October Digi of the Month

     The October Digi of the Month challenge has already started over at Deedee's Digis.  If you played in this progressive challenge last moth, you should have already received your freebie image for this month.  If not, please contact Deedee through the challenge blog so that it can be sent to you.  The set this month is called "Pumpkin Patch" and there's a photo of the full set at the bottom of this post.

     First thing I must tell you is that I was inspired by a fellow DT, Kren @ A Fourth Life, and I just had to CASE the idea of the leaf embellies as she used them on this card.  Although, I admit I got a bit carried away with the idea!  Thanks, Kren, for the inspiration.  :-D  

     For my card, I used the pre-colored image, used ProMarkers to add the sky and to color the scarecrow's shirt so that it was more red.  All the leaves were individually hand-punched from scrap bits of CS, then added around the edge of the image, one by one.  That piece was adhered to a card base made from shiny CS.  I 'dyed' a white bow with a marker to get the shade of orange I wanted.  The sentiment is also from the set.

     Challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge

Classy Cards n Such

Come and Get It

Crafty Sentiments Designs

Digitally Sweet

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends

Love to Scrap

Oddball Art

One Stitch at a Time

Outlawz Greetings

Paper Girls

Robyn's Fetish

Sisterhood of Crafters

Whimsy Inspiration

     Hey, it's Wednesday and that means we're half way to another weekend.  Why do the weeks go so quickly as we get closer and closer to the holidays?   Yikes, I already need more time to get everything done that I want to do before Halloween knocks on my door.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Pumpkin Kitty

     There's a new challenge starting today over at Tuesday Throwdown and we have Sugar Pea Designs sponsoring us this week.   Our theme is "Clean And Simple" (CAS), meaning lots of open space and minimal embellishment in the card design.  I chose to do one last Halloween card because I simply couldn't resist this precious kitten peeking out of a pumpkin.   I don't have any Sugar Pea images in my collection so I used an image from AuroraWings.

     I colored the image with my ProMarkers, deciding right away that this was a little white kitten, not a black cat.  :-D  I also decided to use my three favorite fall colors (goldenrod, orange and black) instead of the typical Halloween colors.   I added glitter to the pumpkin face and waited for it to dry.   Then, I cut the image with a hexagon die from QuicKutz and matted it with another die cut one size larger.

     Everything went onto a yellow pre-made card base.  I added the matted sentiment and three, tiny, black rhinestones, then left it alone.  The entire card, including the coloring process, took less than 45 minutes but it also gave me a chance to use up one more pre-made card base from my stash.

     Challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks
A Gem of a Challenge
AuroraWings
Cards in Envy
Come and Get It
DL.ART Thankful Thurs
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jo's Scrap Shack
Just Add Ink
Little Claire's
Pencil Case
Send a Smile 4 Kids
Simply Papercraft
Stamping Boutique
Wags 'n Whiskers

     I hope we're going to see some wonderful CAS creations from all of you this week!  Just  click on the Tuesday Throwdown name up above to go directly to the challenge blog.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Apple Season

     Picking apples every fall is a warm and wonderful childhood memory of mine.  The whole family would go up into a high foothill community, appropriately named Apple Valley, and pick at least 5 bushels of apples, combining sweet and tart, juicy and crisp, and in all possible apple colors.  They were stored in the cellar and we had apple pies, applesauce, baked apples, and Waldorf salads, to say nothing of slipping down into the cellar just to pick out that one perfect apple to go into the lunchbox for school.

     When I saw this image set at MHK Designs, I bought it immediately and this is the first chance I've had to use it.  Makes me want to sing the old, old "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree..." which was popular with soldiers going off to war. :-D

     I colored the image with ProMarkers, cut it with a die from Spellbinders, and threaded the ribbon through it.  I adhered the piece onto a colored card base and called it finished.  How's that for something really CAS which has an elegant flair to it?

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Friends
Crafty Girls Creations
Creative Fingers
DL.ART Thankful Thurs.
Jo's Scrap Shack
Little Red Wagon
Morgan's ArtWorld
Outlawz PAM
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Paper Girls
Simon Says Stamp
Simply Papercraft
Sweet Stampin'
Word Art Weds.

     I hope your week is starting well and that your weekend was filled with relaxing and productive activities.  I helped my daughter prepare invitations and other things for my youngest grandson's 9th birthday and got cards made for my DT commitments so my weekend felt both productive and relaxing.  I do love to craft and be creative.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Coffee and Autumn

     There's something about autumn and the cooler weather which means it's time to break out the coffee pot & mugs and put away the ice tea pitcher & lemonade glasses.  I'm celebrating that coming of autumn with this card, hoping that, finally, it might bring on that cooler weather.  We're so tired of hot, hot, hot out here in dry and drought-stricken California.

     On the other hand, once that cooler weather does set in, we're really grateful for all those wonderful warm drinks poured into a mug, held in our cold hands, and used to warm our insides.  :-D

     Paola, at My Whimsical Little World, has done several of these coffee and teacup images and it was through her that I heard about the Coffee Loving Cardmakers blog hop for National Coffee Day.   She's one of 42 different sponsors!

     I colored the image with ProMarkers, then used a Spellbinders' die to cut it.  I added the ribbon, put everything on a colored card base, and beyond that, left it pretty simple.

     Challenges:
Cards in Envy
City Crafter
Coffee Loving Cardmakers
Crafting with Dragonflies
Cut It Up
Deep Ocean
Fan-Tastic Tuesday
Inspiration Destination
Really Reasonable Ribbon
Scrapy Land
Simon Says Stamp
Stamping Boutique
Sweet Stampin'
Through the Craft Room Door

     OK, the weekend is half over and I still have DT cards to make for this upcoming week.  But my day is without any other plans so crafting the day away will work just fine.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

I'm Here for You

     Yesterday I shocked many of my followers by posting a card with a dog image instead of a cat so today, I'm making up for that.  :-D  This sweet feline "Homework Helper" is from a set of the same name available at Deedee's Digis.  See the photo of the full set at the bottom of this post.

     Those of you who share your lives with felines will totally understand this image.  Regardless of what you are trying to accomplish, the cat must be in the middle of it!  Even my teenage granddaughters know about the kind of homework help cats give.  No matter, we love them and reward them for loving us enough to be there for us.  :-D

     To make this card, I started with a sketch from Sweet Sketch Weds. but flipped it, top to bottom.

     The image is colored with ProMarkers and cut into a square.  I inked the edges and layered it onto a die cut, square, lace doily.  That went onto dp from Forever in Time, their "Perfect Prints" pad.  I added sparkly ribbon (made with twine and narrow double stick tape), then  a two layer flower to which glitter had been added.  I used another of my favorite die cut leaf stems (Cheery Lynn) with glitter added to those also.  I put a full stem of leaves above with the flower and three individual ones at the lower left.   Finally, I added the small pearls to the three leaves and to the opposite corner above.

     Although this feline is supposedly helping with homework, I think it would be a great card just to tell someone they're not alone.

     Challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks
Bunny Zoe's
Cheery Lynn
Crafty Boots
Crafty Cardmakers
Crafty Gals Corner
Crafty Ribbons
Digi Choosday
Digital Delights
Eureka Stamps
Inspiration Destination
Little Miss Muffet - top row
Mod Squad
Outlawz Twisted Thursday

     Have a wonderful weekend and don't forget there's still a little bit of time to play in the September DOM challenge at Deedee's Digis.  It runs until just before midnight, Pacific Time, on Sunday, September 27.  Playing this month means you'll get the digi for next month free and it's a cutie!  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

A Dog's Life

     OK, ok, I know many of you are going to be in shock when you see the image I chose to use on my DT card for the new challenge at QKR Stampede this week, where the theme is "Dogs or Cats."   With a theme like that, those of you who are friends or who visit here regularly will be expecting to see a feline image, right?  Sorry.  It's time to clear up the misconception that I'm a 'crazy cat lady.'
 
     Actually, I'm a crazy ANIMAL lady!  I love cats and dogs equally but for the last few years, it's been the felines who've let me share their home, feeding and caring for them, cleaning their litter box and otherwise tending to their demands needs.  <--They made me change that!

     So, today, I'm honoring the canine side of the theme.  :-D  Let's face it, nothing is more dedicated than a dog.  Retrievers are dedicated to chasing anything thrown for them.  Chihuahuas are dedicated to barking at every sound or motion.  Poodles are dedicated to strutting their stuff.  And some dogs are just dedicated to napping and laying claim to their personal space.  :-D

     This image (Digi 6601 "Spoiled Dog" & Digi 14619 "Dog's Life") was colored with ProMarkers then cut with a die from Spellbinders.  The sentiment was hand cut, inked on the edge, and adhered to the image piece.

     I also die cut a mat out of dark brown CS, layered it onto the striped dp (DCWV) and ran both of those layers through an embossing folder to make the pawprints.  I added one of the small bows I make and used it as the only embellishment since this card will be for a guy.

     Challenges:
Cards in Envy
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Love to Scrap
Not Just Cards
Passion for ProMarkers
Path of Positivity
Sweet Stamps
Through the Craft Room Door
Without Words

     We're only hours away from the start of another weekend and I have great plans for getting away from it all while never straying more than a couple of miles from my home.  Hope your plans include rest and relaxation in whatever form suits you best.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

"Fall" in Love

     How's this for a perfect, fall wedding, bridal shower card?  The shower decorations are all being done in fall colors.  The image is from The East Wind, where their current FB challenge has a theme of "Lovin' the Animals."

My colors were inspired by Our Crafty Corner.

     The image is colored with ProMarkers, then die cut with a die from Spellbinders.  I took a few of the leaves which were bits that dropped out of the die cut, colored them with ProMarkers, and used them for corner embellies.  The background CS (all from my stash) is hand-torn and layered onto the card front.  Each piece was run through my "Linen" folder before tearing.  The bow is made from hem tape lace and I 'dyed' it with ProMarker to get the color I wanted.

     Challenges:
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards
City Crafter
Clear It Out
Crafty Catz
Crafty Creations
Deep Ocean
Fan-Tastic Tuesday
Hanna & Friends
Little Claire's
Not Just Cards
Oddball Art Stamps
Our Creative Corner
Really Reasonable Ribbon
Scrapy Land
Simply Papercraft
Sisters of Craft
Whoopsi Daisy

     Hey, it's Wednesday and officially Autumn here in the Northern Hemisphere!  Only two more days 'til the weekend and our weather is supposed to cool down for a day or so, then get hot again on Friday and Saturday.  I keep hoping for the cool breath of fall but I'm beginning to lose faith in the weather predictors.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Christmas Magnolia

     I was looking through my huge collection of images from Doodle Pantry, and ran across this Magnolia Blossom.  I've had that image for more than three years and this is the first time I've used it.  It just struck me that, as a lovely white flower, it could make a beautiful Christmas card.

     I printed it twice, once on green CS and again on white.  I outlined the one on CS with white gel ink.  I also printed the sentiment onto the same green CS and then went over it with white gel ink, too.  The colored flower was fussy cut and mounted atop the green CS flower on Pop Dots.  I matted both the image and the sentiment with white CS and layered them together set at angles to each other.

     I found the background dp in my Christmas stash (something else in my stash for more than a year.)   The ribbon and the twine were scrap pieces just waiting to be used, and the holly leaves are actually shank buttons.  So, don't you agree this was a good image for Christmas?

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
A Snowflake's Promise
Christmas Cards All Year Round
Crafting for all Seasons
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Catz
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas  (posy)
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra
Digi Galore
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jingle Belles
Love to Scrap
Outlawz Greetings
Paper Minutes
Papertake Weekly
Petal Lu
Scrapper's Delights
Simply Papercraft

     My stash of Christmas cards is growing and, since I know that I'll have several more of them to do for DT projects as Christmas gets closer, I'm feeling good that there won't be any last minute rush for getting cards done in mid-December.  :-D  Happy Stamping.   NanaConnie

Mid-Challenge Reminder at Quirky Crafts

     We're at the mid-way point of the challenge at Quirky Crafts where I'm one of the Guest Designers this time around.  They have two marvelous sponsors; last week I used an image from Sweet Pea Stamps and this week, I'm using Bugaboo Stamps.  The theme is "Animal Magic" so I thought this fun Halloween silhouette (called Skull Tree) from Bugaboo, with a cat, an owl, and  a couple of bats was perfect.

     This is a really CAS design.  It's also a new design technique I've not tried before.  I printed the silhouette image and the sentiment directly onto colored CS, then cut it to size for the black card front.  That gave me a single layer card which looked like two layers.

     There was no coloring involved (extremely unusual for me and part of doing something new) but I added a blingy look by using three different colors of glitter on the skull faces, the jack-o-lantern, the animal's eyes, plus a tiny touch of red on the spiders' tummies.

     I used a fine point, white, gel pen to add eyes to the bats.  I  added absolutely no ribbon or embellies making it very flat and perfect for mailing but very blingy and eye-catching nonetheless.  I like it, yes, I do!  :-D

     Challenges:
Animal Friends
Artistic Inspirations
Artistic Stampers
Aud Sentiments
CCC Digi Creations
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Boots
Digi Choosday
Incy Wincy Designs
Melonheadz Friends
Outlawz PAM
Papertake Weekly

     OK, this is my last "Sunday" post today - even though one actually went live late last night.  Two guest designing spots on the same day isn't something I planned but it has been fun.  This is my last post for Quirky Crafts  and it's been loads of fun.  Thanks, ladies, for allowing me to join all of you.  For my friends and followers, why not go by the Quirky challenge blog and check out what all the DT members have done, both last week and this.  Then find something magical in one of your animal stamps and make something to enter in their challenge.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Pilgrims for Harvest

     We start a new challenge at Pile It On today and we have a fun palette of autumn colors for our theme (see below.)  Digital Delights is our sponsor and they generously provided images for the DT to use.  As it happens, I have quite a collection of Digital Delights digis so I used "Pilgrim Boy" and "Pilgrim Girl" from my own collection and then added the sentiment which was provided to the team members.

Our wonderful color combo...

...and below is my card.

     There really was no place on either of these partially pre-colored images to use that lovely olive green color so I used my linen folder to emboss some olive CS, cut it to size, and punched the corners.  The image piece was die cut with a set from Spellbinders, as was the dark brown mat (I know it looks black in the photo, but it really is brown as is the narrow ribbon.)

     After I got it all layered together, including the ribbons, bow, and pearls in the one corner (all from my stash!), the olive green CS just wasn't working.  I dug through my ProMarkers, found a lovely light olive green shade and colored in her apron.  I also punched a few leaves from the olive CS and layered them on top of the image.  Instantly, the olive CS fit right in!

     It's amazing what a little bit of added color can do.  I know it makes her look very different from the way a traditional Pilgrim girl is pictured in all white, black and gray, but in this case, the overall design works better.  :-D

     Challenges:

Card and Scrap

Cardz 4 Guys 

CCC Digi Creations 

Clear It Out

Crafting by Designs

Crafty Creations 

Creative Card Crew 

Digi Galore 

Oddball Art Stamps 

Our Creative Corner 

Outlawz Twisted Thursday 

Scrapy Land 

Through the Craft Room Door

WordArt Weds.

     Autumn and all the upcoming holidays are rushing toward us at a pace faster than I care to see.  I have a solid start on all my holiday cards so I think I'll be done by the end of November.  Which is a good thing because the amount of time I spend away from my cozy home during December means that the crafty time is much reduced.  For now, I'd be delighted to see you playing along with us at Pile It On, and remember, that means pile on those challenges!  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Christmas Cuddles

     My third week as a Guest Designer on the Sunday CAS challenge at The Outlawz and I'm truly enjoying it.  I've done a couple of very simple cards so far, and this week is also CAS but with some layers and dimension used in the design.  We have a new theme this week and it's one everybody loves - Anything Goes!   I used an image from Sweet Pea Stamps called "Sugar and Snowball" and took the opportunity to add one more card to my Christmas stash.

I started with a sketch from Pals Paper Arts

and colors taken from Color My Heart.

   

     I used my ProMarkers to color the image and then cut it into a square.   The red CS I used for the die cut frame has been hiding in my Christmas stash for nearly 3 years.  It's very heavy duty and one side is polished so that it shines.  This time, I chose to use the matte side because it worked better with the image colors and was much easier to photograph.

     Once matted, I added the entire piece to the card front, giving me layers but without a lot to distract the eye.  Afterall, I was after a CAS design but I wanted some layers and texture.  The sentiment is printed, hand-cut and matted, and adhered with dimensional dots.

     Challenges:
ArtbyMiran
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards
Christmas Stampin' All Year Long
Crafting for all Seasons
Crafty Catz
Crafty Creations
Crafty Gals Corner
Fan-Tastic Tuesday
Hanna & Friends
Incy Wincy 
Jingle Belles
Morgan's ArtWorld
Outlawz Greetings
Paper Minutes

     It's been fun Guesting at the CAS challenge and I'm looking forward to one more week before it's over.  Any time I can work on mastering the magic of CAS, I grab it.  I'm just honored that they asked me to be Guest Designer this month.   :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie  

Fall Birthday Lady

     This beautiful lady was a freebie from A Day for Daisies where their challenge theme is "Frame It."  As soon as I saw the image, I just knew she called for soft, fall colors - almost pastels rather than the usual bright oranges, reds, and deep yellows.  Even without those bright colors, I wanted her to be "Autumn" without question.  What do you think?

     I colored her with my ProMarkers, cut her with my paper cutter, rounded the corners with a punch, and die cut the background frame from a scrap piece of dp with one of my dies from QuicKutz.  I threaded the two ends with ribbon from my 'bits and pieces' stash, then mounted the matted image onto buttercream CS.   That entire thing went onto a white card front.   I added fall leaves and pearls and then used the negative, drop-out pieces from a decorative-corner die (Cheery Lynn) on the top and bottom of the framed piece, adding a delicate filigree flair to the overall design.

     Challenges:
ABC Challenge (first column)
Crafting by Designs
Crafting for all Seasons
Crafty Gals Corner
Digistamps 4 Joy
Inspiration Destination
Petal Lu
Sisters of Craft
Through the Purple Haze

      I hope your weekend is wonderful and that you find lots of 'refresh' time.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

One Old Buzzard

     Another silly card for the challenge starting today at QKR Stampede.  Our theme is "3s a crowd" meaning we want to see 3 of something on your card.  I used three strips of ribbon and three bows.

     I actually combined two images, one of which I used as the sentiment:  Digi 13610 "Old Buzzard" and Digi 13604 "Ain't Scared."   Another of my Halloween cards.

     The image is colored with ProMarkers.  I cut the image with my paper cutter and inked the edges with distress ink.  The polka dot paper is from Lawn Fawn and the ribbons are from my stash.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
Colour Your World
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Glitter n Sparkle (graveyard)
Incy Wincy
Not Just Cards
Paper Minutes
Passion for ProMarkers
Through the Craft Room Door
Whoopsi Daisy

     That's it for today but I'm already working on cards for Sunday and next week so plan to stop by again, won't you?  Don't forget to play in our challenge this week and if you use a QKR Stampede image, you'll be entered into a separate drawing just for those who use QKR images and that means your chances of winning are much higher.  See you there.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Autumn Harvest

     I'm sharing a new card today, made with one of the images from Deedee's Digis Autumn Harvest set.  There's a photo of the full set at the bottom of this post.

And here's the inside with the sentiment from the set.

     I printed the basket image and fussy cut it before layering it on pop dots on top of the three different dp scraps I used.  I added the double bow of narrow, satin ribbon and the two wooden leaves which came from my stash.  I think this is a perfect masculine card for Thanksgiving or just gratitude in general.

     I know this is a very brief post but I have appointments scheduled this morning and must post this before I leave.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
ArtbyMiran
Clear It Out
Craft Your Passion
Crafting from the Heart
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Boots
Crafty Friends
Creative Card Crew
Digi Choosday
Di's Digi Designs
Incy Wincy
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Love to Scrap
Paper Girls
Ribbon Girl
Scrapper's Delights

      I hope you have a fantastic day, friends and followers.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

  Autumn Harvest

I Really HATE Spiders!

     I hate spiders, I really do.  I can't even stand looking at photographs of real ones and I definitely don't want to see them creepy-crawling up the wall or across the floor.  But when I saw this freebie image from Judy at Blue Jeans, Coffee and Friends, this goofy little spider was so cute, I just had to use him for this card.  Thanks, Judy!!

     I bravely grabbed my ProMarkers and colored him up, adding sparkle gel ink to the web.  Then I cut the image piece into a simple square and offset it onto four layers of textured CS.  I added the two ribbons and tied a double bow.  The final touch was the sentiment, printed and added above the spider.  A very simple design, worthy of a spider who scares off everything else.  :-D

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
AAA Cards
A Gem of a Challenge
Crafting from the Heart
Crafts Galore Encore
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Catz
Digi Galore
Incy Wincy
Morgan's Artworld
Pencil Case
Ribbon Girl
Sisters of Craft
Your Scrapbook Place

     This is the last of the 10 cards I had to make for a neighbor and, since she's paying me for them, I've agreed to swap out any she may not like with ones I've made (or will make) for my own family.  That way, I know she's absolutely happy with everything she gets.  Her only instructions amounted to giving me the genders and ages of her grandkids and two nieces.   Not a lot of information on which to build but I think she'll like what I take to her.  You'll see most of the others over the next couple of weeks, as I have time to get them posted.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Happy Scarecrow Salutes Changing Seasons

     It's very early on a Tuesday and that means a new challenge at Tuesday Throwdown.  Our theme this week is "For a Child" and our sponsor is Sweet n Sassy.  They generously provided images for the team to use and I chose to use "Happy Scarecrow."   He just looks like something a child put together and is a perfect image for a happy child's card.

This is based on the sketch at Sketch Saturday,

although I took the liberty of lowering the horizontal line

and angling things a bit differently.

     The image is colored with a combination of ProMarkers and Copics, then die cut with a die from Spellbinders.  The sentiment was printed and also die cut.  I used sheer ribbon to wrap the card and the tied a triple bow with that same sheer ribbon plus two others that were all in my stash.

     All the papers and card stock pieces were scraps left over from other fall themed cards I've been making this past week.  I always feel so good when I can use up scraps -- like it gives me permission to cut into a new, full sheet of something for the next project.  :-D  Because this is a boy card, the bow is the only embellishment.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Aud Sentiments
Crafting with an Attitude
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Catz
Crafty Friends (bow)
Crafty Girls Creations
Di's Digi Designs
Hiding in My Craft Room
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Morgan's ArtWorld
My Sheri Crafts
One Stitch at a Time
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Outlawz Coloring Friday
Ribbon Girl
Scrapper's Delights
Word Art Weds

     Hey, I hope you're going to come and play in our "For a Child" challenge this week.  I'd love to be inspired by what you create.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Fairy Hats

     I love fairy images and when I find a new one, I just have to grab it.  This one I bought at Sweet Pea Stamps so that I could begin entering their Progressive Challenge on their FB page.  I missed out on playing last month so I'm starting this month.  The image is called "How Do I Look?" and I love that she's trying on various flowers as hats.  Obviously, her tiny bunny friend is offering an opinion.  What do you think?

I was influenced by the simple sketch at Die Cut Divas, turned on end.

     The image is colored with ProMarkers and a couple of chalk markers and then cut with a Cheery Lynn die.  These are my favorite kinds of dies -- the ones which make a fancy, delicate frame around the image allowing a CAS design which doesn't look at all CAS.   Usually, I separate the inside and outside pieces, and use a colored piece for the outside frame.  This time, I kept both pieces together and mounted them on top of forest green CS, cut to size.

     For embellishments, I kept it minimal by adding only three small pearls on the left side and one bow, handmade and 'dyed' with marker to get the shade of green I wanted.

     Challenges:
Artistic Stampers
As You Like It
Cheery Lynn
Crafting with Friends
Digitally Sweet
Inspiration Destination
Little Red Wagon
Lunagirl Moonbeam
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Petal Lu
Really Reasonable Ribbon
Simply Papercraft
Time Out
WordArt Wednesday

     I hope your weekend went well.  Yesterday, we finally got a break from the 100+ degree temps and it looks like we'll be out of the high 90s in a day or two.  I'm so ready for fall with that chill snap in the air, saying summer is really gone and the weather will be livable once again.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

The Magic (of) Animals

     Today, and for the next two weeks, I have the honor be being a GDT at Quirky Crafts.   Their challenge has two sponsors, Bugaboo Stamps and Sweet Pea Stamps.  The theme is a fun one, "Magic of Animals," which I interpreted as animals which may have magic, like dragons!  :-D

     This darling dragon is from Sweet Pea Stamps and it's called "Snowflake Wonder."  I colored the image with ProMarkers and then used pale blue chalk to color in the snowy sky.  I added the darker blue clouds because that snowflake had to come from somewhere; I've never seen one fall from a clear sky!  :-D

     I added some sparkle to the snowflake and cut the image piece by using a square die as a border die on two sides.  What you're seeing is the 'outside' of the die cut.   I added a large, die cut snowflake (Cheery Lynn die), and put some sparkle on it before layering on the sentiment.  The tiny snowflake embellie was in my stash.  I added the bling of two rows of small rhinestones to the lower corner.  Lots of glitter and bling on this card which celebrates every child's wish for snow on Christmas.

     Challenges:
Artistic Stampers
Aud Sentiments
Card Mania
Craft and Smash
Crafting by Designs
Crafting for All Seasons - mid column
Crafting with Dragonflies
Crafty Friends (blue)
DRS Designs
Inky Impressions
Moving Along with the Times
Simply Papercraft
Unicorn Challenge

     I'll see you again next week with another card for the Quirky Crafts mid-challenge reminder.  In the meantime, find something showing the magic of animals and come play along, won't you?  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Music for the Soul

     This is my second card as Guest Designer for the CAS challenge at The Outlawz.  Our theme this week is "Musical" -- and that can have a wide interpretation.  I chose to use a rubber stamp image from Sparkle n Sprinkle, one I've had for a long, long time (before I even started blogging!) but still love.  In fact, this card is overwhelmingly filled with Sparkle n Sprinkle goodies -- embossing powder, glitter, and image.

I started with the sketch from The Outlawz

and colors came from Connie Can Crop.

    

     Before stamping my image, I used chalks to color and blend the background and then I stamped the image with embossing ink, used black EP and heat set it.  I used ProMarkers to add a bit of color to the butterfly in the image.  I die cut it with one of my favorite types of dies (framing) from Spellbinders, making a fancy frame for it.  The three little butterflies are die cut negatives and I added glitter to two of them.  I mounted the image onto a pre-made, colored card front, added the bit of sheer ribbon and the corner brads.  Another lovely, CAS design.

     Challenges:
AAA Cards
Cards in Envy
City Crafter
Crafty Gals Corner (mid row)
Everybody Art
Inspiration Destination
Not Just Cards
Papertake Weekly
Pencil Case
{Pin}spirational
Scrap & Craft
Scrapy Land
Simon Says Stamp
Stamplorations

     Enjoy the rest of your weekend and I'll have another Guest Designer post in a few hours.  Shhhh, it's a secret until then.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

"Bad" Witch?

     I started coloring this fabulous witch I found at Sweet Pea Stamps, having nothing more in mind than using typical colors for a Halloween card.  Originally, I had the usual orange, purple, green, black, etc. in my mind, but kept looking at the color palette offered by Our Crafty Corner (see below).  I loved how spectacular her clothing looked at this point (a rather wonderful surprise) so I left off the purple and green.  Besides, I remember when Halloween colors were just orange and black!  :-D

I was inspired by the colors from Our Crafty Corner.

     The image is colored with my Copics (where I have a better selection of fall colors) and then I used one of my framing dies from Spellbinders to cut it.  I popped up the sentiment on dimensional dots and added a tiny bit of glitter to the tip of her hat.  I didn't want to take away from that fancy frame or the image so there's no other embellishment at all.  I like it just the way it is, frilly and feminine looking while actually CAS.

     Challenges:
ArtbyMiran
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards
City Crafter
Crafty Catz
Dragonfly Dreams
Fan-Tastic Tuesday
Great Impressions
MarkerPOP
One Sweet Challenge

     In case you hadn't figured it out, I'm really happy with today's card!  :-D  It's odd how much I love doing Halloween, Thanksgiving or other fall cards since yellows and oranges are colors I rarely use at any other time of the year.  I did manage to incorporate them into a few of my other cards this past year but I really tend much more toward the purples, pinks, blues, and greens when choosing color combos for my cards.  Have a wonderful weekend, my friends.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Do Raccoons Celebrate Thanksgiving?

     Welcome to the end of the week.  The weekend is just over the horizon and that means it's time for another challenge at QKR Stampede.  Our fun theme this week is "Midnight Snacking" and you can pretty much define that any way you like as long as it relates to some kind of food or snack.  There were so many fun images available at QKR Stampede for this one but I wanted to try coloring a cute raccoon, a new critter that I've not colored before.

     Do raccoons have light tummies or dark?  Or is their tummy striped like their tail?  Is their face light with a dark mask or dark with a light mask?  And most important for my card and sentiment, do raccoons celebrate Thanksgiving?  This image is Digi 2424263, "Thieving Raccoon."  Personally, I think raccoons probably celebrate anything that has to do with food.

     They were certainly celebrating the leftovers of my garden this week.  :-D   Two immature, late-setting watermelons, a zucchini, a few carrots, four or five cherry tomatoes, and three ears of corn!  Still, I don't begrudge any of them -- I'm just grateful to have had a well-producing garden this year.  I really missed having one last year but there was no time to get one in due to all the landscaping that was going in at my new house all that spring and most of the summer.

I used colors from the Tuesday Color challenge at The Outlawz.

     I colored the image with ProMarkers and then die cut it with a die from QuicKutz.  The sentiment is printed and also cut with a die from that same set.  The dp for the background came from scraps in my stash and the three little leaves were punched from bits of scraps.  The ribbons and cord were left over pieces and I tied the bow by hand, layering the ribbons and cord together before using my Craft-Dee Bowz to tie them.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
Cardz 4 Guyz
Clear It Out
Color Your World
Craft-Dee Bowz
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Creative Moments
Cuttlebug Mania
Going Grey with Scrap Creations
House That Stamps Built
Little Red Wagon
One Stitch at a Time
Passion for ProMarkers
Simon Says Stamp

     I want to wish you a happy weekend, and I hope your weather is great - whatever it might be.  Come play with us this week.  You don't have to use a QKR image but if you don't have anything in your collection that will work as a 'snack' image, head over to the QKR Stampede store, scroll down to digi images (for quick delivery), find something you love (that won't be hard!), and come play with us.  Remember, using a QKR image (digi or rubber) means that you are entered into a special category just for QKR users and that increases your chance of winning by a huge amount.  :-D  See you at the challenge.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Kitten & Witch

     So, over the weekend I started my Halloween cards and next thing you know, one of my neighbors wants 10 cards to mail to her grandkids and nieces.  Now I'm working to get all those done plus the cards I'll need for my own family and friends.  Fortunately, I keep finding all these darling stamps so there's no excuse not to get them done right away.  This one is from AuroraWings.

On the AuroraWings FB page,

this is the inspiration photo for the September challenge

and I think I used all the colors in it.

I  also used the sketch from

Always Playing with Paper, turned 1/4 turn.

  

     I used my ProMarkers again to color the image, then cut it with a plain square die.  I printed the sentiment on white CS and added it below the image.  I used one layer of dp and two layers of  'Linen' embossed CS to frame out the image and then put all of that onto a square card front.

     I used sparkly copper ribbon from my stash and found another scrap of lavender ribbon to make the bow.  The butterfly is from Petaloo.

     Challenges:
Ching-Chou Kuik
Colour Your World
Craft-Dee Bowz
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Di's Digi Designs
Glitter n Sparkle
Great Impressions
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Not Just Cards
Our Crafty Corner
Paper Nest Dolls
Send a Smile 4 Kids

     We're back in the 100+ temps this week and I was so convinced that normal fall temperatures would control from now on but I guess we have to endure one more heat wave before summer lets go completely.  I'm ready for that nip in the air that says autumn is here.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie