American Goldfinch

     My dear friend and blogging buddy, Teresa (who helped get the 2 Crafty Critter Crazies challenge started three and a half years ago), is a great artist.  The beautiful goldfinch on my card today was drawn by her and you can find it, along with other beautiful art works, in her new store over at TNT Artspirations.

     Over the upcoming weekend, I hope to have another post showing just how versatile this image really is.  Teresa drew it as a goldfinch, but I've also colored it as an oriole and as a meadowlark and you'd never know the image was meant as a finch.  I'll share those on Saturday or Sunday.

I used an archive sketch (#439) from Sketch Saturday

but flipped it side to side.

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut & matted w die from Spellbinders

Striped ribbon - Really Reasonable Ribbon

Sentiment printed & cut w Avery Elle die

Sequin for touch of shine

Card base is hand beached CS

     Challenges:

Cardz TV

Crafty Creations

Crafty Sentiments

Digi Choosday

Gem of a Challenge

I {heart} ProMarkers

Penny's Paper-Crafty

TTCRD

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Tulips and Pansies

      My post today is a "2 for 1" in that a new challenge starts today at QKR Stampede and another new one starts at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies , plus QKR Stampede is sponsoring the challenge at 2 CCC!  So, because I'm on the DT of each of those challenges, I've used the same card for both.  The image is from QKR's sister company, Eureka Stamps, and it's called "Tulip & Pansy Frame."

     By the way, as of this month, the challenge at QKR Stampede will now be twice per month, on the 1st and the 15th of each month, allowing you to enter two challenge each month instead of just one.     :-D

I was inspired by the sketch at Stella Says Sketch

but I flipped it side to side.

Colored w/ ProMarkers
'Out of the Box' technique to cut w/ QuicKutz die
Purple CS frame cut w/ CUTplorations die
Sheer yellow bow hand tied
Machine embroidered butterfly
Sentiment printed & hand cut
Satin & sheer ribbon scrap

     Challenges:
Arty Divas
Butterfly (coloring pens & orange)
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Creative Craft Cottage
Lemon Shortbread
Polkadoodles
Star Stampz
Word Art Weds

     I want to see you playing along with us at both 2 Crafty Critter Crazies (Anything Goes with a Critter) and at QKR Stampede (Anything Goes.)  Thanks for visiting my blog.    :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Crafty-holics!

     This was such a quick card, due mostly to the Art Impressions image being made into a sticker for easy assembly of the card.  The card base is pink CS, the purple ribbon is from  Really Reasonable Ribbon, and the bow was hand-tied using a bow maker.

     I know these ladies are having the time of their lives!   It makes me miss my crafting group horribly and I can't wait until we can all get together again.  I remember when the lock down started and we cancelled the first meeting, then the second, and finally we were saying, "Well, we'll try for the first week next month" and that was nearly 6 months ago!  We're all feeling like we've been imprisoned and penalized just because we breathe.  :-(

     And to think this is what we did for fun on all the hottest days of summer when staying inside in the air conditioning was the thing we desired most.  There were times when we'd meet 3 days in a row just to share the cool air and friendship of crafting together.  

     Challenges:

Aud Sentiments

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspirations

Creative Knockouts

Double Trouble

Lemon Shortbread

Outlawz Twisted Thurs

Paperbabe

Simon Says Stamp

     Find some fun in your life whether or not you need air conditioning today.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Quiet Snowman

     This snowman is enjoying the hushed, white, silence that comes to the meadow when gentle snow falls and covers the ground around him.  But he will wish you a Merry Christmas if you speak to him.  :-D

     The image is from A Day for Daisies and is one of my favorite snowmen although I've not used him for a couple of years.  I found him waiting in a folder of "to be colored" images and decided it was time for another Christmas card to add to the stash.  Every bit of paper on this card is a left over scrap including the CS on which I printed the snowman.

Colored with ProMarkers & glitter pen
Image cut w Spellbinders die
Frame is scrap of dp cut w Spellbinders
Aqua frame is CS scrap cut & embossed w Spellbinders
Sentiment printed and cut w Avery Elle die
Sequins added for a bit of bling

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas (Quiet)
All Fun
Christmas w the Cuties
Crafty Hazelnut's
     (snowman, snowflakes, sequins,snippets, sentiment, Spellbinders)
Gem of a Challenge
House that Stamps Built
Pixie's Snippets
Simon Says Stamp
Time Out
Word Art Weds

     Enjoy the rest of your weekend (for those of you who can still tell the difference between week day and weekend.)   Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Swing It, Baby

     I have a really quick & easy card to share with you today.  This funny little monkey is from Bugaboo Stamps and I think this is the first time I've ever used him.  It took me all of 5 minutes to color the image and cut it out.  The fussiest part was layering the scrap pieces of satin and mesh ribbon, and hand tying the bow.

     Bows are my favorite way to add ribbon to any card because they are easy to grab from the stash - no measuring or wrapping, just pop it on and it's done!  I do tie lots of bows at one sitting so that I have a good stash of them when I need them.  I also tend to use white ribbon for the bows and that way I can 'dye' them any color I  need.  I do that with a marker, usually one I've used in coloring the image, so that the bow color matches the image.

Colored w/ ProMarkers
Cut w/ Tutti Designs die
Ribbon scraps from Really Reasonable Ribbon
Background dp from scrap basket

     Challenges:
As You Like It
Catch the Bug
Creative Fingers
Cutie Pie
Dragonfly Dreams
House that Stamps Built
Outlawz SAR
Passion for ProMarkers
Simon Says Stamp

     Have a great weekend and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Sweet Treat

     I'm finally getting back to my Christmas cards.  I did really well making Christmas cards in July but since then, I think I've only made 1 or 2 and my goal has been to make at least 2 per week between now and November.
   
     Christmas cards are a priority in my crafting because I use between 15 and 20 for my own family and friends but I make an additional 75 to 80 every year which I donate to our local Senior Center for those seniors who can't get out to the Hallmark store to buy cards for their own families.  I'm trying to do even more this year because so many are isolated due to the lock down regulations.

     Today's card uses an image from Angie's Digital Stamps.  Isn't she a sweetheart?

Colored w/ ProMarkers
Cut w/ Spellbinders die
Scrap of lace added
Sparkle EP strip heat embossed on lace
Sentiment printed and hand cut

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Christmas w/ the Cuties
Colour Crazy
Crafty Hazelnut's 
Creative Knockouts
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Festive Fri
Time Out
TTCRD

      Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Generous Robin

     This is one of the funniest House Mouse stamps I own and I haven't used it in a couple of years, at least.  The whole idea of  very generous robin feeding baby mice is fun but add the factor of  "generous" baby mouse passing the food offer on to one of his brothers brings on pure laughter!

     I'm sending this to one of my grandsons who has two brothers.  I think he'll get a real kick out of it.  :-D

Colored w/ ProMarkers & gel pens
Cut with Tonic Studios die
Ribbons from Really Reasonable Ribbon
Gingham bow, hand-tied
Rhinestones

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Crafty Sentiments
Digi Choosday
Outlawz Festive Fri
Paperbabe
Paperminutes
Simon Says Stamp &...
TTCRD

     The weekend is right around the corner and I'm going to be focusing on all my First of the Month DT and Coordinator obligations because, believe it or not, September is almost here.  Then, next weekend is Labor Day here in the USA and by that time, all the rush will be behind me and I can just play and craft and visit my favorite blogs (something I haven't had time to do for a couple of weeks and I apologize.)

     In the meantime, Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Music in His Pocket

     If this isn't the best image of today's teenage boy, I don't know what is.  A music player in his back pocket, earbuds in his ears, and a cell phone in his hands.  If this is one particular teen I know, he's watching a basketball game streamed live to his tiny screen, and in a normal year, he might even be waiting for waiting for the bus to take him home after his first day back at school.  ;-D

     The image is from Mo's Digital Pencil.

I used colors from Color My Heart Color Dare

(diagonal from left bottom to right top 

+ Glacier, Espresso, & Peach)

Colored w/ ProMarkers
Cut w/ QuicKutz die
Edges inked w/ inkpad
Ribbons from Really Reasonable Ribbon
Sentiment printed and cut w/ QuicKutz
3 metal brads
Card base is metallic CS

     Challenges:
All Fun
Aud Sentiments
C.R.A.F.T.
Ike's World
Paperbabe
Paper Funday
Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie 

"Chikin" Dinner

     My family has friends whose autistic son is utterly mad about one of the nationwide food chains which serves 'chikin' and has had an entire, years-long, advertising campaign which features cows encouraging people to "eat mor chikin."  One of the things his mom does it to give him cards every few days and I'm constantly looking for images (sometimes photos) which I can use to make cards for her.

     When I saw the latest image for this month's Progressive Challenge at LeAnn's World, called "Aaryn," I knew he'd make a perfect card for her to give to Jacob.

Colored w ProMarkers
Cut w Tonic Studios die
Ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon
Card front embossed w Linen EF
CAS design

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Colour Crazy
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Fingers
Creative Inspirations
Cute Card Thurs
Outlawz Festive Fri
Paper Girls
Polkadoodles

      In addition to that card, I found this advertising photo of one of the Cows leading cheers in one of the restaurants but, thinking of the current state of affairs, I added a mask to the cow, found some scraps of dp, printed an appropriate sentiment, and voila', one more card!      :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Firefly Night

     My apologies again for another late post but it's been quite a weekend with my grandson in the ICU with diabetes-related problems and blogging just wasn't my priority.  Things are better and thank you for your prayers.

     This morning, I want to share with you a DT card I did for Pammie's Inky Pinkies using a cute image from our sponsor, Star Stampz, called "Fireflies."

Colored w water colors & pencils
Glitter on the fireflies
Cut w Unbranded, stitched die
Gold glitter-paper frame
Gold sparkly ribbon
White signature bow w pearl
Sentiment cut w Impression Obsession die

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time...
Aud Sentiments
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Creative Moments
Outlawz Festive Fri
Scribbles Designs
Simon Says Stamp
World Wide Open

     I hope we're going to see you at our challenge this week.  Always "Anything Goes" and you can enter up to 3 times.  We love being inspired by your creations.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Sunflower Birthday

     I'm totally in love with the newest sunflowers from Conie Fong.  Her new 'Gnome' set, released a couple of weeks ago, featured a gnome holding a large sunflower, and Conie took that potted sunflower and did an entire set which she has called "Sunflower in a Pot."  :-D  I used one of the secondary sunflowers and one of the sentiments from that set to make this fun birthday card.

Colored w/ ProMarkers
Sunflower fussy cut w/ scissors
Mounted on dimensional dots
Score lines made using Scor-Pal board
Score lines marked w/ Zig markers
Sentiment & frame cut w/ Unbranded dies

     Challenges:
All Fun
Angie's Digitals
Artsy Stampers
Arty Divas
Creative Knockouts
Double D
I {heart} ProMarkers
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scor-Pal
Word Art Weds

     Sorry that today's post is both late and short.  My 13 year old grandson, a Type 1 diabetic, is in the Pediatric ICU with extreme ketone levels which have to be medically lowered and it's a slow process.  He's been there nearly 24 hours and it will be at least mid-afternoon before they will consider releasing him.  Needless to say, my mind really isn't on blog posts today.  :-D

     Nonetheless, Happy Crafting to all of you.  NanaConnie

Sleeping Dragon

     It's time for the next Progressive Challenge at Limited Runs and this time we get to work with this delightful sleeping dragon, which my granddaughter will love!  I decided to use my favorite color combo of purple and aqua.  Everything on this card was made from scraps, including the CS on which the image was printed.

Inspired by the sketch at Sweet Sketch Weds, 

flipped top to bottom.

Colored w/ ProMarkers & glitter
Cut w/ Dare2BArtzy die
Oval die from QuicKutz
Rounded corners cut w/ Fiskars punch
White ribbon Really Reasonable Ribbon
Gingham bow, hand-tied
Papers = scraps from the basket
Sentiment printed, hand cut, & matted

     Challenges:
Arty Divas
Crafty Friends
Crafty Sentiments
Dare 2B Artzy
Digi Choosday
Dragonfly Dreams
Lil Patch of ...
Passion for ProMarkers

     Have yourself a great weekend and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Basketball Benny

     I know most of you are used to lovely women, cute girls, fab flowers, and cuddly animals from Conie Fong but she has some wonderful boys, too!  Here's "Basketball Benny" and I adore him.   Not only can you get him by himself (in both right and left facing versions), but you can also get him in a bundle with "Skateboarding Benny" for a mere 25 cents more!

     This is a 4" x 4" card and the image is about 2.75" high.  Just wanted you to know how small it was for coloring.  I do adore the ultra fine tips for ProMarkers but they are getting harder and harder to find.  Anybody else know of a resource for them?  :-D

Colored w/ ProMarkers
Image, sentiment, & mats cut w/ QuicKutz dies
Everything mounted onto kraft card base
Hand tied bow
CAS for masculine card

     Challenges:
Crafty Sentiments
Creative Inspirations
Cutie Pie
I {heart} ProMarkers
Ike's World
Outlawz Color
Outlawz Greetings
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Simon Says Stamp
TTCRD

     You still have time to come play with us in either of our two challenges this month; coloring only and completed projects.  You do have to use a Conie Fong image but entering means you could win additional Conie Fong images and how great would that be?

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Naughty Giraffe

     I have a dear friend who adores giraffes (and who is kind enough to also adore the cards I make for her!) and she collects them in all forms.  When I saw this poem, I knew it described her love of giraffes perfectly.  I've already mailed this card to her so it's safe to post it here today.

Colored w/ ProMarkers
Image & mat cut w/ Tonic Studios die
Plaid dp cut w/ Tonic Studios
All papers are scraps
Baker's twine in 2 colors

     Challenges:
Bastel-Traum
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Crafters
Creative Inspirations
I {heart} ProMarkers
Papercraft
Paper Shelter
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Simon Says Stamp
World Wide Open

     I hope this one brought a smile to your face today and thanks for visiting.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Botanical Orchid

     We're mid-way through the August challenge over at Jan's Digi Stamps and I've done this card for the mid-way reminder.  I used Botanical Orchids for this sympathy card.  I almost never make sympathy cards until they are needed and at that point, they are so hard to make.  But this image from that particular set, which is really a secondary image, just seemed to lend itself to a generic sympathy card.

Colored w ProMarkers
Image cut with QuicKutz die, edges inked
Ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon
Quadruple loop, hand-tied bow - sheer ribbon
Raindrop gem + 3 mini gems

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time
Artsy Stamper
Colour Crazy
Crafty Sentiments
Creative Craft Cottage
Creative Crafters
Digi Choosday
Dream Valley
Polkadoodles
TTCRD

     You have until September 6 to play in our challenge and our theme is always Anything Goes so come join us.  We love being inspired by you.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Witches on Broomsticks

     In this miserable, record-breaking, heat wave, you may not realize that the spooky, chilled night of  Halloween is right around the corner, card-making-wise.   But I'm on it!  I think this is my second Halloween card of the season and I have at least 3 more images printed and waiting.  :-D

     This image is an old one from Angie's Antics.  I haven't seen anything new from her in quite a long time so they may be out of business altogether.  But their stuff is always fun, regardless.

I used colors from My Favorite Things.

Colored w/ ProMarkers and blending chalks
Cut w/ QuicKutz die
Polka dot ribbon from RRR
Mounted onto black card base

     Challenges:
Arty Divas
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Crafty Creations
Gem of a Challenge
Lil Patch of ...
Paper Funday
Polkadoodles

     Thanks for visiting and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Hyacinths

     Hyacinths are some of my favorite flowers, both for the garden and as 'forced' blooms in a kitchen window.  My card today has a vintage image of hyacinths, printed in gray scale, and colored by hand.  It came from an old magazine (really old, specifically "The Garden Journal" November, 1920) and I scanned it, saved it as a jpg file, then printed it and adjusted the size to fit what I wanted for my card.

Colored w/ ProMarkers
Image cut w/ Spellbinders die
Shaped card base cut w/ QuicKutz die
Butterfly cut w/ Cottage Cutz die
Signature bow w/ pearl

     Challenges:
Art Sandbox
Arty Divas
Colour Crazy
Creatalicious
Die Cut Divas
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Passion for ProMarkers
Star Stampz
TTCRD

The Train Home

     Remember those days when we all took a vacation trip in the summer?  When we got to go somewhere distant and special?  Some place other than our own back yard which is what most of us have been seeing this summer when we wanted an 'excursion' into the unknown.  What I really loved was being able to come home on some form of transportation which wasn't the same as our every day transports of automobiles!

     I'd love to be taking this vintage train home from some far reaching vacation destination as the summer was ending.

Image source unknown
Colored w/ blending chalks
Image & mat cut w/ Tonic Studios dies
Paper are all scraps
Card corners cut w/ Fiskars punch

     Challenges:
Allsorts
Cardz TV
Catch the Bug
Colour Crazy
Creative Fingers
Gem of a Challenge
Lil Patch of ...
Outlawz Stash
Polkadoodles
Stamping Sensations

     That's all I have for this weekend but I'll be back in the morning with another card.  In hte meantime, Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

One of Those Days

     It's the 15th of August, middle of the month, and I just want to give you a reminder that our monthly "Anything Goes" challenge is still going at QKR Stampede.  This fun and funny Eureka Stamps image (sister company to QKR) is called "Rainy Day Duck" and while he's not really depicting those rainy days which return in the fall, I did use autumn colors.  The image reminds me of the poor soul in the comics who seems to wander around under a dark cloud. :-D

     Personally, out here in California, we'd love to have a rain cloud or two right now!  We'd call it the perfect kind of "summer fun!"  We had temperatures at 101F for the first four days of this week, then 105F yesterday, predicted for 107F today, and at least another 10 days with predicted temps as much as 10 degrees above normal, so well above 100F to come.  I'm staying indoors to craft happily in the air conditioning.  :-D

Colored w/ ProMarkers
Cut w/ Tonic Studios die
Sentiment printed and cut w/ Avery Elle die
Raffia twine bow
Everything framed with black CS
CAS design

     Challenges:
All Fun
Allsorts
Angie's Digitals
Catch the Bug
Colouring in Scrapland
Crafty Friends
Gem of a Challenge
Paper Girls
Simon Says Stamp
Stamping Sensations

     You still have plenty of time to enter our challenge this month so come play along.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Curly Piglets Birthday Party

     If you were a cute, pink piglet and it was your first birthday, wouldn't you be just a little bit "piggish" about smearing frosting and cake all over your fingers, face, and anything else within reach?  Yep, I thought so.  I think this is a perfect 1st Birthday card for either boy or girl.  I love mixing blue with pink when I want a card that will work for either gender.

     The images are from the Curly Piglet set by Conie Fong and I merged two of the three images available in that set.

Colored w/ ProMarkers
Cut w/ Unbranded die
Corner punched w/ Fiskars punch
Pink satin ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon
White ribbon w/ sparkle from stash
Hand-tied, double loop bow

     Challenges:
Arty Divas
As You Like It
Aud Sentiments
Creative Inspirations
Cute Card Thurs
Digi Choosday
I {heart} ProMarkers
Inspired By
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Greetings

     Don't forget we have two challenges every month on the FB page for Conie Fong; one is for Colored Images only and the other is for Finished Projects.  Both require the use of a Conie Fong image but her images are just so sweet and cute, how can you resist them?  Dig out some of your Conie Fongs and come play with us.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie