May your Easter be filled with Blessings.
A fun place for card making, crafting, playing, sharing creativity, and maybe a little inspiration now and then.
Sunday, March 31, 2024
Saturday, March 30, 2024
The Tragedy of an Empty Bowl
I don't know how many of you are owned by a cat but those who are will completely understand the level of tragedy reflected on this kitten's face. Believe me when I say that the 3 cats who own my home make it very clear that they allow me to live in their house and sleep in their bed ONLY on condition that I keep their food dish full and their litter box clean!
Never has any food bowl in this house been empty for more than 10 minutes. They get canned food twice daily and have dry kibbles available round the clock, not including the treats given more than once throughout the day. I check their dry food dish every morning and every evening and they watch me do that. If there are fewer than 20 kibble bits in the (rather large) bowl, I immediately fill it to the brim!
However, I can just about guarantee that within 15 minutes of the morning and evening feeding of the premium canned cat food they get, at least one of them will give me a look exactly like this kitten. It matters not that their tummies are bulging, nor that they walked away from the dish fully content, this is the accusing message I am given.
Image printed in gray scale, colored with ProMarkers, and cut with a Tonic Studios die. Both papers were from the scrap basket and were also cut with Tonic Studios dies. Sentiment printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.
I was inspired by the sketch at My Favorite Things,
turned to be vertical.
Challenges:
Di's Digi Designs That's all I have for today. Happy Crafting. NanaConnie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Spring Birdhouse
For me, nothing says "spring" better than watching the sparrows and meadowlarks build their new nests, flitting in and out of the birdhouses which hang from the tree branches near my house. "Bird Nest or Bird House" is the new theme for our challenge which begins today at FarmQuest. As usual, our underlying theme is "Farm or Country."
I chose an image from my rather large collection of digital stamps from Beccy's Place. I added color with alcohol markers, pencil, and gel pen, then fussy cut it with scissors. I layered it onto a scrap of brown dp (Recollections), die cut the scrap with a Spellbinders die, and used a Fiskars punch on the corners.
The pink dp is also a scrap and I have no idea what company made that paper. The ribbon came from Really Reasonable Ribbon which I used to both wrap the card front and to make the bow. I added a large sequin to the bow and called it finished!
Challenges:
I hope we're going to see you playing in our challenge this fortnight. We love being inspired by you and what you create. Happy Crafting. NanaConnie
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Easter Eggs for the Dragon
Dragons are so fierce and fire-breathing that the Easter Bunny is rarely (if ever!) willing to brave their dens to leave Easter eggs for them. But this brave bunny (hiding behind the rock) took the risk and this dragon is so excited, she may never breathe fire again. lol
This card is obviously for my granddaughter who is crazy about dragons (as am I) and she expects all holiday cards to include dragons. I search constantly to find images, clip art, digital stamps, whatever, so that I can make cards for her with appropriate dragons on them. Sometimes, I have to just use a dragon image I already have and turn it into a celebration of the holiday but this time I found a wonderful dragon which I printed in grayscale and colored with Sanjoki markers.
I cut the image using a Tonic Studios die, and the sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die. The sparkle behind the dragon is a layer of glitter CS which covers the entire card front. I added white gel pen to the "Happy Easter" part of the image to make it stand out a bit.
Challenges:
Carlin's Card ...
Crafts Galore ...
Perfect Time to ...
Happy Crafting. NanaConnie
Friday, March 22, 2024
Dressed for the Easter Parade
Back in the good old days, in the early 1900s, People actually made or purchased new "Sunday Best" clothes each year for Easter Sunday, and then walked up and down the avenue in a 'parade' as a way to celebrate Easter. This wonderful "Wearing Spring" image from our sponsor, Paper Shelter, really fits that idea. Our latest challenge at Crafty Catz has our usual Anything Goes theme but our optional theme is "Embossing Folders."
I merged the image onto a half-page background found in the same set, then colored the image with my Sanjoki markers. I used a Darise EF on the background side, then did an out-of-the-box cut on the actual image. She's fussy cut around her form and die cut one the two straight edges on the right side above and below her. The sentiment was merged before printing.
The pink background paper came from a Recollections stack.
Challenges:
Hope to see you playing in our challenge this fortnight. Happy Crafting. NanaConnie
Monday, March 18, 2024
March of the Viking !
Time for the Outlaw Progressive Challenge again and this month there's a cute little Viking image. I have to tell you that I wasn't exactly 'madly in love' with this Viking when I first saw him but there were two images available this month, this one and a female Viking (Vikingess?) I debated between the two of them but finally decided on the male image because I needed a masculine birthday card. Once I got him colored up, I was totally mad about him! He seemed to come to life with a bit of color and sparkle. lol
I started by coloring him with Sanjoki markers and glitter gel pens, then added tiny bits of gold paint pen to his helmet and shield. I used gold paint pen on the sentiment stamp but it didn't transfer onto the card stock very well, so I wrote over it with the pen. Both the image and the sentiment were cut with Tonic Studios dies, and the edges were inked with black felt marker.
The background paper came from a Recollections stack (which is at least 5 years old and I'm slowly working my way through it since it has some really terrific, masculine prints.) No embellishment needed. I forgot to photograph the inside before I mailed the card but it says, "The years are marching on. Better run!"
Challenges:
Lil Patch of ...
Happy Crafting. NanaConnie
Sunday, March 17, 2024
Happy St. Patrick's Day !
My favorite day of the year because I get to celebrate my birthday and that's especially fun since it's not only St. Patrick's Day but I'm Irish on both sides of the family tree. :-D I celebrate by making St. Pat's cards for everyone in my family.
Remember, on St. Patrick's Day, everyone gets to be Irish. Just put an "O' " or a "Mc" in front of your last name and you're in. :-D
The image featured on this card is another clip art which I printed in light grayscale, then colored with a combo of pencil, watercolors, and Sanjoki markers. White highlights were done with a gel pen. I cut the image with a Spellbinders die, then matted it with green glitter paper for a wee bit o' sparkle, also cut with a Spellbinders die. The background paper is from a K & Co. stack.
Challenges:
Wishing you the best today and may the Luck of the Irish be with you! Happy Crafting. NanaConnie
Saturday, March 16, 2024
Green Frogs
I know that post title doesn't lead you to think St. Patrick's Day but as soon as you see the image, you'll be right there. lol This is a clip art image and I was so tickled by it that I just had to make a card. I love that it's so far out of the normal realm of leprechauns, shamrocks, or pots of gold.
Image digitally colored (something new I'm trying but will probably abandon because it takes so much printer ink & that has gotten really expensive!) and cut with Tonic Studios die, then the edges were inked. Sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die. The patterned paper was in the scrap basket and all I did was trim the top and one side, leaving a triangle corner of white. Since this card is going to one of the guys in my family, I left it without embellishment.
Challenges:
Creative FingersCreative Inspiration
I'll have another post tomorrow so be sure to stop by. Happy Crafting. NanaConnie
Thursday, March 14, 2024
The Rustic Life
Welcome to another challenge at FarmQuest where we always want to see something farm or country inspired, and on top of that we have a theme for each 2-week challenge. This challenge we want to see cabins or cottages.
My DT card is very CAS and it's a square card. The cabin image is actually a photograph of an old, 19th century cabin, found in the mountains of northern Nevada about 4 miles back into the woods from Lake Tahoe. I cut the image with a QuicKutz square die.
The background piece is from a wallpaper sample book, inked around the edges. I layered them together, then tied a double loop bow using jute cord. The sentiment was printed, cut with an Avery Elle die, and I inked the edges of it, too.
Challenges:
Happy Crafting. NanaConnie
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Irish Dragon
I shared a St. Patrick's card the other day which I had made for my granddaughter who loves cows, and today I have one for another granddaughter who adores dragons (as do I !)
I merged this digital coloring book, clip art image, with the small dragon image merged in the upper corner, then printed it in very light grayscale. Once printed, I colored it with water colors and alcohol markers. The image was cut with a Tonic Studios die and layered onto a white background on which I had printed the sentiment. The background paper came from a K & Co. stack.
Challenges:
Outlawz SAR (March, April, Nature)
Enjoy and Happy Crafting. NanaConnie
Sunday, March 10, 2024
A Lazy St. Patrick's Day
I'm one of those lucky individuals who celebrates her birthday on St. Patrick's Day but I'm also of Irish decent on both sides of my family tree! My way of celebrating my Irish heritage is to make St. Patrick's cards for all the kids in my family; a way of reminding them that they, too, have an Irish heritage. :-D
Those of you who follow my blog probably already know about the running "cow" theme with my youngest granddaughter and St. Patrick's makes no exception. I searched for cow images related to St. Paddy's Day and found an entire collection of them in digital coloring book form. I've used many of the pages for cards this month, reduced to accommodate my need for card size, and colored most of them with either water color pencils or Sanjoki markers. Those same images also come in pre-colored versions, but I print those in grayscale and color them myself. I do that because the shading and highlights are still there and that gives my own coloring a marvelous 'finished' look! Try it, you'll be delighted with the results.
I cut this image with an old QuicKutz die, then snipped off the corners with deliberately different sizes, although the angle is the same on each corner. I managed to do that by using one of my quilting mats, penciling in the line I wanted to cut, then cutting those with scissors. The background paper is from K & Co. Pretty CAS except for the design in the paper.
Challenges:
Inspiration Station (St Pat's celebration)
I'll share another couple of these with you later in the week. In the meantime, Happy Crafting. NanaConnie
Saturday, March 9, 2024
Ready for the Grill
Last month I missed out on getting a card done for the "Anything Kitchen or Food" challenge at FQ HomeStyle Kitchen. But this month, I'm on top of it! With spring right around the corner, we're already thinking about BBQ grills and cook outs so this card celebrates the anticipation of those times. At my house, the first sign of spring is not flowers blooming but the cleaning and preparation of the BBQ grill ! LOL
The image is clip art, printed in very light grayscale, then colored with a combo of water color paints and alcohol markers, with gel pen highlights on the white flowers. The image was cut with a Tonic Studios die and the sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die. I inked the edges and layered those two together, putting them on the card front without further embellishment so that it makes a fabulous, masculine, CAS card.
Can't you taste that grilled corn on the cob already? Mmmmm, so good!
Challenges:
Happy Crafting. NanaConnie
Friday, March 8, 2024
Too Old for Easter?
A new challenge begins today at Crafty Catz, where our theme is always "Anything Goes" but we also give you an optional twist if you choose to use it. This week the option is to do a monochromatic (all one color) card except for the image you use. I did an Easter card and I just couldn't settle for one color so I did the Anything Goes part instead of the monochrome. Our sponsor this week is Di's Digi Stamps but they don't supply images for the DT to use so I chose an Easter image from my own collection of digital images.
That adorable little Easter chick is clip art from a coloring book (I cannot remember what company - sorry) which I reduced in size, printed in grayscale, and colored with a combination of pencils, Sanjoki markers, and gel pens.
Once it was colored, I scanned the original and printed it 32 times! Yes, I made 32 Easter cards with this same image and sentiment. These are going into boxes put together by the group of College Student moms who meet once a month throughout the school year to fill 'Care Packages' for their college student kids. Each mom brings the same kind of goodie, enough for 30-odd boxes, and we each fill the box for our own college kid from the collection of things donated.
OK, now back to the card. I thought that sentiment fit perfectly with the expression of disappointment on the chick's face and that also allowed for the use of a cutesy chick image that works on cards for college-aged kids. It's also pretty gender neutral. I cut up scraps of paper from my leftovers stash and used maybe 10 or 12 different papers for the backgrounds on the card fronts, then added the same image and sentiment to each card. I kept them really CAS except for the papers.
FYI, I did make a card with everything done in shades of 'Easter chick yellow'
but it just didn't work for me. I guess in my head,
Easter requires lots of different colors. :-D
Challenges:As You Like It
Outlawz Thurs (blue/vintage/dp)
I hope you're going to come and play with us this week. Feel free to do something monochromatic or just Anything Goes. We love seeing what our players create. Happy Crafting. NanaConnie
Thursday, March 7, 2024
Happy Country Cottage
It's the 7th of the month and that means a new challenge at FarmQuest General Store, where our theme is always "Anything Country Goes." We are once again sponsored by QKR Stampede and the prize is always the 3 images used by the DT. Be sure to check the FQGS blog to see who won the challenge for February.
I used a cute image from QKR Stampede called "Cottage," which I colored with Sanjoki markers, then fussy cut with scissors. (No electronic cutter in this house!) The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die. The background dp came from a DCWV stack and it was a left over I found in my scrap basket.
I found some sparkly cord and wrapped it around the card front, tied a knot, and frayed the tied ends into a tassel shape.
Be sure to check out the challenge blog to see the other 2 images for this month.
Creative Fingers
Pattie's Creations
Polkadoodles
Come play in our challenge. You could be the winner of those 3 delightful QKR Stampede images! Also, scroll down one post to see my DT card for the FarmQuest Country Christmas challenge.
Happy Crafting. NanaConnie
Happy Snow Couple
Once again, a new challenge has started over at FarmQuest Country Christmas. Our theme is always "Anything Country Christmas Goes." For today's card, I chose a clip art snow couple, happily dancing in the yard of their country home.
The image started out in black and white but I used computer software to change it into sepia tone before printing it. I love the vintage feel it gave the card. I cut the image with a QuicKutz die and the sentiment was cut with a Tonic Studios die. The background dp came from a DCWV stack. I used very narrow, 1/8" ribbon which is wrapped around the card front and tied into a simple bow.
Challenges:
Digi ChoosdayLil Patch of ...
Peace on Earth
I hope we're going to see you playing along this month. If you make something to enter into our Country Christmas challenge each month of the year, you'll have 12 cards done before the holiday rush hits you next Christmas. :-D Besides, we love being inspired by what you create and share with us.
Happy Crafting. NanaConnie
Wednesday, March 6, 2024
CAS Birthday
This is a delightfully CAS card and I haven't done one this simple in quite a while. What time was consumed making the card all took place in making the background pink and the words white.
The kitten is a photograph scanned into Word software, behind which I made the background pink. The words were made white on that background but they were so light when I printed the image directly onto the card front, I used a white gel pen and went over them after the card was printed. What looks like 'layers' of image and background was actually all printed right onto the card front.
After printing onto heavy cardstock, I folded the card, photographed it, and slipped it into an envelope. The whole thing took about 20 minutes. This is for my granddaughter-in-law's birthday (and I'm not telling her age. I don't want to get eaten!)
Challenges:
Happy Crafting. NanaConnie
Tuesday, March 5, 2024
Easter Bunny Dandy
I love this image from Beccy's Place, called "Easter Bunny." It's fun and clever and he's dressed to the nines, making him such a dandy. :-D I merged another Beccy's image, the "Easter Basket" (reduced in size to work with Mr. Bunny), plus the sentiment, all before printing.
I colored with my Sanjoki markers, then cut the whole thing with a QuicKutz die. The Beccy's Place challenge has an optional tic-tac-toe board this month and I used the middle row: flowers/digi stamp/color w markers. I dug through the scrap basket and found flowery paper and a bit of striped paper (both from Recollections stacks) which I used to make the background.
I added three flowers (Flora Doodles) which have tiny gem stones in the center as a finishing touch.
My design is inspired by the sketch at Cheerful Sketches
with the background turned horizontal.
Challenges:
A Perfect Time ...
Carlin's Card ...
Crafts Galore ...
That's it for today but I'll have two posts on Thursday and another one on Friday so check back, even if it's over the weekend. :-D Happy Crafting. NanaConnie
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