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  

Most Magical Time of the Year

      Today is the kickoff for Most Magical Time of the Year, a new challenge blog which features any combination of Fall-o-Ween, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), Christmas, Christmas in July, Creepmas, Winter, Hanukkah, Diwali - Festival of Lights, Kwanzaa, etc. throughout the year!  We are a monthly challenge and we have a series of delightful sponsors who offer prizes to the winners. 

     Today, I've done both a Halloween card and a Christmas card, featuring images from our October sponsor, LeighSB Designs.  The first image, on the Halloween card, is Witch of Furness Forest and the second is Santa Whiskers.

     I colored this image with water color paints (and a very fine brush), then fussy cut it with scissors.  I went over the face color with a ProMarker to give her skin a greenish cast.  The background was made by die cutting purple CS with an Altenew die and then layering it over paper which had been water colored to create an orange ombre.

 

     The baker's twine came from Ellen Hutson and the black cat is a Poppystamps die cut.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

This is also my Day 1 entry into the 

LeighSBDesigns 31 Days of Halloween Blog Hop. 

     This one was colored with ProMarkers and glitter pen on the fur cuff and pompom on the Santa hat.  I cut the image with a scallop die from Sizzix.  The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die.  I hand-sewed the red satin bow.  The background dp is from a Recollections stack (and it's been in my Christmas stash for at least 10 years!)

     Challenges for Witch:

Colour Crazy

Outlawz Festive Fri

LeighSBDesigns

Penny's Paper-Crafty

Simon Says Stamp

    Challenges for Cat:

Aud Sentiments

I Love ProMarkers

Outlawz Festive Fri

Paperbabe

Winter Wonderland

Word Art Weds

     We'd love to see you playing along in our new challenges, this month and every month.  We're planning on having plenty of fun and it would be great if you'd come play along.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Here, Kitty, Kitty

      It's the middle of the month and we are starting a new challenge over at QKR Stampede where our theme is always "Anything Goes."  I used a fun and fabulous image called "Bobcat" and I did the entire card using scraps, leftovers, punches, and dies.

     I printed the digital image onto a scrap of white CS, then colored it with ProMarkers and chalks.  I trimmed the image into a rectangle and cut the corners with a Uchida punch.  The golden background was cut with a die from Altenew and I put many of the cut out dots back into the cut piece.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.   I found the scrap of dp in the basket on my craft desk and it seemed to work with the background color.  Finally, I tied a bow tie and shaped the tails with a Fiskars punch.

     Challenges:

Ally's Angels

Colour Crazy

Dies R Us

Digi Choosday

Paperbabe

Passion for Markers  (Nov: Citrine)

Simon Says Stamp (Cats & Dies)

Star Stampz (C = Cat)

TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Winnie Wednesday's Jack-o-Lanterns

      Time for the next weekly challenge at Pammie's Inky Pinkies and our theme is Anything Goes.  We're sponsored this week by Polkadoodles.  The image I used is called "Winnie Wednesday Pumpkin."

     This card is filled with scraps from the basket that sits on my craft table and I'm feeling like using them up means I've earned the right to acquire more papers.  :-D

I pulled colors from CMH Color Dare #413

3rd column.

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut w Spellbinders square & then 1 side cut w Poppystamps die

Polka dot scrap cut w Poppystamps die

Plaid scrap cut w QuicKutz die

Black background CS cut w Altenew die

Orange CS put behind black die cut

Orange, stitched ribbon = scrap from basket

Sheer ribbon for bow, dyed black w ProMarker

"Boo" sentiment is metallic 'confetti' matted w white CS

     Challenges:

Altenew

Crafter's Cafe

Crafty Catz

Creatalicious

Dies R Us

Outlawz Festive Fri

Pattie's Creations

Polkadoodles

Stamplorations

     Come play with us this week.  That's the only way we can be inspired by you!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bribery Works

     Good morning on a lovely spring Friday!  We have another new challenge starting at QKR Stampede and our theme is always Anything Goes.  I have a fun card today, which is not only a total fantasy but is a take off on the old Tortoise and Hare fairy tale.  In this version, it takes a bit of bribery to keep the old turtle moving along.  lol

     The image is from QKR and is called "Bribery Goes Far."  I did my best to make it look like springtime since yesterday was the first day of Spring here in the Northern Hemisphere.  :-D

I used the colors from My Favorite Things

although my blue background is not quite dark enough

the rest of the colors are found in the image.

     I used ProMarkers and water color pencils on the image, then cut it with a stitched die from Lawn Fawn.  The blue background piece was cut with an Altenew die.  I put everything onto a kraft card base and added the metal brads to the upper and lower corners.

     I want to share with you a new technique I tried with the Altenew die.  I prefer dies over stencils but that's mostly because I have so many dies and so few stencils.  So I cut some very heavy CS with this particular Altenew die, then used the cut CS as a stencil to get perfectly aligned polka dots on a background piece.  I need a bit more practice but I'll share the results with you in a few more days.

     I printed the sentiment and cut it with the smallest Lawn Fawn die but I had to adjust the placement and cut twice to get the long rectangle shape out of a square die.

     Challenges:
As You Like It
Aud Sentiments
Brown Sugar
Colour Crazy
Cute Card Thurs.
Double Trouble  (all 3)
Outlawz Greetings
Penny's Paper Crafty
Take It, Make It

     Please come play along in our challenge this week, won't you?  You are NOT required to use images from QKR Stampede but if you do (or use one from our sister company, Eureka Stamps), your entry will go into a separate draw and that increases your chances of winning by a huge amount!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bandaged Cat

     Welcome to our newest weekly challenge at QKR Stampede where our theme is always "Anything Goes."  There's no requirement to use images from QKR (or from our sister company, Eureka Stamps) but for those of you who do use them, you increase your chances of winning by a huge amount since those entries go into a completely separate drawing so your odds are much better.  :-D

     The image I used today is from QKR and it's called "Bandaged Cat."  Every time I use this image, I can hear my dad in my head talking about someone being "as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs!"  lol  Now you know why!

     I used my ProMarkers to color the cat, then cut the image with a die from Lawn Fawn.  I cut the blue frame with a Cottage Cutz die.  The shiny, metallic background was cut with an Altenew die and everything is layered onto a smoke-blue card base.

     I printed and hand cut the sentiment, matted it with a scrap of blue CS, and added that below the image.  Because I used this as a masculine, get-well card, I didn't add any further embellishment.  I thought the texture of the layers and the die cuts was enough.

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Crafting by Designs
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Catz
Creative Inspirations
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Paperbabe Stamps
Scrappy Land
Word Art Weds.

     I'm hoping that by next week, I'll be back to my regular routine but if it takes another week, please trust that I will be back.  I haven't abandoned my crafting nor my blogging.  I just need to get settled in again after all the recent changes.  Thanks for your patience.  :-D  NanaConnie

Easy Breezy "Pink" October

     October is the month to "Think Pink" and we're doing just that over at SheepSki Designs.  Our challenge theme for this month is "Use a Touch of Pink."  During this Breast Cancer Awareness month, and as a cancer survivor, I want to remind each one of you ladies to get those appointments scheduled for mammograms and checkups. 

     I'm celebrating a pink fall by using this gorgeous SheepSki Designs image called "Emmy's Breeze."

     I colored with my ProMarkers, and cut the image with a stitched die from Lawn Fawn.  The background is cut with my favorite Altenew die, making perfect polka dots with lovely texture.  Since I used it the first time about 3 weeks ago, I've done no fewer than 6 cards using it for the background.  I told you it was a favorite!  lol 

     The sentiment is printed and hand cut.  I added the large, white rose and a sheer pink bow, both of which made the card even more feminine.  This one was an absolute joy to color!

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps & More
Colour Crazy
Crafting with Friends
Creative Fingers
House that Stamps Built
Kraftin' Kimmie
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Southern Girls
Time Out
Word Art Wednesday

     I really hope you'll come and play along this month.  Spread the word about Breast Cancer Awareness every day of October!  Early detection is the best defense we have and we can beat that disease with our power as women to support each other and make a difference.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

No More Housework -- I'm On Strike !

     Hey, folks, it's Friday again and that means another challenge is starting at QKR Stampede.  It also means that I'm very late writing up this post but not so late that it won't go live on time.  :-D  As always, our theme is "Anything Goes" and the optional theme, if you want to use it, is "Embossing"  -- wet or dry.

     This QKR image (Parked Broom) always tickles me.  I'm sure it was meant to be used for Halloween but at my house, it's been enlarged, colored, and made into a poster which I can hang on the broom closet door whenever I feel more like crafting than cleaning.  For today, I used it on a card.

     I colored those lovely autumn golds and oranges with ProMarkers, then die cut the image with a stitched rectangle die from Die-namics.  I found a scrap bit of pale orange CS, ran it through a "Lattice" folder by Stampin' Up, and used it offset behind the image.

     The blue background was cut with a die from Altenew (one of my new favorites which I dig out whenever possible!) and I layered that onto a white card base before adding the rest of the pieces.  I managed to collect a short bit of plaid ribbon and tied a bow, then added a bit of black feather and called it finished.

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
C.R.A.F.T.
Creative Moments
I {heart} ProMarkers
Inspiration Destination
Kraftin' Kimmie
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Scrapy Land
Southern Girls
Star Stampz

     I hope you're going to come and play with us this week.  Remember, you don't have to use a QKR (or Eureka) image but if you do, then your entry is put into a separate draw just for those and that increases your chances of winning by more than you can imagine.  Either way, come play!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Goldfish and Seahorses

     I have two cards to share with you today - both of which I made this morning and I couldn't decide which one to share today so I'm sharing both of them in the same post.

    This first one features an image from MHK Designs and I can't remember the last time I did an image with such gorgeous fish in it!

I used a number of the colors from Stamping Sensations,

although my "pink" turned a bit coral.

     I colored the fish bowl and fish with ProMarkers and chalks, then cut the image with a stitch, scalloped die from Memory Box.  The black background piece is cut with a die from Altenew and I love the way it gives the impression of bubbles in water.  I found sparkly, silver ribbon in my stash and used it to wrap the card front and tie the bow.

     The sentiment is from the same MHK Designs set.

     Challenges: (for this card only)
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Pile It On
Ribbon Girl

     My next card stays with the water creature theme and this time I've used a seahorse image called "Barbie Mate" from the challenge on Sasayaki Glitter's Facebook page.  I must admit, I'm not sure this seahorse is actually underwater since that would have a negative effect on his BBQ fire but he's grilling for all he's worth, regardless.     :-D

     Again, I used my ProMarkers to color the image, sticking with ocean blues and greens, and this time I die cut it with a die from Spellbinders.  I added strips of double sided tape and used loose glitter to make all the sparkles around the frame.

     I kept everything very CAS, adding only two scrap strips of embossed ("Linen" folder) CS and one tiny bow which I dyed to match with ProMarkers.

     Challenges: (for this card only)
A Gem of a Challenge
Glitter n Sparkle
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz CAS
Scrapper's Delights
Scrapy Land

     The weekend is fast disappearing and I hope you've stretched yours as far as possible.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie