Posting Letters to Santa

      Another Friday, and another challenge starts at Crafty Catz.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" but we also offer you an OPTIONAL theme and this week it's "Christmas in July."   We are sponsored by Di's Digi Designs and I used a cute image called "Micemas Post."

      I used my Sanjoki markers to color the image, then cut it with a square die from Lawn Fawn.  The hologram paper is also from Lawn Fawn.  I wanted to dress up the square image a bit so I used a Fiskars punch on the corners.  The 'frame' behind the image piece is nothing more than a scrap of red tissue paper.

     The sentiment was printed and fussy cut.  I found a scrap of sheer black ribbon and hand tied the bow.

     Challenges:

Aud Sentiments

Creative Moments

Digi Choosday

Double D

Double Trouble

Jingle Bells

Lawn Fawnatics

Pammie's IP

Passion for Markers

Simon Says Stamp

     Hope to see you playing in our challenge this week.  Remember, it's Anything Goes but with all the "Christmas in July" challenges out there this month, why not try the optional theme, too?  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Butterfly Birthday

      The other day I made a card with a butterfly gem on it and, as I was photographing that card, a butterfly landed momentarily on my windowpane.  That reminded me that despite the really hot weather we're having this week (including 1 official day over 100 degree F!), it is still a month before spring turns into summer and I wanted to use a few more butterflies before spring was gone.

     I dug through my stash of cutting dies and came up with this die set from Brutus Monroe - relatively new but so far unused.  I decided then and there on a card with all die cuts and no stamping of any kind.  I went and checked on the theme options at The Butterfly Challenge.  What I love most about that challenge is that there are always lots of options, including colors, a theme, and a different card fold.  This time, I've used all 4 of the color options (plum, persimmon, pistachio, & pink), plus the theme (Pearls), plus butterflies, although I skipped the fancy card fold.

     All the papers and CS came from my scrap basket.  The pink dp for the first butterfly came from Stampin' Up, and the pistachio CS for the second butterfly was from Recollections.  I ran it through my 'Linen' EF before cutting it with the dies.  The butterflies themselves were cut from a plum CS scrap.  The sentiment was also part of the Brutus Monroe die set.

     The persimmon paper is a scrap from a Lawn Fawn stack, the back side of a dp with leaves but for this card, I preferred the solid side.   I added a row of small pearls to each butterfly body and then used 3 larger pearls at the top of the persimmon strip.  My final touch was to hand tie a bow using stitched, grosgrain ribbon.  Quite a lot done for such a CAS card with lots of white space.

I based this on the sketch from There's a Stamp for That.

     Challenges:

Creative Fingers

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz No Stamps

Outlawz SAR ("Butterfly and bug")

Penny's P-C 

Word Art Weds

     Have yourself a wonderful spring day.  Unfortunately, we're set for another hot, hot, HOT day in my part of the country, but maybe our weather will cool down again before summer actually arrives.  The weather forecasters say we might be back in the low 80s for a short while in another 10 days or so.  I'm hoping they're right!   

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Graveyard Cats

      Another post for the Cat Lovers Blog Hop and for the Crazy for Cats challenge.  Both are running this week but the Crazy for Cats challenge will run through the entire month of November so come play along.

     My DT card today features fabulous hologram papers and dies from our sponsor, Lawn Fawn.  You can find them here: LAWN FAWN Hologram dp & LAWN FAWN dies "Lg Stitched Squares."  The sentiment is mine and it was fussy cut.

This is also my Day 28 entry for the
 LeighSBDesigns 31 Days of Halloween Blog Hop.

 

Cat Lovers Hop 2022.

     Challenges:

4 Season

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Fingers

Pammie's Inky Pinkies

Paperbabe

Penny's Paper-Crafty

Simon Says Stamp

SUYP Cats

     Come play along with us, won't you?  And join in the Cat Lovers Hop, too!  Just make something which features a cat.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Autumn Cat

      I'm excited to announce that I have joined the DT at the Crazy for Cats Challenges!  Our first challenge launches today even though it is technically our November challenge.  From now on, the monthly challenges will start on the First Friday of each month.

     But starting today means that we cat lovers on the DT can post our inspiration projects on the Cat Lovers Hop 2022, a fun hop I've played in for a good number of years now.  :-D  

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

     For our own challenge, our sponsor is Lawn Fawn and for my card I used Lawn Fawn metallic hologram paper and the image was cut with a Lawn Fawn Stitched Square die.

      I colored with ProMarkers and water color paints.  The image piece was framed with orange CS after I used a ProMarker to ink the edges.  The leafy ribbon came from Really Reasonable Ribbon and the sentiment leaf is a chipboard piece from Recollections which has been in my collection of embellishments for at least 6 years.

     Challenges:

A Perfect Time

Classic Design

Crafts Galore Encore

Creative Inspirations

LeAnn's World

Outlawz Thurs Twist

There's a Stamp ...

Word Art Weds

Your Scrapbook Place

     Come play in our new challenge!  We feature felines, of course, and all the rules are on the new blog.  Think about joining in the Cat Lovers Hop, too.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Who, Me?

      I have to start today's post with an abject apology to all my followers and to one or more artists who still remain unknown to me.  I got myself into trouble by relying on a friend of mine who sent me dozens and dozens of stamped or printed images over a period of a few months nearly 2 years ago.  

     I had suffered a flash drive crash and lost all my digital images which had been collected over a period of more than 10 years.  Needless to say, I was devastated.  My friend, who was concerned that I might stop card making altogether, undertook to stamp (or print, in the case of digital) images and actually mail them to me in batches over a period of a few weeks.  Many of the digital images were printed in grayscale and that was my introduction to that particular style of image.  I learned to love grayscale because of the wonderful shading and highlights they provide when they are colored.

     I really appreciated her efforts and undertook to use many of those over the last 20+ months.  This week, I learned that at least some of the digital images she sent me were copyright protected and I therefore had no right to use them.  Unfortunately, when she mailed them to me, she gave me no information regarding what company or artist created or owned them.  I HAVE NOW REMOVED THE POSTS FROM MY BLOG which were referenced when I was notified of the copyright violation and I don't intend to use any more of the unused digital images she had sent me.

     All of that in order to say that I have no idea if the image I used for this card was one she sent me or not.  It was lying on my craft desk (as opposed to being in the file of things she sent me), colored up and waiting to be used, before I was notified about the copyright issue.  I turned it into this card and then realized that it might well be something she had sent me.  I have no information regarding the artist or company but that's true of a lot of images I had gotten at a crafting group where we each stamped an image and then shared them when the group met to make cards or scrapbook pages together.  However, I think this one was a rubber stamped image.

     So, if anyone can identify the artist, please let me know and I will immediately give them credit for the image.

     I used ProMarkers to color the image and add the colored border around the edges.  I cut it with a QuicKutz die.  The plaid paper came from a Lawn Fawn stack.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The ribbon and the fabric flowers came from Really Reasonable Ribbon.

     Challenges:

613 Ave Create

Crafty Calendar

Crafty Hazelnut's

Di's Digi Designs

I Love ProMarkers

Incy Wincy

Lil Patch of ...

Pammie's Inky Pinkies

Penny's Paper-Crafty

Polkadoodles

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bunny Tale

      This image harkens back a couple of years to when I lost my entire collection of digital images (nearly 10,000 of them gathered over a decade) due to a flash drive crash, and a dear friend took the time to print or stamp images and snail mail them to me so that I'd continue making cards.  She was so afraid I'd give it up.  I did spend a lot of time thinking about how much it would cost to replace all of those but instead I simply started collecting new images.

     Anyway, this is one she sent me which I simply never used.  (I still have probably 15 or 20 in the folder waiting to be colored and used.)  Unfortunately, when she sent them, she didn't give me any information as to what company or artist made the image but if anybody knows and can identify this one for me, I'll gladly edit this post and give full credit to the artist.

     I colored this one using both ProMarkers and pencils.  Once colored, I used a die from Spellbinders to cut the image.  The plaid papers are from a Lawn Fawn stack.  The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die, then matted with a tiny scrap of the blue plaid dp.  The gingham bow was hand-tied.

     Challenges:

Allsorts

Colour Crazy

Crafty Calendar

Creative Fingers

Di's Digi Designs

Outlawz Festive Fri

Paperbabe

Pattie's Creations

Polkadoodles

Taylormade ...

     Have yourself a great weekend, and be sure to find some time for yourself.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Paper Piecing in a Peaceful Garden

      I'm just so tickled with the final result of this paper pieced card which I did for our latest challenge at I Love ProMarkers, and "Paper Piecing" is our optional theme for this challenge.  Our challenges are always "Anything Goes" but we also have an optional theme to go along with that.  We're sponsored by Digi Doodle Studios and they were so generous, supplying the DT with images to use.

     I chose this one, called "Dahlia's Blooms," and it was fun to both color and paper piece.  I chose 2 pieces of dp from a Lawn Fawn stack before printing the image, then printed it 3 times; on both dp and on white CS.  I decided what parts of the image I wanted to paper piece and fussy cut those from the patterned papers.  I did the little bird on top of the birdhouse and her hat from the blue, and 3 of the flowers plus the butterfly from the coral pink patterned papers.  I used ProMarkers to color the rest of the flowers, her hair, face, and arm, and the ribbon tied around her hat.

     At that point, I used a Sue Wilson die to cut the image and an Avery Elle die to cut the sentiment.  Both of those were mounted onto remaining scraps of the same dp (used to make the card front background.)  No further embellishment seemed necessary.  :-D

     Challenges:

Crafty Catz

Di's Digi Designs

Dragonfly Dreams

Gem of a Challenge

Get Creative

Lawn Fawn

Mod Squad

Outlawz Mon

Paperbabe

     I hope you found a bit of inspiration today and you really should check out what the rest of the team have created.  Come play in our challenge, with or without paper piecing!  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Valentine Wishes

     We've started another new challenge at Pammie's Inky Pinkies and since we're back to the first Monday of the month, our theme is "Anything Goes."  Our wonderful sponsor this week is Lawn Fawn.  On my card, although it's rather simple, I've used Lawn Fawn papers.

      The background paper was trimmed to fit a 6" x 6" card, and then I began playing with the dies. I used scrap pieces of Lawn Fawn paper for both the butterfly cut and for the sentiment paper.  The paper for the sentiment was cut with a Gina Marie framing die, filled with tiny hearts.  The butterfly corner was done with a die from Memory Box and I carefully put back in place all the little bits which are intended to fall out.  There were a few which went astray but I simply used a black marker to fill in those open spaces in the butterfly wings.  The deep pink ribbon came from my stash and was an end-of-the-roll scrap.

     This is a pretty CAS card made to look complex with the die cut.  But look at all that open space!  :-D

      Challenges:

Art Impressions

Aud Sentiments

Creative Inspirations

Double D

Mod Squad

Outside the Box

Pixie's Snippets

Simon Says Stamp

Three Room Studio

TTCRD

     It would be great if you'd come play with us this week!  We really look forward to seeing what you have to share.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Puppy Love among the Gnomes

      Another DT card for the Conie Fong DT, this time using a darling set called "Gnome Sweethearts" along with the merged "Lab Dog," which is included in the set.  Aren't they adorable?  

     I used ProMarkers to color the image, then cut it and the frame with dies from Lawn Fawn.  Alcohol markers are my favorite way to color images because the colors blend so well, giving great shading and highlights.  

     The background was made using scraps of dp (also Lawn Fawn), cut into long triangles, then mounted onto a white card base.  I added clear sequins to two, diagonally opposite, corners.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I really liked the visual of the background and image, and decided that no ribbon or bows or other embellishment was needed.

I started with the colors from My Favorite Things.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

Colour Crazy

Colouring in Scrapland

C.R.A.F.T.

Crafty Catz

Lawn Fawnatics

Outlawz Festive Fri

Stamping Sensations

We Love Stamping

     Feel free to come and play in either one of our challenges this month.  We have one for colored Conie Fong images only and another for using those Conie Fong images in a finished project, like a card.  Our challenges can be found on the Facebook page.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cat Smiles to Get Well

      It's another new challenge at I Love ProMarkers, the first one of the new year.  Our theme this time is "Get Well" and we are sponsored by Ike's Art.  I adore this cat (my favorite kind of animal), called "Cat Smiles" and you can find it in the section under 'Animals' on her site.

     I colored the image with my ProMarkers (of course), then cut the image with a long rectangle die from QuicKutz.  I rounded the corners with a punch from Uchida.  The pink frame and the plaid dp (Lawn Fawn) were cut with dies from Spellbinder.  The sentiment was also cut with a Spellbinders' die but trimmed along the bottom so that it wouldn't hang over the edge.  All the pink CS is from Park Lane.  The butterfly is made by sewing machine embroidery.

     Challenges:

Ally's Angels

Crafter's Cafe

Creations in Pink

Ike's World

Outlawz Stash

Paperbabe

Polkadoodles

Star Stampz

SUYP Cats

 

     Come play with us this fortnight.  We love being inspired by you every bit as much as we like to offer you some inspiration.  Happy Crafting  NanaConnie 

Happy New Everythings!

      It's a New Day in a New Year and a New Challenge (first one of 2022) over at QKR Stampede.  I've used a "New to me" QKR image, called "Baby Bear."  I'm also celebrating a New Great-Grandson who arrived just in time to be a New tax deduction for the happy, New parents!  

      I used my ProMarkers to color the image, the cut it and the frame with Die-namics stitched dies. The frame is embossed using my "Linen" EF.  The background dp is from Lawn Fawn.  I printed the sentiment, then cut and matted it using Avery Elle dies.  The ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon and I hand tied the bow.

My colors were inspired by the lower, right hand

photo on this board from Lawn Fawnatics.

     Challenges:

Clever Dexter

Crafts Galore Encore

Crafty Hazelnut's

Creatalicious

Dies R Us

Digi Doodle

Mirtillamente

     Come play in our "Anything Goes" challenge this fortnight.  We'd love to see what you create and it's always fun to be inspired by you.  You are free to use any image from any company, but if you use an image from QKR (or our sister digi company, Eureka Stamps), your entry will be put into a separate draw just for those, and that increases your chances of winning by quite  lot.  :-D  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Moon and Stars

      It's the middle of the month and that means a new challenge is starting over at QKR Stampede where our theme is always "Anything Goes."   You may use any image from any company to enter the challenge but if you use a QKR image (or one from our sister company Eureka Stamps), your entry is put into a completely separate draw for those entries only and that increases your chance of winning by quite a lot!

     For today's card, I used an image called "Full Moon."  I reversed it before printing it.  I used watercolors and Promarkers to color the image, then added a touch of glitter to the stars.  I used a Spellbinders die to cut the image and an Avery Elle due to cut the printed sentiment.  

     The background paper is from a Lawn Fawn stack.  The multi-loop, sheer ribbon, bow was hand tied using my bow maker.  The ribbon for the bow was a left over scrap and I did as many loops as I could to use all of it.  I think I trimmed less than 1/2 an inch to make the dove-tail ends.

     Challenges:

A Bit More Time ...

Ally's Angels

Creatalicious

Creative Fingers

Dies R Us

Dream Valley

Outlawz PAM

Paperbabe

Polkadoodles

World Wide Open

     We would love to see you playing along with us in this challenge.  Remember, it runs through the end of the month  so you have plenty of time to get an entry linked up.  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Chasing Skunks

      Most animals have an instinct about what's dangerous or unpleasant, even when they're too young to have actually encountered the danger.  But some youngsters have to push the envelope and learn for themselves.  That's clearly what happened to this young ginger kitten.  Fortunately, he has friends who love and care for him.  :-D

     House Mouse image colored with ProMarkers and cut with cross-stitch die from Unbranded dies.  All the papers are scraps from the basket and I know the papers with the rows of dots came from Lawn Fawn.  The sheer ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon and the sheer bow is one of my signature, hand-sewn bows with a pearl.  The sentiment was printed and cut with a die from Avery Elle.

I was inspired by Sketch #213 at Sweet Sketch Weds.

adjusted for an A2 card.

     Challenges:

Crafty Gals Corner

Crafty Sentiments

Double Trouble

House Mouse

Incy Wincy

Lemon Shortbread

Simon Says Stamp

SUYP Cats

TTCRD

     That's all I have for today but I'm heading back to the craft room so who knows what I might have for tomorrow?  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Don't Over-Shop!

      Doing anything for too long without taking a break can be harmful to your health and that includes "Retail Therapy!"  It's time for the start of a new weekly challenge over at Creative Knockouts and this week our theme is "All Stitched Up."  Add stitches; they can be real or faux.  Our fantastic sponsor is the most beloved Hetty Clare and she supplied images for the DT.  I chose "Ladies on a Seesaw" and this card is going to remind me (through an eye-level placement on the craft room door) that taking breaks is a wonderful thing.

     This image was such a perfect opportunity to make the entire card into a scene buy choosing papers which worked for both sky and ground.  I started by coloring the image with my ProMarkers, then cutting it with a die from Cuts.  The die has stitching marks and I enhanced them by using a black gel pen on each stitch.

     Once colored, I chose papers from Recollections (green) and Lawn Fawn (blue) stacks which complimented the colors I used on the sky and ground in the image.  I added a wrap of aqua ribbon and tied a double-loop bow for the top of the card.  I printed and fussy cut the sentiment, and the card was done!

     Challenges:

4 Season

Art Impressions

Crafter's Castle

Creative Inspirations

Cutie Pie

Di's Digi Designs

Dragonfly Dreams

Incy Wincy

Inspiration Station

Outlawz PAM

     Come play with us this week!  You could win a prize from Hetty Clare and we'd love to be inspired by what you make.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie 

Singing in the Spring Rain

      Let's start by saying Happy Easter to all who celebrate it !

    My card today has nothing to do with Easter but it is a celebration of spring.  The image is from  House Mouse, of course - nobody who has ever used a House Mouse stamp could miss that.  :-D  

      Do you like my new hologram CS from Lawn Fawn?  It was part of my latest shopping trip over there. 

Colored w ProMarkers (my fav coloring medium)

Glitter gel ink added to raindrops

Image & frame cut w Tonic Studios dies

Frame is hologram CS from Lawn Fawn

Card base is metallic CS from stash

Sentiment cut w Avery Elle die

     Challenges:

Colouring in Scrapland

Crafty Sentiments

Digi Choosday

Double Trouble (2 out of 3)

House Mouse

Lawn Fanatics (Song: Singing in the Rain)

Lemon Shortbread

Outlawz Greetings

Simon Says Stamp

TTCRD

     That's all for now but I'll have a DT post late tonight and another one a couple of hours later so be sure to check back first thing in your morning.  I don't expect you to set an alarm to get up at midnight and have a peek at my blog.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Rose for Mom

     Isn't this the cutest image?   It's from Di's Digi Designs and their current challenge is a TicTacToe board.  I did the top row of  Sentiment/ Flower/ Hand-colored.

I stared with colors in the Color Dare #333 challenge at

Color My Heart.  I used colors from the first column

plus Clover green (3rd column) and neutrals of gray and brown.

     I colored with ProMarkers and added little highlights with gel inks.  I cut a square, then used a Fiskars corner punch on all four corners.  I did the same with the two matting layers.

     I chose a plaid paper from Lawn Fawn and used it for my card front.  The little strip is also from that same dp. 

     I printed and matted the sentiment, hand cutting each layer.  I used a Spellbinders die to cut the two white flowers from mulberry paper and used a mat behind them before adding the sentiment piece.

     Challenges:
Crafty Friends
Crafter's Castle
Dragonfly Dreams
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
Outlawz SAR
Sasayaki Glitter
SUYP Cats

     Thanks for visiting.  I hope to be able to get around to some of my favorite blogs this weekend.  I do miss seeing what you've posted when time is so crunched.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie