Santa Paws

      I'm catching up on the current DOTM challenge at Imagine That!  I think the "Santa Paws" puppies are just so darling.  :-D

     I used my ProMarkers to color the traditional red and green for Christmas, leaving the rest of it in various shades of gray, and I added a few highlights with white gel pen.  I cut the image with a die from Spellbinders, then I inked the edges of it.  The two strips of dp are scraps and they are heat embossed with sparkly EP.   The sparkle-edged, satin, ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon and the bow is hand-tied.  Everything was layered onto red CS and that was centered onto the white card front.

     Challenges:

Aud Sentiments

CCC Digi ...

Crafty Sentiments

Creative Craft ...

Creative Moments

Digi Choosday

Friendship

Lemon Shortbread

TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Playing in the Puddles

      I feel like I've been running behind all month long and when I discovered that I hadn't posted my card for Imagine That ! DOTM yet, I confirmed that feeling.  Sigh...  But here it is and the month isn't over so I'm  good.  :-D

     I loved the whole idea of playing in puddles after the storm, especially because where I live we've had nothing be severe drought and a serious lack of rain for more than 2 years no.  Weather forecasters say we're due for heavy rain this upcoming Monday, and I can only hope that's true.  

     I colored this precious image (called "Lizzy's Umbrella") with ProMarkers and cut it with a Cuts die.  The sentiment is part of the set and I printed it and cut it with a corner punch from Uchida.  I added one of my signature bows with a pearl and mounted everything onto a mango-orange card base.  Very CAS.

     I love coloring critters and use far more critter images then people images but I'm trying to improve my coloring on people so I've begun looking for and using images which combine critters and people.  :-D  To me, coloring fur or feathers is easier than coloring human faces and hair.

      Challenges:

As You Like It

Cardz TV

Colour Crazy

Crafty Catz

Cute Card Thurs

Outlawz Festive Fri

Paperbabe

Polkadoodles

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Meerkat Birthday

      I fell in love with the image from this month's Digi of the Month from Imagine That !   I reversed the sweet little Meerkat before I printed the image.  I colored with my ProMarkers, trimmed the image to fit my card size (4" x 4"), and used two different Fiskars punches to decorate the corners.

     I had a scrap of the sparkly, white ribbon in my basket which was just the right size for this card.  The bow is hand-tied using sheer ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon.

     Challenges:

A Bit More Time ...

Crafter's Cafe

Crafts Galore Encore

CAS on Friday

Colour Crazy

Crafty Catz

Outlawz Festive Fri

Paperbabe

Pattie's Creations

     I'm taking some time off from the craft room the rest of today and tomorrow so there may not be a post on Saturday but I'll be back on Sunday with a new post and a new team!  Be sure to check in to see what I'll be doing on the First Sundays for the foreseeable future.  :-D  Happy Crafting  NanaConnie

A Pretty Calf for a Lovely Thank You

      I noticed the other day that my stash of  Thank You cards was getting pretty low and, just in time, this DOTM showed up from Imagine That!  Along with the sweet calf image, there are sentiments and one of them was perfect for adding to my stash of Thank You cards.  :-D

     I colored with ProMarkers and gel pens, then cut the image with a die from Tattered Lace.  The die is actually made for cutting a shaped card so it has a blank space at the top without any cutting, but after cutting once, I turned the piece in the die and cut a second time so that I had a complete circle.  

     The sentiment is cut with an Unbranded die and the bottom corner of the flocked paper was cut with a Poppy Stamps die.   The corner die also embosses but that doesn't show up very well on the flocked paper.   I used a craft knife to distress the edges of the flocked paper but it's very heavy paper and the distressing doesn't show up very well in the photo.  I didn't want to cover any more of that gorgeous Doodlebug paper so I let the design and the die cuts be their own embellishment.

     Challenges:

Aud Sentiments

Crafts Galore Encore

Cute Card Thurs

Lemon Shortbread

Lil Patch of ...

Mod Squad

Outlawz Twisted Thurs

Polkadoodles

Poppystamps

     Hope your week is going well and that you can find some 'down time' just for you.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Greener Grass

      If you follow my blog at all, you know by now how much I love progressive challenges and the one at Imagine That! DOTM is no exception.  This is the June image, perfect for any dad or any man who loves his yard and wants it pristine.  I'm using it as a Father's Day card for my son-in-law who has a wonderfully dry sense of humor.

     I used ProMarkers to color it and added a few wispy clouds with a white gel pen.  I cut the image with an Unbranded die.  The plaid paper is a left over scrap, originally from a Your Next Stamp stack.  The bow was tied from a double strip of jute cord.  Because it's a masculine card, I kept it simple with little embellishment.

     Challenges:

Allsorts

Cardz TV

Colour Crazy

Crafty Catz

Creative Fingers

Gem of a Challenge

Outlawz PAM

Taylormade ...

Uniko

     Happy Stamping to each of you.  :-D  NanaConnie

Sky's the Limit!

     It was wonderful to receive the freebie image for the May Progressive challenge at Imagine That!  It meant I was back as one of the participants over there and that made me feel that things were definitely getting back to 'normal.'  :-D

     I thought this would be perfect for an encouragement card or just to let someone know I was thinking about them.

I based this on the sketch from The Outlawz.

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut w QuicKutz oval die

Polka dot dp - DCWV scrap

Flags cut w IO die

Flags colored w watercolors

Metal brads & gray pearls

     Challenges:

Addicted to CAS

Colour Crazy

Crafter's Castle

Crafty Calendar

Di's Digi Designs

Outlawz Festive Fri

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Tea Cup Bunny

      I'm running right up against the deadline in the Digi-of-the-Month progressive challenge at Imagine That! and I'm going to post this as soon as I finish typing the details, before I even add all the links to the other challenges I want to enter.

     This adorable image is the Tea Cup Bunny from the Rosy Tea Party set and the sentiment is part of the set.

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut w Cuts (Kokorosa Studio) die

Inked edges

Mesh ribbon from RRR

Hand-tied bow w pearl

     Challenges:

Colour Crazy

Crafty Gals Corner

House that Stamps Built

I {heart} ProMarkers

Mod Squad

Penny's Paper Crafty

Simon Says Stamp

Time Out

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie 

You Take the Cake!

      Here's another cute image from Imagine That! where they are celebrating their 8th birthday with a new challenge theme each week in February.  This week it's all about birthday cake and/or food.  This is one of the cutest chefs Imagine That has.  I think he's called "Chef Freddy."

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut w Gina Marie die

Patterned blue ribbon from RRR

Sheer ribbon for bow from RRR

Bow Maker used for bow

Background dp from DCWV

     Challenges:

As You Like It  (I have shifted over to digis 98% of the time because

                           storage is so easy and I can easily adjust the size)

Aud Sentiments

Colour Crazy

Colouring in Scrapland

Get Creative

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Festive Fri

Passion for ProMarkers

Stamping Sensations

Uniko

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Valentine Cupcake

      This adorable image is the one for the February Progressive Challenge at Imagine That!   It's called Birthday Bunny but it makes a perfect Valentine, as you can see.   

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut w Gina Marie die

Background dp from SU

CTMH glittered flower embellie

     Challenges:

Creative Inspirations

Cuttlebug Mania

Digi Choosday

Double D

Mod Squad

Paper Funday

Paper Shelter

Passion for ProMarkers

Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

My First Valentine for 2021

      I know we all wanted the New Year to arrive and for the whole Covid-19 thing to be over and done with the stroke of midnight, but I fear that a good majority of us will still be suffering from lockdowns and government restrictions on our activities for quite some time yet, so I'm already planning to mail Valentine cards to all the grandkids and great-grands in February.

     For my first one (though I have no idea which kidlet will get it), I used this darling Panda Love Drops from Imagine That!'s Progressive Challenge.

I laid this out to fit the sketch at My Favorite Things

but with the sketch flipped.

Single Layer, tent style, CAS card

Pre-colored image

Baker's twine scrap

I also want to tell you about a fun "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 and 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.  :-D  Everything on this card came from the stash!

     Challenges:

Allsorts

Crafty Calendar

Crafty Sentiments

Gem of a Challenge 

Lemon Shortbread

Lil Patch of ...

Mod Squad

Outlawz PAM

     That's all I have for today but here's wishing all of you Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Celebrate Winter

      Many of you know that Imagine That! has reopened and they are running the monthly Progressive Challenge again.  This adorable image is for the December challenge.

Sentiment merged w image before printing

Colored w ProMarkers and while gel pen

Cut w QuicKutz die

Background dp from Love to Craft

Sparkle ribbon wrap

Velvet ribbon for hand-tied bow

     Challenges:

Colouring in Scrapland

Crafty Sentiments

Creative Moments

Cuttlebug Mania

Digi Choosday

Ike's World

LeAnn's World 101

Passion for ProMarkers

Simon Says Stamp (hand coloring)

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

It's All about the CANDY !

      Now you know as well as I do that when it comes to kids and Christmas, it's always all about the candy so when one of them finds that a Christmas stocking is filled with nothing but candy, it's definitely a time to celebrate!  lol

     This image is the freebie from the Progressive Challenge at Imagine That!  I'm delighted to say that after closing the store and challenge some time back, Kris has found it possible to reopen both of them.  Check it out!  Here's my card using the freebie - fortunately, I had it colored and ready to go before the back problems set in so I didn't have to sit very long to get the card completed.

           

Colors came from My Favorite Things.

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut w Tonic Studios die

Paper from Imagine That!

Sheer ribbons for both the wrap & the bow

Sentiment was fussy cut

     Challenges:

C.R.A.F.T.

Crafty Hazelnut's

Cute Card Thurs

Lemon Shortbread

Outlawz Twisted Thurs

Penny's Paper-Crafty

Simon Says Stamp

Tues Throwdown

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Latte Gratitude

    It's time for another Progressive Challenge at The Outlawz and this month the freebie image has been provided by Imagine That !  It's a perfect image for a fall celebration and I'm going to use it for a Thanksgiving card.

I based this on the Outlawz sketch

turned sideways but still used as a vertical

due to the shape of the image.

Colored with ProMarkers and gel inks
Spellbinders die for the over-laid frame
Polka dot grosgrain ribbon
Satin ribbon for the bow
ProMarker used to 'dye' the bow

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Color Crazy
Crafty Catz
Crafty Sentiments
Creative Fingers
Double Trouble
Get Creative

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Rather Fish than Work

     This adorable, little bear from Imagine That! proves the point that any reasonable guy would rather fish than work.  To quote someone famous and silly (don't ask me who said it), "Give a man a fish and he'll eat one meal.  Teach a man to fish and he'll sit by the river and drink beer all day!"

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with QuicKutz die
Burlap with distressed edges
Kraft CS for the card base

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Aud Sentiments
Crafty Calendar
Crafty Catz
Outlawz Festive Fri
Scrapper's Delights
Take It, Make It
Time Out

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Panda for 2 Crafty Critter Crazies

     Today I have a total of 3 posts for you because not only is it Friday, my regular day for QKR Stampede, but it's also the 1st of the month when I post for 2 Crafty Critter Crazies and for SheepSki Designs.  This one is for 2 Crafty Critter Crazies but be sure to check back for the other two posts.  Our theme at 2 CCC is always "Anything Goes with a Critter Featured."

     The sponsor at 2CCC today is Imagine That! and while they provided images for the DT to use, I chose one from my own collection of IT! images, this darling Panda.

     I used a die from Sizzix to cut the image, and other stitched dies from Memory Box to cut the four circles of dp.  That dp is included in the image set and I think it's fantastic. It could be used for many projects, with or without the pandas.  The sentiment is printed and hand cut.

     I'm going to use this for one of the boys in my family so I decided not to add any embellishments.

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Crafting with Friends
Cutie Pie
Di's Digi Designs
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Pixie's Snippets

     See you soon for the rest of today's posts.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Look What I Found!

     Well, the actual relocation part of my moving is done and I'm happily in my new home in my new city.  Now, if only I could just snap my fingers and have all the boxes unpacked, the crafting room all organized, and the fur-babies all adjusted to the new digs.  Ah, well -- good to have something to keep me occupied.

     I thought I had planned everything so well, bringing certain of the crafting supplies with me instead of putting them on the moving van.   Somehow I overlooked a few rather important things not the least of which is the cable which connects my camera to the computer so that photos can be uploaded into the hard drive for editing and saving.  It seems that little cable got packed into one of the million boxes still in need of unpacking.  Without that, no matter how many cards I make, nothing will get edited or posted to the blog.  :-(

     However, counting all my blessings, guess what I found already in my hard drive just waiting to be posted?  So, here's my first post from the new home.  :-D

     The image is "Gertie Goose - Fall" from Imagine That !!, given to everyone who played in the progressive challenge last month.  I'm barely getting it in before the end of this month and I'm so grateful I had it photographed before last weekend.  Now I won't miss the challenge over there.

     Everything on the card came from left over scraps, including the trim and the papers.  Both the image and the mat were cut with dies from Spellbinders, and the bow is one of those I make up by the dozens.  I did the sentiment with a computer font.

     Oh, just to finish the story -- having no idea which box is holding the elusive camera cable, I was smart enough to get online and do a search for a store that had another one.  I found it quickly (although in a state halfway across the country), ordered it, and it should be delivered early next week.  Thank goodness for that.  Now I can take time away from unpacking to create a few things, knowing that I can post them within a very short time.

     Challenges:

4 Krafty Girlz -- Anything goes

Brown Sugar -- Autumn

CraftyHands -- Anything goes

Inkspirational -- Photo inspiration (colors)

Outlawz PAM -- Anything goes

Sister Act -- Anything goes

     It's been a long day already and I'm so ready for a nap.  I woke up at 3:30 this morning, started unpacking boxes and finally ate "lunch" about an hour ago.  So, this short post will have to do as my first in almost two weeks.  I promise more posts as this week goes by.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie