Vintage Autumn

     I had no idea I was going to be as thrilled with this card as I am but the result is eminently pleasing.  :-D

     This is a Fitztown image which I colored with ProMarkers and then die cut with one of my framing dies from Spellbinders.  I rarely work with oranges (except for fall color combos) so I had to dig around quite a bit to find the pumpkin CS which I die cut with a plain oval die from QuicKutz.

     At first, I intended to layer the two ovals so that the plain oval would be just a vertical mat behind the image but as I was playing around, I angled it and really liked the way it looked.  I layered both pieces onto the card front and then began adding flowers and pearls.  I didn't have any flowers that pumpkin color but ProMarkers fixed that.  :-D  I'm becoming convinced that I'll buy nothing but white flowers from now on and custom color them to whatever I need.  The bow was also white but dyed with a ProMarker.

     When she was finished, I thought she looked regal and vintage.  I certainly didn't plan the card this way.  I thought it was going to be another CAS card but it's one of those that just took off, apparently having a mind of its own.  This time, I'm glad I let it go instead of trying to control it.  :-D

     Challenges:
A Vintage Journey
Card Makin' Mamas
Crafts 4 Eternity
Crafty Catz
Creatalicious
Dies R Us
Docerela Creations
East Wind
Fitztown
Pattie's Creations
Quick Quotes

     That's all for today and it's been a really busy week so we'll have to see if there's any more time before the weekend for playing.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Puppy Love

     OK, I admit it -- I'm addicted to QKR Stampede images!   I find myself reaching into my collection of them whenever I want something fun or quirky or gently humorous.

     Since I'm a Guest Designer at The Outlawz CAS challenge this month, not only am I getting lots of practice on doing CAS (which I'm really loving!), I get to put on my thinking cap, too.  Our theme this week is the movie "6 Days, 7 Nights" and Pryn's advice is to "think of islands, planes, pirates, castaways, etc."  What I remember most about the movie is that when you take all those things away, it's really all about falling in love.  That meant this adorable image from QKR Stampede was perfect!

There are lots of challenges with an "autumn" or "fall colors" theme this week so

I started with the inspiration photo from Chocolate Baroque.

     The image is colored with a combo of ProMarkers and chalks.  In die cutting the image, I decided to do an out-of-the-box technique with the smaller scalloped rectangle die.  I used a larger scalloped die to cut the brown mat.  The sentiment is cut and matted with the same die set (Spellbinders) but I had to adjust the die to get the right size (cut one side, then move the die and line up the scallops.)

     Everything on the card, including the card front piece, was done using scraps of leftover CS and those scraps have been in the basket for nearly a year.  It was about time to get them used up.  No embellishments; the die cuts and CS mats were enough and this is a CAS challenge.  :-D

     Challenges:
AAA CAS Cards
Bloom Girl
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafting for all Seasons
Crafty Sentiment Designs
Creative Craft Cottage
Creative Moments
Cuttlebug Mania
Oldie but a Goodie
Outlawz PAM
Vandicrafts Artistry

     Enjoy the last half of your weekend and I hope we're going to see you playing along at the Outlawz CAS Challenge.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Autumn Naps

     It's the second Sunday in September and I'm Guest Designing this entire month over at The Outlawz CAS Challenge.  This week we have a challenge theme of "Girly" or "Feminine."  All right, I've done my share of feminine cards so that's no big deal -- except that I make feminine cards with tons of lace and ribbon and flowers and bling and...  Yeah, you get the idea but this card has to be CAS.

     In case you're wondering, yes, I did have a conversation with myself and it went this way, "OK, I made a commitment to do CAS at Outlawz for this entire month and I'm going to do it!"   First I want to share the card and then I'll tell you the other side of the story.

BTW, those of us who are in the "Autumn" of our years know how sweet an afternoon nap can be.  :-D

     The image is from Rick St. Dennis and he's a great sponsor of challenges at Outlawz.  I knew I wanted to use this image since the pumpkin is a great symbol of fall and harvest and Thanksgiving.  But fall colors are hard for me when I'm trying to think "girly."  For me, pink is the color that says "Feminine," not orange or brown.

     Then I remembered -- a couple of years ago my daughter saw some pink pumpkins for sale.  Not painted or dyed but real pumpkins that are pink when they grow.  The lady selling them was donating the proceeds to Breast Cancer Research.  That was near and dear to my heart since I'm a BC survivor (13 years this month!  :-D )   My daughter and I have already decided that next year we are going to grow pink pumpkins and sell them to donate funds to Breast Cancer Research, too.  You can find more info on the Pink Pumpkin Foundation by clicking on their name.

     So, with pink pumpkins in mind, I looked around and found this wonderful color combo over at Creative Craft Cottage:  

                                                                  

     The image is colored with ProMarkers, then die cut and matted.  Because I wanted a feminine feel, I decided that some lace with pink ribbon woven through it would make a good single embellishment.  After all, this is CAS not vintage!  :-D  I laid it diagonally across the card front, than added the image piece, popped up on dimensional dots.  I have it on good authority that despite the lace and ribbon this card still qualifies as CAS -- minimal embellishment, lots of open space, and clean lines.

     Challenges:

Bastel-Traum

Bunny Zoe's

Crafts Galore Encore

Ladybug Crafts

Lia Stampz

Paper Sweeties

Ppinkydolls

Scribbles Designs

Vintage Stamping

     Well, my friends, if I can do a feminine CAS card (even without using a really girly-girl image!) anyone can do it.  Won't you come along and show us what it is that makes you think feminine?  Is it colors, images, certain embellishments, maybe flowers?  Challenge yourself as I did and make a girly card, keeping it CAS.  See you at Outlawz.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Not Chicken

     I have to combine two of my favorite challenges (and add a few others) with this delightful image from QKR Stampede.  I know I've already posted today but as soon as I saw the Paper Playful list of Friday challenges, I knew this card had to be done right away.  :-D  It's total silliness in honor of All Hallow's Eve and fall.  I'm not sure if the chicken is 'sitting' the pumpkin or if the pumpkin is wearing a 'chicken' hat!

My sketch came from Cardabilities

and the colors came from the inspiration photo at Die Cuttin' Divas.

 

     The image is colored with ProMarkers and gel pens, then die cut with my largest 'banner flag' die.  The orange mat is hand cut since I had already used my largest die of that shape.  The plaid dp is a digital paper and I can't remember who made it.  It was a freebie download from more than 3 years ago and there is no company name on it.  The ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon and the little bow is one of those I make myself.  I dearly love yellows and oranges for fall color combos.  Funny how little I use them in combo the rest of the year.  :-D

     Challenges:

A Creative Romance

A Girl Who Crafts

Crafts 4 Eternity

Crafty Catz

Creative Moments

Delightful Challenge

DL.ART

Natalie and Amy's

Outlawz Friday Coloring

Sister Act

STAMPlorations

Vandicrafts Artistry

     I hope your weekend is going well and that your weather is cooler than what we have out here in California.  I'm just soooo ready for the cooler temps of fall.  Where are they?   Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

"Day of the Dead" Fairy for Halloween

     

     Through The Craft Room Door, September 2014 Issue is now available for your viewing in the "Subscribers Only Area" at Through The Craft Room Door website: http://craftrmdoor.ning.com.   It is loaded with paper craft tutorials, tons of inspiration, and projects you can create.  Come see Colleen Schaan's craft room - trust me, it will knock you off your feet - it totally rocks .   Art by Miran is this issue's Featured Digi Artist and has given the subscribers the sweetest digital images to download.  Come on over and join us and try one of the great tutorials! 

     Another challenge starts to day at Through the Craft Room Door, always "Anything Goes," and we love seeing what you create and submit.  We're sponsored this time by AuroraWings (I love their digis!) and I chose to do another Halloween card using an image from their Fairies collection, called "Day of the Dead."

     The details and the materials list for this card are published in the new September/October issue of the magazine and I really hope you're a subscriber so that you can see all the tutorials and projects.  Believe me, you don't want to miss out!  I will tell you that I've used one of my favorite techniques which is to "frame" the image with the negative piece of a die cut.  The purple frame is laid over the image instead of the image being cut out with the die.

     Challenges:
4 Krafty Girlz
A Girl Who Crafts
Creative Craft Cottage
Fairy Tale
Frosted Designs Friday
Graph'It
Kreativeinkauf
Ladybug Crafts
Natalie and Amy's
Oddball Art
Outlawz Color Tuesday
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Paradise Stamps
Really Reasonable Ribbon
Red Rubber Inspirationals
Sister Act
Sisters of Craft
STAMPlorations

     What a great Tuesday this is!  I hope your week is going well.  Find some time for yourself, check out the fabulous new issue of the TTCRD Magazine, and then enjoy some Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Cinderella Cat

     I am delighted to announce that I've been asked to be a Guest Designer for September on the Sunday CAS Challenge at The Outlawz!   All I can say is that someone has a much better opinion of my ability to create Clean and Simple card designs than I have myself.  I think I still need loads of practice but every once in a while, I get one right.  :-D  Let's hope I get a few of those this month.  Our challenge theme this week is done in honor of the lovely fall colors which will be taking over the northern hemisphere soon, so Use Your Favorite Colors.  But they can be from any season.  I chose to use fall colors because I'm so ready for cooler weather.

     This one uses a darling image from Squigglefly.  I know it's been around for a long time (last year? two years?) but this is my first time actually using it.  Those two kittens with the pumpkin just made me think of what would have happened to Cinderella's coach right after midnight.  Hence, the silly sentiment.

I used the colors from Mema's.

     This is a single layer card, colored with water colors, and I added faux stitching with an orange pen.  The only embellishment comes from the three tiny stars.  Not much more to say given how simple this is.

     Challenges:
A Girl Who Crafts
Bearly Mine
Bastel- Traum
Card and Scrap
Crafting from the Heart
Crafts Galore Encore
Cutie Pie
Inky Chicks
Oldie but a Goodie
Miriam's Crafting
My Heart Pieces
Paper Sweeties

     Time to put on your CAS hats and get something done to play along with us this week.  I can't wait to see what you create and post at the Outlawz.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Autumn Leaf Frolic

     I'm really flattered to have been invited to be a Guest Designer at Sketch 'n Dies.  I've played in their challenges pretty regularly for a while now and it's an honor to be asked to Guest Design.  The sponsor this week is Scrappiness Designs and they have some of the prettiest papers and kits I've ever seen.  I used papers from their "My Fairy Tale" set.

Here's the sketch.

     The sentiment I used was a freebie I found and I've had it in my collection for so long that I don't know who made it.  If someone recognizes it, please leave me a comment and tell me.  I'd love to give proper credit.  I matted the sentiment with dp and dark brown CS.  All the leaves are die cut with a Cheery Lynn die, either from brown CS or the yellow striped dp.  The flower layers are punched and embossed with a stylus, then stacked together.  I punched a tiny hole through all the layers so I could add the stamen.

     There is one additional decorative die cut (Spellbinders) -- the light brown buried underneath the leaves.  The yellow leaves were somewhat lost against the dp background and that brown die cut helped to distinguish them from the background.

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Crafter's Cafe
Creative Moments
Dream Valley
Suzy Bee's Bloomin'
Sweet Pea Stampers
We Do Doobadoo
Word Art Weds.

       Hope you're having a wonderful Labor Day in the US, and for the rest of the world, a great start to your  new week.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Are You Afraid of a Spook?

     Well, I'm definitely into fall this weekend (my favorite season) and am thinking of (and working on) Halloween.  I have done so many cards since Thursday night that I'm doing two posts today because I can't wait to share them.  :-D

     This one uses a fabulous, fun image from QKR Stampede.  They have a 2 week long blog hop and their challenge is an Anything Goes but you have to use either a QKR Stampede image or a Eureka Stamps image this time.

I used Sketch #216 from Sketch Saturday.

My stitched ribbon substitutes for the stars in the sketch.

     I used ProMarkers to color the image, then die cut it and the two mats (one from dp and one from CS) with octagon dies from QuicKutz.  I love browns and oranges for fall cards and especially for Halloween cards.  They reflect the fall colors we find in nature and tell us there's a quiet end of summer coming.  That makes me so happy because the hot summer weather is over finally!  :-D

     The background dp is embossed and glittered, and both dp are from DCWV, but they've been in my stash longer than I care to admit.  The ribbon came from Joann.com.  Sentiment was printed with a computer font and matted with brown CS.  The bow is one of the ones I make by hand.

     Challenges:
4 Krafty Girlz
As You Like It
Clear It Out
Crafty Creations
Delightful Challenges
DRS Designs
Hiding in My Craft Room
Just Us Girls
Moving Along with the Times
Outlawz Coloring
Top Tip Tuesday
Treasured Times

     I'll be back tomorrow with another Guest Designer card but I'm not telling you which team until then.  I am honored to have been asked to Guest Design in September for two different teams.  See you then.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

When the "Fashionista" Retires...

          The sentiment pretty much says it all on this one!  :-D  Image is from Rick St. Dennis and it seriously looks like I posed as the model for it.  And, since I know so much about this (having posed for it), I can tell you that the three fur babies are known as Bullet, Bluebell, and Buttercup.  They dearly love playing with Bows and they think the fashionista's Bathrobe simply must be covered with loose cat hair at all times.  How's that for a bushel of "B"s?

     Image is colored with ProMarkers and Triads and then fussy cut and adhered to coral pink CS.  I die cut a piece of embossed dp from my stash with a scalloped oval die, and used the negative as a frame for the image.  Ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon and the bows were hand made by me.

     Challenges:
Crafts Galore Encore
Corrosive Challenge
Hiding in My Craft Room
Outlawz Greeting Card
Outlawz PAM
Really Reasonable Ribbon
Sentimental Sundays
Sister Act
Stempelsonnen

     Halfway to the weekend, folks!  Hope your week is going well.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Play Date for Two

     Good Tuesday morning to you all !  If it's Tuesday, then it must be time for a new challenge at Tuesday Throwdown and this week our challenge theme is "Furry Little Friends."  Oak Pond Creations is sponsoring the challenge this week and they have some adorable animal images.  They provided images for the team to use and I think these two feline buddies are just the cutest ever.

     I colored the image with a combo of ProMarkers and Triart markers, then die cut it with a die from Spellbinders.  Because friends in the northeast keep assuring me that there is a nip of autumn in their air (ours is still very hot and dry), I decided do a monochromatic card using "harvest gold" autumn colors in hopes it will encourage the cooler fall temperatures to get here very soon.  

     The striped and burlap look papers are both from my large pile of old scrapbook papers and it's time to start using those instead of just storing them.  I did use a couple of things I've never used before and those are the two different corner punches.  I love the decorative look they give -- almost like added embellishments.  The bow with the pearl is one of those I make.  I sewed up many more this past weekend when I was without internet connection or crafting supplies.  I did about 2 dozen of them in one sitting, and then another dozen on another evening so now my stash of them is all stocked up.

     Challenges:
4 Krafty Girlz
Brown Sugar
Craft for the Craic
Crafts 4 Eternity
Crafting at the Weekend
Creative Corner
Creative Moments
Delightful Challenges
Graph'It
Little Miss Muffet
MilkCoffee
Pattie's Creations
Scrapper's Delights
Treasured Times

     Come play with us at Tuesday Throwdown this week.  All you need is something that shows a furry friend.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

For Your Vintage Birthday

     I have a dear friend who loves it when I use green & yellow as a combo for my cards and she is always telling me that she's not old, she's simply "aged like a vintage wine."   So, here's the card I made for her birthday a week ago.  I created it as my DT card for Through the Craft Room Door this week and our new challenge has the usual "Anything Goes" theme.  Our marvelous sponsor this week is Oozak.

     The image is from Sandi Huggett (Sandi's Samples), called "Lady Kathleen" and I colored her with a combination of ProMarkers, Spectrum Noir, and Touch Twin markers.  The sparkle in the corners of the die cut is created with Cloud 9 Velvet Glitter from Sparkle n Sprinkle.  For a full materials list, please visit the TTCRD blog post this week.

     I added the birthday sentiment to the inside this time.   Here's a picture:

     Challenges:

A Girl Who Crafts

Bearly Mine

Cards Galore Encore

Delightful Challenges

Docerela Creations

Natalie and Amy's

Oddball Art Stamps

Outlawz PAM

Simply Create 2

Sisters of Craft

Sweet 7

Wags 'n Whiskers

     Come play along with us at Through the Craft Room Door this week.  How can you not want to play in an "Anything Goes" theme?  We're looking forward to seeing what you create and enter.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Swim or Sunbathe

     More summer fun on its way today with this wonderful image from QKR Stampede and it's all about the running debate every vacation time over whether to swim or sunbathe.  :-D   The secret is to swim until your body gets cold, then go back and sunbathe until you warm up.  Repeat the cycle endlessly until the daylight is gone.

     The image is colored with ProMarkers and a bit of sparkle gel ink, with white gel ink on the sunglasses.  The card base is embossed.  The image is corner punched and the mat is die cut.  Sentiment is printed, fussy cut and matted, then fussy cut again.  I added a strip of gauze paper behind the image (a left over scrap). then found a scrap of gingham ribbon for the bow and finally added the three metal brads to the corner.

     Challenges:
A Creative Need
Brown Sugar
Catch the Bug
Crafting at the Weekend
Crafty Calendar
Di's Digi Designs
Eureka Stamps
Little Claire's
Paper Creator's Crafts
Treasured Times

     Have a warm, summer day -- at least in your heart if it's cold or rainy outside.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Flower Ballerina Fairy

     I've done this card for Through the Craft Room Door, where our theme is always "Anything Goes."  Our sponsor this challenge is AuroraWings and I totally love coloring their images!   I used this one ("Flower Ballerina") to make a birthday card.

     I used ProMarkers to color the ballerina fairy and a die from Spellbinders to cut it.  All the ribbons are from Really Reasonable Ribbon and you can read all the details in the September issue of Through the Craft Room Door magazine.

     Challenges:
4 Krafty Girlz
Crafty Catz
Crafty Ribbons
Delightful Challenges
Docerela Creations
Little Miss Muffet
MilkCoffee
Outlawz Greeting Cards
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Sassy Studio Designs
Sister Act
Sweet Pea Stampers

     I'm excited to be part of the team at Through the Craft Room Door.  That's been a dream of mine for a long while and I just couldn't wait to say "Yes" when they invited me to join.  Take a look around the TTCRD blog, play in the challenges (the theme is always Anything Goes), and get your issue of the next quarterly magazine by subscribing.  Not only are there lots of fabulous project and tutorials, but there are free digital stamps in every issue.

     Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Fishing - Vacation or Sport?

     I had an uncle who insisted that fishing was a sport, but my dad always said a day spent fishing was like taking a vacation.  Since he often took me fishing with him, and it always felt like special father-daughter time when he did, I guess I don't really care which it is -- I just love going fishing.  It brings me such sweet and wonderful memories of him.  :-D

     Here's a card I know he'd love, including the lovable turtle character.  That came from QKR Stampede.

I used the sketch from STAMPlorations

and Citrus/Tropical Colors from Craft Your Passions.

     The image is colored with ProMarkers, then die cut with a die from Spellbinders.  I inked the edges, typed up the sentiment, and found the three, heart-shaped, buttons in my stash.  I strung them together with baker's twine and adhered them to the dp on the front of the card.  The dp came from Colorbok.

     Challenges:
Crafting with Dragonflies
Crazy Challenge
Digistamps 4 Joy
Eureka Stamps
Fan-Tastic Tuesday
House That Stamps Built
Little Red Wagon
MFP Simple Salutations
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Simon Says Stamp

     Hope your weekend is going well and that the weather is decent.  If it's too hot or too cold, maybe you should be inside crafting!  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Relax the Beary Wishes Way

     I made this card with an image from Beary Wishes named "Relax" and it's the ultimate in serenity.  If ever there was an entire vacation wrapped up in one card, this is it!  :-D  A trip to the Orient right here in this design.  The best part?  It's a freebie which you can find right here.

     I have no idea who made the background dp because it was in my scrap basket but the striped ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  I don't think this needs much explanation because it's so CAS.  Of course, that means it's also a perfect masculine card.

     Challenges:
A Creative Need
Artistic Inspirations
Come and Get It
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Deep Ocean
Fan-Tastic Tuesday
Going Grey with Scrap Creations
My Craft Creations
Paper Nest Dolls
Sailing Pineapple
Sweet Pea Stamps

     Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

GDT at Crafting by Designs

     I have the honor of being a Guest Designer at Crafting by Designs where the new theme is "Use a Die."  How simple is that?  Crafting by Designs is one of my favorite places to play along in challenges and this time, the challenge is sponsored by Oak Pond Creations, some of my favorite digis!!  It all worked out beautifully.  I browsed around in my ever-growing collection of  Oak Pond digis and chose this glorious fat cat.  Don't you love it?  I think this one will just hang on my refrigerator door as a reminder that I don't really need that second helping of dessert and that a glass of no-calorie, sparkling water might be just as good.  OK, not as good as that chocolate cupcake fat cat is dangling from his tail, but healthier. :-D

     The image is colored with Copics and ProMarkers, then die cut with a circle die.  The sentiment is printed with a computer font and also die cut with a smaller circle die.  I die cut 2 rounded rectangles and layered the circles on top.  I added some flat flowers, put gems in the center of those, and added the pearls to each rectangle.  This is a card that's simple enough to be a masculine card, but could just as easily be a feminine card.

     Remember the other day when I said I think I prefer animal images to images of people because they're easier to color?  After the simple coloring on fat cat, I'm absolutely convinced.  :-D

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
A Gem of a Challenge
Animal Friends
As You Like It
Aud Sentiments
Bearly Mine
Brown Sugar
Great Impressions
My Sheri Crafts
Robyn's Fetish
Sisters of Craft

     I'd love to see you playing along in the "Use a Die" challenge this week.  Other than having to use a die, it's wide open so a very simple challenge.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Get Well Cat

     As soon as I saw this digi from QKR Stampede, I thought about a saying my dad always used.  "You're as spooky as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs!"  I think this is perfect for a Get Well card, don't you?

I used the sketch from Sunday Sketch & Stamp.

     I colored the image with my favorite ProMarkers.  It's die cut  and matted with inked edges to make it look a bit distressed.  The paper is from Colorbok and both ribbons came from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  I did the faux stitching with a white gel pen.

     Challenges:

Corrosive Challenge

Crafting at the Weekend

Crafty Catz

Crafty Ribbons

Di's Digi Designs

Graph' It 

Send a Smile 4 Kids
Suzy Bee's Bloomin'

     I hope you got a smile from this one.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Birthday Roses in Black and White

     OK, so I woke up at 4:00 in the Oh, God! morning today and there was no going back to sleep.  Nothing to do but get on the computer, check e-mail, and see what new challenges might bring some inspiration.  I found the new challenge at AAA Cards which I've missed for the last 3 weeks due to being so busy.  I did the first few challenges over there because it's a great way to practice on CAS cards, since that's always the primary requirement regardless of the theme for that week.

     Well, this week's theme was a challenge all by itself to get everything included and still do a CAS card!  Being a glutton for punishment, I decided to add 14 other challenges to it and do one card to fit all the themes.  Let's start with the "MacGyver" recipe at AAA Cards:  string, corrugated paper, plastic, a stamp, and a hole.  Don't forget, we still have to keep it CAS!!  So, what do you think?

   

     The image is from Artbymiran and the coloring on her hair is done with ProMarkers; the 'frame' is actually cut into the card front.  The paper behind the sentiment is corrugated but it just doesn't show up in the first two photos so I took another shot with a bright light shining on it.  

     The button is plastic and I used my string to make the bow (threaded through the button.)  So, I got all the MacGyver items -- but it was a struggle to keep it CAS.  It does have minimal embellishments and lots of open space even though the space has tiny polka dots instead of being all white.  At least give me credit for taking on the challenge and getting something made -- to say nothing of also including the following challenges and themes.  :-D

     Challenges:

Allsorts

Artbymiran

Craft for the Craic

Crafting by Design

Creative Corner

Delicious Doodles

Docerela Creations

Jo's Scrap Shack

Our Daily Bread

Paper Creator's Crafts 

Sister Act

Sisterhood of Crafters

So Artful

Stampin' with the Dragon

     Thanks for visiting, my friends.  Hope your weekend has been filled with inspiration and beauty.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Baby Brother

     I was asked to make a card for a little guy who's waiting for his baby brother to arrive.  He's 3 and adores dinosaurs.  That fit in perfectly with the new challenge starting today at Tuesday Throwdown, sponsored by My Grafico who supplied digis to all the team members.  Even though I'm on leave from the TT team this summer, since I had a My Grafico digi available, I decided to get this made and the post scheduled during a lull in the "busy, busy, busy!"  :-D  My teamie, Lynn, will love this one, too, since it done with lots of blue.  :-D

     Colored with ProMarkers and die cut.  Can you believe that's the first Spellbinders die set I ever purchased?  No wonder it's still my sentimental favorite.  :-D  Papers are from the Linen Closet stack by DCWV and the polka dots are embossed.  The ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon.

     Challenges:
4 Krafty Girlz
A Gem of a Challenge
A Little Bit Crafty
As You Like It
Bearly Mine
Brown Sugar 
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards
Crafting Musketeers
Delightful Challenges
Ladybug Crafts
Little Miss Muffet
Paper Crafting Journey
Red Rubber Inspirationals
Sister Act
Stamping Boutique

     Quick post today, but I really hope we'll see you playing along this week at Tuesday Throwdown. Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Moonlight Walks on the Beach

     I originally made this card for my daughter to give to her husband for Father's Day but she decided on something different.  I just love the way it celebrates love for Dad in a really masculine style but with humor.  Don't these two look like they're strolling down the beach? Well, that's what the sentiment says anyway.  :-D

     I colored the cats using my ProMarkers, cut a simple rectangle, then corner punched it.  The sketch was an old one I found at Meljen's Designs, where their theme this week is "Dads," and the image is also from Meljen's.

     DP is from the Linen Closet stack by DCWV, probably my favorite papers of all time.  Not only are the colors subtle, they work for either masculine or feminine projects.  This time I used some that I've had in my stash for more than 2 years because I keep stocking up on it when I find it on sale and then the old ones get pushed to the back of the shelf.  In reorganizing the week after I got home, I pulled all the old pads to the front and put the newer ones in the back.

     The flower is handmade from punched flower-petal layers.  I thought that added just a splash of color to what is otherwise a pretty neutral color combo.  No other embellishment because I wanted to keep it CAS.

     Challenges:
2 Sisters -- Make your own embellies
Art Impressions Stamps -- Hip to be square
Crafting Cafe -- Love and marriage
Craft Room -- Sun, Sand, Surf
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned dp -- A/G with dp
I {heart} ProMarkers -- Stripes
Ladybug Crafts Ink -- For him
Natalie and Amy's -- 4 legged friends
Oldie But a Goodie -- Masculine
Sassy Studio Designs -- All about men
Through the Craft Room Door -- A/G
Twisted Tuesday -- 2 animals and dots (around the cats and in the stripes)

     If all goes as scheduled, I should have another post for you this evening.  If it doesn't show up, then I'm going to have to get someone to feed the gremlin in my computer so that he'll let my posts show up on time instead of eating them!  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Rick St. Dennis Steam Punk II

     OK, here I am trying my hand at another steam punk card (something I do very rarely and not very well) but at least I'm far enough away that I can't hear you laughing at my attempt.  Of course, the card does have a wry humor so maybe that's why you're laughing.  The image is a progressive freebie to all who used an Rick St. Dennis image and played in the first part of the steam punk challenge last month.

     This is the card folded flat and ready for the envelope but I did a new-to-me fancy fold technique called Dutch Fold or Dutch Door.  Here's a photo of the card opened and standing.

     OK, a few card details and then I have a close up to show you.  I colored this fun little monster, called "Nyner," with my ProMarkers.  While Rick's images are very detailed and can be somewhat intimidating to color (especially when you see the gorgeous coloring done by his entire DT!), his shading already drawn onto the image gives you great direction for getting shadows and high lights in all the right places.  As I was working with this image, I grew to love this creepy character more and more, and by the time I finished coloring him, I was truly in love.  :-D

     I still wasn't sure exactly what to do with him but his "Winner" sash made me think of a prize winner and the sentiment (printed on my computer) just popped into my head.  I die cut the image and did the card base (following tutorial instructions which I now can't find or I'd give you the link.)  The papers are from the "Loolah" stack by Iron Orchard.  Then I began searching through my embellishment stash for some steam punk appropriate cogs or gears.  Sigh... Those were seriously lacking because I do so little steam punk but I did find the two metal cogs you see above the image.

     Now, the great part of the story -- On his hat are drawn a few tiny cogs and gears.  I tried coloring them with silver and gold markers but they just didn't show up.  OK, let's go back a couple of weeks.  I was a challenge winner and the sponsor was 7 Kids College Fund.  I used my voucher to order a couple of Elisabeth Bell stamps (you'll be seeing those next week probably) and some little charms in a package called "Watch Parts."  I had no idea of the sizes but it was a collection of metal goodies that would work on steam punk cards.  Those just happened to arrive as I was finishing up the card and voila, perfection!  Let me show you what I mean --

     All those tiny embellies on his top hat came from the bag of Watch Parts.  Aren't they fabulous?  There are other items in the bag which are larger but I just love these tiny ones because they work on the actual images, not just the card.  Scroll back up to see the full card and compare the size with the larger metal embellies.  I'm already doing another card where I'm making a whole pile of the tiny ones to look like a single embellishment.

     Challenges:
Country View Crafts -- Only men allowed
Crafting at the Weekend -- A/G
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper -- A/G w/ dp
Ditzie Digi Designs -- A/G
Ladybug Crafts -- Something for the boys or die cuts
Outlawz PAM -- Junk in he Trunk (use metal)
Rick St. Dennis Progressive -- Use freebie digi provided
The Squirrel & the Fox -- Use metal

     I hope by now you've fallen in love with Nyner, too.  Personally, I'm going to train him to be the watchman around the house when I'm gone.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

For All the Guys

     I have a few masculine/ Father's Day cards to share with you this morning and will also have another one tomorrow.  Each of these cards uses an image from Doodle Pantry, a couple of which are new and one I've had in my collection for probably 3 years, but this isn't the first time I've used it.  OK, here's the first card:

     Since my SIL is an avid fisherman, one of my granddaughters laid claim to this one as soon as she saw me making it.  I hadn't even finished it yet when she said she wanted to give it to him for Father's Day.  This one is a pre-colored image but I used ProMarkers to darken the water and his coat and to make the tackle box a bit more orangey-red.  The background is done with corrugated paper and the baker's twine is from my stash.

     Challenges for this card:
Artistic Inspirations -- All about Dad
Craft Your Passion -- For the boys/Father's Day
Crafty Boots -- Sport
Digi Makeover -- For the men
Digi Sketch -- For the men
Doodle Pantry -- Make it Manly

     Next card, also a Doodle Pantry image --

     I love these fishing lures and this time I hand colored them using Copics and gel pens.  I've used them several times before and even did another card with this same image but used a pre-colored image on that one.  Maybe I'll get time to share it tomorrow.  This one is pretty simple -- hand colored, cut with a rectangle die, edges distressed, and mounted onto another strip of that same corrugated paper.  The stars were in my stash and I thought they worked as reminders of starfish.  :-D

     Challenges for this card:
Crafty Sentiments Designs -- Father's Day
Going Grey w Scrap Creations -- Father's Day
MarkePOP -- A/G
Melonheadz Friends -- Summer fun
Ooh La La Creations -- For a man/boy
Paper Nest Dolls -- A/G
PaperTake Weekly -- For the boys
Pink Elephant -- Father's Day
Sweet Stamps -- For Dad

     OK, if I have a favorite out of these three images, it's probably this wonderful classic car.  I can't tell you if that's a Model A or a Model T, but my dad would have known.  I'm old, but I'm not old enough to have driven one of these.  But they always remind me of my dad who just loved to see one of these marvels driving down the street.  That would bring on stories from him of his younger years and learning to drive (around the family farm) about the age of 12 in one of those early Fords.  Even tho' he's been gone for many years, I still miss him.  :-D

     Pre-colored image again from Doodle Pantry.  This is another one which got claimed by a granddaughter for her dad.  She likes the blue with all the neutral beige and she's a great fan of all things vintage or classic.  I would have bet my fortune (if I had one) that she would chose this card for him.  :-D  

     Papers are from the Linen Closet stack by DCWV and the sheer ribbon was in my stash, probably from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  I know for sure that's where I got the polka dot ribbon.

     Challenges for this card:

Aud Sentiments -- Any sentiment for a man

Frilly and Funky -- Special Man  

Hobbybook -- Dad/Special Man

The Male Room -- Father's Day

MFP Simple Salutations -- Father's Day

MilkCoffee -- Father's Day

Penny's Paper-Crafty -- A/G

Rhedd & Rosie's -- Back in time, vintage style

     Well, I hope you've enjoyed this long post which salutes masculinity.  I enjoy making guy cards; always have, always will.  I know, I know, I can hear some of you groaning out there from the bottom of your toes.  lol  Ah, well, Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Humbug Owl

     Having not blogged anything in more than a week, I have a ton of cards to share and I'm setting scheduled posts for all this week.  On Saturday and Sunday, I'll be sharing with you several cards I did for Father's Day or with a masculine theme.  But for today, I'm going to share my first Christmas card of the year.  I haven't done anything about Christmas up to now because I made so many Christmas cards last fall that I still have more than enough for family and friends this year!  But, I saw this mopey looking owl over at QKR Stampede and couldn't resist him so doing a Christmas card was necessary.  :-D

     With that look on his face, the sentiment was a natural.  I colored him with Promarkers, corner punched the image piece and mounted it onto two layers of torn CS in red and kraft.  The dp is from SU and I added sparkle to the snowflakes on it.  The bow is tied with gingham ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  Very CAS in design, even with the three metal brads.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps & More -- CAS
City Crafter -- For the birds
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas -- A/G Christmas
Fan-Tastic Tuesday -- A/G
Fussy and Fancy -- Things with wings
Jingle Belles -- Red & green
Loves Rubber Stamps -- CAS
Moving Along with the Times -- CAS
Scrappers' Delights -- A/G + Layers
Squigglefly -- Christmas
Stampin' for the Weekend -- A/G

     OK, I'm off again and will be visiting all your blogs when I return and have some time that's really all mine!  That may actually not be as soon as I'd like but I haven't abandoned you, honestly.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie