Golden Birthday Flowers

      I'm delighted that Monica has given a new breath of life to Crafty Chefs with recipes modified to only 2 ingredients and this month that means 1. Flower and 2. Something Gold.  Come join us on our Facebook page and play along!

      I decided on a shiny gold  bouquet, sparkly ribbon, and a black background.  The bouquet was cut with a Die-vesions die from gold, metallic, paper and the ribbon was in my Really Reasonable Ribbon stash.  The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die.  I kept it really CAS.  Sadly, no matter how I photographed it, the metallic paper and the ribbon looked more orange than gold but I assure you, they are gold IRL.

I was inspired by the sketch at Tuesday Morning Sketches

modified for a more CAS design.

     Challenges:

Cardz TV

Dragonfly Dreams

Gem of a Challenge

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Festive Fri

Paperminutes

Simon Says Stamp

TTCRD

     

     Hope you're having a great weekend and Happy Crafting. NanaConnie

Dance 'til ...

      A few days ago, I told you about the inspiration I got from seeing a live dance competition and how that resulted in a new batch of cards featuring dance themes.  (See this post for the full story.)  Today, I want to share 2 of the latest dance cards.

     This first one is delightfully romantic and also vintage, reflecting a feel of the 1920s.  The digi image is pre-colored and I found it online after doing a search for "dancers."  There is no way to credit the artist because no information was given about who drew it.  If anyone recognizes it, please let me know and I'll edit this post to give proper credit.

     I'm going to give this to a friend who wants to use this as an Anniversary card.

     I cut the image with a rectangle die from QuicKutz.  I used a Fiskars punch to round the corners, and cut the gold frame with an Unbranded die.  I embossed the frame with my "Linen" EF.  I added no ribbon or bow or gems, feeling that the delicacy of the filigree frame was enough embellishment.

     Challenges:

Allsorts

Crafty Creations

Creative Fingers

Dragonfly Dreams

Gem of a Challenge

Lil Patch of ...

Paperbabe

Word Art Weds

     This second card was made for the recipe challenge at Crafty Chefs.  That challenge has been reactivated due to the efforts of  Monica of Sunshine Creativity (bless you, my friend!) who has given us a much simplified recipe this month.  Only 2 ingredients: die cuts & a sentiment.

     This is not a challenge for a prize.  It's open to any kind of project providing you use the recipe ingredients, and it's there purely for the fun of challenging ourselves and sharing our results with friends.  If that sound like your kind of challenge, come join the Crafty Chefs on the Facebook page and play along.

     This image was printed on water color paper and I used water color paints to color it.  The background was 'aged' with a beige ProMarker but the text is part of the image.  The pink frames were cut with Tonic Studios dies.  I cut the larger one into 2 pieces and left the 2 diagonal corners slightly open.  The ivy leaves came from a Sue Wilson die and the sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I used beige CS to make the card base because I wanted an aged look but also wanted contrast with the white leaves and sentiment.

     Challenges:

Carlin's Card Paradise

Country View Crafts

Crafty Sentiments

Die Cut Divas

Digi Choosday

Get Creative

Outlawz PAM

Stamping Sensations

TTCRD

     That's all I have for today but I still have several more cards with dance themes either made or in process and I'll be posting them off and on over the next two months.  For now, Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Crafty Chefs for February

      Last week I shared with you my card for the January Recipe at Crafty Chefs and now it's my turn to create the recipe for February.  I know it's not February yet but consider this a gift in case you want to join us at Crafty Chefs.  It's open to any who care to join (free) and there's never a deadline for completing any project.  You're free to use and share any of the monthly recipes whenever you like.  We are just a group of crafters who are trying to get out of our own personal comfort zones now and again and try some things we may not have done before by following someone else's recipe.  Also fun is finding a recipe which exactly fits your own style or the things in your craft stash and whipping up something to share with the rest of us for inspiration.

     Since I just did a recipe in December, some of the other gals who play over there gave me some help on the recipe for February.  Appreciation to Margaret for suggesting "Stamp - rubber or digi," "Pink & Purple," plus "pattern dp."  Karen, our Master Chef from January, gave me "Fun Fold" (the previous chef always gives the next chef one MUST DO item.)  So, here's the February recipe:

MUST DO: Image + Purple/Pink combo + Pattern paper + Fun Fold

CAN DO: Embossing Folder OR Doily OR Flowers

Offset Gate Fold card

Image from A Day from Daisies

Colored w ProMarkers & gel pens

Cut w Quickutz die

Doily sprayed w inks

Pink dp from scrap basket

Sentiment unknown rubber stamp

    (cut w Avery Elle die)

     Challenges:

Colour Crazy

Creations in Pink

Double D

I {heart} ProMarkers

Outlawz Twisted Thurs

Paper Funday

Polkadoodles

Scrapping4Fun

Uniko

Word Art Weds

     I'm still following the "challenge-yourself" idea being promoted by my blogging buddy, V.  It's called "Just Stash January" and it involves using nothing but things already in your stash throughout the entire month of January!  There are a few reasonable exceptions (all of which mean that no money has come out of your pocket) and you can read about those on her post.  Just click on the link above to find out all about it, then start counting those coins and bills you'll be 'stashing' in your pocket this month instead of crying about even more charges on the credit cards after the holiday season. 

     Come visit us at Crafty Chefs.  Join us if you'd like.  You can even sign up be a Master Chef and pick a month this year to create the recipe for all of us to follow.  Check out all the recipes in the respective monthly albums and try a few. It's fun!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Crafty Chefs January Recipe

      I can't believe how long it took me to get to the January recipe for Crafty Chefs but my time since Christmas seems to have rushed by at three times normal speed so here it is January 21 and I'm just now getting my card posted.

     In case you don't know about Crafty Chefs, it's a group of crafters who want to try things which may be outside their comfort zone.  Each month, one member makes a card or other project using a recipe which they have put together themselves, and they post the recipe for everyone else to use.  I've been doing that for about a year now and it's fun.  You get to choose whether or not you want to use any given recipe and there are no deadlines for when or how soon you must enter your project.  If you want to skip a recipe, you can.  There are no prizes, no sponsors, no obligations - just good fun and the opportunity to try something new with lots of encouragement from others who are trying the same thing.  Come check us out and join in.  All it takes is a Facebook account.  :-D

     The recipe this month was - MUST USE: Stencil Paste (I didn't have any so the Master Chef suggested I try embossing powder instead), Glitz or Sparkle, Slimline design, Use at least 1 die.  The CAN USE (Optional) items were: Stencil, Fun Fold, Acetate.  

     I made my first ever stencil by using a border punch on acetate!  So, a brand new technique added to my crafty options and I didn't violate my commitment to using only things already in my stash. See the paragraph at the end of this post for a full understanding of that. :-D

3 layers of sparkly black, double thick EP

     (first layer: embossing ink applied thru stencil;

      that was thick enough that I could swipe the ink

      for the next 2 layers across the top, 

      then apply more double thick EP and heat)

Stencil hand-made w Fiskars punches

Memory Box die for sentiment

Glitter paper background

Slimline card design

     Challenges:

Allsorts

Art Impressions

Cardz TV

Crafter's Castle

Incy Wincy

Outlawz Festive Fri

Penny's Paper-Crafty

Uniko Studio

Word Art Weds

     I'm still following the "challenge-yourself" idea being promoted by my blogging buddy, V.  It's called "Just Stash January" and it involves using nothing but things already in your stash throughout the entire month of January!  There are a few reasonable exceptions (all of which mean that no money has come out of your pocket) and you can read about those on her post.  Just click on the link above to find out all about it, then start counting those coins and bills you'll be 'stashing' in your pocket this month instead of crying about even more charges on the credit cards after the holiday season. 

     Come see us at Crafty Chefs.  You never know what you might find there that will intrigue and challenge you.  You might even decide to join us!  :-D  Happy Crafting  NanaConnie

Crafty Chefs & Beccy's Place "T" for Trees

      My card today combines two of my favorite places; the ongoing 30 Days of Christmas 2020 at Beccy's Place and the Crafty Chefs 'stretch your wings' group on Facebook where we play with a different recipe each month just to push the outside edges of our creative comfort zones.  We'd love to have more folks join us over there so check it out.  All fun, no stress, you're only challenging yourself, we promise.  You'll find the new recipe for December posted on Crafty Chefs today. :-D

     At Beccy's Place, we're using the letter "T" as our prompt and I used Trees and Tidings.  I did a Joy Fold card using the Trees image from Beccy's.

 

Open showing inside 

Image flap open showing double sided CS

Image & Sentiment merged before printing

Image cut w QuicKutz die & sides trimmed straight

Image mounted on double sided CS

Mini gems added for snowflake effect

Inside and outside dp were left over scraps

Sheer ribbon wrapped and tied into a square knot

     Challenges:

Cardz TV
C.R.A.F.T.

Crafty Hazelnut's

Crafty Sentiments

Creative Fingers

Digi Choosday

TTCRD

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Penguins & the Christmas Moon

      We have another new recipe over at our Crafty Chefs FB page and this is the card I've done following it.  Carol gave us the recipe this month and, while you can check it out on the site, I'll also give it to you right after I show you my card.  The penguins & moon are from SheepSki Designs.

Recipe:

MUST DO:  

Add a tag, Make a pocket, Use analogous colors (next to each other on the color wheel), Use a die

CAN DO:

Mirror CS, Charm, Stitching

I did all of the MUST DO and did Stitching from the CAN DO list.

Here's another photo showing how I used the pocket and tag for the sentiment.

Colors were pulled from My Favorite Things.

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut w QuicKutz octagon die

Red frame cut w QuicKutz

Moon, pocket piece, & tag cut w Spellbinders

Faux stitching done w gel pens

Soft twine for the tag

Gingham ribbon for the bow

     Challenges:

2 Sisters on Blog (Diagonal: Bottom left to Top right)

Arty Divas

Colour It, Create It...

Craft-Dee Bowz

Crafter's Cafe

Crafty Animals

Dies R Us

Winter Wonderland

     Don't forget that Crafty Chefs is open to anyone who would care to join in and stretch their comfort zone a little bit.  Hope to see you over there.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Birthday Hyacinths

     My card today was done using the September recipe at the Crafty Chefs FB group - a group of crafters who play together each month because we like to stretch our comfort zone a bit.  One of the group puts together a 'recipe' of 4 things which MUST be used on your creation and another list of 3 things which CAN be used, and then each person shares their completed project by posting it to the FB page.  No prizes, no deadlines, no obligations, just a group of crafty friends having fun.  Feel free to join us any time you like.

     This month, Linda undertook the recipe and she came up with this:

MUST USE:
Simply square (square card base)
Glitter or Sparkle
Embossing (wet or dry)
Blue and Brown

Can Use:
Add flowers
Add pearls

     Here's my card - a small card, 4" x 4" and I made my own envelope for it.  I did use all the items on both lists.

Image printed in blue
Center hyacinth was white - colored w ProMarkers
Glitter added to center hyacinth (sorry - hard to see)
Image cut w Spellbinders die
Edges of image inked
Brown CS embossed with SU folder
Sentiment printed and cut w Avery Elle die
Pearls added to corner

     Challenges:
Angie's Digitals
Artsy Stampers
Aud Sentiments
Di's Digi Designs
Dragonfly Dreams
Dream Valley
Incy Wincy
Lil Patch of ...

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Crafty Chefs

     Today I'm doing another card using the next recipe from Crafty Chefs.  This is a group of crafters who want to stretch their "comfort zone" a bit by following a recipe with both "must do" and "can do" items on it.  There is a FB page for the group (click on the name above) and we'd love to have you join us if this sounds interesting.

     There are very few 'rules' and no prizes, no deadlines, no drama - just the fun of participating and doing something you may not have done before or you don't do regularly.  Check out the FB page and become part of the group.  Later, you can decide if you want to add yourself to the rotation for making up the recipe for a month.

     Vicki created the recipe for August and it is:

MUST DO:
1.  Die cut (or electronic machine like Cricut)
2.  Interactive (More than 1 fold, eg: gate fold, easel, slider, etc.)  Check out Vicki's Youtube video.
3.  Specialty paper (vellum, glitter, foil, etc.)
4.  Ribbon/twine/or raffia

CAN DO:
1.  Color an image
2.  Add 3 of something
3.  Add glitter/sparkle

     I watched Vicki's video and followed her well explained and easy steps to make my card.  I did change the size of my card so that it was 4 1/4 " square when folded (8 1/2 x 8 1/2 starting size) and I made the envelope for it.  I decided on a Halloween theme partly because Vicki had done a Christmas theme and partly because I wanted to color up this cute image from LeAnn's World.

    I did use all the MUST DO items plus all the CAN DO items.  :-D  Here's the finished card when folded up:

and when opened up:

Outside:

Colored w/ ProMarkers

Cut w/ Unbranded, stitched die

Gold glitter paper

Sheer ribbon wrapped on top of gold paper and under image

Sentiment printed & cut w/ Unbranded die

Inside:

"Chenille" paper (it's actually fuzzy)

"Halloween" sentiment is a button

Bats die cut from foam (Die-namics)

"Pearl" CS for card base

     Challenges:

Arty Divas

Color Crazy

Crafty Gals Corner

Crafty Sentiments

Digi Choosday

LeAnn's World 101

Lemon Shortbread

Polkadoodles

TTCRD

     Happy Crafting and we do hope you'll come and join our FB group!   NanaConnie