Nutcracker Mouse

      I've fallen in love with another artist who draws the most adorable critters!   You can check them out on Etsy - Pawfect Art Creations.   So far I have three different sets of the cutest little mice and today's card features a Nutcracker Mouse, complete with his uniform, his sword, and the most elegant hat.  

     All the images come pre-colored but this one I printed in grayscale, then colored it with Sanjoki alcohol markers, and a bit of gold Stickles on his hat emblem.  I cut the image with a die from QuicKutz.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I used glittered CS for the card base and layered the image and the sentiment onto the card front.  Not counting the coloring time, it took me less than 10 minutes to make the card.

     Challenges:

12 Months...Christmas

A Perfect Time ...

Critter Crazy

Die Cut Divas

Kerst Christmas

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

SheepSki Designs

     That's all I have for today but I'll be back later this afternoon or maybe tomorrow with another one for Beccy's Place and the 30 Days of Holidays.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Letter "S" - 30 Days of Holidays

     I think this is my favorite Beccy's Place image!  At least I know that I've used it every Christmas season since I first bought the set, how many years ago?  Too many to count.  :-D  It's the Winter Window and the sentiment is also from Beccy's.

     For the letter "S" I have: Stripes, Sparkle, Satin ribbon, Sanjoki markers, Stones in the wall, Snow, Scraps, & Stickles.

     In the past, I've colored the stone in red-orange shades to look more like brick, blue stones with dark accents, even brown stones with black accents but this time, I colored it with several different, light gray and blue gray markers to enhance the winter feel, and light brown-gray markers on the branch, all from Sanjoki.  I added a few white highlights to the snow on the branch with a gel pen.  I used a deep yellow marker on the candle and added Stickles to the candle flame so that it would sparkle.

     The image was cut with a die from QuicKutz.  The striped dp used for the background came from an old DCWV stack and it was a scrap in the basket.  The satin ribbon was from my stash and I'm pretty sure it was from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  It has a very nice, but rather subtle, sparkle in it.  I used my bowmaker to get the double loop bow.  I really do think ribbon and bows are my favorite embellies because they are so easy to add and work perfectly on nearly any card.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

Crafty Catz

Creative Fingers

Creative Knockouts

Just Us Girls (winter & snow)

Night Owls

Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

"R" Day at 30 Days of Holidays

      Another day in the 30 Days of Holiday Cards at Beccy's Place and today we use "R."  The letter "R" is pretty easy since there are at least a dozen different things starting with the letter "R" that can be used on holiday cards but I settled for Rubber Stamp (House Mouse), Red, and Rocker card.  The tutorial at Beccy's Place for Rocker cards can be found by clicking on the A - Z Folds at the top of the blog and it's the simplest, quickest Rocker card of any tutorials I've seen for them.  Check it out - it's a simple matter of cutting the bottom (of whatever card you're making) into a curved shape.

      I decided on an A2 card (4.25 x 5.5 inches), laid on a horizontal "landscape", and used a paper plate (any plate or bowl would work; I just happened to have a stack of paper plates near the craft desk and grabbed one) to draw around the bottom edge of the card, then I cut it with scissors.  Poof, quick and easy,  By the way, although I did mine as a landscape version of an A2 card, you can cut a curve on the bottom of a vertical A2 and it will rock also.

     I stamped the image and colored it with a combination of watercolors and Ohuhu markers.  Once colored, I cut it with a QuicKutz die, then cut the corners with a Uchida corner punch.  I added the sentiment, cut with an Avery Elle die, to the bottom of the image piece.  I chose a red card base, and I've already explained how I made the rocker bottom.  I layered on the image piece and it was finished!

     Challenges:

52 Weeks...Christmas

C.R.A.F.T.

CRAFT-alnica

Craft Rocket

Double D

House Mouse

Krafty Chicks

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie  

Time for the Dreaded "Q"

       It's another challenge with an alphabet letter and this time it's the dreaded "Q" for the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place and our letter prompt is "Q."   Not an easy one for sure.  I pretty much think of quilting or quilling and I haven't done any quilling in more than 10 years so I turned to Quilted.  I used Beccy's Three French Hens image from her 12 Days of Christmas set, along with one of my Quilting dies.

      The quilted hens were colored with Sanjoki markers, then cut with an oval die from QuicKutz.  The Quilt die I used is from Sizzix.  The glitter CS is by Recollections and the green polka dot dp came from an old K & Co. stack.  The red CS was dry embossed with my Linen EF.  These are all scrap papers cut with the quilt die.  I looked through all my Christmas dies and found a holly leaves die which is from SU.  I had the mini buttons in my stash and have no idea what company made them.  The sentiment was printed and hand cut with scissors.

I based this on the sketch #289 at Sweet Sketch Weds 2

turned sideways so that the oval is horizontal and adjusted for an A2.

     Challenges:

Creative Inspirations

Digi Choosday

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C
Simon Says Stamp

Snippets Playground

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

All I Want for Christmas

      I adore this latest image for the FB Progressive Challenge at Moondrea Designs.  The image is named "Summer" but I wanted her for a Christmas card so I gave her long sleeves, colored her in traditional red and green using my Ohuhu markers, and added a Christmas sentiment.  

     Once colored, I cut the image, and the dark green mat framing it, with Tonic Studio dies.  I added green Stickles to her earrings, and little drops of gold Liquid Pearls to the flower centers.  The background dp was stamped with Versamark on a large, decorative stamp, then heat embossed with gold EP.  I think she made a delightful & feminine Christmas card.  :-D

     Challenges:

Holly & Ivy

Lil Patch of ...

Pammie's IP

Peace on Earth

Polkadoodles

Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Letter "P" for Partridge in a Pear Tree

      Yep, you guessed it - we're doing the letter "P" in the 30 Days of Holiday cards at Beccy's Place today.  I've used Beccy's Partridge in a Pear Tree image from her 12 Days of Christmas set.  I've had this set for at least 7 Christmases and have used some portion of it each year.  I think this image is my favorite.

     I used ProMarkers to color the image, including the Pears and the Partridge, giving her Pink tail feathers!   I used Pine green ribbon for the strip at the top and added Pearls on each end.  The same ribbon was used to tie the bow.

     The image and the scalloped frame were both cut with dies from QuicKutz.  Before assembling the tent card, I tapped on a Paint brush to spatter Peach, Poppy and green watercolors on the card front.  On the sentiment piece, I used dots which were Punched out of the the same CS I used for the frame piece.

     Challenges:

Aud Sentiments

Crafty Animals

Dream Factory

Dream Valley
Pammie's IP

     Thanks for visiting and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Woodland Critters

     A second post today because I just had to share a tag I made using the mid-month freebie from Conjuror of Dreams for their Tag Challenge.  They do 2 tag challenges each month on their FB site and I didn't get one finished in time for the first challenge in November so I didn't want to be late with this one.  They offer freebies to use in the tag challenge and those alone make it totally worth playing.  :-D

     Isn't this the cutest collection of woodland critters building their winter snowman?  I used kraft CS for the tab and made the shape myself by cutting a rectangle with a die from QuicKutz and then cutting the top corners with a punch from EK Success.  The image is pre-colored and I used it "as is" instead of printing it in grayscale and coloring it myself.  I added pearls to the sides and bottom, then added a "To/From" stamp to the back.  Red twine was added through the hole on top finished it off.

     Challenges:

Ally's Angels

C.R.A.F.T.

Craft Rocket

Crafty Catz

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspiration

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Friday

     That's it for today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Letter "O" - 30 Days of Holidays

      Today we return to the letters of the alphabet for the daily challenges at Beccy's Place and I'm up to the Letter "O."  I've done an Offset Gate Fold card (tutorial is available on Beccy's blog under the A - Z Folds tab at the top of the page.  In my opinion, Beccy does some of the best tutorials around; step by specific step, clear, and easily understood.)

    I colored the cute snowman image (also Beccy's Place) in Odd (odd for Christmas) colors of purple and pink and I used my Ohuhu alcohol markers.  The sweet snowman is carrying an Ornament as he readies his home for Christmas.  Once colored, I cut the image with a Tonic Studios die, and cut the mat for it with another die from that set.  The papers on each flap of the gatefold came from Doodlebug.  I thought the print on the papers was enough so that no further embellishment was needed.

     Challenges:

613 Ave Create

Classic Design

Crafting Happiness

Creative Creases

Krafty Chicks

Outlawz Monday

Outlawz Thurs

Peace on Earth

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Tartan Theme - 30 Days of Holidays

      This darling elf is an image from Beccy's Place and I love how proudly he's carrying those presents.  The challenge for today is one of the themed challenges rather than an alphabetical one and Beccy chose "Tartans or Plaids."  I immediately thought about this paper I knew was in my Christmas stash and chose the elf as the image I wanted on the card.

     I printed the pre-colored version, adjusted it to almost grayscale before printing it, and then enhanced all the reds with one of my Sanjoki markers, chosen because it was an almost exact match to the red in the dp.  The sentiment came from an old magazine.  I cut it out with a Tonic Studios die, matted it with red CS, and layered it onto the image piece after I cut the image with a QuicKutz die.  The three snowflakes are from Jolee's.

     Challenges:

Christmas...Throwdown

Crafty Calendar

Gem of a Challenge

Love Those...Papers

Outlawz Tuesday

Polkadoodles

Send a Smile ...

Sweet Stampin'

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Red and White Christmas

      This is my second post today but I wanted to enter the November challenge at Conjuror of Dreams.  

      I love red birds in the winter!  They bring so much visual joy to an otherwise bland, some might even say bleak, landscape of leafless trees buried in snow and ice.  Today's card features a bright red cardinal clinging to a snowy branch.  It's a pre-colored image from Conjuror of Dreams and pre-colored always means a quick and easy card..

     I cut the image with a Spellbinders die, matted it with white CS trimmed to fit, and added the sentiment (cut with an Avery Elle die.)  The poinsettia dp originally came from a DCWV stack, but it was a left over scrap with a piece punched out of it from a previous project.  I managed to cover that hole with the image piece!  Waste not, want not.  :-D

     The snowflake embellies are from Jolee's, and this card took me just under 15 minutes to make.  How's that for quick?

     Challenges:

Ally's Angels

Alphabet Challenge

Classic Design

Crafty Catz

Creatalicious

Dream Factory

Outlawz Friday

     That's it for today but I'll have another post tomorrow for another 30 Days of Holidays card.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

"N" is for Nutcracker - 30 Days of Holidays

      One more card for the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place and today we're working with the letter "N" so a Nutcracker was a Natural.  Because I'm still fighting that nasty respiratory virus, I decided on something really quick and printed out a pre-colored version of one of Beccy's Nutcrackers. 

      I cut the image with a die from Tonic Studios, then punched the corners of the image piece with a Fiskars corner punch.  After that, I began searching through my Christmas ribbons.  I was looking for a plaid ribbon and  was found in the scrap basket.  I really love the plaid on Christmas cards and I think it goes well with the masculine Nutcracker image.  I think ribbon is my favorite embellishment because it works so well with both feminine and masculine cards.

     I used an Art Impressions die to cut the snowflakes, made the center one with 2 layers, and added glitter and a gem to the top snowflake.  The NOEL sentiment was cut with a Die-Versions die and it gave me one more "N."

     Challenges:

52 Weeks Christmas

As You Like It

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Friday

Krafty Chicks

Outlawz Thurs (The Nutcracker, of course!)

Pattie's Creations

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cinnamon Mitten

      I've completed my "M" card for the 30 Days of Holidays over at Beccy's Place and this time I used Beccy's Mitten image.  I love how it's stuffed with all the wintery, Christmas goodies like cinnamon, hearts and stars, berry branches, and has Mistletoe hanging on it.

     I printed the black and white image, then colored it with ProMarkers.  I used the colors Magenta and Melon green for my Christmas colors; not strictly 'traditional' but at least in the red and green family.  

     Once colored, I went to Beccy's A - Z Folds tab at the top of her blog and checked out the possible fancy card folds under "M."  I found a tutorial for a Matchbook card but I turned it 1/4 turn so that the 'matchbook' opens from the right hand side instead of the bottom.  It fits my image better that way.

     I fussy cut the image with scissors (not an easy thing to do with all those tiny spots between the berries and the loops & tails of the ribbon that's on the mitten.  An Exacto knife helped on the smallest bits.)  The Merry Christmas sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I left the card very plain, as CAS as I could get it because I wanted a Masculine look since it will be going to one of my grandsons, or maybe even a great-grandson. 

     Challenges:

CRAFT-alnica

I Love ProMarkers

Outlawz Weds

Paper Funday

Paper Shelter

     I may take a break from card making and posting for a day or two.  This respiratory virus doesn't seem to be getting better as quickly as I'd like and I really think complete bed rest (not counting trips to the bathroom) might be the answer.  I'm going to try it and see what transpires.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Frozen Pond

      Once again, we start a new challenge over at FarmQuest and our theme this time is "Frozen Ponds or Creeks."  What a great idea for getting a few more Christmas cards into our stash!  I found this clip art image and was so impressed that I had to use it right away.

     The image was originally pre-colored, but I printed it in a very light gray scale and then used watercolors (sky and trees), alcohol markers (water and rocks), and gel pens (highlights on ice and snow) to put some color back into the scene.  Once colored, I used a large, square Spellbinders die to cut the image, then trimmed navy blue CS to make a mat for the image.

     The background dp came from a Recollections stack and I printed and cut the sentiment using an Avery Elle die.

     Challenges:

ABC Christmas

Aud Sentiments

Digi Choosday

Dream Valley

Holly & Ivy

Pammie's IP

Penny's P-C

Word Art Weds.

     Come play in our challenge this fortnight, won't you?  You can use nearly any outdoor, frozen scene you have and it'll fit the theme.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

... Laid in the Manger

      It's time for the letter "L" in the 30 Days of Holidays challenge over at Beccy's Place.  Today, I'm working with this sweet Baby Jesus image, showing him Lying in the manger.  (And, yes, for those of you wanting to correct my grammar, it really IS "lying," not "laying."  Remember, "lay" means "put" as in "Lay the book on the table."  In all other cases, it's "lie," as in "I'm going to lie down," or "I'm lying on the bed."  Those sentences have nothing to do with telling lies, which is a completely different use and meaning of the word!  Just because three entire generations have used 'lay' incorrectly doesn't change the rules of grammar.  I was raised by an English teacher and grew up hearing the language spoken correctly.  Thank you, Mom.  :-D)

     Back to the card: My "L"s include Lambs, Lamb of God, Light (the halo), Light green (the swaddling clothes), Lemon yellow, Layers, Lord, Lavender (mat behind the image), and a Latch card.  For a great tutorial on Latch cards, check out the A - Z Folds tab at the top of the page on Beccy's blog.  Her tutorial shows the latch piece on the side of the card but I chose to put it on the bottom of my card due to the shape of my image piece, an A2 turned sideways so the opening is at the bottom.

     The sentiment is also from Beccy's Place and I merged it with the image before printing.  I used Sanjoki markers to color the image, then cut it with a Tonic Studios die.  The lavender mat was also cut with another die from that set.  The background dp came from a very old DCWV stack that's been hiding in my Christmas stash.  The 'latch' piece was made from a scrap of dp, folded twice and glued together into as square, then attached to the bottom corner of the back card flap.  The front flap tucks into it to hold it closed.

     Challenges:

     I have a card ready to post for tomorrow and will get that post prepared and pre-scheduled because my respiratory virus has really drained the energy out of me, to the point where I'd love to just sleep through the morning tomorrow without a care for having to get up and write a post.  :-)

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Three Kings

      I've done a really simple card for the letter "K" at Beccy's Place 30 Days of Holidays challenges which are running every day in November.  I chose the 3 Kings image from Beccy's Place and put it onto a card front made with Kraft CS.

     The images are pre-colored and merged together to make a single image.  The sentiment was added before printing.  I cut the image piece with a die from Cottage Cuts.  The 'strip' of glittered CS across the middle of the card is actually scrap bits from the basket of Christmas papers but I layered them on so that the empty space between them is covered by the image piece.

     Challenges:

12 Months Christmas

Christmas Kickstart

Crafts Galore

Do Al(l) Kreatives

Incy Wincy

Kerst Christmas

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

     See you again tomorrow, I hope.  This respiratory infection or virus, whatever it is, is really wearing me out!  The fatigue factor is definitely in charge.  :-D

   

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

"J" Means Joy

      Today is the day for letter "J" at Beccy's Place 30 Days of Holidays November challenges.  The sentiment image saying "JOY" is from Beccy's Place and I do love it.  I featured it on a Joy Fold card and you can find a tutorial for that kind of card over on the Beccy's Place blog.  Check out the A - Z Card Folds tab at the top of the page.

     I colored the image using Sanjoki markers, with Jungle Green on the "Y", Jade Green on the holly, and Jerusalem Red on the "J."  The holly is another Beccy's Place image which I merged with the JOY before printing.  I hand tied a small bow with a scrap of ribbon.  The papers are all from a DCWV stack that was in my Christmas stash.

Card front when closed.

Inside when open.

     Challenges:

Classic Design

Crafter's Cafe

Gem of a Challenge

Lil Patch of ...

Love Those...Papers

Pammie's IP

Peace on Earth

Star Stampz

Word Power

     That's all for today.  Hopefully, I'll be back tomorrow with another post for the 30 Days of Holidays challenges at Beccy's Place.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Ice Skates for Letter "I"

      I'm running a bit behind in the 30 Days of Holidays over at Beccy's Place but I'm fighting a bad bout of RSV or some kind of respiratory virus and I'm pretty much staying in bed.  I get up for about a half an hour, work some on coloring an image or designing a card, nd then I have to go rest again.  As you can imagine, it's taking me a long time to complete just one card.  But today, I have a card done for the letter "I" and I'm sharing it with you.  If I finish another one, I'll do a second post today.

     To start off the "I"s I used, I chose a Jan's Digi Stamps Ice Skates image to feature on an Interlocking Gate fold card.  This is the first time I've made one of these but I followed the tutorial from Beccy's Place, which you can find in the "A - Z Card Folds" section on her blog.  Check the tabs at the top of the page.

     I colored the image with Sanjoki markers, using Ivory on the Ice skates.  I chose some Icy dp for the background which sparkles with Iridescent glitter.  I cut the image and the frame with dies from Die-Versions.  I printed the sentiment in an Italics font and cut it with an Avery Elle die.

     Challenges:

     OK, time for me to go and rest again.  I really want to get over this whatever-it-is sickness.  It's definitely more than just a cold.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

30 Days of Holidays - Change the Colors

      This is going to be a quick post because I've come down with some sort of respiratory bug and I'm feeling pretty miserable.  

     Today, Beccy (Beccy's Place) gave us our first challenge theme which isn't a letter of the alphabet and she challenged us to use the same image on two different cards, but changing the colors of the image.  I chose to use one of her quilted stocking images, doing it first in red (Ohuhu & Copic markers), then again in green (Sanjoki markers.)  I also decided to reverse the images from each other before printing them, just to accentuate the difference.

     I used glitter CS for the card fronts and did no embellishments.  The images were both cut with QuicKutz dies but on the green image, I rounded the corners with a Fiskars punch.  Both sentiments were printed and cut with Avery Elle dies.  Very fast and very CAS - just what I needed today so that I can go lie in bed as soon as my post is finished.  :-D

 

     Challenges:

     Enjoy your day.  Happy Crafting  NanaConnie

Humbug Cat for Letter "H"

      I tried something completely new to me in making my next "30 Days of Holidays" card at Beccy's Place, a Handbag card.  I followed the tutorial Beccy has posted on her blog, made a couple of size adjustments because of the image I wanted to use, and I know I'll do this card type gain.  With more practice, I'll get better and the results will look better.

     The image is clip art and it was colored by my sis-in-law.  She used water color pencils and I think the fur is incredible!  Don't you just love those Harvest Gold eyes?  I cut and folded the CS into the handbag shape, cut the image piece into that shape, then printed and die cut (Avery Elle) the "Humbug" sentiment.   I dug into my stash for the Hunter green, glitter CS.  The handle was made using holographic ribbon (it changes color from red and gold to green and gold.)

     Challenges:

12 Months Christmas

Crafts Galore Encore

Conjuror of Dreams

Incy Wincy

Kerst Christmas

Mirtillamente

SheepSki Designs

SUYP Cats

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cardinal Time at FQCC

      We have a new challenge starting today over at FarmQuest Country Christmas.  Our theme is always "Anything Country and Christmas Goes."  In keeping with that, I found this delightful clip art image of a cardinal on a tree branch.

     I did something I hadn't tried before; I found a piece of distressed dp in blue with snowflakes and printed the cardinal image onto it.  Then I colored the bird and the branch with watercolor pencils and gel pens.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz die, then cut two different mats (one steel blue and the other white) with other dies from the same set.  I layered those all together and put that piece onto snowflake dp from DCWV.  I hand-tied a bow using wired cord, then printed and die cut the sentiment with a die from Avery Elle.

     Challenges:

Creative Inspirations

Digi Choosday

Let's Craft & Create

Outlawz Sketch

Penny's P-C

Triple B

     We'd love to see you playing along in this challenge.  It runs until December 5 so you have lots of time.  Remember, tis the season to get started making your Christmas cards!

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie