Winter Birds

      Here it is, time for the first challenge of the new year over at Inspiration Station.  We always give you a photo for inspiration and you may create anything you like but be sure to tell us what from the photo inspired you.  Here's the photo for this month and I was inspired by the wintery scene and the bird.

     I found a clip art image from Trendy Clipart which I reversed, printed in grayscale, & then colored with my new set of water colors (thank you, Santa.)  White highlights were added with gel pen.  I cut the image with a die from QuicKutz, inked the edges, and layered it onto glitter paper.  All of that went onto an A2 card front and the sentiment was added when all else was finished.  It really was a quick and easy card, taking less than 25 minutes, including coloring time.

     Challenges:

AAA Cards

Aud Sentiments (new watercolors)

Di's Digi Designs

Let's Craft and Create

Outlawz Monday

Pammie's IP

Simon Says Stamp (new watercolors)

Triple B

     Come play with us this month.  Just find something in the photo that inspires you, create a ard, and enter it into the challenge.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Happy St. Patrick's Day !

      My favorite day of the year because I get to celebrate my birthday and that's especially fun since it's not only St. Patrick's Day but I'm Irish on both sides of the family tree.  :-D  I celebrate by making St. Pat's cards for everyone in my family.

     Remember, on St. Patrick's Day, everyone gets to be Irish.  Just put an "O' " or a "Mc" in front of your last name and you're in.  :-D

     The image featured on this card is another clip art which I printed in light grayscale, then colored with a combo of pencil, watercolors, and Sanjoki markers.  White highlights were done with a gel pen.  I cut the image with a Spellbinders die, then matted it with green glitter paper for a wee bit o' sparkle, also cut with a Spellbinders die.  The background paper is from a K & Co. stack. 

     Challenges:

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspiration

Creative Knockouts

Di's Digi Designs

Gem of a Challenge

Pattie's Creations

Star Stampz

WordArt Weds

Worldwide Crafters

ZieloneKoty

     Wishing you the best today and may the Luck of the Irish be with you!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Gift Card and Money Gift Holders

      Here it is the 3rd of December and a new blog challenge has begun at LeAnn's World 101, where our theme is always "Anything Goes" and where you can win fun and fabulous images from LeAnn's World.  For my DT card this time, I've used one of my favorite LeAnn's images, called "Abigail."

     I've been really focused on Christmas cards and have been trying a new style of card which incorporates a spot for either a gift card or cash inside the card.  I followed a tutorial which my daughter found for me on Facebook and have modified it on a few of the cards but all have the same basics.  Here's the first one I did which will work for Christmas but also for birthdays or other occasions where a gift card or cash seems appropriate.

     I colored the image with Altenew alcohol markers, then fussy cut it with scissors.  I added a black CS mat and fussy cut that to outline the image.  The silver glitter paper was cut with an oval Spellbinders die and I also added a 1 inch strip of it to the left edge of the inside of the card but since the card front is shorter than the card back, the glittery strip looks like it's part of the card front until you open the card.

     The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

Here's a photo of the inside left of the card, showing the slot for cash or a gift card.

     Challenges:

Altenew (colors from Feb 2023)

Creative Fingers

Gem of a Challenge

Inkspirational

Lil Patch of ...

Pattie's Creations

Polkadoodles

     I hope we're going to see you playing along in our blog challenge this month.  Don't forget that we also have a Progressive Challenge starting on December 5 over on our Facebook site.  If you haven't played before this month but are interested in joining in so that you can get a free image each month hereafter, just purchase the December image at the store, use it on a card, post it into the FB album for December, then in January, you'll get the newest image for that month's Progressive Challenge, at no charge!

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Holly Jolly Mouse

      I have a craft fair coming up just a few days before Thanksgiving in November and I've been working on lots of extra Christmas and Thanksgiving cards.  

     This is a digital coloring book image which I reduced in size to fit an A2 card.  I used my polychromos colored pencils to color that sweet mouse, then cut him with a QuicKutz die.  I photographed the image after I colored him and printed 6 of them so that I could make a half dozen, duplicate cards which will be a set of Christmas cards.  They are all the same but for the background color.  I used different sparkly papers on each one (this blue, plus red, green, white, silver, and gold) so there is some variety, even though the image looks exactly the same on each one. The sentiment was printed and fussy cut.  The background is glitter paper from DCWV.  Fast and easy with no embellishment!

     Challenges:

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Eight Maids a Milking

      It's the 7th of another month and that means a new challenge over at FarmQuest General Store, where the theme is always "Anything Goes" but we also want to see 'country.'  That means anything farm, farming, farm animals, fields, open country, ranch, country roads, planting, harvesting - you get the picture.

     I'm kind of focused of Christmas cards this month, partly because I love laying in all the "Christmas in July" themed challenges, but also because I'm getting a late start on the 100+ Christmas cards I'm, going to need for this year.  So, today's 'country' card features a line from the Partridge in a Pear Tree carol, and you can't get much more country/farm than milking cows.  :-D

     The image is clip art and I cut it with a round QuicKutz die.  The octagon frame was cut with a die from Lawn Fawn (Lawn Cuts.)  The background is all gold glitter paper.  I found the red and gold sparkle ribbon in my stash and I have no idea where I got it.  The gold ribbon for the triple loop bow came from Really Reasonable Ribbon and I used my bow maker to tie it.

     I really love the red and gold color combo and all the sparkle from the glitter paper!

     Challenges:

Christmas Bingo (G- free/ribbon/glitter)

Digi Choosday

Double D

Double Trouble

Dream Valley

Happy ... Stampers

Lawn Fawnatics (Milk is food, right? lol)

Outlawz Thurs (Elegantly Rustic!)

Sparkles Christmas

     I hope you'll come and play with us this month.  We love seeing your creations.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Hedgehog's Love Letter

      Yesterday, I promised to post the second card, with another Penny Black hedgie image, made for the moms of college kids to ship off in the "care package" boxes with a Valentine theme.   I think this little guy is even cuter than the one yesterday (which you can find by scrolling down one post.)  The hedgies are new stamps for me, and I have another 3 which I'll be sharing through the month of January.

     On this one, also water colored, I used QuicKutz dies to cut the image and the paper frame, then added a glitter paper strip from the scrap basket.  The image is mounted on dimensional dots.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die, and the edges were inked to make it stand out from the white card front.

     Challenges:

Crafter's Cafe

Creative Knockouts

Outlawz Thurs Twist

Paper Funday

Penny's Paper-Crafty

Simon Says Stamp

Word Art Weds

World Wide DT

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Ice Fishing

     Most of you who follow my blog regularly already know that I'm having some vision problems which affect my ability to color images and, while I'm figuring out ways to color successfully - enlarging images so that I can see them well enough to color, then photographing and reducing them with my photo editing software - I've also found that using die cuts to make the entire card is another way to continue with my love of card making.

     Today's card uses a die set from Cuts to create this fun ice fishing card.  The glitter paper (for the hole in the ice, the frozen fish, and the strip under the bears) is from Recollections, and dp for the sky came from a DCWV stack.  I used my Linen embossing folder on the blue CS.  Everything was done using scraps.  The sentiment was made with another Cuts die.

I used the Tic Tac Toe board at Outlawz Color challenge

to do blue sky, white, and snow from the right hand column.

(Sorry, I can't seem to copy and paste their board)

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...

Christmas Kickstart

Di's Digi Designs

Dream Valley

Gem of a Challenge

Tues Morning Sketches

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Snowman Presents

      This is my last Conie Fong DT card for December and I've used one of the images from a set called Snowman Presents.  The image also comes inside a snow globe and the set has secondary images of pine branches included.  Good news, it's ON SALE right now.  Grab it quick!

     This one is colored with water color paints and was cut with a border die from Your Next Die.  The image was backed with burgundy CS and then framed with red metallic paper from DCWV.  The white glitter paper for the background is from Doodlebug.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I added one tiny embellishment - a satin, hand-tied bow.

     Challenges:

Colorful Options

   (Rainbow of colors)

Colour Crazy

Craftlandia

Creative Moments

Di's Digi Designs

Double Trouble

   (Kaleidoscope colors)

Inspiration Station

    (The snowman obviously.  :-D)

Outlawz Festive Fri

Peace on Earth

There's a Stamp ...

Your Next Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Father Christmas

      The image I used today came from Gecko Galz as the image to use for their monthly Christmas  challenge for December.  I adjusted it to print it in gray scale and then hand-colored it with ProMarkers and gel pens.  I cut the image with a Tonic Studios die.  The Merry Christmas sentiment was cut from a scrap of Recollections glitter paper using a die from Cuts.  The background was made from scraps of red and black CS.

     Challenges:

A Perfect Time ...

Carlin's Card ...

Colour Crazy

Country View

Die Cut Divas

Friendship

Kerst Christmas

LeighSBDesigns

Mirtillamente

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

When Thirst Calls

      I've been playing in the progressive challenge over at The Outlawz for more years than I can remember and this month the image they provided was one I just wasn't going to be able to use - a bottle of beer.  I could have colored it and made a card, but it wouldn't have been sent to anyone so what was the point?  I explained that to one of the Admin ladies because I didn't want to lose out on playing next month.  She went back to the artist and got the image revised just for my use.  Bless her!

     I colored with ProMarkers, then cut it with an oval die from QuicKutz.  I found a scrap of glitter paper (DCWV), cut a rectangle and a circle (Dare2BArtzy) from it, then cut a narrow strip of metallic paper and layered them all together onto the background.  I printed the sentiment and cut it with an Avery Elle die.  After adding the image piece, I tied a simple bow using satin ribbon.

I pulled colors from the challenge at My Favorite Things.

     Challenges:

Colour Crazy

Crafty Calendar

Digi Choosday

Dragonfly Dreams

Gem of a Challenge

Outlawz Festive Fri

Pammie's IP

Passion for Markers

Penny's Paper-Crafty

     That's all for today but I'm going to spend a couple of days in the craft room coloring and planning ahead.  Have yourself some wonderful creative time this weekend and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Wedding Magnolias

      I absolutely adore this magnificent image & sentiment set from Jan's Digi Stamps, new this month and called "Wedding Magnolias."  It's also on sale for the rest of April so grab it while you can and save some money.

     I merged the sentiment with the magnolia image before printing, then colored with ProMarkers.  I cut the image with my largest QuicKutz die.  I found the pink-purple-aqua, ombre glitter paper in my stash (from Recollections) to use for the background.  I wrapped a piece of iridescent cord around the card front and tied it into a bow.

     I stamped a dragonfly onto a scrap bit of white CS, colored it with water colors, added glitter to it and, after it dried, fussy cut it with scissors and secured it to the card front with dimensional dots.

     Challenges:

     This is just a reminder that our April challenge will run until Sunday, May 1, so you have another 2 weeks to enter your project into our April "Always Anything Goes" challenge.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Rose Fairy

      One more monthly progressive challenge and this time it's for The Outlawz.  This beautiful image, which I think of as a lovely fairy, was provided by Moon Flower Digistamps.  I thought she'd look great in monochromatic pinks.

     She was colored with ProMarker and gel pens, then cut with an octagon die from QuicKutz.  The plain, pink CS was embossed with my Linen EF, then combined with glitter paper from Recollections for the background.  A small scrap of the glitter paper was cut with a die from Your Next Stamp and the drop out pieces were used to make the trio of embellishments on the right hand side.  Finally, I used my bow maker to tie a triple loop bow for the left side.  The Birthday sentiment was stamped and highlighted with white gel ink.

I based my card on the sketch at Cheerful Sketches,

inspired by the basics but giving it my own flavor by spreading the 

distance of the half-circle embellishments, tilting the sentiment onto a diagonal,

 and using the bow to replace the upright strip on the right side.

     Challenges:

Allsorts

Art-Piaskownica

Classic Design

Creations in Pink

Die Cut Divas

Friendship

Morgan's ArtWorld

Polkadoodles

     I'll have another DT post late tonight featuring a card done for the new weekly challenge at Pammie's Inky Pinkies.  Then, a couple of hours after that, I'll have one as a midway reminder for the monthly challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps.  Do stop by and check those out, too.  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Heart full of Love

     We're starting our new monthly challenge at Paper Funday today and our theme is always "Anything Goes" with the optional twist for February being "Hugs & Kisses."  Our fun and fabulous sponsors are Polkadoodles and All Dressed Up.  I am using an image from Polkadoodles called "Love You Bunches."

     I used my ProMarkers to color the sweet bunny image, then fussy cut it with scissors.  I used a circle die from Dare 2B Artzy to cut a circle in silver glitter CS and layered a scrap of  pink dp behind it.  I mounted the image onto dimensional dots and put that in the circle.  The sentiment was printed, cut with an Avery Elle die, and matted with another scrap of the pink dp.  Sparkly and fun but still pretty CAS.

     Challenges:

Butterfly (circle, coral, cardinal + butterflies)

Creative Inspirations

Double D

Paper Shelter

Penny's Paper-Crafty

Simon Says Stamp

Word Art Weds

    Come play with us in our February challenge.  You are free to do Anything Goes or to follow the option of Hugs and Kisses, but either way,. we'd love to see you entering our challenge.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Very Cherry Birthday

     I have the honor of being a Guest Designer for the Thursday challenge at The Outlawz.  The theme is always "Anything Goes" and there's always an optional twist which you can use if you want to enter twice instead of just once.  The twist this time is "Feminine."  

     There's always a sponsor for the entire month and challenges run for 2 weeks at a time.  This month the sponsor is Christine Karron, a new-to-me artist (whose images and coloring pages I adore) and, as soon as I saw her artwork, I went on a shopping spree at her shop!

     For this card, I used an image called "Sweet Temptation" which was supplied by Christine for the DT to use.  (It's a freebie available on her website - just click on the name of the image above.)  I colored it using my ProMarkers, then cut the image with a circle die from Dare 2B Artzy.  The pink frame was cut with a larger die from that same set.  The background was made with glitter CS from Recollections.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die, and the bow is one of my signature, hand-sewn bows.

     Challenges:

Allsorts

Colour Crazy

Crafty Calendar

Creative Fingers

Di's Digi Designs

LeAnn's World

Let's Craft & Create

Lil Patch of ...

Pattie's Creations

Polkadoodles

     If you're not yet a member of  The Outlawz, you can join in about 1 minute and it's FREE!   You can play in a different challenge each day of the week ('join' each daily challenge individually from the main home page, then you can play in them whenever), plus there are both a progressive monthly challenge and another one for using up old stash items which are lying about, forgotten, and which need to be used.  Yes, you have lots of those, you know you do!  :-D  

    

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Snowman Snowglobe

      I don't know where this month has gone but I've missed most of the progressive challenges I enjoy so much due to poor health and sore hands so I guess I'll be starting over in January.  But for today, I have this one to share featuring a delightful snowman in a snow globe, both of which are from Kinda Cute and I merged the images before printing them for coloring.

Colors came from Board #475 at CTMH Color Dare.

     I colored with ProMarkers and sparkle gel ink, then cut both the image and the glitter paper frame with dies from Dare 2B Artzy.  The background dp is from Doodlebug and the ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  The sentiment was printed and then cut with an Avery Elle die.

     Challenges:

Cardz TV

Colour Crazy

Creative Fingers

Digi Choosday

Outlawz Festive Fri

Paperbabe

Polkadoodles

Word Art Weds

     This may be all I have until posts for my new DT cards on January 1st.  If I get really inspired (and have the energy), I may post something else on either Thursday or Friday, but if not, I'm wishing you a Happy New Year and a safe and sane New Year's Eve right now.  :-D   NanaConnie

Santa's Gift

      It's time for the mid-way reminder for the December challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps and my DT card today features another of Jan's Christmas sets, all of which are on sale this month.  This set is called "Santa's Gift" and it's adorable!  Both the image and the sentiment are from that set.

     I merged the sentiment with the image before printing, then colored Santa with ProMarkers and gel pen highlights.  I also used a gold paint pen on the tree ornaments.  The image was cut with a QuicKutz die and mounted onto a card front made with glittered CS from a DCV stack.  The woven ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon and I hand tied the bow using wired, gold ribbon from my stash.

     Challenges:

Cardz TV

Colour Crazy

C.R.A.F.T.

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Inspirations

Mod Squad

Outlawz Thurs Twist

Penny's Paper-Crafty

Polkadoodles

Simon Says Stamp

     You still have until January 1 to play in our "Anything Goes" challenge.  Remember, we have two completely separate draws in our challenges; one for people who use a JDS image and the second for those who don't.  If you use a JDS image, you increase your chances of winning by a huge amount!  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Nativity Cards

      Today I'm sharing two more of the 'all die cut' cards I made last month.  These were all donated to a local Senior Center so that seniors who use that center but who have transportation limitations could choose card to give to family and friends.  Not everyone can just run down to the Hallmark store to buy Christmas cards for their grandkids,  :-D

     The two cards feature both the positive and the negative of the same die cut Nativity scene (die from Die-namics), which is why I wanted to share them in the same post.  

     Please take notice of the two sentiments - they are my favorite Christmas sentiments because they both proclaim the basis of Christmas celebrations.  We all love the fun Santa and Elf themes, and woodland critters in the snow are a joy, but Christmas and the birth of the Christ Child is what I celebrate, personally, so these are my favorite sentiments.  :-D

First, the positive:

The Nativity was cut from embossed, glittered CS and

I cut and arranged the pieces so that they would look staggered.

The star shape (which you'll see below) was cut off and used 

on a completely different card.  In fact, this was cut originally 

because I wanted just the star for that other project, 

but I didn't want to waste the rest of the cut.

The sentiment on this one is also done with a Die-namics die

and the two background papers are from the scrap pile.

Now, here's the negative:

All I did was to mount the negative onto a piece of

black CS to make it a silhouette, then trimmed it to fit, 

and layered it onto a background of patterned dp from DCWV.  

Sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

I added one of my signature bows.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Inspirations

House...Stamp Built

Mod Squad

Outlawz Festive Fri

Paperbabe

Word Art Weds

     That's all for today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Stealing Santa's Cookies

      In my opinion, House Mouse meeses can do no wrong but when it comes to these three cookies thieves, Santa may not agree with me!  lol  Colored with ProMarkers, cut with a QuicKutz die, and framed with glitter CS (also cut with a QuicKutz die.)  The tree is made using a Dee's Distinctively die.  The snow was add to the tree with a white gel pen.

     Challenges:

Christmas ... Cuties

Colouring in Scrapland

Crafty Sentiments

Digi Choosday

Double Trouble 

Dream Valley

House Mouse - (Edited to add the link here as requested by a HM DT member, even though it's in the first sentence of the post.  :-D) 

Ike's World

Outlawz Greetings

Passion for Markers

     That's it for today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Last Day of 30 Days of Holidays

      It's the last day of the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place and Beccy always lets us do whatever we love on the last day, so an "Anything Goes" theme.  I chose to use this beautiful candle by Beccy and to use the last I have of a Graphic 45 Christmas paper.

     I colored with ProMarkers and gel pens, then used a Sue Wilson die to cut the image piece.  I used another die from that same set to cut the white glitter CS from Doodlebug and layer it over the image with the center open to let the candle 'shine' as the star of the card!  :-D

     The Graphic 45 paper has lovely candles on it and I added a bit of Stickles to each candle flame on that dp.  The sentiment is also from Beccy's Place and I cut it with a Tutti Designs die.

     Challenges:

Digi Choosday

Polkadoodles

Simon Says Stamp

TTCRD

Uniko

Word Art Weds

Your Next Stamp

     It's sad to see the end of the 30 Days of Holidays but I have so many cards added to my stash this year!  As in other years, I always make lots of extra cards to give to my local senior center because so many of those seniors have transportation complications and they simply can't get out to buy Christmas cards for their children and grandchildren.  Each year the cards I leave with them are welcomed happily and I get such sweet "thank you"s from those who pick out something they consider special for a family member or friend.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Vintage Christmas Gnome

      My first post today was for the letter "U" and now this one is for the letter "V" at the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place.  My "V"s are: Very Vintage, Vermilion, & Verdigris.  

      The little gnome is from Beccy's Place and I colored with ProMarkers, adding a few highlights with gel pens.  I cut the shape with scissors so that I could pop him up on dimensional tape.  Once that was done, I dug through my scrap basket and found bit and pieces which I could cut with dies.  I cut a larger piece of white CS with a framing die from Amy Design.  The glittery poinsettia pieces were cut with Impression Obsession dies from silver and gold scraps.

     The red plaid dp is a scrap from Graphic 45 and I added spots of Stickles to it for s little sparkle.  The larger green dp is a scrap of 12 x 12 paper by K & Co.  I printed and fussy cut the sentiment.

     This card is going to a very special friend of mine who dearly loves anything and everything vintage.  :-D

     Challenges:

ABC Christmas

Christmas Kickstart

Christmas w Cuties

Double D

Paperminutes

Pixie's Snippets

Simon Says Stamp

TTCRD

     That's all I have until late tonight.  Come play in the daily challenges at Beccy's Place.  The 30 Days of Holidays are almost over.  :-D  NanaConnie