Rain Dance

     This week, Doodle Pantry is sponsoring the challenge at Sentimental Sundays and their theme is "Outdoor Fun."  This is a card I did as a Doodle Pantry DT member for that challenge.  I did it hoping that the area where I live would get a bit more rain; we've had such a dry year that all our outdoor fun is tempered by high fire danger.  So, using "Umbrella Ants" seemed a perfect choice, and they're obviously having tons of outdoor fun!  :-D

     I colored the image with Copics and Promarkers, added "Fairy Dust" paint from Creative Inspirations Paints to the raindrops and puddle, then die cut it and added a die cut frame.  I matted the entire image onto brown CS, leaving one edge free so I could slide the ribbon under it just slightly.  I added everything to parchment CS in the same Creme Brulee shade as the umbrella.  The sentiment is mine, printed with a computer font, and matted with a scrap piece from die cutting the frame.  I used only the three types of embellishment: ribbon, bow, and 3 brads.

     Challenges:
2 Sisters -- Outdoor Fun
4 Crafty Chicks -- Critters
ABC Challenge -- N for Not just one (3 embellies)
A&T Emerald Faeries -- Ribbons
Card and Scrap -- Lots of layers
Color My Heart -- Creme Brulee & Juniper
Creative Inspirations Paint -- Anything goes
DL.ART -- Splash
Hanna and Friends -- Make a scene
Oozak -- AG w/ earth tones
Outlawz Paper Ala Mode -- Anything goes
QKR Stampede -- For the boys
Scrappy Frogs -- Anything goes
Totally Gorjuss -- Water

     OK, a double post for today.  Hope your weekend is going well, my friends and followers, and that you have found time for fun and play.  In addition, for those of you in the US, how about taking a moment or two of reflection on the reason for this holiday weekend?  Say a prayer of thanks to all who have served to protect us in times of war and conflict.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Daisies and Butterflies

     Let me start by saying that I LOVE THIS CARD!  lol  Mostly, I'm crazy about the image -- "Daisies and Butterflies," which is from Delicious Doodles, of course, since this is my DT card for the new challenge starting today.   Our theme is to "Use Lace."

     I'm still in a mood for spring even though the weather has already turned hot.  Those of you in cooler climes, especially those getting rain, count your blessings.  We're hot and dry and our fire season has started already.  Maybe that inspired the colors I chose as much as the color challenge I'm entering.

My sketch came from Digi Sketch, turned 1/4 turn, 

and the colors are from Sparkle n Sprinkle.

 

     I colored the image with Promarkers, then added two different glitters (from Sparkle n Sprinkle) to the butterfly wings.  I used Fire Engine Red and Cyclamen.  The image is die cut with an oval die from QuicKutz and inked on the edges.

     The lace was in my recycle stash and came from an old dress sleeve.  I adhered it on top of red handmade paper, and that was adhered to a layer of white CS.  The ribbon for the bow was also in my stash, and the paper flowers are from Recollections.  I added the gems to the flower centers.  Finally, I dug out two rhinestones for a bit more bling.

     Challenges:
Artistic Inspirations -- Flowers and Lace
Cupcake Craft -- Layers
Love to Create -- Flowers
Marker POP -- May Flowers
Mema's Crafts Monday -- May Flowers
Ooh La La Creations -- Seeing red
Pretty Little Ribbon Shop -- Lace
Songbird -- Flowers

     I hope your week has gone well and that you have great plans for the weekend, even if those plans are like mine -- stay home, craft and play, & cook dinner for a friend.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Red Roses for Love

     It's said that in the language of roses, red ones stand for love.  If that's true, then today's card is just filled with love.  I was visiting favorite blogs last week and ran across this post on Crafting Vicky's blog and thereby discovered a new progressive challenge blog.   The images that have to be used are from Imagine That and each challenge requires you to use the latest free digital image.  Since they were already into the challenge, I had to purchase the rose digi but it's so gorgeous, who could resist.  From now on, as long as I enter the challenge with each new image, I'll get the next one as a freebie.

I used a sketch from Operation Write Home, one of my favorite groups.  You can find out more about them by clicking on their badge on my right sidebar.

I took the colors from Dynamic Duos.

  

     Coloring the image with Promarkers took some effort because I used only my lightest "red" marker.  I just added more color in layers (let it dry between covering strokes) to darken the shaded places.  The darker the red, the more it tends to 'bleed' over so I was very careful to darken it slowly and gently with light strokes.

     I also added touches of white to the rose, and covered the leaves with white after I had used a very light pastel green on them.  I really didn't want any color other than the red to go with the black and white, which was the reason for the white overlay on the leaves.

     The punched black butterfly idea came from Benzi Stampz and I already warned her that I was stealing -- CASEing it today!  I've never punched a butterfly from black CS before but I know I'll do it more often now.  Isn't it striking?  Thanks, Brenda. :-D

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge -- Things w/ wings
Charisma Cardz -- Black & White + 1 color
Color Me Creative -- Anything goes
Flutterby Weds. -- Open, Anything goes
Fresh Brewed Designs -- Flowers
Paper Shelter -- Love
Simon Says Stamp -- Things w/ wings

     Well, I had a marvelously restful and fun Mother's Day weekend with my daughter and grandkids.  I promise to post some photos of the beach house where we stayed, and some of the incredible scenery within either walking or driving distance.  But for now, I want to get this posted so I can get it entered into the Imagine That progressive challenge before it closes tomorrow.  Thanks for visiting.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Happy Mother's Day with a Lavender Lady

     I want to start by wishing a Happy Mother's Day to all of you who are celebrating today, either as mothers or as daughters.

     A couple of days ago I shared a Gibson Girl image with you and today I've used another similar image but this time it's a digital image and it's by the sponsor of our latest challenge at 613 Avenue Create, Rick St. Dennis.  This image is called 1935 Hat.  Isn't she just marvelous?
   
     This week, we'd love to see you do shaped cards.  Of course, our challenges are always "Anything Goes" but we always have an option, too.  So, do a shaped card, or come play along with just the "Anything Goes" -- we want to be inspired by your creativity.

     I used a brand new Grand Caliber die set from Spellbinders to cut the card shape from heavy duty CS, folded it in half, and then layered on another die cut of the same shape but one size smaller.  The smaller shape is embossed with a "Linen" embossing folder, and both layers are embossed around the fancy edge.  I bought this die set, the first for my Grand Caliber, specifically because I thought it would make really great shaped cards.  I was right, wasn't I?  Rather different from the usual round or oval or scalloped-something card, wouldn't you say?

     I colored the image with Promarkers, then die cut it, and inked the edges before adhering it to the card front.  The flower embellishment in made by layering together silk petals, silk ribbon, and then a large, mulberry paper rose.  The ribbon was recycled from an old gift bag on which it served as the handle.  

     Challenges:
As You Like It -- Favorite die or punch
Crafting for All Seasons -- Monochromatic
Crafty Creations -- Something old (ribbon), Something new (dies)
Crafty Ribbons -- No designer paper
Divas by Design -- Anything goes
Hanna & Friends -- Mother's Day
Live and Love Crafts -- 50 Shades of ... Lilac
Little Red Wagon -- All about Mom
Penny's Paper-Crafty -- Die cuts/punches
Whimsy Inspiration -- Anything goes

     By the time you see this, I'll be starting my last day at the coast with my daughter and three of my grandkids.  We're going to take a leisurely drive home, winding our way through some of the coast redwoods, and then through some of the most beautiful wine country anywhere in the world.  I have my camera so if I get some really magnificent shots, I may share them with you this upcoming week.  That will mostly depend on how the weather was.  In the meantime, Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Anniversary

     I needed an anniversary card for one of my regular card customers and this image, drawn by Anne Fenton, came from the Creative Freebie Challenge at Outlawz just in time.  She told me brown and yellow were her wedding colors.

I used the sketch from Creative Inspiration Paint FB.

     The image is colored with Promarkers and I added 'Fairy Dust' Creative Inspirations Paints to her "gown" for some shimmer.  I die cut the image, inked the edges, and stippled it with "Old Tea" distress ink.  I added pearls to her necklace and to the middle of his bow tie.

     The brown die cut you see is actually the negative space from a die cut, left in the yellow CS after cutting.  I added the sheer, brown ribbon and then I adhered the yellow piece to the brown card base.   After that, I layered the oval image over the top so that it looks like the brown is a framing mat around the image.  The yellow CS wraps around the back of the card also.

     I tied a bow from that same sheer ribbon and attached it to the top of the oval.  The card front looks rather fancy and intricate but it's really pretty CAS.

     Challenges:
Crafty Sentiments -- Use a sentiment
Creative Craft -- All about animals
Oozak -- Anything goes w/ earth tones
Our Daily Bread Designs -- At least 4 letters from "SPRING": Pearls, Ribbon, Negative Space, & Giraffes
Papertake Weekly -- Anything goes
Ribbon Carousel -- Celebrations
Scrappy Frogs -- Anything goes
Vickie's @ Lady Anne's -- Anything goes

     Hey, it's Wednesday and that means we're half-way to the weekend.  Hooray!  In my case, it means only one more work day and then I get to start my long weekend away for Mother's Day, soaking in the beauty of the California coast and playing with grandkids.  What better way to celebrate.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Flowers for Mom

     The first time I saw this image over at Mayzy Arts (challenge theme is "Rainbow" and my rainbow colors are in the flowers), I fell in love with it and bought it right off.  This is the first time I've had a chance to use it and I thought it made a perfect Mother's Day card.   My oldest son and DIL have 3 boys, no girls, and there just couldn't be a better image than this one for her card.  :-D

The sketch came from Crafting Life's Pieces (modified slightly),

and I chose the colors from the challenge at Scrappiness Designs.

  

     The image is colored with Promarkers, then die cut and stippled with both Red Brick and Old Burlap distress inks.  Both ribbons came from Really Reasonable Ribbon but have been in my stash for more than a year.  They seem to get used in the late summer and fall but not other seasons.  I spotted them in the ribbon basket while I was searching for something else and they just begged to be used.  :-D

     I tried adding the two angled pieces to the background but just couldn't make them work.  I don't know if it was the particular paper I selected or what, but they were a distraction from the image, so I took them out.  Apologies to the sketch designer.

     The background paper was also in my stash and I don't remember the manufacturer.  I distressed it slightly by sanding it very lightly with a super fine grit sander.

     Challenges:
Country View Crafts -- How does your garden grow?
Crafter's Cafe -- Mother's Day
Crafty Sentiment -- The letter "B" (boy, blue, bow)
Cuttlebug Mania -- One for Mum
Digital Tuesday -- Distressing
Hiding in My Craft Room -- Name your colors (Blue/brown/orange)
My Sheri Crafts -- Mother's Day
Our Creative Corner -- Anything goes
Through the Craft Room Door -- Anything goes


     OK, I'm getting ready for church and will be back later today.  Hope your day goes well and that you find time to refresh and relax.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie