Warm & Cozy New Year's Eve

     I'm finally back from the Christmas holiday and what a great time I had!  Kids and grandkids, in-laws and out-laws, all sharing a wonderful dinner and delightful catch-up conversations.  Now the New Year faces us with a promise of great things to come.  This card today is a perfect depiction of how I'm going to spend my New Year's Eve -- home with a warm mug of cocoa and a good book.  I did all my partying (probably overdid it) throughout my 20s so being home, safe and warm, seems more fun now.  :-D

     The image is from Little Miss Muffet, for whom I'll be doing a Guest Designer card later this week.  Their challenge this week is 'Anything Goes'.  The papers are new ones from Stampin' Up.  The ribbon, both the sheer and the purple polka dot which I used to tie the bow, are from Really Reasonable Ribbon.   The layout was inspired by the card at the CASE Study challenge this week.  

     I'm going to enter this one into a few challenges.  I almost feel like I'm out of practice having been away from the crafting table for so long.  :-D

Charisma Cardz -- Anything Goes

Digi Doodle Shop's Best -- Anything Goes

Do You Stack Up? -- Use at least 3 colors; pink, purple, yellow, and white
Fairy Tale -- Something Easy (the layout)
Just Inspirational Challenge -- photo inspiration with stripes
Outlawz -- Favorite things (color purple & hot cocoa) plus stripes
Rainbow Lady's Challenge -- Your Choice (anything goes)

     Have yourself a fun and safe New Year's Eve and may the upcoming year be blessed with creativity and friends.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Merry Christmas

      To all my friends and followers -- Thanks so much for being so generous with your encouragement during my first 10 months of blogging.  You've all made it a wonderful experience.  May your Christmas be merry and bright.  NanaConnie

Cooking It Up with Katie and Dude Time Doodles

     I was going to post this tomorrow, the regular day for Cooking It Up with Katie, when I realized that I wouldn't be near a computer tomorrow to link up all the challenges.  So you get this reminder a day early.  :-D
   
     We're more than half way through the time for the month-long, "Anything Goes" challenge at Cooking It Up with Katie, which is sponsored by Dude Time Doodles throughout December.  The digital stamp I used on my card today, Ebenezer Humbug, can be found at Dude Time Doodles.

Sketch is from Fetch a Sketch and there's still a few days to use it and enter their challenge.

 It's a busy sketch but worked perfectly to focus on a single image.

     All the papers were in my winter/Christmas stash and it's time I cleaned some of those out instead of hoarding them for yet another year!  I've used stash papers on all the cards I made this week.  I colored dear ol' Ebenezer with watercolor pencils (mostly pale grays and neutrals, with a hint of blue), then started die cutting and/or embossing papers for all the layers in the sketch.  I stayed with basic blues for a monochromatic effect but also because the card could have gotten waaaay too busy if I had added other colors to it.

     The twine was also in my stash and, combined with the flat rhinestones, acts as the only embellishment.  While it seems busy and complex, it was really fast and simple to put together.  I'm very pleased with the outcome!

     Here's a list of challenges for this card, and it's a long one today:

4 Crafty Chicks - Christmas

Allways Something Creative - Christmas

Cards und More - Monochromatic

Christmas Card Challenges - non-traditional colors

Crafty Boots - Christmas

Creative Stamp Friends - Christmas

Crimbo Crackers - Embossing

Crop Stop - non-traditional colors

Cutie Pie Challenge - Use a sentiment

Delightful Challenges - Anything Goes

Di's Digi Designs - Christmas

Dutch Dare Challenge - Tic Tac Toe: bling, die cuts, twine

Fairy Fun - Holly Jolly but not red or green

Hiding in My Craft Room - Embossing

Hooked on Crafts - Christmas

Mark's Finest Papers - Christmas card

One Stitch at a Time - Christmas Anything Goes

Outlawz Paper A la Mode - for a kid or a teen (and what teen doesn't say "Humbug" at least once during the holidays!!)

Paper Crafting Journey - Christmas

Paper Play - Christmas

Paper Playtime - Anything Goes plus Sentiment -- "Humbug"

Sassy Studio Designs - Fav Christmas movie:  "A Christmas Carol"

Scrappin Chic - Anything Goes Christmas

Shelly's Images - Anything Goes

Simply Create, Too - Embossing

Southern Girls - Let's Celebrate

Sundays with Crissy - Anything Goes

Victorine - Christmas 

     OK, let's see you play along at Cooking It Up with Katie.  You have until January 3 to submit up to three entries, but only three. :-D 

     I won't be posting again until after Christmas so I'm wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, and please make plans now to stay safe clear through New Year's Eve.  Don't let the partying get so heavy that you endanger yourself or others by driving after even one drink!  Designate a sober driver before going out or call a cab if everyone decides to imbibe.  I want to see you back here browsing around in blog land.  :-D  

Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Angels We Have Heard on High...

     I adore this little angel, drawn by Sandi Huggett for the Creative Freebie Challenge at The Outlawz.

Sketch came from Simon Says Stamp and the color choices are from the Tuesday Color challenge at Outlawz, amethyst, white and blue. I'm not sure how the pale amethyst in the embellishments turned so lilac, but it isn't that pink looking IRL.  Maybe it's mostly the glare from the camera flash.

     All the papers came from my Christmas stash (the ones I've been hoarding for more than a year and now need to use), and that darling little angel is colored with a combination of alcohol inks, and gel pens.  I used two scalloped oval die cuts, and added the bling and glitz with glittered brads, rhinestones, and pearls.  The "Noel" sentiment is one appropriate for a Christmas card.  Again, pretty CAS in design and took less than an hour to create it, including coloring and die cuts.

     Challenges for this card:
Aud Sentiments - winter holiday sentiment
Bling It On - Christmas
Creative Belli - winter or Christmas
Flutterby Wednesdays - always requires a butterfly, angel or fairy -- Open/ Anything Goes
Rainbow Lady's Challenge - Angels
Stamps R Us - Angels
Use it Tuesday - Holiday   

     That's it until Wednesday when I have another card with a fabulously fun Dude Time Doodles digi as a reminder that they are sponsoring the challenge at Cooking It Up with Katie for the whole month of December.   You can enter a total of 3 times in that Anything Goes challenge and you have until January 3rd.  See you then.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie
   

Creative Freebie Challenge on Outlawz

     Well, crafting time is at a premium this week so I've done two pretty CAS cards, both inspired by the Creative Freebie Challenge over at Outlawz.  I'll share one with you now and schedule the other for later this week.  In this first one, the image of the snow-covered, fence post was drawn by Anne Fenton and is a wonderful stamp for a masculine card.  Since it turned out that I needed a last minute Christmas card for a man, this was perfect.

The sketch is one from  last week at Stamps & Fun = Creativity.  This week their challenge is to use our favorite materials, and mine has to be sheer ribbon.

     The image is colored with Promarkers (I Love Promarkers  - blue and white) and sparkle is added to the snow with heat-embossed, glitter EP.   The dp has been hiding in my stash and I decided that since it's now past mid-December, it's time to stop hoarding the winter papers.  :-D   The bow is tied with sheer ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon (anything goes challenge.)  Final touch -- the flat rhinestones at the corners of the image.

     Other challenges:

Cards und More - Monochromatic

Color Create - photo inspiration

Creative Card Crew - 'Tis the Season

Digital Tuesday - Winter Wonderland
Do You Stack Up? - Winter
For Your Inspiration - photo
Going Grey with Scrap Creations - First Snow
Whimsical Wednesdays - Holiday fun with sparkle
Whoopsi Daisy - Sparkle and shine

      OK, one more CAS Christmas project done and ready for the holiday.  The schedule is really getting busy and I may not have more than two or three more posts between now and the New Year, so Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all.  NanaConnie

Busy, Busy, Busy !

     I know I haven't posted since last Wednesday and I may not get to post again for a few days.  I'm going to try to get some crafting time in yet today but no promises.  My December schedule has just gotten soooo busy!  I'm trying to get everything possible done at work before Thursday ends because, on Friday, I'm running off to spend Christmas holidays with my DD's family.

     I have no DT commitments until after the New Year (and will be joining a new, every-other-week, DT on January 9) so I'm able to concentrate on fun and family over the days I'm gone.  I may have time to get one or two things scheduled to post while I'm gone but if not, may you and yours have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  Hugs.

     See you again in January.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Kris Jingle and His Tangle

     Dude Time Doodles is still sponsoring Cooking It Up with Katie for the 'anything goes' challenge which runs all month long in December.  My card today is just to remind you that you can enter up to 3 times during the challenge and you'll love the digis from Dude Time Doodles!

Sketch is from The Sweet Stop.

     Colored with Twin Touch markers; dp from Recollections; sentiment is mine and printed on my computer.  Embellishments include a large button and a double-bow made from narrow, cream-colored ribbon.  The plaid dp has a metallic gold stripe in it that makes it very festive and Christmas-y.

     Challenges:

2 Sisters - Christmas

Allsorts - It Takes Two

Aud Sentiments - any holiday sentiment

Come and Get It Challenge - Red, green + your choice

Crafts 4 Eternity - Red, green, cream

Crafty Ann's - Red, green, gold

Crafty Catz - Anything Goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Traditional Christmas

Creations by Gill M - red & green

Hanna & Friends - Winter

Jingle Belles - Anything Christmas

Lily Pad - buttons

Little Miss Muffet - Buttons & ribbon

Meljen's - use green

Party Time Tuesdays - red and green

One Stop Crafts - Traditional Christmas Colors
Outlawz - All Buttoned Up
Rainbow Lady's Challenge - Trees & baubles
Squirrel & Fox - Christmas
Stampin for the Weekend - Christmas

     Have yourself a great day and find a little bit of creative time.  If you can, please join us at Cooking It Up with Katie, and check out Dude Time Doodles while you're browsing around, too.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

My Grafico Sponsors Tuesday Throwdown Again

     Tuesday once again, and Tuesday Throwdown is on its last challenge of 2011.  We are taking a break during the rest of the year so that the team can have their own Christmas/family celebrations without DT duties.  :-D  We'll be back on Tuesday, January 2.  In the meantime, My Grafico is our sponsor this week and they provided the images for the DT to use.  Our theme is "For Someone Special" and that's open to pretty wide interpretation.  Come play along with us and tell us who your Someone Special is or why it is they're so special.

     I used a beautiful cardinal image from My Grafico's "Nature's Christmas" set.  Remember my vintage Santa card from a couple weeks ago?  That was also from the "Nature's Christmas" set.

The sketch is from Scrap & Stamp, turned on end to better fit the shape of my image piece.

     I colored the image with my new set of Promarkers, added glitter to the pine needles, cut it with a Nestie, and matted it with another Nestie one size larger.  The papers are from a pad by Recollections, and the ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  I added the rhinestones and the sentiment (heat embossed with black EP) and it was finished.  I'll use this for a special friend of mine who has a Christmas birthday that somehow always gets lost in the holiday shuffle.

     Other challenges for this card:
Card Makin' Mamas - Christmas
Christmas Cards All Year Round - Anything Goes
Come and Get It Challenge - Red, green + your choice
Crafty Creations - card plus sentiment
Creative Belli - Winter/Christmas
Cupcake Craftroom - Traditional Christmas
Desert Islands Crafters - Recipe List: more than 5 layers, Christmas, glitter, embossing
Digi Doodle Shop's Best - Nature
Freshly Brewed - Christmas
Hotshot - Promarkers
Inky Impressions - Ribbon
Scrappin Chics - Home for the Holidays
Simon Says Stamp - Inspiration photo - To me, that inspired an 'Old Fashioned Christmas'
The Squirrel & the Fox - Christmas
Sundays with Crissy - Anything Goes
Through the Craftroom Door - Happy Holidays + 3 embellishments (glitter, ribbon, rhinestones)
Whimsical Wednesdays - Winter Fun

     OK, so won't you let us see your wonderful creations Celebrating the Season at the last 2011 Tuesday Throwdown challenge?  I'm wishing  a Merry Christmas to all --  NanaConnie

Not a card

  Just a quick share this afternoon and it's not a card.  I know, that's a surprise!

     My daughter loves decorating the holidays with snowmen and, over the years, I've made several for her.  This is her snowman for this year.

I'll submit this to:

Corrosive Challenges - Anything but Christmas (OK, close call but really this is about winter, not Christmas!)  

Craft Your Days Away - Snowmen

Fairy Tale - gift

Paper Play - Snowman

Pixie Cottage - Last minute gifts

Simon Says Stamp - Photo Inspiration (see the snowman?)

     Thanks for browsing and have a great week.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

More Christmas

     Today I have a couple of cards and a tag to share with you.  The first card and the tag use digi stamps from Clear Dollar Stamps, designed by Deedee Anderson, a fellow design team mate of mine.  I have been crazy about Deedee's designs since I first discovered them about a year ago.   Tell me what you think.

Sketch is from Sketchy Colors.

     The image, the background paper, and the sentiment are all part of the set, and this time I used the pre-colored set.  However, I used Creative Inspirations paint to add some shimmer and shine to the snowman and snow on the ground.  It's hard to tell but the snowman is fussy cut and popped up from the Nesties die cuts I used as the mat.  The striped papers are from K & Co.  The card base is sponged with red ink.  I added glitter to the plaid bow, tied from ribbon in my stash.  The last touch was all the rhinestones and the faux stitching on the corners.  

    Challenges for this card:

Come and Get It - Anything Christmas

Craft Your Passion - glitter

Cupcake Inspirations - inspiration photo

Dream Valley - Sparkle

Heart Song Inspirations - Christmas or red, green and white

Kaboodle Doodles - Christmas Colors

Karen's Doodles - recipe: 1 image, 2 papers, 3 embellishments (glitter, rhinestones & bow0

Paper Sundaes - Red, Stripes, Die cuts, Stitching

     Here's a look at one of my tags, digi from this same artist, and also pre-colored.  I added only the flower and the bow.  I've done nearly a dozen of these tags and, using the pre-colored digis, the whole bunch took less than half an hour.  Talk about time saver!

    

 NEXT CARD TO SHARE:

This second card is completely different from the cute digi images above and has a vintage clip art image which I've used before but this time I fussy cut two parts of the image and used them.

Sketch is very CAS and comes from Paper Pretties.

     The manger, the dove and the word "Christmas" are all adhered to brown plaid dp from my stash, and die cut with a Nestie.  The card base is already printed with the light brown pattern.  I added ribbon which is a bit sparkly, but looks much greener in the photo than it actually is, and a pastel mint, double-bow, tied from 1/8" satin ribbon.

     Challenges for this card:
Crazy Challenges - Anything Goes
Creative Card Crew - Tis the Season
Creative Stamp Friends - scene
Digi Makeover - Cut out a digi
I Brake for Challenges - Vintage
Incy Wincy - non-traditional Christmas colors
Little Red Wagon - vintage
Ribbon Reel - Anything Goes
Sassy Studio Design - Non-traditional Christmas colors
Stamp & Create - Vintage
Stamping Boutique - Non-traditional Christmas colors
Truly Madly Crafty - Christmas images

     Have a great weekend and I'll see you after the first of the week with the last challenge of the year from Tuesday Throwdown.  You won't want to miss this one!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Santa's in the Chimney, Ho Ho Ho !

    OK, silly title for this post but a fun card!  I'm still smiling over it as I did most of the time as I was putting it together.  This is another Dude Time Doodles digital image and their challenge this week is is to show Holiday Spirit.  I also want to remind you that Dude Time is sponsoring the Anything Goes challenge over at Cooking It Up with Katie which runs throughout December so that we, the DT, can take a break to share the holiday spirit with our families.

     Here's the card:

Sketch is from Willow Sketchie, turned a quarter turn.

     I colored the image with Promarkers (my new ones) and added gold paint pen highlights in several places.  The sentiment is my own, printed and matted with red, handmade paper.  DP from K & Co, plus more of the red, handmade paper, & white CS dry embossed with snowflakes, and all of those are matted with black CS.  The image is matted with black and cream Nestie die cuts.  I added the silver snowflake charm and the twine to make a bow.

     This is one of those last minute Christmas cards when I realized that I didn't have cards for everyone on my list, a week after I thought I was done!  Isn't that always the way?

     Challenges for this card:

AiFactory - Something red

Cards for Men - The number 2; the image has 2 feet in the fireplace

Celebrate the Occasion - Christmas but no green

Crafty Ann's - TicTacToe: Bow,  Bauble, Gold or silver or both - I used both

Crafty Boots - Anything goes

Crafty Purple Frog - Cold outside

Crafty Ribbons - Traditional Christmas colors

Crimbo Crackers - Embossing

Digistamps4Joy - Christmas but no animals

Moving Along with the Times - Last Minute Christmas (Santa in the chimney is about as last minute as you can get!)

PaperCrafting Journey - Christmas

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Pixie Cottage - Last minute card

Try It on Tuesday - All About the Big Guy

     I know it's short and sweet again but I'm not totally over my cold and must work tomorrow with an early morning call out.  I'll probably post again over the weekend.  Enjoy browsing while you're here and maybe even get an entry done for the Cooking It Up with Katie month long challenge (you can enter up to 3 times during December.)  Also, check out all the fabulous digis at Dude time Doodles, our terrific sponsor, and use one of them to enter the challenge.  :-D  Happy Stamping.   NanaConnie

Tuesday Throwdown and Robyn's Fetish

     One more snowman today and this one is "Carl, the Snowman" from Robyn's Fetish, sponsor this week for the Tuesday Throwdown challenge.  Robyn's graciously supplied images to the DT and Carl was one of my favorites.   Our theme is "Celebrate the Season."

I chose a sketch from Fetch-a-Sketch and it's hard to believe they are on Challenge 12 already!   I haven't managed to do them all but got a good share of them.  :-D

     I took a couple of liberties in that I didn't make a square card and I turned it into a gate-fold.  Here's another photo showing it open a bit so you can see the fold.  You can also see that I tried to stay as true to the sketch as possible.

     This will be a short post today.  I'm still not over this miserable winter cold and don't feel like sitting up and typing much.  Mostly, I'll let you look at the card and will list the challenges for this card.  I did try a set of new Promarkers which were a gift to me from a former neighbor of mine, and I Love Promarkers has a challenge theme of Snowmen & Snowflakes.  This is the first time I've played there, mostly because these are the first Promarkers I've had.  :-D

     List of Challenges:
Aud Sentiments - Any winter or holiday sentiment
Bah, Humbug - Cute Critters (Does a Snowman count as a 'critter'?)
Catch the Bug - Anything Goes
Crafts and Me - Pearls and swirls
Delightful Challenges - Let It Snow
Fairy Fun Fridays - Beat the Winter Blues (use blue and white)
Jingle Belles - Christmas
Meljen's - Holiday Song: Frosty, the Snowman
My Mum's Craft Shop - Keeping Warm (with his muffler and mittens -- after all, how warm can a snowman get and still survive?)
One Stop Craft - Let It Snow
OWH Stars & Stamps - Use a digi
PaperCrafting Journey - Anything Goes
Pattie's Creations - Christmas
Rainbow Lady's Challenge - Christmas carols; Frosty, the Snowman
Raise the Bar - Christmas (DT call)
Sassy Studio Designs - Christmas with sparkle and bling
Send a Smile 4 Kids - Winter Fun
Shelly's Images - Snow
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Stamp, Scrap & Doodle - Holiday cards
Totally Papercrafts - Let It Snow
Whimsical Wednesday - layers (there are eight if you count the card base)

     Hope we'll see you playing at Tuesday Throwdown this week.  The theme, "Celebrate the Season," is pretty wide open and you can do a project for just about any winter holiday or celebration, however and whatever you happen to celebrate during the winter season!  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Waiting for a Letter

     Slow crafting day today but I did manage to get one card done.  The image is one Ann Fenton did for the Outlawz Creative Freebie Challenge.  I used a sketch from Inspirational Card Sketches.



     The image is colored with Copic markers, Creative Inspirations paints (for sparkle on the snow and sky), and gel pen (also for glittery sparkle on the dp).  The papers are from DCWV's Winter Magic collection.   Ribbon and polka dot bow are from my stash, as are the flowers and rhinestones.

   Challenges for this card:

Pile It On - Always "make 1 card for as many challenges as possible" + Bling It On for December  (I always select my challenges BEFORE making my card/project so that I know it fits every challenge theme.  Sometimes I have to discard challenges because I just couldn't make them work on the card.  This time I had to discard 2 challenges calling for buttons, and one calling for only 2 dp.)

2 Sisters - punches or dies - I used both
By the Cute and Girly - Let It Snow
Catch the Bug - Anything Goes
Come and Get It Challenge - Anything Christmas
Craft Your Days Away - Bows
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - mainly monochromatic
Creatalicious - Christmas with sparkle
Crop Stop - punches (corners of card)
Designed 2 Delight - Let It Snow
Divas by Design - Anything Goes
Drunken Stampers - Monochromatic
Emerald Faerie Garden - Non-traditional Christmas colors
Going Grey with Scrap Creations - Christmas
I Did It Creations - flowers
Mami Doodles - Make it shine
Party Time Tuesday - Anything Goes
Rainbow Lady's Challenge - Christmas Carols "I'll Be Home for Christmas"
Southern Girls - Ribbon
Stamping with the Dragon - Anything Goes Christmas
Through the Craftroom Door - Happy Holidays
Whimsical Wednesdays - Layers (total of 7)

     Hope you had time to craft and enjoy some quiet moments this weekend.  It's going to be a busy week for me starting early tomorrow but I'll be around to post things for my Design Teams.  Enjoy a browse and Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Losing His Head?

     Today's post is going to be short and sweet so I can take my cold back to bed.  :-D  More holiday silliness but then, you've come to expect that from my blog, right?  Image was a freebie from Limited Runs (I've just recently discovered them!) and I used the sketch from Operation Write Home last week.  Colors are from For Your Inspiration.

     I'm going to submit it to the following challenges:

Craft Garden - recipe choices: snowflakes, kraft, ribbon, purple, turquoise (in the snow)

Crafty Cardmakers - heat embossing - Sparkle EP on the snowman

Creative Craft Challenges - Free for All

Crop Stop - punches (on the corners of the image)

Digi Doodle Shop's Best - Lots of sparkle

Jen's Digi Stamps - Merry & Bright with no red or green

Karen's Doodles - non-traditional Christmas colors

Outlawz - Anything Goes (but requires a sentiment)

Shopping Our Stash - Use Digi image (all the papers were in my stash)

Stamps R Us - embossing

     That's it.  Thanks for visiting, but don't catch my germs.  :-D  NanaConnie

Ice Fishing

     I know I already posted today but I can't wait to share this one!  Marlooney (Marlene Shaw, one of the artists who draws for both Dude Time Doodles and Squigglefly) posted this digi on her blog as a freebie today and as soon as I saw it, the sentiment popped into my head.  I grabbed it quick and ran off to make this card.  Since I'm home sick, there wasn't anything else to get in my way.  Here's the end result.

Sketch from Dutch Dare Card Challenge and colors from Touch Twin Markers & More Challenge.



     The image is colored with Touch Twin markers, and a bit of sparkle gel pen for the snow and ice, though it doesn't show up well in the photo.  I apologize for the angle of the photo, but I kept getting a huge glare from the metallic gold stripe in the plaid dp so had to shoot from an odd angle.   I matted the fussy cut image with black, fussy cut again, and matted with red, yellow, & brown CS from my stash.  The sentiment is printed and matted with black.

     The only embellishment I wanted was the baker's twine, since the metallic gold in the dp gives it plenty of sparkle and shine.  It is a guy card, after all.  :-D  I have no idea who'll get it but I love the card and can't thank Marlooney enough for the fabulous freebie!!  If you rush right over to her blog, Disguised as a Grown Up, maybe you can grab it, too.  But it's only available for 24 hours.  If you missed it, it's available in the Bonibleaux Designs store.  I guess I'm allowed to promote them since I was on the Dude Time Doodles DT once upon a time!  :-D

     Other challenges:
Fab n Funky - Anything Goes
Kaboodle Doodles - Bundle Up for Winter
Lexi's Creations - One for the Boys

      Have a great day and Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Gingerbread for Christmas

     Good morning.  It's Thursday and cold!  Seemed like a good day to make gingerbread men and warm up the house with both the heat from the oven and the smell of them baking.  It also inspired me to do this card which uses a freebie from Bows and Berries, which you need to use for their challenge this week.   The sketch is from Midnight Madness, and the colors are from Outlawz, Stone Gray, White, and Flower Pot red, plus use buttons.

    I colored the image with Touch Twin markers, then fussy cut and matted him with three different card stocks.  I punched the corners for shape decoration.  You'll note I used the same punch on the corners of the card itself.  Anything Goes Challenges want to see decorative corners this week.

     The strip of dp is debossed, with metallic lettering.  The card base itself is stone gray.  I used "ribbon" made from a scrap of taffeta trim which had been on a sweater that I discarded.  It made a perfect bit of sparkle for this card and also qualifies as "fabric" for the challenges at Bah, Humbug and as recycling for the challenge at  Creations  by Gill M.   I added the two buttons to the taffeta trim and then a few pearls to the gingerbread man and called it finished.  Since the gingerbreadmen coming out of my oven are 'sweet and spicy', I'm going to assume that this gingerbread man is, too, and I'll submit this to Pile It On for their "Sugar and Spice" challenge.  Remember, in addition to their theme for each challenge, they always want us to make a card utilizing as many challenges as possible.  I like to pick my challenges first and then make the card to fit all the ones I chose.  Sometimes I end up having to eliminate some just because the card design should always come first.  This time, I managed to keep every challenge I selected.

     Here's the list of challenges:
2 Sisters - holiday
Cupcake Inspirations - Inspiration photo
Digistamps 4 Joy - Christmas, but no animals
Di's Digis - fall colors
Divas by Design - Anything Goes
Do You Stack Up? - Ribbon (or anything you can tie)
Gingerloft - Winter or Christmas
Going Gray w/ Scrap-Creations - Christmas
Heart Song Inspirations - Buttons or Banners
I Did It Creations - Eat, Drink & Be Merry
Lily Pad - buttons
OWH Stars & Stamps - Use a digi
Pollycraft - Christmas fun
Sassy Cheryl's - Winter
Scrapping Cottage - Tic Tac Toe: Buttons, Trim (or ribbon), dp
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Sweet 'n' Sassy - favorite things; gingerbread, mmmmm
Victorine - Ribbon

     Won't you come in and share some of this fresh baked gingerbread?  There's milk or spiced apple cider to go with them, whichever you prefer.  Feel free to browse around while you enjoy the treats.  I'll have more this weekend.  Enjoy your day and Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie