"N" is for Nutcracker - 30 Days of Holidays

      One more card for the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place and today we're working with the letter "N" so a Nutcracker was a Natural.  Because I'm still fighting that nasty respiratory virus, I decided on something really quick and printed out a pre-colored version of one of Beccy's Nutcrackers. 

      I cut the image with a die from Tonic Studios, then punched the corners of the image piece with a Fiskars corner punch.  After that, I began searching through my Christmas ribbons.  I was looking for a plaid ribbon and  was found in the scrap basket.  I really love the plaid on Christmas cards and I think it goes well with the masculine Nutcracker image.  I think ribbon is my favorite embellishment because it works so well with both feminine and masculine cards.

     I used an Art Impressions die to cut the snowflakes, made the center one with 2 layers, and added glitter and a gem to the top snowflake.  The NOEL sentiment was cut with a Die-Versions die and it gave me one more "N."

     Challenges:

52 Weeks Christmas

As You Like It

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Friday

Krafty Chicks

Outlawz Thurs (The Nutcracker, of course!)

Pattie's Creations

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Flaky Friends

      Growing up as I did in southern California, I had little chance to see snow much less make snowmen.  We would sometimes visit my grandfather's vacation cabin up in the mountains during the winter and I always did my best to make a snowman, even if it was only a small one.  When I accomplished that, I would then refer to it as my "flaky friend!"  To this day, I adore snowmen and I use them on winter cards whenever possible.  I'd use them on summer cards, too, but they might melt.  lol

      Here's one for the BINGO challenge at Catch the Bug this week.  I actually did two of the BINGO columns - a diagonal (Snowflakes/ Bugaboo Image/ Ribbon) and also the 3rd column (3 layers/ die or punch - I used both/ Ribbon.)

Colored w ProMarkers

Image & 2 circles cut w Sizzix dies

Blue dp from scrap stash

Snowflakes cut w AI dies

Sentiment cut w Avery Elle die

Signature bow w pearl

Sheer, striped ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon

Bottom card corners rounded w Fiskars punch

     Challenges:

Cutie Pie

Cuttlebug Mania

Di's Digi Designs

Dragonfly Dreams

Dream Valley

House that Stamps Built

Paper Funday

Passion for ProMarkers

Penny's Paper-Crafty

     I'm still following the "challenge-yourself" idea being promoted by my blogging buddy, V.  It's called "Just Stash January" and it involves using nothing but things already in your stash throughout the entire month of January!  There are a few reasonable exceptions (all of which mean that no money has come out of your pocket) and you can read about those on her post.  Just click on the link above to find out all about it, then start counting those coins and bills you'll be 'stashing' in your pocket this month instead of crying about even more charges on the credit cards after the holiday season.  :-D  Everything on this card came from the stash! 

     Have a wonderful creative day and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Winter Mittens

      It's a Monday, & a January Monday at that, so it's time for a new challenge at Pammie's Inky Pinkies and our wonderful sponsor this week is The Cutting Cafe.  They have generously supplied the DT with lovely files for cutting shaped cards and I chose this adorable "Mitten shaped card."

     Because I don't have an electronic cutting machine, I printed the mitten shape, first adjusting it for the size I wanted, then cut it by hand.  That's one of the great things about Cutting Cafe files - they can be cut by hand or by machine.

Paper pieced with scrap dp (DCWV "Stonewashed" stack)

Snowflakes cut from scraps w Art Impressions dies

Sentiment (unknown maker) stamped & underlined

     I'm still following the "challenge-yourself" idea being promoted by my blogging buddy, V.  It's called "Just Stash January" and it involves using nothing but things already in your stash throughout the entire month of January!  There are a few reasonable exceptions (all of which mean that no money has come out of your pocket) and you can read about those on her post.  Just click on the link above to find out all about it, then start counting those coins and bills you'll be 'stashing' in your pocket this month instead of crying about even more charges on the credit cards after the holiday season.  :-D  Everything on this card came not only from the stash but from the scrap stash! 

     Challenges:

Dare 2B Artsy

Digi Choosday

Di's Digi Designs

Dream Valley

Get Creative

Outlawz PAM

Penny's Paper-Crafty

Pixie's Snippets

     Come play with us this week.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" except on the rare 5th Monday in a month.  We'd love to see what you create.   Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Stay Warm

      In these couple of days after Christmas, our temperatures have dropped drastically; below freezing overnight and then this morning it warmed enough to rain.  Now we have cold sunshine amid the scattering clouds.  I don't want any of you Canadians or Mid-Westerners laughing at me!  Remember, I'm in California where we only have snow in the high Sierra Nevadas and when it gets below freezing, we really feel it.  I don't even own a winter coat!  lol

     This card perfectly reveals what's happening in our neck of the Christmassy woods.  The image is from House Mouse.

I pulled colors from My Favorite Things.

Colored w ProMarkers

Glitter & Liquid Pearls on snow & pompoms

Cut w Fiskars

"Linen" EF used on blue CS

Snowflakes cut w AI dies

  (they sparkle but it doesn't show very well)

Sentiment printed & fussy cut

     Challenges:

Artsy Stamper

Craftlandia

Cute Card Thurs

Digi Choosday

House Mouse

House that Stamps Built

Outlawz Greetings

Simon Say Stamp

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Reindeer Wishes

      You'll see two back-to-back posts from me today because I didn't get my first one posted yesterday.  Life just caught up with me and I spent the day doing house chores so that I could dedicate the rest of the weekend to getting cards done for the week-long, "Holiday Chaos" fest of daily challenges at Catch the Bug.  This First Day there is a theme of "Reindeer Games."  In fact, that's the overall theme for the entire week and I'll be sharing as many reindeer images from Bugaboo Stamps as I can.  Here's the first:

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut w Spellbinders & trimmed

   (out of the box on antlers and hoof)

Paper from Love to Craft

Snowflakes cut w Art Impressions die

Twine bow

     Challenges:

Allsorts

Crafter's Castle

Crafty Calendar

Crafty Hazelnut's

Cuttlebug Mania

Dies R Us

Di's Digi Designs

Double Trouble (dies/twine/dp)

Gem of a Challenge

Passion for ProMarkers

     Check back in an hour or so for the second challenge which features the sketch for this week at Holiday Chaos.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Gnomes

      This is my latest DT card for Conie Fong featuring merged images from two different sets, "Santa's Sack" (the upper presents) and "Christmas Gnomes" (the lower gnomes and packages.)  I absolutely adore gnomes (second only to dragons!) and Conie Fong has some of the cutest ones around.  You really should check out all her gnome set which have Christmas or Winter themes.  You can see them all simply by browsing the store.

I used red, green, plus neutrals from CMH Color Dare #423.

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut w Gina Marie die

Background dp is a scrap

Satin ribbon

Sentiment heat embossed and hand cut

Snowflakes cut w Art Impressions dies

     Challenges:

Cardz TV

Colour Crazy

Crafty Catz

Cute Card Thurs

Outlawz Festive Fri

Paperbabe Stamps

Pattie's Creations

Scrapping4Fun

Winter Wonderland

     That's all I have today but remember that Conie Fong has two challenges every month on the Facebook page; one is for coloring only and the other for hand-colored, finished projects.  Each challenges requires that you use a Conie Fong image.  Come play.  You could win more Conie Fong images!  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

'Tis the Season

      I was playing around with some new dies last night and this card was the end result.  It went a different direction than what I had in my mind's eye but I'm rather pleased with this result despite that.  One more for my Christmas card stash.

Birds & Pine Branch cut w/ Sue Wilson dies

     (Birds & Pine cones are embossed)

Snowflakes cut w/ Art Impressions dies

Sentiment cut w/ Die-Versions dies

Colored w/ ProMarkers

Liquid Pearls white added as snow

White gel pen used for snow on pinecones

Background embossed w/ "Linen" EF

     Challenges:

12 Months Christmas

A Bit More Time...

Arty Divas

Colour Crazy

Crafts Galore Encore

Crafty Animals

Crafty Friends

Crafty Hazelnut's

Kerst Christmas

Your Scrapbook Place

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Jolly Snowman

      Limited Runs has such an adorable snowman for the Progressive Challenge this month and if you're not already playing along, you really should check it out.

Colors came from the My Favorite Things challenge.

Colored w ProMarkers

Image & 2 mats cut with QuicKutz dies

     (red mat is gold embossed)

Green snowflakes = Art Impressions dies

Glitter added to largest snowflake

Green CS embossed w Santa's Sleigh design

Sentiment = Die-Versions die

Sheer, gold-embossed ribbon 

Triple-loop bow tied on Bow Maker

     Challenges:

Cardz TV

Colour Crazy

Crafty Catz

Crafty Friends

Creative Fingers

Cute Card Thurs

Lil Patch of...

Outlawz Twisted Thurs

Paperbabe Stamps

     Have a creative day and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Witch's Clothes Line

      It may come as a shock to some of you that even witches have to do laundry and hang things to dry, but I offer this as proof!  Why do they have to hang their clothes instead of just running them through the dryer?  Ask Hansel or Gretel - most of their huts deep in the forest have no electricity so the washing has to be done in a tub and clothes are then hung out to dry.  I'm not sure how the cat on this line got washed!  lol

     This card is done completely with small die cuts taken from scraps in the basket on my work table.  The laundry line itself was cut three times in order to get the various Halloween colors.  Another way of dealing with the loss (however temporary I may hope it is) of my collection of some 9,000+ digis.  

Dies used are:  

Clothes line = Cheery Lynn (mounted on dimensional tape)

Moon = QuicKuz

Bats = Impression Obsession

Sentiment = Impression Obsession

    Challenges:

Art Impressions

Aud Sentiments

Cute Card Thurs

Cuttlebug Mania

My Favorite Things

Paperbabe

Pixie's Snippets

SUY Pussycats 

TTCRD

Your Next Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Gift Card Holders for Christmas

     Last week when I was doing cards for the Christmas in July challenges, I made a money folder specifically for cash but it could have been used for gift cards as well.  However, it was longer than needed for a gift card so I rimmed the height and made these. 

     It seems every holiday season (well, all year round, actually) my family members and several of my friends come to me asking for gift card holders.  I guess we use a lot of them.  So, this year, I'm trying to get ahead of the game and get a couple dozen made up before the first request comes in.  :-D

     To make these, I start with card stock which is 4.5" high x 8" long and I score along the length of it at 1", at 4", and at 7", then fold on the 1" and 7" score lines, using double sided tape to close those folded ends so that they won't flip open.  On one side is where the gift card goes and on the other there is room for a short note or for "To:/From:" tag.

     Here's what they look like when the gift cards are safely tucked inside and they are folded up and tied with the ribbon which runs under the image and wraps around the back to tie on the right hand side.

Images are pre-colored or colored w/ ProMarkers
Images from Bugaboo Stamps & Doodle Pantry
Die cut images = QuicKutz
Die cut sentiments = Die-Versions & A I

     Challenges:
12 Months of Christmas
Christmas w Cuties
Crafty Hazelnut's
Die Cut Divas
Dream Valley
Outlawz Festive Fri
SheepSki Designs
Star Stampz
Winter Wonderland

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Skating By

     A few days back, my oldest granddaughter (she just turned 21) was over again and we got involved in crafting cards.  She loved this LeAnn's World image of a skater which I had already colored and die cut so she asked if she could use it to design a card.  Making cards is very new to her, although she's watched me make them the majority of her life.  She has even assisted me on a few cards but this was the first one she's done where she took the lead and had all the design decisions.

     I love where her creativity took her, especially the hand-folded frame she put around the image.  Very difficult and I never would have tried that myself!  I did suggest the snowflakes in lieu of flowers for this card and she agreed.  :-D

Colored with ProMarkers
Loose glitter added to her crown
Cut with QuicKutz oval die
Snowflakes cut with AI die
Accordion folded CS to frame image
Accordion folded CS for the fan
"Diamond" Stickles added to frame & 1 snowflake
Sentiment printed and cut with Avery Elle die

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time...
Allsorts
Classic Design
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafty Calendar
LeAnn's World 101
Morgan's Art World
PaperCraft
Scribbles Designs
World Wide Open

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Always More Marshmallows!

     It's time for a BINGO challenge at Catch the Bug and I used the first diagonal: snowflake/ Bugaboo Image/ ribbon.  Since it's hard to have snowflakes without cold, winter weather, and since snowflakes combine to make snowmen, this card is done using chilly colors of ice blue, light lavender, and aqua. 

     I love this Bugaboo snowman with his warm mug of cocoa and extra marshmallows.  Hot cocoa is wonderful when it's cold but cocoa with marshmallows is always better and the more marshmallows, the better.  :-D

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with Spellbinders die
Blue snowflakes cut with AI dies
Top 2 layers of dp cut with QuicKutz dies
Papers from Doodlebug
Wide grosgrain ribbon used for bow
Bow was white but 'dyed' with ProMarker
Sentiment from Bugaboo hand cut

     Challenges:
Coloring in Scrapland
Crafty Friends
Crafty Gals Corner
Crafty Hazelnut's
Creatalicious
Cuttlebug Mania
Dare 2B Artsy
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz PAM
Papercraft

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Downhill

     Happy Friday to all of you!  Today starts another weekly challenge at QKR Stampede and I seem to be on a birthday card binge.  I'm definitely getting my stash of them filled up.  Today I did a card perfect for any winter birthday, using a fun QKR image called "Sledding."  This one comes in either rubber or digi, whichever is your personal preference.

Colored with ProMarkers and fussy cut
Oval die from QuicKutz used to cut the snow hill
Snowflakes cut with Art Impressions dies
Polka dot paper from DCWV
Sentiment printed and cut by hand
One of my signature bows w/ pearl

     Challenges:
As You Like It
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Crafty Catz
Outlawz Festive Fri
Paperbabe Stamps
Pattie's Creations
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Take It, Make It
Your Next Stamp

     Please come play with us this week.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" and you can use any images from any company.  However, if you do use an image from QKR Stampede, your entry  goes into a separate drawing and that increases your chance of winning by a huge amount.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

December Challenge at Brown Sugar

     Good morning and happy Friday morning.  We're starting a new monthly challenge today over at Brown Sugar.  Our sponsor this month is The Paper Shelter and they supplied us with an image set called "Holy Night."  Paper Shelter is having a sale this month and the image we all used is included in the sale.

     Interestingly enough, I used this very same image for a DT card last month but with a different team.  You can see what I did for them by clicking this LINK.  Rather than duplicate something I had just done, I decided to use the beautiful background that came with the set and build a scene on top of it with die cut deer and Liquid Pearls.

Background paper from The Paper Shelter (Holy Night digi set)
Cottage Cutz dies for deer - colored w/ metallic ProMarkers
Sentiment cut with Die-versions dies
Liquid Pearls for deer hoof prints in the snow
Snowflake cut with Art Impressions die
Blue rhinestone added to snowflake center

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps
Dare 2B Artsy
Dream Valley
Incy Wincy
Outlawz SAR
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Simon Says Stamp & Show
Sparkles Christmas
Tales from the Craft Room
Your Scrapbook Place

     I hope we're going to see you playing along with us this month.  This is my last month on the Brown Sugar DT but I'll be visiting many of you before the month ends.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Snowman Joy

     It's the first Thursday of the month and that means our newest challenge is starting for December at Crafting with an Attitude.  This is my last post as a DT member as I've taken on additional responsibilities on other teams I serve and I have to cut back some place.  I'm sad to leave but will be visiting as a player as often as possible.  Hugs to all my teamies.  :-D

     This month, our challenge is sponsored by Beccy's Place and, if you were visiting me at all last month, you already know how much I adore her images!  She generously gave images to the DT for them to use but I chose one from my own collection.  This is "Boxed Snowman" but I can't find it in the store now so it may have been retired.

Inspired by Sketch #569 at Sketch Saturday.

 

Colored with ProMarkers w/ white gel ink on highlights

Fussy cut with scissors
Ribbon and bow done with scraps
Snowflakes cut with Art Impressions dies
Black CS for the base

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Colour Crazy
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafty Friends
Creative Knockouts
Cute Card Thurs
Outlawz Festive Fri
Time Out

     Won't you please come play with us this month?  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" and this will be the last of our 'sponsored' challenges.  Starting in January, they will be JFF challenges.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Final Day at Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas

     Here we are on Day 30 of the Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas and we get to do whatever we love best - a classic Anything Goes theme.  I opted for this vase of holly branches, one of my favorite Beccy's images.  In Beccy's colored version, the vase is purple, my favorite color.  In my version, I opted for a red-violet vase so that I could use more traditional embellishments for Christmas.  Other than the red-violet, I pulled my colors from Paperbabe Stamps, including the papers I used (see below.)

I used the sketch from The Outlawz, turned 1/4 turn,

and the color palette found at Paperbabe Stamps.

  

Colored with ProMarker
Image cut with Die-namics stitched die
Snowflakes cut with AI dies
Sentiment cut with Die-versions die
Scrap pieces from Graphic 45

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Crafty Catz
Crafty Creations
House that Stamps Built
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Challenge #2 at Jan's Digi Stamps

     Our second challenge has started at Jan's Digi Stamps today and once again we have an "Anything Goes" theme for you.  I'm sharing two cards I've done using pre-colored images from the "Holiday Candy Deluxe 947" set.  I've been doing Christmas cards for the last couple of months but when time runs short or when you need a last minute card for an unexpected guest the in-laws brought along (!), pre-colored images can save the day.  Nearly every set from Jan's has both black and white outline images and pre-colored versions included in the same set.

Cut w/ Sizzix scalloped circle die

Snowflakes cut with Art Impressions dies

Sentiment (from this set) was hand cut

Wide ribbon with glittered edges

Red CS base

     Challenges:

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Knockouts

Cute Card Thurs

Penny's Paper Crafty

Time Out

Die-namics dies for image and frame, inlaid dies
Sentiment hand cut
Doodlebug dp
Lavender ribbon w/ hand tied bow

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Crafty Catz
Creative Fingers
Outlawz Festive Fri
Winter Wonderland

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

"I" at Beccy's 30 Days of Christmas

     In the 30 Days of Christmas at Beccy' Place, we return to the alphabetical prompts today with the letter "I" and I chose Image, Ice, Icicles, Ice Skates, Inlaid die cuts, and Ice blue.  I think Beccy has some of the best "realistic" Christmas and winter images and these skates are definitely among them.  The sentiment is also from Beccy's Place

Colored with ProMarkers
Image & frame cut w/ QuicKutz die, then Inlaid
Paper by Doodlebug
Icicles added with Stickles
Snowflakes cut with AI die
Gemstone added to one snowflake

     Challenges:
AAA Cards
Addicted to Stamps
Creative Inspirations
Dragonfly Dreams
Dream Valley
House that Stamps Built
Paper Girls
   
     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Non-Christmas Image for Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas

     So today is another of the curves Beccy throws out to compensate for the 4 days without alphabet prompts during the 30 Days of Christmas.  Today the requirement is to use an image which is NOT a Christmas or holiday image and use it for a holiday/Christmas card.

     Honestly, it took me longer to decide what image(s) to use than it did to color and create the card.  How many of you could guess that I'd choose felines for my card?  There are 2 separate images here, one is Alley Cat and the other is Moggie, both from Beccy's Cattitude set.  The sentiment can be blamed only on me but with those facial expressions, what else could it be?  Such disbelief and discouragement!  :-D

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with Unbranded die
Snowflakes cut from scrap bits with AI dies
Card front embossed with "Linen" EF (another scrap)

     Challenges:
Coloring in Scrapland
Dragonfly Dreams
Incy Wincy
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Paper Girls
Passion for ProMarkers
Pixie's Snippets
Stamping Sensations
SUYP Cats
Tues Throwdown

     That's it for today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Day 9, Letter "H" at Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas

     Day 9 means the letter "H" at Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas and I'm using a few fairly simple "H"s - Happy family, Happy Holidays, Holly, "...our House to yours...", Hats, and Holly berries.  I absolutely love this Happy snowman family with a Houseful of baby snowkids from Beccys!

Colored with ProMarkers
Die cut with QuicKutz dies
Frame dp from Doodlebug
Holly leaves (from Beccy's Place) fussy cut
Front panel embossed w/ "Linen" folder
Snowflakes cut with Art Impressions dies
Snowflake button w/ glitter
Sentiment (Beccy's Place) hand cut and matted

     Challenges:
12 Months of Christmas
CCC Digi Creations
Christmas Crafts All Year ...
Crafty Hazelnut's 
Creative Inspirations
Creative Moments
Dies R Us
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds
Scrappy Land

     That's it for today.  I'm heading back to the craft room to work on another card for Beccy's Place and you'll see it posted in the next day or two.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie