A Gift of Love

     This darling angel is from AuroraWings and I thought she made a perfect, traditional Christmas card, bringing her beautiful gift of Yuletide love. 

Colored with ProMarkers & Copics
Loose glitter applied to wings
Cut with stitched, rectangle dies from Die-namics
Red card base
Golden sparkle ribbon

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas
Aud Sentiments
Crafting by Designs
Creative Inspirations
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Paper Funday
Scrappy Land
Simon Says Stamp
Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Grateful Elf

     I love this Harvest Elf image from AuroraWings and I plan to use this as a Thanksgiving card.

I used the sketch from Cheerful Sketches.

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with Sue Wilson dies
Papers and CS from the scrap basket
Hand tied bow made with satin polka dot ribbon

     Challenges:
2 Sisters on  the Blog
a2z Scrapbooking
A Perfect Time to Craft
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafty Hazelnut's
Die Cut Divas
Dies R Us
Morgan's ArtWorld

     Enjoy your weekend and I'll see you tomorrow.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Autumn Sprite

     Another of the sprites from AuroraWings, this one called Autumn Sprite.  I'm going  to use this one for a Thanksgiving card.

Colored with ProMarkers
Spellbinders die
Sheer and grosgrain ribbons
Sentiment printed and hand cut

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Knockouts
Cute Card Thurs.
I {heart} ProMarkers
Lemon Shortbread
Papercraft
Word Art Weds.

     We're almost mid-way through the week, more than mid-way through September, and in my part of the country it's still hot, hot, hot!   I'm praying for fall and the cool, crisp evenings that make the mildly warm days enjoyable.  Hope things are cooler in your neck of the woods.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Maple Sprite Celebrating Autumn

     I think I've fallen in love with every sprite image ever released at AuroraWings and this darling Maple Sprite is no exception!   I thought she was a perfect reason to Celebrate Autumn!  :-D

I used the sketch from Paperbabe Stamps,

turned a quarter turn.

Colored with ProMarkers
Image die cut (QuicKutz) and inked edge
Darice EF on yellow CS
Sizzix EF on card base
Sheer ribbon wrap and double bow
Sentiment hand cut and inked on the edge

     Challenges:
Allsorts
Colour Crazy
Crafty Catz
Crafty Friends
Creative Fingers
Pattie's Creations
Polkadoodles
Take It, Make It

     Happy Crafting and enjoy the last half of the weekend.  NanaConnie

Golden Libra

     One of my grandsons was born under the sign of Libra and, while I don't usually care much for the Zodiac images I've seen, the set recently released at AuroraWings appealed to me.  I grabbed images for the family birthdays (and there are a lot of them, many duplicated) and this is the first one I've used.  Grandson's birthday is only a couple of months away so...

I was inspired by the "Gold or Silver + 2 Accent colors"

(#356) at Color My Heart's Color Dare.

I chose Gold, plus olive green and kraft.

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with double stitched die from Die-namics by MFT
Inlaid into gold foil also cut with the same die
Sentiment cut with stitched die, adjusted to get proper shape
Gold jute cord

     Challenges:
AuroraWings
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Creative Knockouts
Outlawz Festive Fri
Paperbabe Stamps
Polkadoodles

     That's all for today.  Enjoy your weekend.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Dance on Your Birthday

      It feels like forever since I used an AuroraWings image and I'd almost forgotten how wonderful they are to color.  I really wish the sparkle in the ribbon had photographed better but I guess you'll just have to take my word for how bright and blingy it is.

I started with the sketch from Sweet Sketch Weds.,

turned a quarter turn.

blin

Colored with ProMarkers
Sue Wilson dies
Sparkle ribbon
Bow tied with bow maker (double layer, double loop)

     Challenges:
Craft-Dee BowZ
Creations in Pink
Cute Card Thurs.
I {heart} ProMarkers
Lemon Shortbread
Papercraft
Passion for ProMarkers
TTCRD
Tuesday Throwdown

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Wreath Besties

     This is an unexpected second post today but I want to share a warm and wonderful story, and the card which resulted from it.

     I first saw this new AuroraWings image when Donna Mundinger posted her card using it over at the Outlawz challenges.  I had to go check out her blog post for more info and I fell in love!  On the Outlawz post, I left a comment that if I wasn't so broke I'd be over at AuroraWings buying it right then.  I also opined that if I was really good, maybe Santa would bring it for me.  :-D

     A few hours later, it arrived in my mailbox with a note that it had been sent to me by my Secret Santa!  Somebody at the Outlawz has the most generous heart in the world!  Thank you, Secret Santa.  You are truly blessed.

     I colored with ProMarkers and cut the image with a Sizzix scalloped die.  The frame was cut with a die from QuicKutz.  I layered those together and went looking for ribbon.

     I found that gorgeous, sparkly gold, wide ribbon in my Christmas stash and wrapped it around the card front, adding the image piece on top of it.  The sentiment was cut with a Die-Versions die and I used a glue pen to adhere the words to the slate gray card front and the ribbon.  I used a white gel pen to outline the two words on the gray CS.  That made them pop.  Before that, they were a bit hard to read.

     The final touch was the snowflake which is covered in glitter but that just doesn't show in the photo.

     Challenges:
Cookie Challenge
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafting from the Heart
Cutie Pie
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Greetings
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Pile It On
Simon Says Stamp
SUYP Cats

     I think that's all I have for today but I am headed back to the craft room so who knows what may get created that demands immediate posting.  lol  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Amaryllis Sprite

     I am just mad about most of the 'sprite' images drawn by Mitzi at AuroraWings and this Amaryllis Sprite is no exception.  I've had her for a while and this is the first chance I've had to use her for a Christmas card.  I remember my mom had amaryllis bulbs planted in her garden and each year at Christmas time, they gave a huge pop of color to an otherwise hibernating plant bed.  I guess when I see amaryllis, they will always mean Christmas to me.

     I colored with ProMarkers and added highlights with gel ink before cutting the image with a Memory Box die.  The sentiment came from QKR Stampede and it's cut with another die from that same Memory Box set.  I inked the edges of both die cuts with ProMarkers.

     The red background paper is from my Christmas stash and I have no idea who made it.  I found that scrap of sheet music, tore the edges a bit more, and added it to the background.  The bow was tied using burlap ribbon.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps & More
Crafty Creations
Creative Fingers
Outlawz Festive Friday
Paper Shelter
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrappy Land
Simon Says Stamp
Winter Wonderland

     Thanks for visiting and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Dandelions in the Wind

     I remember as a child discovering how much fun it was to blow on dandelions and watch their delicate seeds drift all over the yard.  I also remember my mom telling me not to do that because she hated having to dig the dandelion plants out of the lawn.  But the temptation was just soooo great.  lol

     Anyway, when I first saw the Dandelion Sprite image at AuroraWings, I bought it and I'm using it on this card today to celebrate a friend's birthday. 

AuroraWings has a sketch challenge this month.

      I colored with ProMarkers, added glitter to the dandelion and seeds, and used Nuvo Crystal Drops on the sprite's flower petals.  The image was cut with stitched dies from Die-Namics.  I also cut the yellow background CS with the largest of those dies and inlaid the image.

     The leaves were cut with a Cheery Lynn die, and the butterfly was cut from burlap paper with a Cottage Cuts die.  I added a strip of Nuvo Crystal Drops for the butterfly's body and added little touches of it to the flowers, too.  The flowers were in  my stash as was the net 'ribbon.' 

     I printed and hand cut the sentiment, inked the edges and adhered it to the card.  I added the birthday sentiment to the inside but forgot to photograph it and the card is already in the mail.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps and More
Crafting by Designs
Creates and Makes
Outlawz Greetings
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Paper Shelter
Passion for ProMarkers
TTCRD
Tuesday Throwdown

     Hey, do you realize that we're halfway to the weekend?  Only 2 more days to go.  Woohoo!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

One Last Christmas in July

     All last week, I did Christmas cards for the daily challenges at Catch the Bug.  Today, I have one last Christmas in July card but this time the image is from AuroraWings.  While their challenge theme has nothing to do with Christmas, how could I resist these adorable felines?  I got this image back in January and I've been waiting to use it so this week seemed the perfect time.

     I'm truly not sure if they are decorating or un-decorating the tree.  If it was my fur babies, they'd be taking it apart!  lol

      The image is printed right onto the card front for a very CAS design and I colored it with polychromos pencils, plus I added glitter to the tree ornaments.  The sentiment is done with a die from Die-Versions.  I cut it three times from red CS, stacked those together and glued them with a glue pen, then added them to the card front.

     The stacking gives some great dimension but also adds texture.  A CAS card, easy to mail.

     Challenges:
Christmas Crafts All Year Round
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas
Die Cuttin' Divas
Hiding in My Craft Room
Outlawz Festive Fridays
Outlawz PAM
Send a Smile 4 Kids
SUYP Cats

     This will be the last Christmas card for a couple of weeks.  But now that I've gotten a start, I'll be doing two or three each month for the rest of the summer, then I do at least one a week through the holidays.  I get my stash built up each year because I need 20 to 25 for family and close friends, and then I donate 50 to 75 to my local senior center.
   
     I started doing that when I moved here 5 years ago.  It happened quite by accident.  My first Christmas in my new home, I was busy unpacking through the late fall and finally ran across a box of Christmas cards I had done for family but by the time I found them, I had already made and mailed new ones because I couldn't find that particular box.  The senior center is literally 2 blocks away and I passed it on my way over to my daughter's house the very day I found the cards.

     I turned around, went back to the house, grabbed the box of cards, and took it over to the Senior Center just to see if anyone might be interested in having cards for their own family and friends.  I knew some of those attending activities at the center really don't have adequate transportation to get out to the Hallmark store to buy cards for family and friends.  There were only about 20 or so but I understand they were all taken that very afternoon.

     The next year, I did an extra 25 cards specifically to take to the Senior Center.  By year three, the center manager called me on December 1st to ask if there was any chance I was bringing cards that year also.  It seems she had requests and inquiries from many of the seniors asking if there would be cards that year.  :-D  Now I make as many cards as I can for the Senior Center and every year I get wonderful feedback and warm "Thank You"s so I keep on doing it.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Fairy Tale Masquerade

     Every great fairy tale has (or should have) a masquerade ball.  Since AuroraWings has a theme for their challenge of  "Once Upon a Time," in which they want us to do something inspired by a fairy tale, I've used their masquerade mask to celebrate every fairy tale ever told.  :-D

     I colored with ProMarkers and polychromos pencils.  The image is fussy cut with a craft knife - not easily done!  I found the sparkly silver ribbon in my Christmas stash and used two strips of it to border the image.  I added one of my signature, hand-sewn bows, but this time I added a glittered flower instead of the usual pearl.

     Challenges:
AuroraWings
Brown Sugar
Crafty Catz
CARDZ TV
Crafting by Designs
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Friends
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Pile It On
Simon Says Stamp

     Have a great week and thanks so much for visiting.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Dressed for the Ball

     The current challenge at AuroraWings has a theme of "Joyous Occasions" and what could be more joyous for a debutante than her first ball of the summer season?  It's Cinderella time.  :-D

I started with the sketch from The Outlawz.

     I colored with ProMarkers and added glitter to her wings.  I cut the image with a rectangle die from Spellbinders and framed her with deep violet CS which was cut with a stitched die from CUT-plorations.  The corner dp was  in my scrap basket and was embossed with my "Linen" folder before adding it to the purple CS background.  The doily was also a scrap, a leftover from cutting one in two for another project.

     I printed and hand cut the sentiment and then left the card design alone.  The bright and bold pattern in the corner dp and the delicate, lacy border of the doily enticed the eye enough and I still wanted that gorgeous image to be the main focus.

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Brown Sugar
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Addicts
Cute Card Thurs
Cut It Up
Pattie's Creations
Sasayaki Glitter

     Happy Weekend (or what may be left of it) and Happy Crafting!  NanaConnie

Grayscale to Black and White Monochromatic

     I just had to do another AuroraWings sprite for their "Black and White with or without a Pop of Color" challenge.  I enjoyed the one I did last week so much that I browsed through my extensive collection of AW images and found this one which I thought would work perfectly.

     I colored with ProMarkers and watercolors, then cut the image with old decorative scissors.  How many of you still have decorative edge scissors?   Come on, fess up - no crafter ever threw out any tools which still works!

     The black frame is cut with a die from Spellbinders.  Everything is put onto an embossed (Linen folder) white card front.  I printed and added the sentiment after hand cutting it and inking the edges.  I really wanted to leave it fairly simple so I added only the black bow with a tiny pearl.

     Challenges:
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Sentiments
Creative Moments
Digi Choosday
Everybody Art
Ike's World
Outlawz Color
Scrappy Land
Unicorn

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Bride

     I was so intrigued by the latest challenge at AuroraWings where they are asking us to do something in black and white - with or without a pop of color!  I simply had to find one of Mitzi's images which would work in black and white.  Here's what I found.  What do you think?

     I colored with ProMarkers in various shades of deep gray and golden yellows for the flower.  I cut the image with a plain rectangle die (Spellbinders), then punched the corners (Fiskars.)  The dp is cut with another Spellbinders die and I layered the image onto it.

     I dug through my stash of lace and found that perfect, white lace which I added to the card front before adding the image piece.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, adding it to the bottom of the frame.   That's a pretty CAS card, especially for a bridal theme.  :-D

     Challenges:
CAS-ual Fridays
Crafting from the Heart
Crafting with an Attitude
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Catz
Digi Choosday
Path of Positivity
Scrappy Land

     Happy Crafting,  NanaConnie

Ballroom Dancer

     This is my third sprite in the past 2 weeks and I'm not done yet!  lol  I do love these sprites from AuroraWings and they are such a delight to color.  AuroraWings is celebrating its 4th Anniversary and is requiring (for this challenge) that only sprites be used.   Today's Carnation Sprite turned into a Ballroom Dancer.  :-D

     I colored with ProMarkers and gel inks, then cut the image with a die from Spellbinders.  This card shows off one of my favorite techniques which is making CAS cards that look much more complex than they are.  I used one of my fancy frame dies to cut the image and then layered it onto the card front. 

     When doing this technique, I always keep embellishment to a minimum; in this case using only a dyed, lace, bow-tie bow.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, then added it to the bottom of the image.  With that, I was done!

     Challenges:
AAA Cards
Di's Digi Designs
Get Creative
Hiding in My Craft Room
Incy Wincy
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Greetings
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Stamping Sensations

     We're on the downhill slide to the weekend and I have to get a bunch of prep work finished for a garage sale on Saturday.  Originally, I would have said "yard" sale but since the weather forecasters are saying it might rain, we're moving it under cover.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Lilacs for You

     I'm really on a kick of using some of my sprites from AuroraWings and here's my second one in a week.  This image is the Lilac Sprite.  I remember the beautiful lilacs I had at my house before I moved.  I spent several years tending them and training them to grow up over the railing on the second-story deck I had.  Each year that they bloomed, they'd hang down over the drive which ran underneath the deck.  Oh, they were so marvelous in the late spring and early summer!  Their scent filled the air.

     I colored with ProMarkers, and cut her with a die from Spellbinders.  The delicate, lacy frame is also cut with a Spellbinders die.  I had that gingham paper left on my craft desk from doing another project a couple of days ago and decided to use it up instead of tossing it out.

     I tied a 'bowtie' bow from a bit of white lace, then "dyed" it with one of my ProMarkers.  I made that the only embellishment because I really wanted the image and the frame to be the central focus on this card.

     Challenges:
Angie's Digital Stamps
AuroraWings
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Friends
Cutie Pie
Di's Digi Designs
Fussy and Fancy
Outlawz Festive Friday
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Simon Says Stamp

     That's all I have for today except to say that we're halfway through the week.  It's been Easter break here in my neighborhood, with all the kids out of school.  They don't go back until Tuesday and they all get to celebrate Easter before then.  Thanks for visiting, and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Rambling Rose

     This lovely little sprite from AuroraWings caught my attention when I was at their store choosing images from my win in last month's challenge.  :-D  She's called Wild Rose Sprite but I colored her in peachy gold colors to look like the rambling roses my mom cultivated along the back porch arbor when I was growing up.  That's my absolute favorite color for roses to this day!

I started by using the sketch from Viva la Verve

but I flipped it side to side so that it's reversed

and lengthened the horizontal to better fit the

shape of my image.

     I colored with ProMarkers, then die cut the image with one of my Spellbinders dies.  I inked the edges with black ProMarker.   I started digging through my scrap basket and found that beautiful paper which mirrored the colors I had used in the image.  What is odd about it is that I simply don't remember ever having seen that paper before!  It was the only scrap like it and I did a quick look-through of my paper stacks but nothing like it exists in my stash.  Hmmm, oh well, call it a lucky find or a miracle, I love how it "made" this card !

     The black strip is fabric ribbon that came in a card kit but I didn't use it for either of those projects so it was waiting for me when I wanted something out of the ordinary for this one.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, then sewed together the tiny, pink bow with the pearl.  It looks bright pink in the photo but is actually a perfect match for the pink card base, visible around the edges of the card.

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments (dp/digi/fav color)
Colour Crazy
Crafty Catz
DL.ART
Fussy and Fancy
Outlawz Festive Friday
Polkadoodles
Southern Girls

     Thanks for visiting.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Mythical Ice Fairies

    I'm sure we've all heard of fairies but how many of us know about Ice Fairies?  Usually, fairies go underground and hide in their homes where it's warm throughout the cold snowy months of winter.  But there's a special breed of Ice Fairies who dearly love the cold weather.  They score our windows with frost paintings and hang icicles from the eaves and tree branches.

     This beautiful image must be a clan leader among the Ice Fairies - she's just so glamorous and elegant.  This image is from AuroraWings and I had so much fun bringing her alive with color.

     I used polychromos pencils to color her and blended everything with gamsol.  I added touches of white gel ink to certain spots and did her lips and eyes with ProMarkers.  I die cut the image with one of my favorite dies from Spellbinders.  I trimmed off  a tiny point on each end for a smoother shape and then I inked the edges.

     The pale blue paper with the tiny snowflakes came from DCWV's "Winter Magic" stack, something I've had in my stash for several years and I'm still working my way through it.  For embellishment, I added one small hand-sewn bow with a pearl.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps
A Gem of a Challenge
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Calendar
Die Cuttin' Divas
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Path of Positivity
Stamping Sensations
TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cat Lovers Hop

     Well, there's no question that I qualify as a cat lover if not quite yet a 'crazy cat lady' so I'm playing along in the 2017 Cat Lovers Hop.

     Here's my project featuring a cat.

     This is an image from Aurora Wings, colored with my ProMarkers, and cut with a simple, rectangle die from Spellbinders.  I adhered it to a colored card front, then wrapped it with gold ribbon and added on of the tiny bows I make by the dozens and toss in my stash for future use.  Again, a usual, this bow started out white but I 'dyed" it with a ProMarker to get that golden orange color I wanted.  I kept it pretty CAS so that it would mail easily.

     Challenges:
Crafty Friends
Outlawz CAS
Southern Girls

     I'm still struggling with my cold but must get some rest and toddle off to my duties later this morning.  I'll take some OTC meds and hope that keeps me from feeling too miserable.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Blueberry Summer

     Summer has been hot, hot, hot where I live with nearly twice as many 100F + temperatures as what we normally have but I will say that means we have a bumper crop of juicy berries at the farmer's markets this month!  I decided to celebrate that fact with this cute little card featuring a Blueberry Sprite from AuroraWings.

I was inspired by the sketch from the challenge

 on the AuroraWings Facebook page

and the colors from House of Cards.

  

     I colored the sprite with my ProMarkers and added some gel ink highlights.  I cut the image and the two smaller circles with stitched, scalloped dies from Memory Box.  

     For the background, I started with a piece of dp that had polka dots, then did a water color wash over it, changing and blending the colors as I went.  After it was dry, I spattered water droplets across the top, moved them around a bit by tilting the paper back and forth, then let it dry.  The result is the water spot marks in the top corners.  They are on both corners but the right hand corner is so light it doesn't show in the photograph.

     After the background was completely dry, I ironed the paper to flatten it, then added a strip of deep, purple ribbon before adding the die cut circles and the image piece.  I hand cut the printed sentiment, then added the sheer bow.

     Challenges:

Color Inspiration Monday

Connie Can Crop

Crafting from the Heart

Digi Choosday

Pammie's Inky Pinkies

Scrapy Land

TTCRD

Tuesday Throwdown

     OK, after today we're on the downhill slope to the weekend when our hearts and souls will be filled with a need to craft, craft, craft!   So, Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie