Vintage Scribble & Scrap

     Sunday morning -- the sun is shining and we had a bit of rain late last night (which we desperately need), and another new challenge starts today at Scribble & Scrap.  We always have an "Anything Goes" theme so there's absolutely no excuse not to play along.  You don't have to use a Scribble & Scrap image or digital papers to enter the challenge but they are all so lovely, why wouldn't you want to use one or the other or both?

     I used a wonderful image called "Vintage Beauty 2" and paired it up with papers from the "Fabulous Florals 2" set.  Wow, do I love the blue papers in that set!  Check this out --

 I used the sketch from Outlawz Sketch challenge this week.

     This vintage lady is colored with ProMarkers, then die cut.  I printed two of the blue papers from the set, and die cut one for the mat behind the image.  The second paper for the background is double printed at the bottom to make the darker strip but it's only one piece of paper.  I added no embellishments at all because I just wanted to show off that beautiful image and the gorgeous papers.  This has to be the most CAS 'vintage' card I've ever done but I think it qualifies as somewhat elegant, don't you agree?

     Challenges:
A Creative Romance -- Spring Flowers
Art Impressions -- Getting Girly
Crafty Catz -- A/G
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper -- A/G
Digistamps 4 Joy -- Vintage
Fan-Tastic Tuesday -- A/G
Graph'It -- Spring Pastels
I {heart} ProMarkers -- A/G
Just Inspirational -- Monochrome
MFP Simple Salutations -- Elegant
Outlawz Alcohol Markers -- A/G
Penny's Paper-Crafty -- Fav color combo (blue & white)
Red Rubber Inspirationals -- Vintage
Southern Girls -- Floral Frenzy
Stampin' for the Weekend -- Spring colors

     Come play along with us over the next 2 weeks, won't you?  We'd love to see your fabulous creations.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Dragon Babies for Mom

     Happy St. Patrick's Day!!  

     Spring is definitely creeping up on us and that makes me think of new life.  New life often means first time moms and birthdays -- and no 'birth'day is more important than the actual day you were born.  Each one after that is just a celebration on the anniversary of your birth, right?  So, today's card is dedicated to spring, new life, new moms, and milestone birthdays.  Yes, I'm celebrating mine today, too, even though it's not a milestone.  :-D

     The image comes from Aurora Wings and is called "Dragon Babies."  Aurora Wings has a fantastic FB page which you should visit for some wonderful inspiration.

I chose to use the sketch from Sketch Saturday.

     The image is colored with ProMarkers, then die cut.  The mat is die cut from dp by K & Co. and the background dp is also K & Co.  The ribbon is grosgrain and was in my stash.  The bow is one of those I make by the dozens.  The glittery border is actually made using "Design Adhesives" diamonds and green glitter.  I'm still experimenting with various gitter and adhesive techniques.  I really like this one!

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge -- Mother's Day or Special lady
AuroraWings -- Anything goes
Corrosive Challenge -- Go green
Craft for the Craic -- Something green
Craftitude -- Add green
Dream Valley -- Big birthday (the day you were born!)
DRS Designs -- You're a good egg
Glitter n Sparkle -- Green
One Stitch at a Time -- Use a digi
Outlawz Alcohol Markers -- Fantasy
Paper Sweeties -- Polka dots
Ribbon Girl -- Green
Robyn's Fetish -- Green & glitter
Sentimental Sundays -- Cute & cuddly
Simon Says Stamp -- Mother's Day or Special lady
Stampin with the Dragon -- Go green
Sunflowerfield Designs -- Birthday
That Craft Place -- Mother's Day

     It's Monday and I'm sure that means we're one day closer to spring.  I hope your weekend was relaxing and productive whatever you were doing.  Now we face the start of another work week and must wait a few more days before we can anticipate the weekend.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Writing Squirrely Notes

     This is set to go live on Saturday morning and if it gets posted as scheduled, I'll be very happy.  We've suffered two power outages this afternoon, one just as I was getting ready to write up this post.  Boom, no power!  Then it came back on for about 10 minutes (just long enough to get everything reset on the computer and fix the two electric clocks in the house) and then, snap, out again.  It's back on now but who knows?  I've set the scheduler first thing and then added the photo and I'm hoping to get the post finished without any further problems.  :-D  But, if you're seeing an unfinished post, it went out again and I'll finish it when I can.

     Today is the start of our next challenge at Open-Minded Crafting Fun and this fortnight we want to see buttons on your creation.  That's it -- make whatever you like but be sure to add some buttons.  We have 4 wonderful sponsors, one of which is QKR Stampede and I used a fun image supplied by them.  Our other sponsors are:  Digi Darla, Gerda Doodles, and Oak Pond Creations.

     Here's my card using "Writing Squirrel" from QKR Stampede.  I'm probably going to use this card myself to write a real note to a friend.  Shocking idea in this day and age of e-mail, isn't it?

My sketch came from the Outlawz Wednesday Sketch challenge.

     The image is colored with ProMarkers, and it really isn't done in blues.  Everything except his blue jeans is lavender and periwinkle, including the 'blue' CS.  Oh, well, I tried for more spring like colors but the photography really did that in.  I die cut and layered the image onto a mat which was also die cut.   The papers are from DCWV, but they were left over scraps so I'm not sure of the name of the stack.  The sentiment is computer generated, then around-the-corner-border-punched and matted, and I added my buttons to the sentiment piece.  The little bows in the corners are from the stash of bows I make.  Those are my last brown ones so it's time to make another dozen soon.  :-D

     Challenges:

Digi Makeover -- Buttons

Fan-Tastic Tuesday -- Anything goes

Friends of Speedy TV -- Spring colors

My Craft Spot -- Cute critters

Paper Nest Dolls -- Anything goes

Papertake Weekly -- TicTacToe: Buttons/ free/ punched

Party Time Tuesday -- Anything goes

Vintage Stamping/ Flonz -- Just for you

     I'll keep it really short and hope that power stays on.  Come play with us this fortnight.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Birthday Roses

     Well, two posts yesterday and one this morning.  You know I've been making good use of my play time this weekend.  :-D  This next card I did using an image from Beccy's Place (theme: Anything Goes with Beccy's image.)  I discovered Beccy's Place images a couple of years ago and I just love them.  These roses seemed perfect for a birthday, and a friend of mine has her birthday on Mother's Day this year so this will probably end up in her mailbox.  :-D

I started with the sketch at Speedy TV (twist: add bling), turned sideways.

     The roses are colored with ProMarkers and die cut with another of my frame dies from Spellbinders.  The polka dot dp is from SU and the background has been lightly embossed with my "Linen" folder.  Can you believe there are no fewer than 6 shades of green on this card between the papers, the CS, and the coloring?  There are just so many challenges this week wanting us to do something with green.  I tried to satisfy them all.  :-D

     I added the pearl swirls and the metal brads for a bit of bling but the card is still flat enough to fit into a regular envelope for mailing.

     The following challenges all have themes related to "green":

Craft for the Craic

Craftitude

Cut It Up

Digi Haven

Get Inky

Pattie's Creations

QKR Stampede

Stampin with the Dragon

     Challenges with other themes:
Crafty Creations -- Birthday
Creative Moments -- Swirls/Pearls
Cuttlebug Mania -- For Mum
Digistamps 4 Joy -- Birthday sentiment
Fussy and Fancy -- Birthdays
Just Inspirational -- Photo of flowers
Loves Rubber Stamps -- A/G
Scrap It Girl -- Birthdays
Seize the Birthday -- A/G
Totally Papercrafts -- female birthday

     Back to my craft room now.  If you're in the USA, but not in Arizona, did you remember to move your clocks forward into Daylight Savings Time?  If not, better do it before you have to go to work or be at an appointment.  You'll be late if you don't.  BTW, can anyone tell me why we "save daylight" in the spring and summer when days are longer and we have more daylight anyway?  The farmer's cows still wake up with the sun, not the clock.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Spring, Spring, Beautiful Spring

     I know most of the country is looking forward to spring being here and I'm no exception so I'm making springtime cards.  I've been sniffling and sneezing and coughing with the last of the winter colds (I hope it's the last) so my crafting has taken second place to resting and getting better but I did manage to make this card this morning.   I used an image called "Bouquet Chick" by  From the Heart and also used their sketch.

     The image is colored with ProMarkers, die cut and added to a die cut mat.  The background dp is from Anna Griffin, her "Georgette" stack.  That was one of those "must have" purchases which has now lain idle in my stash for more than a year!  Polka dot ribbon came from Really Reasonable Ribbon and the 7 flowers were in my stash.  I added a bit of color to each of them with a marker, then put rhinestones in the centers.  The leaves were cut with a die from Cheery Lynn.  Can you  believe all those flowers but still a ton of open space?  The sentiment is mine, printed with a computer font and ink outlined.  I added the stitching using a white gel pen.  Finally, I added 5 rhinestones to the lower corner.

     Challenges:

ABC Challenge -- "G" is for Girls

A&T Emerald Faeries -- Girly: Pretty in pink

Bearly Mine -- For the girls

Card Mania -- Sentiment

Crafting from the Heart -- Use dies

Crafty Sentiments -- Spot or Dots

Created with Love -- Think spring

Deep Ocean -- Just for a girl

Fairies -- Spring

Fan-Tastic Tuesday -- Anything goes

Just Inspirational -- photo of flowers

Natalie and Amy's -- Flowers

Oldie but a Goodie --  Spring has sprung

Passion for Promarkers -- Flowers

Stamp and Create -- Ready for spring

Tok Bobok -- Spring flowers

Top Tip Tuesday -- Use 3, 5, or 7 of something (3 large flowers in image, 5 rhinestones in the corner, 7 embellishment flowers)

     I know spring is just around the corner now but we could use a lot more rain out here in the West before summer hits us with all its heat and sizzle.  Those of you with snow still in your yards, would you be so kind as to ship it out to us?  We need it and you don't !  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

'Tis a Sweet Irish Lassie

     It's Saturday and that means another challenge has started over at Open-Minded Crafting Fun.  We have four more fabulous sponsors this fortnight (Dilly Beans, Flat Friends, The Stamping Chef, and Whoopsi Daisy) and a great new theme, "Something Green."  Well, not only am I getting prepared for the green of spring, I'm thinking of St. Patrick's Day and my own Irish heritage.  Today's card is a tribute to all of the above.  The image is from The Stamping Chef and it's called "Louisa Mae."

I used the sketch from The Outlawz Sketch Challenge this week.

      I tried a new technique on this card which I learned about a couple of weeks ago.  It has to do with "velvet" glitters which I discovered over at Sparkle n Sprinkle (challenge theme -- use loose glitter, EP or flocking), which are micro fine glitters with an incredible look and feel.  Let me tell you about making my card and we'll get to the glittering technique in order.

     I colored the image with ProMarkers, and then die cut it with one of my framing dies from Spellbinders.   I kept the outer (negative) piece, chalked the edges of it with mint green chalk, then laid it back around the frame piece.  I took a piece of sticker paper, peeled the paper off one side and laid the image and outer piece onto the sticker paper.

     All the open holes in the die cut frame were now "sticky" so I sprinkled on Mountain Mist velvet glitter, burnished it into the sticky holes with my finger, brushed off the excess glitter into a coffee filter I had put under the image piece, and then I cut the outside shape of  the chalked piece to what you see on the card.  Peeling off the paper from the back side of the image piece let me adhere the image right to the card front (after laying down the green newsprint paper, of course.)

     I added the triple bow and the shamrocks (also die cut from sticker paper and glittered), then the sentiment, pearl swirl, and gems in the corners.  I wish the sparkle of the velvet glitter showed up better in the photo.  I guess you'll just have to take my word for how sparkly it is IRL.  I love this sticker paper technique and plan to do a lot more practicing with it.  I want to try some other masking techniques with it as well.  In case you're wondering, yes, I had glitter everywhere!  lol  But that's because I seem to be a glitter magnet when I try to use anything more than the teeniest pinch of it at a time.

     Challenges:
Baffies Kreativladen -- Anything goes
Creative Moments -- Anything goes or swirls/ pearls
Divas by Design -- Sparkle
Digi Sketch -- Anything goes
House That Stamps Built -- Black, white & 1 color (green)
I {heart} ProMarkers -- Die cuts, no punches
Lexi's Creations -- Monochromatic
Paper Pretties -- New technique
Passion for ProMarkers -- Make it digital
Perfectly Rustics -- Shades of one color
Simon Says Stamp -- Pearls

     I have three posts today and one of them is as a new DT member so be sure to check out each one of them.  I assure you, you'll find lots of green so you can pretend it's spring or just celebrate the Emerald Isle.  :-D  Happy Stamping  NanaConnie