Pig Out on Your Birthday !

      Today's card is my DT project for FarmQuest and our theme this fortnight is "Troughs, Crates, or Buckets."  They can be metal or wood as long as they are one of those things and reflect the "farm country" requirement for all of our challenges.

     I used a fun image from Angie's Digital Stamps and it's one I've had for a long, looong time.  I don't even know if Angie's shop is still open.  The barnyard pig just looks so happy munching his way through the full trough and I thought he'd make a great birthday card.  :-D  The image was colored with water color paints, then cut with a Sizzix scalloped circle die.  The frame was cut with another die from that same set, a size larger.

     I printed the sentiment and cut it with an Avery Elle die, then I used a ProMarker to ink the edges of it.  The flowers with gem centers are from Petaloo and I thought they gave a nice finishing touch to the card.

     Challenges:

Creative Fingers

Creative Knockouts

Digi Choosday

Di's Digi Designs

Outlawz Thurs (middle row)

Pammie's IP

Pattie's Creations

Penny's P-C

Word Art Weds

     I hope we're going to see you playing along in our challenge.  Dig out those tub, trough, or bucket images, add a few things to emphasize the 'farm' or 'country' quality, and come enter our challenge.  It runs until March 13 so you have plenty of time.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cat-in-the-Box !

      If you've ever shared your life with one or more felines, you know that they will claim any box (empty or not) as their own by climbing into it, regardless of its size or theirs.  This adorable image, which came from the February Progressive Challenge at the Outlawz, shows exactly how cats behave around a box.  No matter how many comfortable (and expensive) cat beds you may have around the house, the cat will be in the box !

     I printed and colored the image with ProMarkers, then cut it with a die from QuicKutz.  The background was cut from goldenrod CS with an Altenew die, then mounted onto black CS.  Clean, simple, and perfect for a masculine card.

     Challenges:

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie  

Heading North

     There's a new 'Country' theme challenge which started up on February 7 and it will run until March 5.  It's a sister challenge to the one at FarmQuest and this one is called "FQ General Store."  The theme will always be "Anything Country Goes'' and you can find the challenge by clicking on the name above.  

      To quote from the challenge site itself, "What's included: farm, ranch, rural, country, dirt roads, gravel roads, picket fences, barbed wire, barns, farm animals, farm equipment, farmhouses, kitchens, canning, orchards, markets/farmer's produce markets/U-picks, sunflowers, scarecrows, hay, denim, plaid, gingham, burlap, frogs, fireflies, fishing, camping, pond life, brooks/streams, and much more.  What's not included: city life, city buildings, city parks, playgrounds, amusement parks, suburbia life, shopping malls/centers, etc."

      I just joined the DT and am excited to share with you my first card done for the "mid-month" reminder.  I thought that since the name is "General Store," it might be fun to use an actual General Store image on my card.  This was a coloring book page which I printed in grayscale, reduced in size, and then colored with polychromos pencils and ProMarkers.  I used white gel pen to add highlights and black gel pens on the geese flying north for the upcoming summer.  The sunlight rays coming through the tree were made by using bleach on a cotton-tip.

     I cut the image with a QuicKutz die and inked the edges with a ProMarker.  The background was dry embossed using my newest EF from Taylored Expressions.  It's a cable knit pattern and I thought it gave a very 'country' feel to the card.  The twine came from my stash.

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...?

Carlin's Card ...

Classic Design

Crafts Galore ...

Crafty Catz

Creative Fingers

Gem of a Challenge

Outlawz Friday

Simon Says Stamp

Taylormadecards ...

     If you love anything country, this is the challenge for you!  We'd love to see you playing in our barnyard or field so come on along.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bailey and Bee

      I adore this precious image by Conie Fong called "Bailey and Bee."  This is one of her newest releases and I'm happy to say I had a bit of input in suggesting the design.  :-D  

     I printed the sentiment (also from the set) with the image and used water color paints, then cut it with a Tonic Studios die.  The frame was made by cutting a scrap of CS with a Sue Wilson die.  Everything was mounted onto a pale, sky blue, piece of CS, layered onto the card front.   Pretty simple but it looks really complex due to the filigree design of the die cut frame.

I pulled 3 of the 4 colors from My Favorite Things.

     Challenges:

Digi Choosday

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Thursday (center row)

Pammie's IP

Paper Funday

Pattie's Creations

Penny's P-C

Polkadoodles

Word Art Weds

     Feel free to come and play in our Conie Fong challenge which you'll find on our Facebook page.  Anything goes but you must use a Conie Fong image.  Conie always has some images on sale and there are even freebies available on the FB site.  Check it out and then come play!  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

One Hot Pepper!

      My SIL is a fabulous cook, BBQ Master, and gardener.  One of his specialties is hot sauce which he makes from peppers he's grown in his own garden.  I'm definitely NOT a fan of things which are spicy hot so I've never tasted any of his hot sauces, but lots of others rave about them.  So, when I found this fun QKR Stampede image in the shop, called "Hot Pepper,"  I knew it would make a perfect birthday card for him.  His birthday is in 2 days.  :-D  Inside it says, "Here's one for your BIRTHDAY!"

     Since this is Day 1 of our latest challenge at QKR Stampede, I thought this would be an appropriate time to share this card with you.  Don't forget, we have a DT Call going and we'd love to see you apply.  It will close this week, so get your application in!  

     I colored the image with ProMarkers, and cut it with an Unbranded die.  In honor of the 'sparkle' that comes from spicy heat, I added Stickles glitter to the negative parts of the die cut.  The sentiment was printed and fussy cut, using scissors.  The card front was made from scrap of orange CS.

     Challenges:

Ally's Angels

Crafter's Cafe

Digi Choosday

Girlz Rebel

Pammie's IP

Paper Shelter

Passion for Markers

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp ...

Worldwide Crafters ...

    

     Come by and play in our challenge.  It runs until the end of the month and our theme is always "Anything Goes."  We'd love to see you there.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Set My Heart Awhirl

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY !      

     I made another card with this image from Jan's Digi Stamps last month but the penguin with his top hat and his handful of roses is just so precious, he had to be seen again!  He's from a set called "Putting on the Ritz" and this time I took a shortcut and used the pre-colored image, which I reversed before printing.

     I love making card for my friends and family but cards about Love made for special people (the kind we celebrate on Valentine's Day) are my favorites, primarily because I make fewer of them so they are even more special.  :-D

     I cut the image with a Sizzix scalloped die and added a tiny Petaloo flower with a gemstone in the center.  The background dp is a scrap from an old Recollections 12x12 stack.  Aside from the busy design in the paper, it's a pretty CAS card and took less than 15 minutes to make.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

C.R.A.F.T.

Crafty Catz

Creative Knockouts

Cutie Pie

Double Trouble

Inspiration Station

Jan's Digi Stamps

Outlawz Color

Outlawz Thursday (1st Column)

     Have a wonderful Valentine's Day and hug everyone you love!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Empty without You

     It's time for another new challenge over at FarmQuest and our theme is all about Mason Jars!  I found this image in my collection of digital images and I suspect it's an old Doodle Pantry image but I'm not totally sure about that.  Doodle Pantry closed a few years back so there's no way for me to pop over to their store and check it out.  

     I colored the jar with ProMarkers and metallic gel pens, then fussy cut it with scissors.  I printed the sentiment, fussy cut it, and added it to the tag (which is part of the image.)  I mounted those onto a deep blue card base.  The tiny hearts were cut with Memory Box dies and added to give it a touch of love since this is Valentine's Day!  :-D

     Challenges:

CRAFT-alnica

Crafty Gals Corner

Crafty Friends

Cupcake Inspiration

Get Creative

Incy Wincy

Outlawz Friday

Outside the Box (Memory Box heart dies)

Paper Shelter

There's a Stamp ...

     I hope you'll come and play with us at FarmQuest.  The challenge runs until the 28th of February so you have a full two weeks to enter something which fits the Mason Jar theme.  

    

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Valentine Couple

      This cute image is from LeAnn's World and I think it's adorable.  It works as a Valentine card but would also be great for an anniversary, a dating couple, or any occasion where LOVE is being celebrated.

     I tried for a 'light line' version of the image but all that happened is the outline got a bit fuzzy.  Nevertheless, I used my water color paints to color the image, then fussy cut the couple using scissors.  The circle behind them was cut with a stitched circle die from Dare 2B Artzy.  I ran that circle through my Cuttlebug, using a new EF I got from Taylored Expressions.  

     The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die and the butterflies were cut with dies from a Sue Wilson set.  Everything was layered onto a beige card front so that the pops of pink and red would stand out.

     Challenges:

Butterfly (Damson, Dandelion, Denim & Die cuts)

Can You Handle...?

Crafty Catz

Creative Fingers

Dare 2B Artzy

Di's Digi Designs

Dragonfly Dreams

Outlawz Friday

Pattie's Creations

There's a Stamp...

     Happy Crafting!  NanaConnie

Bella & Benji Kiss

      Here's my first DT card for February, featuring this darling new image from Conie Fong called Bella and Benji Kiss, and you can find it by clicking on the name.  The sentiment is part of that set.

     I colored the image with water color paints, then cut it with a die from Lawn Fawn.  The red frame was also cut with a Lawn Fawn die and the frame piece was embossed using my 'Linen' EF.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The plaid ribbon came from Really Reasonable Ribbon and the grosgrain bow was tied using my bow maker.  

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...?

Cupcake Inspirations

Dare2BArtzy

Di's Digi Designs

Dragonfly Dreams

Leigh SB Designs

Outlawz Festive Fri

Simon Says Stamp

There's a Stamp ...

     That's it for today but now that my camera is working again, I'll be posting several cards over the next week or so.  :-D   Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

"Frog Dandy"

      When I saw this image (sent to me by a friend who wanted a birthday card made), my mind immediately jumped to my childhood and I could hear my dad saying, "Well, aren't you looking frog-dandy!"  It was one of his expressions which I never really understood but it always made be think of a frog all dressed up in his finest duds.

     When it was given to me, the image was very pastel, almost grayscale, and I knew I wanted it to be brighter.  I used ProMarkers and colored pencils to bring up the colors and I also used my photo editing software to enhance the coloring.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz rectangle die and used a Fiskars corner punch on it.  I pulled out the scrap basket and pulled out various dp scraps which I thought would work with this image.  I played a bit layering them in different ways and finally settled on what you see here.  I used the corner punch again on the scrap that frames the image.  The sentiment was done with a computer font and cut with scissors.

    Challenges:

A Perfect Time ...

Classic Design

Crafts Galore ...

Creative Inspiration

I Love ProMarkers

Let's Craft & Create

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Word Art Weds

Your Scrapbook Place

    I hope this card brings a smile to your face.  I send a photo of it to my friend who ordered the card and she loved it.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Mid-Winter

      I made today's card to help celebrate a college exchange-student's first ever look at snow!  He's from Nigeria and is studying at a college in Texas, and late last month there was an unexpected snow storm which shut down the entire campus.  All of the students were excited about the event to one degree or another, but he perhaps most of all.  :-D

     I found this image online, reversed it, and printed it in grayscale.  Then I colored the buildings, trees and fence with polychromos pencils and used ProMarkers to color the sky and snow.  I cut the image with a Tonic Studios die, cut the sentiment with an Avery Elle die, and inked the edges of both of those before layering them onto the dp from Paper Studio.

     Challenges:

Coloring w Pencils

Country View ...

CRAFT-alnica

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Fingers

Digi Choosday

Lil Patch of ...

Pammie's IP

Penny's P-C

Polkadoodles

     Enjoy your own mid-winter day, even if there's no snow at all.  For those of you in the southern hemisphere, winter is closer than you think and then you can begin celebrating your own Mid-Winter Deep with piles of snow.  lol  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Banner Heart

      My card today was really quick to put together.  I used one of the images by Jan's Digi Stamps, from their Valentine Wishes set.  I printed the image in black and white, then colored the entire thing  with red ProMarker.  

     I cut the image with a Gina Marie die, perfect with the little 'quads' of hearts all around the edges.  I used a scrap of Recollections dp for the background and simply by added the image piece on top.  Voila' - done in less than 15 minutes!

       Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Love Story Mice

      Is this this most adorable Penny Black stamp ever?  I think it's precious and can see such a variety of uses for it.  Today, it serves as another Valentine.

     Colored with water color paints, then cut with a QuicKutz die, the image was layered onto a background made from paper and CS scraps.  The flower with the gem is one from Petaloo.  The sentiment was printed and cut with another QuicKutz die.

     Challenges:

Dare 2B Artzy

Di's Digi Designs

Dragonfly Dreams

Gem of a Challenge

Lil Patch of ...

Penny Black Sat.

There's a Stamp ...

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Blowing Bubble Hearts

      One more Penny Black stamp from those given to me by my neighbor and, happily, it's another hedgie!  What could be cuter for Valentine's Day than a little hedgie blowing bubble hearts?

     Water colored and then cut with stitched, circle die from Tutti Designs.  The background papers were saved from the scrap pile and the sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die.  The hand tied bow was made with sparkly, metallic ribbon.

     Challenges:

2 Sisters ... Blog (red/lavender/blue)

Ally's Angels

Classic Design

Country View Craft

Crafty Friends

Heart's Quest

LeAnne's World

Papercraft

Penny Black Sat.

Your Scrapbook Place

    Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Friendship Set to Music

      I absolutely love this sentiment/image which is another from the Heart and Soul set at Gecko Galz.  I printed it onto white CS, then used ProMarkers to add the antiquing colors.  I cut it and the two CS scraps behind it with rectangle dies from Spellbinders, inking the edges of the sentiment piece with black ink.  

     I added a scrap of sparkle mesh diagonally across the card front before adding the the main pieces.  The card base is made with confetti CS for a bit of visual interest.  It's a relatively CAS design, and was very quick to put together but makes a great Valentine card, especially for someone who happens to be both a spouse and a best friend.  :-D  

     Challenges:

Country View Craft

Crafts Galore ...

Crafty Friends

Creatalicious

Double D

Gecko Gals FB

Incy Wincy

Simon Says Stamp

There's a Stamp ...

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Missing Bird

     Today we start a new challenge at QKR Stampede, where our theme is always "Anything Goes" and where you can win two different ways; use a QKR Stampede image (or Eureka Stamps, our sister digi company) and be entered into a drawing just for those who used those images or use any image from any company and have your entry put into the general drawing.  Both winners are chosen by Random.org but DT members have some input on which QKR/Eureka entries are put into the drawing.

     I absolutely adore this image from QKR Stampede, called "What Bird?"  It's just so true to feline character when caught doing something they ought not!  Obviously, this cat has too much time on his hands when he's forced to stay inside during the cold winter months.  This is his version of  'winter fun.'  I doubt that his people truly believe his "What Bird" answer when the family canary is missing from his cage!  lol  

     I colored the image with water color paints and cut it with a Dare 2B Artsy pinpoint circle die.  The brown frame was also cut with another die from that same set, making pinpoints on the inside of the circle instead of the outside, and the frame circle was cut on the outside with a QuicKutz die.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The background paper is a scrap from K & Co.  I used polka dot, grosgrain ribbon for the hand-tied bow.  This is going into my birthday card stash for one of the grandkids.  :-D

     Challenges:

Creative Inspirations

Cupcake Inspirations

Dare 2B Artsy

Digi Choosday

Dream Valley

Paper Funday

Paper Shelter

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp (food? lol)

SUYP Cats

     I hope we're going to see you playing along in our challenge this fortnight.  We love being inspired by you.

     And, don't forget that we have a DT call going until mid-February and we're still looking for a couple more people to join the team.  Check out the details on the blog.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie