Snowman Mug

      Limited Runs was one of my favorite progressive challenges but they have now ended it.  However, they still have a Facebook page and I'm going to share this card over there.  Isn't this an adorable Snowman Mug?

     I also want to tell you about a fun "challenge-yourself" idea being promoted by my blogging buddy, V.  It's called "Just Stash January" and it involves using nothing but things already in your stash throughout the entire month of January!  There are a few reasonable exceptions (all of which mean that no money has come out of your pocket) and you can read about those on her post.  Just click on the link and find out all about it, then start counting those coins and bills you'll be 'stashing' in your pocket this month instead of crying about even more charges on the credit cards after the holiday season.  :-D  Everything on this card came from the stash!

Colored w ProMarkers

Image is Fussy Cut

Doily behind the image cut w QuicKutz die

Background dp from DCWV

Sentiment cut w Avery Elle die

Twine bow hand tied

     Challenges:

A Bit More Time...Extra
A Perfect Time to...

Arty Divas

Crafts Galore Encore

Crafty Hazelnut's

Do Al(l) Creatives

LeAnn's World

Let's Craft & Create

Morgan's ArtWorld

Your Scrapbook Place

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Ghost

      Each and every month I like to play along in the progressive challenge at Limited Runs and this month they have given us a perfectly sweet Halloween ghost!  He was so delightfully simple that I decided to keep the card CAS as well.  I don't know what the image is actually called but I call him "Mr. Bowtie" in honor of the bowtie I made for him.

     I think one of the things I  love about Halloween cards (and I've done a lot of them this week - 2 of which haven't even been posted yet!) is getting to include my favorite color of purple.  How many of you can remember when black and orange were the only Halloween colors?  Two or three decades ago, purple got added to the mix and I was absolutely delirious.  Then olive green showed up pretty regularly and now it seems we have four colors which are accepted as "Halloween colors."  I'm OK with that as long as they don't take my purple away.  :-D

Colored with ProMarkers

Cut with Spellbinders die

Polka dot bow tie, hand wrapped

Sentiment is a Recollections sticker

     Challenges:

Allsorts

Crafty Sentiments

Dare 2B Artzy

Digi Choosday

Dream Valley

Gem of a Challenge

House ... Stamps Built

Lemon Shortbread

TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Sleeping Dragon

     It's time for the next Progressive Challenge at Limited Runs and this time we get to work with this delightful sleeping dragon, which my granddaughter will love!  I decided to use my favorite color combo of purple and aqua.  Everything on this card was made from scraps, including the CS on which the image was printed.

Inspired by the sketch at Sweet Sketch Weds, 

flipped top to bottom.

Colored w/ ProMarkers & glitter
Cut w/ Dare2BArtzy die
Oval die from QuicKutz
Rounded corners cut w/ Fiskars punch
White ribbon Really Reasonable Ribbon
Gingham bow, hand-tied
Papers = scraps from the basket
Sentiment printed, hand cut, & matted

     Challenges:
Arty Divas
Crafty Friends
Crafty Sentiments
Dare 2B Artzy
Digi Choosday
Dragonfly Dreams
Lil Patch of ...
Passion for ProMarkers

     Have yourself a great weekend and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Out of This World

     Limited Runs has it's latest Progressive Challenge going right now and this cute little spaceman is the image for this month.  I went with a CAS design and a masculine theme.  I've just gotten a commission for a dozen or so masculine, encouragement cards for a friend of my daughter who sends a card to her 18 year old son once a week and this one will be a great start.  :-D

Colored with ProMarkers, gel inks, & water colors
Image and frame cut with QuicKutz dies
Sentiment printed and cut with Avery Elle die
Jute cord wrapped around pre-made card base

     Challenges:
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Inspiration
Get Creative
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Simon Says Stamp
Simon Says Stamp & Show

     Short post today but I'm still playing catch up from last week and trying to get everything done for all my First of the Month DT commitments.  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

Stop and Taste the Tulips

     This fun and silly image came from the Progressive Challenge at Limited Runs this month.  I know we're commonly advised to "Stop and smell the roses" but this one looks more like she's stopping to taste the tulips.  lol  I did a pretty simple design with just the image and some ribbon.

Colored w/ ProMakers
Cut with an Unbranded die
Sheer ribbon from my old stash
Gray CS for the card base

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time...
Crafts Galore Encore
Creatalicious
Creative Crafters
Dare 2B Artsy
Outlawz Stash
Prika Crafts
World Wide Open

     We had rain again this morning, even though our weather predictors said it would only rain up in the mountains and that we'd see nothing.  Mind you, I'm not complaining!  It was wonderful to hear the rain pounding down on the metal awning over my driveway right outside my craft room.  What a wonderful background accompaniment to the creative process.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Tiny Party

     Despite all the emphasis on 'Social Distancing' and either mandatory or voluntary home isolation, the fairies who live in this village have decided to host a party.  Of course, it's going to be a very tiny party because this is the only hall they could rent!  lol 

    The image is from the Progressive Challenge at Limited Runs this month.

Colored with ProMarkers and chalks
Image and metallic paper mat (scrap) cut with Tonic Studios dies
Filigree ribbon scrap
Gold metallic ribbon for multi-loop bow
3 mini buttons - Usually, I reach for the pearls but these buttons were exactly the right size and color so it was buttons instead of pearls!  :-D
Sentiment cut with Avery Elle die

     Challenges:
As You Like It
Colour Crazy
Creative Fingers
Creative Knockouts
Creative Moments
Lil Patch of ...
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Pixie's Snippets

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bubbles Everywhere

     This fun and silly image is from the Limited Runs Progressive Challenge and if you haven't played before, you can check out how to get the image on the Facebook page.  Just click on the Limited Runs name above and the link will take you there.

     The expression on this fish's face made me think he was suffering from severe indigestion or heartburn and this was the end result of my thought process.  lol

I used the sketch from Tuesday Morning and 3 colors from

Color My Heart #381 (Glacier/Lagoon/Nectarine.)

  

Colored with ProMarkers and gel inks
Cut with Memory Box die
Inked edges
Glitter added to bubbles
Background paper from scrap box
Paper used for strips also scraps & cut w/ Memory Box die
Blue pearls added
Sentiment printed and hand cut

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Crafty Catz
House that Stamps Built (middle row)
Ike's World
Paperbabe Stamps
Polkadoodles
Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Iced Polar Bear

     You've all heard of Iced Tea?  Maybe even Iced Coffee or Iced Espresso?  Well, today we have an Iced Bear!  lol  The image is from Limited Runs for their Progressive Challenge.  The bear is theirs but I added the block of ice.

     This is really a very CAS card - the image is cut with a fancy die and mounted onto a pre-made card blank.

Colored with ProMarkers
Glitter added to ice block
Cut with Spellbinders die
Mounted onto pre-made card blank
Sentiment printed and cut by hand

     Challenges:
Addicted to CAS
Angie's Digi Stamps
Bastel-Traum
Crafter's Cafe
Dare 2B Artzy
Dragonfly Dreams
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Morgan's Art World
Star Stampz

     That's all for today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cat with the Coffee

     Today's card is late for the Coffee Lovers Hop but the image came from Limited Runs .  :-D   Doesn't he look like the dollop of whipped cream for his latte ended up on his head?  No wonder he wanted just the coffee.  lol

My colors came from this challenge at Color My Heart.

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with pinpoint, Memory Box die
Matting layers cut with Memory Box dies
Background paper from DCWV
Burlap twine, triple loop, bow

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Cute Card Thurs
Double Trouble
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Paperbabe Stamps
Pattie's Creations
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Polkadoodles

     Thanks for visiting and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Little Bear's Gift

     I just adore the freebie image from Limited Runs for this month's Progressive Challenge.   It's an adorable little bear with  his arms open.  I thought he looked like he should be holding something and my thought was maybe a big bouquet of mums all done in lovely fall colors.  But every fall bouquet I tried just covered up his face and arm so I downsized my idea to a couple of roses wrapped in paper and it worked perfectly!

Colored with ProMarkers
Image and both frames cut with Tonic Studio dies (from scraps)
Roses - fussy cut
Ribbons - scraps from the bin
Sentiment printed and fussy cut - matted with scrap CS
Signature bow with pearl

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Crafty Calendar
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Paperbabe Stamps
Pixie's Snippets
Word Art Weds.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Fat Wool ?

     This delightfully, silly sheep is the image from the progressive challenge at Limited Runs this month and I couldn't decide if he was fat or just super wooley.  Obviously, he got a bit miffed with me over that.  lol

     I colored with ProMarkers, then used a frame which was a leftover I made by cutting the center for another project (Spellbinders die.)  I layered the frame on top of the sheep image.  I printed and fussy cut the sentiment, then added one of my signature hand-sewn bows (with a pearl) on top of the shiny, silver ribbon along the left border.

     Challenges:
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Creations
Digi Choosday
Double D
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
Lemon Shortbread
Paper Funday
Passion for ProMarkers
TTCRD

     That's it!  Happy Crafting.   NanaConnie

Floating By

     It's a lazy kind of weekend at our house.  I've been hiding in the craft room while grandson has a baseball game and the younger granddaughter is working.  Older granddaughter lives in her own house now so who knows what she might be doing.  Sleeping in, probably, if her fur babies allow.   I was working with this sweet image from Limited Runs Progressive Challenge and it seems to perfectly reflect how lazy the day is.

     The coloring on this one is a mix of ProMarkers, watercolor paints, and bleached dp (the pink half circle.)  The image and the sentiment are cut with oval dies from QuicKutz.  The blue rectangle with the cross-stitching was cut with an Unbranded die. 

     The pink circle had been cut with a die from My Favorite Things Die-namics.  I cut it in half for use on another project and this half was left over. 

     The bow was made with a bit of Baker's twine.  Everything (except the image piece) started out as a scrap and I cut them to suit based on how large or small they were.  Even the card base was a left over piece of 12" x 12" CS which had  been used in scrapbooking.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps
Crafty Sentiments
Digi Choosday
Dragonfly Dreams
Ike's World
Lemon Shortbread
Passion for ProMarkers
Pile It On
TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Summer Days

     Ok, now that we've had consistently warm days for more than a week, I can believe that summer is right around the corner.  Unfortunately for me, I live in an area where it gets really HOT during our summer months and I hate the heat.  :-(  But I do love summer grilling so this cute image from Limited Runs for the latest Progressive Challenge was just what I needed.  I'll probably use this as a birthday card for my son since he not only has a summer birthday but he's a master at the grill (just ask him - he'll tell you!)

     I colored with ProMarkers, then cut the image with a Sizzix die. The pale yellow circle was cut with a die from QuicKutz.  The sentiment was printed and hand cut.  I found a bit of golden, satin ribbon in my stash and wrapped it around the kraft CS front.  I used one of my signature bows, leaving it white this time, and added only a pearl as I was sewing it.

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Cardz TV
Crafty Creations
Dream Valley
House that Stamps Built
Incy Wincy
Jo's Scrap Shack
Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Spring Bird in His Garden

     This image from the Progressive Challenge at Limited Runs is so perfect for spring (which hasn't arrived at my house yet - how about yours?)  Each day with a freezing temperature makes me wish more strongly for spring. 

     Before I had decided what to do for the background, I saw that the Color challenge at The Outlawz gave us one color (green), an option to choose two other colors from the inspiration photo (see below) - I chose pink and pale blue - and the twist was to make our own background.  I sorted through the dp scraps on my desk, added a strip of washi tape, and laid them all together on the card front to make the background.  Fortunately, all the dp scraps were distressed and worked well together.

     I colored the image with ProMarkers and cut it with a stitched Unbranded die.  The glossy, pink frame was cut with a Cottage Cutz pinpoint die.  I thought they complemented each other.  The pale pink satin ribbon was a left over scrap and the deep pink ribbon for the bow was in my stash.  I added a tiny gemstone to it.

     Challenges:
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Sentiments
Digi Choosday
Lemon Shortbread
Papercraft
Passion for ProMarkers
{PIN}spirational
TTCRD

     Thanks for visiting.  Please stop by again tomorrow when I'll have my weekly post for QKR Stampede.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Let Them Eat Cupcakes!

     Hey, guess who found her ProMarkers?  One more craft room box unpacked and put into the new space.  :-D  Having organized them, it was necessary to immediately use them.  You understand, I had to test them to see if any had gone dry or leaked or changed color.  Besides, the progressive challenge at Limited Runs comes to an end in just a few more days and I had to get something made and submitted.

     I colored the cupcake with ProMarkers, then used a stitched die from Lawn Fawn to cut the image and the two framing pieces.  The dp is from 7 Gypsies and each little diamond in the pattern echos the stitching.  I decided on a CAS design, letting the pattern in the dp do all the visual work.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Friends
I {heart} ProMarkers
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lawn Fawnatics
                
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz SAR
Path of Positivity

     That's it for today.  I really do have to get back into the craft room but not for play this time.  I have to get things completely reorganized so that play will be something enjoyable again.  Hang in there with me -- I promise to get back into my routine soon.  NanaConnie

Christmas Leftovers

     We all have Christmas leftovers, some from the meal we shared, some from the decorating, and some that are still around simply because we haven't recovered adequately after the festivities to take care of them properly.  But I have a great idea.  What if we just made all the leftovers (candy canes, fruitcake, ornaments on the floor because the feline fur babies took them down...) the property (and responsibility) of the elves?  Problem solved!  lol

I decided on bold and bright traditional Christmas colors 

so I could play along in the Color Dare challenge.

     This cute image is from the Progressive challenge at Limited Runs and I used ProMarkers to color it.  I cut it with a scalloped die from Memory Box.  I printed the sentiment and cut it by hand.  I added the red, polka dot ribbon and the white bow with a pearl but left it rather CAS.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Butterfly
Cardz TV
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Hazelnut's
Cupcake Inspirations

Cute N Crafty
Double Trouble
Hiding in My Craft Room
Outlawz Festive Fri
Paper Girls

     BTW, if you need a suggestion, I'm sending all our Christmas leftovers home with the Elf on the Shelf!  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Is That All???

     Every neighborhood, every classroom, probably every family, has one - the kid who rips into a huge pile of presents, opens every one, and then wants to know if that's all there is!  lol  You'd think Santa would put them on a special Naughty List and bring them only one present next year.

     This fun image is the freebie from the Limited Runs Progressive Challenge on their Facebook page.  I colored the image with ProMarkers and gel inks, then die cut it with a stitched die from Cottage Cutz.  I cut a scrap of red CS with a CUTplorations, wonky-stitched, die and mounted the image onto it, offsetting it to one side.

     I found some silver, grosgrain ribbon in my stash and wrapped that around the CS piece, then I added the sentiment which had also been cut with a die from Cottage Cutz.  The die I used was larger than the sentiment so I had to make an adjustment and cut twice to get the size I wanted.

     Everything was mounted onto a navy blue card base and I added three glittered snowflakes with gems for a splash of bling.

     Challenges:
2 Sisters on the Blog (ribbon/white/blue)
Card Mania
Christmas Crafts...
Country View Crafts
Crafter's Cafe
Crafts Dreamy
Creative Craft Cottage
Dies R Us

     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

Words for Christmas

     I have two more Christmas cards to share today, both using image sentiments as the focus.  These are from Limited Runs and I've used four of these Christmas sentiments to make a dozen  CAS Christmas cards for my stash.

     The coloring on each one was done with ProMarkers.  On the top one, I used "Frosted Lace" Stickles for the snow on the letters.  The snowflakes are rub-ons which have been in my stash at least 5 years.  It was about time  I used them!  

     I'm still working on getting the weather to cool down and feel like fall instead of a sweltering 100+F day after day so this card is actually a plea more than a statement.  lol

     On the bottom one, I used ribbon from my Christmas stash and tied a tiny bow, white originally but dyed red with a ProMarker.  The Santa and the snowflakes on that one are simple foam stickers to which I added glitter.  

     That's two more quick, CAS cards for the Christmas stash.

     Challenges:  (Cold Outside)

Color Sisters

Creative Craft Cottage

Joy Clair

Morgan's ArtWorld

Paper Nest Dolls

     Challenges:  (Santa Stop)

12 Months of Christmas

A Bit More Time to Craft

Christmas Crafts All Year Round

Classic Design Team Open

Not Just Cards

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie