Blue Princess

      This is my first time playing along in the Rabisco Progressive Challenge, which can be found on Facebook.  They have a new image from Moondrea Designs every month which you can get free if you played along the previous month.

     I loved the image for April which looked to me like a princess although it's titled "Sunflower Maiden."  To my mind, she was begging to be done in monochromatic shades of aqua.  I printed the image and used my Sanjoki markers to color both it and the square behind the image.  I added the sentiment before printing, then cut it with a Tonic Studios die just slightly larger than the image.  That gave it a white frame and kept the sentiment as a single piece with the image.  I inked the edges of that piece before putting it on the card.

     I used turquoise CS for the card base, added a narrow strip of dp (DCWV), and put a tiny, enamel dot on her forehead.  

     Challenges:

Crafter's Cafe

Cupcake Inspirations

Double Trouble

Dragonfly Dreams

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz SAR (spring & flowers)

Pammie's IP

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Milk Bath

      Today is the 14th of April (tax return deadline is tomorrow!) and we have a new challenge starting over at FarmQuest.  We always want to see something country or farm on your entries but in addition to that, we have a specific theme; this week the theme is "Baby Farm Animals."  That was such a fun theme that I had a marvelous afternoon searching through all my clip art to find a perfect image.  Any time I can find a "cute" image of anything, that's going to be the one I grab.  Besides, in this case, how can a baby calf be anything but cute?  :-D

     Those of you who follow my blog probably know that one of my granddaughters loves cows so she gets 'cow' cards from her Nana all the time.  (Nearly always cute in some way! lol)  This is another one which will get mailed to her without the need for any particular occasion.  

     I printed the image and colored it with my Sanjoki markers.  The image was cut with a Spellbinders die and I used a Fiskars punch on each of the four corners.  I printed and cut the sentiment with another Spellbinders die.  The bit of dp was found in the scrap basket and I can tell from the plaid design that it's from an old Recollections stack.

      Challenges:

As You Like It (Cute is always a favorite, and baby critters are always cute!)

Cardz 4 Galz

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspiration

Creative Knockouts

Di's Digi Designs

Outlawz Thurs

Pattie's Creations

Polkadoodles

Star Stampz

     Dig through your stamps, digis, or even dies and find one that works for the Baby Farm Animals theme, then come play in our challenge.  We love being inspired by what you create.   :-D  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Kitchen Adventures

      Today I've done another card celebrating country kitchens and the adventures which can be found in simple, home-prepared meals.  Country kitchens always make me think of my childhood.  Even the faintest whiff of baking bread takes me right back to the childhood kitchens of not only my own home but also my Grammy's warm and wonderful kitchen.

      Among my favorite memories are those of Grammy's special French Toast breakfasts always made with slices of her home baked sourdough bread and eggs fresh from the hen house.  Many a weekend morning I enjoyed that treat.  Our house was located diagonally behind my grandparent's home and, although the properties were large compared to today's standards, it was a fairly simple trek across to the backyard corners of each yard and around the large expanse of her veggie garden, through the back door, and into the kitchen.  Sundays often found me there for an early morning breakfast!

     This card is a salute to those French Toast memories.  The image is digital clip art, printed in grayscale, and colored with Sanjoki markers.  I used a square QuicKutz die on the image, then inked the edges with a marker.  The background was made using dp scraps from the basket.  I printed and cut the sentiment with an Avery Elle die.

     Challenges:

HomeStyle Kitchens

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Hello Butterfly !

      I absolutely adore the image on today's card!  Of course, I also love the nod to cathood.  :-D  The image is a grayscale, digital, photo which I colored with my ProMarkers and white gel pen.  I cut the image with a large Tonic Studios die.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

     The background was made by using a scrap of lavender CS laid diagonally across the card front and then trimmed at the corners.  I liked it in that CAS format so added no other embellishments.

     Challenges:

Aud Sentiments

Classic Design

Digi Choosday

Dream Valley

Lil Patch of ...

Pammie's IP

Passion for Markers

SUYP Cats

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Pudding Mouse

      It's the 7th of the month and time for a new challenge over at FarmQuest Country Christmas blog.  Our theme is always Anything Country Christmas and we're mostly looking for outdoor Christmas decorations, critters, scenes, etc.  They need to be 'country or farm' rather than city streets or skylines.

     I chose this adorable little field mouse, cooking up a Christmas pudding for her family.  Can't you just see her in her country kitchen, tucked away in the roots of some great oak tree, carefully preparing a feast for her entire brood?  I adore her calico apron and cap.

     This is a pre-colored, clip art image to which I added the sentiment before printing.  (I just didn't have time to print her in grayscale and color her myself this time, but I'll do that in the future.  :-D) I cut it with a die from Spellbinders and layered it onto an icy blue dp from Doodlebug.  I used my bow maker to tie a double-loop bow, using 2 strands of 1/8" red ribbon.  Isn't she adorable?

     Challenges:

Christmas Craft

Crafty Gals Corner

Double D

Gem of a Challenge

My Favorite Things

Outlawz Festive Fri

Paper Funday

Peace on Earth

Word Art Weds

     We'd love to see you playing along with us this month.  Anything with a country Christmas feel will qualify.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Spring Birdhouse

      Today we start a new challenge at FarmQuest General Store where our theme is always "Anything Farm/Country Goes."  We are always sponsored by QKR Stampede and the images used by the DT are the images for the prize.  Today, I've made 2 different cards and used images called "Birdhouse and Vines" and "Artist Pallet."  

    I was excited to use the Birdhouse and Vines image because it combines 2 of my favorite things in stamps: cute and flowers!  I usually go for cute but this time, I love the flowery, spring image, and the fact that it's a bit on the "cutesy" side just enhances it.

     On this first one, I colored the image with watercolors and Sanjoki alcohol markers.  I cut the image with a Tonic Studios die, inked the edge and layered it onto a background with was made using water color paints.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle Die, also with inked edges.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

Colorful Options

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspirations

Outlawz Friday

Pattie's Creations

Polkadoodles

Triple B

    For my second DT card, I used water color paints on the image, cut it with a Spellbinders die, inked the edges, and layered it onto a bit of scrap dp to make a frame for it.  The sentiment was printed and cut with another Avery Elle die.  The brick background is paper from an old Recollections stack.  Very CAS but great for a masculine card, I think.

     Challenges:

Creative Knockouts

Di's Digi Designs

Dragonfly Dreams

Simon Says Stamp

     There you go, two cards for only one visit.  :-D  Come play with us this month.  The challenge runs until May 5 and you could be the winner of 3 wonderful QKR Stampede images.  Want to know what the third image is?  Visit the FQGS blog and take a look at all the DT cards.

 

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Temptations

      This week, it's my turn to host the new challenge over at Crafty Catz, where our theme is always Anything Goes but we also give you an OPTIONAL theme if you choose to use it.  This fortnight (yes, our challenges go for 2 weeks now!), the optional theme is "Any Cute Critter."  We're sponsored by the fun and fabulous QKR Stampede and all the images used by the DT are the prize.

     I chose this fun and funny image "An Apple a Day" and made a rather simple card with it.  Don't you love the look of temptation on his face?  

     When I printed the image, I placed it so that it would print on the bottom of a tent fold card, therefore becoming the front of the card.  I colored the image with my Sanjoki markers and added the red frame which was a scrap left over from cutting something I used on another project.  The die I used is from Spellbinders.  

     I printed the sentiment and cut it with an Avery Elle die.  Very CAS even though it looks rather fancy because of the die.   I've probably done three or four cards using this image over the years that I've been associated with QKR Stampede.  

     Challenges:

     Come play with us in this challenge.  It runs until April 18 and you could win the three adorable images from QKR Stampede!

  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Spring Birthday

      We're at the mid-way point in our current challenge at FarmQuest where our theme this fortnight is "Bird Nests or Bird Houses" and, of course, every challenge entry must always feature a farm or country feel.  This time, I've done a second card using an image from Jan's Digi Stamps (now closed - sniff sniff) called Early Spring Nest.  I love this image!  I just know those are robin's eggs in the nest.  :-D

     I colored the image with Sanjoki and ProMarkers, then cut the image with a Cottage Cutz die.  I printed the sentiment and cut it with an Avery Elle die.  The background paper is a scrap from an old DCWV scrapbooking stack.  Pretty CAS overall, though it looks more complex because of the background.

     Challenges:

     Please come play with us during this upcoming week.  We love being inspired by what you create and enter.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Tulips for a Birthday

      Today I'm using an image from the Progressive Challenge at The Outlawz and I've printed three of them in adjusted sizes.  I colored the tulips with my Sanjoki markers, then fussy cut them with scissors.  I stacked them together and added a few bits of dimensional dots.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

     I found two scraps of CS and embossed each of them with my Linen EF.  I loved the way the tulips took center stage and decided not to add any other embellishments because I didn't want to detract from them.

I was inspired by the sketch at My Favorite Things.

     Challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms

(The) Crafting ...

Crafts Galore Encore

Die Cut Divas

Do Al(l) Kreatives

If You Give a Crafter ...

Mirtillamente

Outlawz Tuesday

Triple B

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Happy Easter to All

 May your Easter be filled with Blessings.

The Tragedy of an Empty Bowl

      I don't know how many of you are owned by a cat but those who are will completely understand the level of tragedy reflected on this kitten's face.  Believe me when I say that the 3 cats who own my home make it very clear that they allow me to live in their house and sleep in their bed ONLY on condition that I keep their food dish full and their litter box clean!  

     Never has any food bowl in this house been empty for more than 10 minutes.  They get canned food twice daily and have dry kibbles available round the clock, not including the treats given more than once throughout the day.  I check their dry food dish every morning and every evening and they watch me do that.  If there are fewer than 20 kibble bits in the (rather large) bowl, I immediately fill it to the brim!   

     However, I can just about guarantee that within 15 minutes of the morning and evening feeding of the premium canned cat food they get, at least one of them will give me a look exactly like this kitten.  It matters not that their tummies are bulging, nor that they walked away from the dish fully content, this is the accusing message I am given.  

     Image printed in gray scale, colored with ProMarkers, and cut with a Tonic Studios die.  Both papers were from the scrap basket and were also cut with Tonic Studios dies.  Sentiment printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

I was inspired by the sketch at My Favorite Things,

turned to be vertical.

     Challenges:

Creative Fingers

Di's Digi Designs

I Love ProMarkers

Penny's P-C

Polkadoodles

Simon Says Stamp

Word Art Weds.

     That's all I have for today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Spring Birdhouse

    For me, nothing says "spring" better than watching the sparrows and meadowlarks build their new nests, flitting in and out of the birdhouses which hang from the tree branches near my house.  "Bird Nest or Bird House" is the new theme for our challenge which begins today at FarmQuest.  As usual, our underlying theme is "Farm or Country."

     I chose an image from my rather large collection of digital stamps from Beccy's Place.  I added color with alcohol markers, pencil, and gel pen, then fussy cut it with scissors.  I layered it onto a scrap of brown dp (Recollections), die cut the scrap with a Spellbinders die, and used a Fiskars punch on the corners.  

     The pink dp is also a scrap and I have no idea what company made that paper.  The ribbon came from Really Reasonable Ribbon which I used to both wrap the card front and to make the bow.  I added a large sequin to the bow and called it finished!

     Challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms

Classic Design

Creations in Pink

Digi Choosday

Double Trouble

Dream Valley

Pammie's IP

     I hope we're going to see you playing in our challenge this fortnight.  We love being inspired by you and what you create.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Easter Eggs for the Dragon

      Dragons are so fierce and fire-breathing that the Easter Bunny is rarely (if ever!) willing to brave their dens to leave Easter eggs for them.  But this brave bunny (hiding behind the rock) took the risk and this dragon is so excited, she may never breathe fire again.  lol  

     This card is obviously for my granddaughter who is crazy about dragons (as am I) and she expects all holiday cards to include dragons.  I search constantly to find images, clip art, digital stamps, whatever, so that I can make cards for her with appropriate dragons on them.  Sometimes, I have to just use a dragon image I already have and turn it into a celebration of the holiday but this time I found a wonderful dragon which I printed in grayscale and colored with Sanjoki markers.

     I cut the image using a Tonic Studios die, and the sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die.  The sparkle behind the dragon is a layer of glitter CS which covers the entire card front.  I added white gel pen to the "Happy Easter" part of the image to make it stand out a bit.

     Challenges:

Carlin's Card ...

Crafts Galore ...

Do-Al(l) Kreatives

Friendship

Mirtillamente

Perfect Time to ...

(PIN)spirational

Rabisco

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Dressed for the Easter Parade

      Back in the good old days, in the early 1900s, People actually made or purchased new "Sunday Best" clothes each year for Easter Sunday, and then walked up and down the avenue in a 'parade' as a way to  celebrate Easter.  This wonderful "Wearing Spring" image from our sponsor, Paper Shelter, really fits that idea.  Our latest challenge at Crafty Catz has our usual Anything Goes theme but our optional theme is "Embossing Folders."

     I merged the image onto a half-page background found in the same set, then colored the image with my Sanjoki markers.  I used a Darise EF on the background side, then did an out-of-the-box cut on the actual image.  She's fussy cut around her form and die cut one the two straight edges on the right side above and below her.  The sentiment was merged before printing.

     The pink background paper came from a Recollections stack.

     Challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms

Classic Design

Creations in Pink

Digi Choosday

Double Trouble

Papercraft

     Hope to see you playing in our challenge this fortnight. Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

March of the Viking !

      Time for the Outlaw Progressive Challenge again and this month there's a cute little Viking image.  I have to tell you that I wasn't exactly 'madly in love' with this Viking when I first saw him but there were two images available this month, this one and a female Viking (Vikingess?)   I debated between the two of them but finally decided on the male image because I needed a masculine birthday card.  Once I got him colored up, I was totally mad about him!  He seemed to come to life with a bit of color and sparkle.  lol

     I started by coloring him with Sanjoki markers and glitter gel pens, then added tiny bits of gold paint pen to his helmet and shield.  I used gold paint pen on the sentiment stamp but it didn't transfer onto the card stock very well, so I wrote over it with the pen.  Both the image and the sentiment were cut with Tonic Studios dies, and the edges were inked with black felt marker.

     The background paper came from a Recollections stack (which is at least 5 years old and I'm slowly working my way through it since it has some really terrific, masculine prints.)  No embellishment needed.  I forgot to photograph the inside before I mailed the card but it says, "The years are marching on.  Better run!"

    

     Challenges:

AAA Cards

Dream Valley

Lil Patch of ...

Pammie's IP

Polkadoodles

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Happy St. Patrick's Day !

      My favorite day of the year because I get to celebrate my birthday and that's especially fun since it's not only St. Patrick's Day but I'm Irish on both sides of the family tree.  :-D  I celebrate by making St. Pat's cards for everyone in my family.

     Remember, on St. Patrick's Day, everyone gets to be Irish.  Just put an "O' " or a "Mc" in front of your last name and you're in.  :-D

     The image featured on this card is another clip art which I printed in light grayscale, then colored with a combo of pencil, watercolors, and Sanjoki markers.  White highlights were done with a gel pen.  I cut the image with a Spellbinders die, then matted it with green glitter paper for a wee bit o' sparkle, also cut with a Spellbinders die.  The background paper is from a K & Co. stack. 

     Challenges:

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspiration

Creative Knockouts

Di's Digi Designs

Gem of a Challenge

Pattie's Creations

Star Stampz

WordArt Weds

Worldwide Crafters

ZieloneKoty

     Wishing you the best today and may the Luck of the Irish be with you!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Green Frogs

      I know that post title doesn't lead you to think St. Patrick's Day but as soon as you see the image, you'll be right there.  lol  This is a clip art image and I was so tickled by it that I just had to make a card.  I love that it's so far out of the normal realm of leprechauns, shamrocks, or pots of gold.

     Image digitally colored (something new I'm trying but will probably abandon because it takes so much printer ink & that has gotten really expensive!) and cut with Tonic Studios die, then the edges were inked.  Sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The patterned paper was in the scrap basket and all I did was trim the top and one side, leaving a triangle corner of white.  Since this card is going to one of the guys in my family, I left it without embellishment.

     Challenges:

Classic Design

Crafting Uncles

Creatalicious

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspiration

LeighSBDesigns

Outlawz Friday

Paper Shelter

     I'll have another post tomorrow so be sure to stop by.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Rustic Life

      Welcome to another challenge at FarmQuest where we always want to see something farm or country inspired, and on top of that we have a theme for each 2-week challenge.  This challenge we want to see cabins or cottages.

     My DT card is very CAS and it's a square card.  The cabin image is actually a photograph of an old, 19th century cabin, found in the mountains of northern Nevada about 4 miles back into the woods from Lake Tahoe.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz square die. 

     The background piece is from a wallpaper sample book, inked around the edges.  I layered them together, then tied a double loop bow using jute cord.  The sentiment was printed, cut with an Avery Elle die, and I inked the edges of it, too.

     Challenges:

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Inspirations

Creative Moments

Digi Choosday

Pammie's IP

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Irish Dragon

     I shared a St. Patrick's card the other day which I had made for my granddaughter who loves cows, and today I have one for another granddaughter who adores dragons (as do I !)  

     I merged this digital coloring book, clip art image, with the small dragon image merged in the upper corner, then printed it in very light grayscale.  Once printed, I colored it with water colors and alcohol markers.  The image was cut with a Tonic Studios die and layered onto a white background on which I had printed the sentiment.  The background paper came from a K & Co. stack.

     Challenges:

Classic Design

Digi Choosday

Double Trouble

Outlawz SAR (March, April, Nature)

Pammie's IP

Simon Says Stamp

Star Stampz

     Enjoy and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Lazy St. Patrick's Day

      I'm one of those lucky individuals who celebrates her birthday on St. Patrick's Day but I'm also of Irish decent on both sides of my family tree!  My way of celebrating my Irish heritage is to make St. Patrick's cards for all the kids in my family; a way of reminding them that they, too, have an Irish heritage.  :-D

     Those of you who follow my blog probably already know about the running "cow" theme with my youngest granddaughter and St. Patrick's makes no exception.  I searched for cow images related to St. Paddy's Day and found an entire collection of them in digital coloring book form.  I've used many of the pages for cards this month, reduced to accommodate my need for card size, and colored most of them with either water color pencils or Sanjoki markers.  Those same images also come in pre-colored versions, but I print those in grayscale and color them myself.  I do that because the shading and highlights are still there and that gives my own coloring a marvelous 'finished' look!  Try it, you'll be delighted with the results.

     I cut this image with an old QuicKutz die, then snipped off the corners with deliberately different sizes, although the angle is the same on each corner.  I managed to do that by using one of my quilting mats, penciling in the line I wanted to cut, then cutting those with scissors.  The background paper is from K & Co.   Pretty CAS except for the design in the paper. 

     Challenges:

Colorful Options 

Daisy Chain

Double Trouble

Inspiration Station (St Pat's celebration)

Inspired By

LeighSBDesigns

Outlawz Friday

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

Simply CAS

     I'll share another couple of these with you later in the week.  In the meantime, Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie  

Ready for the Grill

      Last month I missed out on getting a card done for the "Anything Kitchen or Food" challenge at FQ HomeStyle Kitchen.  But this month, I'm on top of it!  With spring right around the corner, we're already thinking about BBQ grills and cook outs so this card celebrates the anticipation of those times.  At my house, the first sign of spring is not flowers blooming but the cleaning and preparation of the BBQ grill !  LOL

     The image is clip art, printed in very light grayscale, then colored with a combo of water color paints and alcohol markers, with gel pen highlights on the white flowers.  The image was cut with a Tonic Studios die and the sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I inked the edges and layered those two together, putting them on the card front without further embellishment so that it makes a fabulous, masculine, CAS card.

     Can't you taste that grilled corn on the cob already?  Mmmmm, so good!

     Challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms

Creative Knockouts

Double D

Let's Craft & Create

Simon Says Stamp

Worldwide Crafters

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Too Old for Easter?

      A new challenge begins today at Crafty Catz, where our theme is always "Anything Goes" but we also give you an optional twist if you choose to use it.  This week the option is to do a monochromatic (all one color) card except for the image you use.  I did an Easter card and I just couldn't settle for one color so I did the Anything Goes part instead of the monochrome.  Our sponsor this week is Di's Digi Stamps but they don't supply images for the DT to use so I chose an Easter image from my own collection of digital images.

     That adorable little Easter chick is clip art from a coloring book (I cannot remember what company - sorry) which I reduced in size, printed in grayscale, and colored with a combination of pencils, Sanjoki markers, and gel pens.

     Once it was colored, I scanned the original and printed it 32 times!  Yes, I made 32 Easter cards with this same image and sentiment.  These are going into boxes put together by the group of College Student moms who meet once a month throughout the school year to fill 'Care Packages' for their college student kids.  Each mom brings the same kind of goodie, enough for 30-odd boxes, and we each fill the box for our own college kid from the collection of things donated.

     OK, now back to the card.  I thought that sentiment fit perfectly with the expression of disappointment on the chick's face and that also allowed for the use of a cutesy chick image that works on cards for college-aged kids.  It's also pretty gender neutral.  I cut up scraps of paper from my leftovers stash and used maybe 10 or 12 different papers for the backgrounds on the card fronts, then added the same image and sentiment to each card.  I kept them really CAS except for the papers.

FYI, I did make a card with everything done in shades of 'Easter chick yellow'

 but it just didn't work for me.  I guess in my head, 

Easter requires lots of different colors.  :-D

     Challenges:

As You Like It

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Fingers

Creative Knockouts

Friendship

Not2Shabby

Outlawz Thurs (blue/vintage/dp)

Triple B

    I hope you're going to come and play with us this week.  Feel free to do something monochromatic or just Anything Goes.  We love seeing what our players create.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Happy Country Cottage

      It's the 7th of the month and that means a new challenge at FarmQuest General Store, where our theme is always "Anything Country Goes."  We are once again sponsored by QKR Stampede and the prize is always the 3 images used by the DT.   Be sure to check the FQGS blog to see who won the challenge for February. 

     I used a cute image from QKR Stampede called "Cottage," which I colored with Sanjoki markers, then fussy cut with scissors.  (No electronic cutter in this house!)  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The background dp came from a DCWV stack and it was a left over I found in my scrap basket.

     I found some sparkly cord and wrapped it around the card front, tied a knot, and frayed the tied ends into a tassel shape.

Be sure to check out the challenge blog to see the other 2 images for this month.

     Challenges:

Creative Fingers

Outlawz Monday

Pattie's Creations

Polkadoodles

Simon Says Stamp

     Come play in our challenge.  You could be the winner of those 3 delightful QKR Stampede images!   Also, scroll down one post to see my DT card for the FarmQuest Country Christmas challenge.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Happy Snow Couple

      Once again, a new challenge has started over at FarmQuest Country Christmas.  Our theme is always "Anything Country Christmas Goes."  For today's card, I chose a clip art snow couple, happily dancing in the yard of their country home.

     The image started out in black and white but I used computer software to change it into sepia tone before printing it.  I love the vintage feel it gave the card.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz die and the sentiment was cut with a Tonic Studios die.  The background dp came from a DCWV stack.  I used very narrow, 1/8" ribbon which is wrapped around the card front and tied into a simple bow.

     Challenges:

Digi Choosday

Holly & Ivy

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Friday

Pammie's IP

Peace on Earth

     I hope we're going to see you playing along this month.  If you make something to enter into our Country Christmas challenge each month of the year, you'll have 12 cards done before the holiday rush hits you next Christmas.  :-D  Besides, we love being inspired by what you create and share with us.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

CAS Birthday

      This is a delightfully CAS card and I haven't done one this simple in quite a while.  What time was consumed making the card all took place in making the background pink and the words white.

     The kitten is a photograph scanned into Word software, behind which I made the background pink. The words were made white on that background but they were so light when I printed the image directly onto the card front, I used a white gel pen and went over them after the card was printed.  What looks like 'layers' of image and background was actually all printed right onto the card front.

     After printing onto heavy cardstock, I folded the card, photographed it, and slipped it into an envelope.  The whole thing took about 20 minutes.  This is for my granddaughter-in-law's birthday (and I'm not telling her age.  I don't want to get eaten!)

     Challenges:

Aloha Friday

Creative Inspirations

Daisy Chain

Digi Choosday

Di's Digi Designs

Incy Wincy

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

SUYP Cats

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Easter Bunny Dandy

      I love this image from Beccy's Place, called "Easter Bunny."  It's fun and clever and he's dressed to the nines, making him such a dandy.  :-D  I merged another Beccy's image, the "Easter Basket" (reduced in size to work with Mr. Bunny), plus the sentiment, all before printing.

     I colored with my Sanjoki markers, then cut the whole thing with a QuicKutz die.  The Beccy's Place challenge has an optional tic-tac-toe board this month and I used the middle row: flowers/digi stamp/color w markers.  I dug through the scrap basket and found flowery paper and a bit of striped paper (both from Recollections stacks) which I used to make the background.  

     I added three flowers (Flora Doodles) which have tiny gem stones in the center as a finishing touch.

My design is inspired by the sketch at Cheerful Sketches

with the background turned horizontal.

     Challenges:

A Perfect Time ...

Carlin's Card ...

Crafting Challenge

Crafts Galore ...

Do Al(l) Kreatives

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

SheepSki Designs

     That's it for today but I'll have two posts on Thursday and another one on Friday so check back, even if it's over the weekend.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

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