You Take the Cake!

      Here's another cute image from Imagine That! where they are celebrating their 8th birthday with a new challenge theme each week in February.  This week it's all about birthday cake and/or food.  This is one of the cutest chefs Imagine That has.  I think he's called "Chef Freddy."

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut w Gina Marie die

Patterned blue ribbon from RRR

Sheer ribbon for bow from RRR

Bow Maker used for bow

Background dp from DCWV

     Challenges:

As You Like It  (I have shifted over to digis 98% of the time because

                           storage is so easy and I can easily adjust the size)

Aud Sentiments

Colour Crazy

Colouring in Scrapland

Get Creative

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Festive Fri

Passion for ProMarkers

Stamping Sensations

Uniko

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Gnome Couple

     I'm back with yet another DT card for our newest weekly challenge at Creative Knockouts.  This week our theme is "Love or Valentines" and we're sponsored by the fabulous Laurie Furnell Ink.  I used this adorable Gnome Couple from Laurie's "Valentine Gnomes" set.  Aren't they perfect for any Valentine celebration?

Card shape cut w Tattered Lace die

Colored w ProMarkers

Image cut w Tattered Lace die

Sentiment printed & hand cut

     Challenges:

Crafty Gals Corner

Crafty Sentiments

Digi Choosday

Double D

House Stamps Built

Mod Squad

Paper Funday

Paper Minutes

Passion for ProMarkers

TTCRD

     Be sure to come and play in our challenge this week!  What better theme with Valentine's Day arriving on Sunday?  It's a perfect chance to make that last minute card you forgot you would need.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Wishing it was Spring

      While I know just how this little gal from All Dressed Up feels, I also know that right after spring comes the miserably hot temperatures of summer in my part of the world and I could do without those for as long as possible!   This is the freebie image from the Progressive Challenge at Outlawz this month.

I based this on the sketch at Sketch Saturday

but reversed, side to side.

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut w QuicKutz die

Papers from Doodlebug

Small rectangles cut w QuicKutz die

Bow tied with bow maker

     Challenges:

Angie's Digitals

Colouring in Scrapland

Crafty Calendar

I {heart} ProMarkers

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Greetings

Stamping Sensations

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Peonies for My Valentine

      It's Monday and thank you for checking out my DT card for the newest challenge at Pammie's Inky Pinkies!  We are sponsored this week by SheepSki Designs and our theme is "Anything Goes."   This image is called "Peonies" and it was a dream to color.

     This card was a special request for a gentleman who says that pink peonies are his wife's favorite flower and he wanted something hand made and special for her Valentine card this year.  

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut w Spellbinders die

Sentiment cut w Avery Elle Die

CAS design requested by customer

     Challenges:

Bastel-Traum

CCC Digi Creations

Creatalicious

Creations in Pink

Creative Craft Cottage

Creative Crafters

Creative Moments

Dies R Us

LeAnn's World

     Come play with us this week and while you're at it, check out the challenge at SheepSki Designs, too.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Fairy Ring

      Childhood memory time:  When I was about 4 or 5 years old, my family was spending the early part of the summer at my grandfather's cabin in the mountains.  My dad and I were walking in the small forest area behind the cabin when we found a small patch of mushrooms (or they may have been toadstools; I didn't know the difference at that point) but Dad said it was a "Fairy Ring" because they were all growing in circle.  I was so fascinated by that idea that I spent the next several years of my childhood believing in fairies and searching for their houses.  Come to think of it, I still search for their houses whenever I see a mushroom sprouting somewhere so maybe I still believe in fairies!  :-D

     I made this card from bits of CS left in the scrap basket after all the fall cards last season.  I made it specifically for this challenge at Pixie's Snippets and I'm donating a brand new package of those Memory Box mushroom & toadstool dies as a prize for that challenge as part of the new "Ruby's Memory challenges."  You can read more about that and see the details about playing in the challenge by clicking on the Pixie's Snippets name above.  Briefly, you must use scraps and snippets on your card and it's only one entry per person, per challenge.

Mushrooms & toadstools cut w Memory Box dies

Sentiment printed & cut w QuicKutz die

Bow is hand sewn w pearl accent

CAS design to showcase the die cuts

     Challenges:

Crafter's Castle

Crafty Calendar

Crafty Creations

Crafty Sentiments

Creative Fingers

Cute Card Thurs

Dies R Us

Digi Choosday

Penny's Paper Crafty

TTCRD

     Be sure to check out Pixie's Snippets and come play along.  You might even win a set of these fun, fabulous dies and you can make your own fairy forest.  :-D  Di has a couple of other wonderful prizes, too, so check it out!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Sunflowers or Dahlias?

      The image I used today is a new one from Conie Fong called "Sunflower Bouquet."  But I was in the mood for Spring and for a monochromatic card so I treated the sunflowers as if they were dahlias and discovered that the image was very versatile!   I can use this in summer and again in fall for cards which have a more appropriate color scheme for those seasons.  :-D

Colored w ProMarkers and gel pens

Image and doily cut w Spellbinders dies

Doily is a scrap of pearl CS

Image edges inked w ProMarker

Sentiment hand cut and edges inked

Three gems added + 3 tiny butterflies

     Challenges:

Cardz TV

Colour Crazy

Crafter's Castle

Creative Fingers

Gem of a Challenge

Outlawz PAM

Pattie's Creations

Polkadoodles

Your Scrapbook Place

     Conie Fong always has 2 challenges going each month over on the Facebook page; one is for coloring only and the other is for completed projects.  You do have to use a Conie Fong image to enter but there are freebies available HERE.  You'll fall in love with them, then you'll buy a couple from the Etsy store, and the next thing you know, you'll be playing along every month which means your chances of winning images is even greater!  How can you resist?  

     Happy crafting (and coloring.)  NanaConnie

Roses for You

      I was lucky enough to be a challenge winner last week and the challenge was sponsored by Artsy Stamper.  I  chose a set of images called Vintage Birds and Roses and used this one to make a Valentine card for a friend who loves green and gold as a color combo.  Her birthday just happens to fall on Valentine's Day so I've used her favorite colors.  Roses are perfect for a Valentine card regardless of the colors.

      I actually love making Valentine cards for friends more than for a special sweetie since I have many more friends than sweethearts.  Besides, for friends I can change the color combos instead of having to use the traditional red/pink/white of Valentine cards and nobody questions it!  :-D

     When I printed this digi image, I first chose one of the pre-colored versions, then turned it into a grayscale image before printing it.  I'm getting more and more experience with this technique and have even learned that with my MS Word software, I can lighten or darken the grayscale which gives me more or less shading before I color it myself.

Colored w ProMarkers

Image & frame cut w Spellbinders dies

Plaid dp was a scrap

White, pearl CS embossed w Wild Roses EF (Darice)

Sentiment cut w Avery Elle die

Sheer, hand-tied, gold bow 

     Challenges:

As You Like It

Aud Sentiments

Cardz TV

Colour Crazy

Crafty Catz

Creative Fingers

Cute Card Thurs

Pattie's Creations

Scrapping4Fun

     Happy Crafting, my friends.  NanaConnie

Valentine Cupcake

      This adorable image is the one for the February Progressive Challenge at Imagine That!   It's called Birthday Bunny but it makes a perfect Valentine, as you can see.   

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut w Gina Marie die

Background dp from SU

CTMH glittered flower embellie

     Challenges:

Creative Inspirations

Cuttlebug Mania

Digi Choosday

Double D

Mod Squad

Paper Funday

Paper Shelter

Passion for ProMarkers

Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Is It Your "Tequila" Birthday?

      For those of you who don't yet know about "tequila" birthdays, this card should give you all the explanation you need to figure it out.  Personally, I passed the 'Tequila Birthday' several years ago and now I don't even think about how many of them I've had.  Each year that rolls by becomes a badge of honor for living that many years.  lol  I have anther birthday celebration rolling around next month and I'll be proud of it, too - no tequila needed!   :-D

Colored w gel pens & distress markers

Cut w Memory Box dies

SU dp for background

Metallic ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon

Sheer ribbon bow tied w bow maker

     Challenges:

A Bit More Time...

Clever Dexter

Crafts Galore Encore

Crafty Hazelnut's

Dies R Us

Digi Doodle Studios

Imagine That

Outside the Box

Your Scrapbook Place

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Going Hog Wild

      There's no better time to go Hog Wild than on Valentine's Day, right?   This cutie of a hog is a Bugaboo Stamps image and I think he's adorable with his little gift of a spring flower for his special girl.  :-D  I kept the design fairly CAS although the background is dp instead of plain white but it has limited embellies and the focal point is clearly the image.

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut w CUTplorations stitched die

Papers are old ones from SU

Ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon

Heart 'buttons' from CTMH

    (puff stickers which I made into 

     buttons but adding 'holes' w gel pen)

     All last month I used only supplies from my stash and I've decided to continue that through this month as well.  I can't believe how much money I've saved by not buying new things I just "had to have!"  I really think I just didn't realize the depth and breadth of my stash.  I've found things I've had for 8 or 10 YEARS which go unused and, even worse, forgotten!  It's been fun (and a bit like Christmas morning all over again) discovering those things which have been hidden in drawers and on shelves and using them up.  

     I swear I must have 10,000 yards of ribbon!  And papers?  Oh, my!  When I jokingly say I have a "ton of papers," I may actually have that much.  Sheesh, talk about hoarding...

     Challenges:

Addicted to CAS

Allsorts

Catch the Bug (1 ribbon/ 2 buttons/ 3 layers)

Country View

Crafty Sentiments

Gem of a Challenge

Lemon Shortbread

Outlawz PAM

Passion for ProMarkers

TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Love Potion

      Good morning, again.  This is my 3rd post for today so be sure to scroll down for the other two if you came here first.  This is my post sharing my DT card for the first of our two February challenges at QKR Stampede.  My card actually has an image from Eureka Stamps, our sister company.  It's called "A Love Potion."  I wanted something I could use on a really simple, CAS design for a masculine Valentine.

Capital letters colored w ProMarkers

Edges inked w ProMarkers

Gingham ribbon

Hand-tied gingham bow

     Challenges:

A Bit More Time...

Cooking Up Creations

Crafter's Castle

Crafts Galore Encore

Digi Doodle Studios

House that Stamps Built

Lemon Shortbread

Simon Says Stamp

Splashy Mix

Word Art Weds

     Don't forget about our QKR Stampede challenge in the midst of all the other challenge which start on the first of the month.  We always have an "Anything Goes" theme.  You can use any image from any company but if you chose an image from QKR (or Eureka), your entry goes into a completely separate draw and that increases your chances of winning by a huge amount!  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

TSF Fairy

      Welcome!  Let me tell you about to the latest "Anything Goes" challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps which started today.  Although it's like every other challenge at JDS, this month we also want to share a bit about an important blog hop at Turner Syndrome Foundation. 

     Turner Syndrome is a medical condition which affects only girls and women.  Read more about it on the TSF site. TSF works to heighten awareness and promote more research by doing an annual fundraiser in February each year.  As she has done in the past, again this year Jan has again created a lovely digital stamp set specifically for TSF, and Jan herself is a sponsor of the blog hop.  All proceeds from the sales of this year's TSF Fairy set (and last year's TSF Key set) will be donated to the Foundation.

     Here's my DT card using the TSF Fairy.

Hair, wings, & butterfly colored w ProMarkers

   (the rest is pre-colored)

Cut & embossed w Spellbinders die

Pink ribbon is metallic

Sentiment from same set

     Challenges:

Crafty Sentiments

Creative Fingers

Digi Choosday

Ike's World

Lemon Shortbread

Outlawz PAM

Stamping Sensations

TTCRD

Turner Syndrome Blog Hop

     We really hope you'll play along with us this month and don't forget to check out the blog hop at TSF!  Also, for each person who purchases the TSF Fairy or TSF Key set fromJan's Digi Stamps and uses it to enter our February challenge, Jan's is offering a separate prize of $12 to spend in the JDS Shop!  Get in on this one before the end of the month.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie 

All About the Heart

     This is the first of 3 posts today which is what happens when the first of the month falls on a first Monday.  :-D  This is the one for 2 Crafty Critter Crazies but be sure to check back in just minutes for the post for Jan's Digi Stamps and in a couple of hours for the post for QKR Stampede.

     Here it is the first of another month and, since it's February, our thoughts turn to deep friendship or love and things of the heart.  Our latest monthly "Anything Goes with a Critter" challenge starts right now at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies.  We are sponsored this month by Beccy's Place, who generously supplied images for the DT.  

     I actually used the freebie image from the January challenge at Beccy's Place.  That challenge has ended but the image is still available.  He's perfect if you still have Valentines to make.  :-D

I used sketch #199 from Sweet Sketch Weds.

Colored w ProMarkers & gel pens

Cut w Sizzix die

Papers from Neenah

Satin edged ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon

Mulberry paper flowers from stash

Pink gems from stash

Hand-tied pink bow w gem

     Challenges:

Crafter's Cafe

Creatalicious

Dies R Us

Double Trouble (all 3)

   partner w Heart 2 Heart

Dream Valley

Outlawz Stash

Simon Says Stamp

     Come play this month.  Remember, our theme is always "Anything Goes with a Critter."  We want to see a critter featured prominently on your project, not just a teeny butterfly or an almost unseen animal down in the corner.  :-D   Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie