The Stylish Belle

     My eldest granddaughter has developed a true love of old Hollywood, pin-up girls.  She celebrated her birthday this month and, while I didn't have anything from the actual WWII time period she likes best, this image from the "Madamoiselle" collection by Linda Simpson Designs seemed to fit the genre.  She loved the card so I guess it worked.  :-D  She and I also found some archive patterns and we're going to sew some pin-up outfits for her to wear when she volunteers at Veterans' and Honor Flight functions.

     Making the card was pretty simple.  I printed the image, wrapped a piece of black CS with wide, white lace, and added the black bow.  Done!

     Challenges:
Creative Moments
DL.ART
Ike's World
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Star Stampz
TTCRD
Word Art Weds.

     Short and sweet today but I have places to go and things to see.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Hats Off to You

     The Rick St. Dennis Sparkle n Glitter challenge has a theme of  'Anything Goes' (with an image from RSD) and an option of  'Hats' if you want to use it.  I adore this RSD image "1935 Hat" and thought it would be perfect.

I started with sketch # 360 from Sketch Saturday

but I reversed it (side to side.)

     I loved the idea of just black and white with a tiny pop of a single color so I printed the image directly onto the card front, then used my ProMarkers to color only the roses, her lips, and her earring.  I used one of my Memory Box dies and cut black CS with it, then laid it onto the card front, using it to surround the image with a "frame."  I used a few of the negative pieces from the die cut as embellishment along the right border.  Finally, I added the sentiment and a tiny, black ribbon bow with one shiny pearl.

     Challenges:
Digi Choosday
Double D
House that Stamps Built
Lemon Shortbread
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Stamping Sensations
TTCRD
Tuesday Throwdown

     While you're reading this, I'm in San Diego enjoying cooler weather.  I'm hoping to have morning fog and evening sea breezes, with mild sunny days in between.  Then maybe I can face the heat again when I come home.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Bringing Home the Christmas Tree

   

This lovely Christmas card is based on the sketch from Outlawz.

     I have no idea where I got this vintage/retro image but it's so lovely in gray scale with just touches of green on the tree and wreath.  I had it saved into a folder of digital Christmas images so printed it, adjusted the gray scale to darken it a bit, then used my ProMarkers to color.

     I cut it with one of my plain rectangle dies from Spellbinders.    One of the things I've learned about working with digis is that you can adjust the size of them so I made this one fit the size of the die.  Sometimes, depending on the size and shape of the original digi, too much adjustment will make the image wonky (too skinny or too wide.)  It's very difficult to change a square into a rectangle or vice versa, but this time it worked out well.  Of course, sometimes you can use a rectangle die to cut a square by just cutting once, then shifting the die up or down to cut again

     The sheer ribbon is lined with metallic fibers and the bow is made with two layers of ribbon, green and silver.  The sentiment was printed, hand cut, and matted before layering it onto the sheer ribbon.

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas
Crafting by Designs
Crafting with an Attitude
House that Stamps Built
I {heart} ProMarkers
Inky Chicks
Penny's Paper-Crafty

     By the time you read this, I may already be on my way to the California coast for a week of warm days and cool nights, or at least leaving soon.  So much better than staying here in this heat.  While I'm gone, Happy Stamping to all of you.  NanaConnie