Humor Me at Catch the Bug Critter Chaos

     Another fun Bugaboo Stamps image for today's Critter Chaos challenge at Catch the Bug where the theme this time is "Humor."  I love, love, LOVE stitched dies (because they make the faux stitching so much neater than anything I can do by hand!)

I used one of the sketches from Sweet Sketch Weds.2

but turned a quarter turn.

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with Die-namics stitched dies
Aleene's Snow
Papers from Doodlebug
Sparkle red ribbon and red satin ribbon for bow

     Challenges:
As You Like It
C.R.A.F.T.
Creative Knockouts
Cute Card Thurs
Mod Squad
Outlawz Festive Fri
Scrappy Land
Time Out

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Day 12, Letter "J" - 30 Days of Christmas at Beccy's Place

     My card today for Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas is a bit different from any of the others so far this month.  Instead of using one of Beccy's images, I'm using one of her digital papers (from her Rocking Horse set, which is now one of her free images!  Go grab it.  :-D )

     A blue and purple color combo is one of my absolute favorites, and I thought that using it for a Christmas card would be both challenging and fun.  My only "J" is in the Joyeux Noel sentiment.

I used a sketch from Sweet Sketch Weds.

Background paper from Beccy's Place.
Silver glitter paper from Recollections
Ornament shape cut from gold, iridescent, geometric CS (Spellbinders die)
Joyeux Noel cut with Die-versions die
White paper strips are embossed
Silver paint pen and white gel ink used to define the 'stitched' areas of the sketch
Flat gems added to diagonal corners

   Challenges:
Crafty Catz
Creative Inspirations
Elliebelle's Crafty Weds
Outlawz Festive Fri
Scrappy Land
Time Out
Word Art Weds.

     Hard to believe we're nearly half way through November.  Good grief, I can barely believe we're right around the corner from all the winter holidays!  It seems like only yesterday I was complaining about the miserable heat of summer and now we have wonderful, crisp evenings and the TV ads are all about snow and Christmas.  (I do wish we could have the fun of Halloween and the warmth of Thanksgiving before they start running 24 hour a day ads to buy, buy, BUY!)  And here I am making Christmas cards!  lol  But that's different since I have to mail most of my cards and I have so many to make.  Besides, I don't plaster advertising all over the television waves.  OK, ranting finished.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Feed the Birds for Christmas

     I'm sharing another of my favorite images from Mo's Digital Pencil which has the sweetest little urchin feeding the birds during the cold days of Christmas.  They have a color challenge for the theme this month which includes one of my favorite color combos - purples and aquas.

  

I used the sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday.

Colored with ProMarkers
Image cut with Spellbinders die
Papers from Doodlebug
Plaid paper cut with QuicKutz dies
Snowflakes cut with AI die
Glitter added to snowflakes
White background paper textured with embossing

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas
A Gem of a Challenge
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Creations
Crafty Hazelnut's
Cute N Crafty Christmas
House that Stamps Built (diagonal: die cut/ square card/ blue or purple)
Word Art Weds.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Fairy & The Unicorn

     Another birthday card today, this time for a young lady who loves fairies and unicorns.  The image, which comes from Digi Doodle Studios, couldn't have been better.

I started by using the colors from the 

Digi Doodle Studios FB Challenge 

and the sketch from Sweet Sketch Weds.

 

Colored with ProMarkers
Glitter on her hair & the unicorn's horn (enlarge photo to get better look)
Sue Wilson die (pink CS) & QuicKutz (circles)
Paper from DCWV "Basics" stack
Ribbon and hand tied bow w gem

     Challenges:
Crafty Sentiments
Cupcake Inspirations
Cute N Crafty
Dream Valley
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Greetings
Passion for ProMarkers
TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Dance on Your Birthday

      It feels like forever since I used an AuroraWings image and I'd almost forgotten how wonderful they are to color.  I really wish the sparkle in the ribbon had photographed better but I guess you'll just have to take my word for how bright and blingy it is.

I started with the sketch from Sweet Sketch Weds.,

turned a quarter turn.

blin

Colored with ProMarkers
Sue Wilson dies
Sparkle ribbon
Bow tied with bow maker (double layer, double loop)

     Challenges:
Craft-Dee BowZ
Creations in Pink
Cute Card Thurs.
I {heart} ProMarkers
Lemon Shortbread
Papercraft
Passion for ProMarkers
TTCRD
Tuesday Throwdown

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bite Me?

     Limited Runs is running their September/October Progressive Challenge and their freebie image is "The Count."  I thought the image was hysterically funny and here's what I did with it.

I used the sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2.

     First, let me say that the colors in this photo are completely off!  The spiderweb papers are actually violet and the bow is purple, not blue.  The plaid papers stayed pretty much true, thankfully.  I have re-photographed this a dozen times but the colors are still wonky.

     I used ProMarkers to color the image and cut it with a Sizzix die.  All four of the dp squares were cut with Unbranded dies and the sentiment was cut with a die from QuicKutz.  The papers are from Graphic 45 and both ribbons came from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  I used my bow maker to tie the double loop bow.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Cardz TV
Craft-Dee Bowz
Crafty Creations
Crafty Friends
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Moments
Scrapy Land

     Tomorrow is the start of a new month, October!  How did it get to be October already?  Sheesh - it feels like I'm just now recovering from the whirlwind of holidays last winter.  lol  Oh, well, that just means I'll have a pile of DT first-of-the-month posts over the next 24 hours, including one that's brand new for me.  That's all the hint you get right now.  Be sure to check back as your schedule allows.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Garden Kitty

     This kitty image from Pink Gem just stole my heart and I turned him into a birthday card.

     I started with the sketch from Sweet Sketch Weds,

turned a quarter turn to better fit the image shape.

     I use ProMarkers to color the image, then cut it with stitched border dies from Spellbinders.  The dp are scrap pieces from the basket and the card base is textured CS.

     I found sheer ribbon in my stash and wrapped it around the card front.  I decided to make a flower out of two layers of petals, then glittered the top petals.  I added one pearl to the flower embellie and complemented that with pearls in the centers of the flowers in the image. 

     The sentiment is heat embossed.

     Challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge

Crafty Calendar (3 flowers, 3 pearls)

Crafty Gals Corner

House that Stamps Built (Pearls/Embossing/Ribbon)

Jo's Scrap Shack

Paper Shelter

Sisterhood of Crafters

SUYP Cats

     I hope your weekend was fantastic and that you had lot of "me" time to do whatever pleased you.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Welcome Home

     I had so much fun with this card !  I started with a pre-colored image from Beccy's Place which best matched the optional colors from their challenge this month.  I also used a sketch which I found at Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2.

  

     I used an oval die from QuicKutz to cut the image, then inked the edges with a ProMarker.  The patterned background paper is from one of my DCWV stacks, but since it was a scrap, I have no idea which one.  I matted it with pistachio green paper.  

     The three strips were cut from textured 'leather' CS and backed with stone-washed denim.  All of those were also scraps.  I added baker's twine and a die cut flower.  I colored the flower with ProMarkers, then added glitter for a bit of sparkle.  The center is a peach colored, Liquid Pearls drop.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment.

     Challenges:

Addicted to Stamps and More

Aud Sentiments

Brown Sugar

Crafty Friends

House that Stamps Built

Penny's Paper-Crafty

Pixie's Snippets

Simon Says Stamp

      The weekend is over, Monday has arrived, and those of you not already retired have started your work week routine.  I envy you - not at all !  :-D  Happy Crafting.   NanaConnie

Loving Bunnies

     One more card which I'm using as a Valentine but which has great general appeal as well.  This is the image for the Progressive Challenge at Gerda Steiner Designs.

I used the sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2,

flipping it top to bottom.

     I started by coloring the bunnies with ProMarkers, then I fussy cut them and added a hot pink CS mat which is also fussy cut.  I used my newest Gina Marie quilt die to cut 4 different paper scraps and mounted the image (using Pop Dots) on top of the quilt design. 

     I chose a soft pink CS for the background, cut it to size for the A2 card, and wrapped sheer, golden ribbon around it before adding the quilted design with image.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, then tied a bow from some pink lace. adding it above the sheer ribbon.

     Challenges:
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Moments
I {heart} ProMarkers
Paper Shelter
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Simon Says Stamp

     That's all I have for today but I love that you stopped by.  Browse around, leave a comment if you wish, and enjoy your day.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Diets (Good Grief!)

     This fun and funny image from QKR Stampede (Santa in Chimney 16708) shows my #1 problem every holiday season.  Thank goodness I don't have to slide down chimneys on Christmas Eve!  We're starting a brand new "Anything Goes" challenge today and we also have an optional theme of "Santa" if you want to use it.

I based my card on Sketch 124 from Sweet Sketch Weds. 2.

This challenge we get to choose our favorite sketch

of all the ones used in 2017.

   
     I colored with ProMarkers, then cut the image with a die from Spellbinders.  I cut a burgundy frame for the image with another die from that same set.  Everything went onto a heather gray piece of CS which had been embossed with my "Linen" folder.

     I added only one, small, ribbon bow which had been white but I 'dyed' it with my marker.  The sentiment is mine, based mostly on the expression on Santa's face.  :-D

     Challenges:
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Moments
I {heart} ProMarkers
Mod Squad
Paper Shelter
Scrappy Land
Sisterhood of Crafters
Sugar Pea Designs

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Light as a Feather

     I was browsing around several of my favorite monthly challenges, hoping to be struck by something that would inspire me, and I found this at House of Cards.

     Using both feathers and the colors, here's what I did.

I started with the sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday.

     This is a little different from the way I normally color my images.  I started with just one feather, colored it with ProMarkers and Lyra polychromos pencils, then I photographed it and used my editing software to add a very light grayscale background.  I saved that photo into my hard drive.  For the next paragraph to make sense, you need to know that the feather was photographed standing on its 'stem' so that the feather is standing instead of floating horizontally - more like the ones in the inspiration photo.

     I opened the saved file using MS Word, adjusted the size to what I wanted (see the square, middle feather,) then did a copy and paste two more times to get three feathers.  On the two outside feathers, I 'squeezed' the sides in to narrow them from square to a rectangles.  I printed that, now having the three feathers in a row as my image and then, after I matted it, I turned it on end so that the feathers seemed to be floating downward.

     If you're looking at the three feathers, thinking that they are all colored exactly the same way, now you know how I did it.  One colored feather, photographed, duplicated and size adjusted to give me three identically colored feathers.

     Next step was to choose cardstock in colors from the inspiration photo.  Rather than cutting into new sheets of paper, I went through my bin of scraps and found each of the vertical strips.  The strip on the far left was cut with a Cheery Lynn die (Scandinavian Boutique) and is one of the pieces from the outside edge of the frame (which was used on another project.)  In order to get the darker blue of the color combo, I added a strip of sheer ribbon to the background and also used a snippet of it to 'mat' the sentiment.

     I added three, tiny, brass, 'pearls' to the top corner and another three to the bottom corner.  What is it about sets of three that is so magical in card designing?  Three feathers, three strips, three pearls...  This is my first work with "mixed media" and I hope to get better at it but mixing photography, fabric, die cuts, and metal with textured papers was the best I could manage this time.  I stayed with all simple, geometric, shapes for a clean, somewhat 'industrial' and masculine feel.  

     Challenges:
A Vintage Journey
Catch the Bug (top row)
Crafting with an Attitude
Creative Fingers
Jo's Scrap Shack
Pixie's Snippets
Scrapper's Delights

Word Art Weds.

     This week has sped by so quickly!  Maybe it was all the Easter celebrations or the Monday holiday along with the half day at the beginning of last weekend for Good Friday.  Whatever it was, the weekend is nearly here and I'm sooo ready for it!  I plan to do very little and be a couch potato most of the time.  If the Creative Muse knocks, I'm probably going to debate answering that door.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Flower Ant

     I don't normally like finding ants in my spring garden but this one is just too cute to dislike.  :-D  The image is from Sasayaki Glitter and it's the freebie for their latest Progressive challenge on their Facebook page.

I started by using the sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2,

although I took a bit of liberty with the shapes.

     The image is hand colored with ProMarkers and I played around with my newest set of border dies from Spellbinders.  I love the amazing shapes I got and the delicate embossing that was possible on each piece.  I layered all the pieces onto a kraft card base (which is actually recycled from a cracker box insert!) after I added the ribbon.  The sentiment was printed and hand cut, and I added a tiny gem to each of the four corners.  Complex looking but very simple in design.

     Challenges:

Art Impressions

Aussie Digital Artists

Brown Sugar

DL.ART

Inky Chicks

Sugar Pea Designs

Unicorn

Word Art Weds.

     Here we are on the second day of Spring and I'm suffering all the symptoms of a severe winter cold.  Stuffy sinuses, runny nose, cough, chest congestion ...Yuck!  Colds shouldn't be allowed during spring or summer.  I think I'll talk to someone about passing a law!  Who's with me?  We'll get a petition going.  In the meantime, Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Always Irish

     When you have a St. Patrick's birthday, you're always Irish !  In my case, my heritage is Irish on both sides of my family tree so I'm the most Irish member of my American family.  :-D   I celebrate my birthday by making St. Pat's cards for all my grandkids.

I used the sketch from Sweet Sketch Weds.2

turned on its side.

     I colored the image (Bugaboo Stamps) with my ProMarkers, then fussy cut her.  I used dies from Spellbinders to cut the frame and mounted it, with the image, onto a pre-made card base.  I added ribbon from my stash and a lace bow and called it finished, a nice CAS design.

     Challenges:
Allsorts
Catch the Bug
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Creations
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz CAS
Paper Girls
Scrapy Land
Sweet Stampin'

     Well, I have a full day ahead of me, including a second poast later this morning, so for now I'm going to thank you for stopping by and then wish you Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Christmas Stag

     I have to share this one last Christmas card with all of you even though we're finished with Christmas for this year.  I just ran out of time to get this one posted to my blog before all the hustle and bustle of the holidays took over and started me running from place to place.

I started by reversing sketch #97 from 

Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2.

     The image is colored with a combination of chalks and ProMarkers, but for the pops of reds I used my Copics.   I hand cut the image and layered it onto aspen bark dp and then layered all of that onto white CS.  It was interesting getting the aspen bark dp added since  I had only bits and pieces of it left over and I had to piece them together to make a border that didn't look pieced out of snippets.  :-D

      I added the red and green Christmas twine (metallic), fraying the ends, and then added the single white flower for embellishment.  The gem in the middle of the flower is red but looks black in the photo.  The flower is adhered on a Pop Dot for a bit of dimension on this otherwise flat, CAS card.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Cookie Challenge
Chalk n Stock
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Creations
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas
Di's Digi Designs
DL.ART
Inky Chicks
Outlawz CAS
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Pixie's Snippets
WordArt Weds.

     I'll have another pre-scheduled post on Friday and I hope you all had a warm and wonderful Christmas last weekend.  Be safe and sane this coming weekend, please -- no drinking and driving on the New Year holiday!  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Teacup Kittens

     A second post today!  I went on a shopping binge at Sami Stamps a couple of weeks ago and this is the first chance I've had to do anything with the images I bought.   I fell in love with this one and you can, no doubt, guess why.  :-D

I used the sketch from Sweet Sketch Weds.2

and my colors came from Just Add Ink.

   

   
      The image is colored with ProMarkers, then cut with a die from Spellbinders.  I distressed the edges with ink.  The papers are from my stash and they were scraps from craft packaging but worked so well together that I decided to use them for the corners.   I had a leftover piece of flower ribbon in the basket and trimmed it to fit behind the image.  I tied the bow (5 loops) using sheer ribbon and added a pearl.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
Craft and Smash
Crafty Hazelnut's 
Creative Fingers
Jo's Scrap Shack
Sami Stamps
Show Us Your Pussy Cats 
Stamping Boutique

     I'm off to do some errands today and will return tomorrow if I get a card done.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Hat Stands

     Once again, I'm playing along in the Rick St. Dennis Progressive Challenge at Sparkle and Glitter.  I love this image with the vintage hats and stands.  Can't you just see the Gay 90s Lady packing her best hats for a trip to Paris?

I started with the sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday.

     I used a combination of ProMarkers and Tim Holtz Distress Markers to color the image and used a die to cut it.  I matted it with pale pink CS and punched the corners.  The background papers are beautifully textured and both are from pads by DCWV, chosen to pick up the soft yellows and neutrals in the image.

     For embellishment, I chose a scrap of left over ribbon, and layered the sentiment onto it.  The die cut leaves (Cheery Lynn) were in my stash from some previous project so I used those and finally added the butterfly and gem.

     Challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks
As You Like It
A Vintage Journey
Catch the Bug
Colour Your World
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafty Creations
Creative Corner
Digistamps 4 Joy
Let's Color Saturday
Mod Squad
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Scrapper's Delights
Stamping Boutique

     Have you survived all the holiday weekends?  Are you ready to get back into the routine of  daily living?  Much as I love the holidays, it's always a relief to be in my own home, doing my usual weekend chores, and finding time in the craft room to recharge the batteries.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Not a Creature was Stirring...

     When I saw this freebie image in The East Wind newsletter, of course I fell in love with the darling felines curled up inside a Christmas bauble and had to use it right away.  This is the card for my gift to the fur babies and I'll include a couple catnip toy mice, which they will love.  :-D

I chose to use the sketch at Sweet Sketch Weds.2 for this card

and I love the way it turned out.

     I used my ProMarkers to color the image, then added glitter gel ink to the bauble (unfortunately invisible in the photo!)    The image and the green mat are both die cut with one of my new stitched die sets (Memory Box.)  The trees are die cuts (Cottage Cutz) and I added loose glitter to make them sparkle.

     The sparkly ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon and I have no idea who made the strip of dp.  It was a scrap. The bow with the pearl is one of those I make by the dozens and keep in my stash.  Again, this was made with white ribbon and I used my ProMarker to 'dye' it.  The sentiment, of course, comes from the "T'was the Night Before Christmas" poem but it fit so perfectly -- just look at those two totally zonked-out cats.  :-D

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
A Snowflakes Promise
Colour Your World
Crafting by Designs
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Addicts  FB Group
DL.ART
I {heart} ProMarkers
Inspiration Destination
Little Red Wagon
One Stitch at a Time
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Paper Shelter
Penny's Paper Crafty
Scrap & Craft
Show Us Your Pussy-Cats Only
Star Stampz

     Thanks for stopping by.   Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Need a Snow Cat?

     Hmmmm, I think there may different interpretations of "snow cat."  My dear SIL thinks a snowcat is a plow for removing huge drifts of snow or some big transport machine used in Antarctica.  Too much work for me!  Here's my interpretation --

I used the sketch from Sweet Sketch Weds. 2

turned a quarter turn to better fit the shape of my image piece.

     The image is from Rick St. Dennis and I colored it with ProMarkers.  I added sparkle to the snow and the snowflake embellies with a bit of Stickles glitter but it just doesn't show in the photo.  The CS is Recollections and the polka dot dp is from Paper Studio.  The lace has been hoarded in my stash since last spring for fear I'd use it all up.  I only have another 2 yards!  lol

     Challenges:
A Creative Need
Artbymiran
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafty Creations
Digistamp 4 Joy
Divas by Design
DRS Designs
Fussy and Fancy
House That Stamps Built
I {heart} ProMarkers
Inky Impressions
Inspiration Destinations
Paper Shelter
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrapper's Delights
Simon Says Stamp
Sweet 7
Whimsy Inspirations
WordArt Wednesday

     I'll be scarce again until after the New Year but I have my DT posts pre-scheduled for the week and there are several of those.  I hope you'll enjoy them.  May you and yours have a prosperous and Happy New Year.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Please just ignore the Verification on the comment section.  You can write and post your comment without entering anything in the box.  Thank you.

Vintage Christmas Hat

     I love this new image by Rick St. Dennis!  It's called "Christmas Hat" and I got it by playing in their Progressive Challenge.  I saw so many really gorgeous color combos from others who were also entering or giving us inspiration that it took me a few days to decide what I was going to use. Ultimately, I decided to stay with the traditional red and green but used shades of those colors which we don't normally associate with Christmas.

I based my card design on the sketch at 

Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2.

     I used my ProMarkers to color the image and then cut it out using a die from Spellbinders.  The sentiment was printed and cut by hand.  I added the doodles and inked the edges of the card front to mimic the outside borders of the sketch.  Finally, I did three little pearls in two corners, but reversed from the sketch.

     One of the gals in my family will get this card but I can't say which because too many of them read my blog and peek at all the Christmas cards before the day arrives.  Yes, I mean you and you know who you are!!  Shame on you!  :-D

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas
ArtbyMiran
A Vintage Journey
Crafter's Cafe
Crafty Creations
Cuttin' and Stampin'
Cuttlebug Mania
Digistamps 4 Joy  (new digi)
Dragonfly Dreams
Fitztown
It's All About the Vintage
Scrapy Land

     It's a fine Saturday morning.  Are you on your way out the door for more Christmas shopping?  Or are you staying home to finish decorating for the holidays?  Whatever you have on your list to accomplish this weekend, I hope you find some time for rest and relaxation.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Ve Vant Candy!

     The title of this post is the name of this image from Lacy Sunshine and I'm using it for their "Halloween" challenge.  Eleanor and Pickles are out "Trick or Treat"ing so they're perfect for the theme.

I chose to use the sketch from Sweet Sketch Weds 2

and I took my colors from Simon Says Stamp.

  

     The image is colored with my favorite ProMarkers, then die cut and I inked the edges of the die cut.  I also die cut the mat and inked the edges of it.  I die cut the computer-generated sentiment and inked those edges, too.  I do love my Spellbinders!  :-D

     Everything was layered onto kraft CS and I wrapped ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon around the kraft piece.  I used a scrap of the wide, wired ribbon, cut swallow-tails into the ends, then twisted it twice in the middle to create the 'butterfly' shaped 'bow.'   I added a button to the middle and adhered it to the polka dot ribbon.

     Challenges:
A Little Bit Crafty
Crafting for all Seasons
Digi Chooseday
Double Click
Ladybug Crafts
Little Red Wagon
Paper Nest Dolls
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrapy Land
Seemacrafts
Sisters of Craft

     I'll have a second post this afternoon if I get the card done.  I want to show off another of the Doodle Pantry sets released this month and remind you that there are still a few days left to play in the October challenge over there.  See you later and Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie