Gray Wolf

      I'm finally posting a card I made several weeks ago using this fabulous image "Wolf" from Eureka Stamps, sister brand to QKR Stampede.  Challenges over there are still on hold while we await the sale of the QKR Stampede and Eureka Stamps brands.  In the meantime, I'm using cards I put in my stash for masculine birthdays and this is one of them.

     I used a combo of Sanjoki alcohol markers and water color paints to color the image, then cut it with a CUTplorations stitched die.  The sentiment was printed and cut with a die from Die-namics.  The paw print embossing was done with a Darice EF.  As a final masculine touch, I added the three, tiny, metal brads.

     Challenges:

Can You Handle...?

Creative Fingers

Digi Choosday

Gem of a Challenge

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Friday

Pammie's IP

Pattie's Creations

Penny's P-C

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Puppy Walking

      How about a reminder that LeAnn's World 101 has a monthly Progressive Challenge over on their FB page and the freebie (if you played last month) image is Dog Walker Annie?  If you didn't play last month, you can purchase the image, make a card, enter it into the album on FB, and next month, you'll get a free image to play again.  Each month that you play, you get the image free the following month.

     I did a card with a lot more embellishment than is my normal "style" (if I even have a style!) but after mostly CAS or near CAS cards over the last couple of weeks, I just wanted to create something different.

     I colored the image with ProMarkers, and cut it with a QuicKutz die.  I inked the edges on both the image and the sentiment (cut with an Avery Elle die), using a deep purple marker.  The background papers are both from Stampin' Up and they've been in my stash for at least 5 years, probably longer.  I found scraps of them in a folder and used a Darice EF on each one, carefully matching the embossed design when I layered them together on the card front.  

     The ivy vine was cut with a Sue Wilson die.  I decided on a bow and found the lovely, sparkly, copper ribbon, then used my bow maker to tie a triple-loop bow.  I thought the copper color was a great compliment to the color of the butterflies in the image.

     Challenges:

     We'd love to see you playing along in the Progressive Challenge at LeAnne's World 101.  If you played last month, this image has already been sent to you.  If you didn't play, head over to the store (see link to the image up above) and grab it.  Then play with us and get the image for next month free!  

  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Back to School

      The three most dreaded words for any school kid who hasn't yet drained the last drops out of summer are "Back to School"!!    My youngest granddaughter claims to be ready for school instead of summer but then, she's in college and has spent her summer working to earn money to come home for a few days this month and again at Christmas break.

     I'm going to give her this card right before she heads back into classes.  It's my DT card for the August blog challenge starting today over at LeAnn's World 101.   The image is called "Bookworm" and you can find it in the store by clicking on the name.

     I colored the image with my Sanjoki markers, cut it and the frame behind it with QuicKutz dies.  I used 2 pieces of embossed CS to make the background and I used a Darice EF on the top piece with the diamond pattern, and a Sizzix EF for the leaves on the bottom.  The sentiment was printed and fussy cut, then "framed" by inking the edges.  

     I used some fall ribbon from my stash to wrap the card front and to hand tie the bow.

I pulled colors from the challenge at My Favorite Things

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...?

Creative Inspiration

Double D

Outlawz Thurs

Penny's P-C

Thru...Purple Haze (center column)

Word Art Weds

     I hope we're going to see you playing in our Blog Challenge.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" and it runs until the end of the month.  Don't forget that our Progressive Challenge has also restarted on our FB site and it goes live on the 5th of each month.  Go check out the post and you'll find all the rules in the August Progressive album.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Cats' Christmas Tree

      Any of you who share your house (or have shared your house) with one or more cats know how they absolutely take over the Christmas tree once it's up and decorated.  It's like they think Santa brought that tree as a gift just for them!  This adorable image from Conie Fong, called "Purrfect Christmas," goes so well with another DT card I shared the other day (see post here) which also has Christmas kittens and is from Conie Fong, that I decided I had to share both of these in the same week.  :-D  Besides, falling in love with one of those images made me fall in love with the other one, too!

     For this image, I colored it with water color paints, added gold glitter to the star, and cut the image with an Unbranded die.  I used a Darise embossing folder to make the brick background.  I printed the sentiment (my own, inspired by the looks on the kittens' faces!) and cut it with an Avery Elle die.  I did add a few tiny red pearls as ornaments but I left it without further embellishment because it will probably go a great grandson so it didn't need a lot of fiddly bits.

     Challenges:

12 Months Christmas

Carlin's Card ... (C for Cats & Christmas)

Country View

Happy...Stampers

Kerst/Christmas

Lil Patch of ...

Polkadoodles

Sparkles Christmas

YSBP

     Don't forget that the Conie Fong Challenge is still running on the Facebook site and all you have to do is use a Conie Fong image to enter a card.  If you haven't joined the FB group yet, that's free and easy to do.  Don't have any Conie Fong images?  You can find them in the Etsy store or there are even freebies available. :-D

     We'd love to see what you create.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie   

Cat Lady

      Those of you who have the opportunity to see the sidebar of my blog may think I'm a 'cat lady' so this card will need little explanation.  But I'm actually an animal person - cats just seem to fit my current lifestyle better.  

     I'm also a huge fan of the artist, Mariola Budek, and coloring her images never fails to make me feel like a great colorist!  I used this one for another birthday card, one which will go to a family member in the future.

     I colored the image with Sanjoki markers, then cut it with a rectangle Tonic Studio die.  I used a corner punch from Fiskars and it had three different corner options, of which I used 2.  I framed the image with a 'Linen' embossed dark pink CS piece and framed that with a scrap of light pink CS.  I used my bow maker to tie a double-loop bow, then printed and cut the sentiment with an Avery Elle die.  I used a tiny scrap of the dark pink CS to frame the sentiment.

     The background was made using a Darice EF on metallic paper for a 'hammered copper' look.

     Challenges:

Crazy for Cats

Digi Choosday

Dream Valley

Happy ... Stampers

Jan's Digi Stamps

Lil Patch of ...

Pammie's IP

Polkadoodles

Simon Says Stamp

SUYP Cats

     That's all I have for the weekend but I have a couple more images already colored up, waiting to be turned into 'masterpieces" (lol) so maybe you'll see another post tomorrow or Tuesday.  I feel a coloring binge coming on and that could mean I color rather than make cards but we'll see. 

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

First Edition

      I'm sharing an image today that's new to me, and it came from Beccy's Place.  The set is called "Book Lovers" and I merged one of the sentiments from the set with this particular image to turn it into a birthday card.  

     I colored the image using my Sanjoki markers, added a few highlights with gel pens, then cut it with a square die from QuicKutz.  I trimmed each of the corners to make it an uneven, octagon shape.  I inked the edges with an ink pad.  The background CS was embossed twice; first with my 'Linen' EF, then with a dandelion folder by Darice.   My final touch was the gemstone butterfly, which has been in my stash for ages.  In fact, everything, including the embossing folders, came from my stash.

     Challenges:

Butterfly (pink, persimmon, plum, pistachio)

Can You Handle ...?

C.R.A.F.T.

CRAFT-alnica

Creative Fingers

Creative Knockouts

Paper Funday

Pammie's IP

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Beccy's Place - Letter "B"

      This is my second card for the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place and we are using the letter "B."  I have Baker, Baking, Baked Goods; I know those are all related to the root word, but I also have Bow, Brown, and Burgundy.  The cute elf is one of Beccy's images.

     I colored with ProMarkers and did highlights with a white gel pen.  I used QuicKutz dies to cut both the image and the square frame.  The green CS was embossed with a snowflake embossing folder, and the red card front was embossed with a holly folder.  I think both of those are Darice folders.  I inked the edges of both die cut pieces before layering them onto each other and then onto the card front.  The bow was hand-tied, a sequin was added, and the sentiment was fussy cut with scissors.

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...

Classic Designs

Crafts Galore ...

Die Cut Divas

Digi Choosday

Dream Valley

Outlawz Thursday

Pammie's IP

Simon Says Stamp

     I'll have 2 posts again tomorrow since I'm still trying to get caught up with the number of days and letters of the alphabet already used over at Beccy's Place 30 Days of Holidays.  Hope you'll stop by and see them tomorrow.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cat in the Window

      I've been going through my boxes of dies again and this one popped out at me.  It's been a long time since I used it and I thought it would make a good autumn card, but with non-traditional colors.  The Cat in the Window die is an Unbranded die and the cloud was cut with a Memory Box die.

     The card base was dry embossed with an EF from Darice.  The "ribbon" along the left side is actually washi tape but the signature, hand-sewn bow was sewn using satin ribbon and I added a pearl.

Today is the third day of the six day Cat Lovers Hop 2022.

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...

Crafty Catz

Happy Li'l Stampers

Paperbabe

Simon Says Stamp

SUYP Cats

There's a Stamp ...

World Wide Open

     If you're signed up for the 2022 Cat Lovers Hop but haven't started playing yet, you can still enter up to 5 cat themed projects before 11:59 p.m. Pacific time, Saturday, October 29.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Second "Wild Card" at Beccy's Place

      Well, we've gotten through the alphabet as far as the Letter J in the 30 Days of Christmas at Beccy's Place and now we have another "theme" card instead of an alphabet letter so polish up your thinking cap and find something new that you've never done before.  Beccy has such a great collection of tutorials and "how to"s on the blog that I went to that page of her blog and found a style called "Building Block" card.

     It took me two practice tries before I completed this card, but I like the end result even though I modified it from a Z-fold to a regular A2.  Here are photos of both the card front and the inside when opened.  This also could count as the first "pop-up" of any kind that I've ever done!  It all folds flat for mailing.

I've used this Winter Window image from  Beccy's Place every holiday season since it was first released and I've colored it in all shades of gray, brick red, sandstone, and now I've gone with blues.  This was the first one I bought of the 4 seasonal windows Beccy has (now in a set, too) and it's definitely a favorite of mine.

Colored w ProMarkers & gel inks

Image cut w Gina Marie die

"Brick" EF by Darice

Metallic papers

Sentiment cut w Avery Elle die

Inside letters cut w QuicKutz die

     Challenges:

Colour Crazy

Crafty Calendar

Crafty Hazelnut's

Creative Knockouts

Cute Card Thurs

Dragonfly Dreams

Gem of a Challenge

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Festive Fri

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Feeding the Bat

      With all the stereotypes about wicked Halloween witches, it turns out there are a few gentle ones who care for their pets just like you and I do.  Of course, my pets tend to be cats, not bats, but who am I to judge?  :-D  

      I can't tell you anything about this stamp because it was stamped and sent to me by a friend who has been mailing me stamped or printed images out of concern that I'll lose crafting interest after the total crash of my thumb drive which contained all my digital images.  The recovery of those digis, thus far, has been slow and occasional but I do have about 100 (out of some 9,000!) which have been returned to me.  I'm hoping for more but we'll have to wait and see.

Colored w water colors & ProMarkers

Cut w QuicKutz dies

Black and orange mats - scraps & QuicKutz die

Sentiment printed on scrap & cut w Avery Elle die

Dry embossed CS scraps (Darice EF)

Shimmer ribbon by Really Reasonable Ribbon

Satin ribbon for bow - scrap from stash

Pearl added to bow

     Challenges:

Artsy Stamper

Aud Sentiments

Colour Crazy

Crafty Gals Corner

Cute Card Thurs

Cutie Pie

Double Trouble

Incy Wincy

Paper Funday

Paper Girls

Penny's Paper-Crafty

Two Old Bats

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Long Hot Summer

     As we are starting the Memorial Day weekend, locked down and unable to run away to the beach or mountains, where I live we are also facing our first triple digit days of the summer and a heat wave of 100+F for three days in a row!  So, my DT card for the newest weekly challenge at QKR Stampede features a cute QKR image called "Weiner Dog" and I think he looks like he's suffering through one of those looong, hot, summer days!  I know we'll have many more of them this summer but I really hate it when they start as early as May.

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with QuicKutz die
Sentiment cut with Avery Elle die
Wood Grain = Darice EF w/ torn edge
Sheer "butterfly" bow was 'dyed' with ProMarker
Card base made from Summer Gold CS

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Butterfly
(butterfly bow + yarrow, yam, and choice; wood grain)
Cardz TV
CCC Digi Creations
Colour Crazy
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafty Catz
Creative Fingers
Southern Girls
STAMPlorations CAS
    

     That's all I have for today but I do hope you're going to come and play with us this challenge.  We have some changes taking place over at QKR Stampede and this current challenge will run until May 31.  The next challenge will start on June 1 and it will run for the entire month.  We're going to be a monthly challenge for now, at least during the summer, so you'll have lots of time to enter.  Our themes will continue to be Always Anything Goes.  Have fun.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Spring Cleaning the Cat

     Spring cleaning is one of those things we humans do, often as a way of shaking off the "cabin fever" after months of  cold weather.  Felines often have a different attitude about the bustle of spring cleaning, preferring that things remain exactly the way they were and not get moved around or rearranged. 

     The three cats who think they own my house and that I'm only there to feed them and clean their litter box, have to thoroughly investigate (and hesitate to approach) even a closet door which now is open an inch when before it was completely closed.  Sigh...

     The feline on today's card has taken a firm stand against her part of the spring cleaning.  lol  Image from Whimsy Stamps.

Colored with ProMarkers
Sparkle gel ink on bubbles
Cut with oval dies from QuicKutz
Darice embossing folder
Polka dot washi tape on left border
Signature bow w pearl
Sentiment printed and hand cut

     Challenges:
2 Sisters on a Blog
A Bit More Time... Extra
A Gem of a Challenge
CCC Digi
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafty Friends
Die Cut Divas
Pearly Sparkles
Star Stampz (middle row)

     Have a wonderful weekend - the first one of spring!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Snowmen: Cold Hands, Warm Hearts

     It's Friday again and you know that means the next weekly challenge is starting over at QKR Stampede.  It's January and that means winter snowmen so I used a great QKR image called "Air Guitar Snowman" and a sentiment called "Cold Hands."  I'm not sure about the Air guitar part - I think he's just cleaning up all the freshly blown snowdrifts.

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with a die from Spellbinder
EF by Darice w glitter added - fussy cut scrap
Background dp is a scrap
Sentiment is fussy cut

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Brown Sugar
Cardz TV
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafty Gals Corner
Dare 2B Artsy
House ... Stamps Built (center column)
Lil Patch of ...
Southern Girls

     Please come and play with us this week.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" and you are not required to use a QKR image.  However, if you do use QKR (or an image from their sister digi company, Eureka Stamps), your entry goes into a separate draw and that increases your chances of winning by a huge amount!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Meowl-loween

     Hey, the 2019 Cat Lovers Hop starts today

 and this is my first project for it!

This is year #5.

Haven't played before and interested in joining?

Click HERE.

     Ready for another silhouette card?  This one was pretty quick and simple, and qualifies as a CAS card, I'm sure.  Have you noticed a fascination for cats in these silhouettes?   Back in the days when I was still buying rubber stamps instead of using digis (a looooong time ago!), I think I bought every single stamp I saw that had a cat in it.  Of course, when it comes to Halloween stamps, cats are easy to find, especially black cats which makes silhouettes a natural.  :-D

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with a Sizzix die
Stitched black ribbon from Crafty Ribbons
Bow tie bow added to the middle cat
Embossing on card front - Darice EF

     Challenges:
Crafty Catz
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Knockouts
Double D
Dragonfly Dreams
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds
I {heart} ProMarkers
LeighSB Designs
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrappy Land
Simon Says Stamp
SUYP Cats

     Happy Monday and Happy Crafting!  NanaConnie

Santa's Cookies

     This is an old image, originally from Karen's - a shop which closed 3 or 4 years back, but an image I dearly love so I use it nearly every Christmas season.  Again, another of my favorites; a little animal wearing a Santa hat which I've used because I have only one or two actual Santa images and I actually prefer cute animals to Santa anyway.  :-D

ProMarkers and gel inks for coloring
Spellbinders rectangle die
Fiskars corner punch
Darice embossing folder on white, iridescent paper
  (It really shines IRL !)
Scrap dp strip
Pink card base

     Challenges:
As You Like It
Aud Sentiments
Crafty Hazelnut's
Creative Knockouts
Cute Card Thurs.
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Paper Girls
Polkadoodles

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Pumpkins for Sale

     OK, we had two days of temperatures in the mid- and low-80s (F) with a nice breeze blowing yesterday and I actually saw some leaves scuttering around in the wind so my hopes that summer temperatures were gone for the year rose and we had a party last night.

     Then I listened to the long range forecast and we're due to have another 2 days of temp 100F or above over the weekend.  Sigh... I knew it was too good to last and that I should never have celebrated.  That's it - not another word from me about temperatures or celebrations until at least November!  That way, I won't jinx it.  lol

     Today's card has an image from Digi Doodle Studios with lots of pumpkins for sale and no, the kitten and puppy are NOT for sale.  :-D  I used lots of my favorite fall colors - especially the combo of orange & green or orange & brown.  This time a combo of all three of them.

I used the sketch from Sketch Saturday.

Colored with ProMarkers
Spellbinders dies to cut image & sentiment
Inked edges on die cuts
Background embossed with Darice EF
Hand tied bow dyed w/ ProMarker

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Brown Sugar
Coloring in Scrapland
Crafty Friends
Crafty Sentiments
Dare 2B Artsy
Digi Doodle Studios
Paper Funday
SUYP Cats

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie