A Baseball Legend

      My youngest grandson, in his earliest teens, is absolutely hooked on playing baseball - Little League, small local leagues -- baseball in any form is his one great passion at this point in life.  So, I don't have to tell you that when the spring and now summer leagues were cancelled, it was a bitter pill to swallow.   His skills have improved over the years (he was about 8 when he started playing) and he really is quite good at whatever position he plays now.  He seems to be something of a natural at it.

     As a consolation for him, small though it may be, I've made a card for him to show him how I feel about him.  :-D  The image is from Bugaboo Stamps.

Colored w/ ProMarkers and gel pens

Image and frame cut w/ Dare2BArtzy dies

Ribbons from Really Reasonable Ribbon

Hand tied sheer bow

     Challenges:

Catch the Bug

CCC Digi Creations

Creative Moments

Cutie Pie

Dare 2B Artzy

Double Trouble

Dragonfly Dreams

LeAnn's World

Outlawz Greetings

Simon Says Stamp & Show

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cooling It

         It's the 1st of June and this is my DT project for our latest challenge at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies where our theme is always "Anything Goes as long as there's a Creature Featured."  

     Our sponsor for June is Lili of the Valley (LOTV) and they have such adorable images.  They were very generous in supplying images for the entire DT.  Their "critters" are all fabulous!  You should visit the 2 CCC blog to see all the different ones used by the team.  I used one called "Puss Relaxing."

Colors from the Tuesday Throwdown challenge.

Colored with ProMarkers

Cut with Dare 2B Artzy die

Square frame cut with D2BA die

Die cut pieces inlaid for a single layer

Sentiment printed & hand cut

Hand tied bow

3 metallic brads added

     Challenges:

AAA Cards

Creative Craft Cottages

Creative Crafters

House that Stamps Built

I {heart} ProMarkers

Passion for ProMarkers

Simon Says Stamp

     Today is a very busy day on my blog!  This is the first of three DT posts in which I'll be sharing 4 different cards.  Be sure to come by again in a few minutes for the Jan's Digi Stamps DT post and in three hours or so for my QKR Stampede DT post.  I hope to see you playing along in all of those challenges and remember, they are all monthly challenges for the summer.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Coffee Loving Monster

     On this Memorial Day, let's remember

why it's on our calendars and honor those 

who fought for and even gave their own lives

that we might enjoy our Freedom.

     This fun and slightly distressed (ok, a lot distressed!) monster is the Progressive Challenge image from Limited Runs for May/June.  The expression on his face just shouted that he had tasted his coffee and found something horribly wrong.

     It reminded me of an incident when I was probably 10 or 11.  I wanted to do something really special for my dad on Father's Day.  He was never one for big, noisy, celebrations, especially when he was the object of them, and he had announced that he planned on going off early in the morning to spend the day fishing; no fuss, no muss, no celebration.  After a few minutes of begging to go with him, he agreed and I said I'd fix the picnic basket of lunch and snacks.

     I suppose I made sandwiches or maybe even potato salad (one of his favorites) but what I really remember was the thermos of coffee.  He loved coffee and drank it year round, cold weather or hot.  His coffee thermos went everywhere with him.  I made coffee as soon as I woke up and, because I might end up drinking some of it myself if there was nothing else available, I added a bit of sugar since I really didn't care for the taste of coffee back then.  It's an acquired taste, you know.  :-D

     We were probably 10 or 15 miles from home when Dad had me pour him his first cup from the thermos, and his face turned an apoplectic red, then white as he swallowed a big mouthful.  Dad took his coffee black - no adulteration allowed!  He looked just like that Coffee Monster!  lol  As I remember, we turned around, went back home, remade the coffee, and then went fishing.  He never scolded me about it but it remained a long-standing joke between us for the rest of his life.  :-D

     OK, after that rather long story, here's my card. Consider it a salute to the greatest dad who ever lived (and a WWII vet, also!)

Colored with ProMarkers
Image and sentiment cut with Dare 2B Artzy dies
Background CS cut with same D2BA dies
Die cut circles inlaid into background
Satin bow dyed with ProMarker, pearl added
CAS design

     Challenges:
Artsy Stamper
Arty Divas
Coffee Lovers Blog Hop
Creative Craft Cottage
Incy Wincy
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Paper Girls
Simon Says Stamp & Show

     Take a moment and thank a veteran, won't you?  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Bonnet Bouquet

     This is my third card as a Guest Designer for the Wednesday Sketch Challenge at The Outlawz.  The challenge is being sponsored by Jan's Digi Stamps and since I'm on the DT at Jan's, I got to do extra cards this last month using some of Jan's best images.  This one today is called "Bonnet Bouquet" and I used it for a Mother's Day card by adding a sentiment from that same set.

Here's the sketch.

Colored with ProMarkers
Image fussy cut & mounted on Pop Dots
Circle behind image cut with Dare 2B Artzy die
Background dp DCWV "Basics" stack
Dovetail strip is wide, satin ribbon
Sentiment printed & hand cut
Bow is hand tied w/ gem added
Border around dp is colored w/ ProMarker

     Challenges:
Colour Crazy
Crafty Catz
Crafty Sentiments
Creative Fingers
Creative Moments
Digi Choosday
Lemon Shortbread
Paperminutes
TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Floating on the River

     Hello all.  It's Friday and that means another challenge has begun at QKR Stampede, where our theme is always Anything Goes and where you can use any company's products to make your card.  However, if you decide to use a QKR image, or one from our sister company, Eureka Stamps, your entry will go into a separate draw just for those entries and that increases your chances of winning by a lot!  :-D

     For today's DT card, I merged two different QKR images, one called "Floating Gator" and the other called "Fish in Water."  I thought together they were perfect for a lazy day card.

Colored with ProMarkers and water colors
Image cut with Tonic Studios rectangle die
     using an out-of-box technique on the corner
Cat tails cut with Dare 2B Artsy die
Sheer ribbon wrapped and hand tied
Sentiment printed and fussy cut

     Challenges:
Addicted to CAS
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Crafty Catz
Incy Wincy (cat tails)
Lil Patch of ...
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Passion for ProMarkers
Polkadoodles
Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Little Spring Rain

     We've just had a report from the people who track our drought status and, due to all the rain we had last month and all last week, we are now out of the drought which has plagued us for more than 5 years.  We may also have more rain over the weekend; not a lot but it all adds up.  So, I'm celebrating the 'rainbow' in that news! 

     This image is from Bugaboo Stamps and there are tiny rainbows in the glittery sparkle of each raindrop on the card.  :-D  I've done this one all in soft blues to honor my friend, Lynn, who loves the color blue and who had snow in her part of the country this week.  Chin up, my friend, it'll turn to rain before you know it!

I based my design on the sketch at Stella Says Sketch

but I turned it a quarter turn so that the ribbon runs horizontal.

Colored with polychromos pencils and ProMarkers
Glitter added to raindrops
Cut with Dare 2B Artzy die
Scrap papers from the basket
Couture Creations embossing folder
Sheer & satin ribbon
Raindrop shaped gems from Recollections
Sentiment printed and hand cut

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Allsorts
Catch the Bug
Coloring in Scrapland
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Friends
Dare 2B Artzy
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Simon Says Stamp (embossing)
Stamping Sensations

     Happy Crafting and I wish you rainbows if you are in a drought.  :-D  NanaConnie

Lacy Isabella

     Exciting news!  Most of you know that in February and March, I served as a Guest Designer for Conie Fong on the Facebook challenges.  I loved working with Conie's images - they all color up so beautifully - and when the opportunity came to become part of her regular DT, I jumped at the chance!  So, this is my first, official card as a full-fledged, DT member at Conie Fong.  :-D

     This image is called "Isabella Blossoms" and if you click on the name, it'll take you right to the image in the Etsy store.  I used the right facing image (both right and left are included in the set.)

     Our themes are always "Anything Goes" but the April optional theme is "Lace or Pearls" and I chose to use both.  Remember, you must use a Conie Fong image to enter the FB challenges but there are both Coloring Only and Finished Project challenges.  Just look for the different folders on the FB page.

Colored with ProMarkers in soft pastels
Cut with Dare 2B Artzy die
Pink lace from my stash
"Just to say" printed and cut by hand
"Hello" sentiment cut with Tutti Designs die
Pearls added to lace, as a necklace, and in her hair
     (Pearls are my favorite embellies to add to a project
      because they make everything look so dressed up
      and elegant!)
Everything mounted onto a black card base

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time...
Art Impressions
As You Like It
Classic Design
Crafter's Cafe
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafty Creations
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds
Friendship
Passion for ProMarkers

     Happy Crafting and come  play with us!  NanaConnie

Daisy May and Sweet Pea Easter

     My second post of the morning and the third one for the First of the Month (counting the one last night at 9 p.m. my time) and this card is my DT creation for the Digi Doodle Studios April 1 challenge (no April Fool!)   This sweet image is called "Daisy May and Sweet Pea" and worked perfectly for our challenge theme of "Easter or Spring."  I added an Easter sentiment but it could still be delightful spring card for those who don't celebrate Easter.

I was inspired by the photo at Catch the Bug.

Colored with ProMarkers and gel inks
Image, card front, & Sentiment cut with Dare 2B Artzy die
Scrap dp from DCWV "Basics" stack
Embroidered flower & raffia bow for a bit of texture

     Challenges:
Addicted to CAS
A Gem of a Challenge
Crafty Friends
Crafty Sentiments
Dream Valley
Incy Wincy
My Favorite Things
Outlawz SAR
Simon Says Stamp & Show


     Come play in our challenge and also visit our Facebook site for another challenge and for more inspiration.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie 

Dandelion Wishes

     This is my last GDT card this month for Conie Fong and I used this sweet image called Dandelion Wishes.  I chose pastel pinks for my monochromatic, color combo and even added pink glitter to her wings.  The sentiment is also from that same set of images which has fairies facing both right and left and has 2 sentiments.

Colored with ProMarkers
Glitter added to wings & dandelion seeds
Image cut with die from Dare 2B Artzy
Background cut with die from Dare 2B Artzy
Sentiment printed & cut with die from Dare 2B Artzy
Pink leaves cut w/ die from Cheery Lynn
Ribbon rose from Joann Crafts

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time ... 
Bastel-Traum
Craftlandia
Creatalicious
Creations in Pink
Creative Moments
Dare 2B Artzy
Dies R Us
Papercraft
Scribbles Designs
Star Stampz (mid column)

     Happy Sunday, and to those of you under quarantine (mandatory or self-imposed for safety sake), make the most of it and craft your hearts out.  :-D  NanaConnie