Bugaboo and Tuesday Throwdown

     This week, Bugaboo Stamps is sponsoring the challenge at Tuesday Throwdown, where we want you to "Use a Charm" on your card or project.  Bugaboo generously supplied digital images to the DT and I chose to use Morning Margaret because she so resembles my attitude when the sun dares to peek through my window before I'm ready to arise!  :-D

I chose a sketch from Crafting Life's Little Pieces.

     I wanted to do something that would feel spring-like or summery so decided that the "Green and Gold/Yellow" in the challenge at Emerald Faerie Garden would work really well, and besides, green-on-yellowgreen or green & gold fits in with my favorite color combos.  I chose a green that was more of an avocado but I still like the end result.  Mostly I chose that particular shade of green because of the dp I used.  It's one of my all time favorites and I have only a small scrap of it left.  I've horded it and used it sparingly for fear I'd run out and now that's exactly what's happened.  It's been long discontinued, having come from a stack of scrapbooking paper which must be more than 3 years old at this point.  I haven't seen it anywhere in such a long time.  :-(  My second inspiration for colors came from the photo at For Your Inspiration, filled with trees and bushes glorious in greens, golds, and yellows, -- mmmm, luscious!  

     I colored Margaret with watercolor pencils and added a glint of sparkle to her glasses and lips with sparkle gel pen.   I used two different baker's twine, wrapped them around the card front and tied a bow, then added the gold star charm (metal).  The circles on the corners are done with a hand punch from two different colors of CS, layered onto each other.  I wanted to maintain a CAS feel to this card because Margaret just isn't a fussy, fluffy, frou-frou kind of gal.  She's pretty plain and outspoken, in a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of way.  No fancy lace or pleated ribbon or piles of flowers for her!

     Challenges for this card:

Craft Garden -- Monochromatic

Crafty Purple Frog -- Anything Goes

Desert Islands Crafters -- at least 3 from the list:  monochromatic, metal, sentiment

Gingersnap -- Favorite paper

My Mum's Craft Shop -- Favorite color combo

Scrap It Girl -- C.H.A. - Use things that begin with C, H, & A:  Charm, Humor, & Avocado green (This is a new monthly challenge started this January)

Shelly's Images -- Anything goes

Whimsical Wednesday -- Anything goes

     OK, that's the easiest challenge you've had this year - make something and add a charm to it.  We really want to see you play at Tuesday Throwdown this week so get started and come share with us.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

My Funny Valentine

    That song, "My Funny Valentine" has been running through my head all morning and I don't know how to get rid of it!  But it's appropriate for the card I want to share with you, which was inspired partly by the sketch with a twist challenge over at The Sweet Stop.  The twist is to make a 'non-traditional Valentine.'   So, I used a newly released digi from Sweet 'n Sassy (make an easel card) and added a silly sentiment for a bit of humor.  :-D

Here's the sketch, but I turned it on it's side.

     I colored the image with ProMarkers (Passion for ProMarkers -- Humor), and added the computer-printed sentiment, modifying the digi slightly to make it work.  The digi is from a new set called "Cheer Up" and only the question mark is actually in the "text balloon."  I adhered my sentiment next to the question mark and then made the balloon surround the entire thing.  Papers are from DCWV (I think -- they've been in my stash for a while), and the twine is the only embellishment.  I tied big loopy bows from blue and brown twine (with one gold) and added them to the blue and brown twine wrapped around the card front before attaching it to the easel.  I'm fairly new at doing easel cards, and this is the first one I've done with an A2 style card which is folded on the 4 1/4" side.  So, new image and new technique.

     I think this is a perfect Valentine for a kid -- not too sloppy or smoochy, and with a bit of fun.  It seems to me that's exactly the kind of thing a kid would think if the girl who liked him (oooh, yucky) ate his chocolate Valentine heart!  lol

     Challenges:
Corrosive Challenge -- I {heart} you
Crafty Ann's -- "What's New, Pussycat?"  (New image, new easel style)
Crafty Creations -- Valentine
Crafty Pad -- Something for the Boys
Digi Doodle Shop's Best -- Blue & Brown
PanPastel UK -- 2 of something: 2 cats, 2 twines, 2 patterned papers
Paperminutes -- Anything Goes
Pattie's Creations -- Fancy folds
Pixie Dust Studio -- We're going dotty
Poodles Parlour -- Valentine
Scrap It Girl -- C, H, A -- cats, heart, appetite or animals
Send a Smile 4 Kids -- Anything goes for kids
Simply Create, Too -- Love is in the Air
Squirrel and the Fox -- Critters
Stampin with the Dragon -- Anything Goes
Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturday -- Have a heart
Wags 'n Whiskers -- Valentine
Whimsy Inspiration -- Blue & Brown

     I hope you found a smile somewhere in today's post.  The weekend is nearly over and by the time this one posts, I'll be on my way to watch the 49ers football playoff game.  I hope it's not going to be a long evening!  Enjoy the rest of your Sunday and I'll see you tomorrow, right here in Grammy's Attic.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie
  

Save the Eagle

     Did you know last Tuesday (January 10) was national Save the Eagle day?  Neither did I until I read about it over at Outlawz.  I can't enter this card in their challenge because that's a color challenge (and I didn't use those colors) but I have to give credit to them for the inspiration to use a feather or two on a card.

Sketch from Fetch a Sketch.

     This is another of those vintage images which seem to have me hooked lately, printed onto parchment paper, then die cut with one of my new die sets (hexagon), and matted with chocolate CS, cut one size larger.  I cut the background dp with scissors (after adhering it to the card front - cut all the way through the card), turned the cut off piece and adhered it to the back edge of the card.  Then I added a strip of brown CS to set off the wavy front edge and complement the wavy back edge.

     The striped dp is another piece from that same dp mat stack, Linen Closet - DCWV, matted with brown CS and wrapped with sheer brown ribbon.  I added the feathers (no, those aren't eagle feathers!) and punched a hole for the pearl brad before mounting the strip onto the card front.  Pearls were added to the image panel and then it was mounted last.

     TIP:  Here's a tip for getting feathers adhered to a card without having them glued down the entire length of the feather.  I scraped the tip of the "feather stem" with a craft knife to flatten it as much as possible, then put down a tiny drop of craft glue right where the feathers were to go.  Before adding the feathers, I punched a tiny hole for the brad right next to the glue spot.   Then, I added the feather tips to the glue spot, and put the brad in place.  The brad overlaps the feather tips and holds everything in place while the glue dries.  It's also securely glued in place.

     The eagle feeding new chicks is so symbolic of New Beginnings and certainly has lots to do with saving the eagles.  Without offspring, there will be no eagles left to save.

     Challenges for this card:
Anything Goes Challenge -- Anything Goes week
Bunny Zoe's - inspiration photo - lots of pastels and browns
Card Makin' Mamas -- Something New
Craft Garden -- monochromatic
Crafty Cardmakers -- no floral embellishments
The Crazy Challenge -- Pearls or lace
Daisy Doodles  -- New Beginnings
Divas by Design - New Beginnings or Thanks
House of Gilli -- Anything Goes
Ooh La La -- New Beginnings
Party Time Tuesday - Save the Eagle Day
Top Tip Tuesday -- Anything Goes
Truly Madly Crafty -- Anything Goes

     Hope your week is going well and that you may have found some inspiration while browsing around.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

First Tuesday Throwdown Challenge of 2012

     Happy first work day of 2012 and welcome to the first Tuesday Throwdown challenge of 2012.  Our challenge this week is sponsored by Robyn's Fetish, and they supplied all the digital stamps used by the DT.  Our theme is "Shiny New Year" and we want to see something shiny on your projects this week.  If you use as much shine as I did, you might have a problem getting your project to photograph.  I've never taken so many shots of one card trying to get the one shot without backflash glare!  LOL

     I used a sketch from My Time Made Easy.

      Doesn't this snowman cone look ready for a party?  He could be Christmas or New Year, or even a birthday, as long as he gets to the party!  Ice Cream (the snowman kind or not) seems to always be a necessity for parties and celebrations of all kinds!

     I colored the image with Copics and added Glossy Accents to the 'snowman' part of the ice cream cone.  That's where the problems started with trying to photograph the card.  Here's a closeup to show you how really shiny it is IRL.  You can see the photography problems it would cause.  :-D

     The dp came from the new DCWV stack which Santa brought me for Christmas.  Love all the snowflakes in those papers!  I fussy cut the image and matted it with black CS.  Each dp is also matted with black.  I added the ribbon, the bow, and the shiny pearls as embellishments, all from my stash.

Challenges for this card:
2 Sisters -- Winter colors (purple, blue, white, or silver combos)
4 Crafty Chicks -- Something New (New Year, new dp, new image)
Craft Your Days Away -- Snowmen
C.R.A.F.T. -- New Year
Crimbo Crackers - Snowflakes
Critter Sketch - Celebrations
DRS Designs -- Snowflakes
House of Gilli -- Anything Goes
Incy Wincy -- Anything Goes
Kaboodle Doodles -- Celebrate
Mark's Finest Papers -- Snowflake
My Craft Spot -- Winter Wonderland
One Stop Crafts - Winter Wishes
Our Craft Lounge -- Inspiration photo (colors)
Pile It On - Anything Goes (plus always as many challenges as possible)
Robyn's Fetish -- Anything Goes
Secret Crafter -- Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp and Show -- Something Old, Something New
Stamps & Fun = Creativity -- Snow
Stamping with the Dragon -- Let It Snow
Totally Papercrafts -- Party Time

     Sure hope you'll come play in the Tuesday Throwdown challenge this week.  It's an easy one - just use something shiny.  See you there and Happy Stamping.  Welcome to 2012!  NanaConnie