With Sympathy

     Today I have a sympathy card to share.  I rarely make these ahead of time because I prefer that they have a personal touch, something which I think fits the person or situation.  This one I did for a friend who loves CAS and whose favorite color is blue.

     The image is from A Day for Daisies and I colored it with ProMarkers.  I cut it with my largest QuicKutz rectangle die, inked the edges, and added it to the front of the card blank.  No embellishments, just a very CAS design which I know she'll appreciate.  A favorite of mine, too, because they are designed to be mailed and this one is in the mailbox already.

     Challenges:
ARTastic
As You Like It
Cardz TV
Dream Valley
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Festive Fri
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
TTCRD
Word Art Weds.

     Be sure to stop by tomorrow to see my latest DT card for QKR Stampede.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Halloween Wrap Up

     I think this will be my last Halloween card but I'm not promising.  I keep finding other adorable images which somehow make their way into my collection and they just cry out to be used.  This darling little bear mummy from Di's Digi Designs is one of those.  :-D

     I used ProMarkers to color the image and water color paints for the evening sky, moon glow, and ground.  Both the kraft card base and the image piece were die cut (QuicKutz) to give them lacy edges.  Despite the visual effect of that, this is still a very CAS design - 1 image put on top of a card base.  No ribbon, no flowers, no buttons, no twine, no embellishments except the witch which actually becomes part of the overall image.

     The full moon with the witch is one of those die cut, foam, circles (QuicKutz) which I stamped with the flying witch.  I made half a dozen or more of them at the beginning of the fall season and I think I've used 2 or 3 of them.  If I don't use the rest, I'll hang onto them for next year.

     I printed the sentiment, hand cut it, and matted it with a tiny scrap of dp before adding it to the card.

     Challenges:
AAA Cards
A Gem of a Challenge
Angie's Digital Stamps
Aud Sentiments
Cupcake Inspirations
Cut It Up
Double Trouble (all 3)
Dragonfly Dreams
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Greetings
Paper Girls
Unicorn

     Thanks for stopping by and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Keeping Warm with Gratitude

     I've become so hooked on the images at All Dressed Up and my Wish List for these long-legged gals is growing each week!   Today I used an image called "All Wrapped Up" so it was perfect for a fall card.  I turned it into a Thanksgiving card with the sentiment.

I used colors from House of Cards.

     I think this is a pretty simple design but one with lots of visual interest.  I started by coloring the image with my ProMarkers, then cut it with an Unbranded, oval die.  I had a scrap of plaid paper in my autumn stash and grabbed it for the card front.

     While searching for the dp, I came across the silk leaf and knew it would make a perfect textural piece.  So, I adhered it to the plaid paper, then layered on the image oval, using dimensional tape.  I printed the sentiment, matted it, and used more dimensional tape to mount it onto the card.

     Challenges:
Bastel-Traum
Crafts Dreamy
Crafts Galore Encore
Cupcake Inspirations
Cute N Crafty
Die Cut Divas
Double Trouble
Pammie's Inky Pinkies

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

Forest Witch

     It seems that even the woodland animals celebrate Halloween!   Over the weekend, I shared a card showing how the fairies disguise themselves as toadstools to avoid the witches and goblins on Halloween but today I'm sharing another delightful image from Ching-Chou Kuik showing a gentle witch of  the woodlands.  I guess not all of them are scary or dangerous.  At least, the squirrels aren't afraid.  :-D

I used colors from Outlawz Colors.

     I colored the image with ProMarkers and did the sky and ground with water colors.  I cut the image with an Unbranded oval die.  The purple piece is a CS scrap, cut into a rectangle with a simple die from Spellbinders, then framed with a Bo Bunny die cut piece, also a scrap.  Everything was layered onto a scrap of orange CS, including the sentiment, and that layered piece was put onto a kraft card base. 

     I added mesh for texture, then found a scrap of purple ribbon which I wrapped around the card front.  I tied the purple, gingham check, ribbon into a bow and added it on top of the sheer ribbon.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jo's Scrap Shack
Pile It On
{Pin}spirational
Pixie's Snippets
Stamping Sensations
Unicorn

     How can we be halfway through October already?   My daughter's birthday is just around the corner and I haven't even thought about doing a card for her.  OMGosh, I'd better get going on that one!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Anniversary Flowers

     Good afternoon and I'm so glad you stopped by again.  I'm sharing my DT card for the newest challenge at World Wide Open DT.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" and Julia Spiri is our sponsor.  This beautiful image is called "Wedding Flowers" and I thought it would make a fabulous anniversary card.

     In keeping with the fall season, I chose autumn colors and colored the image with ProMarkers.  I fussy cut the flowers with scissors, then inked the edges with a ProMarker.  I cut a background piece of dp with a stitched die from Die-namics, and heat embossed the corner with glittered embossing powder.

     I put that onto dimensional dots and added it to the card front, then did the same with the image piece, adding still more dimension.  The sentiment was printed, hand cut, and was inked on the edges before adding it to the image background.

     My final touch was to hand tie a bow using satin ribbon and I added a tiny, diamond-shaped, shank button off of a doll's cape.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps
Cardz TV
Crafty Catz
Dragonfly Dreams
Dream Valley
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Festive Fri
Outlawz PAM
Stamping Sensations
Take It, Make It

   Come play with us this month, won't you?   Anything goes and you could win as many as 3 wonderful images from Julia Spiri!   Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Sasayaki Witch

     I'm finally getting my card made for the Progressive Challenge at Sasayaki Glitter.  The image is one of the most adorable witches this season.  :-D

     I colored with ProMarkers, then cut the image with a Bo Bunny die.    I matted the image with a wonky stitched die from CUTplorations.   I printed the sentiment, hand cut it, and matted it with a scrap of purple CS.

     The jack-o-lantern doily is die cut from glittered paper and the Happy Bat die cut was sent to me by my friend, Christi, who loves Halloween almost as much as I do.  :-D  Thanks so much, Christi!

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Angie's Digital Stamps
Crafty Friends
Cute N Crafty
Cutie Pie
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Greetings
Path of Positivity
Whoopsi Daisy

     I'll have a second post today in the early afternoon (my time) featuring my DT card for the World Wide Open DT Challenge.  Be sure to stop by and see what's happening with our newest challenge.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Autumn Leaves

     Well, it's definitely that time of year - the leaves are falling and covering the yard, and we must now rake them into piles and haul them off in bushel baskets.  Of course, the kids will have to jump into one or more of the piles before any such project can be finished.  Sorry, but it's one of the immutable laws of autumn.  :-D

     I'm celebrating that with a lovely image from the Autumn Beauty set by Sparkle N Sprinkle.  I wanted to give you a link to the image but I can't locate the set in the store, in either rubber or digital.  :-(

     I colored with my ProMarkers and polychromos pencils, then cut the image with a stitched, scalloped die from Memory Box.  I used another die from that same set to cut the harvest gold mat for the image.  The sentiment is from that same set, printed onto a scrap, then I cut it with the die and trimmed it into a pie shape since the scrap was too small to be a full circle.

     I used a border die from Poppy Stamps to cut the curved line in a piece of antique yellow CS.  I added a scrap of polka dot dp (SU) which had also been cut with that same border die only this time it wasn't punched along the border.

     Everything was layered onto a burgundy card base.  My final touch was to embellish it with a hand-tied bow made from sheer ribbon and 'dyed' with a ProMarker.  I added the button to the middle of the bow and called the project finished.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps
Cardz TV
Crafty Calendar
Crafty Friends
Creative Fingers
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz SAR
Polkadoodles
Stamping Sensations

     I'm heading back to the craft room to see what other damage I can do to my stash of supplies.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Hiding on Halloween

      This is my second post for today so be sure to scroll down one post to see what I did for my GDT spot at Colour Crazy.

     Today we start a new challenge at QKR Stampede and we have our usual "Anything Goes" theme.   I've done another Halloween card and used a QKR image called "Hiding."  I'm not sure if it's the hound or the jack-o-lantern that's hiding from the evil witch flying across the moon but they both look a bit nervous.  :-D

     I used ProMarkers to color the image, then cut it with a Memory Box, stitched die.  I layered that onto pumpkin-gold CS and put that onto the white card front.  I wrapped orange, gingham ribbon around the card front, tied it, trimmed the tails, and added the witch which was stamped onto a die cut, foam, circle so that she'd look like she was flying across a full moon.

     I know this is another CAS card but I prefer them to fancy cards because so many of my cards have to go in the mail.  I rarely make heavily embellished cards for that very reason.  Although this one has a few embellishments, it's still flat, light weight, and will easily fit into an envelope.

     Challenges:
Art Impressions
As You Like It
Aud Sentiments
Creative Moments
Cute Card Thurs
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds
Mod Squad
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrappy Land
That's Crafty!

     That's it for today and I wish you Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Toadstool Halloween

     This is my first post for today and I'll have a second one in a few hours.  Be sure to check them both.

     I'm excited to be back for another three month term as a Guest Designer at Colour Crazy.  This week our sponsor is Ching-Chou Kuik and our theme is always Anything Goes.  I've used a magnificent Toadstool Fairy image to make a too-cute-to-spook, Halloween card.

      I've heard that on Halloween, woodland fairies costume themselves as toadstools to fool the witches and goblins, and to keep themselves safe.  I think this image is proof the old wives' tale is true!

     I colored with ProMarkers and used a die from Tonic Studio to cut the image.  The cross-stitched rectangle was cut with a die from Lawn Fawn and the rectangle behind it was cut with another Tonic Studio die.  I cut the butterfly and the dragonfly with a die from Cottage Cutz.

     The polka dot ribbon was in my stash and seemed to work well with the Halloween colors mix.  I added tiny, metal brads to the bodies of the bugs, then printed, hand cut, and matted the sentiment.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps & More
Ching-Chou Kuik
Crafty Creations
Creative Inspirations
Creative Knockouts
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Words to Craft By

     Be sure to come and play along this week.  Because we are a coloring challenge, you are required to color something (can't use pre-colored images) but that's the only requirement.  Come play.  We're having fun!   Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Grateful for Family

     Any day is a good day to be grateful for family but I'm going to use this card as one of my Thanksgiving cards next month.  I love these darling tiger cubs, an image from Morgan's Art World.

     I colored the cubs with ProMarkers, then cut the image and distressed the edges.  I added velvet ribbon wrapped across the bottom of the image, and layered on the sentiment.  I made the card base out of kraft CS and found the yellow polka dot dp in my scrap stash.  I distressed the edges and then added a vertical strip of dp in lieu of another ribbon.  That strip has four different pattern bands so it looks like four strips but it's only one.  I'm pretty sure both of the dp came from DCWV.

     I made the burlap string bow by wrapping the string around pegs on my bow maker which were set about an inch apart.  I wrapped about 10 times, then took a short strip of beige seam binding and wrapped it around the middle, gluing it with craft glue and holding it in place with a tiny clothespin until it dried. 

     I've made those bows before but this is the first time I used my bow maker and it's so much easier to get the middle piece wrapped around the burlap strings!  I know I'm going to be making a lot more of these, at least until I run out of the string.  :-D

     Challenges:
ARTtastic
Country View Crafts
Craft-Dee BowZ
LeAnn's World 101
Let's Craft and Create
Paper Nest Dolls
Scribble Designs
Sunny Day Crafts
Sunsational Stamps

     That's all I have for today but I'll see you again tomorrow for my regular Friday DT card at QKR Stampede.  Tomorrow, you'll also see a DT card for Colour Crazy where I'm serving another three month GDT spot.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Scarecrow and Bird

     I've been revisiting my collection of Whimsy Stamps and I can't believe how many I have that I'd forgotten.  So it's time to bring them back and let them see daylight again.  :-D  Today, I'm letting this darling scarecrow with his bird friend enjoy the spotlight.  It's been at least 4 years since I used him (hanging head in shame.)

     I colored him with ProMarkers, then used a die from Tonic Studios to cut the image.  I inked the edges with a stamp pad.  Next, I printed the sentiment and used a Gina Marie die to cut it.  I used the same stamp pad to ink the edges of it.

     The geometric background design was cut with a Memory Box die and I laced glittery, gold, ribbon through one side of it.  I layered that piece onto honey gold CS, then added the image and the sentiment, and put it all onto the card blank.

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Creative Inspirations
DL.ART
Double D
Ellibelles's Crafty Weds.
If You Give...a Cookie
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Quick Quotes
Scrappy Land

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Things that Go Bump in the Night

     Oooo, creepy things abound in the fall like witches and ghosts, and the harvested pumpkins are about to put on their jack-o-lantern faces!  I'm delighted to be a Guest Designer for Through the Craft Room Door this week.  Their theme is always "Anything Goes" and this week the sponsor is Bugaboo Stamps.  I used this fun Halloween image from Bugaboo, "Scene It Halloween Witch."

     I colored with ProMarkers and cut the image with a cross stitch die from Lawn Fawn.  I printed the sentiment and cut it with another Lawn Fawn die.  Everything went onto an embossed card front.  I wanted a very CAS design to showcase the image.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Brown Sugar
Catch the Bug
Crafty Friends
Cupcake Inspirations
Cute N Crafty
Di's Digi Designs
Hiding in My Craft Room
Lawn Fawnatics
Send a Smile 4 Kids

     Hope to see you playing along at Through the Craft Room Door this week.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Amaryllis Sprite

     I am just mad about most of the 'sprite' images drawn by Mitzi at AuroraWings and this Amaryllis Sprite is no exception.  I've had her for a while and this is the first chance I've had to use her for a Christmas card.  I remember my mom had amaryllis bulbs planted in her garden and each year at Christmas time, they gave a huge pop of color to an otherwise hibernating plant bed.  I guess when I see amaryllis, they will always mean Christmas to me.

     I colored with ProMarkers and added highlights with gel ink before cutting the image with a Memory Box die.  The sentiment came from QKR Stampede and it's cut with another die from that same Memory Box set.  I inked the edges of both die cuts with ProMarkers.

     The red background paper is from my Christmas stash and I have no idea who made it.  I found that scrap of sheet music, tore the edges a bit more, and added it to the background.  The bow was tied using burlap ribbon.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps & More
Crafty Creations
Creative Fingers
Outlawz Festive Friday
Paper Shelter
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrappy Land
Simon Says Stamp
Winter Wonderland

     Thanks for visiting and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Halloween Silhouette

     I love silhouette images, whether rubber or digi, because you can get so much interest by manipulating the background.  This particular Halloween silhouette is from Bugaboo Stamps and, since Catch the Bug's theme is "Anything Goes" this week, what could be better?

     Before I printed the image, I used chalks to make the ombre paper and then used a warm gray, extra-fine point, ProMarker to write out the sentiment.  I used the chisel tip of that same ProMarker to make the borders around the ombre.  I was delighted that it came out looking like two layers of card stock.  It helped when I drew pencil lines around the ombre square.

     In order to make sure the placement was going to be correct, I printed the image onto plain copier paper, adjusting it so that it would be at the bottom of the card front, folded the tent card so that the blank part was at the back, and figured out where the sentiment would be printed on the actual card.  It took a bit of planning but it worked.

     After everything was printed, I added the hand-sewn bow and called it finished.  So, there you are - a Halloween card with a tail on the cat, wings on the bat, and wicked smiles on the pumpkins.  What could be spookier?

      Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Allsorts
Aud Sentiments
Brown Sugar
Cardz TV
Cute Card Thurs
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Festive Friday
Pattie's Creations

     Enjoy the other half of your weekend, or maybe a little more than half depending on whether or not you are celebrating Columbus Day on Monday.  Either way, find some creative time just for you.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Blessings on Thanksgiving

     Today I'm sending Thanksgiving wishes to all my blogging friends who live in Canada since they are celebrating their Thanksgiving this weekend.  That lovely image comes from Beccy's Place.

     The pumpkin and vine are colored with ProMarkers and the highlight spots on the berries are done with gel ink.  Both plaid papers came from my stash of scraps so don't ask me who made them. 

     Once the image was colored, I fussy cut it with scissors and mounted it on Pop Dots.  I layered the papers onto the card front, then added the pumpkin image.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, then adhered it to another, rather tiny, scrap of CS which has embossed stripes on it and is glittery.

     My final touch was the accordion-fold bow which is made from scraps of fabric.

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Crafting with Friends
DL.ART
Double D
If You Give... a Cookie
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Sasayaki Glitter
Take It, Make It

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Ebony and Ivory

     One more quick post this morning because I want to share with you a card I made for my granddaughter, the proud human 'mama' to these two fur babies, appropriately named "Ivory" and "Ebony."   I know this will go into her keepsakes and she'll love looking at it after they are fully grown.

     This is a different kind of creation for me because, instead of a hand colored image, it features an actual photograph.

     Challenges:
Crafting by Designs
Outlawz Songs & Rhymes
{Pin}spirational
SUYP Cats
Word Art Weds.

      Have yourself a great Friday and think about the weekend.  It'll be here in a few more hours!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Halloween Party

     Happy Friday and happy new challenge over at QKR Stampede.  Of course, I have another Halloween card to share today because QKR has some of the cutest jack-o-lantern and ghost images ever.  Any time you get three or more jack-o-lanterns together, it just naturally turns into a party.  Add a ghost or two and it must be a Halloween party!  lol  I used this delightful QKR image, "Halloween Fun."

I was influenced by the marvelous autumn colors 

in the inspirational photo at House of Cards.

     I colored with ProMarkers and Studio 71 markers, then die cut the image with a double stitched die from Die-namics.  I used a piece of heat embossed and glittered, polka dot, CS for the background, cutting it with the same Die-namics die and then inlaid the image into it.  I distressed the corners with chalks.

     The diamond texture ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon and I layered the sentiment onto it.  The bow was tied from lace ribbon, wrapped with satin ribbon, and 'dyed' orange with a ProMarker.  Everything was layered onto a kraft card base.

     Challenges:
A Perfect Time to Craft
Classic DT Open
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafty Hazelnut's
Die Cut Divas
Do Al(l) Creatives
Joy Claire
LeAnne's World 101
Morgan's ArtWorld

     Come play with us this week.  It's always Anything Goes and there's no requirement to use a QKR Stampede image.  However, if you do use one (or an image from our sister company, Eureka Stamps) your entry will go into a completely separate draw and that increases your chance of winning by a huge amount!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Birthday Freesias

     We are starting the October challenge at Crafting with an Attitude where our theme is always "Anything Goes."  This month, we're sponsored by SheepSki Designs (and I'm honored to be part of that DT also!)  I chose to use this beautiful "Freesia Vase" image.

I decided to use colors from the Tic Tac Toe challenge

at Color My Heart's Color Dare.

I chose the bottom row.

     I colored with ProMarkers, then fussy cut the image.  The background pink and white 'mat' is cut with dies from Spellbinders and they are inset into each other.  I mounted the image onto dimensional tape and added it to the mat.

     All of that went onto peacock CS which was trimmed to fit the card base. The only embellishment I added were the two sets of three tiny pearls on the two diagonal corners.  I wanted it as simple as possible to showcase that gorgeous flower image.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
Country View 
Crafting with Friends
Dream Valley
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Festive Friday
Outlawz Greetings
Pammie's Inky Pinkies

     We hope to see you playing along in our challenge this month.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Witch Way?

     I absolutely adore this little witch from Fabrika Fantasy!   I have all my Halloween cards done  and ready to mail but there are so many Halloween themed challenges that pop up in October, I can't resist making more cards.  I guess I'll have plenty made for next year.  Or maybe I'll just donate them to the local hospitals for the kids.

I decided to base my design on the sketch 

at The Outlawz this week.

     I colored with ProMarkers and cut the image with a Lawn Fawn stitched die.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Unbranded die.  I cut the dove tail part by hand.  The papers are from Graphic 45 and the two witch's hats were die cut from foam and glittered.

     Challenges:
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Inspirations
Creative Moments
Double D
Lawn Fanatics
That's Crafty

     That's all I have for today but I'll be back tomorrow with a DT post for the latest challenge at Crafting with an Attitude.  I hope you'll come by to check it out.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Full Moon Bats

     We all know what happens when a werewolf is caught under the light of a full moon, Halloween or otherwise, but do you know what happens to bats?  Nope, nothing to do with vampires or Dracula. 

     They fall in love and get completely twitter-pated!  Here's the proof in this cute Conie Fong image.

     The image is colored with ProMarkers, and cut with a simple Spellbinders' die.  The two-piece, black mat behind it was cut with dies from Cottage Cutz.  I layered those together, offsetting them for a visual effect.  They are stitched buy that doesn't show well in the photo.  I added one, small, flying bat (a die cut) to the upper corner of the image (Cottage Cutz.)

     The spider web dp is from a stack by Memory Makers.  I added the stitched, orange ribbon and tied a black, bow tie bow.  There was already so much visual interest that I didn't want to add much more by way of embellishment.  This way, it's flat and easy to mail.

     Challenges:
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafty Gals Corner
Crafty Hazelnut's 
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Cute Card Thursday
Simon Says Stamp
Try Stampin' on Tues.
TTCRD
Unicorn

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Berry Pie Time

     Did you know that fall is really the time for berry pies?  I know most of you think that berry pie is a summer thing but since I used this marvelous "Berry" image on my DT card (theme is "Wings") for October SheepSki Designs challenge, I'll tell you the real story.

     Berry picking is definitely a summer activity but since those fresh, ripe, berries can only last so long, and since in my family we always picked more than we could possibly eat before they spoiled, we froze quarts and quarts of them.  When October rolled around and the weather finally was cool enough that we didn't care if the oven heated up the kitchen, we dug out a couple of quarts of those frozen berries and used them to make berry pies!  We could have berry pie throughout the fall and we usually used the last of them for a wonderful and unexpected Thanksgiving dessert.

     I colored the berry vine with my ProMarkers and added tiny spots and dots of highlighting with a gel pen.  The image was cut with a die from Spellbinders.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, adding it to the bottom of the image piece.

     The bow is one of those I sew up by the dozens, only this time it has a tiny button on it instead of a pearl.  I 'dyed' it aubergine purple with a ProMarker.  My final touch was to add the 'Wings" and that's a machine embroidered butterfly.  It reminds me that we always saw butterflies when we were out picking berries even though they were pretty much all gone by the time we were eating berry pies.  :-D

     Challenges:
Art Impressions
Cardz TV
Creative Knockouts
Digi Choosday
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Polkadoodles
Southern Girls (dots on the berries and on the die cut)

     That does it for my First-of-the-Month DT posts and I may or may not have another post tomorrow.  My fingers are tired from all the typing and my brain is recuperating from all the creative juices flowing through it.  Can you get drunk on creative juices?  :-D  But I'll be back in a day or two, I promise.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Fall Arrives in Style

     I'm so tickled to announce that I was invited to join the DT at Simply Magnolia!   I adore all the sweet little Tildas (and Edwins) and am so delighted to be using my rather large (and still growing) collection of Magnolia stamps.  Over the last 5 years, as I became more and more enamored of digital stamps, I began giving up my rubber.  However, a few brands were dear enough that I held on to them and Magnolia was one of those companies.  Aren't I happy about that now!  lol

     So, here's my first DT card using one of my Magnolia Tildas which is just perfect for an "Anything Autumn" (our theme this month) card.

I started with sketch #529 from Sketch Saturday

but reversed it.

     Most of you who follow me or who visit regularly know that I don't really do cards which are over the top with embellishments (because I mail so many of my cards and they need to fit into envelopes) but I did want lots of visual texture on this one.

     I started by coloring with my ProMarkers, then I used dies from Spellbinders to cut both the image and the orange mat (a left over scrap) behind it.   The sentiment was printed and hand cut, edges inked, and then added to the bottom of the image.

     I cut a scrap of orange plaid dp, and another scrap of orange CS to frame it, using rectangle dies from QuicKutz, then those went behind the matted image piece.  I had a scrap of that mesh on the craft table so I grabbed it to go behind the upper end of the image.  The visual texture I wanted is beginning to come together at that point.

     Finding the diamond pattern ribbon (Really Reasonable Ribbon) in my stash was perfect and added one more bit of texture.  Finally, I sewed one of my signature bows, dyed it olive green with a ProMarker, and added it.  Voila' - finished!

     Challenges:
Allsorts
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lemon Shortbread
Mod Squad
Pixie's Snippets
Send a Smile 4 Kids
TTCRD

     Check back in an hour or so when my next DT post is scheduled.     :-D Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Thankful for Autumn Deer

     "Autumn Deer" - that's the name of this beautiful image from Ching-Chou Kuik, who just happens to be our sponsor for the October challenge at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies.  As always, the theme is "Anything Goes with a Featured Critter."  Ching-Chou Kuik provided images for the DT to use and a few of us also used images from our own collection so be sure to check out the challenge post to see all of the images used by our DT.

     This time I colored with a combination of polychromos pencils and ProMarkers, then I cut the image with a die from Spellbinders.  I took some of the tiny leaves (which are the negative bits that fell out of the die cut) and colored them, then scattered them across the card as though they were blown by an autumn wind.

     I found a scrap of brown CS, ran it through my "Linen" embossing folder, and mounted it onto a kraft card front.  I wrapped the card front in coral ribbon and added the sentiment, plus one of my favorite hand-sewn bows.  The bow was originally white but I use ProMarkers to 'dye' it the color I wanted.  This card is pretty CAS and can be easily mailed.

     A couple of posts ago, I told you that winter was my favorite season but I was in the middle making Christmas cards and that definitely influenced my choice.  Truth be told, I love autumn best.  After a long, usually very hot summer, the cooler nights of fall and the smell of rainstorms rolling in satisfy me in a way little else does.  I used to be thrilled that football was back but I gave up watching televised football games when I became disillusioned with the NFL.  Still, I love autumn because it means cooler weather and a chance to craft with all those autumn colors which I tend to ignore the rest of the year.

     Challenges:
As You Like It
Ching-Chou Kuik
C.R.A.F.T.
Cute Card Thurs.
House that Stamps Built
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Paper Shelter
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Simon Says Stamp
Word Art Weds.

     I hope we're going to see you playing along in our October challenge.  We love seeing what you create and there's no limitation on what you make as long as it features a critter of some sort.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bite Me?

     Limited Runs is running their September/October Progressive Challenge and their freebie image is "The Count."  I thought the image was hysterically funny and here's what I did with it.

I used the sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2.

     First, let me say that the colors in this photo are completely off!  The spiderweb papers are actually violet and the bow is purple, not blue.  The plaid papers stayed pretty much true, thankfully.  I have re-photographed this a dozen times but the colors are still wonky.

     I used ProMarkers to color the image and cut it with a Sizzix die.  All four of the dp squares were cut with Unbranded dies and the sentiment was cut with a die from QuicKutz.  The papers are from Graphic 45 and both ribbons came from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  I used my bow maker to tie the double loop bow.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Cardz TV
Craft-Dee Bowz
Crafty Creations
Crafty Friends
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Moments
Scrapy Land

     Tomorrow is the start of a new month, October!  How did it get to be October already?  Sheesh - it feels like I'm just now recovering from the whirlwind of holidays last winter.  lol  Oh, well, that just means I'll have a pile of DT first-of-the-month posts over the next 24 hours, including one that's brand new for me.  That's all the hint you get right now.  Be sure to check back as your schedule allows.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Totally Batty

     I found I needed a few additional Halloween cards so I started looking through my "not-used-in-50-years" images and found one of my favorite bats from Doodle Pantry (now closed, sadly.  Sob, sniff, sniff.)  But how could I resist using it?

     This started as a pre-colored image, but I added the green and purple and the shading all around the image with my ProMarkers.  The background dp is from my Halloween stash and I think it's Graphic 45.

     I fussy cut the bat, but mounted it onto a negative piece from a Memory Box die cut from orange CS which I then ran through my "Linen" embossing folder.  The 'ribbon' with the creepy crawlers is actually paper.  The sentiment is also from that same Doodle Pantry set.  I printed it and hand cut it before adding it to the card front.

     Challenges:
Art Impressions
Crafty Catz
Crafty Friends
Creative Fingers
Creative Knockouts
Cute Card Thurs.
LeAnn's World 101
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.

     I know this is a short post but I'm going to be in and out most of the weekend and still have to find time to get caught up on everything I need for my First of the Month posts.  Wishing you crisp, fall weather and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Checking His List

     We all know that Santa checks his Naughty or Nice list at least twice for accuracy, but the truth is he knows if you've been bad or good even without checking.  lol  So, since it's another Friday, and since you've obviously been "good" enough, QKR Stampede is bringing you a new "Anything Goes" challenge.

     I've used a QKR image called "Checking It Twice" and I think it's adorable!

     I colored with water colors and used ProMarkers to add the shading and highlights.  I cut the image with a pinpoint die from Memory Box.  The two matting pieces were cut from red and green CS using a Lawn Fawn, cross stitch, die.  I layered those three pieces together and found a pale green card blank for the base.

     I cut one more piece - the snowflake (Intricutz die) - added glitter to it, and then began laying out all the pieces onto the card front.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, matting it before adding it to the card.

     The design is pretty CAS but that will make it good for mailing and so many of my family cards go out of state.  It's also a great masculine card for one of the grandkids (or even great grands!)

     Every year, as the holidays get closer and closer, it's always a toss up for me as to whether I love winter and Christmas best or autumn and Thanksgiving.  Both are family times and I love that the cold weather means staying inside in the craft room so thinking about that today, winter wins!  Tomorrow, who knows?  :-D

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps
As You Like It
Crafty Hazelnut's 
Creative Fingers
Di's Digi Designs
Hiding in My Craft Room
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Pattie's Creations
Winter Wonderland

     Come play with us, won't you?  It's Anything Goes and you are not required to use a QKR Stampede image.  However, if you do, then your entry goes into a separate draw for QKR only and that really increases your chances of winning!   Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Poinsettia Girl

     Look, after all the Halloween and Thanksgiving cards this month, I've actually done a Christmas card!   That beautiful image is from Lemon Shortbread.

I used the sketch at Try Stamping on Tuesday 

for inspiration, but turned it sideways.

     I colored with ProMarkers, added yellow Nuvo Crystal Drops to the centers of the poinsettias, then used a Memory Box die to cut the image.  The dp is from an old stack by K & Co. found in my stash, and the deep, forest green is CS which I embossed with my "Linen" folder.  The leaves were cut with a Cheery Lynn die and I added glitter to them for some Christmas sparkle.

     The card base is made from kraft CS and, after the papers were added but before the leaves or image, I wrapped sparkly, golden, ribbon around the bottom, then added all the other pieces, including the sentiment.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps
Angie's Digital Stamps
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Digi Choosday
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Scrappy Land
Tuesday Throwdown

     OMGoodness, it's nearly the weekend!  I have lots of crafting planned because the first of the month is almost here and I have DT projects which will be posting that day.

     Happy Crafting, my friends.  NanaConnie

Apples and Ants

     Yesterday I promised you a second card inspired by the challenge photo at Catch the Bug and here it is, again using an image from Bugaboo Stamps.

Here's the challenge photo.

     I colored my image with water colors and white gel ink, then cut it with a die from Spellbinders.  I backed that piece with some olive CS and trimmed the edges to size.  That went onto an embossed card front.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment.  I added one of my signature bows, leaving it white this time.  I added a tiny, red button to the center of it and called the card finished.

     Challenges:
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Creative Inspirations
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Scrappy Land
Stamping Sensations (bug, bow)
That's Crafty
TTCRD
Tuesday Throwdown (red/green)
Words 2 Craft By

     I hope your week is going well and that the crispness of fall has arrived for you.  In my neck of the woods, it looks as though we're going to have to wait at least another week for cooler weather, and even then, that may mean temperatures in the 80s instead of high 90s.  Sigh...  Hey, Mother Nature, if you send fall now I promise not to complain about the weather throughout the entire winter.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Apple Pie Happy !

     My dad loved apple pie more than any other dessert and it was probably the only way he ever ate apples.  My mom, on the other hand, hated making pie of any sort (cakes, cookies, sweet rolls, even candy was fine but she didn't like making pie crusts) so home-made apple pie in our house was something to celebrate.  As apple harvest season rolled around, the whole family would drive up into the foothill country for a day of picking apples at the orchards and we'd come home with bushel baskets which would be stored in the cellar for as long as they lasted under the onslaught of kids craving fresh fruit long after it had disappeared from the trees.  Usually we picked so many during the harvest that we still had apples well into the winter - certainly through Christmas and the New Year.

     When Mom broke down and made the first apple pie of the season, my dad would declare himself to be "Apple Pie Happy!" and we'd all celebrate and declare it was the best she'd ever made.  :-D

     Here's a salute to my mom and her harvest-season, apple pies. 

Both the memory and this card were inspired by the challenge photo at Catch the Bug

and I used an image from Bugaboo Stamps.

     This card is a combination of old and new things.  The childhood memories made me appreciate and reach for things from my stash which are the old.  The dies I used are my newest ones and the yellow CS is from a package I just purchased.  I was getting low on fall colors in my CS stash so had to purchase replacements. 

     I colored with ProMarkers, then cut the image and the yellow frame with my newest cross-stitch dies from Lawn Fawn.  I found a scrap of forest green CS to use on the card front, then printed, hand cut, and matted the sentiment.

     I had another scrap of that net mesh and I added it to the side of the card, tucking it under one side of the image.  I also found the leaf embellie in my autumn stash and thought it would look good tucked into the mesh.  I added three, tiny, brass, brads to the bottom corner but they're hard to see in the photo.

     Challenges:
Crafter's Cafe
Cutie Pie
Do Al(l) Creatives (Diagonal: top left to bottom right)
Double Trouble
Incy Wincy
Lawn Fawnatics
Pammie's Inky Pinkies

     I'll have another card tomorrow inspired by the same photo from the Catch the Bug challenge but completely different.  The only common thread between the two cards would be the "apple" theme.  Check it out tomorrow to see what I mean.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie