Shared Umbrella

     This lovely image from LeAnn's World 101 Progressive Challenge is perfect for an April/Spring card and is also great for a friendship card.

I chose 4 colors from Color My Heart #340; 

Lagoon, Sapphire, Ballerina & Smoothie

     I colored with ProMarkers, then used a Lawn Fawn die to cut the image and the largest square of background dp.  The orange (Smoothie) dp plus the Sapphire square were cut with Cottage Cutz dies.  I layered all of those together creating layers.

     I printed the sentiment, matted it with a tiny scrap of navy blue CS, and added it below the image piece.  I decided on 3 tiny metal brads, putting those into the corner, and 3 crystal raindrops, which I put on the image itself.  I've had a long run recently of using kraft CS for card bases and I'm really liking the effect.  It seems to make everything on top of the kraft 'pop.'

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Crafty Catz
Crafty Gals Corner
Cute Card Thurs
House that Stamps Built
LeAnn's World 101
Simon Says Stamp
Word Art Weds.
Words to Craft By

     Have yourself a fabulous weekend and do lots of Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

All About the Rain

     Another "rain dance" card today, still hoping that we'll get another half inch or so before the dry days of summer set in.  I love this darling little girl from Lemon Shortbread in her rain slicker and boots.

I used the colors from My Favorite Things.

     She's been colored with ProMarkers, and cut with a scalloped die from QuicKutz.  The sentiment was printed and also cut with a QuicKutz die.  The flowers are die cut from mulberry paper (Spellbinders) and I added a tiny gem to the center of each.   What you can't see is that the center flower has been glittered with loose glitter. 
   
     I found two different satin ribbons in my stash of Crafty Ribbons, one white and the other light gray, and I layered them together before wrapping them around the suede cloth card front.  This is the last of my suede cloth and that's a great excuse to go buy some more.  :-D  It gives such a lovely texture to the card.

     Challenges:
CCC Digi Creations
Country View Crafts
Creative Craft Cottage
Dies R Us
Digi Choosday
Double Trouble (2 done)
Outlawz Greetings
Paperminutes
TTCRD

     Halfway to the weekend - woohoo!   Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

House Mousies Playing in the April Showers

     This is one of my very favorite House Mouse stamps and I'm sure I use it every year to celebrate April showers.   How could I resist those tiny Mousies splashing their way through the rain puddles?

     I colored with a combination of polychromos pencils and ProMarkers, with white gel pen for the raindrops.  I used one of my straight border dies (Spellbinders) to cut each edge of the image and then matted it with a royal blue CS frame. 

     The background was originally a card front which I 'rescued' from the trash bin because I loved the glittery embossing, and I trimmed the edges by hand.  I added both ribbon and heavy twine but left it very simple after that.  I wanted it to stay CAS and to work as either feminine or masculine.

     Challenges:
Addicted to CAS
Crafty Sentiments
Crazy Challenge
House Mouse
Ike's World
Incy Wincy
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Pile It On
Unicorn

    Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie  

Rainy Day Fun

     Another card for another of my favorite progressive challenges, this one at Scrapper's Delights.

     This time I colored the image with a combination of chalks and ProMarkers; the girl is colored with ProMarkers and the background and raindrops are done with chalk markers.  It's difficult to see but I added Glossy Accents to the rain puddle.

      I die cut the image and the pink frame with dies from Spellbinders.  The gray background paper is embossed with my 'Linen' folder.  I added sheer ribbon and tied a bow.

     The sentiment was part of the image set and I cut it with the smallest die from that set by Spellbinders.  Even then, the die was larger than what I wanted so I cut the sentiment, then adjusted the bottom of the die upward and cut it again, making the sentiment piece narrower from top to bottom.  The basic shape was still in line with the two larger cuts so it matches.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Chalk n Stock
Come and Get It
Crafty Calendar
DL.ART
Great Impressions
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz PAM
Ribbon Girl
Send a Smile 4 Kids
Stamping Sensations

     That's all I have for today but I'll see you tomorrow morning with a new post.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Sunbathing?

     I don't know how many of you really expect to sunbathe in April but it sure isn't happening in most of the country out my way.  I love this Birdbrain image by From the Heart Stamps and I followed their latest sketch to make the card.

     I used my ProMarkers to color the image but instead of die cutting it as I usually do, I used a leftover negative from a Cheery Lynn doily die to make the curved piece.  That's layered on top of the image piece.  I also die cut some clouds (Memory Box) and then added gingham dp.  Those all came from the scrapbox on my table.  The ribbon is white satin from my stash and I made the bow using that same ribbon.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
Animal Friends
Card Mania
Crafting Musketeers
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafty Enjoyments (1st column)
Crafty Time
Cuttlebug Mania
Dragonfly Journeys
Hiding in My Craft Room
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Greetings
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Ribbon Girl
Robyn's Fetish

     Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie