Christmas Tags

     Next in the order of things, I've begun making my gift tags for Christmas and I'm using a delightful set by Deedee's Digis called "Christmas Cookies."   Eventually, I'm going to use each image in the set for a tag but I started with the Snowman.  For a photo of the set, see the end of this post.

     I used my ProMarkers to color the image and added two different ribbons from my stash.  The tag was cut with one of the dies from a set I have by QuicKutz.  Fast, easy, and as my friend, Lynn, would say, "It's a Git 'er Done."

     Challenges:
52 Christmas Card Throwdown
Cardz 4 Guyz
Crafty Boots
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas
Deep Ocean
Die Cuttin' Divas
Eureka Stamps
Holly Jolly Christmas (Frosty, the Snowman)
My Time to Craft
Sweet Stamps

     Tomorrow I'll have another Fun Friday DT card for QKR Stampede's new challenge, something which matches my rather quirky sense of humor.  :-D  See you then.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie


  "Christmas Cookies"

Eight Maids a Milking

     Tuesday Throwdown is jumping on the "Christmas in July" bandwagon and our sponsor this week is Bugaboo Stamps.  They generously supplied images for the team to use, although I used an older one I already had in my collection.  I picked "8 Maids-a-Milking" which is part of the 12 Days of Christmas set.  Every image in that set is adorable and I have made several cards with them in ast years.  One year I did all my gift tags using the set.  Here's my card for today.

 I based this on the sketch from The Outlawz.

      I colored the image with ProMarkers, the used dies from Spellbinders to cut and mat it.  The dp for the mat is from Authentique.  The additional two papers were in my Christmas stash and the sparkly red ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  I printed the sentiment (also part of the Bugaboo set) and used a third die to cut it.  The pearl swirls were in my stash.

     Challenges:
Card Mania
Crafty Hazelnut's
Cute as a Button
Digistamps 4 Joy
Emerald Faeries
Fairy Tale
Karleigh Sue
Outlawz PAM
Petal Lu
Simply Papercraft
Sister Act
SLS Lines
Sparkles Forum Christmas
Winter Wonderland

     OK, I know that for the last week I've really been obsessed with Christmas but since I hadn't done any Christmas cards or tags up until then, I'm just catching up.  :-D  Come play along with us this week, and if you haven't started either, this would be the perfect time.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

A Warm Christmas

     Well, I got started on Christmas cards and now can't seem to stop.  :-D  I have one today, another on Tuesday and perhaps one on Thursday.  This one today features a brand new stamp from Morgan's ArtWorld.  I've been seeing it around blog land this month and just had to have it so went on a shopping spree yesterday.

 
     Colored with my ProMarkers and framed out with double-layered die cuts (Spellbinders) then added to dark red CS textured with my Linen folder.  The ribbon is velveteen and has been in my stash for a long time so I have no idea where I got it.  The little snowflakes are buttons, also from my Christmas stash.

     Challenges:
Art Impressions Stamps
Brown Sugar
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafter's Cafe
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Gals Corner
Crafty Hazelnut's
Di's Digi Designs
DL.ART
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jingle Belles
Inspiration Destination
My Time to Craft
Scrap & Craft
Sister Act
Whimsy Inspiration
Winter Wonderland

     We're halfway through Sunday, the last day of the weekend, and I'm cheering because we had a 22 minute downpour last night.  I know, I know, some of you are laughing and snorting your derision but when you've been suffering the worst drought in recorded history in California, and when it's lasted for 4+ years, you'd cheer over .21 inches, too.  Out here, we never get rain in the summer so that tiny 1/4 inch just gave us a record of the wettest July ever!  Enjoy the rest of your day and Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Mushroom Fairy

     It's been a while since I had the free time to use a Delicious Doodles image but their challenge theme of "Myth or Magic" just inspired me so I grabbed this darling Mushroom Fairy and made a card.

I started with this sketch from Atlantic Hearts

and modified it for the size of my image.

     I colored with my yellow ProMarkers because I had done another card earlier using my yellow Copics and posted that I had better choices of yellows in my Copics collection.  But since I always reach for my ProMarkers first, I had to give them equal time.  :-D

     The satin ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon and that was the last of it so it's time to order more.  I'm still practicing my CAS designing so I left off any other embellishments and yes, I do like this one.

     Challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks
Cardz 4 Guyz
Color Your World
Craft for the Craic
Craft Your Passion
Crafting with Friends
Creative Moments
Digitally Sweet
Little Miss Muffet
One Stitch at a Time
Really Reasonable Ribbon
Shabby Tea Room
Simply Papercraft
Through the Craft Room Door

     I'm off to harvest things from my garden.  Tomatoes are overwhelming me again, and carrots are ready plus yet another watermelon.  I think my strawberries are about done but there might be enough left to toss on a bowl of cereal.  I noticed yesterday that there were 2 zuchinis ready and they're going into a lunchtime salad today.  Enjoy your day and find some creative time this weekend.  Your soul needs it.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Big Ornament for a Big Tree

     This is my final entry for Catch the Bug's Christmas in July challenges.  Today we have to "Pick a Present" each of which has a recipe to follow, and use a Bugaboo image.  My recipe is "Ribbon, Image, & Stitching."

I based this on the sketch from Cheerful Sketches.

     Santa is colored with ProMarkers and I added a bit of cotton to his face for his hair and beard.  The die I used to cut out the image is from Spellbinders.  The papers came from my Christmas stash and are so old I have no idea who made them but they could be either Bo Bunny or Authentique.  Either way, they are probably so old they aren't in stock any more.  :-D  Both  red ribbons were also in my stash.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps and More
Christmas Stampin' All Year Long
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas
DL.ART
Live and Love Crafts
Sweet Stamps
Winter Wonderland

     I hope you've had as much fun with Christmas this week as I have.   I have a few cards in my stash now that I won't have to rush around and do in December and will probably keep making one or two each week from this point forward.  That will give me what I need for the season when it finally arrives.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

You Are My Sunshine

     This post is all about the new challenge starting today at QKR Stampede with a theme of "You are My Sunshine," -- we want to see a sun on your cards.  It doesn't have to be in your image, just so there's something representing the sun in your design.  This stamp is "11401 Picking Flowers" by QKR Stampede.

     The fun part about this week is that each of the Designers has used the same image and you can't believe how different all the cards are!  Check out the QKR blog to see what I mean. Click on the link up in the first paragraph to get there.

     This time I colored with Copics because I have better yellows in my Copics collection.  The die cuts around the image are done with dies from QuicKutz and the sun is done with dies from Spellbinders.  I embossed the sun pieces with my 'Linen' folder.  The ribbons I used to tie the bows were both in my scrap stash.  The glittered flower is a die cut negative - the piece that falls out when you use the die.  The flower and the bow are the only embellies so the card is CAS despite the diecuts.

     Challenges:
CAS on Sunday
Corrosive Challenge
Crafty Girlz
Creative Card Crew
Digi Galore
Digistamps 4 Joy
Frosted Designs
Glitter n Sparkle
Going Grey with Scrap Creations
Happy Little Stampers
Inspiration Destination
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Natalie and Amy's
Oddball Art
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Ribbon Girl
Shabby Tea Room
Simon Says Stamp
Top Tip Tuesday

     I hope we're going to see you playing along in our "Sunshine" challenge this week.  Remember, you don't have to use a QKR Stampede image to enter but if you do, you'll be entered into a separate drawing just for QKR users and that significantly increases your chances of winning some wonderful new digi stamps.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Scrapper's Delight Birthday Girl

     Our new challenge starts today at Aud Sentiments and the theme is one everybody just loves, "Anything Goes."  Our great sponsor is Scrapper's Delights and they provided images for the DT to use.  My stash of birthday cards was getting low so this was a perfect image.

      I colored with my ProMarkers and used a die from Spellbinders to cut and frame it.  I mounted it onto a pre-made card blank from my stash and added the flower embellies.  Simple and very fast.  :-D

     Challenges:
Artistic Inspirations
Clear It Out
Crafty Friends
Creative Card Crew
Di's Digi Designs
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Melonheadz Friends
Path of Positivity
Scrapper's Delights
Simon Says Stamp

     I hope you'll come play with us this week.  How could you not love an Anything Goes theme?   Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie 

They Followed a Star

     Even this snowman knows that the Bethlehem star was a sign leading to the Reason for the Season.  This is the next card I've done in the week-long, Christmas in July challenge at Catch the Bug and again, I've used a Bugaboo Stamps image.

The theme at Catch the Bug today is this inspiration photo.

OK, so my snowman isn't basking in the tropics

but he's smart enough to know he'd melt.  :-D

     On this card, I decided it was time for something shabby and distressed so after coloring the image, I added a bit of glitter to the star and sparkle gel ink to the snowman, then I tore the image instead of using a die to cut it.  I curled the upper corner and found a bow of exactly the right color.

     The striped dp was a scrap left on my desk but I thought the colors worked.  I added glitter to the die cut flowers and backed them with a leaf die cut (Cheery Lynn.)  Distressed but simple.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
AAA Cards
ArtbyMiran
Come and Get It
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Boots
Dragon's Lair
Get Creative
Love to Scrap
Outlawz Colors
Stamplorations
Through the Craft Room Door
Whoopsi Daisy

     I have another post coming up right after this one for the new challenge over at Aud Sentiments.  I hope you stop by again to see it and even come play along with us.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Dear Santa, Define "Good"

     The week-long, Christmas-in-July challenge at Catch the Bug is more than half over and ends on Friday.  So far, I've managed to play each day and I only have two more to go.  I'm already working on a card for tomorrow but for Friday, I have to wait for the freebie image which will be posted that morning.  Today's theme is a Tic Tac Toe board and I did the first column; Bugaboo Stamps image, Funny sentiment, and Sparkly.

     I used my ProMarkers again then added glitter to the ornaments in the image for sparkle.  The ribbon has been in my Christmas stash for at least 3 years, although I've used it on several cards in that time and I still have a couple of yards left.  What I never noticed until I was editing the photograph is that the 'red' stripe down the middle of the ribbon can look green when turned the right way.  I guess it has to do with how the light strikes it.  Odd that I've never seen that before.

     I added the one red button to the upper corner to balance the 'weight' of the bow and pronounced this one finished.  :-D

     Challenges:
Card Mania
Chocolate, Coffee and Cards
Colour Your World
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas
Crafty Hazelnut's Extra
Creative Moments
Cutie Pie
Glory of Christmas
Kit and Clowder
Quirky Crafts
Sister Act

     I hope your week is going well.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Bluebird Airline

     OK, this card has nothing to do with Christmas.  In fact, it's a perfect statement about summer days, vacation journeys, and travel to summer places.   A nice break from the rest of the week which is overwhelmingly Christmas.  :-D  The image is from A Day for Daisies.

I used the sketch from Sketch Saturday.

     I decided on a Spotlight Technique and then colored the image with ProMarkers.  All the papers are from DCWV and the background paper is sparkly and embossed but it just doesn't show in the photo.  The ribbon has a sparkle to it and the pearl embellies are wonderfully shiny.  The butterfly is a Cheery Lynn die cut.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
Artistic Inspirations
Bunny Zoe's
City Crafter
Craft for the Craic
Crafty Catz
Crazy 4 Challenges
Crazy Challenge
Creatalicious
Dragonfly Dreams
Not Just Cards
Outlawz PAM
Robyn's Fetish
Scribbles Designs
Top Tip Tuesday
Vintage Stamping

     I'm off again and will be gone until late this evening.  Have a wonderful day and Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Santa Knows

     One more Christmas card in the stockpile and another entry in the Catch the Bug week-long Christmas challenge.  Today they have a recipe challenge: 1 ribbon or twine; 2 dp; 3 embellies.  This image is one of their Old World Santas.

     Colored with chalks this time and die cut with a die from Spellbinders.  The maroon mat (cut from a scrap) is also a Spellbinders' die cut but it was taller than the card dimensions so I cut it in half and overlapped it at the middle to shorten it to size.  The dp were both scraps in my Christmas stash.  The sentiment is mine; printed, hand cut, and matted and the 3 diamond shapes are metal brads.

     Challenges:
Come and Get It
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Friends
Hiding in My Craft Room
Just Add Ink
Love to Scrap
Outlawz Greetings
Really Reasonable Ribbon
Ribbon Girl
Scrapper's Delights
Sister Act
Sweet Stampin'

     Short and sweet again but it's a busy week for me with family commitments so the posts will be quick even if the cards aren't.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Merry and Bright

     One more card for the Catch the Bug week-long, Christmas in July challenge.  I'm trying to play each day and so far, I'm staying caught up.  Today they have a color challenge and this one was fun to do.

     The image is from Bugaboo Stamps (Edited to add:  I've been informed that this is an image from Paper Pretties but for some unknown reason, I had it saved in my folder of Bugaboo images.  My apologies to both companies.) and is colored with ProMarkers and die cut with a framing die by Spellbinders.  Mounted onto black CS.  The bow was originally white but I 'dyed' it with a marker.  Fast, simple, and CAS even though it looks much more complex because of the frame.

     Challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks
Inspiration Destination
Kitty Bee Designs
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Really Reasonable Ribbon
Sassy Studio Designs
Stempelsonnen

     That's it for today but tomorrow I may have two posts again.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Deck the Halls

     A second post today, too, because I'm playing again in the week-long, Christmas in July challenge at Catch the Bug and this time I've used their sketch as well as an image from Bugaboo Stamps.  This is an image with Fancy Sun Bonnet decorating for Christmas.  Isn't she just the sweetest thing?  She truly is one of my favorite Bugaboo Stamps characters.

Here's the sketch:

     I used my ProMarkers to color the image and added a bit of metallic gold and sparkle gel ink to the angel on top of the tree.  The image and the offset mat are die cut with a set of circle dies from QuicKutz.  The kraft pieces are die cut with dies from Spellbinders.  The ribbon is a left over scrap that was still in my stash.  Everything was mounted on a colored card base from DCWV.

     Challenges:
52 Christmas Card
613 Avenue Create
Art Impressions
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas
Digi Choosday
Emerald Faeries
Karleigh Sue's
Paper Creator's Crafts
Quirky Crafts
Ribbon Girl
Sparkles Forum Christmas

     Having waited until July to even start my Christmas cards and tags, playing each day in the Catch the Bug Christmas in July challenge will give me an additional seven cards and when you make up to 90 Christmas cards each year, every extra card helps.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Red Rose

     Have you ever made a card and then fallen in love with it so much you doubt you'll ever be able to give it away?   This card with the gorgeous red rose (image from Morgan's ArtWorld) is one of those for me.

     I know you must be asking yourself why the leaves are blue instead of green but the answer is very simple.  I wanted to try yet another card which used a red, white, & blue combo without it being a flag-waving, patriotic card.

     I also wanted a very CAS card so the image is printed directly onto the card front.  The image is colored with ProMarkers.  I added three score lines to the top of the card and one tiny die cut butterfly for embellishment.  Actually, the butterfly is a negative piece which drops out of a circular die by Spellbinders.  Whenever I use the die, I scoop up all of those negative butterflies and put them into a little drawer where I keep negative die cut bits for use on other projects.  This one was almost an exact match to the blue I used to color the leaves.

     The sparkly, metallic, twine in red and blue were things I bought on clearance and then just never used.  I think it's because I tend to use cotton twine or jute cord most of the time and my mind just doesn't think of glitz in connection with twine.   This card seemed to call out for some sparkle so the twine worked perfectly.  Besides, I got to clear something out of my stash.  :-D

     Challenges:
ArtbyMiran
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafty Time
Creative Card Crew
Digitally Sweet
Fan-Tastic Tuesday
Loves Rubber Stamps
Mod Squad
Natalie and Amy's
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Paper Sweeties
Stamping Boutique
Through the Craft Room Door
Time Out
Your Scrapbook Place

     I have to tell you that I cut open my first watermelon from my garden yesterday and it was so beautifully ripe, it just split open as the knife sliced the rind.  Juicy, flavorful, and like nothing I've tasted since childhood.  No store-bought watermelon can compare to one ripened in your own garden.   Now, aren't you jealous and don't you just crave a cool slice of watermelon?  :-D   Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Jingle All the Way

     I promised you another post today if I got this project done and I've just completed it.  Simple as it was, I had to wait for the glitter to dry and then it barely even shows in the photos.  Sigh...

     Catch the Bug and Bugaboo Stamps began it's annual, week-long, Christmas in July with a new challenge each day and I am going to try to play along each day between now and next Friday.

     Colored with ProMarkers and fussy cut by hand, then adhered to the card front with a little dimension.  Die cut border (Spellbinders) and one of those bows I make myself by the dozens.  Glitter on the die cut, in the "o" of each Ho Ho Ho, and on Santa's hat pom-pom and the placket of his jacket around the buttons.

     Challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks

Crafty Hazelnut's

Digi Choosday

DL.ART

House That Stamps Built

Just Add Ink

Male Room (Jingle Bells)

Paper Creator's Crafts

Sassy Studio Designs

Scrap and Craft

Sweet Stampin'

     Short and sweet but I want to get back to my book.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

It's Your Day!

     Today's card uses a freebie for the FB progressive challenge at My Whimsical Little World, which would have been perfect for a 4th of July celebration but I chose to use it as a birthday card.

I based this design on the Outlawz Sketch challenge

and I used colors from the inspiration photo 

at If You Give a Crafter a Cookie.

  

     I used pastels and ProMarkers to color the image, then die cut it with a Deckle Rectangle die from Spellbinders.  The sentiment was printed with a computer font, then also die cut.  The dp is a left over scrap from the 'Linen Closet' stack by DCWV, one of my long time favorites.  The stitched ribbon and the polka dot ribbon were both hiding in my stash, just waiting to be used.  I added the two little sequins as a bit of glitz on this otherwise pretty CAS card.

     Challenges:
Crafting with an Attitude
Digitally Sweet
Inky Impressions
Inspiration Destination
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Simply Papercraft
Sister Act
Sisterhood of Crafters
Wags n Whiskers

     That's it for now but I may have another post later today if I get the project finished.  I have a very lazy weekend planned, reading a book by James Patterson, and dawdling in the garden.  I picked my first watermelon (it's chillin' in the fridge) and the tomatoes have taken over the entire raised bed in which they were planted.  One plant is more than 4 feet wide now and I've been picking 3 to 4 tomatoes every day!  I can't eat that many myself so family and neighbors have been taking up the slack.  The bugs and field mice are getting their share, too!

     Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Fishing

     Fishing is one of those things I associate with summer and with my father.  When I was a child, I was the one who loved to get up early, before sunrise, and drive with my dad down to the beach and fish off the pier.  During the summers, we could go fishing not only on the weekends but even during the week because there was no school.  My dad had his own business and could often get away during the week, so summer fishing was special father-daughter time.

     This week at QKR Stampede, "Fishing" is the theme for our newest challenge.   I used Digi 16814 "Fishing Boy" for the image and half of Digi 16808 "Hooked on You" as the sentiment.   I wish I could find cute girl fishing images but most of them are boy images.  That's OK.  This is a favorite stamp anyway because it so reminds me of days fishing with my dad.  :-D

I used the sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches

turned sideways.

     I colored the image with ProMarkers, then used a die from Spellbinders to cut it.  I printed out the sentiment and hand cut it so that I could use only the "I'm Hooked" part of it.  It actually says, "I'm Hooked on You."  Wanting to keep the design simple, I used only ribbon and a double bow for embellishment.

     Challenges:
Artistic Inspirations
Crazy Challenge
Creative Card Crew
Creative Moments
Dragonfly Dreams
Great Impressions
I {heart} ProMarkers
Loves Rubber Stamps
Mod Squad
Not Just Cards
Outlawz CAS
Papertake Weekly
Pile It On
Ribbon Girl
Scrapy Land
Through the Craft Room Door
Top Tip Tuesday

     Come play with us this week.  Remember, you don't have to use a QKR stamp to play so you can dig out any of your stamps or digis that relate to "Fishing" and play along.  However, if you do use a QKR image (and there are so many really cute ones!) you'll be entered into a separate drawing for QKR users only, significantly increasing your odds of winning.  See you then.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Vintage Hat Stand

     Many years ago, I had the opportunity to go to Cambridge University in England as an exchange student.  While there, I found a small vintage clothing store and tucked away in a back corner was an area dedicated to lovely and wonderful Victorian hats.  I love hats and one of my great disappointments was growing up and living in an age when women no longer wear hats.  But if I had to choose a favorite destination of my lifetime, it would be all those walking trips which ended in the hat section of that lovely Vintage Clothing shoppe in Cambridge, England.

      All of that as an introduction to this wonderful image by Rick St. Dennis of a marvelous vintage hat on a stand, looking for all the world like it belongs in that little corner filled with hats.

I based this on sketch #273 from 

Sweet Sunday Sketches

(choose any previous sketch.)

     The image is colored with ProMarkers, die cut (Spellbinders) and 'stitched' with a pink gel pen.  The sentiment is also die cut and stitched.  The beautiful polka dot doily in the background is cut with a die from Cheery Lynn.  The papers are from BoBunny.

     I added white lace and pale pink ribbon (also stitched by hand) then added more stitching to the background and the doily with white gel ink.  The fancy bow is handmade with lace, folded over and wrapped with satin ribbon.  Finally, I added three tiny flower embelliey, glittered and adhered with little dots of craft glue.

     Challenges:
A Vintage Journey
Cheery Lynn Designs
Come and Get It
Craft and Smash
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafting Musketeers
Crafty Cardmakers
Crafty Hazelnut's
Get Creative
Love to Scrap
Outlawz PAM
Passion for ProMarkers
Really Reasonable Ribbon
Rick St. Dennis

     This week is going more quickly than I anticipated, but then the entire year is racing by.  How can it possibly be July already?  Tomorrow I'll have my regular Friday QKR Stampede DT card and then we slide right into another weekend.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Puppy Dog Tails...

     Any of you who have raised boys in your family are no doubt familiar with that phrase about Puppy Dog Tails.  This card I've done, using the freebie image for this month from the Outlawz Progressive Challenge, seemed just perfect for a card celebrating just being a boy.  Any time one of my boy kids (whether mine or one of the grands or great-grands) came in with an innocent look on his face (like this one,) I knew it was time to check all the pockets for frogs and lizards!
   

     The image is colored with chalk markers and then fussy cut, leaving the smallest possible white border.  I dug through the scrap bin and found the blue and the yellow CS.  The polka dot papers are from First Edition.  The twine came from The Twinery originally but I've had it in my stash for longer than I can remember.  Of course, I'm old so my memory may be shorter than I realize.  :-D

     Challenges:

613 Avenue Create

Artistic Inspirations

Catch the Bug

Chalk n Stock

Crafting from the Heart

Craft Your Passion

Crafty Friends

Glitter n Sparkle

Not Just Cards

Paper Nest Dolls

Scrappers Delight

Simply Papercrafts

Sister Act

Stamp and Create

     May the boys in your life come home with empty pockets!  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie 

Christmas Cottage

     Many of you will remember that I served on the DT of Tuesday Throwdown for more than 3 years and that was one of the best teams ever.  I love them dearly and have returned to the team.  I just couldn't stay away!  Thanks for letting me come back, ladies.  :-D

      A new challenge starts today and the challenge theme is "No Patterned Paper."  Our sponsor is Robyn's Fetish.  They gave us some wonderful images to use and I've finally done my first Christmas card for this year.

I chose the colors from Color My Heart

and did the house in kraft.

     I used my ProMarkers to color the image and then added some glitter to the snow.  I deliberately made the door red so that I could do a winter scene with the red, white, and blue combo so common to July challenge themes.   Of course, a red door is also perfect for Christmas scenes.

     I die cut the image (my first ever Spellbinders die set so pretty old) and layered it onto another die cut (QuicKutz.)  I cut the sentiment to match the scallops on the image cut.  The snowflakes are die cuts, also a set by Spellbinders.  I added pale blue glitter to them.  Everything is adhered to a solid-colored card front made from new CS I bought just last weekend.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Art Impressions
Brown Sugar
Christmas Stampin' all Year Long
Crafts 4 Eternity
Crafty Calendar (+ DT call)
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas
Crimbo Crackers
DL.ART Thankful Thursday
Emerald Faeries
Frosted Designs
Little Miss Muffet
One Stitch at a Time
Outlawz Coloring
Paper Creator's Crafts
Paper Sweeties
Quirky Crafts
Robyn's Fetish
Sassy Studio Designs (top row)
Winter Wonderland

     I hope you'll come play with us this week.  It's so much fun being back with Tuesday Throwdown and I'd love to see what you can create with no patterned dp.  :-D  NanaConnie

Little Nuts

     I know, I know, you think the title to this post is a self-proclaimed assessment of my mental state!  Actually, it's a perfect description of the sentiment and images on this card, and they both came from a set by Doodle Pantry. 

     This is a pre-colored image, die cut with a die from Spellbinders.  I sized the acorns image to be small and added it to the sentiment, then corner punched it to give it that shape.  The ribbon was in my stash and it was a left over.  The bow is one of those I make myself by the dozens, sewn together with a small pearl.  Another CAS design which pleases me greatly.  :-D

     Challenges:
Card Mania
Crafter's Cafe
Crafting with an Attitude
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafty Catz
Crafty Ribbons
Crafty Time
Digistamps 4 Joy
Digitally Sweet
Inspiration Destination
Jo's Scrap Shack
Natalie and Amy's
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrapy Land
Sisters of Craft
Word Art Weds.
Your Scrapbook Place

     See what happens when I don't post for an entire holiday weekend?  My list of challenges gets longer and longer.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Cuddly Bug

     A new challenge starts today at QKR Stampede and our theme is "For a Child."   I chose this charming and huggable little bug image from QKR (Digi 7601 "Happy Feet") and added the sentiment (Digi 15810 "Huggable".)

I used the sketch from Sunday Stamps.

     I  used my ProMarkers to color the image and then added the spots along the caterpillar's back with white gel ink.  Notice how nicely that complements the polka dots in the background dp and, at the same time, gives the illusion of light along his back?  

     I used a Spellbinders die to cut the image and another oval die to cut the wood grain dp.  The striped dp was a scrap rescued from the Deep 6 bin and the ribbon was also a left over scrap.  The sentiment is hand cut and matted, then hand cut again.  The leaf is cut with a die from Cheery Lynn (also a scrap) and I added the tiny flower, then glittered it for a tiny bit of sparkle.

     Challenges:

Addicted to Stamps (bottom row)

Cardz 4 Guyz (bug, bow)

Crafting by Designs

Crafting for all Seasons

Crafting with an Attitude

Crafty Ribbons

Crazy Challenge

Cuttlebug Mania

Die Cuttin' Diva

Inspiration Destination

Mod Squad

Outlawz Twisted Thurs.

Paper Shelter

Penny's Paper Crafty

Scrapy Land

Through the Craft Room Door

     Here it is, the end of a long week and this afternoon I get to catch up on house chores and grocery shopping.  That way, I can play all day on the 4th and even on Sunday, if I choose.  Come play with us in our challenge this week, won't you?  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Making a Splash with Mallards

     Have you ever started with a particular idea in mind for a card and then the card goes sideways during creation and becomes something else?  This card did that and the wonderful part is that I love it even more than my original idea!  Each time I look at it, I end up saying (to myself), "Whoa, yeah!  That's great!"  :-D

     This is my DT card for the July challenge at Pattie's Creations and the image is called "Mallards." Our theme this month is "Make a Splash" meaning that your image/project must have water.

     I started by coloring the image with my ProMarkers and I added a bit of opal glitter to the heads and tails of the mallards so that they would look a bit iridescent, the way actual mallard feathers are.  Then I was digging through all my dies and, at that point, I decided it would be fun to make this into a shaped card.  So I chose 3 of the dies from my set of octagons to cut the image, the mat, and the card base itself.  

     I used sparkly green ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon and then added a bow made from brown satin ribbon.  I dressed up the bow with pale green pearls and finally added the sentiment.

     Challenges:

Colour Your World

Craft-Dee BowZ

Crafting from the Heart

Craft Your Passion

Glitter n Sparkle

Love to Scrap

Melonheadz Friends

Not Just Cards

Outlawz Greetings

Paper Girls

Pink Elephant

Simon Says Stamp

     I'll have another post in just a few hours but this one had to post earliest.  Check back after 6:00 a.m. EDT for the new QKR Stampede Friday post.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Panda Greetings

     There's a new challenge starting at Aud Sentiments today and our theme is "Animals" (plus you need to have a sentiment on it.)  Our fabulous sponsor is Imagine That! and they supplied some wonderful images for us to use.  I fell in love with this Panda and the papers which I used (from that same set.)

     I used a sketch from the Outlawz,

and my colors came from Cupcake Inspirations.

        

     This is really pretty simple - the image, 2 papers (one cut like a washi strip), and three different kinds of flower embellies surround the small sentiment piece, but it's still very clean with lots of open space.  I'm playing with doing CAS with patterned dp instead of solid CS or just white.  To be honest, some I really like and others just lose the CAS feel.  This one, I really, really like!  :-D

     Challenges:

ArtbyMiran

Artistic Inspirations

Crafty Cardmakers

Craft Your Passion

Crazy 4 Challenges

Get Creative
Inky Chicks

Love to Scrap

Not Just Cards

Outlawz CAS

Send a Smile 4 Kids

Sister Act

Stamping Boutique

      I hope we're going to see you playing in the Aud Sentiments "Animals" challenge over the next 2 weeks.  All you need is an animal image and a sentiment.   :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Summer Fairy Garden

     I was honored when I was asked to join Inky Impressions as a Guest Designer during their challenge this week.  I love playing in their challenges so being able to participate as a GDT was wonderful !  The theme this week is "Pink and Girly" and I got to use this sweet 'Tree Stump Fairy' image from Inky Impressions.  This is classic summer fun if you're a fairy with a garden.  Just climb up on an old tree stump and talk to butterflies.  :-D

     The image is colored with ProMarkers, plus glitter gel ink on her wings, and then framed with a die cut from a Cheery Lynn die. The sentiment was printed with a computer font, then hand cut and matted with pink CS.   I added three glittered flowers to two of the corners and called it enough.  I didn't want to take away from the intricate beauty of that frame.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
A Gem of a Challenge
Brown Sugar
Come and Get It
Di's Digi Designs
Glitter n Sparkle
Graph' It
Kit and Clowder
Oddball Art
{Pin}spirational
Scribble & Scrap
Sister Act

     Put together something Pink and Girly and then come play with Inky Impressions this week, won't you?  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie