago and had wanted to make some more but couldn’t remember how to so I was delighted to find these instructions. Following the instructions I made a card base from some white card but the finished item was far too small! So I set about working out dimensions to make a bigger card that would, when folded flat, fit into an envelope 9 by 6.5 inches.

I already knew how I would decorate the three sides. A friend is a very talented artist and since he’s retired he’s spending more time painting.

 

I enjoyed making this card so much that I made a second one for my youngest brother. He likes to play a bass guitar in a band and I try to make him a music related card every year. There’s nothing digital on this one.

Both men contacted me to say they loved their cards. I think I'll be making a few more of this style LOL!

Items used:

Carnation Crafts: Not Messy, Creative, Strike A Pose and Tools of the Trade dies and vignettes.

Backing paper was from a craft magazine.

The challenge will close on Saturday 1^st February 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. 

#142 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 nephew and his teenage son like going to Monster Jam at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. Monster Jam is where the really huge jeeps etc go over obstacle courses. They really are ‘monster’ trucks! This year there’s a Monster Jam World Tour so they bought the t-shirts to wear to their night in Cardiff. As it was my great nephew’s birthday a couple of weeks afterwards I decided to design his birthday card around the Monster Jam logo. I asked my nephew to take a photo of the t-shirt so I could use it on the card and this is what I came up with.

I edited the photo so I just had the Monster Jam World Tour image and printed it onto a transparent self-adhesive sheet. I printed a jumper from a My Craft Studio USB, stuck the image onto it and then used the matching die to cut it out. It took four attempts to get the sizing and placement right but I persevered. I then added a couple of mats and foam pads to raise the ‘jumper’ up a little.

Items used:

My Craft Studio: Craft Master A Jumper For All Seasons USB.

Splash Crafts: Easy Peely Transparent Self – Adhesive Sticker Sheets.

Tonic Studios: Classic Card in Pewter Grey.

Green card from my stash.

The challenge will close on Saturday 28^th September 2024 at 1pm.

Don't forget that the CD Sunday Plus Challenge is now 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/Facebook entry you must give the name of the printed item you've used.

We also have a Face Book page if you want to enter but don’t have a blog - The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.

#138 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 challenge was due to be hosted by Aimes but Hurricane Beryl has caused a lot of damage and many people are still without power. We've had a quick message from Aimes and she and her hubby are both OK but the power situation makes it impossible for her to get on line so Carol has stepped in to host this one.

I started making cards back in 2005 – doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun LOL! A year later a made a Welsh themed birthday card for one of my brothers. The family moved to England after dad died and my brother Mark has always missed living in Wales. My Welsh card cheered him up so much that I kept up the trend of making Welsh themed cards for his birthday. I even managed it for the 3 years when my husband was ill and then passed away.

This card is now the nineteenth I’ve made:

The sweater is from a USB by Craft Master using My Craft Studio called A Jumper For All Seasons. It was originally a dull beige colour with areas of grey ‘slub’ effect. I changed the colour to a shade of green that was as near as I could get it to the Welsh flag. I also added an image of the Welsh dragon that I found on the internet. The sweater was then cut using the matching dies – Craft Master Nested Jumper. The USB and dies are meant to be Christmas designs but as soon as I saw them on Create and Craft it sparked this idea!

I die cut the green and red layers using nesting dies from Presscut that have a ‘stitch’ effect on the edges so that they would tie in with the main image of a sweater. I added a few Welsh dragon peel offs to the corners but I’m not sure they add anything to the finished card.

The challenge will close on Saturday 03^rd August 2024 at 1pm.

Don't forget that the CD Sunday Plus Challenge is now 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/Facebook entry you must give the name of the printed item you've used.

We also have a Face Book page if you want to enter but don’t have a blog - The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.

#118 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.

Sometimes a photograph of a card doesn’t show how much time has been spent on creating it. That’s the case with this card which was created digitally using Serif Craft Artist. The main image is completely flat with just two other layers of coloured card.

Creating the image took me quite a while. I started with the ‘carpet’ which was originally a small rug made up of several bright colours. I cropped, resized, and recoloured it to turn it into a carpet. The ‘wall paper’ was simple enough it just needed to have the colour changed. I then needed something to separate the wall from the carpet. I chose a plant marker which I cropped and changed the size to make a skirting board! The side table was cropped to remove a box of tissues and a table lamp, the books were cropped to make a much smaller pile, the floor lamp changed from red to pink. The mirror originally had a stand to it which I removed and turned to be landscape. I added a scene and curtains to the window. Finally the little picture on the wall (top left) had a family photo added. It’s a photo of the four generations of women in the recipient’s family. When I pointed it out to the family they loved that I’d added it.

Items used:

Tonic Studios: Craft Perfect Navy Blue card.

Limetree Crafts: Raspberry Kiss card.

Carnation Crafts: You Made It die set.

Serif Craft Artist digis: Great Grandads, Bloke – Man Flu, Big School, Christmas Dinner, Home from Home, Veggie Patch (skirting board) Girls Night In, Venetian Masquerade, Deco Dressing Room.

The challenge will close on Saturday 16th September 2023 at 1pm.

Don't forget that the CD Sunday Plus Challenge is now 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/Facebook entry you must give the name of the printed item you've used.

We also have a FaceBook page if you want to enter but don’t have a blog - The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.

#100 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge

As usual the theme at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge 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.

This is the last challenge for 2022, thanks to everyone who’s supported us throughout the year and looking forward to seeing your makes in 2023.

No Christmas themed card from me – I’m frantically trying to finish making them before the postal deadline!

Every week I go to an exercise class for people over 50, I’ve been going since 2019 although we had to stop during the lockdowns. The instructor is in his 70s and he’s a great guy, he makes the class enjoyable and stresses that we’re only to do what we feel able to. We usually have a break over Christmas but he’s had to do an extended one as he’s having a knee operation. We all decided to give him a card wishing him a speedy recovery and I offered to make one. 

I had to make a quick card (we only had one class left) so it’s just a simple image with a music themed border (we exercise to music) and lots of layers. The white and red layer is an optical illusion. The red is a thin strip with a border cut out of one side but it makes it look like two separate layers in white and red.

Items used:

Serif Craft Artist: the music notes are from several kits – Sweet Melody, Name That Tune and Nut Cracker Christmas. All recoloured and made into a border.

The main image is a Purple Ronnie digi called Get Well.

Dies used: Tonic Studios English Picnic Layering die set and Paula Pascaul’s Honeycomb Edge Builder (for the red strips)

The challenge will close on Saturday 24th December 2022 at 1pm.

Don't forget that the CD Sunday Plus Challenge is now 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/Facebook entry you must give the name of the printed item you've used.

We also have a FaceBook page if you don't have a blog - The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year - see you all in four weeks!

#99 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge

As usual the theme at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge 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.

A very quick, simple card from me this time. I’ve spent so long helping a friend with her new flat that I’ve not had time for crafting!

This card is for my youngest brother who likes to play guitar.

I designed the backing paper in Serif Craft Artist using music notes from a Kate Hadfield digi kit called Big School. The notes were originally black and I tried to recolour them using the Colour Picker but because they were such a dark colour you couldn’t see the new colour. So I tried the Styles tab/Instant Effects scrolled down to Plastic and it worked a treat!

Items used:

Serif Craft Artist/ Kate Hadfield digi kit called Big School, Cuttlebug embossing folder - Allegro, Tonic Studios Electric Guitar die and a sentiment die from Paper Boutique.

The challenge will close on Saturday 10^th December 2022 at 1pm.

Don't forget that the CD Sunday Plus Challenge is now 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/Facebook entry you must give the name of the printed item you've used.

We also have a FaceBook page if you don't have a blog - The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.

#68 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge

As usual the theme at The CD Sunday Plus Challenge 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.

For my Design Team make this time I’ve chosen a card I made for my next door neighbour. He’s very hands on with DIY and he works as a caretaker/handyman at a local school. I knew I had a CD rom with the perfect image and background scene.

I covered a card blank with silver mirror card and then glued the ‘shed’ image onto it. The man was from a decoupage sheet on the CD and holds a pint of beer in his left hand. I didn’t want this in the final image so I searched my Craft Artist digikits and found a mug that was suitable which fitted perfectly in his hand hiding the pint glass! I don’t enjoy fussy cutting as I’m not very good at it but managed to cut out three layers of decoupage and they don’t look too bad.

I die cut lots of nuts, bolts and tools from mirror card and placed them around the shed. The centres of the nuts are little circles and would normally be waste but I used them to hang up some of the tools and I think they worked!

  

 Items used: 

Creative Crafting World: landscape base card 5 x 7. 

Just Inklined The Big One CD: Framin’ Cards Set 2 – DIY Tool Shed #1 for the background. Flippin’ Men Flippin’ DIY decoupage sheet for the guy.

Tools were all cut using a set of dies free with Die Cutting Essentials Issue 51.

The challenge will close on Saturday 11^th September 2021 at 1pm.

Don't forget that the CD Sunday Plus Challenge is now 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/Facebook entry you must give the name of the printed item you've used.

We also have a Facebook page if you don't have a blog - The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.

#43 Anything Goes - CD Sunday Plus Challenge

 The theme for the CD Sunday Plus Challenge is Anything Goes. You must have used something printed from a CD, a USB or a digital download and you must state where the item used is from.

My next door neighbour does a lot of DIY and is a handyman for someone with rental properties. He was really impressed with my pop up card in the style of a tool box. 

  

I used a set of dies that were free with Die Cutting Essentials magazine, issue 51. It includes the base die for the box plus dies for all the tools. There’s also a free download for the papers which qualifies it for the CD Sunday Challenge. The ‘pin board’ at the back looks very realistic – for free downloads they were very good quality.

No ‘items used’ list as everything was a printed download onto card from my stash except the tools which were die cut from card in my stash.

The challenge will close on Saturday 12th August  at 1pm.

Don't forget that the CD Sunday Plus Challenge is now 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. In your blog post/Facebook entry you must give the name of the printed item you've used.

We also have a Facebook page if you don't have a blog - The CD Sunday Plus Challenge.

Male birthday cards

A few of my recent male card makes. The first two are for nephews.

Presscut Multi Layer Dies Diamond Layer and John Next Door Decorative Corner dies. Sentiment is a Paper Boutique die – Enjoy Your Day Doily die set.

Presscut Multi Layer Dies Squares and John Next Door Decorative Corner dies. Sentiment is a Paper Boutique die – Happy Birthday Doily die set.

This one was for my oldest sister’s husband.

Presscut Multi Layer Dies Diamond Layer. Sentiment is a Paper Boutique die –Happy Birthday Square Doily die set.