What Can You Do?

     It's another Friday and another challenge is starting at QKR Stampede today.  As usual, our theme is Anything Goes.  There's no requirement that you use QKR images for your project but if you do, then your entry will be in a separate draw and your chances of winning are huge!

     This morning, I let my quirky sense of humor run wild and here's the result. 

 

                                                    Card front using

                                                    "Held Prisoner."

     Here's the inside using
     "Men... " as sentiment.

     I colored the image with ProMarkers, then cut it with a die from Cheapo Dies.  I used black CS to make the background, added a sheer, sparkly ribbon, and layered on the image.  I printed the sentiment, hand cut it, and added it to the card front.  For a final embellishment, I added the three tiny pearls to the top corner.

     I hope this brought a smile to your face.  :-D

     Challenges:
CARDZ TV
Crafting from the Heart
Cute Card Thurs.
Digi Choosday
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Passion for ProMarkers
Time Out
TTCRD

     Have a wonderful weekend, find some crafting time, and enjoy the weather - whatever it may be.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

For an Old Goat

     This is my second post today so be sure to scroll down to see the GDT card I did for Colour Crazy.

     I've done another masculine birthday card for the challenge which starts today at QKR Stampede.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" and it doesn't matter whether or not you use an image from QKR, but if you do, your entry goes into a separate draw and that increases your chance of winning by a huge amount.

     This image is called "Old Goat digi 13206" and so is the sentiment ("Old Goat digi 14506.")

I was inspired by the colors at My Favorite Things.

     I colored with a combination of ProMarkers and polychromos pencils, then cut the image with my paper trimmer and cut out the inside of the yellow, overlaid, frame with a die from Cheapo Dies.  I wrapped that in gold, satin ribbon and layered it onto a black card base.

     I printed and hand cut the sentiment, then inked the edges before applying it.  Finally, I added one of my signature bows.

     Challenges:
CARDZ TV
Crafty Catz
Crafty Friends
Cute N Crafty
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Outlawz Festive Friday

     I hope you have lots of "me" time planned for the upcoming weekend.  Our minds deserve rest as much as our bodies, you know.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Heaven's Angels

     Another Friday morning means another challenge starting over at QKR Stampede.  Remember, our theme is always "Anything goes" and you can use any image you choose, from any company.  However, if you use an image from QKR or their sister company, Eureka Stamps, your entry will be put into a separate draw, significantly increasing your chances of winning some fabulous QKR Stampede images!

     For my card this week, I used "Heaven's Angels" for the sentiment and "Dancing Angel" for the image.

     I colored the image with ProMarkers, then fussy cut it with scissors.  The yellow die cut in the background is a frame cut with dies from Cheapo Dies.  The sentiment was printed and hand cut.  Everything was layered onto an embossed card base.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft Extra
Aud Sentiments
CCC Digi Creations
Crafter's Cafe
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Catz
Creatalicious
Pattie's Creations
Southern Girls
Sparkles Monthly

     I hope you'll be playing along with us this week.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Dahlia Dreams

   
     The flowers are beginning to bloom in my garden and my first dahlias buds have showed their faces.   Soon we'll have lovely large blossoms to put in bouquets.  I love dahlias and I'm celebrating their arrival with this card.

     The image is from Ching-Chou Kuik.

I based my card design on the sketch at Stella Says Sketch.

     The image is colored with ProMarkers and die cut with an oval die from Cheapo Dies.  The green mat is also cut with a die from that same set.  I added a bit of green dp which was in my scrap basket. 

     The card front was dry embossed, although that's hard to see in the photo.  I layered on the green CS mat, then ran ribbon along the vertical line where the dp and dry embossing met.  On top of that, I layered on the image piece.

     I printed, hand cut, and matted the sentiment before adding it.  For embellishment, I found metal brads and heated them with my heat gun before dipping the heads into dark green embossing powder.  The powder melts onto the hot brad heads and that way, you can use brads which are whatever color you need.  They end up looking like shiny pearls.

     My final touch was to 'dye' one of my white bows with green ProMarker, leaving the pearl white, and adding the bow to the lower portion of the image.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps
Digi Choosday
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Passion for ProMarkers
TTCRD
Try Stampin' on Tuesday (bottom row)
Unicorn

     Have a wonderful week and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Best Buddies

     Another Friday so another new challenge at QKR Stampede.  As always, our theme is "Anything Goes" and there's no requirement to use a QKR image (or Eureka - our sister brand which I used this week) or sentiment.  However, if you do use one of those, your entry will be in a completely separate draw and that increases your chances of winning by quite a lot.

     This week, I used an image from Eureka Stamps called "Big n Little Cat."  We all know that cats are my favorite animals but, in truth, I'm a general animal lover -- all animals!  I'm required to say that cats are my favorites because my feline fur babies would throw me out of 'their' house if they thought for one second that dogs or rabbits or horses might have even a second or third place in  my heart.

     Although the the fur babies spend a lot of time watching over my shoulder as I'm drafting my blog posts, neither has yet learned to read so I'm safe sharing that fact with you.  :-D

I chose a color combo from

My Favorite Things.

     I colored with my ProMarkers and framed it with a scrap of embossed CS which had been cut with a die from Cheapo dies.  The 'ribbon' strip is also a scrap and I added one of my signature bows.  Instead of sewing on a pearl, I used blue Pearl Drops in the center.

     Another of my CAS design with lots of open space, even if not the usual "white" space, which will be perfect for another masculine card.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps & More
As You Like It
Aud Sentiments
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Gals Corner
House That Stamps Built
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Greetings
SUYP Cats
TTCRD

     Come play with us this week!  We love being inspired by you and your creations.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Make a Wish

     It's time for the start of a new monthly challenge at World Wide Open DT Challenge and our theme is always "Anything Goes."  The challenge is sponsored by and we showcase images by Julia Spiri.  Today I'm using "Jasmine" - isn't she fantastic?

     I colored with ProMarkers, then die cut the image with a die from Cheapo Dies.  I dug through my stash of scraps and found both the turquoise and the flowered papers.  Since they made up my favorite color combo of purple and turquoise, I grabbed them right away.  I ran the turquoise through my machine using an embossing folder from Sizzix before layering it onto the card front.

     I had two scraps of sheer and satin ribbons so I used them for the strip between the two papers and also for the bow.  The sentiment was printed and die cut with the smallest die from that Cheapo Dies set.  I'm using this as a birthday card so the sentiment really works.  :-D

     Challenges:
Angie's Digital Stamps
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Friends
Crafty Sentiments
Di's Digi Designs
Everybody Art
Passion for ProMarkers
Send a Smile 4 Kids
Stamping Sensations
Unicorn

     I hope we're going to see you playing along this month.  Don't forget that you can also visit the FB page for Julia Spiri and see her new shop here, which features original art and fabulous coloring books!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Dancing in Your Mind

     I remember 6 years of childhood ballet classes (and more than a few performances) and, all these years later, my mind tells me I could still do it.  My body, however, rebels at the idea so the dancing is only in my mind.  Today's sentiment was inspired by that.  :-D

     The card features an image from Fabrika Fantasy - I think it's called Fire Fairy.  I colored it with a combination of polychromos pencils and ProMarkers, trying to keep an underlying 'sepia' tone, highlighted with bright yellow.  I cut the image with one of my newer stitched dies from Cheapo Dies.

     I matted it with black CS and shaped the corners with a Fiskars' punch.  The card itself was shaped with one of my extra large dies from Spellbinders, then folded in half.  I added the glittered ribbon and laid down a row of bronze pearls to accent the sepia look. 

     I put one, tiny, bronze, pearl on the opposite side and then added the sentiment.

     Challenges:
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Creations
Crafty Gals Corner
Di's Digi Designs
Fabrika Fantasy
I {heart} ProMarkers
Jo's Scrap Shack
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Unicorn

     Thanks for stopping by and I appreciate all your comments.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Simple Roses

     This morning, I have another version of wild roses, this time with an image from SheepSki Designs.  I'm starting on Mother's Day cards because this year I have a commission to do a full dozen for a quilter's group.

     I used ProMarkers to color the image, then cut it with an oval die from Cheapo Dies.  I added the image to a pink card front before printing, hand cutting, and adding the sentiment.  I wanted a CAS design so I added only the one, tiny bow which had been "dyed" with a ProMarker.

     Challenges:
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Sentiments
Creative Inspirations
Digi Choosday
Everybody Art
House that Stamps Built
Lemon Shortbread
Mod Squad
Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Sweet Summer

     Time for another Progressive Challenge project, this time at Scrapper's Delights on their Facebook page.  Such a great image for a summery card.  :-D

     I colored the image with my ProMarkers, using warm & bright, summery colors, and then cut it with one of my newest Spellbinders dies.  The frame was cut with another new die and, while the two dies I used are from completely different companies, they work so well together you'd almost think they were both from the same Spellbinders set.

     I wish I could tell you more about that second die I used for the dark orange frame but it's one of those "Unbranded" dies, sold by an online company I recently discovered where dies are sold at two-thirds to one-half the price of other dies.  When they arrive, they are packaged in simple cellophane bags with no brands or markings of any kind.  But they work just fine!

     I tied a simple bow, using polka dot ribbon, then printed and cut the sentiment.  The frames were so detailed that I felt they should be showcased instead of adding more embellishments.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamp
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Cardmakers
Crazy Challenge
Creative Moments
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Simon Says Stamp
Word Art Weds.

     My first card celebrating summer but that doesn't mean I'm rushing it to get here.  Summer where I live means hot, hot,  HOT!!! and I really am a cold weather person.  Not the 'snow' kind of cold, but certainly I would love to be where it never gets hotter than 80 F.  We suffer in the 105 to 110 range day after day after day from June through August, and often into September.  I just sit and pray for it to be October.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie