JUNE CARDS .......... FINALLY!!

Well I've just managed to get my June cards here before the end of the month. I have really struggled for some reason. The theme was "Animals" and when I first looked at my parcels I thought "yes, I can work with these", BUT when I came to put things together it was a different story!
Both parcels contained (as usual) some lovely bits and a nice variety of things but all inspiration had left me and, despite liking the bits and pieces, somehow they suddenly seemed to have a mind of their own and, and with no inspiration, nothing seemed quite right!!!
Eventually I managed to make 2 cards from each parcel, all fairly plain & simple. Hopefully by next month I'll have found some inspiration from somewhere and will be able to do my parcels justice .......... I don't think I did this month, sorry Liz & Pat.

These first 2 came from the parcel from Liz. I don't much like the brown backing on this now even though it seemed ok when I made it!!

I do quite like this one, I added some peel off edging and gems to give it a bit more but a very simple card.

The next 2 are from Pat's parcel.
I had no idea where this one was going! I was fairly happy with my colouring although as always it could have been better!

I loved this Hippo pic, it's so cute and I wanted to use it but it really didn't need much added to it, so I cut it into a circle that was slightly bigger than the card, then trimmed the edges, just to give a little bit different shape, and added some gems and a greeting.

So there we are, my cards for June, ............... I did my best, LOL

MAY PARCELS

Ooooops!!! Only just in time to get this done before the end of the month!! Where does the time go? One minute I've got ages and the next I'm late!
Never mind, I'm here now and ready to show you the cards I made from my May parcels. The theme was mine and I chose "busy patterns" ........ in other words all those bright, colourful, busy papers that we tend to push to the back of the drawer because we're just not sure what to do with them. When it came to making the cards I half wished I'd picked something easier, LOL, but not one to shirk a challenge I set to and eventually made 3 cards from Pat's parcel & 4 from Liz's, so, without further ado, here they are ....

Firstly the cards from Pat's parcel ....
This one I used a frame Pat had included and a piece of a very busy paper behind it, a strip from another piece of paper went behind it and 4 small blue dots at the corners, I then added the little fairy to the corner

This really was a busy piece of paper, nice but so much going on ............ in the end I chose to use a black & white picture Pat had included, which I placed onto a piece of purple paper leaving a very narrow edge, on top of it

This one was a very simple one, I used part of a piece of paper from the parcel and just added a piece of ribbon & a greeting

So on to the cards from Liz's parcel .......................

I loved this paper from Liz, at first I wasn't sure what to do with it though, then I decided to add 2 thin strips of ribbon across the corner and to make a tag from some other bits in the parcel, then I just had to add a greeting

A very simple one, although I don't like green much I did like this paper and decided to use it with this sweet picture of the little girl blowing bubbles which I layered onto another piece of green

This one took a little bit of working out and came together gradually. I wanted to use the piece of green card Liz had included and rounded the corners on it, then I was stuck!!! Liz had also included a sheet of paper which had lots of squares similar to the 2 I used here (which I cut from it of course), I rounded the 2 end corners on each of them. Liz suggested the greeting in the centre and I decided to use a strip of white paper so it would look like the topper piece was slipped behind it. Small pieces punched from a remnant of the green card added the finishing touch.

Ooooh one of Liz's gorgeous butterflies, of course I had to use that, although at first I wasn't sure how as it seemed to get lost on everything I tried. Eventually I decided these 3 bits of paper layered together worked and (just to be different) I chose to line them up with the edge of the card for a slightly different look.

So that's the end of the May parcels, although I still have lots of lovely bits to use in the future ......... now onto the June parcels with a theme from Liz of animals.

APRIL PARCEL FROM LIZ

Almost at the end of the month but I just have time to show the cards I made from Liz's parcel. Inspiration was short to begin and, although I had 3 planned, I thought that would be it but in the end I managed to make 6, so my Christmas card stash is looking good now.
Here we go then ........

This one came together as I played around with all the lovely bits and pieces, like most of them this month it was very quick & simple to make

Another very quick & easy one but this gorgeous little fellow just didn't need much to add to his attraction

A lovely robin, always very Christmassy

For once I was quite pleased with my colouring here. I just backed the image onto a darker purple paper and the lighter purple went lovely with it

I really wanted to use this lovely ornament image that Liz included but at first I just didn't know how, ....... eventually (after a suggestion from Liz, thank you) I used some lacy tape I had to go down the edge and let the image stand out

I'm not sure where this one came from, LOL, just playing around with bits and pieces and it seemed to work so I took a chance and made it up ................. know what?..... I actually like it!

So there we are, from my 2 April parcels I made 15 Christmas cards!!!! Great parcels.
Now to get ready for May which was my choice ............. I decided it was time we all used more of those really "busy & colourful" patterned papers that we tend to keep putting aside because we're not sure what to do with them ................ can't wait to see what we all make!!

PARCEL WITH SECRET INGREDIENT?

Time to get on with the April parcels, the agreed theme for this 4th month was Christmas so we could get an early start on those cards! First up my parcel from Pat ............ lots of lovely bits and pieces to play with and I think she slipped in an invisible secret ingredient because I ended up making 9 ---- yes NINE!!! --- cards!! Please can I have more of that secret ingredient Pat?
Because I managed to make so many I am letting one of these be my monthly Christmas card for April.
So here we go ...........

This one was very simple, I loved the old house and the blue spotted paper was perfect behind it for a snowy sky.

Another fairly simple one, ........ not one of my favourites though!

I like this one, my colouring wasn't that good although it is better than it's come out here.

Another easy one to make and another one I like.

When I sorted out the bits to make cards this one was not among them but somewhere along the line it seemed to come together and get made

I really liked this background paper but it was a bit busy so needed covering a little.

I rarely use aperture cards which is probably why there are quite a lot at the bottom of my draw!! So I thought I'd have a play and ended up with this which I quite like

Another aperture card used,

And number 9 (this will be my April Christmas card!) ......... I like this one even though I don't like green!

So there we are .......... I think that is enough from Pat's parcel for now, I shall save the remaining bits for another day and move onto my parcel from Liz, .......... hmmmmm, wonder if she'll include a secret ingredient to help me too?

I'M LATE! I'M LATE!

Yes I'm late doing this again, so much to do, not enough time! Here we are though with the cards from my parcel from Liz for March, the theme was chosen by Pat and was "The Four Seasons". I wasn't happy with my Spring choice and ended up making a second one so I did 5 cards from this parcel ................. and here they are ...........

This is (obviously!) my Winter card, couldn't resist using those cute little robins

This is my Spring card ......... the second one I made. Those little birds nesting are definitely saying Spring is here

This is my Summer card, beautiful lilac

This was the first card I made for Spring then I decided it seemed more Autumn to me for some reason ....... still not sure really which it suits best!

This is my Autumn card, the skeleton leaves and the touches of red/pink/brown do it for me

We also decided this year that we would make one Christmas card each month, I have finally caught up with them and here are my first 3 -- Jan/Feb/March -- cards ready for Christmas!

So I am all up to date for the moment and time to move onto the April parcels.

MARCH PARCEL FROM PAT

Time to open the March parcels, the theme chosen by Pat was "The Four Seasons" .......... lot's of lovely bits and pieces to work with in Pat's parcel. My only problem was I don't do Easter or Halloween cards and nothing was really shouting Spring or Autumn to me, so I did my Summer & winter cards then had a think about the bits I had left. To actually make Easter or Halloween cards seemed a waste of time as I wouldn't use them and yet there were some really cute bits Pat had included that I wanted to use ........ eventually I decided to make 2 "tags" that could be used on a card if I wanted or, who knows, may find their way into my Art Journal for my future pleasure!!!
So here they are, hope you like them ....................

My Winter card, I was actually quite happy with my colouring of the picture, i used my water colour pencils as I wanted to keep it quite light.

My Summer card ...... I just had to use this lovely flowery picture Pat included and the roses and butterfly immediately said summer to me.

A Halloween tag ................ I was quite happy with this and liked my decision to have some bits going over the edge of the tag.

My Easter tag ............... I had to use this lovely dragonfly vellum paper & the cute little tag, a little bit of ribbon & a couple of flowers finished the tag.

So there we are, I know I can get more from Pat's parcel at a later date but for now it is time to turn my attention to the goodies in the parcel from Liz!

I'M LATE, I'M LATE .......

I know it's March and here I am posting the last of my February cards!!!!! Blame my daughter for being so generous as to share her delightful cold with me ............. blame Liz for choosing the 1-2-3 challenge (Oh am I glad to see the back of that one!!) ........ alright, if you must, blame me for being lazy!!
So I finally got this challenge finished and I'm sure Pat heard my huge sigh of relief all the way over in Kent, LOL. I managed 4 cards from Liz's parcel eventually and here they are .........

For the first one I used the pinky yellow patterned paper & the Happy Birthday piece, with the plain red behind the greeting bit, then the pretty little butterflies as my 3 embellishments. Think this one is what I'd call "the best of a bad bunch"!!!!!

This one is ok, I used 2 bits of the brown/white patterned paper and a plain piece in between, with 3 bits of card candy.

This one is very plain & simple and I'm not keen on it at all !!!

I don't really like this one, ....... I used the patterned square of paper with the brown (yes it is brown although it looks black here), then used another patterned bit to edge the yellow piece .......... however just after scanning it that thin edging piece fell off (it never did want to stick!!) and I have to admit I like the card better without it so this one doesn't really qualify now as it only has one patterned piece!!!!

So there we are, Februarys' 1-2-3 challenge is all done and dusted .................. and it really was a challenge and a half for me!!! I've had a quick look at my March parcels and I'm a happy bunny again, I can work with them and with Pat's "4 seasons" theme.