Beauty in the Desert

      There's a new theme for the new challenge at FarmQuest which starts today and the theme is "Things in a Desert or Dry Country."  For my DT card, I used a clip art image, printed in the lightest grayscale, and then colored with water color paints, Sanjoki markers, and white gel for the highlights.

     I used a Tonic Studios die to cut the image and a QuicKutz die to cut the white frame.  The pumpkin colored background is cardstock from Recollections.  The sentiment was stamped with a stamp from Cardz TV.   I was so in love with how the image turned out, I left the card very CAS with no embellishment whatsoever.

     Challenges:

Addicted to CAS

CAS on Friday

Crafty Calendar

Creative Fingers

Di's Digi Designs

Gem of a Challenge

I Love Markers

My Time to Craft

Outlawz Friday (summer)

Simply CAS

    Hope to see you playing along in our challenge these next two weeks.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Flower Puppy

      This is my last DT card for Crafty Catz and I've enjoyed my time with that team more than I can express!  We have a new challenge starting today, and our theme is always "Anything Goes" but we also offer an OPTIONAL theme if you choose to use it.  The option this fortnight is "Make It Cute."  We are sponsored by Last Minute Manda and I chose to use one of their oh, so cute "Flower Puppies."

     I colored the image with Sanjoki markers and the highlights were done with a white gel pen.  It was cut with one of my oldest dies from QuicKutz.  I printed the sentiment and cut it with a die from Avery Elle.  The background was made using 2 scraps of CS, each of which I embossed with my "Linen" EF.  I inked the edges of the image and layered it onto the background.  Quick and very CAS.

Colors came from the challenge at My Favorite Things.

     Challenges:

Creative Inspiration

Digi Choosday

Dream Valley

I Love Markers

Outlawz Monday

Pammie's IP

Simon Says Stamp

Star Stampz

Word Art Weds

     That's all for today.  Please think about playing in our challenge.  We get so inspired by what you create and we love visiting your blogs.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

One Good Scratch ...

      Welcome to my DT post for the newest challenge at FarmQuest General Store.  We are sponsored by QKR Stampede and the prize will be the three QKR Stampede images used by the DT this month.  The challenge runs until August 5, 2024 and our theme is "Anything Country Goes."  Your project must have a country element and not be filled with cityscapes, malls, or other strictly city life scenarios.  We want to see "country!"

      You can't get much more country than a sheep dog on the ranch.  This image is called "Happy Dog" and I think he's so adorable.  I know he's scratching off a well-earned flea which joined him on a trek through the meadow, guarding the sheep.  lol  I colored him with Sanjoki markers, cut the image with a large QuicKutz die, and inked the edges with an ink pad.  The plaid paper came from DCWV.  Sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die, and again, the edges were inked with a black ink pad.

     I wanted a simple, masculine card to put in my stash of birthday cards.

     Challenges:

Alphabet

CRAFT-alnica

Crafts Galore Encore

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspiration

Pattie's Creationsnull

Polkadoodles

     

     That's all I have for today.  Come play along in our challenge.  Do anything with a 'country' feel, enter it into our challenge, and cross your fingers that you're the winner.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Manger

      It's the 7th of July and time to begin another challenge at FarmQuest Country Christmas where out themes are always "Anything Country Christmas" goes.  Show us outside country decorations, scenes, or critters like these from Suzy's Zoo.

     I stamped the image, then colored it with water color paints.  The sentiment is part of the Suzy's Zoo set, stamped using a light coffee brown inkpad.  I cut it with an old QuicKutz die, and inked the edges with a marker.   The plaid paper came from a stack by Recollections, I think.  It was a scrap in the Christmas basket and I thought it made a perfect "country" element.

     Challenges:

Crafty Calendar

Di's Digi Designsnull

Dragonfly Dreams

Gem of a Challenge

MFT Christmas

Outlawz Friday

     Don't forget to also check out my second post of the day for FarmQuest General Store which is a sponsored challenge and you could win the images used by the DT which came from QKR Stampede, the sponsor.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Bear

      I'm still posting Christmas cards which I'm making to get ahead of the late fall rush.  I'll get a few done this month with all the Christmas in July encouragement and that will make me very happy when late November and Thanksgiving hit because the holiday season just gets so rushed right about then.

     The image is from QKR Stampede (one of my favorite of all stamp companies) and it's called "Angel Bear."  I used my Sanjoki markers to color the image, then cut it with a die from Spellbinders.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The background was made using a scrap of DCWV dp.  Pretty simple, no embellishments because I thought the dp was eye-catching enough.

     Challenges:

12 Months...Christmas

A Perfect Time ...

Carlin's Cardnull ...

Crafts Galore Encore

Kerst Christmas

Mirtillamente

     That's it for today but I may have another post later this week.  Happy July!!

  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Butterfly Birthday

      We're starting a new challenge at Crafty Catz today.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" but we also offer an OPTIONAL theme for those of you who are adventurous enough to try it.  The option this time is "Embellishments."  

     We are sponsored this fortnight by SheepSki Designs.  They provided the team with images we could use but I chose one from my own collection, called "Butterfly Curl."  This card will go into my "Birthday" collection for future use.

     I printed the image, added a birthday sentiment to it, and printed it onto pale blue CS.  I colored a few of the butterflies with Sanjoki markers and gel pens, leaving most of the butterflies as uncolored, outline sketches.  I decided to use my favorite color combo of all times, aqua and purple.  Purple is my favorite color and aqua goes so well with it that I use them together often.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz die.

     The two, horizontal, strips of paper came from the scrap basket.  The blue butterfly embellishment is machine embroidered and the purple butterfly is a ribbon bow, tied and trimmed to look like a butterfly shape.  It was white, initially, but I 'dyed' it with a Sanjoki marker.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

C.R.A.F.T.

Cupcake Inspirations

Pammie's IPnull

Pattie's Creationsnull

     Come play with us this fortnight, won't you?  Remember, Anything Goes unless you prefer to challenge yourself to "Embellish" your project.  Be sure to check out all the DT cards over on the main challenge site.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Things Found in a Pond or Creek

      We have a new challenge and a new theme starting today at FarmQuest, and the theme is "Things Found in a Pond or Creek."  My dad would have immediately thought of fish because he loved fishing more than nearly any other outdoor activity and I often got to join him on those fishing treks.  Oh, what fabulous childhood memories!

     This image is clip art which I printed in sepia tone, then colored with my Sanjoki markers.  The card front was embossed with my Linen EF before adding the image.  I cut the colored image with a die from Spellbinders, and the sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The strip of polka dot dp came from an old DCWV stack.  Pretty CAS and masculine, and I really like it.  :-D

     Challenges:

Aloha Friday

Alphabet 

Creative Fingers

Di's Digi Designs

Outlawz Friday

     I hope you'll use your creativity and come up with something you might find in a pond or creek, then you can create something fun and enter it into our challenge before July 13.  You could end up taking top honors!

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Gift

      Here we are on yet another Friday and that means another new challenge starts today at Crafty Catz.  Our challenges now run 2 weeks at a time so this one will run through June 27.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" but we also offer an OPTIONAL theme which you may use if you like.  The option this time is "Masculine."   Unlike many card makers, I love crafting masculine cards so this was right up my alley.  :-D

     Our sponsor is Hetty Clare and they provided images for the team to use.  I chose The Gift.  I kept it very simple by printing the image onto blue CS, and coloring with white gel pen.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz die, then cut a white frame with another QK die.  I used navy blue CS for the background, printed the sentiment, and cut it with an Avery Elle die.  I layered everything together and left it without embellishment because I wanted that super plain, CAS, masculine card.  

     I'm going to use this for a birthday card for one of my family guys with a June birthday.

     Challenges:

     That's all for today.  Happy Crafting and come play with us.  NanaConnie

Windmill and Pumphouse

      It's the 14th of the month and we have another of our 'Country' challenges starting today at FarmQuest.  Our theme this fortnight is "Farm Equipment, Windmills, Wishing Wells."

     When you live out in the country or on the farm, life goes along at a different pace.  There are always things which must be done and life isn't always as easy as jumping in the car and running to the grocery store for a half gallon of milk or a pound of butter.  Even having clear, cool water sometimes means keeping the windmill in good repair and updating the water pump every few years.  The ones I used on my card today have seen better days and have most likely been replaced altogether.

     I printed the image in grayscale, then colored it with pale yellow and pale brown pencils.  I cut the image with a die from Tonic Studios and inked the edges with a marker.  The background dp came from an old Recollections stack and was a scrap in the basket.  The sentiment was printed, cut with an Avery Elle die, edges inked, then adhered to the card front.

     Challenges:

     Come play with us and impress us with your creations.  We love seeing what you make.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie 

Christmas Eve Bedtime

      I've done a few Christmas cards over the last month or so but haven't gotten very many of them posted, just one which I did for the FarmQuest Country Christmas last week (click HERE to see it.)  But today, I thought it would be fun to show you another of them, and this one will be for one of the newest great-grands this year.

     This is an older image from QKR Stampede, called "Baby Bear" and I colored him in traditional Christmas colors of red and green.  I used my Sanjoki markers, then cut the image with a Tonic Studios die.  I cut a scrap of dp to make the frame around the image but I can't tell you who the maker of that dp was.  The background was made with strips of paper from an old EK Success Christmas stack.  Some of the strips have gold embossing on them.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

     Challenges:

Creative Inspirations

Digi Choosday

Passion for Markers

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Carpenters & Handymen

      Time for a new challenge at FarmQuest General Store, sponsored by QKR Stampede, and the 3 images supplied by them will be the prize for this challenge.  Check out the main challenge post to see both of the Carpenter images (one person, one rabbit) and the adorable "Couch Potato" image.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes."

    I used both of the Carpenter images on separate cards so you get a double treat in this post.  The first one is the Carpenter Rabbit.  I colored the image with Sanjoki markers, then cut it with a Tonic Studios die.  The blue CS background for it was embossed with my "Linen" EF.  I had a strip of plaid dp (Your Next Stamp) in the scrap basket and I thought it worked perfectly to enhance the color palette on the card.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

      Challenges:

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Inspiration

Krafty Chicks

Not Too Shabby (color)

Outlawz Thurs

     The second card features the other Carpenter image (one of my oldest digital images), and I colored it with my newest ProMarkers and some gel pens.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz die and, again, I embossed the background card front with my "Linen" folder.  In case you haven't figured it out, I much prefer dry embossing to wet embossing and that's because it's so much quicker and much less messy!  lol  

     The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The striped strip of dp was another scrap from the basket and I have no idea what company made it.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

Colorful Options

Double D (old, new, blue)

Double Trouble

Simon Says Stamp

     I hope we're going to see you playing along in our challenge this month.  Remember, it runs until the 5th of July and the next challenge starts on the 7th of July.  We love seeing what you create so come and inspire us.  Remember, it's Anything Goes!

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Christmas Horse

     Welcome to the start of our newest challenge over at FarmQuest Country Christmas.  Our theme is always Anything Goes as long as it's Christmas with an outdoor country flair.  This image was printed in gray scale, then colored with watercolor paint for the background, and colored pencils blended with gamsol for the horse.  I added white highlights with gel pen.  The image was cut with my largest square die from QuicKutz.

     The striped dp came from a Recollections stack.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  Since this card will be used for one of the guys in my family, I decided that no further embellishment was needed.

     Challenges:

12 Months Christmas

Creative Inspirations

Incy Wincy

Kerst Christmas

MFT Christmas

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Sparkles Christmas

Word Art Weds

     That's it for today.  I hope it's not too hot for you to be thinking about winter and Christmas.  Get a head start on your holiday card making and come play with us this month.  Anything Country Christmas will do.  :-D   Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Puppy Fetch

      It's Friday!  Hooray!  How about a great way to start off your weekend?  We have a new challenge this morning over at Crafty Catz.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" but we also offer an OPTIONAL theme for you if you choose to use it.  This challenge that option is "Use Stencils."

      Our sponsor is Dr. Digi and they supplied images for the DT to use.  I chose "Fetching Fido" because I think he's so adorable!  I colored the image with Sanjoki markers, then cut it with a QuicKutz square die.  I used a Fiskars punch to decorate the corners.  The background papers were made using three different stencils on colored paper.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

    Come play with us.  This challenge runs through June 13 and the next one begins on June 14.  We'd love to see what you create, with or without using a stencil.  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Picnic at the Beach

      It's time for the next challenge at FarmQuest and this time our theme is "Picnic Things."  Don't forget the underlying 'farm or country' element which is always required.

     My mind went to childhood days of picnics at the seashore and cooking things on a grill or in a pot.  I'm a great collector of  recipes and I knew I had one for a shrimp boil with a fabulous picture of a beach picnic with shrimp and lobster, clams and corn.

     I wish I could take full credit for the coloring on this one, but it's a pre-colored image and all I did was edit the color saturation on it before printing.  Isn't it marvelous?  What a perfect rendition of a Carolina coast or even something along the Gulf Coast in Bayou Country.  The 'country' element certainly comes through even if it's a beach instead of  "mid-west farm" country.

     Challenges:

Crafty Calendar

Creative Fingers

Creative Knockouts

Creative Moments

Digi Choosday

Lil Patch of ...

Pammie's I P

     I hope you're going to come and play with us for our "Picnic Things" challenge.  We love seeing what you create so let your imagination go and be as wild as you like with the idea of a country picnic.  :-D

   

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Beach-y Keen

      Welcome to a new Crafty Catz challenge, where our theme is always "Anything Goes" but we also give you the OPTION of using a specific theme.  This time, the optional theme is "Dots and Stripes."  As you can see, I managed to work in the dots and stripes in both the image and the background papers.

     Our sponsor for this challenge is LeAnn's World 101 and I used a cute image called "Annette."  I used Sanjoki markers to color her, adding the polka dots to her bathing suit with a white gel pen.  The image was cut with a Tonic Studios die, then I inked the edges.  I printed the sentiment and cut it with an Avery Elle die.  

     Both the polka dot and striped papers came from an old DCWV stack.  I added a little enamel dot (Sweet Dots) to the scrunchie around her pony tail.  Sweet and easy card.

Colors from the challenge at My Favorite Things.

     Challenges:

C.R.A.F.T.

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Inspirations

Double D

I Love Markers

Paper Shelter

Penny's P-C

Outlawz Monday

Simon Says Stamp

    I hope we see you playing with us sometime over the next 2 weeks.   You could win some great images from LeAnn's World 101!  Remember, it's "Anything Goes" unless you decide to use the option of Dots & Stripes.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Mom's Kitchen

      Today we have a new challenge starting at FarmQuest, where we have not only the underlying "Country or Farm" element but we also give you a specific theme to use.  This time the theme is "Kitchen Tools, Equipment, or Appliances."  

      I found this fabulous clip art image of a country kitchen with cooking tools and dishes.   I printed it in grayscale, then colored it with ProMarkers.  Highlights were added with white pencil and shadows with blue-gray pencil.  I cut both the image and the frame for it with square dies from QuicKutz.  The striped background paper came from a DCWV stack.  I printed the sentiment and cut it with an Avery Elle die.

      Challenges:

613 Ave Create

Crafty Calendar

Digi Choosday

Homestyle Kitchen

Inkspirational (Spring)

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Tues

Pammie's IP

     Come play with us in our challenge.  I used the image for a Mother's Day card but you could do something fun for a summer card, or a birthday, or even Father's Day if he's a cook (as many men are these days), as long as it has some kind of kitchen tools or equipment.  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

New Way to Roller Skate

      My daughter called and asked me to make a Get Well card for a neighbor of hers who fell while roller skating with her grandkids.  She has a serious hip break and it'll take a while for her to heal up completely.   Much as I would love to take credit for the sentiment, when my daughter saw this image in my collection, she suggested a reference to roller skating.  lol

      The image is from QKR Stampede and I colored it with ProMarkers & water color pencils.  I cut the image with a stitched die from Memory Box, and I inked the edges of it before adhering it to the background.  The background piece was cut and embossed with a plate die from Poppystamps.  I inked the edges of that so that I had little pops of red in the image, around the cut image, and around the edge of the background.  I did the same with the sentiment which I printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  Inside it has a simple, "Get Well Soon."

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...

Crafts Galore Encore

Crafty Calendar

Do Al(l) Kreatives

Gem of a Challenge

Incy Wincy 

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

Sheepski Designs

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Kitten and Pumpkins

      I have been clearing out the craft room, getting rid of things I no longer use and revamping how things I do use are stored, trying to make them more visible and easier to reach.  While I was doing those chores, I ran across some cards I had made last fall but never photographed, posted, or mailed.  This sweet autumn kitten jumped out at me and I decided to post him today, even though it's nowhere near Thanksgiving.

     The notes I had with the card indicate that it was printed in grayscale, then colored with markers.  I used white gel pen for the highlights on the kitten and flowers.  I cut the image and the frame around it with Tonic Studios dies.  The background dp came from an old Recollections stack.  I printed the sentiment, then cut it with an Avery Elle die, and I inked the edges before I added it to the card.

     Challenges:

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Inspiration

Digi Choosday

I Love Markers

Pammie's IP

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

SUYP Cats

Word Art Weds

     That's it for today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Very Vintage Santa

      This is the second post today.  To see the first one, just scroll down one post.  This one is for FarmQuest Country Christmas and my "country" elements are: vintage, quilted background, and Santa outdoors.  The "Country" is our only theme requirement, other than it must be for Christmas.

     This Santa image is from Jan's Digi Stamps, sized small enough to fit an A2 card, leaving plenty of room to show off the 'quilted' background.  I colored it with Sanjoki markers, then cut the image with a Tonic Studios die.  The "quilt" was pieced together with scraps from the Christmas basket.  I hand-printed the sentiment and cut it with an Avery Elle die.  The Ho Ho Ho ribbon was a left over bit from another project which was a perfect fit along the left edge.

     Challenges:

Christmas Kickstart

Double Trouble

Jingle Bells

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Monday

Peace on Earth

Polkadoodles

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Mom & Apple Pie

      Oh, my, how can it be the 7th of May already?  This year is going by way too fast!  Well, in any case, it being the 7th of another month, I have two posts today; one for FarmQuest General Store (this one) and in a few minutes, a second one for FQ Country Christmas.

     Here at FQGS, we are always sponsored by QKR Stampede, and the prize is the three images used by the DT for the challenge.  For today's card, I used a darling little "Raggedy Ann" type image, called "Fresh Baked Pie."  The image was reversed before printing.

     I colored the image with watercolors and gel pens, then cut it with one of my oldest Spellbinders dies.  I inked the edges of the image, the sentiment, and the background dp with a pink ProMarker.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I found some delightful plaid dp for the background (Recollections, I think) and added a strip of burgundy ribbon for the wrap around and the hand tied bow.

     Challenges:

Classic Design

Creatalicious

Creations in Pink

Digi Choosday

Let's Craft & Create

Pammie's IP

Star Stampz

     Come play with us this fortnight.  Remember, all you need is a card with a 'country' element (mine are plaid paper, home-baked pie, and a hand-sewn doll image!)  Beyond the country aspect, it's Anything Goes!

  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Summer Garden

     Another Friday and we are starting a new 2-week challenge at Crafty Catz.  We always have an "Anything Goes" theme but we also give you an OPTIONAL theme if you'd like to use it and this week, that option is "Summer."  We are sponsored by All Dressed Up and I used their adorable image called 'Garden Wheel Barrow.'   I reversed the image before printing it.

     The image was colored with Sanjoki alcohol markers, then cut with  die from QuicKutz.  I inked the edges with  brown marker.   The sentiment was printed and fussy cut.  Although it's difficult to see in the photo, the paisleys in the background paper were heat embossed with sparkle EP.  Rather CAS but for the fancy paper.     

(EDITED to add this photo of the heat embossing)

     Challenges:

As You Like It  (for spring or summer, always soft colors because they just say pastels!)

Craft-alnica

Creative Inspiration

Double D

My Favorite Things

Outlawz Thurs

Simon Says Stamp

Triple B

     That's all I have for today but I'll be back in a day or two with another couple of posts for the FarmQuest challenges.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie 

Laundry Day

      Today we're starting a new challenge at FarmQuest, and our theme is "Laundry or Ironing."  Remember, we always want to see an underlying theme of farm or country in addition to our chosen theme for that challenge.  I used one of my favorite ever House Mouse stamps with the adorable mice clambering over the outdoor clothes line (perhaps in a game of hide and seek?)  

     Do you remember the days when everyone hung clothes on a line?  People who lived in climes where there's lots of winter rain or snow had a problem getting clothes to dry but with the advent of indoor clothes dryers, that problem was resolved.  As dryers took over in every household, we lost the magic of the fresh smell of clothesline-dried sheets, towels, and jeans.  :-D

     I used an ice gray ink pad to stamp the image because it gives fainter lines (an illusion of  'no line'), then I colored the image with my Sanjoki markers.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz die and cut the dry-embossed (Linen EF), brown CS frame with a die one size larger.  The wood grain paper is from a Recollections stack.

     Challenges:

Addicted to CAS

Creative Fingers

Dragonfly Dreams

Gem of a Challenge

Inkspirational

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Friday

Polkadoodles

     Hope to see you playing along in our challenge this fortnight.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Fortune Cookie Birthday

      Here we are with the Crafty Catz new challenge which starts today.  As usual, our overall theme is "Anything Goes" but we offer you an OPTIONAL theme and for this challenge the option is "Masculine."  Those themes are always good for me because we have a ratio of about 3 to 1, boys over girls in our family and that's true for the last 3 generations!  So, today I've done another birthday card for a boy.

     We don't have a sponsor this week so I pulled out one of my favorite House Mouse stamps and stamped it in brown ink.  I colored it with ProMarkers and watercolors, then cut it with a small, rectangle die from QuicKutz.  I framed it with brown CS which had been dry embossed using my Linen EF.  The two papers I used to make the background were in the scrap basket and I thought they worked well together for a simple, masculine card.  They're from an old Recollections stack.

     The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

     Challenges:

As You Like It (I love clean cards because they are easier to mail and most of my cards go to out-of-state family.)

Creative Fingers

I Love Markers

Outlawz Thursday

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Word Art Weds

     Come play in our challenge this week.  Make something masculine if you want, but remember you can always enter under the Anything Goes theme so no excuse for not entering.  :-D  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Blue Princess

      This is my first time playing along in the Rabisco Progressive Challenge, which can be found on Facebook.  They have a new image from Moondrea Designs every month which you can get free if you played along the previous month.

     I loved the image for April which looked to me like a princess although it's titled "Sunflower Maiden."  To my mind, she was begging to be done in monochromatic shades of aqua.  I printed the image and used my Sanjoki markers to color both it and the square behind the image.  I added the sentiment before printing, then cut it with a Tonic Studios die just slightly larger than the image.  That gave it a white frame and kept the sentiment as a single piece with the image.  I inked the edges of that piece before putting it on the card.

     I used turquoise CS for the card base, added a narrow strip of dp (DCWV), and put a tiny, enamel dot on her forehead.  

     Challenges:

Crafter's Cafe

Cupcake Inspirations

Double Trouble

Dragonfly Dreams

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz SAR (spring & flowers)

Pammie's IP

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Milk Bath

      Today is the 14th of April (tax return deadline is tomorrow!) and we have a new challenge starting over at FarmQuest.  We always want to see something country or farm on your entries but in addition to that, we have a specific theme; this week the theme is "Baby Farm Animals."  That was such a fun theme that I had a marvelous afternoon searching through all my clip art to find a perfect image.  Any time I can find a "cute" image of anything, that's going to be the one I grab.  Besides, in this case, how can a baby calf be anything but cute?  :-D

     Those of you who follow my blog probably know that one of my granddaughters loves cows so she gets 'cow' cards from her Nana all the time.  (Nearly always cute in some way! lol)  This is another one which will get mailed to her without the need for any particular occasion.  

     I printed the image and colored it with my Sanjoki markers.  The image was cut with a Spellbinders die and I used a Fiskars punch on each of the four corners.  I printed and cut the sentiment with another Spellbinders die.  The bit of dp was found in the scrap basket and I can tell from the plaid design that it's from an old Recollections stack.

      Challenges:

As You Like It (Cute is always a favorite, and baby critters are always cute!)

Cardz 4 Galz

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspiration

Creative Knockouts

Di's Digi Designs

Outlawz Thurs

Pattie's Creations

Polkadoodles

Star Stampz

     Dig through your stamps, digis, or even dies and find one that works for the Baby Farm Animals theme, then come play in our challenge.  We love being inspired by what you create.   :-D  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Kitchen Adventures

      Today I've done another card celebrating country kitchens and the adventures which can be found in simple, home-prepared meals.  Country kitchens always make me think of my childhood.  Even the faintest whiff of baking bread takes me right back to the childhood kitchens of not only my own home but also my Grammy's warm and wonderful kitchen.

      Among my favorite memories are those of Grammy's special French Toast breakfasts always made with slices of her home baked sourdough bread and eggs fresh from the hen house.  Many a weekend morning I enjoyed that treat.  Our house was located diagonally behind my grandparent's home and, although the properties were large compared to today's standards, it was a fairly simple trek across to the backyard corners of each yard and around the large expanse of her veggie garden, through the back door, and into the kitchen.  Sundays often found me there for an early morning breakfast!

     This card is a salute to those French Toast memories.  The image is digital clip art, printed in grayscale, and colored with Sanjoki markers.  I used a square QuicKutz die on the image, then inked the edges with a marker.  The background was made using dp scraps from the basket.  I printed and cut the sentiment with an Avery Elle die.

     Challenges:

HomeStyle Kitchens

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Hello Butterfly !

      I absolutely adore the image on today's card!  Of course, I also love the nod to cathood.  :-D  The image is a grayscale, digital, photo which I colored with my ProMarkers and white gel pen.  I cut the image with a large Tonic Studios die.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

     The background was made by using a scrap of lavender CS laid diagonally across the card front and then trimmed at the corners.  I liked it in that CAS format so added no other embellishments.

     Challenges:

Aud Sentiments

Classic Design

Digi Choosday

Dream Valley

Lil Patch of ...

Pammie's IP

Passion for Markers

SUYP Cats

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie