2 Layer CAS at Critter Chaos

     Well, my plan to do a second post yesterday got sidetracked when everyone awoke at the same time and it was like a hoard of locusts landing on the WiFi so guess who got booted?  lol

     It's the last challenge theme at Catch the Bug's Critter Chaos but you still have until the end of December to get cards entered.  The last theme is Keep It Simple with only 2 Layers plus Twine/ Ribbon.  In addition, you have to use the Friday Freebie image they have given to everyone.

Colored with ProMarkers & Copics
Cut with Spellbinders die
Kraft card base
Wrapped twine bow
Hand cut sentiment

     Challenges:
Allsorts
Christmas with the Cuties
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafty Friends
Crafty Sentiments
Digi Choosday
Lil Patch of ...
Morgan's ArtWorld
Pammie's Inky Pinkies

     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

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

Day 3 - 30 Days of Christmas at Beccy's Place

     OK, is everybody ready for the "C" prompt?  You should know by now that the next letter in the alphabet will be the theme for the day in the 30 Days of Christmas at Beccy's Place this month.  However, since there are a total of 30 days in the month and only 26 letters in the alphabet, Beccy will be tossing in a few 'curve ball' themes during the month to cover those extra days.

     I used the 4 Calling Birds (Calling?  Where are their Cell phones?) from Beccy's very old 12 Days of Christmas set.  And look -- 2 of them are Cardinals!  I Colored with both ProMarkers and Copics because I have more reds among my Copics, including lovely shades of Cerise and Crimson.

Colored with Copics (reds) and ProMarkers (all the others)
Cut with Die-namics stitched dies
DCWV dp
Stitched ribbon
Snowflake on the bow (This came from an old pair of earrings but since I lost one, I up-cycled the other one into an embellie for this card)

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
C.R.A.F.T.
Cute Card Thurs
Paperminutes
Passion for ProMarkers
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Simon Says Stamp
Stamping Sensations
Word Art Weds.

     Tomorrow I'll have 2 posts again; one for the next Beccy's Place holiday card but the other one will be for the brand new Jan's Digi Stamps challenge blog!  It's always Anything Goes and you're going to have so much fun playing there.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Orange and White Halloween

     I took to heart the challenge theme at Double D - to use nothing but orange and white on a project with an allowable neutral for a sentiment.  So, did I choose something easy like a sunflower image or leaves, or just a focal sentiment done in orange on a white background?  No, I chose an image from Mo's Digital Pencil, complete with Little Witch Henrietta and her farm kitten sitting there in the pumpkin patch.  What could I possibly do with just orange and white?  lol

     I used 9 different shades of orange ProMarkers and Copics, everything from Pale Orange to Deep Mango.  Nobody ever said I took the easy road to the destination!  What do you think?  Can you find the patch job I had to do?

Colored with Copics & ProMarkers
Die cut with Memory Box Scalloped Frames
DP from the scrap pile
Card front done with Rust CS
Sentiment is also Mo's Digital Pencil

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Crafting by Designs
Cute Card Thurs.
House that Stamps Built
Mo's Digital Pencil

Papercraft
Paper Funday
Paper Shelter
Scrappy Land
Southern Girls

     I hope you'll leave me a comment on this.  I'd really love feedback on the Orange and White.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Christmas Mouse with Holly

     Digi Doodle Studios has a sketch challenge over on Facebook this month and I pulled this adorable little mouse with his holly sprig out of my collection of DDS images and now I can add one more Christmas card to my stash.

     I love using creatures that are wearing Santa caps for Christmas cards rather than actual Santa images but that's probably because I don't have very many images of Santa or Father Christmas but lots of animal images.

     Here's my card and the sketch.

     

Colored with ProMarkers and Copics
Stickles added to the "O" in the Noel, the snowflake on his hat, and the ornament in his hand
Image and frame cut with Memory Box pinpoint dies
Strip of dp from scraps - stitched die from Unbranded dies
Snowflakes with glitter added (glitter is my fav embellie for Christmas cards!)
Gems from STAMPendous

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas
As You Like It
C.R.A.F.T.
Digi Doodle Studios
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Scrappy Land
Take It, Make It
Winter Wonderland
Work It Weds.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Gold Medal Diving

     With all the Olympic qualifying trials going on this month, I thought a fun card featuring an Olympic diving hopeful (!?) might bring a smile to your face.  The QKR Stampede image is called "At the Beach" and I used it on my DT card for the weekly challenge starting today.

Colored with ProMarkers and Copics
Fussy cut image mounted on dimensional tape
Framed with Sue Wilson die cuts
Polka Dot ribbon from Crafty Ribbons

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
Bastel-Traum
Crafter's Cafe
Creations in Pink
Creative Moments
Dies R Us
Digi Doodle Studios
Scribbles Designs
Tales from the Craft Room
World Wide DT Open

     Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Correspondence School

     We're starting a new challenge at Crafting with an Attitude for this month and our sponsor is the wonderful Bugaboo Stamps.  I used this clever Stella Calendar June image and sentiment but I reversed Stella, side to side.

     Here are the tools and supplies used:
ProMarkers
Copics
White gel inks
Sparkle gel ink (glasses)
QuicKutz rectangle die
Couture Creations embossing folder on metallic paper
Distressing & curled corners
Hand sewn bow with button

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
CCC Digi Creations
Classic DT Open
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafter's Cafe
Craft's Galore Encore
Digi Doodle Studio
Friendship
Your Scrapbook Place

     That's all I have until tomorrow.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Reindeer are Loose!

     It's Friday and we have a new challenge starting at QKR Stampede.   Our theme is always "Anything Goes" but I stayed with the Christmas theme I've been doing since the beginning of last month.  This time, I used an image from our sister brand, Eureka Stamps, and it's called "Jumping Reindeer ES3202."

     In order to get the sense of a team of Santa's reindeer, I used the image 3 times in a row.  I colored with ProMarkers and Copics, plus white gel ink.  I used a border die from Spellbinders to cut the image, then layered them onto polka dot paper from DCWV. 

     I wrapped that with red, grosgrain, ribbon and added a hand-sewn bow with a tiny button in  the middle.  I printed the silly sentiment because they do look like they ditched the sleigh and are off on a joyriding (joy flying?) trip without Santa.  :-D

     I used my "Linen" embossing folder on deep blue CS, then used that for the card front.  Simple, fun, and flat for mailing!

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafting from the Heart
Cute Card Thurs.
DL.ART
Double D
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Sasayaki Glitter
Time Out

     I hope we're going to see you playing along this week.  We do love being inspired by you!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Ornaments

     Last week, I did something new to me - I made an ornament for the Christmas tree by stacking layers of die cut CS.  I liked the result enough to try making a couple more of them.  This time, I did one with a colored image and a second one using just the die cut itself.

     I used another adorable image from Beccy's Place, colored with a combo of ProMarkers and Copics, plus white gel ink for the highlights.  I cut it with a stitched, scalloped die from Memory Box, then cut 4 more from plain, white CS.  I added the ribbon hanger between the two middle layers.  One of the things I learned is that it was extremely difficult to get the scallops to line up exactly!  It seems it should be easy but it wasn't.

     Challenges:
Crafting from the Heart
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
House that Stamps Built
Outlawz Greetings
Simon Says Stamp and Show (basket and bauble)

     Here's the second one I made.

     This next one was cut from red CS with a Die-Versions die.  I cut 2 from the red and 4 more from white CS.  The red ones are the top and bottom layers.  This time I used twine for the hanger instead of ribbon but it's still added between the middle layers.  I put ruby red glitter on the exclamation mark.

      Challenges:
Cupcake Inspirations
Dream Valley
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Penny's Paper Crafty
Simon Says

     There will be a second post later today for the Holiday Chaos week of daily challenges at Catch the Bug.  Hope you'll have time to stop by again.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas at a Snail's Pace

    Good Friday Morning all of you!  If it's Friday, it must be time for another QKR Stampede challenge.  I want to share a card with you this morning which will explain why your Christmas packages may arrive late or even not at all.  You can use the information to explain to all the kids and grandkids why there are no presents under the tree for them.

     Santa apparently ran short of reindeer this year, or maybe they're all in the stable, hung over from too much Christmas cheer but, whatever the reason, Santa seems to have hired a snail to replace them.  Unfortunately, like most snails, he's completely unused to the ice and cold which explains the blue color of his skin.  He's traveling awfully slowly; maybe he's frozen solid and not going anywhere!  But then, he's carrying his home with him, so maybe he doesn't care.  :-D

I used colors from the TicTacToe Color Dare at Color My Heart

only this time I did the diagonal bottom left to top right.

     I used ProMarkers to color the image, then cut it with a rectangle die (Spellbinders.)  I inked the edges and cut a tiny, decorative corner (also Spellbinders) which is off -the-edge of the image piece.

     I used a Darice EF to emboss the scrap of distressed, red CS.  I added grosgrain ribbon and a lace, bow-tie bow which I dyed red with a Copic marker.  It didn't really need any more embellishment so I left it rather CAS.  It's going to be a perfect masculine Christmas card.

     Challenges:
AAA Cards
 
Aud Sentiments
Crafting from the Heart
Cutie Pie
Dragonfly Dreams
Outlawz Greetings
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Sasayaki Glitter
Time Out

     That's it for today but I do hope you're going to come and play with us at QKR Stampede this week.  Remember, you can use any image from any company and our theme is Always Anything Goes.  However, if you do use a QKR image, your entry goes into a completely separate draw for only QKR (or Eureka Stamps) and your chances of winning in that draw are huge!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Dance of the Snow People

     I'm finally getting my card for the November Outlawz Progressive Challenge posted.  The freebie this month is from Drawn by Krista and it is actually 2 separate images but called Snowman Couple.  I merged them together so they look like they're dancing in the snow.  This is another card made primarily from scraps which were already on the craft table.

I started with the sketch from the Outlawz.

     I colored with a combination of ProMarkers, Copics, and gel inks for highlights, then cut them with a stitched, scalloped die from Memory Makers.  I matted them with a hexagon (QuicKutz die) cut from a dp scrap and I inked the edges with teal ink. 

     The cityscape paper is another scrap, this one from Doodlebug, and the turquoise strip was a scrap from my Christmas stash, probably DCWV.  The narrow, sparkly ribbon was in my basket of ribbon scraps.  The final touch was to tie a bow-tie bow from long scrap of lace and die it with an alcohol marker.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Friends
Di's Digi Designs
Hiding in My Craft Room
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Pixie's Snippets

     I'll have a second post again today for the next in the 30 Days of Holiday cards at Beccy's Place.  Check back later today to see it.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Playing in the Snow

     I adore Magnolia Stamps' Tildas and all their various adventures.  Of the few companies whose rubber stamps I kept in my collection when I went digital, Magnolias were first and I must have close to 75 of them, collected over the years.  So, having shared that information with you, I'm ashamed to admit this particular stamp had never been inked before.  I've now corrected that neglect.  :-D

     Nothing I say is going to do justice to the sparkle on this card.  The sparkle just doesn't show up no matter how I try to photograph it.  Sigh...

     The image is colored with Copics and ProMarkers, then cut and corner-punched with a Fiskars punch.  I found a large scrap of lace, laid it across a piece of shimmery, deep red, dp and tucked the edges to the back where I adhered them with double-sided tape.  After the image was added, I used glue and glitter to the snowflakes in the image and on the flowers in the lace.

     While the glitter was drying, I dug out some glittered CS and cut the "Merry Christmas" sentiment with a die from Die-Versions.  Unfortunately, I simply could not capture the sparkle on the sentiment but it's there.  I tied one of my favorite bow-tie bows using red, polka dot ribbon and added it.  My final touch was to add two, small, sparkly, Card Candi dots; one is on her hat and the other in the lower corner of the image piece.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps
Angie's Digital Stamps
Christmas with the Cuties
Crafting from the Heart
Dream Valley
Incy Wincy
Magnolia-licious
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Stamping Sensations
Try Stampin' on Tues Technique

     I'll have a second post today for the Day 7 challenge at Beccy's Place if I have energy enough to sit at the computer long enough to draft another blog post.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

C for Candy Canes

     I'm still playing in the 30 Days of Christmas at Beccy's Place and even though I'm a bit behind due to being sick, this is my card for Day 3, Letter "C."  The image is from Beccy's Place and the Candy Canes are the most obvious "Cs" but there are others which you can find if you read the description.

     I used Copics for the Coloring this time because I have the best Crimson colors with those and I added the highlights with white gel ink.  I cut the image with a scalloped Circle die and matted it with another circle die cut.  The card itself is made using a fancy Circle die from Little B.  I layered all those scalloped circles together, one upon the other.

     I used Card Candy enamel dots for embellishment, including a large one on the Carmine bow.  The sentiment is all about Celebrating Christmas.

     Challenges:
Crafting by Designs
Digi Choosday
Joy Clair
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Paper Shelter
Penny's Paper Crafty
Simon Says Stamp
Winter Wonderland
Word Art Weds.

     I'll have a second post later this morning and that will have me almost caught up with all four days of the month long, daily challenges so far.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Candle

     This is it!  Fourth post of the day and the last one.  :-D

     One last DT card for another new monthly challenge and this time it's at the SheepSki Designs blog!  We have a theme this month, "Anything Christmas."  Since you are a bit over 6 weeks away from Christmas (yes, it's true, and I don't know how that happened either!), it's a great time to add a couple more holiday cards to your stash.  You know you're going to need them.

     I used one of Andrea's newer images, Christmas Candle, and it really inspired me to use traditional colors.  It reminds me of all the holiday references to candles in the windows for those who are making their way home, hence the sentiment.,

     I colored with ProMarkers and Copics and used dies from QuicKutz to cut the image and the mat behind it, plus the aperture in the card front.  I added golden Nuvo Crystal Drops to the centers of the poinsettias.  The leaves I used for the 'wreath' frame were cut with a Cheery Lynn die.  The background paper was in my stash of Christmas papers and I've had it for so long I'm not absolutely sure but I think it came from one of my Bo Bunny stacks.

     Challenges:
12 Months of Christmas
Beccy's Place (aperture & avocado green)
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Creations
Die Cut Divas
Fabrika Fantasy
Joy Clair
Not Just Cards
Simon Says Stamp
Word Art Weds.
   
     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Sir Tailor of Haberdash

     I don't know how I've overlooked this darling little Mouse Knight from QKR Stampede but once I saw him, I knew I had to use him for my DT card for the new challenge starting today.  Our theme every week is "Anything Goes" so there's no reason you can't some and play along!

     Just a quick backstory on this:  My dad was not only my own 'Knight in Shining Armor,' he was also an extremely talented man, a self-taught Jack of all Trades.  For many years, he owned a tailoring shop and, in fact, he is the one who taught me to sew!  So, I guess this card is in honor of the wonderful memories he holds in my heart.  He  would have adored "Mouse Knight" every bit as much as I do and he would have loved this card on Father's Day.  :-D

     I colored that grand Knight with a combination of Copic and ProMarkers, then cut the image with a Gina Marie die.  I used a larger die from that set to cut the seafoam green CS, ran it through my "Linen" embossing folder, and used it for the mat behind the image.

     I added a strip of shiny raffia twine and then layered the entire piece onto the card front.  I tied a multi-loop bow and added it as the primary embellishment.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
Classic DT Open
Country View Crafts
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafts Galore Encore
Creative Craft Cottage
Let's Craft and Create
Paper Nest Dolls
Scribbles Designs
Sunsational Stamps

     I hope we're going to see you playing along with us this week.  Remember, it's Anything Goes and that gives you very wide latitude.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Fairy Sleeps

     Another really fun image this month from Dragon's Lair for their progressive challenge on their FB page.  I love that the fairy is curled up asleep in the flower with the dragon watching over her.

     I used ProMarkers, Copics, and water color pencils to color the image.  I used dies from QuicKutz and Sizzix to cut and mat the image.  The background dp came from my scrap stash.  I added three of my signature bows and a tiny rose bud, and called it finished.

     Challenges:
Crazy Challenge
Cutie Pie
Double D
Everybody Art
Ike's World
Lemon Shortbread
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Greetings
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
TTCRD

     Thanks so much for stopping by and enjoy your weekend.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Angels We Have Heard on High...

     I have 2 posts today and that's what happens when you have access to borrowed crafting goodies, to markers and colored pencils, and a camera!   I think I've fallen in love with two more House Mouse stamps and I may even have to add them to my collection before next Christmas season, if they are still available.  This one is all about Angel Mice and you'll have to check back in a bit to see the second one.

     I used ProMarkers, Copics, and colored pencils on the image, then added even more snowflakes with a gel pen.  I cut the image, punched the corners (Fiskars), matted it and punched the corners again.  The white frame was done with a set of dies from Sue Wilson.  Everything was mounted onto textured CS.  I added no other embellishments because my SIL loved the way it looked with just the white frame around the image and she's going to be using it for family.  Can't say who will get it because they just might read the post.  :-D

     Challenges:
Crafty Sentiments
Creates and Makes
Cutie Pie
Digi Choosday
House Mouse
Lemon Shortbread
Let's Craft and Create
Outlawz Festive Friday
Passion for ProMarkers
TTCRD

     I'll have my second post for today up in about an hour.  Please check back.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cozy Mice

     I'm not sure how a cat person can also be so taken by cute mice but I am, especially those I find on Penny Black stamps.   Hmmm, now that I think of it, I love Penny Black cats, too.  :-D  Anyway, today felt like a 'cute mice' day so how's this one?

     This time I stamped on matte photo paper so there's a very slight shine to it, but it can still be colored with alcohol inks.  I used a combination of Copics and ProMarkers and, truthfully, the ProMarkers work a bit better on the photo paper.

     I cut it and the two other 'layers' with rectangle dies; the smaller one (red) from QuicKutz and the largest ones from Spellbinders.  Those really aren't layers because each rectangle is inlaid into the larger one around it so the entire image piece is only one layer, not four.

     I turned it and adhered it to some deep red CS (on an angle), then added the red ribbon before putting it onto the card base.  The wreath was in my stash of Christmas embellies.  The sentiment is also from Penny Black.

     Challenges:
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas
Crazy Challenge
Dream Valley 
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jo's Scrap Shack
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Paper Girls
Penny Black and More
Penny Black Saturday

     I'll have another post later today when I find out what the next theme is over at Catch the Bug's Holiday Chaos.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Naughty or Nice?

     OK, I know these are supposed to be innocent milk maids, as in "8 Maids a'Milking," but come on -- their "We're Partying!" smiles tell me that's more likely to be vodka than milk in their glasses!   Hence, the sentiment "It's all fun and games till Santa checks the naughty list!"  Both the image and the sentiment are from Beccy's Place and I think they work perfectly for the "N" day of the alphabet challenges.  I leave it totally up to you to decide if that stands for Naughty or Nice.

     I colored with a combination of ProMarkers and Copics (tending toward the Neon reds), then cut the image with a square die from Spellbinders.  I had to adjust the die and cut twice to make it a rectangle because I wanted it slightly more rectangle than square to accommodate the shape of the image.

     I mounted that onto black CS for the mat.   I found the black and red dp in my stash of scraps and put it on top of some burgundy CS I had chosen for the card front.  The kraft ribbon with the snowflakes seemed to work with the color of the cow.  I made a fan-fold bow and wrapped it with Narrow linen ribbon.

     Challenges:
Beccy's Place
Color Inspiration Mon.
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Addicts
Digi Choosday
Merry Monday
Outlawz Greetings
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
TTCRD

     Well, I'm later getting this posted than normal but my day got away from me from the very moment I got out of bed this morning.  Maybe tomorrow will be less frantic.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie