Letter "O" - 30 Days of Holidays

      Today we return to the letters of the alphabet for the daily challenges at Beccy's Place and I'm up to the Letter "O."  I've done an Offset Gate Fold card (tutorial is available on Beccy's blog under the A - Z Folds tab at the top of the page.  In my opinion, Beccy does some of the best tutorials around; step by specific step, clear, and easily understood.)

    I colored the cute snowman image (also Beccy's Place) in Odd (odd for Christmas) colors of purple and pink and I used my Ohuhu alcohol markers.  The sweet snowman is carrying an Ornament as he readies his home for Christmas.  Once colored, I cut the image with a Tonic Studios die, and cut the mat for it with another die from that set.  The papers on each flap of the gatefold came from Doodlebug.  I thought the print on the papers was enough so that no further embellishment was needed.

     Challenges:

613 Ave Create

Classic Design

Crafting Happiness

Creative Creases

Krafty Chicks

Outlawz Monday

Outlawz Thurs

Peace on Earth

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Nutcrackers

      Conie Fong has a new image set, released just this week and perfect for Christmas.  It's a fabulous set of Nutcrackers which includes a King, a Soldier, and a Drummer.  Click on the word "Nutcrackers" in the previous sentence and that will take you right to them in store.  They are so perfect and I went a little crazy making DT projects with them.  :-D

     I started with this card, using the Nutcracker King image.  He's colored with Sanjoki markers, then cut with a Tonic Studios die.  I used a Sizzix embossing folder on a scrap of CS (Stampin' Up) to make the blue panel, then cut the snowflakes with dies from Impression Obsession.  They have glitter added to them for a tiny bit of sparkle but it just doesn't show up in the photo.  The Noel sentiment was cut with a Die-Versions die.  The final touch was the hand-sewn, satin bow with a pearl.

     Challenges:

     Feeling that the other two Nutcracker images shouldn't be left out, and because my daughter collects nutcrackers as Christmas decorations and displays, I made a two-sided, tree ornament for her.  Both images were colored with Sanjoki markers, then I cut each one with the same Spellbinders die.  

 

     After cutting the images with that die, I cut 7 more of that shape from plain white CS.  I sandwiched all those layers together using double stick tape to make the ornament thick and heavy, and added a scrap of ribbon as the hanger.  (Note: As an afterthought, after the photos had been taken, I applied Mod Podge to both sides and along the edges of the ornament, letting it dry between applications.  It's now very sturdy and can be used year after year.)

     These snowflakes were cut with a die from Cottage Cuts.  Here are photos of both sides of the ornament.

Drummer

 

Soldier

     Challenges:

     Don't forget that we have a monthly challenge going over on the Conie Fong Facebook site with an Anything Goes theme.  All you have to do is use a Conie Fong image (there are freebies available on the site which you can download and use.)  Or, if you've fallen in love with the Nutcrackers, you can pick up all 3 of them in the set for only $4.00!  Again, all you have to do is click on the word "Nutcrackers" in the first paragraph of this post and that link will take you right to them in the Etsy store.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

"O" is for Ornament

      Another letter day at the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place and today is "O."  Beccy has some lovely ornament images and this is one that I have used each year since she released it.  I always get lovely comments on it, whether I've colored it myself or (as I did this year) have taken the shortcut of using the pre-colored image.

     I cut the Ornament with an Oval die, and used Onyx CS for the card base.  Aside from wanting an additional "O" for my card, the onyx makes the image pop from the background.  :-D   The ribbon is metallic, gold, wired ribbon from my stash and I have no idea what company made it.  I know I picked it up 2 years ago in the after-Christmas sales and I've made good use of it this year.  I used wide, gold twine for the hand-tied bow on the ornament.

     Challenges:

12 Months/Christmas

Carlin's Card Paradise

CCC Digi Creations

Crafts Galore Encore

Creative Moments

Digi Doodle Studios

Incy Wincy

Kerst Christmas

Mirtillamente

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Ornaments

      Well, the first Monday in November finally arrived and that means the challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps is BACK!  Woohoo!  The whole team is so excited and some of us are sharing a new image from Jan called Holiday Ornaments 2021 and it will be FREE starting today and running through Christmas, then it will be retired.  So, head over to the JDS shop and grab it while you can. 

     I started out by coloring the star gold and the baubles green and next thing I knew I only had green ProMarkers on my desk along with a gold paint pen.  Once the image was colored, I used  QuicKutz rectangular die to cut it, then did the corners with a Fiskar's punch.  

     The sentiment was cut with a small circle die, also from QuicKutz.  I matted the image with shiny, gold CS and rounded the corners.  I chose a green card base, wrapped it with gold, sparkle ribbon, and added the matted image piece on top.  Very CAS, even though the open space isn't white.  :-D

I used an archive sketch from Sketch Saturday,

turned a quarter turn to fit the shape of my image. 

#279 Sept. 25, 2021

     Challenges:

Allsorts

Crafty Hazelnut's

Creative Fingers

Gem of a Challenge

Lil Patch of ...

Peace on Earth

Simon Says Stamp

     Come play with us in our challenge.  We know it's been a few months since you could do that and we really want to see all of our regular players returning this month.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

"O" is for Ornament

      I'm behind again on my posting but the catch up will be slow.  I'm posting 2 cards today and this is the one using the Letter "O" prompt.  Both are part of my contribution to the 30 Days of Christmas at Beccy's Place.  I used one of Beccy's Ornament images and it is pre-colored.  I made an Off or Over the Edge card, and cut my ornament & the frame into Oval shapes.  Finally, I added an Onyx black bow.

    With the pre-colored image, this was a very quick card to make.

Here's another view showing better how 

the image is "Off the edge" of the card front.

Pre-colored image

Cut with QuiKutz dies

Noel cut w Die-Versions die

Black signature bow w pearl

     Challenges:

Cardz TV

C.R.A.F.T.

Crafty Catz

Crafty Sentiments

Creative Fingers

Lemon Shortbread

Simon Says Stamp

Time Out

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Day 17,"O" - Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas

     One more day and another letter of the alphabet ("O") for a prompt in the 30 Days of Christmas at Beccy's Place.  Instead of doing another card, I've started making gift card holders using instructions I found on YouTube.  You'll see several of them over the next 10 days or so.  Not only do I need some, my daughter wants a half dozen or so for her stash.  :-D

     Here's the first one, inspired by the letter "O" - Ornament and Octagon.  The image is Beccy's "Stanley's Bauble", which I think of as an Ornament.

Colored with pencil, blended with gamsol
Glitter added to the Ornament
Image cut with Octagon die from QuicKutz
Embossed CS used to make the folder
White satin ribbon for the tie

     Here's a photo of the inside of one of these gift card folders, although not this one as you can tell from the color of the folder and the embossing.

     I'm making a sentiment piece for the other slot but it has glitter on it and that's still drying.
 
     Challenges:
AAA Cards
C.R.A.F.T.
Creative Knockouts
Cute Card Thurs
Cutie Pie
Dragonfly Dreams
Get Creative
Lil Patch of ...
TTCRD

     Hope you're having a wonderful weekend.  For those of you already out Christmas shopping, take a breath!  You still have more than a month.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Ornaments

     Last week, I did something new to me - I made an ornament for the Christmas tree by stacking layers of die cut CS.  I liked the result enough to try making a couple more of them.  This time, I did one with a colored image and a second one using just the die cut itself.

     I used another adorable image from Beccy's Place, colored with a combo of ProMarkers and Copics, plus white gel ink for the highlights.  I cut it with a stitched, scalloped die from Memory Box, then cut 4 more from plain, white CS.  I added the ribbon hanger between the two middle layers.  One of the things I learned is that it was extremely difficult to get the scallops to line up exactly!  It seems it should be easy but it wasn't.

     Challenges:
Crafting from the Heart
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
House that Stamps Built
Outlawz Greetings
Simon Says Stamp and Show (basket and bauble)

     Here's the second one I made.

     This next one was cut from red CS with a Die-Versions die.  I cut 2 from the red and 4 more from white CS.  The red ones are the top and bottom layers.  This time I used twine for the hanger instead of ribbon but it's still added between the middle layers.  I put ruby red glitter on the exclamation mark.

      Challenges:
Cupcake Inspirations
Dream Valley
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Penny's Paper Crafty
Simon Says

     There will be a second post later today for the Holiday Chaos week of daily challenges at Catch the Bug.  Hope you'll have time to stop by again.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Mistletoe Ornament

     Yesterday, we finished the entire alphabet prompts and today is the last of the daily challenges which have been running for an entire month at Beccy's Place.  Today we get to do "Anything We Love."  I loved the Mistletoe which came in this set from Beccy's and had to use it before the challenges ended altogether.

     However, I wanted to try something other than just another card so I turned it into a tree ornament!

Colors from Color My Heart #321, 3rd column

plus Gold on the twine bow.

     I printed the mistletoe image onto CS twice, added glitter to the mistletoe berries, then after it dried, cut both of them at the same time with a die from QuicKutz.  I wanted the ornament to have a bit of weight so I cut six more of the same shape from white CS.  I sandwiched those six pieces between the two image pieces and glued them all together, adding the ribbon hanger to the center of the layers.

     If I do another one I think, instead of gluing the layers, I'll try weaving narrow ribbon through the holes and I can tie the ends together to make the hanger.  It'll make it a bit more decorative and I could even add a splash of bright color simply by choosing the right ribbon.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Cardz TV
Crafting from the Heart
Crafting with Friends
Dream Valley
Get Creative
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Penny's Paper-Crafty

     Note especially for Beccy: Playing this month has been so much fun and I look forward to your 30 Days of Cards each November.  Thank you so much for all you do to make the daily challenges fun and fabulous!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

"O" Means Ornament and Oval Card Shape

     Today we're doing the letter "O" as the prompt at Beccy's Place for the 30 Days of Christmas cards.  I found one of Beccy's fabulous Ornaments and used it.  It colored up beautifully.

Color combo came from My Favorite Things.

     I colored with ProMarkers, and the parts which look gold are actually colored with an Olive green marker.  The two narrow stripes bordering the holly are done with Onyx glitter.

     I had already decided on a shaped card so I dug out one of my Oval dies from QuicKutz and used it to cut the card shape.  I had to plan ahead for this card because I wanted it to be a One layer card so I had to put the Ornament at the bottom of the CS sheet in order to have the fold at the top to make a tent card.  This is my first ever Oval card but I'm liking it!

     I added two, teeny, rhinestones - one on each side of the sentiment.

Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Allsorts
Cardz TV
Crafty Friends
Di's Digi Designs
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Penny's Paper-Crafty

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie    

Embossed Ornament

     I searched through some really old stamps and found this Christmas ornament which I haven't used in several years so it definitely was time.  I originally bought this stamp set along with a set of dies from Sparkle n Sprinkle perfectly shaped to these ornaments.  They weren't intended to match the stamps but they worked.  However, for this card I just heat embossed the stamp without using the die set.  I decided on a fairly simple card with only minimal embellishment.

     I stamped the ornament with Versamark ink, then embossed it with red EP.  I cut it with a rectangle die from Spellbinders, and then cut two layers of CS mats for it (same die set), one tan and one red.  I layered those together, then added the ornament but adhered it only across the top of the rectangle.  I found some very old dp which had delightful tan snowflakes on deep red paper and it worked perfectly with the mats for the image.

     I adhered it to the card front, then took a strip of sheer gold ribbon with green edges and tied it around the card front before adding the image piece.  Beyond that ribbon, I left it without embellishment.

     Challenges:
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafting from the Heart
Crafting with an Attitude
Cute Card Thurs.
DL.ART
Glitter n Sparkle
Merry Monday  (top row)
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Star Stampz

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Opera

     One more day in the Month of Holidays at Beccy's Place and today our alphabet theme is "O" so naturally, I thought of Opera!  Doesn't everybody think Opera at Christmas time?  lol  I used the Three Tenors from Beccy's Place.

     I colored with my ProMarkers, then cut the image with a die from QuicKutz.  I wrapped it with a metallic backing to turn it into an Ornament.   I used an Ombre paper for the background and found a scrap of burgundy red CS to make the little pocket on the card front.

     The image/Ornament slides into the pocket but I forgot to take a photo of it with the image inside the pocket.  I added the Merry Christmas sentiment and the glittery wreath as the only embellishment.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps & More
Beccy's Place
I {heart} ProMarkers
Inspiration Destination
Mod Squad
Penny's Paper Crafty
Scrappy Land
Simon Says Stamp
SUYP Cats

     Well, I'm off to run some errands and I'll be back in time to link up to all the challenges.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Vintage Mantle Ornament

     I tried something completely new today and I love the result, although it's extremely difficult to photograph.  A couple of months ago, I was lucky enough to win a new die set from Pixie's Snippets Playground.  Here's a photo of the die.

     Although the die is intended to be used to make accordion cards, I used it to cut 4 sides of a Victorian Christmas ornament made to stand on a table or mantlepiece.

     The best part is that it will fold flat for mailing or storage.  I printed four different vintage girls, printing each one twice, so that I could add them to the swing flaps, both front and back.  The overall size is about 5.5 inches square on each side.

     Challenges:
Aloha Friday
A Vintage Journey
Creative Corner
Dragon's Lair
Fussy and Fancy
Pattie's Creations
Polkadoodles
Stamping Boutique

     I have another post today so be sure to come back and check it out.  It offers instructions for getting a very special freebie you won't want to miss.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie