White Christmas

     This is a different kind of "White Christmas" - not like the song.      :-D  

     I fell in love with this sweet kitten, all fluffed up in his white winter coat, cuddling with his very own best friend.  I wish I knew the artist but I haven't a clue.  If anyone recognizes it or knows the artist, please tell me so that I can give proper credit.  I think it came from a digital coloring book since it was a .pdf file and most of my .pdf digitals are coloring book pages.  I also had reduce the size to fit the card.

     I printed the digital image in light grayscale, then colored the girl and the kitten with Sanjoki markers, emphasizing the blue eyes of each.  I cut the image and the aqua frame with square dies from QuicKutz.  I used a Spellbinders square die and a Tonic Studios rectangle die to cut the blue CS pieces for the 'checkerboard' background.

     The sentiment was printed and cut with another Tonic Studios die.  I enhanced the 'winter' feel of the card by adding a few Recollections snowflakes with gems and glitter.  I plan to use this as a Christmas card for one of my great-granddaughters.

     Challenges:

Creative Fingers

Digi Choosday

Di's Digi Designs

Lil Patch of Crafty ...

Outlawz Friday

Passion for Markers

Peace on Earth

Polkadoodles

Simon Says Stamp

SUYP Cats

      Maybe this 'cool' card will bring some relief from the hot, hot, hot (!) weather we've had this summer.  I can always hope.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Off for a Great Adventure

      Remember when you were young and the seeming adventures of a country road or pathway invited you to follow it as the sun rose to light the day?  That's what today's card celebrates!  Our theme at FarmQuest for the next 2 weeks is "Sunrise or Sunset" and all you need it a country feel to go with that.  No cityscapes or downtown streets, no metro rails or freeways, just rural scenes or country skies.

     My image is a clip art photo I found online, enhanced with Sanjoki markers (fence and flowers) and neon ProMarkers for the bright yellow sunlight.  The gray clouds were colored with polychromos pencils.  The image and the blue frame were both cut with dies by Die-namics.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die, then a neon ProMarker was used to ink the edges.  The strip of dp came from my scrap basket.

     Challenges:

Cupcake Inspirations (1/3)

Digi Chooseday (1/2)

Double Trouble (1/3)

Inspiration Station (open field, colors, adventure)

Pammie's IP  (1/3)

     Wishing you a great day and thanks for visiting.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Thankful Scarecrow

      It's been a couple of days since I posted anything but mother nature kind of controlled our weekend what with tropical storms and earthquakes swirling around us.  Nevertheless, I got to spend time hiding in my craft room so I worked ahead on a few DT projects and then created this card, using a Mariola Budek image.  If you follow my blog (or even visit fairly often,) you know how I adore her artwork/images.

     For this one, I colored with my Sanjoki markers, then cut the image (and the frame) with QuicKutz dies.  I used my 'Linen' embossing folder on the frame CS before layering on the image piece.  I cut the printed sentiment with a die from Avery Elle, and added a frame from a scrap of the same embossed CS.

     Because I mail so many of my cards, I try to keep them flat and simple but I have been playing with different ideas for the backgrounds, also wanting some visual or textural interest in even the simplest of cards.  For this card, I dug into my stash and found burlap paper from DCWV.  I trimmed it to fit the card front, then added the image and the sentiment.  

I pulled colors from the Outlawz color challenge.

     Challenges:

Carlin's Paradise (Autumn)

Crafts Galore ...

Digi Choosday

I Love Markers

Morgan's ArtWorld

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

Word Art Weds

     That's it for today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Butterfly Kisses

      Today I want to share one of Conie Fong's most gorgeous image, called "Butterfly Kisses."  I've used it before and each time I color it, I see something new in it.  This time I chose to do a mostly pink pallet with touches of aqua and purple (pink and purple being my favorite 2-color combo.)  I've also done her (previously) in purple and yellow, and in teal with spring green.  They were all delightful but this one pleases me the most.

     I used Sanjoki markers to color the image, then cut it with a CUTplorations, stitched die.  That die set has been left on my desk the last couple of weeks and I seem to grab it whenever I need a rectangle.  :-D  I also cut the sentiment with a die from that same set but because the set didn't have a die small enough, I cut it twice, adjusting the die in between cuts.  The sentiment is also from Conie Fong but please don't ask me which set because I don't have my Conie Fong files saved in 'sets;' I just keep a separate folder for sentiments.

     The background for this card is double embossed, meaning that I first embossed the entire front with my "Linen" EF, then went back and used a Roses EF from Cuttlebug to emboss all but the bottom portion where the ribbon and sentiment would go.  The sentiment was framed with a scrap of the background CS.  The ribbon is satin-edged, sheer ribbon and I think it's probably my favorite kind of ribbon.  At least, it's the one I hoard the most.  lol  I used my bow maker to tied the double-loop bow.

     Challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms

Crafter's Cafe

Creatalicious

Creations in Pink

Creative Fingers

Scribbles Designs

Star Stampz

Worldwide Crafters ...

     Don't forget that we have an Anything Goes challenge over on the Facebook site. All  you have to do is use a Conie Fong image (there are freebies available on the site so not having a CF image is not a valid excuse!)  If you haven't yet joined the Conie Fong FB site, it's free, quick, and easy to do that.  Come play in our challenge.  We  love seeing what people create.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

25th Wedding Anniversary

      I've made many, many anniversary cards over the years but this one really brought me up short and made me think.  This is a card my daughter is going to give to her husband for their 25th wedding anniversary!  25th?  She's my youngest, my baby.  How could she possibly have been married for 25 years?  Worse yet, how could I possibly be old enough to have a baby who's celebrating 25 years of marriage?  Yikes!

     I went through tons of stamps and digital images looking for something perfect for the card but nothing seemed to fit either her or her hubby.  Too traditional, too fussy, too sentimental, too ... something.  Then, during the search of my images from QKR Stampede, I found this one and the sentiment immediately popped into my head.  Humor!  Perfect for both of them.  lol

     I used my Sanjoki markers to color the image, then cut it with a square die from QuicKutz.  I used a Fiskars punch on the corners.  I found an old paper stack from Recollections in my stash (not 25 years old but maybe close to 10 years!) and found two complementary papers.  I cut one with a different QuicKutz die to be a frame for the image, and trimmed the polka dot paper to fit the card front exactly.  I finished the card with three enamel dots (V's Sweet Ideas) in diagonally opposite corners.

     And, yes, she loved it!  :-D

     Challenges:

As You Like It - (Blue & Gray is my fav 2-color combo for guy cards because it's so versatile and so much can be done with it, including CAS designs that look much more complex)

Creative Inspiration

Carlin's Paradise - (Anniversary, Alcohol markers)

Classic Design

Creative...Uncles

Happy...Stampers

Let's Craft and ...

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

YSBP

     

     Have yourself a wonderful day and do some crafting.  NanaConnie

Gray Wolf

      I'm finally posting a card I made several weeks ago using this fabulous image "Wolf" from Eureka Stamps, sister brand to QKR Stampede.  Challenges over there are still on hold while we await the sale of the QKR Stampede and Eureka Stamps brands.  In the meantime, I'm using cards I put in my stash for masculine birthdays and this is one of them.

     I used a combo of Sanjoki alcohol markers and water color paints to color the image, then cut it with a CUTplorations stitched die.  The sentiment was printed and cut with a die from Die-namics.  The paw print embossing was done with a Darice EF.  As a final masculine touch, I added the three, tiny, metal brads.

     Challenges:

Can You Handle...?

Creative Fingers

Digi Choosday

Gem of a Challenge

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Friday

Pammie's IP

Pattie's Creations

Penny's P-C

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Late Summer on the Lake

      The card today is for the FarmQuest challenge and our theme this time is "Boats."  The image was  printed in gray scale and colored it with water color paints.  The image was cut with  a QuicKutz die and the edges are inked.

     The background is lavender CS and I wrapped it with 1 inch, black, sheer ribbon.  The bow was tied on a bow maker.  The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die.

     Challenges:

613 Ave Create

CRAFT-alnica

Cupcake Inspirations

Digi Choosday

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Mon

Pammie's IP

Paper Funday

Paperminutes

Word Art Weds

     Please come and play with us.  You have two weeks to enter.  Happy Crafting  NanaConnie

Fall Roses

      Last month, I won a challenge over at LeighSBDesigns and the prize was a coupon to their store and a chance to be a Guest Designer, using an image purchased with that coupon.   Today's card was made for my daughter's birthday which is in late October and I'm using the beautiful LeighSBDesigns image called Fall Roses.  My daughter loves yellow roses and the image just called for some autumn colors to enhance them.

     I used water color paints to color the image, let it dry over night, then cut it with a QuicKutz square die.  The brown CS frame was embossed using my 'Linen' EF.  The sentiment was printed and cut with a Tonic Studios die.  I added two hand-tied bows, one made from yellow gingham ribbon and the other from brown satin ribbon.  I layered them together with fabric glue.  Everything was put onto a 5.5" x 5.5" card base made from heavy duty white CS.

     Challenges:

613 Ave Create

Can You Handle ...?

Di's Digi Designs

Gem of a Challenge

Jan's Digi Stamps

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Tuesday (orange/yellow/green)

Pammie's IP

Polkadoodles

Simon Says Stamp

     Check out Leigh's Etsy shop.  You might fall in love with some of her lovely (or even the more quirky) images.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Ice Cream Summer

      This fun image is the one given to us for the Progressive Challenge at The Outlawz.  I admit that when I first saw the plain outline image, I wasn't all that enamored with it but as I began to color it, giving it strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla scoops, it suddenly looked really cute (and refreshing!)  

     I used Sanjoki alcohol markers to color it, then fussy cut the cone with scissors.  I looked through a box of long-stored, paper stacks and found two papers I thought really worked well together and which set off the image.  The polka dot paper from Paper Studio I cut with a Tonic Studios die.  The argyle paper is from Authentique and I cut it to size for an A2 card with my largest rectangle die from QuicKutz.

     I printed and cut the sentiment with the smallest QuicKitz die from that same rectangle set.  I inked the edges of the sentiment and the polka dot paper using an ink pad.  I hand-tied a very simple bow, using white satin ribbon, and I 'dyed' the bow using a Sanjoki marker so that I had the exact color I wanted.

I based the card design on the sketch from Tuesday Morning.

     Challenges:

Crafty Gals Corner

Creations in Pink

Creative Knockouts

Cupcake Inspirations

Digi Choosday

Handstamped Sentiments

PaperCraft

Passion for Markers

     Enjoy your day and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie 

Puppy Walking

      How about a reminder that LeAnn's World 101 has a monthly Progressive Challenge over on their FB page and the freebie (if you played last month) image is Dog Walker Annie?  If you didn't play last month, you can purchase the image, make a card, enter it into the album on FB, and next month, you'll get a free image to play again.  Each month that you play, you get the image free the following month.

     I did a card with a lot more embellishment than is my normal "style" (if I even have a style!) but after mostly CAS or near CAS cards over the last couple of weeks, I just wanted to create something different.

     I colored the image with ProMarkers, and cut it with a QuicKutz die.  I inked the edges on both the image and the sentiment (cut with an Avery Elle die), using a deep purple marker.  The background papers are both from Stampin' Up and they've been in my stash for at least 5 years, probably longer.  I found scraps of them in a folder and used a Darice EF on each one, carefully matching the embossed design when I layered them together on the card front.  

     The ivy vine was cut with a Sue Wilson die.  I decided on a bow and found the lovely, sparkly, copper ribbon, then used my bow maker to tie a triple-loop bow.  I thought the copper color was a great compliment to the color of the butterflies in the image.

     Challenges:

     We'd love to see you playing along in the Progressive Challenge at LeAnne's World 101.  If you played last month, this image has already been sent to you.  If you didn't play, head over to the store (see link to the image up above) and grab it.  Then play with us and get the image for next month free!  

  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Heaven's Seasons

      It's time for the next FarmQuest General Store challenge, where our theme is always "Anything Farm or County Goes."  As summer across the country this year seems bent on burning up and drying out all the gardens and fields, I went with an autumn-looking scene, hoping that perhaps the days and nights will cool off and going outdoors will be tolerable again.

     This is a gray scale, clip art image and I used Sanjoki markers and gel pens (highlights on clouds, wagon, and barn) to color it.  I printed the sentiment and then cut that piece with a QuicKutz die to layer behind the image (also cut with QuicKutz die) as a frame.

     I dug through the stash and found a stack of corrugated paper from DCWV and decided to use that as the background.  The bow was hand-tied using two scraps of jute cord.  I think it makes a simple, but visually interesting, masculine card.  I'm using this as a birthday card for one of my grandsons.

     

     Challenges:

4 Season (USA Mid-west)

Creative Fingers

Cupcake Inspirations

Double Trouble

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Friday

Pammie's IP

Polkadoodles

Simon Says Stamp

     Come play with us this fortnight.  We'd love to see what you create.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Calico Cat

      This card was inspired by a wonderful and serendipitous brunch I had yesterday.  I was invited to join my daughter and her next door neighbor, Margaret, for a brunch.  Margaret and I happen to have brother and sister cats (same litter) who are now 12 years old.  Her sweet Gracie is a calico.  We spent nearly 2 hours regaling each other with cat stories about the two of them and it was amazing how much alike they are even though they've not seen each other since they were separated at about 5 weeks old after being abandoned by their feral mother.  Margaret and I were just two kindred hearts (translate:  crazy cat ladies!)

     Anyway, Margaret insisted on picking up the check for our meals and I wanted to send her a Thank You so I made this card, using a new die I got from Poppy Stamps.  I cut the cat from heavy white CS, then colored it with my Sanjoki markers.  The sentiment was printed and fussy cut with scissors.

     The background papers are from an old (old, old, OLD!) DCWV stack and the orange square was embossed with a polka dot EF.  The die cut cat had it's own embossing to enhance the 'fur' lines.  When I layered everything together, I used Pop Dots under the head of the cat so that it's raised up for a bit of dimension.

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...?

Crafts Galore ...

Crafty Calendar

Creative Fingers

Let's Craft and ...

Outlawz Friday

Polkadoodles

Poppy Stamps

SUYP Cats

     Have yourself a wonderful weekend and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Kimono Kayuki

      This adorable geisha girl image is from Conie Fong and this is probably the 4th or 5th time I've used her for a card, each time with a different color combo.  This time I used a favorite color combo, purples and pinks.  She's called "Kimono Kayuki."

    I colored her with a combination of watercolors and alcohol markers.  Her hair was done with alcohol markers, but all the rest is water colored.  The image piece was cut with an Unbranded Designs die.  The sentiment is also from Conie Fong but please don't ask me from which set.   I only know it came from a set other than Kimono Kayuki.  I cut the sentiment with a QuicKutz die.

     The swan was made with a Cutz die, and the die allows you to do a second step for dry embossing.  I mounted everything onto a deep, purple card base and put a white CS rectangle inside the card so that a message can be written.

     Challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms

Ching-Chou Kuik

Happy ... Stampers

Mirtillamente

Paper Funday

SheepSki Designs (fav color combo)

Word Art Weds

YSBP

     We have a new 2 month challenge going (August & September) and you can enter any kind of paper craft project as long as you use a Conie Fong image.  If you don't yet have any Conie Fong images, there are freebies available on the Facebook site.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Back to School

      The three most dreaded words for any school kid who hasn't yet drained the last drops out of summer are "Back to School"!!    My youngest granddaughter claims to be ready for school instead of summer but then, she's in college and has spent her summer working to earn money to come home for a few days this month and again at Christmas break.

     I'm going to give her this card right before she heads back into classes.  It's my DT card for the August blog challenge starting today over at LeAnn's World 101.   The image is called "Bookworm" and you can find it in the store by clicking on the name.

     I colored the image with my Sanjoki markers, cut it and the frame behind it with QuicKutz dies.  I used 2 pieces of embossed CS to make the background and I used a Darice EF on the top piece with the diamond pattern, and a Sizzix EF for the leaves on the bottom.  The sentiment was printed and fussy cut, then "framed" by inking the edges.  

     I used some fall ribbon from my stash to wrap the card front and to hand tie the bow.

I pulled colors from the challenge at My Favorite Things

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...?

Creative Inspiration

Double D

Outlawz Thurs

Penny's P-C

Thru...Purple Haze (center column)

Word Art Weds

     I hope we're going to see you playing in our Blog Challenge.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" and it runs until the end of the month.  Don't forget that our Progressive Challenge has also restarted on our FB site and it goes live on the 5th of each month.  Go check out the post and you'll find all the rules in the August Progressive album.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Pumpkin Patch

      If Linus (from the Peanuts cartoon) plans on sitting in his pumpkin patch this Halloween, waiting for the Great Pumpkin to arrive, he's apt to run into this adorable witch from Star Stampz.  This is another of those images I had printed last fall which then ended up in a folder waiting to be colored.
     

     So, I grabbed my Sanjoki markers, colored the image, and then cut it with a stitched die from Memory Box.  The background haunted house dp (Paper Pizazz) was a scrap I had on hand, and I cut a crescent out of the image piece with a smaller die from that same Memory Box set of dies.  I chose one which had a round shape because I wanted to cut away enough of the image so that the haunted house would show but not ruin the image.  Cutting a crescent fit the bill perfectly.  

     The orange strip down the left side is actually a scrap of fall ribbon and the bats were cut with dies from Impression Obsession.  The sentiment was printed and fussy cut.

     Challenges:

A Perfect Time

Archi-scraps

Classic Design

Creatalicious

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld
Outside the Box

SheepSki Designs (Halloween is definitely a fav!)

Two Old Bats

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

It's a Baby !?!

      Today I'm sharing a very different type of  'Baby Shower' card in all it's CAS glory.  :-D  I know this excited and curious little pup isn't a typical "Cutsey" animal often found on baby cards, but he just seemed perfect for a baby boy.  One of my granddaughter's long time friends (they were in competitive Cheer together since before they were in 5th grade and now they are both in their early 20s) is having her first baby, a boy.  I made this card at my granddaughter's request.

     The image is from a digital coloring book, reduced in size before printing.  I used my Sanjoki markers to color him, added white highlights with a gel pen, then cut the image with a QuicKutz die.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I added powder blue mats behind each piece and put them on an A2 card.  No fuss, no embellishments, just a sweet, simple card for a baby boy.

     Challenges:

AAA Cards

Classic Design

Crafts Galore ...

Creatalicious

I Love Markers

Paper Shelter

Polkadoodles

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie