Have a Good Hair Day !

     I love this fabulous image from Hetty Clare which was offered as the freebie from the Progressive Challenge at The Outlawz this month.  I wanted to do a card that had layers and visual interest and lots of 'personality' without being fussy or overdone.  I guess I wanted a take off on  something CAS.  Here's what happened:

Colored w/ ProMarkers
Edges inked w/ ProMarkers
Image cut with QuicKutz die &
     corners rounded with Fiskars punch
Papers are from DCWV - Basics & Midnight Chic stacks
Ribbon flowers

     Challenges:

Artsy Stamper

Arty Divas

Aud Sentiments

Digi Choosday

Do Al(l) Creatives

Penny's Paper Crafty

TTCRD
Your Scrapbook Place

     Enjoy your weekend and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Snowflake Wishes

     You know how every once in a while you get a card finished and it looks and feels exactly the way you imagined it would?  Terribly pleasing, isn't it?  Well, that's what happened with this card and I just love it !  :-D

     The image is one of the newer ones from Conie Fong, called "Snowflake Wishes" and I think she's so beautiful.  

     When I first printed this image, I thought about making an entire scene with her rather than just a single-image card.  But I spent so much time on the coloring, adding lots of shading and highlights, that I decided on just the image as the focus.  I find that when it comes to Conie's images, I love to put the detail into the coloring and I rarely make scene cards with them.  

     I did take time to do a bit of water coloring on a scrap of water color paper which I added to the background.  It does look a bit like a stormy sky.  :-D  In any case, here's another card for my Christmas stash.

I used Peacock, Linen, and Mint colors

(plus Peach for her skin)

which came from Color My Heart #396.

Colored with ProMarkers 

Glitter added to snowball, snowflakes, and wings

Cut with QuicKutz die &

     trimmed to show glitter paper

Silver glitter paper cut w/ Quickutz die

Background dp made w/ water colors

Ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon

Sentiment printed and hand cut

     Challenges:

As You Like It

Colour Crazy

Creative Fingers

Cute Card Thurs

Dream Valley

Outlawz Festive Fri

Simon Says Stamp & Show

Southern Girls

Your Next Stamp

     Conie Fong has two challenges that run every month and they can be found on our Facebook page.  One is for coloring only and the other is for completed projects.  Each challenge requires the use of a Conie Fong image but how can you resist any of her cute images?  I hope we're going to see you playing along.  Don't belong to the Conie Fong FB group yet?  Joining is free so join us and come play.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Have a Wild Party !

          It seems that the decade during which we humans have wild parties to celebrate birthdays or graduations or Father's Day ends just about the time we reach our mid-30s (although it may go on a couple of years more for males as opposed to females) but we do eventually give up acting we are attending a frat party from Animal House.  lol  My oldest grandson is reaching those mid-30s and I just wanted to remind him that it would be OK to have one last Wild(Cat) Party before he bid those days goodbye.  :-D

     Since both his birthday and Father's Day fall in June, I'm sending him this card.   The stamp is from Penny Black.

Cats are colored w/ watercolors

Piano and chair colored w/ ProMarkers

Image cut with die from Spellbinders

Sentiment cut with Impression Obsession die

Brown CS pieces in background were scraps

     Challenges:

Coloring in Scrapland

Crafty Sentiments

Creatalicious

Dies R Us

Pammie's Inky Pinkies

Passion for ProMarkers

Penny Black Saturday

Simon Says Stamp & Show

SUYP Cats

     I hope you've had a wonderful week so far and that things are beginning to return to normal around your home.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Jellyfish

     I'm having fun today.  I woke up with a smile, smelled the coffee already brewing, and immediately decided it was a good day to be alive!   I took coffee in hand, went to the computer, scrolled through my digi files, and found this humorous image from Bugaboo Stamps.  It tickled my funny bone so I printed it and headed right to the craft desk.

I used the sketch from Stella Says Sketch.

Colored with ProMarkers

Image cut with QuicKutz die

Scalloped circle cut w/ Sizzix die

Grosgrain ribbon

Mulberry flowers w/ Nuvo centers

     Challenges:

2 Sisters ... Blog

A Bit More Time...

Catch the Bug

Classic Design

Crafty Sentiments

Ike's World

Morgan's ArtWorld

TTCRD

Your Scrapbook Place

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Hedgie Laundry

     I'm sending this card to a recently-divorced, 30-something, dad-of-young-kids who suddenly became aware that he had no idea how to do laundry!  Inside I added a cute but very vintage list of which days were for which housekeeping chores.

     How many of you remember the old song called "Rest on Sunday?"  My mother and my Grammy taught it to me when I was very young.  It went like this:

Rest on Sunday 

Wash on Monday, Iron on Tuesday, Mend on Wednesday, 

Market on Thursday, Clean on Friday, Bake on Saturday. 

Then you have all day to Rest on Sunday.

      I remember we had dish towels in our kitchen with the chores embroidered on them, too.  :-D

      This adorable image is from Penny Black.

Colored with water colors & gel pens

Cut with Spellbinders deckle die

Ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon

Raffia bow

Green CS background is a scrap

    Challenges:

A Bit More Time...

Carlin's Card Paradise

Craft-Dee BowZ

Crafter's Cafe

Crafts Galore Encore

Crafty Friends

Dies R Us

Friendship

Penny Black & More

Penny Black Saturday

     I'll have another cute Penny Black image to share with you later this week but for today. this is all I have.  After three separate posts yesterday, I'm tired!  lol  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Monthly Challenge at QKR Stampede

     I know, change is not something most of us would choose first thing on a Monday morning, but the usual weekly challenge at QKR Stampede is now a monthly challenge for the summer!  We haven't decided whether it will stay monthly beyond that point but for the summer months you'll have plenty of time to enter each challenge.  This one will end on June 30 and our next one will begin on July 1.  :-D

     I'm going to share two cards with you today, one very much a salute to summer, and the other I sent to a friend whose son just made the collegiate wrestling team, in the "Lightweight" category.

     For my first card, I used a fun image called "Snacking Mouse," and I've been chowing down on watermelon for the last week as we suffered through the earliest heat wave (3 or more days in a row of temps in excess of 100 degrees F) we've had in many years.

Colored with ProMarkers
All cuts made with QuicKutz dies
Sentiment printed and die cut
Polka dot paper from DCWV
Hand tied, polka dot bow

     Challenges:

Arty Divas
Coloring in Scrapland

Creative Moments

Mod Squad

Papercraft


     My second card uses an image called "Weighing."

Colored with ProMakers and gel pens
Cut with dies from MFT Die-namics
Image inlaid into frame
Paper from Authentic
Sentiment & mat cut with Avery Elle dies

     Challenges:

Creative Crafters
Double Trouble

Pammie's Inky Pinkies

Prika Crafts

Time Out

     This is my last post for today so if you missed the one for either 2 Crafty Critter Crazies or the one for Jan's Digi Stamps, just scroll down - you'll find them.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

#1 Dad !

     Today starts our latest monthly challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps and, since it's June, what better time to make a Father's Day card?  I used the fantastic new set (released last month) "#1 Dad."  I took two of the images and merged them into one before printing.

Images pre-colored but I added gray ProMarkers to the trophy
Cut w/ QuicKutz dies
Grosgrain ribbon
Baker's Twine
CAS design for masculine card

     Challenges:

Crafty Catz

Creative Fingers

Outlawz Festive Fri

Outlawz Weds
Penny's Paper Crafty

Polkadoodles

Word Art Weds.

     We want to see you playing along with us this month.  Don't forget that our theme is always "Anything Goes" and you can use any products from any company.  If you happen to use a Jan's Digi Stamps image, your entry will go into a separate draw and your chances of winning are much better.  Come play!

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cooling It

         It's the 1st of June and this is my DT project for our latest challenge at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies where our theme is always "Anything Goes as long as there's a Creature Featured."  

     Our sponsor for June is Lili of the Valley (LOTV) and they have such adorable images.  They were very generous in supplying images for the entire DT.  Their "critters" are all fabulous!  You should visit the 2 CCC blog to see all the different ones used by the team.  I used one called "Puss Relaxing."

Colors from the Tuesday Throwdown challenge.

Colored with ProMarkers

Cut with Dare 2B Artzy die

Square frame cut with D2BA die

Die cut pieces inlaid for a single layer

Sentiment printed & hand cut

Hand tied bow

3 metallic brads added

     Challenges:

AAA Cards

Creative Craft Cottages

Creative Crafters

House that Stamps Built

I {heart} ProMarkers

Passion for ProMarkers

Simon Says Stamp

     Today is a very busy day on my blog!  This is the first of three DT posts in which I'll be sharing 4 different cards.  Be sure to come by again in a few minutes for the Jan's Digi Stamps DT post and in three hours or so for my QKR Stampede DT post.  I hope to see you playing along in all of those challenges and remember, they are all monthly challenges for the summer.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Watermelon Girl

     I love fun summertime images of people eating watermelon (my favorite summer fruit!) and this is another of the older images I found when I was browsing through my files of digital images from companies which have gone out of business.  This one is also from Karen's Digis as was the one on my post from yesterday and I probably added it to my collection in 2011 or 2012.

Colored w/ ProMarkers
Image cut with QuicKutz die
Ivy cut with Sue Wilson die
Green butterfly is machine embroidered

     Challenges:
Arty Divas
Crafty Friends
Crafty Sentiments
Creative Moments
Cutie Pie
Lemon Shortbread
Mod Squad
Passion for ProMarkers
TTCRD

     Well, even though our weather has cooled considerably after those really hot, hot, hot four days of temperatures over 100, I'm going to go cut a piece of watermelon and add it to my lunch plate.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Dad's BBQ

     It feels very odd not to be posting a DT card for QKR Stampede on a Friday morning but this is the week before we start our monthly challenges for the summer so our challenge from last week is still running until Sunday evening.  We will be starting our monthly challenges on the 1st of each month and that's next Monday.  You still have a couple of days to enter something in our previous challenge so check it out.  It's an Anything Goes theme so how can you lose?

     I spent some time the other day going through folders I have of digital images from companies which have closed their doors and stopped selling.  I found this in my folder of images from Karen's Digis.  While I was there, I printed out three or four additional images which I will color and share in upcoming days.  But with this image, I'm making two cards, and both of them are Father's Day cards.

     You see, I have one son and one SIL who are equally adept at the BBQ grill and feeding their families.  Fortunately, they live 1,000 miles apart in different states and they'll never share their cards with each other so they'll never know I used the same image.  The fun part is that this image would work well for any weekend day in either of their homes and even for a birthday.  I wouldn't have to wait for Father's Day.  :-D  The fun part is that I have a son and a grandson who have back to back birthdays in June and this card would definitely work for either of them.

     This is my next foray into the world of water coloring while trying to get decent shading and highlights.  I don't know if there's any real improvement over my last one but I did get some good shadows where they seem to belong.  lol

Colored with water color paints
Cut w/ Sizzix die
Mounted onto red card base
Baker's twine added
Masculine, CAS

     Challenges:
AAA Cards
Artsy Stamper
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Crafty Catz
Creative Fingers
Outlawz Festive Fri
Paper Girls
Polkadoodles
Simon Says Stamp...

     I'll show you the other one when I get it finished.   In the meantime, I hope your weather is cool and decent.  Ours has been over 100 degrees F (I mean like 102, 103, 106 and they are saying 107 today) for 4 days and we're still three weeks away from summer!  Yuck, why do I live here?

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Peace and Quiet

     I went on a shopping spree at Lili of the Valley during their half-off sale last weekend.  I've always loved their images since the first time I saw one and if they have a sale, you can bet I'm over there buying new (to me) stamps.

     Today, I'm going to share with you something I bought which is slightly different for me but it sure makes for quick and easy, git 'er done, cards!  These are files which contain three different sizes of digital images (A2, A6,& A7 card sizes), pre-colored and ready to print.  All you need is to trim them to fit the card.

     Here's an A2 card made with the smallest image size.  The image is called Peace and Quiet.  I think it took me less than 10 minutes to have the card finished.

In order to use all the colors from Tuesday Throwdown,

I used dark blue CS for the frame and I chose

the pre-made card base with the flowers.

Pre-colored
Cut with QuicKutz die
Dark blue frame cut with Tutti Designs die
Card base is from DCWV Linen Closet set

     Challenges for 1st card:
Art Impressions
Aud Sentiments
Arty Divas
Crafty Sentiments
Lemon Shortbread
SUYP Cats
Time Out

     Now, having done that really quick card, I decided to play around a bit and see what else I could do with them.  Here's the result using exactly the same size image but this time I adjusted the pre-colored version into gray-scale before I printed it.  This card took me about 15 minutes, including working in MS Word to get the preferred lever of gray-scale before printing.

Yellow ProMarker used to color the bees and pansies
Black, fine line, gel pen used on sentiment
Image cut with Tutti Designs die
Card front embossed w/ "Linen" folder
CAS design w/ no embellishment

     Challenges for 2nd card:
Colour Crazy
Crafty Calendar
Creative Fingers
Outlawz SAR
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Path of Positivity
Pattie's Creations
Polkadoodles
Your Scrapbook Place

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Flowery Hello

     Catch the Bug had such a great inspiration photo this week that I just had to get a card made using flowers, butterflies, and the colors.  The image is from Bugaboo Stamps.  Everything on the card, including the CS on which the image was printed, came from a scrap.  I love it when I can make cards like that.  Using up scraps and snippets makes me feel so justified when I buy new papers.  :-D

Colored with ProMarkers
Image cut with QuicKutz die
"Hello" from Tutti Designs dies
Leaf branches from Creative Expressions dies
CAS design

     Challenges:
Crafty Sentiments
Dare 2B Artzy
Digi Choosday
Lil Patch of Crafty...
Outlawz SAR
Pixie's Snippets
TTCRD

     We're halfway through this week (for those of you who may have lost track of which day this is) and I hope all is well with each of you.  I'm so ready to get everything back to normal.  In the meantime, Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Making Beautiful Music

     I want to share one more DT card I've done for Digi Doodle Studios and this one features an image called "Violinist Janie."  She looks so happy playing her violin for that little song bird.  What a duet that must be!  :-D

Colored with ProMarkers and water colors
Cut and framed with dies by Spellbinders
Net ribbon is sparkly (hard to see) and a scrap
White grosgrain bow from 1" ribbon
Yellow 'dots' in the corners are drop out bits from frame

     Challenges:
Bastel-Traum
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Inspiration
Double D  (music)
Dream Valley
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds
Get Creative
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Word Art Weds.

     Have a wonderful week, my friends, and find some creative time.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Coffee Loving Monster

     On this Memorial Day, let's remember

why it's on our calendars and honor those 

who fought for and even gave their own lives

that we might enjoy our Freedom.

     This fun and slightly distressed (ok, a lot distressed!) monster is the Progressive Challenge image from Limited Runs for May/June.  The expression on his face just shouted that he had tasted his coffee and found something horribly wrong.

     It reminded me of an incident when I was probably 10 or 11.  I wanted to do something really special for my dad on Father's Day.  He was never one for big, noisy, celebrations, especially when he was the object of them, and he had announced that he planned on going off early in the morning to spend the day fishing; no fuss, no muss, no celebration.  After a few minutes of begging to go with him, he agreed and I said I'd fix the picnic basket of lunch and snacks.

     I suppose I made sandwiches or maybe even potato salad (one of his favorites) but what I really remember was the thermos of coffee.  He loved coffee and drank it year round, cold weather or hot.  His coffee thermos went everywhere with him.  I made coffee as soon as I woke up and, because I might end up drinking some of it myself if there was nothing else available, I added a bit of sugar since I really didn't care for the taste of coffee back then.  It's an acquired taste, you know.  :-D

     We were probably 10 or 15 miles from home when Dad had me pour him his first cup from the thermos, and his face turned an apoplectic red, then white as he swallowed a big mouthful.  Dad took his coffee black - no adulteration allowed!  He looked just like that Coffee Monster!  lol  As I remember, we turned around, went back home, remade the coffee, and then went fishing.  He never scolded me about it but it remained a long-standing joke between us for the rest of his life.  :-D

     OK, after that rather long story, here's my card. Consider it a salute to the greatest dad who ever lived (and a WWII vet, also!)

Colored with ProMarkers
Image and sentiment cut with Dare 2B Artzy dies
Background CS cut with same D2BA dies
Die cut circles inlaid into background
Satin bow dyed with ProMarker, pearl added
CAS design

     Challenges:
Artsy Stamper
Arty Divas
Coffee Lovers Blog Hop
Creative Craft Cottage
Incy Wincy
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Paper Girls
Simon Says Stamp & Show

     Take a moment and thank a veteran, won't you?  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Puppy Hugs

     I'm sneaking into the computer room, having shut the door so that the cats can't get in, because I'm posting a card I made in the middle of the night when they weren't watching.  Despite the fact that I'm really an animal person (all sorts and species), many of my friends (and all three of the cats who let me share their abode) see me as a cat person.  Well, truthfully, the cats see me as their human, put on this earth just to feed them, to clean their litter box, and to cuddle them when they feel the need for human contact (but not otherwise.)  They would make life miserable for me if they knew I had done a card featuring a Dog!!

     I don't know how long ago I got this sweet image from Lili of the Valley but it was some weeks ago and this is the first time I've used it.  I've been trying to improve my highlighting and shading with watercolors but it's not easy.  I have a friend who does spectacular free hand watercolor paintings and she keeps telling me, "Let it dry, let it dry, then go back over it to make it darker."  I'm impatient, I guess, trying to darken it while the first layer is still damp.  Sigh... I'll just have to keep trying.

Image and sentiment printed together
Colored with water colors
Cut and framed with Memory Box dies
Sheer ribbon for the wrap and the bow

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Crafty Friends
Crafty Sentiments
Digi Choosday
Dragonfly Dreams
Lemon Shortbread
Paperminutes
Path of Positivity
TTCRD
Tuesday Throwdown (bow/green/image)

     Enjoy the rest of your weekend, although if you're like me, the weekdays and weekends all seem to be running together and are hard to distinguish.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

March to Your Own Drummer

     The instant I saw this image from the Progressive Challenge at LeAnn's World, I knew I had to do a CAS card in blues.  OK, so it's not as CAS as my friend, Lynn, does but she's an absolute master at making them (and she loves blue!)  I got carried away with a couple of background layers but there's no ribbon, no bows, no flowers, no twine, no embellies beyond the 3 tiny dots which dropped out of the die cut frame!

Colored with ProMarkers
Image cut with QuicKutz die
Frame cut with Tutti Designs die
Polka dot paper from DCWV
Corner punch from Fiskars
Linen EF used on card base
Sentiment printed and cut with QuicKutz

 Challenges:
A Gem of a ...
Artsy Stamper
Aud Sentiments
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Lil Patch of Crafty...
MFT Colors
Outlawz PAM
Time Out

     That's all I have for today but I'll probably have a new post tomorrow.  I'm retiring to the craft room right now to see what strikes my fancy.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Long Hot Summer

     As we are starting the Memorial Day weekend, locked down and unable to run away to the beach or mountains, where I live we are also facing our first triple digit days of the summer and a heat wave of 100+F for three days in a row!  So, my DT card for the newest weekly challenge at QKR Stampede features a cute QKR image called "Weiner Dog" and I think he looks like he's suffering through one of those looong, hot, summer days!  I know we'll have many more of them this summer but I really hate it when they start as early as May.

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with QuicKutz die
Sentiment cut with Avery Elle die
Wood Grain = Darice EF w/ torn edge
Sheer "butterfly" bow was 'dyed' with ProMarker
Card base made from Summer Gold CS

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Butterfly
(butterfly bow + yarrow, yam, and choice; wood grain)
Cardz TV
CCC Digi Creations
Colour Crazy
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafty Catz
Creative Fingers
Southern Girls
STAMPlorations CAS
    

     That's all I have for today but I do hope you're going to come and play with us this challenge.  We have some changes taking place over at QKR Stampede and this current challenge will run until May 31.  The next challenge will start on June 1 and it will run for the entire month.  We're going to be a monthly challenge for now, at least during the summer, so you'll have lots of time to enter.  Our themes will continue to be Always Anything Goes.  Have fun.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Sally's Christmas Friends

     Finally, my first Christmas card this year!  I usually start in either March or April and given that those were both lock-down months, I can't really claim that I was too busy to get any done but still I didn't get any made at all.  So, here we are, two-thirds of the way through May and I'm finally posting my first Christmas card for 2020.

     I used one of Conie Fong's new releases, called "Sally's Christmas Friends."  As anyone who lives in snow country knows, our lovely feathered friends need a bit of help finding seeds for sustenance so I had Sally hanging not ornaments but suet & seed balls for her sweet little cardinal friends.

Yes, I used the traditional Christmas colors of red and green but that's my favorite color combo for the holidays.  What do you think?

Colored with ProMarkers & silver glitter pen
Cut with Unbranded, cross-stitch die
Sentiment cut with Avery Elle die
Background paper from Graphic 45
Sparkly ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon
Bow - hand tied w/ gem

     Challenges:
12 Months of Christmas
Craft-Dee BowZ
Friendship
Lemon Shortbread
Morgan's ArtWorld
Outlawz Festive Fri
Sparkles Christmas
Winter Wonderland

     Don't forget that each month on the Conie Fong Facebook page we have two challenges; one for coloring only and the other for finished cards.  We do require the use of Conie Fong images to enter those challenges but how could you resist those darling images?  There are freebies available on the FB site and there's also a 25% off sale going on at the Etsy Store right now!  Check it out to see if one of your favorite images that you've been wanting to get is one of those on sale.   :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Flower Cart

     Here's my mid-month post for the Jan's Digi Stamps challenge where our theme is always "Anything Goes" and you can use any products by any company.  However, if you do use a Jan's image, your entry goes into a completely separate draw for those entries only and that increases your chances of winning by quite a lot.  :-D

     I used a lovely image plus one of the sentiments from the set called "Flower Cart 798J" and I found a perfect dp to use for the background.

Colored with ProMarkers and gel pens
Cut with Spellbinders die (sponged edge)
Sentiment cut w/ Avery Elle die (sponged edge)
Lace scraps from the basket
Paper from My Fav Things - heat embossed w/ clear EP
Double bow hand-tied

     Challenges:
Creative Inspirations
Dream Valley
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds
I {heart} ProMarkers
Incy Wincy
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Paper Funday
Southern Girls
Tuesday Throwdown (bow/die/blue)

     Happy Crafting and come play with us.  NanaConnie

Party with a Fire Permit

     This is the kind of party I want on my next birthday!  I've worked really hard to earn all those candles and I think the family should do whatever it takes to get the fire permit and then throw the biggest, wildest party anyone has ever seen.  lol  I'll probably be sleeping in the corner of the couch.

     This stamp is from Art Impressions and I think it's hysterically funny.  :-D

I used the sketch from Sketch Saturday.

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with Sizzix die
Polka Dot paper cut with QuicKutz die
Both papers from DCWV
Hand tied bow

     Challenges:
A Gem of a ...
Aud Sentiments
Allsorts
Coloring in Scrapland
C.R.A.F.T.
Cute Card Thurs
Dragonfly Dreams
Lil Patch of ...

     Be sure to stop by in the morning when I'll have another DT card for the challenge reminder at Jan's Digi Stamps.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Garden Flowers and a Ladybug

     It's a beautiful spring day where I am, although the prediction is that we'll get an afternoon shower or two but they won't last long or bring much rain.  The sprinkles are fine with me, as are the cooler temperatures we're going to have over the next three days.

     Let's celebrate gardens and flowers and even ladybugs!  This is an image from Bugaboo Stamps and I adore all of their Fancy Sunbonnet images.  :-D

Colored with ProMarkers and watercolors
Cut with die from Spellbinders
Lace scraps used behind the image
Sentiment printed and hand cut
Red satin bow made to be a butterfly
3 'heart' bits added to side (came from the die cut)

     Challenges:
Allsorts
Catch the Bug (middle row - choice is lace)
Crafter's Cafe
Crafty Sentiments
Creative Inspirations
Digi Choosday
House Stamps Built (1st column)
I {heart} ProMarkers
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Word Art Weds

     Happy Monday (for those of you who are keeping track of the days of the weeks) and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Summer Dreams

     Today I have another Conie Fong image to share with you and this one is called "Summer Dreams."  Don't forget that on the Facebook page, Conie Fong has two challenges running each month; one is for just coloring of Conie Fong images and the other is for completed projects using a Conie Fong image.  The themes are always Anything Goes but there are options if you choose to use them.  For May, the optional theme is "Females/Mothers."

     I did a very CAS design, even though it looks more complex.  It's nothing more than 2 die cuts inlaid into each other and placed onto the card front.  No embellishments at all.

Colored with ProMarkers and water colors
Image and frame cut with dies from Spellbinders
     inlaid to make a single layer
Die cuts are embossed
Frame is DCWV paper
Sentiment printed and hand cut

     Challenges:
Addicted to CAS
All Fun
Angie's Digitals
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Friends
Cutie Pie
Dare 2B Artzy
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Stamping Sensations
TTCRD

     It's a lovely Saturday and whatever the weather where you are, I hope you're going to enjoy some "me" time in the craft room.  Maybe you'll make something to enter into one of our challenges.   Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Naptime Bear

     So we've all been isolating for longer than a bear hibernates and it's getting difficult to find new and entertaining things for the kids, much less the adults!  My advice is when all else fails, take a nap.  :-D

     For we crafters, we can always slip into the craft room and find something to do for hours.  We over at QKR Stampede are suggesting you make something to enter into our latest "Anything Goes" challenge which started today and runs for a week.  I found this delightful QKR stamp called "Snuggle Up" and used it for a very CAS design.

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with CUTplorations stitched die
Sentiment printed & cut
Inked edges of image and sentiment
Blue ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon
Hand-sewn, signature bow w/ pearl

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Crafty Creations
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Simon Says Stamp
Take It, Make It
Word Art Weds

     Come play with us this week.  We love being inspired by you.  Happy Crafting (or napping, whichever pleases you at the moment.)  NanaConnie

Top Hat Teddy Bear

     I somehow got inspired by a color palette at Outlawz Color challenge, which is surprising considering that I rarely use yellows and oranges except for autumn cards.  They just aren't in the range of my favorite colors.  Nope, I'm a cool colors person for sure, loving purples, blues, and greens.  I often pair yellow with one of those colors when I want a particular color combo of cool and warm colors but beyond that, it's rare to see yellow or orange in my creations.

     But today, this just called out to me.  I used a sweet teddy bear image from Bugaboo Stamps and the sketch from Stella Says Sketch.

  

Colored with ProMarkers w/ glitter on flower
Image cut with oval die from QuicKutz
Frame cut with Spellbinders
   & overlapped to get rectangle shape
Sentiment cut with Avery Elle die
Background scrap paper from DCWV
2 layers of ribbon - both scraps
Mulberry flowers dyed, glitter added, & gem in center

     Challenges:
Arty Divas
Cardz TV
Crafty Sentiments
Dragonfly Dreams
Lil Patch of ...
Outlawz SAR
TTCRD

     Have yourself a fabulous day and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Dahlia's Blooms

     I absolutely adore this bright, sunny image from Digi Doodle Studios called "Dahlia's Blooms" and think it would also be great in autumn colors but for now, spring reigns!  :-D  I'm sharing this as inspiration for our monthly challenge where the theme is "Flower Power."  You can enter any card which uses flowers, either in the image or as embellishments.  You can use any images by any company but if you use a DDS image, you can win twice as many images for your prize.

     If you use a DDS image, you can also enter the monthly challenge on our Facebook page.

     Here's my DT card:

Colored with ProMarkers and water colors
   (Fav spring color combo!)
Image & frame cut w/ Spellbinders' dies
Hand tied, polka dot, bow
Wide ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon
Sentiment printed, edges inked

     Challenges:
Arty Divas
Creative Inspirations
Cute Card Thurs
Dream Valley
House ... Stamps Built
Lemon Shortbread
Pammie's Inkly Pinkies
Paper Funday
Paper Girls
Simon Says Stamp

     I hope you're going to come join us in one or both of our challenges.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Guest Designing at Outlawz Monday Greetings Challenge

     This fortnight, I have the honor of acting as a Guest Designer at The Outlawz Monday Greetings Challenge which is sponsored this time by Jan's Digi Stamps.  Since I'm on the DT at JDS, it seemed only natural to be one of their Guest Designers.  Their theme is an easy one; Button, Lace & Blue Ribbon.  I chose this adorable image, called "Awesome Chick" from Jan's for my card.

     I actually used this as a Mother's Day card for a new mom.  :-D

   

Colored with ProMarkers

Image & sentiment cut with Unbranded dies

Lace w/ ribbon and turquoise stones (stash)

Sheer blue ribbon, double bow

Square button from stash

     Challenges:

Creative Inspirations

Cuttlebug Mania

Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.

Lemon Shortbread

Pammie's Inky Pinkies

Paper Funday

Simon Says Stamp

WordArt Weds.

     I hope we're going to see you playing along in the Monday Greetings challenge at the Outlawz.  If you're not a member yet, it's free to join and very easy.  They have a different challenge for each day of the week plus a couple of monthly challenges and you can join as many of those individually as you choose.  Check them out.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie