Jan's New Year's Eve Set

     New Year's Eve is just under a month away and I've done my first New Year celebration card!  Jan's Digi Stamps has two really beautiful sets and I'm featuring an image from one of them for my DT card for the Third Challenge which starts today.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes."

     I don't do a lot of cards celebrating the New Year but the image options in the two sets (which are new releases) are so versatile they can be used for nearly any celebration.  I chose the hour glass from the New Year's Eve 3231J set because I can also imagine it on a birthday card with a sentiment about "Is time running out?" or something silly like that.  :-D  But this particular card is definitely for the New Year, as you can see from the sentiment which can be found in the Happy New Year 3030J set.

     This card was CAS and so quick to make.  It took me less than 15 minutes because I used the pre-colored image.

Pre-colored image (I wanted you all to see the incredible wood grain that's in the pre-colored image, but not on the black and white outline images.)
Image cut w/ Memory Box die
Frame cut w/ Memory Box stitched die
Frame edges inked w/ ProMarker
Sentiment cut w/ Sizzix die; Stickles added
Glitter paper from Recollections

     Challenges:
2 Sisters on the Blog
AAA Cards
Addicted to Stamps
A Perfect Time to ...
Carlin's Card Paradise
Dare 2B Artsy
Die Cut Divas
Friendship
Lil Patch of ...
Stamping Sensations
Your Scrapbook Place

     Come play with us.  The challenge runs until 3 p.m. (Pacific) on Sunday, December 15.   Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

New Year Resolutions

     Another Friday and another new challenge at QKR Stampede!  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" and you can win some of the cutest images anywhere in the digital (or rubber, if you prefer) world.

     Today I want to have a brief discussion about New Year Resolutions.  Each and every year, we all get subtle 'nags' about making new resolutions for living our lives in the upcoming year but we all know that the resolutions will get broken within the first week (ok, maybe some will last a whole month if we make our resolutions easy and non-stressful) and then we can overwhelm ourselves with guilt for not sticking to them.  What's the point?

     Here's what I think should be done with New Year Resolutions!

     Write them down, share them with NOBODY, put them into a bottle, and toss them into the ocean (or any nearby body of water where they can sink to the bottom and be lost forever.)

     This QKR image is called "Wish in a Bottle" and I've been meaning to use it for over a year now.  See, I should have made using it one of my New Year Resolutions last year and it might have gotten done more quickly. :-D

The colors from the challenge at My Favorite Things

were perfect!

 
     I colored with ProMarkers and watercolors, then cut the image with a simple, square die from QuicKutz.  I wrapped it with sparkly, sheer ribbon and tied a 5-loop bow with the help of my bow maker.  The white 'flowers and leaf flourish' was cut with a Memory Box die.  I printed the sentiment, hand cut it with scissors, and mounted it on dimensional dots.

     Challenges:
As You Like It
Craft-Dee BowZ
Creative Knockouts
Cute Card Thurs.
Cut It Up
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Southern Girls

     One more week and my routine will be back to normal with all the holidays out of the way.  There will be some big changes coming up in the new year and they have nothing to do with resolutions!  I hope you're going to play along with us this week.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Day 5 at MHK Designs

     This is the last day of the October release from MHK Designs and we're giving you a head start on New Year Greetings, which is the name of this set.  Yes, I know it's early but I always get so caught up in Christmas that I often forget about the New Year.  This year, I've already gotten 5 cards done, all using this particular set.  Here's the first one I did.

     I really like Mynn's retro image which I colored with ProMarkers and metallic gold and silver ProMarkers.  Hard to see in the photo but it gives a spectacular shine to the card.   I die cut the image with a die from Spellbinders, and then framed it with another plain octagon die cut (QuicKutz.)  That's metallic gold paper which also adds some shine.

     The ribbon is metallic and I added a simple white pearl to the bow.  The sentiment is part of the set (see photo below) and I matted it with the same gold paper.

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Colour Crazy Craft
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Sentiments
Creative Fingers
Digi Choosday
Glitter n Sparkle
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Quick Quotes
Through the Craft Room Door

     I'll have one more post later this morning and I'll have two posts tomorrow so be sure to check in to see each one.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

 New Year Greetings

Warm Irish Coffee Wishes

     Winter and December/January holidays are great times for sending warm wishes and holding hot cups of coffee in otherwise frozen hands.  When it's Irish Coffee, that's even better.  :-D

     I made this masculine card for a friend who was kind enough to commission 8 Christmas cards from me.  The image is from My Whimsical Little World.  It was a freebie on their FB page and I'm entering it in their "Anything Goes" challenge on the blog..  I colored it with my ProMarkers and die cut it with one of my hexagon dies.  I used that same die set to cut the red and black CS used for framing it.

     The sentiment is computer generated, printed, and cut with a die from Spellbinders, then I added matching red and black CS to frame it.  Everything was mounted onto blue, shiny CS to give it an icy look suitable for a penguin.

     The only embellishment is the bow from my stash of those I make myself.

     Challenges:
Card and Scrap
Catch the Bug
CCC Digi
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Friends
Die Cut Divas
Just Keep on Creating
Karleigh Sue
Outlawz Greetings
Petal Lu

     Hope your rush is slowing down a bit and that you're now able to spend some time gathering new creative energy for the New Year.  We all deserve a short break before we face the necessity of getting back into the drudge of our every day routines after the holiday hustle and bustle.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Cheers!

     I have been away from my crafting desk for way too long and really missed it.  I swear I'm going to have to start a "Crafter's Anonymous" group to help with this addiction.  :-D  Today's card is one I've done for the Progressive Challenge at Rick St. Dennis' Sparkle n Glitter blog.  The image is a new one I purchased with a gift certificate Santa brought me and I also used two of my brand spankin' new dies from Cheery Lynn, the frame and the "Cheers."  What a perfect way to celebrate the New Year!

I used the colors from Pals Paper Arts.

Unfortunately, my Navy Blue looks almost black

and, of course, my lavender/wisteria turned blue. :(

     I colored the image with ProMarkers, then die cut it.  I cut the frame from lavender/periwinkle CS and then cut the sentiment from the same CS.  I added glitter to the "Cheer" sentiment and to the upper corner of the frame for a touch of sparkly bling.

     That gorgeous sheer ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  The little mouse at the bottom is actually a completely separate RSD image which I sized, printed, and fussy cut before adding it.  I think he definitely adds to the party atmosphere, doesn't he?

     Challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks
As You Like It (square because it gives the most space for designing)
Crafter's Cafe
Crafty Catz
Digistamps 4 Joy
DL.ART
I {heart} ProMarkers
Inspiration Destination
Just Inspirational
Little Miss Muffet
Little Red Wagon
Passion for ProMarkers (die cut/free/glitter)
Simply Create Too

     The weekend is half over and the reality of post-holiday work weeks looms ahead.  I hope your day brings you some relaxation and creativity.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Please just ignore the annoying Verification thingy.  You can write and post your comment without entering anything in the box (at least until Blogger decides to change that, too.)  Thank you.

New Year Lovers

     OK, it's my first Friday since leaving the Delicious Doodles design team and I begged Teri to let me come back one more time as a Guest Designer so that I could do this card using her fabulous silhouette image, "Lovers."  She said "yes," and here I am!   The theme this week is "Let's Party" and I can't think of a bigger party than the one to start off the New Year every year.  I hope we'll see you playing along.

I chose sketch #173 from Sunday Sketch & Stamp.

     This image is also fantastic for a wedding, engagement, or anniversary card.  Or maybe a New Year's wedding?  Just change out the sentiment.  I printed the image, added some Stickles (Diamond) for a bit of glitz and sparkle, then double framed it with two negative die cuts, one black, one white.

     The embossed paper is a leftover from another project (you'll see it next year) and I used my brand new embossing folder from Sizzix (which actually is flowers, not snowflakes, but I thought it made great flakes, too.  :-D )  I have some wonderful new tools to use this year.

     The silver ribbon was in my stash and the background dp was made by painting a scrap piece of  paper with Royal Blue paint from Creative Inspirations and then adding snow to it with a white gel pen.  The sentiment is also an image from Delicious Doodles and is a freebie on the Facebook page over there.

     Challenges:
Artistic Inspirations -- Anything goes
Craft-Dee Bowz -- Anything w/ handmade bow
Crafter's Cafe -- New Year
Crafting by Designs -- New
Crafty Bloggers Network -- Girly
Crazy Challenge -- New Year
Creative Inspirations Paints -- Anything goes
Cuttin' n Stampin' -- Anything goes w/ leftovers
Fan-Tastic Tuesday -- Punches & dies
Friends of Speedy TV -- Wedding or engagement
My Craft Creations -- Anything goes
One Stitch at a Time -- Anything goes
Outlawz Monday Greeting -- Tie it up (ribbon/lace)
Paper Pretties Weds. -- New Year
Pink Elephant Monday -- Anything goes
Rhedd & Rosie's -- Snow
Robyn's Fetish -- Silver or gold
Scribble n Scrap -- Anything goes
Twisted Tuesday -- New beginnings + use something new (emb folder)
Vintage Stamping/Flonz -- Cold & frosty colors
Whimsy Inspirations -- Party time

     So, one last time as a favor for me, won't you play along in the "Party Time" challenge at Delicious Doodles?  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie  

First Tuesday Throwdown Challenge of 2012

     Happy first work day of 2012 and welcome to the first Tuesday Throwdown challenge of 2012.  Our challenge this week is sponsored by Robyn's Fetish, and they supplied all the digital stamps used by the DT.  Our theme is "Shiny New Year" and we want to see something shiny on your projects this week.  If you use as much shine as I did, you might have a problem getting your project to photograph.  I've never taken so many shots of one card trying to get the one shot without backflash glare!  LOL

     I used a sketch from My Time Made Easy.

      Doesn't this snowman cone look ready for a party?  He could be Christmas or New Year, or even a birthday, as long as he gets to the party!  Ice Cream (the snowman kind or not) seems to always be a necessity for parties and celebrations of all kinds!

     I colored the image with Copics and added Glossy Accents to the 'snowman' part of the ice cream cone.  That's where the problems started with trying to photograph the card.  Here's a closeup to show you how really shiny it is IRL.  You can see the photography problems it would cause.  :-D

     The dp came from the new DCWV stack which Santa brought me for Christmas.  Love all the snowflakes in those papers!  I fussy cut the image and matted it with black CS.  Each dp is also matted with black.  I added the ribbon, the bow, and the shiny pearls as embellishments, all from my stash.

Challenges for this card:
2 Sisters -- Winter colors (purple, blue, white, or silver combos)
4 Crafty Chicks -- Something New (New Year, new dp, new image)
Craft Your Days Away -- Snowmen
C.R.A.F.T. -- New Year
Crimbo Crackers - Snowflakes
Critter Sketch - Celebrations
DRS Designs -- Snowflakes
House of Gilli -- Anything Goes
Incy Wincy -- Anything Goes
Kaboodle Doodles -- Celebrate
Mark's Finest Papers -- Snowflake
My Craft Spot -- Winter Wonderland
One Stop Crafts - Winter Wishes
Our Craft Lounge -- Inspiration photo (colors)
Pile It On - Anything Goes (plus always as many challenges as possible)
Robyn's Fetish -- Anything Goes
Secret Crafter -- Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp and Show -- Something Old, Something New
Stamps & Fun = Creativity -- Snow
Stamping with the Dragon -- Let It Snow
Totally Papercrafts -- Party Time

     Sure hope you'll come play in the Tuesday Throwdown challenge this week.  It's an easy one - just use something shiny.  See you there and Happy Stamping.  Welcome to 2012!  NanaConnie