Birthday Bear

     Well, it seems my internet connection isn't as reliable as I had hoped.  Nevertheless, I'm able to connect right now so will get my QKR Stampede card posted, even if it is two days after the challenge began.  :-D  Our theme this week is to "Add a Sentiment."

     Another very CAS, single layer card using digi and sentiment from QKR Stampede: digi 24181 "Birthday Bear" and Digi 23902 "Birthdays are..."   The image and sentiment are printed directly onto the card front, then colored with ProMarkers.  I added some yellow to the top of his face as reflection from the candles.

     Both yellow ribbons were in my stash and I used lace to make the orange bow behind the yellow one.  The inside is decorated with dp from DCWV, carrying through the touch of orange in the design.

     Challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks
Crafty Gals Corner
Crafty Ribbons
DRS Designs
Inspiration Destination
Just Inspirational
Mema's
Party Time Tuesday
Scrapper's Delights
Time Out

     Short and sweet today but I have to get this posted before my internet connection is gone again.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Birthdays and Mother's Day

     I have two cards to post today; one is a birthday card for my BIL and the other is a Mother's Day card which one of my grandkids will no doubt claim to give to their mom in May.  Here's the birthday card.

My color inspiration came from ShowCASe Your Style.

     The image is Lily of the Valley.  I rounded the corners with a corner punch, and added two squares of CS, also corner punched.  All the edges were distressed as I went along.  The sheer ribbon was a left-over bit hidden in my stash, and the silver ribbon for the bow was also a scrap.  The sentiment is rubber stamped.

     Challenges for this card:

Addicted to Stamps

Artbymiran

Cardz 4 Guyz

Crafting from the Heart

Craft Your Passion

Hiding in My Craft Room

Outlawz Tuesday

Through the Craft Room Door

     My second card uses an image from AuroraWings and I stayed with the green and gold theme to honor St. Paddy's Day (yes, also my birthday! ;-D)

     The image is colored with ProMarkers, then die cut, embossed, and chalked.  I embossed a dark green CS scrap and layered everything together on a card blank from DCWV.  The lace ribbon used for the bow is yet another scrap.

     Challenges for this card:

Catch the Bug

Craft for the Craic (top row)

Crafts 4 Eternity

Crafty Cardmakers

Di's Digi Designs

DRS Designs

Fairy Tale

Little Claire's

Moving Along with the Times (1st column)

My Time to Craft

One Stitch at a Time

Ribbon Girl

     Happy Stamping and enjoy your day of green.  NanaConnie

A Boy's Gift !

     I admit when I first saw this image from QKR Stampede (Digi 12806 'Little Boy'), I knew I was going to use it for a Mother's Day card.  Every year, I make cards for my daughter, my wonderful DIL, and my Granddaughter-in-law.  I also make cards for their kids to give to them.  The fun part is that each of them have boys so I get to use some fun, boyish images.  :-D

     A new QKR Stampede challenge starts today and this time our theme is "Stitching - Real or Faux."

I was inspired by the colors at Cosmic Colors.

I used a sketch I found at Sketchtanten but I'm not entering that challenge since they don't allow the use of digital images.  I reversed the sketch because it fit better with the direction my image was facing.

  

     This time I colored the image with chalks but most of the shading is done with Copics.  It's difficult to get enough chalk in the right places to make good shadows.  I hand cut the image, leaving a good margin around it for the faux stitching.  It's adhered with Pop Dots for a bit of dimension.

     Both of the papers came from a stack by The Paper Studio and I did stitching around the edges of the argyle design and the white CS mat behind it.  The ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon and the twine came from my stash.  The tiny flower was punched and I added a small gem to the middle of it.  The stitching, the flower, and the bow are my only 3 embellishments.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
2015 World Wide DT
Chalk-Ah-Lot Cafe
Come and Get It
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper
DT Showcase
Really Reasonable Ribbon
That Craft Place

     I hope we're going to see you playing along this week at QKR.  You can use any digital or rubber stamp but if you choose to use an image from QKR Stampede, you'll qualify for a separate drawing to win images.  That really does increase your chances of winning so think about it, won't you?

Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

100% Irish Bear

     Friday means a new challenge at QKR Stampede and you should all know by now how much I love their images!  This week the theme is "Bring on the Green" so I had to do another St. Patrick's card in honor of both my heritage and my St. Paddy's birthday.  :-D  (Digi 10003 - Irish Bear & Digi 16907 -100% Irish)

I took inspiration from the photo at {Pin}spirational.

     I used ProMarkers to color the image which was printed onto the card front for a single layer, CAS card.  The only embellishment I added were the three die cut flowers and the gems in the middle of them.  I really wanted the image to say it all and I think it does.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
2015 World Wide DT
Artistic Inspirations
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Creative Card Crew
Die Cut Divas
Emerald Faeries
Great Impressions
Melonheadz Friends
Monday Morning
Open-Minded
Simon Says Stamp
SLS Lines
Whoopsi Daisy

     Won't you please come play with us at QKR Stampede this week?  All we want to see is some green on your card and how hard can that be?  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

It's a (broken) Mouse Tail

     When I saw this digi over at QKR Stampede, I knew I wanted to use it but couldn't figure out exactly where or how.  So, when the opportunity arose for a Twisted Thursday at Outlawz challenge without an assigned image, I decided it was the perfect opportunity and made another "Get Well" card for my stash.

     Our theme is always "Anything Goes" and this week our optional twist is "Texture."

      The image is colored with ProMarkers and fussy cut by hand.  I used a Darise embossing folder on black CS to make the frame, then sanded the embossing so that the white core shows through.  The one word sentiment is my own.  I added the blue bow for a bit more texture and called it finished, a nice CAS design.

     Challenges:
ABC Challenge
Cards in Envy
Come and Get It
Crafting from the Heart
Crafts Galore Encore
Design Team Showcase
Get Creative
Mema's
Nordsalten Hobbyklubb
Not Just Cards
Paper Nest Dolls
Robyn's Fetish
Sentimental Sundays
Sisters of Craft
Through the Craft Room Door

     I hope we're going to see you playing along at The Outlawz this week.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Spring Mouse

     It's time for spring to be here and I'm doing all I can for you folks still buried under the snow, including getting a garden started, praying for sunshine, and doing cheerful, flowery, spring cards!  This one uses an adorable little mouse, clearly ready for spring with all those flowers, from Rick St. Dennis. I think I may use it for an Easter card.

I chose colors from the challenge at Color My Heart.

     The image is printed right onto the card front for a single layer card, then colored with my ProMarkers.  While I wanted this to be a CAS design, I also wanted a bit of embellishment so I used Cheery Lynn dies to cut the blue leaves and the butterfly.  Both were cut from a scrap bit of dp.  I used another larger scrap of it for the inside of the card.

     The little flowers were hand punched (again, a scrap piece of CS) and colored, then I added glitter and a bead to each one.  I put one flower in the bouquet the mouse is carrying and another one on his hat.   Finally, I added a bit of glitter to the butterfly.  I also added dp and a pocket to the inside for a gift card.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Brown Sugar
Card Mania
Clear It Out
Crafty Catz
Deep Ocean
Digitally Sweet
DRS Designs
Friends of Speedy TV
Glitter n Sparkle
Jo's Scrap Shack
Love's Rubber Stamps
My Sheri Crafts
Papertake Weekly
Party Time Tuesday
Perfectly Rustics
Sister Act
Stamp and Create
Sweet Stampin

     I know I was MIA all weekend as far as posting went but I was having back problems and just couldn't sit at the computer or craft desk for long enough to get anything accomplished.  Today, I'm feeling much better, though I still have limits on how long I can sit in one position.  Still, it beats how I felt on Saturday so I'm thankful.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie