The Lioness

      This is my third post this morning, but then, it's the first of the month when so many challenges begin.  You can scroll down if you want to see my two earlier posts.  This post features a card for Your Scrapbook Place.  We are sponsored this month by Fabrika Fantasy and I used a beautiful image called "Lioness" which they graciously provided.

     I used my ProMarkers and water color paints to color the image, then cut it with a Spellbinders rectangle die.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I inked the edges of all the pieces with an onyx ink pad.

The card base is kraft CS, and the dp piece is heat embossed with clear, glittery EP.  I made a twine bow wrapped with fabric and attached it to the upper corner.  I'm going to use it for a Thanksgiving card for one of my grandkids.  The beautiful autumn colors seemed to lend themselves to Thanksgiving.  :-D

I used colors from the inspiration board at My Favorite Things.

     Challenges:

Art Impressions

Clever Dexter

Crafter's Cafe

Crafts Galore Encore

Creative Craft Cottage

Creative Moments

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

Outlawz Twist Thurs

     You have an entire month to play along in our "Anything Goes" challenge at Your Scrapbook Place so jump in and inspire us with your lovely creations.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie 

Happy Mouse

       It's Thursday and that means it's time for another challenge at Creative Knockouts.  This week, we're sponsored by Fabrika Fantasy and the theme is "Anything Goes."  They supplied images for the team to use and I used the pre-colored, bonus image from the Happy Mouse set.  I needed the shortcut of a pre-colored image at the time I was making this card; I was still in the midst of my COVID recovery.  :-D

Pre-Colored image

Card front embossed w "Linen" EF

Butterflies cut w Press Cut die

Sentiment cut w Memory Box die

Satin & sheer ribbon by Crafty Ribbons

Hand-tied bow

     Challenges:

Crafty Sentiments

Creative Inspirations

Digi Choosday

Dream Valley

Get Creative

Ike's World

Lemon Shortbread

Outlawz Greetings

TTCRD

Word Art Weds.

     Be sure to visit the Creative Knockouts blog t see what all the other designers created this week and than come and play with us!  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Summertime Treats

     Out here where I live, we've been feeling temperatures which are 10 to almost 20 degrees F above normal for the end of April/early May.  The grandkids (and the dog!) are already enjoying the swimming pool in the back yard while I've been sitting inside with the air conditioning on.  So my DT card for the latest monthly challenge at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies this week is a perfect preview of what we're going to be enjoying this weekend.  :-D

     Our sponsor is Fabrika Fantasy and I used their image called "Sweet Tooth Hedgehog."

Colored with ProMarkers & gel pens
Quickutz dies for image & frame
Avery Elle die for sentiment
Ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon
CAS design

     Challenges:
A Gem of a ...
Arty Divas
Crafty Friends
Dream Valley
Pammie's Inky ...
Paperminutes
Passion for ProMarkers
Simon Says Stamp
TTCRD

     I hope you're gong to come and play with us this month.  Remember, our themes are always "Anything Goes featuring a Critter."  We love being inspired by you.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Doggone Good Halloween !

    I'm sharing a quick and easy Halloween card today which I finished in record time because I wanted to get the post written before our power goes off.  It may be off for anywhere from a few hours to a few days.  Long story and you can read more about it in tomorrow's QKR Stampede DT post.  I just finished that one and pre-scheduled it to post tomorrow.

     Today's card has a pre-colored image from Fabrika Fantasy where the theme is "Halloween."  I've had this image for a while now but have never used it.  The fact that's it's pre-colored means that it took me about 15 minutes to get this card finished.

The sketch came from Sweet Sketch Weds

and the color from the inspiration photo at Paperbabe Stamps.

    

Kraft card base

Image cut with Memory Box die

Scraps of dp from the basket

Sentiment printed and hand cut

Wrapped burlap twine bow

     Challenges:
Angie's Digital Stamps
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Calendar
Creative Inspirations
Dare 2B Artsy
Scrappy Land

     I hope the power is on when this posts so that I can link up to those fun challenges.  In case I'm MIA for a few days, it's because of the power situation.    Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie 

Unicorn in Autumn

     We all know about unicorns, though some will tell you they are only a mythical creature.  I am of a different persuasion.  I believe unicorns are like pocket dragons - just because you don't see them doesn't mean they are only a fantasy.

     I've been told by a lovely garden fairy that unicorns change the colors of their manes and tales seasonally, like the leaves of a tree.  Hmmm, that would give them an advantage when it comes to hiding in plain sight, wouldn't it?  Let me give you an example of what might happen.

     Fabrika Fantasy has one of the most magnificent unicorn images which I chose for this card.  Notice how his mane, tail, and hooves blend in perfectly with the fall foliage, and his body takes on the pale shadows of the low-light dawn?

I used the sketch from Cheerful Sketches.

Colored with ProMarkers and gel inks plus sparkle on the horn
Die cut with Spellbinders and distressed on the edges
Polka dot washi tape
Doily colored dark brown
Hand made bow with polka dots
Kraft card base

     Challenges:
a2z Scrapbooking
Crafter's Cafe
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafts Galore Encore
Creative Moments
Friendship
Morgan's ArtWorld
Scrappy Land

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Kitten in the Garden

     There's a neighborhood cat (apparently feral, but relatively friendly) who has had a litter of kittens in the next door yard and they are old enough to be out and about.  Two of them visit my garden at least once each day, often three or four times.  They are so cute, and I'm doing my best NOT to feed them.  You probably know how well that's working!

    Anyway, this darling image from Fabrika Fantasy reminds me of them.

Colored with ProMarkers and water color pencil
Image cut with QuicKutz die
Scraps of dp from DCWV
White satin ribbon
Yellow card base

     Challenges:
Ching-Chou Kuik
Country View Crafts
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafty Hazelnut's
Creatalicious
I {heart} ProMarkers
Papercraft
Simon Says Stamp
SUYP Cats

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Friendly Seahorse

    The image is from Fabrika Fantasy and seems perfect for a summer card celebrating times near the sea.

Colored with ProMarkers
Die cut 'splash' is a negative, inside scrap from a Memory Box die
Image is fussy cut and mounted on Pop Dots
Ribbon is a scrap from my stash

      Challenges:
A Perfect Time to Craft
Bastel-Traum
Country View Crafts
Craft-Dee BowZ
Creative Moments
Dies R Us
Digi Doodle Studios
Friendship
Prika Crafts
Three Amigos

     That's it for today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Coffee Mouse

     Happy May 1, what we used to call May Day when we secretly delivered little tussie-mussies to the neighbors.  Those of you not familiar with the term "tussie-mussie," they are little, cone-shaped, containers for holding a few flowers, and they come from Victorian times.  If you do a search online, I'm sure you'll find photos of them.

     Since it's the first of the month, I'm posting my DT card for the new challenge at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies.  As usual, the theme is always "Anything Goes with a Featured Critter."  Our sponsor this month is Fabrika Fantasy and I used one of their delightful little mice.  The image is called "Forest Mouse" and I think he's so adorable!

     Before printing the image, I used tools in MS Word to lighten the outlines as much as possible so that when I colored with ProMarkers, it would look more like a drawing than a stamped image.  I'm doing more of these because I need some practice but overall, I'm happy with the result.

     I cut the image with a cross-stitch die from Lawn Fawn.  I dug through all the scraps, large and small, which were 'decorating' my desk and decided on these two plaid pieces.  Both are from a paper pad by Your Next Stamp called Mint Chocolate Kisses.

     The raffia mesh ribbon was also on the desk and I thought it gave some great texture when added between the image and the background.  The card is going to go to one of the guys in my family so I left off embellishing it, letting the plaid patterns do all the work.  Even on non-masculine cards, I still prefer 'ribbon' to flower embellies because the cards are flatter and easier to mail.

     Challenges:
As You Like It
Cardz TV
Crafty Catz
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Scrapper's Delights

     I do hope we're going to see you playing along with us at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies this month.  We love being inspired by you.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

May Your Dreams Bear Fruit

     Hey, it's almost the weekend!  Only one more week day and then we all get crafting time.  :-D  Last weekend, I did all my cards which were posted this week and will probably do the same thing this coming weekend.

     For today, I want to share with you a card with a lovely Fabrika Fantasy image.  I've used her before but that time I did all fall colors.  This time I tried to be more spring-like with the colors.

     As usual, I used ProMarkers to color her, adding Cadet Blue glitter to the four tiny butterflies in the image (can you find them?), then cut the image with a die from Spellbinders.  Once cut, I used chalks (as close to the Cadet Blue butterflies as possible) around the border and background of the die cut image.

     I printed the sentiment, and hand cut it.  I found a strip of sheer, golden-tan, ribbon (which looks gray-brown in the photo) and wrapped it around an embossed piece of CS which I used for the card front.

     The large, yellow, butterfly is an applique I made on my sewing machine, using a computer generated program, so it was little work for me other than selecting and changing out the threads.

     Challenges:
Butterfly Challenge  (Cadet Blue)
Crafty Creations
Lemon Shortbread
Papercraft
Paper Shelter
Scrappy Land
Simon Says Stamp & Show
TTCRD
Words 2 Craft By

Witch Way?

     I absolutely adore this little witch from Fabrika Fantasy!   I have all my Halloween cards done  and ready to mail but there are so many Halloween themed challenges that pop up in October, I can't resist making more cards.  I guess I'll have plenty made for next year.  Or maybe I'll just donate them to the local hospitals for the kids.

I decided to base my design on the sketch 

at The Outlawz this week.

     I colored with ProMarkers and cut the image with a Lawn Fawn stitched die.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Unbranded die.  I cut the dove tail part by hand.  The papers are from Graphic 45 and the two witch's hats were die cut from foam and glittered.

     Challenges:
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Inspirations
Creative Moments
Double D
Lawn Fanatics
That's Crafty

     That's all I have for today but I'll be back tomorrow with a DT post for the latest challenge at Crafting with an Attitude.  I hope you'll come by to check it out.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Gratitude

     For today's card, I've used "Earth Fairy" from Fabrika Fantasy.  She colored up so beautifully!

     I colored with ProMarkers, cut the image with a die from Spellbinders, and backed it with orange CS.  I printed the sentiment, matted it with a scrap of that same CS, and added it to the top of the image piece.

     I made a card base from kraft CS and added a scrap of dp which had been lying on my desk.  I wrapped the card front with some sparkly brown ribbon, then layered on the image.  I cut tiny pumpkins with an Impression Obsession die and added them to the bottom of the image.

     The double layer butterfly was cut with a die from Cottage Cuts and I added pearls to make the body.

     Challenges:
Angie's Digital Stamps
Cards in Envy
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Catz
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Stamping Sensations (Bounty, Butterfly, Brown ribbon)
TTCRD

    I'll have another post tonight, around 6:00 p.m Pacific time.  I don't normally pre-schedule my posts for that hour but in this case, I'm guest designing and that's when the Outlawz Monday challenge goes live.  So think of it as being my post for Monday and check back when you have time.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Fairy Land

     There's a brand new challenge starting today called "Creations in Pink" and I'm delighted to tell you that I was chosen as one of the DT members!   In simple terms, the challenge runs monthly on the 15th of each month and the primary requirement is to use lots of pink on your projects.  Other than that, it's pretty much Anything Goes.   How easy is that?

     This month, our sponsor is Fabrika Fantasy and they generously supplied images for the DT to use.  I used "Water Fairy, who looks so lovely and "summer-y."  Isn't she a fabulous stamp?

     I colored her with ProMarkers and cut her with an Unbranded die.  I cut the pink frame with a larger die from that same set.  The swans are also cut with Unbranded dies.  I added narrow pink ribbon and a pink ribbon bow.  The sentiment was printed, hand cut, matted, hand cut again, and added between the swans.

     Challenges:
Brown Sugar
CARDZ TV
Crafty Sentiments
DL.ART
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Polkadoodles
Star Stampz

     I hope you'll bookmark our challenge and come play along each month.  You can also find us on the "By Date, Not Days" list at Challenges for Days, a great resource for finding challenges you may want to enter.

     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

Snowball Fetch at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies

     Happy New Year to all!

     It's time for our new January challenge at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies and our sponsor this month is the fantastic Fabrika Fantasy!   Remember, the only thing you have to do is to showcase a critter of some kind of your project and everything else is Anything Goes.

     I'm using Winter Games 1.

     I colored with my ProMarkers, then cut the image with a die from Spellbinders.  I added a bit of glitter to the snowball and on the ground, then mounted the image piece onto a dry-embossed, blue-green card front.  The sentiment is printed and hand cut, with inked edges.  Other than the fact that the die cut is so fancy, it's a completely CAS card.

     Challenges:
AAA Cards
Cards in Envy
Colour Crazy
Crafty Friends
Delicious Doodles
Hiding in My Craft Room
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Greetings
Outlawz PAM
Paper Girls
Send a Smile 4 Kids

    Happy Crafting and best wishes for a fun and creative 2018!  NanaConnie

Winter Wishes

     I'm writing up 2 posts for today and hoping that you will stop by later for the next in the Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards that I've managed to do each day this month.  Holding my breath that I can do every day, even with the Thanksgiving holiday this week.  :-D

     But this first post is for the blog challenge over at Fabrika Fantasy with a theme of "Winter."  I used two images and combined them onto one card.

     I started with a pre-colored image because I wanted the background, then I colored the kids and their sled plus the bunny with my ProMarkers.  I printed the baby polar bear separately, colored him with ProMarkers, too, and then fussy cut him.

     I trimmed the kids and sled image to fit an A2 card, then added it to a turquoise card base.  I added the polar bear by mounting him on dimensional tape.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, adding it to the top of the card.  I did no other embellishments because I wanted the images and the dimension to be the focus.

     Challenges:
Cards in Envy
Crafting from the Heart
Crazy Challenge
Cutie Pie
Fabrika Fantasy
Outlawz Greetings
Pammie's Inky Pinkies

     Sorry this post went up so late but Blogger was giving me fits and wouldn't let me add the image!  That seems to be fixed now so I can finally post this one.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Betta Crowntail

     This is my second DT card for the 2 Crafty Critter Crazies September challenge and I've done it because my fellow DT, Teresa, had intended to use this image but had to take a leave this month so I'm filling in by using this gorgeous "Betta Fish Crowntail" image from our sponsor Fabrika Fantasy.

     For the coloring on this, I started with the pre-colored image then used my ProMarkers to add some more lavender and a gel pen to add more white for definition.  The sentiment was printed at the same time as the image.  I layered the image onto a blue card front, added one of my favorite bows for embellishment, and then left it as CAS as possible.  I really wanted the Betta to be showcased, and any embellishments I might have added would have taken away from that.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps & More
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Gals Corner
I {heart} ProMarkers
Kraftin' Kimmie
Penny's Paper Crafty

     Come play with us at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies this month.  All you need is a project which features a 'critter' of any kind and that alone qualifies it for entry.  See you at the challenge.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Winter Cuddles

     This is the first of the DT cards I've done for 2 Crafty Critter Crazies September monthly challenge which is sponsored by Fabrika Fantasy.  This one uses an image called "Winter Games 3" and you know I just adore that cuddly kitten.  :-D

     I colored with my ProMarkers, then used a border die from Spellbinders to cut along one side.  I used a Fiskars corner punch to do the corners on the other side.  Both of the dp were scraps in my Christmas stash and the darker strip had been left over from a die cut so it had that rippled border.  I used the same corner punch to cut the other layers behind the image.

     I used sparkly silver ribbon and made a bow from some satin silver ribbon, then added the sparkly snowflake for embellishment.

     Challenges:
Christmas with the Cuties
Crafty Sentiments
Die Cuttin' Divas
Dream Valley
Mod Squad
Passion for ProMarkers
Scrapy Land
TTCRD

     I've done a second DT card for this month's challenge so I hope you'll check out that post also.  In fact, before the morning is over, I'll have done a total of four posts, so come back for another visit in a couple of hours.  I hope you'll come play in our "Anything Goes" challenge at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies this month.  You can enter any kind of project and the only requirement is that your project must feature a 'critter' on it.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Owl Wisdom

     I just love this "Winter Fairy" image from Fabrika Fantasy with the wise owl on her shoulder!  Of course, I'm pretty much crazy for any of their images so that wouldn't be hard to figure out but my daughter loves owls.  Whenever I run across one in my stamping world, I grab it and make up a card just for her, often for no specific occasion.

     This time I've done another shaped card, fussy cut to match the design in the background dp.  The image and background 'sky' are done with water-colors.  I used a die from Spellbinders to cut the image and then layered it directly onto the background dp.  No added embellishment so it's a very CAS design but one which looks very complex because of the delicate die cut and the soft pattern in the dp.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
A Perfect Time to Craft
A Vintage Journey
Connie Can Crop
Crafty Awesomeness
Crafty Calendar
Pattie's Creations
Scrapper's Delights
Take It, Make It
World Wide Open DT

     Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Presents under the Tree

     I am such a fan of  Fabrika Fantasy images and I think I have every one they've made which has a winter or Christmas theme.  I plan to use all of them in doing my holiday cards this year.  Here's one of my favorites.  The idea of a squirrel standing out in the snow with his Santa hat on just tickles me to pieces!  :-D

     I used ProMarkers and gel ink to color the scene, then cut the image with a simple, square die from Spellbinders.  I also cut the green frame with a Spellbinders' die.  I found a scrap of sheet music dp, trimmed it to fit the width of the card and matted it with brown CS.  Behind that is another scrap of lightly patterned dp (embossed with a folder from Darice) and everything went onto a white card base.

     I added the hand-cut and matted sentiment and a red, polka dot bow to complement the red bow on the package in the image.

     Challenges:
Color Inspiration Monday
Crafting by Designs
Creates and Makes
Creative Moments
Fabrika Fantasy
Lemon Shortbread
Paper Shelter
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrapy Land
Unicorn

     I hope your weekend is going well.  I'm doing lots of crafting which I've missed while I was gone.  I'm going to try to cram in lots of card making since I'll be traveling again in a bit more than 10 days from now.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Old Pirate

     I'm going all out with Fabrika Fantasy and adding to my masculine birthday card stash at the same time.  I absolutely adore this Parrot Pirate image.  He's just too fun and funny!

I used the colors from the inspiration photo on the 

Tuesday Color challenge at The Outlawz.

     OK, so that silly parrot isn't as elegant as a peacock but I colored him in peacock colors with my ProMarkers, then die cut both the image and the light green frame with a pierced rectangle die from Memory Box.  I die cut the sentiment the same way.

     The lattice background is cut with another Memory Box die and I backed it with yellow CS.  Because of all the die cuts, it looks like a rather fancy card design, but it's really very simple - 4 layers, 3 of them cut with dies.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
A Perfect Time to Craft
Crafty Sentiments
Cuttlebug Mania
Digi Choosday
Fabrika Fantasy FB
Lemon Shortbread
Passion for ProMarkers

     I hope your week is going week and that you find a bit of time for some craftiness.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie