A Window on Autumn

     I know it isn't Autumn yet but this gorgeous image from our sponsor, Sparkle n Sprinkle ("Welcome Autumn"), was begging to be used as my DT card for the latest monthly challenge at Cards Galore Encore.   I have a huge collection of both stamps and digi images from SnS and this one hadn't been used and needed to be.

Below is a photo of the lattice-gate when it's closed.

I used the sketch from Stella Says Sketch

and the colors from Catch the Bug.

   

     Although this started with a pre-colored image, I used my ProMarkers to color the sky and to add colors to the cat, the kitten, the bird, the fence, and a couple of the squashes.  I discovered that technique several months ago and love using it for different looks.

     The die is an unbranded die and the ribbon was in my stash.  I doubled it, wrapped it around the card front, and then used two layers to make the double-loop bow.  I stamped the sentiment.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps
Aloha Friday
Colour Crazy
Die Cuttin' Divas
Polkadoodles
Send a Smile 4 Kids
Sweet Stampin'

     This is my last DT post for Crafts Galore Encore because I'm going to be gone off and on throughout the summer.  I'll continue to do DT work for three teams but have had to resign or take leave time from the other three in order not to be overwhelmed.  I'm going to miss all of the wonderful ladies who have become friends from those teams but I'll be around blogland and will play in those challenges as often as possible.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Losing Your Favorite Glass Slippers

     We have a new challenge which starts today at Crafts Galore Encore and one of our sponsors is Star Stampz (the other is ppinkydolls.)  I couldn't wait to color up this adorable Cinderella by Star Stampz.  She looks so distressed at losing her glass slipper, don't you think?  It couldn't possibly have anything to do with the clock striking midnight, right?

     I used my ProMarkers to color the image, adding a bit of sparkle gel ink to the lost slipper before coating it with Glossy Accents.  I also added sparkle to the stars in the sky but none of that shows in the photo.  Sigh...

     I wanted the card to be very feminine so I started by cutting the image and its mat with 2 different dies from Spellbinders.  I used wide lace on the card front before layering on the image piece.   I printed the sentiment and adhered it to the upper corner.  Finally, I added the large bow and the two flowers (one made from ribbon and one punched from mulberry paper.)

     Challenges:
Colour Crazy
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafty Catz
Crafty Creations
Creative Fingers
Creative Inspirations
Ellen Hutson Pin-Sights
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Simon Says Stamp

    I'll have one more post today as this is my usual 'busy' 1st of the month when I post projects for three of my DTs.  I hope we're going to see you playing at CGE this month.  If you came by looking for my 2 Crafty Critter Crazies project, please click here.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Kissing Toads

     IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE 2 CRAFTY CRITTER CRAZIES POST,

SCROLL DOWN ONE OR CLICK HERE.

     We all remember the story of the Little Princess who had to kiss a toad (or maybe it was a frog) to find her Prince Charming, right?  How many of you believed that story enough to kiss your share of toads, frogs, or other like creatures?  Yeah, me, too.  :-D

     My card today not only celebrates the newest "Anything Goes" challenge at Crafts Galore Encore, it also features a fabulous image (The Little Frog Princess) from our wonderful sponsor, A Day for Daisies!

     I knew before I even started coloring that I wanted to do a really CAS card.  I colored with watercolors, using clear water to lift some of the color along one side of the princess to create the angle of light and some shadows.  I cut the image into a rectangle, inked the edges, adhered it to the textured card base on an angle, and then trimmed the overhanging corners.

     I printed the sentiment, cut it into a rectangle, inked the edges, and added it.  That was it - no flowers, no ribbons, no bows, no embellishments.  Just completely clean and simple.

     Challenges:
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Creations
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Inspirations
Creative Moments
Kraftin' Kimmie
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Simon Says Stamp
Word Art Weds.
Work It Weds.

     I'll see you one more time this morning if you come back to see my third post of the day.  That one will go live at about 10:00 a.m. Pacific time.  I hope we're going to see you playing along in our Crafts Galore Encore challenge this month.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Herding Cats

     Can you believe it's already March?  It feels like just last week we were scurrying around getting Christmas things organized.  Either way, the first day of the month means a new "Anything Goes" challenge over at Crafts Galore Encore and this month our sponsor is the fabulous Fabrika Fantasy!  They very generously supplied images for the DT to use (I adore their fanciful images!) and I was lucky enough to get "Cheerful Elf."

     The image may have been designed as a Christmas Elf but I thought I could turn his hat into a cowboy hat so I used him for this card.  Doesn't he look like he might be herding cats?  Maybe tigers?  Ride 'em Catboy!

     He's colored with ProMarkers, then die cut with a die from Sue Wilson.  I used a piece of vellum, cut it with the same die and overlaid it onto the card front, attaching it with brads.  How long has it been since you dug through your stash of brads?  Yeah, I thought do.  lol

     I added two strips of ribbon and tied the bow with a different ribbon, then left it alone.  I wanted it to be cute and simple (is that related to clean and simple?) and still suitable as a masculine card since I'm sending it to my great-grandson for his birthday.

     Challenges:
Come and Get It
Crafting from the Heart
Crazy Challenge
Creative Moments
Cuttlebug Mania
Glitter n Sparkle
Inky Chicks
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Scrapy Land
Word Art Weds.

     That's it for today but I hope you're going to come and play at Crafts Galore Encore this month.  You'll find some really fun and wonderful inspiration from all the team members so check them out.  Then make something and enter it into our challenge.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Point of View on Birthday Presents

     OK, it's the middle of the week and the first day of a new month and I couldn't think of any better reason to celebrate a bit of silliness.   At Crafts Galore Encore, we start another monthly challenge today and, as usual, our theme is "Anything Goes."  We're sponsored by Kenny K this month and I'd love to see you playing along.  Here's what I did with two of Kenny K's delightful creatures, playing with the idea of birthday presents and what each one might see as suitable or desirable.  :-D

   
     I colored each of them with my ProMarkers, fussy cut the little mouse, and layered them all together onto a blue CS mat, adding the mouse and sentiment last.  The bit of cheese I drew, colored, fussy cut, and put in front of the mouse.

     I chose papers from Graphic 45 and added one of my hand sewn bows as the only embellishment, keeping it CAS.  Now I have another masculine birthday card in my stash.  :-D

     Challenges:
Addicted to CAS
Allsorts
ArtbyMiRan
Aud Sentiments
Creative Corner
Creative Inspirations
I {heart} ProMarkers
Inspiration Destination
Jo's Scrap Shack
Pammie's Inky Pinkie

     Groundhog Day is tomorrow and then we'll know if we're going to have an early spring or another six weeks of winter.  Which one do you hope to have?   Whichever one, come play with us in our Anything Goes challenge at Crafts Galore Encore.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie     

Happy New Year and New Challenge at Crafts Galore Encore

     Happy New Year, all my friends and followers!

     It's the first day of 2017 and the first day of a new monthly challenge at Crafts Galore Encore.  Our theme is "Anything Goes" and our wonderful sponsor is Sparkle 'n' Sprinkle.  They generously supplied images for our DT to use.  I chose one of their wonderful Hat Ladies, "Isobel."    I wanted something simple and elegant and she really fit the bill.

     The image is heat embossed with navy blue EP and I used a blue gel pen to color in her necklace.  I used one of my ProMarkers on her lips and another for her eyes.  The background is colored with chalk.  I used a simple rectangle die to cut the image (Spellbinders.)

     I found a scrap of blue CS and ran it through my 'Linen' embossing folder, then added it behind the image piece.  The bow is a double color, double loop bow and I cut the tails on a diagonal.  The sentiment was printed and colored with a ProMarker.   I love the contrast of chilly blues and her warm fur coat.  Obviously, she just came in from the New Year winter cold!  :-D

     Challenges:

Chalk n Stock
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafter's Cafe
Crafty Friends

Crafty Gals Corner

Kraftin' Kimmie

Mod Squad

Penny's Paper-Crafty

Simon Says Stamp

Sparkle n Sprinkle

Through the Craft Room Door

     I hope you had a safe New Year's Eve and can enjoy a laid back day of parades and football, happily gathered in the warmth of family and friends.  Come play in our challenge.  We'd love to be inspired by you!   Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Call of the Wild

     Can anyone believe it's already November?  Well, since it is the first day of November, we at Crafts Galore Encore have a new challenge starting and our theme is "Anything Goes."  We're sponsored by the Fantasy Art of Nikki Burdette and she has some delightfully superb stamps!  This one is called "Wolf" and I think it's spectacular.  It reminds me of something right out of the book "Call of the Wild."

I started with sketch #228 from Sketch Saturday.

I left off the horizontal strip because it just made my particular card

look way too busy.  Maybe it was the fancy die cut frame I used.

Or maybe I just already had more than enough layers.

     I colored the image with my ProMarkers and added the snowflakes to it with a white gel pen.  I cut it with a simple square die from Spellbinders and then punched the corners with a Fiskars punch.  The dark blue frame is also cut with a Spellbinders die.

     I used one of my Snowflake embossing folders to do the wide, vertical strip in the middle and the background is glittered CS.  I added snowflake embellies and one snowflake button and called it finished.  Notice that I reversed the position of three snowflakes from the upper corner to the lower left corner and I used the button in place of the sentiment, also reversed in position.  The whole design is really sparkly IRL but it just doesn't show up in the photo.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Colour Your World
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Get Creative
Hiding in My Craft Room
Kraftin' Kimmie
Outlawz PAM
Pencil Case
Sweet Stampin'

     I hope we're going to see you playing along this month.  Afterall, it's an "Anything Goes" theme and you have practically all of November (depending on when you see this post :-D ) to create something to enter.  See you there.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Elf on the Shelf Heads Home

     New monthly challenge at Crafts Galore Encore starts today and as of this month, all our challenge themes will be "Anything Goes."   Our sponsor for October is Kenny K Stamps and they generously supplied digis for us to use.  I used this darling Elf Boy image and this will be my grandson's Christmas card because he's simply mad about "Elf on a Shelf" and also about trains of any kind so this card is a combo made just to suit him.  :-D

     I colored the elf with my ProMarkers, then fussy cut him with scissors, and he's adhered with Pop Dots for some dimension.  The background mat and the train cars are cut with Cheery Lynn dies.  The sentiment is my own and is printed, then hand cut and matted.  Since this is a masculine card, I decided all the embellishment it needed was a single, red bow.

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas (2 train cars)
Addicted to Stamps
A Snowflakes Promise
Cheery Lynn
Crafty Sentiments
Fab 'n' Funky
Kraftin' Kimmie
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Simon Says Stamp
Through the Craft Room Door

     Come play with us this month.  We all know everybody loves an Anything Goes theme and that's what we have from now on!  See you at the challenge.  NanaConnie

Autumn Window

     Welcome to September!  Where on earth has this year gone?  How can we already be 9 months into the year?  Yikes, do you realize that means the holidays are right around the corner?   I don't even want to talk about it.

     However, a new month means a new challenge over at Crafts Galore Encore ("Anything Goes" theme) and we're being sponsored by Beccy's Place!  I've been a fan of Beccy's artwork for ages and am so happy to be using an image that she generously provided.  This is called "Autumn Window" and I decided it would make a perfect Thanksgiving card.

     I colored the image with my ProMarkers, cut it into a large square with my paper cutter, and added the gingham ribbon to the top of it.  I added it to the front of a yellow card base and then hand cut the sentiment piece, matting it with yellow CS.  I used one of my bowtie bows and called it finished.  I love the CAS design and it will be easily mailed.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps & More
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Gals Corner
Digi Choosday
Dream Valley
House That Stamps Built
Lemon Shortbread
Mod Squad
Tuesday Throwdown
Work It Wednesday

     Come play with us at Crafts Galore Encore this month.  How can you miss with an "Anything Goes" theme?   Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Please continue to leave comments.  The "Word Verification" really isn't on.  BLOGGER INSISTS ON SHOWING THE "CAPTCHA" ICON BUT IF YOU IGNORE IT AND JUST PUBLISH YOUR COMMENT, IT WILL POST JUST FINE.  I WISH I COULD GET RID OF IT BUT THERE'S NO OPTION FOR THAT WHEN THE COMMENTS ARE WRITTEN IN A SEPARATE BOX. SORRY.

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge

     I've been sitting on a secret for a while now but today I get to share.  I've been asked to join the wonderful Design Team of Crafts Galore Encore!   I'm delighted to be working with them.  The challenges are monthly beginning on the first of each month and ending on the last day.  We have a new theme for each challenge and for this month the theme is "Use a digi or rubber stamp."

     Here's my first card as a DT member of CGE.  Throughout July, I was so focused on getting my Christmas cards started that I neglected nearly everything else I needed in my stash.  So, this time I did a birthday card since I am getting low on those and have several birthdays for family and friends coming up in the next couple of months.

     I started with the image printed right onto the card front along with the sentiment.  The meant I could do a very CAS design.  I used my colored pencils with Gamsol and coloring her took the most time in putting this card together.

     I chose a piece of lace from my stash, 'dyed' it the particular shade of salmon pink I wanted by using my ProMarkers to color it, then let it dry for several minutes.  I wrapped it around the card front and then added the string of pearls to one edge.  That's all - a fast, ten-minute card once the coloring was done.  :-D

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps
Brown Sugar
Colour Crazy Craft
Crafting with Friends
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz PAM
Pencil Case
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Tuesday Throwdown

     I hope we're going to see you joining in our challenge this month.  It's a pretty simple one since all you have to do it use an image on your project, digi or rubber.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Please continue to leave comments.  The "Word Verification" really isn't on.  BLOGGER INSISTS ON SHOWING THE "CAPTCHA" ICON BUT IF YOU IGNORE IT AND JUST PUBLISH YOUR COMMENT, IT WILL POST JUST FINE.  I WISH I COULD GET RID OF IT BUT THERE'S NO OPTION FOR THAT WHEN THE COMMENTS ARE WRITTEN IN A SEPARATE BOX. SORRY.