Things Found in a Field

      The newest FarmQuest challenge has started and our theme is "Things Found in a Field."  I remembered a digital coloring book image I had and searched my computer for it.  It took a while but it was exactly the way I remembered it so it was perfect for this theme.  I think it was a KesterArt coloring book.

     The image comes with lots of gray scale detail so the coloring just enhanced what was already there.  I printed it full size and colored with Sanjoki markers and water color paints.  I photographed the finished page, and reduced the size of it before printing it onto white card stock to use on the card.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz die, then printed the sentiment and cut it with an Avery Elle die.  I used the left over white CS to frame the image, and the background dp is from an old DCWV paper stack.  After everything was laid out on the card front, I added highlights to the birds and one or two flowers with a white gel pen. 

     Challenges:

     Come play with us this fortnight.  Just show us something you might find in a field and enter it into our challenge.  We love seeing what you create.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Family Grows!

      This card I'm sharing today I made for my newest great-grandson, Jackson Wade, who arrived on Thursday, February 22, the day after my oldest granddaughter's birthday!  I'm so excited!  Not only that, we have another great-grand baby due in late August.  No word yet on the gender but I personally am hoping for a girl to help balance out the ratio of (too many) males to (not enough) females in my grands and great-grands.  :-D  I do love making masculine cards but that may be primarily because I have so many males in the family compared to the sprinkling of females.

     This adorable sleeping baby image is clip art from - oh, my gosh, I've forgotten.  I'll edit this post when I track down the company.  When I bought the set of images, I saved it into a folder called "Babies" instead of making a new folder with the company name on it so it'll be a search of long deleted emails to figure out who made it.  

     The original color of it was too bright a blue for what I wanted (more on the pastel side) so I printed it in very light, gray scale, then colored it with Sanjoki markers and water color pencils, blended with gamsol.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz die, then found two pieces of blue paper in the scrap basket.  I used those for the background, added the image and sentiment (cut with an Avery Elle die) and called it finished.  A CAS design but with geometric patterned dp instead of white space.  To my mind, geometrics make for great masculine cards.

I pulled my pastel colors from the mood board at Inkspirational.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

CAS on Friday

Creative Knockouts

Digi Choosday

Double D

Gem of a Challenge

I Love Markers

Penny's P-C

Polkadoodles

     That's all for today and I'm going to take the rest of the weekend off.  No computer, no social media, no phone... just time for me, watching TV and reading.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Waiting for Spring

     Another Friday, another Crafty Catz challenge.  As always, our theme is "Anything Goes" but the optional theme, which you can use if you wish, is "More than 1 Fold."  We are sponsored this time by Beccy's Place and I used the Spring Window from the Seasonal Windows set.

     I decided it would be fun to try a double gate fold but this time I turned it horizontal so that the top and the bottom both unfold.  I used pale lilac CS for the card base, and added a strip of scrap dp to the edge of the top fold.  The image was fussy cut and attached to only the top of the card front.  The sentiment was also fussy cut, matted, fussy cut again and layered on. I had a tiny rectangle of the scrap paper left so I just added it to the top corner.

 Closed

Open

     Challenges:

Crafts Galore ...

Creative Creases

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspiration

Do-Al(l) Kreatives

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

Pattie's Creations

Pammie's IP

Rabisco

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Can't Get Younger

      I recently made a discovery of a whole series of clip art work called "Chicken Wisdom" by artist Linda Finstad.  I love them all !!  This one, I printed in grayscale, then colored with gel pens and Sanjoki markers.  I cut it with a die from Tonic Studios, and added top and bottom border strips of embossed, red CS.  I added a red, rick-rack bow and called it finished.

     One of the things I love about Linda Finstad's art work is that it generally works for either guy or gal, but since I have more males in my extended family than I have ladies, I prefer to make masculine cards.  However, this time I used it for my oldest granddaughter's birthday card.  Since the image is pretty much gender neutral, it works for anyone!

      I know she's expecting a card with a dragon because she and I both adore dragons and I collect dragons from many different artists to make cards all her cards.  I did my best to convince her that these were a newly discovered species of dragon called "Chicken Dragons."  I'll let you know how well that went.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

Classic Designs

CRAFT-alnica

Digi Choosday

I Love Markers

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Word Art Weds

     Happy Birthday, granddaughter!   And Happy Crafting to all the rest of you.  :-D  NanaConnie  

Over the Moon

      Today's card serves as a reminder that our Challenge #13 at FarmQuest General Store still has a couple of weeks to run so there's still time for you to enter anything that has a country flavor.  Our sponsor is QKR Stampede and the image I used on this DT card is one of three images which are the prize.

     I love the humor this image invokes!  I think my sentiment says it all.  :-D  The image was colored with Sanjoki alcohol markers, then fussy cut.  The background was made by adding blue CS to the card front and trimming it to fit.  I added a multi-loop bow made from jute cord to enhance the country feel and the sentiment was cut with a die from Avery Elle.

     Challenges:

Creative Moments

Digi Choosday

Dream Valley

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz SAR ("...leaps & bounds")

Pammie's IP

Star Stampz

     If you haven't played already (or even if you have) come play with us before our challenge ends on March 5.  Our next challenge starts on March 7.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The First "First Lady"

      My apologies for this post being late but I've had a couple of days where I think my computer went on vacation!  In any case, I couldn't get onto the internet to add this post for the latest challenge over at FarmQuest.  Our theme this time is to take inspiration from a Martha Washington quote:  “I am again fairly settled down to the pleasant duties of an old fashioned Virginia house-keeper, steady as a clock, busy as a bee, and as cheerful as a cricket.” (1797, Martha Washington)

     Having visited the Mount Vernon home of George and Martha Washington many years ago, I took this quote very literally and created this card using a post card I had purchased while I was there.  The background paper came from my scrap basket.  I used baker's twine for the simple bow.  I searched online for a picture of Martha Washington, found the cameo, sized it to fit onto the card, printed it, and cut it out with scissors.

     Challenges:

Classic Design

Digi Choosday

Outlawz Color

Paper Minutes

Paper Shelter

Penny's P-C

Word Art Weds

     Again, my apologies for being late with this post but I hope you might still be inspired to come play along in our challenge.  It runs for two weeks and our next challenge begins on February 28.  See you there.

    Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

All About Love

      I love this CAS card made with the February image from the Outlawz Progressive Freebie challenge.  The 'woven heart' image was given by Cara (on the Outlawz team.)   I love the simplicity and decided to add a bit of lace to it as a contrast to the simple woven design.

     I printed it after carefully measuring it to fit one of my Spellbinders heart dies, colored it with ProMarkers, then die cut it.  I cut a square of red CS, trimmed it to exactly fit the square card front, then I dug some lace out of my stash and used craft glue to add it around the edges of the heart.  I cut it at the top and bottom points to keep it from curling.   The lace adds some delightful texture to the card.  I printed and cut the sentiment with an Avery Elle die, layered it on top of the heart, and it was done!

     Challenges:

Crafty Calendar

Creative Inspirations

Di's Digi Designs

Double D

Dragonfly Dreams

Lil Patch of ...

Paper Shelter

Polkadoodles

Simon Says Stamp

Star Stampz

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Lion Love

      I know it's February and everyone is thinking Valentine's Day, but this card is also perfect for an anniversary.  In fact, my daughter asked me to use this cute lion image (clip art from Serene Designs, I think) on a card for her hubby.  

     I decided on a very CAS design for the card, cutting the grayscale & water-colored image with one of my oldest Spellbinder's square dies, then punching each of the four corners with a punch from Fiskars.  I mounted that onto a scrap piece of deep burgundy CS used for the card front and called it finished.  :-D

     Challenges:

Colorful Options

Creative Fingers

HeartQuest EWA

Incy Wincy

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

Outlawz Monday

Park Hopping (Safari Land in the original Disneyland)

Pearly Sparkles

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Happy Bee-day

      Our latest challenge begins today over at Crafty Catz where our theme is always "Anything Goes" but we also give you an optional twist if you choose to use it.  Our twist this week is "Show Some Love" to go with February being Valentine's month.  

     Our sponsor this time is SheepSki Designs and I chose their image called "Buzzing" for a birthday card which will be in my stash (but not for long.) 

     The image was colored with Sanjoki alcohol markers, and then cut with a Spellbinders die, using an out-of-the-box technique to allow the wings of the bees to be outside of the cut rectangle.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The background was made using a scrap piece of DCWV dp.  The bow was tied with my bow maker and is made from jute cord.

     Challenges:

As You Like It  (Digis, because I can store so many more of them without taking up drawer or shelf space!)

Beautiful Blossoms

Creative Inspiration

Daisy Chain

Digi Choosday

I Love Markers

Pammie's IP

Papercraft

Penny's P-C

Word Art Weds

     Feel free to come and play in our challenge this week.  We love being inspired by what you create.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Candle Glow

      My second post of the day and this one points you toward the challenge at FarmQuest Country Christmas where the theme is always "Anything Country Christmas."  This challenge runs until March 5 and the next one starts on March 7.  Today I went for an out-in-the-forest design to feature this sweet little elf and his warm candle lit space in the middle of a gentle snow fall.

     I chose a clip art image, printed it in medium grayscale, then colored it with my ProMarkers.  Both the image and the white mat were cut with dies from a Tonic Studios set.  The sentiment came from Beccy's Place and it was cut with an Avery Elle die.  The striped background paper came from a Recollections stack.  Very simple but I think rather effective for a country Christmas.

     Challenges:

Crafts Galore ...

Digi Choosday

Do Al(l) Kreatives

Friendship

Kerst Christmas

Mirtillamente

Outlawz Friday

Peace on Earth

The Four Seasons

     Be sure to check out my first post of the day (scroll down 1 post) to learn about the FarmQuest General Store challenge, featuring images from QKR Stampede, the sponsor of that challenge.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

King of the World?

      It's time to start our next challenge over at FarmQuest General Store where the theme is always "Anything Farm/Country Goes."  We are sponsored again by QKR Stampede and the prize for the winner is 3 images, the ones used by the DT on their inspiration cards.  This challenge runs from February 7 through March 5, and our next challenge begins of the 7th of March.

     I made a birthday card with the "Pig Stack" image.  What's more 'farm' than a pen filled with pigs?  :-D  I colored the image with my Sanjoki alcohol markers, then cut it with one of my oldest rectangular dies from an old Spellbinders set.  I cut a bit of DCWV paper for the background, which reminded me of a calico print design, also giving more of a country feel to the card.  The sentiment was printed and cut with a die from Tonic Studios.

     Challenges:

Digi Choosday

Dream Valley

Let's Craft & Create

Lil Patch of ...

Not2Shabby

Pammie's IP

     Be sure to check out the FarmQuest General Store blog to see the other two QKR Stampede images, then come play with us.  We love seeing what you create and you could be a winner of some really cute and delightful images!  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Love Letter Gnome

     Our latest challenge is starting today over at 613 Avenue Create and our theme this month is Anything Goes with an optional theme of  "Love Letters" (make the letters in the sentiment the focus.)  What could be more perfect for February?

     I found some really cute gnome images at Serene Dove which does delightful clip art images.  I printed this one in very light gray scale, then colored it with Sanjoki markers.  I cut the image with a die from Spellbinders and double-embossed the edges.  I found a piece of dp from a Hobby Lobby pad in my basket, trimmed it to fit the card front, and used scraps from the trimming to make the 'bow.'  I cut two slits in the card front and slipped the folded bow into them.  The edges of the bow were inked before I slipped it into the slits, just to make it stand out from the background paper.

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...

Colorful Options

Crafty Calendar

Creative Fingers

Di's Digi Designs

Gem of a Challenge

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Friday

     Make a Valentine and come play in our challenge this month.  We'd love to see what you create.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie