Final Day at Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas

     Here we are on Day 30 of the Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas and we get to do whatever we love best - a classic Anything Goes theme.  I opted for this vase of holly branches, one of my favorite Beccy's images.  In Beccy's colored version, the vase is purple, my favorite color.  In my version, I opted for a red-violet vase so that I could use more traditional embellishments for Christmas.  Other than the red-violet, I pulled my colors from Paperbabe Stamps, including the papers I used (see below.)

I used the sketch from The Outlawz, turned 1/4 turn,

and the color palette found at Paperbabe Stamps.

  

Colored with ProMarker
Image cut with Die-namics stitched die
Snowflakes cut with AI dies
Sentiment cut with Die-versions die
Scrap pieces from Graphic 45

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Crafty Catz
Crafty Creations
House that Stamps Built
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Day 29, Letter "Z" - Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas

      Last letter of the alphabet and tomorrow is the last day of Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas.  "Z" is another one of those difficult prompts because very few Z words relate easily to Christmas (Zoo, Zebra, Zany, Zipper - see what I mean?)  So, I used the tutorial at Beccy's and made a Double Z Fold Card.

     The candy cane image is from Beccy's Place and everything was done using up scraps, including the piece of CS on which the image was printed.

 

Here's a shot from the top showing the Z folds.

Colors came from the inspiration at 

Color My Heart Color Dare #371

We had to use only 2 of the colors and neutrals didn't count.

I chose red and green.

Colored with ProMarkers
   (I used 'Vanilla' instead of white on the candy canes so it would better match the beige in the papers)
Image cut with Die-namics stitched die
Paper scraps from Graphic 45
Folds were scored on Scor-Pal board

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Creative Fingers
Creative Knockouts
Outlawz Festive Fri
Passion for ProMarkers
Pixie's Snippets

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Dreaded "X" Day at 30 Days of Christmas

     Well, it's finally here - Day "X" at Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas.  I've been dreading this prompt all month long.  Having faced this prompt before in earlier years, I was pretty much stumped but still not wanting to do anything I've done before.  Then, day before yesterday, the idea of making the entire card an X shape popped into my head.  How to make that happen?  I chewed on that one for nearly 30 hours and this was the result.

The X was made by using one corner of a square die (Spellbinders) on the top and bottom of a tent fold card, and one point of a hexagon die (QuicKutz) on both sides of the card.  

Rocking chair image from Beccy's Place, colored with ProMarkers
Image cut with Die-namics die
Stitching is fauX, done w/ green gel ink (another "X"?)
Paper from Graphic 45

     There's a story behind the sentiment.  All during my growing up years, the last few evenings before Christmas and especially Christmas Eve were spent listening to Christmas stories read by my mom (or sometimes my Grammy) as we sat curled in blankets, attentive and awed by the magic of her voice reading the story.  On Christmas Eve, we had two great favorites which had been reserved for that night alone - The Night Before Christmas and the Christmas story from the Bible.  Over the years, those evenings became known as "The Christmas Read" and they went on through the early years of my children's lives.

     I do love traditional Christmas!

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas
Crafty Creations
Double D  (traditional)
House that Stamps Built
I {heart} ProMarkers
Simon Says Stamp
Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

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

Bite Me?

     Limited Runs is running their September/October Progressive Challenge and their freebie image is "The Count."  I thought the image was hysterically funny and here's what I did with it.

I used the sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2.

     First, let me say that the colors in this photo are completely off!  The spiderweb papers are actually violet and the bow is purple, not blue.  The plaid papers stayed pretty much true, thankfully.  I have re-photographed this a dozen times but the colors are still wonky.

     I used ProMarkers to color the image and cut it with a Sizzix die.  All four of the dp squares were cut with Unbranded dies and the sentiment was cut with a die from QuicKutz.  The papers are from Graphic 45 and both ribbons came from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  I used my bow maker to tie the double loop bow.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Cardz TV
Craft-Dee Bowz
Crafty Creations
Crafty Friends
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Moments
Scrapy Land

     Tomorrow is the start of a new month, October!  How did it get to be October already?  Sheesh - it feels like I'm just now recovering from the whirlwind of holidays last winter.  lol  Oh, well, that just means I'll have a pile of DT first-of-the-month posts over the next 24 hours, including one that's brand new for me.  That's all the hint you get right now.  Be sure to check back as your schedule allows.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Venitian Masquerade

     We've just started the latest monthly challenge at World Wide Open Design Team Challenge and we have our usual theme of "Anything Goes."  The winners from the last challenge have been chosen and you can find them on the World Wide blog.

     We are sponsored by Julia Spiri.  You can find her FB page here.

     I used a beautiful image from the Venice Collection, Mask.  Julia's designs seem to draw the purples and turquoises out of me but since that's my favorite color combo ever, I don't mind.  :-D

     Once again, I colored with my ProMarkers and used a white gel pen for the highlights.   Both the image and the scalloped piece behind it were cut with dies from Sizzix.  However, the dp (from the Juniper Berry stack by DCWV) was just a scrap I saved from the trash bin so it's not a complete circle.

     The other two papers are from Graphic 45 and I put them onto the card front, wrapped the 2 layers of different ribbons (Really Reasonable Ribbon) around, added one of my signature, hand-sewn bows, and then layered on the two die cut pieces.

     Finally, I printed and hand cut the sentiment, inked the edge, and added it.  Not overblown with embellishments but not exactly CAS, either.  :-D

     Challenges:
As You Like It (Girly - because I have so many guys in my family that I end up doing masculine cards much more often and it's fun to do feminine creations instead.)
Cardz TV
Crafty Creations
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Inspirations
Creative Moments
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrappy Land
Word Art Weds.

     That's it for today but since I gave you a twofer, I think that's enough.  If not, check back tomorrow to see what's new.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  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     

Emmy's Hat

     A second post for me today so that I can tell you about the new January challenge starting over on the Skeepski Designs Facebook site.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" with a Sheepski Designs image.  Just go to the site, click on the "Photos" tab at the top, then on "Albums" and enter your project there.

     I used this sweet, perfect-for-spring image called "Emmy's Hat."  Isn't she beautiful?  And so much fun to color!

     I chose a neutral, golden-beige, monochromatic, color scheme and used my ProMarkers to color the image.  The dp is from a Graphic 45 paper pad, and I used beige CS for one of the panels.  I distressed the edges of each piece, including the matted sentiment.

     I dug through my stash of embellishments and chose the flowers and the large bow.  Although it's difficult to see in the photo, each flower petal has a bit of glitter on it for a touch of sparkle.

     Challenges:
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Addicts
Creative Moments
Glitter n Sparkle
Inspiration Destination
Lemon Shortbread
Paper Girls
Through the Craft Room Door
Word Art Wednesday

     That's it for today.  I hope your week has gone well and that you have a fabulous weekend planned, even if it's going to be spent crafting and being creative instead of one filled with sports or other activities and travel.  Crafting's such a great way to relax and recharge.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie 

Sheepski Bears

     As soon as Andrea released this pair of teddy bears, a new image for January, I just had to use it for another of my Valentine cards.  You can find it in the Sheepski Designs store if you want to look.  I'll be sharing it as one of my DT cards on the Facebook site, too.  Don't forget the old challenge on Facebook ends on January 19 ("Always Anything Goes" with a Sheepski image) and the new one will start on January 20.

     I colored the bears with my ProMarkers, then cut the image with a square, stitched die from Lawn Fawn.  I also cut the red mat from a leftover scrap using a larger die from that same set and then offset them onto each other and onto the background dp (Graphic 45.)

     The leaves were also die cut from scraps (Cheery Lynn) and I added a white flower.  I found a large package of those at the after Christmas sales so I added to my stash with these new embellies.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
Card Mania
CCC Digi Creations
Classic DT Open
Colour Crazy Craft
Crafty Calendar
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper
Creatalicious
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jo's Scrap Shack
Pattie's Creations
Send a Smile 4 Kids

     Hey, we actually had a few hours of sunshine yesterday afternoon!  Not that things dried out much but we're happy to have no flooding, just wet ground which will last a while.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend and Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Sending Blessings

     Today's card is one I'm going to use for a friend who's in need of a few prayers and blessings right now.  She's temporarily home bound and her city is buried under a huge amount of snow so a wintry color combo seemed appropriate.

     The image is from The East Wind.

     I colored with ProMarkers and added a frame cut with a stitched die (Die-Versions.)  It was left over from another project and worked perfectly as a scrap to frame this image.  The CS had been run through my "Linen" embossing folder.

     I added as snippet of ribbon, a bow, and snowflakes for minimal embellishment.  The dp is from one of my brand new paper pads by Graphic 45.  A very CAS design but flat for easy mailing.

     Challenges:

Ching-chou Kuik

Creatalicious

Kreativeinkauf

Outlawz CAS

Pammie's Inky Pinkie

Pixie's Snippets

Scribbles Designs

Stempelsonnen

     Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie