Garden Visit

     I wish my summer garden looked this neat and tidy.  I'm afraid the weeds have taken over during these weeks of shoulder problems and doctor's orders to "do nothing."  I'm healing well now, but not enough to go out and undo the ravages of untended nature.  lol

     The image is from  Lemon Shortbread.

     ProMarkers
     QuicKutz dies
     Gingham ribbon from Crafty Ribbons
   
     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Sentiments
Creative Fingers
Happy Craft
Passion for ProMarkers
Tues Throwdown

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie  

My #1

     This sweet little bear is from Conie Fong and makes a perfect anniversary card, I think.

     ProMarkers
     QuicKutz circle dies
     2 different CS for the circles
     Smaller 2 circles are embossed with Linen folder
     Embroidered flowers
     Pink, satin bow (hand tied)

     Challenges:
A Perfect Time to Craft
CCC Digi
Classic DT Open
Craft-Dee BowZ
Creations in Pink
Digi Doodle Studios
Friendship
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Scribbles Designs

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Birthday Sparkle

     This weekend, I'm going to try making one card each day but they will no doubt continue to be CAS designs.  Yesterday, I managed to use my Cuttlebug left handed and that's a biggie!  Here's the card I made, using the freebie image from the Progressive challenge at The Outlawz, and I'm adding it to my stash of birthday cards.

     Everything was made by using scraps and left over bits, including the card stock on which the image was printed.  The coppery, sparkle paper was left over from a 12" x 12" sheet of scrapbooking paper.

     ProMarkers
     QuicKutz and Spellbinders dies
     Sheer ribbon
     Computer font for the sentiment
     Glittered paper

     Challenges:
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Sentiments
Creative Inspirations
Cutie Pie
Lemon Shortbread
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Pixie's Snippets
Scrappy Land

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Day at the Beach

     It's so hot here that all I can think is we should be at the beach where it's 35 degrees cooler!  This Beach Fence image from Pink Gems is about the best I can do at the moment.

ProMarkers to color
Cut with QuicKutz die using out-of-the-box technique
Stitched ribbon
3 aqua gemstones
Inked edges on image and sentiment

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Angie's Digital Stamps
Aud Sentiments
Crafty Sentiments
Cut It Up
Digi Choosday
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Take It, Make It
TTCRD
Tuesday Throwdown

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Time with Cats and Friends

     It's another fun Friday over at QKR Stampede and we've started a new "Anything Goes" challenge.  You can use any image from any company to enter but if you use an image from QKR Stampede (or our sister company, Eureka Stamps), your entry will go into a completely separate draw.  That means your chances of winning are increased significantly!

     Today, I've used a cutie of an image called "Cozy Kitty" and  you can find it by clicking on the name.

     Colored with ProMarkers
     Spellbinders dies
     QuicKutz rectangle dies (sentiment)
     Metal brads

     Challenges:
Crafty Creations
Crafty Sentiments
Cuttlebug Mania  (top row)
Passion for ProMarkers
Prika Crafts
Scrapy Land
SUYP Cats
TTCRD
Word Art Weds.

     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

Anniversary Cactus

     This image, from The Paper Shelter, was chosen by a gal who was trying to explain to me why she was giving her husband a cactus plant for an anniversary present.  To quote her as closely as I can, "He can be a bit prickly like a cactus, but I love him!"  :-D   I made this for her back in March but didn't get it posted until now.

    Colored with ProMarkers
    Cut with QuicKutz oval dies
    Ribbon & tiny buttons for embellishment

     Challenges:
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Creations
Crafty Gals Corner
Happy Craft
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Paper Funday
Scrappy Land
Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Welcome Gnome

     Yes, the title is a deliberate pun and this card is going to new neighbors who just moved into the neighborhood.  They have a cute garden gnome in their yard so I thought this image would work well to welcome them.  Image is from Mo's Digital Pencil.  I did a CAS card with a masculine feel since I have no idea about their tastes or preferences and simple always works.

Sketch from Cheerful Sketches.

     I used:
ProMarkers
QuicKutz dies
Kraft CS
Linen embossing folder (yellow CS) (scrap)
Bleached CS (green) (scrap)

     Challenges:
Crafts Galore Encore
Creative Craft Cottage
Creative Moments
Morgan's ArtWorld
Paper Funday
Your Scrapbook Place

     Update:  My shoulder is healing slowly and is better than it was even a week ago.  Most activities are still being done by using my left hand/arm but I'm able to piece together a CAS card or two as long as I don't overdo it.  Typing is still forbidden, except the occasional, one-handed, left hand, hunt-and-peck, 10 minute foray, and not much gets done in that short span of time.  But the healing process is ongoing and I hope to be back to normal (an odd word to describe me! lol) within the month.  I figure I can give up brushing my hair with my right hand if it means I can have a crafting session for half an hour.  Thanks for your prayers.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Skating Giraffe

     This one is for the young grandson of a friend who adores giraffes.  I'm sending it for his 3rd birthday.  Image from Kitty Bee Designs.

     Colored with ProMarkers and cut with a QuicKutz oval die, as was the sentiment.  The rectangle frame was cut a Memory Box die and the piece was run through my Linen embossing folder.  Ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  Inside it says, "To wish you Happy Birthday!"

     Challenges:
Aloha Friday
Crafty Catz
Colour Crazy
Crafty Friends
Creative Fingers
Creative Knockouts
Cute Card Thurs.

     My "secretary" who types posts for me while my shoulder is healing is unavailable today so this short post was prepared by me and I wish now I had just waited until she was here again.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

My Ink Runneth

     Good Friday Morning!  It's a wonderful day to start a new weekly challenge over at QKR Stampede and our theme is always Anything Goes.  On my card today, I used a stamp any crafter will understand - Running Ink.

     I used the following:
Multiple shapes - square, oval, circle, rectangle
ProMarkers
QuicKutz dies
Spellbinders die
Scraps
Bleached CS

     Challenges:
Colour Crazy
Crafter's Castle
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Friends
Creative Fingers
I {heart} ProMarkers
Lemon Shortbread
Scrappy Land
Sparkles Monthly
Word Art Weds.

     Hope you'll come and play with us this week.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Correspondence School

     We're starting a new challenge at Crafting with an Attitude for this month and our sponsor is the wonderful Bugaboo Stamps.  I used this clever Stella Calendar June image and sentiment but I reversed Stella, side to side.

     Here are the tools and supplies used:
ProMarkers
Copics
White gel inks
Sparkle gel ink (glasses)
QuicKutz rectangle die
Couture Creations embossing folder on metallic paper
Distressing & curled corners
Hand sewn bow with button

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
CCC Digi Creations
Classic DT Open
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafter's Cafe
Craft's Galore Encore
Digi Doodle Studio
Friendship
Your Scrapbook Place

     That's all I have until tomorrow.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Simple Birthday

     Quick update on my shoulder problems:  I was feeling better and had less pain in my shoulder (tendon injury) so I did some crafting and, of course, got so enthralled with it that I seriously overdid it.  The next three days were pure agony.  Doctors have now put me on "Do NOTHING" orders for the next 3 weeks and have specifically forbidden any work at the keyboard.  Fortunately, I have family and friends who are willing to type up personal blog posts as I dictate them and to help out with DT blog duties as needed.  Also fortunately, by using markers I can still color while lying down so I'm not completely "craftless."  lol

     I got enough done during my crafting binge that I will have things to post but doctors say if my shoulder doesn't improve during the next 3 weeks, they will put me into some kind of a restrictive brace.  For now, it looks like complete recovery may take as much as 2 months.

     So, if I'm not visiting and commenting on your blog, it's because of the restriction on being at the computer.  I'm not ignoring you - just unable to communicate in blogland for a while.  :-D

     Here's one of the cards I created during the last creative binge.  The image is from Bugaboo Stamps.  (I went a little crazy and colored up three or four Bugaboo images!)

     Colored with ProMarkers, then cut with a rectangle die from QuicKutz using an out-of-the-box technique on three sides.  That was mounted onto a golden yellow card base.  I added pale yellow ribbon and one of my signature, hand-sewn bows which had been dyed blue with a ProMarker.

     Challenges:
AAA Cards
Cardz TV
Catch the Bug
Colour Crazy
Crafty Catz
Creative Fingers
Cut It Up
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Paperbabe Stamps
Pattie's Creations

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

Rose Girl

     I had such fun coloring this beautiful rose girl image which is the image this month for the progressive challenge at Scrapper's Delights.

     I colored with ProMarkers, then fussy cut the image and adhered it to an embossed piece of confetti CS.  The embossing was done with a folder from Leane Creatif.

     I cut a double frame using plain QuicKutz dies.  The smaller of the two frames is embossed with glittered embossing powder and has wonderful sparkle, though that's hard to see in the photo.

     The papers are all from DCWV.  I  printed and hand cut the sentiment, then added the tiny, pink bow.  The silver in the middle of the bow is Liquid Pearls.

     Challenges:
Colour Crazy
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Friends
Creative Fingers
Happy Craft
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Scrapper's Delights
Southern Girls
Take It, Make It

     I know this wasn't a long post but it felt like it when I was typing.  The shoulder still hasn't healed and typing is one of the hardest things to do.  I've worked on this in 10 minutes spans (one handed) with a bit of a rest in between and I've been at it for more than 45 minutes.  (twinge!)  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Make a Wish Birthday

     Today I'm featuring an image from Bugaboo Stamps on another birthday card for my stash.  I did the design as a gate fold with the short flap on the right hand side.

     I colored with ProMarkers, then cut the image and the frames with simple, square dies from QuicKutz.  The butterfly piece on the left flap was cut with a die which was loaned to me by a crafting buddy and I think it's by Memory Box but I can't swear to that.  I added faux stitching to each frame.

I added glittery gel ink to the dandelions and here's a close up photo to show the sparkle.

     I  made the card base from kraft CS.  Before adding the framed image to the right hand flap, I wrapped the flap with ribbon.  I dug through my scrap ribbons and found the two white flowers, adding them above and below the image.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Brown Sugar
Butterfly Challenge (flap fold/French Rose/flowers)
Catch the Bug (top row)
Crafty Gals Corner
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
I {heart} ProMarkers
Paper Funday
Scrappy Land
Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Birthday Giraffes

     I have a dear friend who moved away last year (I mean really away - like 350 miles away!) and she loves giraffes.  For as many years as we've known each other, I've made her birthday cards with giraffe images on them.  I decided just because she lives in another city now was no reason to change that pattern.  I just had to make her card flat and easy to mail.

     I colored with ProMarkers, then cut the image with a simple rectangle die from QuicKutz.  The card base is kraft CS, and I added an embossed scrap to the background.  I inked the edges of both the image piece and the embossed rectangle.

     The ribbon was in my stash and I used one of my signature, hand-sewn bows which I had 'dyed' with a yellow ProMarker.  Ribbons and bows are definitely my favorite embellies!  I put a tiny drop of Liquid Pearls on the bow to hide the thread I used when wrapping the center of the bow.  I also added three, flat, metal brads to the top corner.

     I put the birthday sentiment on the inside, made with die cut letters and words.  The letters were made with a Memory Box die and the word "birthday" was cut with a Tim Holtz/Sizzix die to which I added loose glitter.

     Challenges:
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Catz
Creative Knockouts
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Paper Funday
Scrappy Land
Word Art Wednesday

     That's all for today.  I doubt I'll even get any coloring or crafting done today.  I really need a day of doing nothing to get the shoulder healed up.  Happy Crafting to all of you.  NanaConnie

Please Say "Yes"

   I've never done an engagement card but this cute image is from Sasayaki Glitter for their Progressive Challenge so here's my first engagement card.

     Colored with ProMarkers plus a bit of sparkle gel ink around the diamond ring, then cut with rectangle dies from QuicKutz, as were the two frames.  Sentiment printed and hand-cut, then matted and hand cut again.  Aqua CS used for the card base.

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Crafting from the Heart
Crafting with Friends
Get Creative
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Festive Friday
Time Out

     Have yourself a wonderful day and Happy Crafting!  NanaConnie

It's Your Bird-day!

     I'm still adding to my birthday card stash and today I'm using a cute birdhouse image from Beccy's Place.

I started by using the colors at Beccy's Place.

     I used ProMarkers to color the image, then cut it with an oval die from QuicKutz.  The fancy frame (cut from aqua CS) was made with a Memory Box die and the image piece is laid on top of it.  The flowery paper (a saved scrap) is from DCWV and is embossed.   I added the sentiment, cut with another QuicKutz die, to the bottom.

     Challenges:
Coloring in Scrapland
Crafty Sentiments
Cute N Crafty
Ike's World
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Greetings
Papercraft
Passion for ProMarkers
Tuesday Throwdown

     That's it for today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Unicorn Graduate

     Another short post due to shoulder problems which are interfering with both my crafting and my being able to sit at a keyboard to prepare posts

     I have two grandkids who are each graduating from high school this year.  The older one is an honor student and has already been accepted into the culinary school he wanted, on a full scholarship I might add!

    The other one is also an honor student and is graduating a year early, having done double classes all year in order to complete all her necessary units.  That was in addition to working a regular, part-time job and being on the cheer leading team at her high school.

     This is her graduation card.  She's totally crazy about unicorns so I used this image from Bugaboo Stamps, added the grad cap by printing another image which had a cap (you'll see it when I finish the card for my grandson), then cutting it out and adding it to the unicorn.

     Colored with ProMarkers and cut with QuicKutz dies.  I added micro-fine glitter from Sparkle n Sprinkle to the mane and tail.  The bow is one of my signature, hand-sewn bows, this time with a pearl.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Catch the Bug
Crafting by Designs
Crafting from the Heart
Dragonfly Dreams
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Scrappy Land
TTCRD

     For now, I've typed as much as I can and must go rest for a bit.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Persian Cat Says He's the Birthday Present !

     Here at Crafting with an Attitude we love seeing attitude in any form!  For our latest challenge, which starts today, we're being sponsored by Some Odd Girl and I fell in love with this "Angry Persian" image.  Look at the attitude showing in that expression!

     I used ProMarkers to color the image, then cut it with a hexagonal die from QuicKutz.  The aqua frame is also cut with another die from that set.  I made a shaped card by cutting the base with another Quickutz die.

     I printed and cut the small sentiment at the bottom of the image, trimming the shape to fit in with the hexagon.  The "happy birthday" sentiment was cut with a Tim Holtz - Sizzix die.  There was already so much going on with the borders of the card, I decided that it needed no embellishment beyond that created by the die cutting.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Colour Crazy
Crafting from the Heart
Cute N Crafty
Double Trouble
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Festive Fri.
SUYP Cats
Time Out

     I hope we're going to see you playing along in our challenge this month.  Remember, our themes are always "Anything Goes."  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Gladioli for Mom

     This is my second post of the day and I want to welcome you to our latest challenge at SheepSki Designs.  Our theme this month is "Flower Power" and Andrea has some of most incredible flower images, including this one "Gladioli No. 142."

     I remember my mom grew glads in her garden and my favorites of all the colors she raised were a soft, peachy-pink that faded into almost white around the very edges of the petals.  I tried to re-create those when I colored this image with ProMarkers and water colors.  I cut the image with a rectangle die from QuicKutz and inked the edges with a ProMarker.

     I printed the sentiment using a computer font, then cut that with an Unbranded die.  The circle was cut with a die from Memory Box. 

     Challenges:
Allsort's 
Colour Crazy
Crafty Creations
Di's Digi Designs
Paperbabe Stamps
Pattie's Creations
Pile It On
Polkadoodles
Word Art Weds.

     If you missed my first post of the day for 2 Crafty Critter Crazies, scroll down one post.  I hope to see you at both challenges.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie