Grammy's Attic

Most Magical ...

There's still plenty of time to play along in our challenge over on our Facebook site. You only need to use a Conie Fong image (and there are freebies available) and enter your card in the August/September album. You can also visit the store and buy some of the images which are on sale (or full price if you fall in love - and you probably will!)

Not a member of the Conie Fong FB site? Joining is easy and free. Just follow the link and ask to join. See you there.

Happy Crafting. NanaConnie

Friday, September 15, 2023

Wizard Spells

I love Halloween! I love everything about it - the kids in costume, the sugar rush they get from the Trick or Treat goodies, the silliness of witches and wizard legends and traditions, and most of all making cards. Halloween kind of makes Fall my favorite season! :-D

Since this is Friday, we have a new challenge starting over at Crafty Catz and our sponsor this week is Dr. Digi. They generously supplied images to the DT but I chose to use one from my own collection, called "Spells for Beginners." Our theme is always "Anything Goes" but we also offer an optional twist and this week it's "Use a Die;" I used three.

I colored with my Sanjoki markers, then used a QuicKutz die to cut the image. I inked the edges so that it would stand out from the background. The spiderweb background was made using scraps from paper by Doodlebug. The spooky, black tree was cut using a die from Die-Versions, as were the bats. I printed the sentiment and fussy cut it. I inked the edges with a neon ProMarker.

Challenges:

As You Like It (Fall because it has Halloween!)

Creatalicious

Creative Fingers

Creative Knockouts (small die cuts)

I hope we're going to see you playing along in our challenge this week. Anything you make is fine as long as you use at least 1 die. Can't wait to see you there.

Happy Crafting. NanaConnie

Thursday, September 14, 2023

When Your Denims Take a Break

I've been MIA for a few days and that's going to happen every week this month, I'm afraid, but not without good cause. My daughter is getting ready to have a booth at our county fair and I've been helping her get ready; decorations, hand made supplies, various envelopes and little CS sleeves for prize products - all have taken time away from my normal crafting and blog posting. I'll also be assisting her in manning (woman-ing?) the booth during the last 2 weeks of September. I apologize and hope that I can return to my normal routine in October.

It's time for out next challenge at FarmQuest and our theme is "Denim Bib Overalls." Remember, we always have a farm/country requirement but it's going to be pretty difficult NOT to do a country theme with bib overalls. lol

I know most of us don't think about what our clothes do all day, but when one lives on a farm or ranch, and works on typical country chores, our clothes work as hard (or harder) as we do and I think they deserve a break, too. So, I searched through photo of denim overalls and chose this one as the focus point of my card. :-D

The image and the frames were cut with QuicKutz dies, and the sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die. The stars were left over from a previous project and were the bits which dropped out of a Brutus Monroe die. A nice, CAS design which just shouts 'farm country."

Challenges:

Come play with us this fortnight! Happy Crafting. NanaConnie

Friday, September 8, 2023

Arctic Christmas

We're back from our summer break over at Crafty Catz and our latest challenge has started. Our theme for this week is "Getting Ready for Christmas." You can create anything Christmas related.

I chose this fun clip art image, printed it in gray scale, and then used water colors, white pencil, and white gel pen to color the image. I started with dark blue water color paint, and did the entire night sky, after masking the moon and polar bears. I used a light gray on the ground, adding highlights to the gray scale. I used a darker gray water color to emphasize the leaf branches at the very bottom. I let that dry completely, overnight, and under a heavy book.

I found my polychromos pencils and added highlights to the polar bears, the trees, and the moon. I added yellow and aqua pencil rings around the moon, getting lighter and less distinct the further away from the moon. I blended those rings with gamsol. Finally, I grabbed a white gel pen and added bright highlights to the treetops, plus a few strokes on the bears, and to create the snowflakes/stars. I added a bit of sparkle gel pen to the tree tops and snow but it doesn't show very well in the photo.

The sentiment was printed using my Word program, setting the text in yellow and the background in deep blue. Once printed, I cut it with a die from Avery Elle. I wanted a completely CAS card so I added no embellishment of any kind. I understand that if you are a purist who demands lots of 'white' space for CAS, you'll be disappointed in this card. But I wanted the scene to be the main feature and that meant lots of night sky instead of lots of white space. :-D

Challenges:

12 Months Christmas

Christmas Bingo (CAS/free/Hand color)

Classic Design

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspirations

Come play with us. It's already a week into September and you need to get a start on your Christmas cards. Remember last year when you swore to yourself not to wait until the last minute to get started? Unh huh, I thought so. Use our challenge as an inspiration and then enter your cards in our challenge. :-D Happy Crafting. NanaConnie

Thursday, September 7, 2023

Apples for the Teacher

Time for our next challenge at FarmQuest Country Store, where we always have an "Anything Country Goes." Since it's almost fall (my favorite season - especially for card making because there are so many possibilities. Winter pretty much gets focused totally on Christmas, which is OK, but I prefer all the options of autumn), and since school is back in session for most of our kids, I decided I wanted to do a card that focused on apples for a teacher and apple picking season. I found this beautiful clip art image and printed it in very light gray scale.

I grabbed my water color paints and colored just the basket and the apples, leaving the background as gray scale. I used gel pens and gold metallic marker on the butterflies. I cut both the image and the sentiment with dies from QuicKutz. I inked the edges of them with the gold marker and IRL, it shines beautifully. The wood grain background came from a Brutus Monroe CS stack given to me by a sweet friend (thank you, Vicki!) The red print along the left edge is fabric ribbon from my stash.

Doesn't this have a great country feel?

Challenges:

Triple B (butterflies, blossoms)

Word Art Weds

We'd love to see you playing in our challenges and we also have an open DT call going. We are considering some simple changes at both the FQ General Store challenge and at the original FarmQuest challenge which will make either playing or designing with the DT even more rewarding. Come visit us this fortnight and enter a card or other "country" project.

Happy Crafting. NanaConnie

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Smiling Snail

I miss having the challenges at QKR Stampede and can hardly wait to put the design team back together and get them started up again. But since the QKR and the Eureka Stamps brands (sister brands) are still up for sale, that won't happen until there's a new buyer and a new store. QKR Stampede is still sponsoring a few challenges so we're not gone altogether but if you know anyone who might be interested in owning those brands, let us know! :-D

In the meantime, I simply had to keep my hand in by coloring and using a QKR Stampede image, this one called "Smiling Snail." The sentiment is also from QKR. I used my Sanjoki markers to color the snail, then cut it with a Spellbinders die. I believe that set of square Spellbinders dies was the first set of dies I ever purchased and that goes back a long way!

The sentiment was printed and cut with a Tonic Studios die. The background dp came from a package of scrapbooking paper by EK Success. I tied a double loop using my bow maker and sheer blue ribbon.

I pulled colors from My Favorite Things,

(using a tiny bit of red on his eyes and spots.)

Challenges:

That's all I have for today but I'll be back in a couple of days with a new card for the FarmQuest General Store challenge. Be sure to check back then. Happy Crafting. NanaConnie

Monday, September 4, 2023

Fright Night

October is around the corner (yes, I know we just started September but look how fast we've gotten here from January!) and that means Halloween is creeping up on us. Because I mail out Halloween cards to all the kids, grandkids, great-grands, and in-laws on all sides, I have to get an early start each year. Besides, I just love the fun of Halloween so cards become a reason to enjoy it for more than just one night. :-D

These two, scary (scared?) black cats are separate clip art images which I merged together before printing. I colored with Sanjoki markers and white gel pen, then cut them out using a QuicKutz die. I cut additional pieces of black and orange CS with larger QuicKutz dies from that same set and used those to frame the image and make the background for the card front.

I printed the sentiment and fussy cut it before layering it on top of the other layers. The tiny corner embellishments are bits of Halloween confetti.

Challenges:

Most Magical Time ...

Polkadoodles

SUYP Cats

Two Old Bats

Happy Crafting and have a great Labor Day holiday. NanaConnie

Sunday, September 3, 2023

Last Surf'n of Summer

It's the 3rd of the month and that means the newest Anything Goes challenge is starting over at the LeAnn's World 101 blog. I'm doing a final salute to summer and I'm hoping to see an end to the hot days of summer and am ready to welcome the crisp evenings of fall, but in the meantime, I'm going to let this guy, "Byron Surf'n," enjoy his last few waves.

I colored with Sanjoki alcohol markers, then cut the image with a stitched CUTplorations die. The sentiment was printed and cut with a die from Avery Elle. I put everything onto a black card front and added a wrap of twine to the left side. A CAS masculine card design.

Challenges:

Now that we're back, we hope to see you entering our Blog Challenge and don't forget our Progressive Challenge each month over on our FB site. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1836531013324656

NanaConnie DT

Saturday, September 2, 2023

Percival

Time for making Halloween cards has arrived and you'll see a lot of them this month (and probably next month, too.) I love the array of Halloween sets available at Beccy's Place, and it's one of the first places I go when I'm thinking Halloween.

This owl is called "Percival" and he can be found in the "Hocus Pocus" set. The sentiment is also from Beccy's but a completely different set, "Scaredy Cats." I merged the owl and the sentiment before printing, then colored Percival with my Sanjoki markers and white gel pen. The image was cut with a QuicKutz die and I used a hand punch to clip the corners.

I found a scrap of polka dot dp and used it for the frame around the image. The orange square was a QuicKutz shape left over from another project and it just looked like it needed to be used instead of going into the scrap basket. The plaid strip was a scrap of digital paper from Trimgym.

Challenges:

A Perfect Time ...

Happy Crafting. NanaConnie

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

White Christmas

This is a different kind of "White Christmas" - not like the song. :-D

I fell in love with this sweet kitten, all fluffed up in his white winter coat, cuddling with his very own best friend. I wish I knew the artist but I haven't a clue. If anyone recognizes it or knows the artist, please tell me so that I can give proper credit. I think it came from a digital coloring book since it was a .pdf file and most of my .pdf digitals are coloring book pages. I also had reduce the size to fit the card.

I printed the digital image in light grayscale, then colored the girl and the kitten with Sanjoki markers, emphasizing the blue eyes of each. I cut the image and the aqua frame with square dies from QuicKutz. I used a Spellbinders square die and a Tonic Studios rectangle die to cut the blue CS pieces for the 'checkerboard' background.

The sentiment was printed and cut with another Tonic Studios die. I enhanced the 'winter' feel of the card by adding a few Recollections snowflakes with gems and glitter. I plan to use this as a Christmas card for one of my great-granddaughters.

Challenges:

Creative Fingers

Digi Choosday

Di's Digi Designs

Lil Patch of Crafty ...

Maybe this 'cool' card will bring some relief from the hot, hot, hot (!) weather we've had this summer. I can always hope. :-D Happy Crafting. NanaConnie

Monday, August 28, 2023

Off for a Great Adventure

Remember when you were young and the seeming adventures of a country road or pathway invited you to follow it as the sun rose to light the day? That's what today's card celebrates! Our theme at FarmQuest for the next 2 weeks is "Sunrise or Sunset" and all you need it a country feel to go with that. No cityscapes or downtown streets, no metro rails or freeways, just rural scenes or country skies.

My image is a clip art photo I found online, enhanced with Sanjoki markers (fence and flowers) and neon ProMarkers for the bright yellow sunlight. The gray clouds were colored with polychromos pencils. The image and the blue frame were both cut with dies by Die-namics. The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die, then a neon ProMarker was used to ink the edges. The strip of dp came from my scrap basket.

Challenges:

Cupcake Inspirations (1/3)

Digi Chooseday (1/2)

Double Trouble (1/3)

Inspiration Station (open field, colors, adventure)

Pammie's IP (1/3)

Wishing you a great day and thanks for visiting. Happy Crafting. NanaConnie

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

Thankful Scarecrow

It's been a couple of days since I posted anything but mother nature kind of controlled our weekend what with tropical storms and earthquakes swirling around us. Nevertheless, I got to spend time hiding in my craft room so I worked ahead on a few DT projects and then created this card, using a Mariola Budek image. If you follow my blog (or even visit fairly often,) you know how I adore her artwork/images.

For this one, I colored with my Sanjoki markers, then cut the image (and the frame) with QuicKutz dies. I used my 'Linen' embossing folder on the frame CS before layering on the image piece. I cut the printed sentiment with a die from Avery Elle, and added a frame from a scrap of the same embossed CS.

Because I mail so many of my cards, I try to keep them flat and simple but I have been playing with different ideas for the backgrounds, also wanting some visual or textural interest in even the simplest of cards. For this card, I dug into my stash and found burlap paper from DCWV. I trimmed it to fit the card front, then added the image and the sentiment.

I pulled colors from the Outlawz color challenge.

Challenges:

Carlin's Paradise (Autumn)

That's it for today. Happy Crafting. NanaConnie

Friday, August 18, 2023

Butterfly Kisses

Today I want to share one of Conie Fong's most gorgeous image, called "Butterfly Kisses." I've used it before and each time I color it, I see something new in it. This time I chose to do a mostly pink pallet with touches of aqua and purple (pink and purple being my favorite 2-color combo.) I've also done her (previously) in purple and yellow, and in teal with spring green. They were all delightful but this one pleases me the most.

I used Sanjoki markers to color the image, then cut it with a CUTplorations, stitched die. That die set has been left on my desk the last couple of weeks and I seem to grab it whenever I need a rectangle. :-D I also cut the sentiment with a die from that same set but because the set didn't have a die small enough, I cut it twice, adjusting the die in between cuts. The sentiment is also from Conie Fong but please don't ask me which set because I don't have my Conie Fong files saved in 'sets;' I just keep a separate folder for sentiments.

The background for this card is double embossed, meaning that I first embossed the entire front with my "Linen" EF, then went back and used a Roses EF from Cuttlebug to emboss all but the bottom portion where the ribbon and sentiment would go. The sentiment was framed with a scrap of the background CS. The ribbon is satin-edged, sheer ribbon and I think it's probably my favorite kind of ribbon. At least, it's the one I hoard the most. lol I used my bow maker to tied the double-loop bow.

Challenges:

Worldwide Crafters ...

Don't forget that we have an Anything Goes challenge over on the Facebook site. All you have to do is use a Conie Fong image (there are freebies available on the site so not having a CF image is not a valid excuse!) If you haven't yet joined the Conie Fong FB site, it's free, quick, and easy to do that. Come play in our challenge. We love seeing what people create.

Happy Crafting. NanaConnie

Thursday, August 17, 2023

25th Wedding Anniversary

I've made many, many anniversary cards over the years but this one really brought me up short and made me think. This is a card my daughter is going to give to her husband for their 25th wedding anniversary! 25th? She's my youngest, my baby. How could she possibly have been married for 25 years? Worse yet, how could I possibly be old enough to have a baby who's celebrating 25 years of marriage? Yikes!

I went through tons of stamps and digital images looking for something perfect for the card but nothing seemed to fit either her or her hubby. Too traditional, too fussy, too sentimental, too ... something. Then, during the search of my images from QKR Stampede, I found this one and the sentiment immediately popped into my head. Humor! Perfect for both of them. lol

I used my Sanjoki markers to color the image, then cut it with a square die from QuicKutz. I used a Fiskars punch on the corners. I found an old paper stack from Recollections in my stash (not 25 years old but maybe close to 10 years!) and found two complementary papers. I cut one with a different QuicKutz die to be a frame for the image, and trimmed the polka dot paper to fit the card front exactly. I finished the card with three enamel dots (V's Sweet Ideas) in diagonally opposite corners.

And, yes, she loved it! :-D

Challenges:

As You Like It - (Blue & Gray is my fav 2-color combo for guy cards because it's so versatile and so much can be done with it, including CAS designs that look much more complex)

Creative Inspiration

Carlin's Paradise - (Anniversary, Alcohol markers)

Have yourself a wonderful day and do some crafting. NanaConnie

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Gray Wolf

I'm finally posting a card I made several weeks ago using this fabulous image "Wolf" from Eureka Stamps, sister brand to QKR Stampede. Challenges over there are still on hold while we await the sale of the QKR Stampede and Eureka Stamps brands. In the meantime, I'm using cards I put in my stash for masculine birthdays and this is one of them.

I used a combo of Sanjoki alcohol markers and water color paints to color the image, then cut it with a CUTplorations stitched die. The sentiment was printed and cut with a die from Die-namics. The paw print embossing was done with a Darice EF. As a final masculine touch, I added the three, tiny, metal brads.

Challenges:

Can You Handle...?

Happy Crafting. NanaConnie

Monday, August 14, 2023

Late Summer on the Lake

The card today is for the FarmQuest challenge and our theme this time is "Boats." The image was printed in gray scale and colored it with water color paints. The image was cut with a QuicKutz die and the edges are inked.

The background is lavender CS and I wrapped it with 1 inch, black, sheer ribbon. The bow was tied on a bow maker. The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die.

Challenges:

Please come and play with us. You have two weeks to enter. Happy Crafting NanaConnie

Saturday, August 12, 2023

Fall Roses

Last month, I won a challenge over at LeighSBDesigns and the prize was a coupon to their store and a chance to be a Guest Designer, using an image purchased with that coupon. Today's card was made for my daughter's birthday which is in late October and I'm using the beautiful LeighSBDesigns image called Fall Roses. My daughter loves yellow roses and the image just called for some autumn colors to enhance them.

I used water color paints to color the image, let it dry over night, then cut it with a QuicKutz square die. The brown CS frame was embossed using my 'Linen' EF. The sentiment was printed and cut with a Tonic Studios die. I added two hand-tied bows, one made from yellow gingham ribbon and the other from brown satin ribbon. I layered them together with fabric glue. Everything was put onto a 5.5" x 5.5" card base made from heavy duty white CS.

Challenges:

Can You Handle ...?

Outlawz Tuesday (orange/yellow/green)

Pammie's IP

Polkadoodles

Simon Says Stamp

Check out Leigh's Etsy shop. You might fall in love with some of her lovely (or even the more quirky) images. Happy Crafting. NanaConnie

Thursday, August 10, 2023

Ice Cream Summer

This fun image is the one given to us for the Progressive Challenge at The Outlawz. I admit that when I first saw the plain outline image, I wasn't all that enamored with it but as I began to color it, giving it strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla scoops, it suddenly looked really cute (and refreshing!)

I used Sanjoki alcohol markers to color it, then fussy cut the cone with scissors. I looked through a box of long-stored, paper stacks and found two papers I thought really worked well together and which set off the image. The polka dot paper from Paper Studio I cut with a Tonic Studios die. The argyle paper is from Authentique and I cut it to size for an A2 card with my largest rectangle die from QuicKutz.

I printed and cut the sentiment with the smallest QuicKitz die from that same rectangle set. I inked the edges of the sentiment and the polka dot paper using an ink pad. I hand-tied a very simple bow, using white satin ribbon, and I 'dyed' the bow using a Sanjoki marker so that I had the exact color I wanted.

I based the card design on the sketch from Tuesday Morning.

Challenges:

Handstamped Sentiments

PaperCraft

Passion for Markers

Enjoy your day and Happy Crafting. NanaConnie

Wednesday, August 9, 2023

Puppy Walking

How about a reminder that LeAnn's World 101 has a monthly Progressive Challenge over on their FB page and the freebie (if you played last month) image is Dog Walker Annie? If you didn't play last month, you can purchase the image, make a card, enter it into the album on FB, and next month, you'll get a free image to play again. Each month that you play, you get the image free the following month.

I did a card with a lot more embellishment than is my normal "style" (if I even have a style!) but after mostly CAS or near CAS cards over the last couple of weeks, I just wanted to create something different.

I colored the image with ProMarkers, and cut it with a QuicKutz die. I inked the edges on both the image and the sentiment (cut with an Avery Elle die), using a deep purple marker. The background papers are both from Stampin' Up and they've been in my stash for at least 5 years, probably longer. I found scraps of them in a folder and used a Darice EF on each one, carefully matching the embossed design when I layered them together on the card front.

The ivy vine was cut with a Sue Wilson die. I decided on a bow and found the lovely, sparkly, copper ribbon, then used my bow maker to tie a triple-loop bow. I thought the copper color was a great compliment to the color of the butterflies in the image.

Challenges:

We'd love to see you playing along in the Progressive Challenge at LeAnne's World 101. If you played last month, this image has already been sent to you. If you didn't play, head over to the store (see link to the image up above) and grab it. Then play with us and get the image for next month free!

Happy Crafting. NanaConnie

Monday, August 7, 2023

Heaven's Seasons

It's time for the next FarmQuest General Store challenge, where our theme is always "Anything Farm or County Goes." As summer across the country this year seems bent on burning up and drying out all the gardens and fields, I went with an autumn-looking scene, hoping that perhaps the days and nights will cool off and going outdoors will be tolerable again.

This is a gray scale, clip art image and I used Sanjoki markers and gel pens (highlights on clouds, wagon, and barn) to color it. I printed the sentiment and then cut that piece with a QuicKutz die to layer behind the image (also cut with QuicKutz die) as a frame.

I dug through the stash and found a stack of corrugated paper from DCWV and decided to use that as the background. The bow was hand-tied using two scraps of jute cord. I think it makes a simple, but visually interesting, masculine card. I'm using this as a birthday card for one of my grandsons.

Challenges:

4 Season (USA Mid-west)

Come play with us this fortnight. We'd love to see what you create. Happy Crafting. NanaConnie

Saturday, August 5, 2023

The Calico Cat

This card was inspired by a wonderful and serendipitous brunch I had yesterday. I was invited to join my daughter and her next door neighbor, Margaret, for a brunch. Margaret and I happen to have brother and sister cats (same litter) who are now 12 years old. Her sweet Gracie is a calico. We spent nearly 2 hours regaling each other with cat stories about the two of them and it was amazing how much alike they are even though they've not seen each other since they were separated at about 5 weeks old after being abandoned by their feral mother. Margaret and I were just two kindred hearts (translate: crazy cat ladies!)

Anyway, Margaret insisted on picking up the check for our meals and I wanted to send her a Thank You so I made this card, using a new die I got from Poppy Stamps. I cut the cat from heavy white CS, then colored it with my Sanjoki markers. The sentiment was printed and fussy cut with scissors.

The background papers are from an old (old, old, OLD!) DCWV stack and the orange square was embossed with a polka dot EF. The die cut cat had it's own embossing to enhance the 'fur' lines. When I layered everything together, I used Pop Dots under the head of the cat so that it's raised up for a bit of dimension.

Challenges: