Under the Sea

     OK, if you read the post title and ever saw Disney's "Littlest Mermaid," that "Under the  Sea" tune is running through your head.  If it isn't, it should be.  It was in my head the entire time I was coloring this image and making this card!  If I'm stuck with it, why not you, too?  :-D

     Today starts a new challenge at Aud Sentiments and The Stamping Boutique is our wonderful sponsor.  They generously supplied images for the team to use and this one ("Uncommon Friendship') seemed perfect for a summer card.  Wouldn't a trip which included scuba diving or snorkling be a perfect summer vacation?

I based this design on the sketch from Sunday Stamps,

adjusted somewhat to accommodate a square card.

     I used my ProMarkers and a few Copics to color the image.  What doesn't show up very well in the photo is that I also added a lot of glitter gel ink to the water, bubbles, and mermaid's scales for some sparkle and bling.   I die cut the image with a plain circle die from Spellbinders, then cut a piece of dp with another die for the mat behind  the image.

     The sentiment is computer printed and hand cut.  I added the bottom two layers using textured woven paper (square die cut) and green polka dot dp.  Those are wrapped with sheer ribbon and I added a double bow, tied using my Craft-Dee BowZ bow maker.  And yes, I still love it just as much as I did when I first got it.  Maybe even more since I get better at using it each time.  The 'kelp' bits are taken from faux fir branches which I coated with Glossy Accents to give them a wet look.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
Artistic Inspirations
Corrosive Challenge
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crazy 4 Challenges
Fairytale Stampers
Glitter n Sparkle
My Sheri Crafts
Not Just Cards
Open-Minded Crafting Fun
Pile It On
Scrapy Land
Stamp and Create
Tuesday Throwdown

     I hope your week is going well.  Not long now until the weekend when you can enjoy some Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie     

Spring Flowers at QKR Stampede

     Happy Friday and enjoy the start to your weekend.  We have a new challenge at QKR Stampede this week and our theme is "Spring Flowers."  There are so many gorgeous flower images at QKR that it took me a while to choose this one to use (Digi 16220 "Bouquet") but the search was fun in itself.

I found this sketch at Digi Sketch

and flipped it top to bottom.  I also took some liberties

 with the placement of the gemstones.

     I printed the image and sentiment onto a scrap of CS, then used my ProMarkers to color the image.  I used a die set from QuicKutz to cut the image and the mat.  I believe all the dp is from DCWV but again, those are mainly scraps from the stash so don't hold me to that.  I know they came from 12" x 12" scrapbooking paper originally.  

     The wide sheer ribbon was another scrap in my stash and I added a layer of gold mesh on top of it.  The satin ribbon I used to tie the double bow (bless my Craft-Dee Bowz bow maker!) may have come from Really Reasonable Ribbon but I'm not sure.  I added the small paper flower and the gem stones and pronounced it finished.  Another card that pleases me, even more so because it's all from things in my stash.  The more I use things up, the better my excuse to buy some new things.  :-D

     Challenges:

613 Avenue Create

Addicted to Stamps

Artistic Inspirations

Clear It Out

Corrosive Challenge

Craft-Dee BowZ

Crafty Sentiment Designs

Crazy Challenge

Dragonfly Dreams
Fussy and Fancy

Great Impressions
Kit and Clowder

Melonheadz Friends

Ribbon Girl

Through the Craft Room Door

Whoopsi Daisy

     I hope you're going to enter the challenge at QKR this week.  Find some flowers suitable for spring and make something wonderful.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Kitten with Flowers

     This is one of the images I was coloring over the weekend and it's by Lily of the Valley.  I have so many LOTV stamps and I hate to admit that I rarely use them.  I fell in love with the images last year, ordered a bunch of stamps, paid the shipping to have them sent from the UK to the US, and I think I've only used one of them one time.  Sigh...

     But this weekend, I must have colored more than half a dozen of them and they are now waiting to be made into cards.  This one has no sentiment yet because I haven't decided if I'm going to use it as a Mother's Day card or a birthday card.  My guess is it'll end up being for a birthday because I have more need of those.  Isn't this an adorable image?  Knowing how I love cats, you can see why I just had to have this one. Shame on me for not using it before this.   :-D

I used the sketch from Outlawz, but I reversed it.

     I used a combo of ProMarkers and Copics, then die cut the image with a die from Spellbinders.  I matted it with a hexagon die cut (QuicKutz) and matted that with a doily.  The background dp is from one of the scrapbooking stacks by DCWV.  I also used that same dp on the inside and on the envelope liner, but I forgot to photograph those.

     The ribbon was in the prize I won last month at Craft-Dee Bowz challenge.  Quick story here and I apologize ahead of time for sounding like a commercial.  No, I have no monetary interest whatsoever in Craft-Dee BowZ.  :-D  Back up the story to the fact that part of the reason I make all those little 'hand-sewn' bows that I make by the dozens is because I have no talent whatsoever when it comes to making tied bows.  :-(  I've tried all sorts of 'magic' methods for bows and purchased several products which all but guarantee that using them will make all your bows perfect.  Yeah, right!  Well, not in my hands anyway.

     When I won the ribbon over at Craft-Dee BowZ, I finally decided to order one of their bow makers.  I'd been seeing them ever since they first started marketing them.  In fact, the first couple of times I entered their challenges, it was in hopes of winning one of them.  Now it was time to just order the bow maker and see how it worked.

     I LOVE IT !!!  I tied two dozen perfect bows yesterday and put them in my stash.  I may never sew another bow!  :-D  I even played with a double bow and it came out exactly the way I wanted it so I added it to this card.  I'm so happy.  If you have trouble with bows, order one it these.  You won't be disappointed, I promise.  Here's a link to the Craft-Dee BowZ site where you'll see a photo of it.

     Challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks
Corrosive Challenge
C.R.A.F.T.
Craft for the Craic (middle row)
Crafty Ribbons
Creative Moments
FHL- Throwdown Thursday
Fussy and Fancy
In the Pink
One Stitch at a Time
Paper Shelter
Really Reasonable Ribbon
Scrap & Craft
Scribble & Scrap


     Happy Stamping, my friends.  NanaConnie