The Village Crier

     It's another fortnight and that means a new challenge at FarmQuest General Store, where our theme is always "Anything Farm or Country Goes" and, for one more month, we are sponsored by QKR Stampede.  Since we're well into the Christmas Season, I decided it would be fun to celebrate an old English, country Christmas where the Crier went through the country streets of the village, sharing news and stories.

     The QKR image is called "Hear ye, Hear ye."  I printed the image and colored it with ProMarkers.  I cut it with a QuicKutz square die and then I inked the edges.  I thought that cute gingerbread dp made a great background with the added benefit of the kraft and red country colors.  It's from the Christmas scrap basket and I truly don't remember who made it.  I printed the sentiment, cut each piece with an Avery Elle die and then layered it onto the Crier's banner.

     Challenges:

CRAFT-alnica

Creative Fingers

Creative Knockouts

DL Art

Krafty Chicks

Let's Craft & Create

Outlawz Thurs

Pattie's Creations

     Happy Crafting and come play in our challenge.  You could win the 3 QKR Stampede images used by the DT in this challenge.  Be sure to check out the FQGS challenge blog to see all three of them.

     NanaConnie

Old Time Santa

      This CAS card is my DT sample for the FarmQuest General Store challenge which starts today.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" and we are always sponsored by QKR Stampede.  The DT use three images from QKR and those are the prize for the challenge winner.

     I chose to use the Old Time Santa image and I colored him with Sanjoki markers, then cut the image and the two mats with Tonic Studios dies.  I used a Uchida punch of each of the corners and then layered them all together.  The card font was dry embossed with my Linen EF.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  A delightfully CAS card and very masculine.

     Challenges:

Colorful Options

Holly & Ivy

Outlawz Sketch

Paper Shelter

Word Art Weds

     Come play with us this month.  We love being inspired by you and what you make.  Who knows, you might even end up the winner of the three QKR Stampede images.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

In the Pumpkin Patch

      Well, yesterday I shared a Thanksgiving card with you and today I've reverted back to another Halloween card, this one with an image from QKR Stampede.  Over the years that I was on the QKR Stampede DT, I'll bet I used this image every Halloween for at least 8 years (which is pretty much every year I was on the team!)  It's a favorite of mine but this time I get to share it as another collaboration with my sis-in-law doing the coloring of the image with Ohuhu markers and me putting the card together.

     The colored image was cut with a Spellbinders rectangle die but I rounded the corners with one of my Fiskars punches.  I did the same thing with the frame around the image, cut with a Spellbinders die and corners rounded with the Fiskars punch.  My sis-in-law loved the shape and asked me to cut more of her colored images that way when turning them into a card.  lol  She's getting hooked on the card making process, ... slooowly.  Just not yet ready to try her own hand at it.  

     (I made another card yesterday afternoon as a birthday card for one of her granddaughters but I made her choose the image, the size and shape of it, plus the paper for the background and all I did was choose one little embellishment.  Maybe I'll share that card tomorrow.)

     I used paper scraps which originally came from a Recollections Halloween stack to make the background.  I combined the two of them because neither was large enough to cover the entire card front but even with different size stripes, they worked together so well.  The sentiment was printed and cut with a small Tonic Studios die, then framed with a scrap bit of CS.

     Challenges:

Crafts Galore Encore

Do Al(l) Kreatives

Four Seasons

Halloween AYR

Krafty Chicks

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

SheepSki Designs

Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Waiting for Halloween

      Today I'm sharing another of the Halloween cards I've made and we've made a lot of them in this household this year.  As I shared yesterday, my sis-in-law and I are sharing a house now and since we're both crafty people, we're delighted with the arrangement.  But between the two of us, we now have nearly 50 family members, including grands and great-grands (and a few extra friends) who will get cards from us for holidays, birthdays, etc. so she's coloring like mad and I'm turning those colored images into cards.  So far, we have about 36 Halloween cards made, some of which she colored, some of which I colored.  I colored the QKR Stampede image on today's card.

     I dearly love this old broom and have used it before on non-Halloween cards but this year it just seemed to speak out as a witch's broom so I colored it with my ProMarkers, cut it with a QuicKutz die, inked the edges with a marker, and added the sentiment (cut with an Avery Elle die.)  I made the background by using a scrap of dp which came from a Recollections stack.  I just thought all the mummy eyes peeking out added to the sense of waiting, and waiting, and waiting for the witches to arrive.  (Kind of like waiting for the cooler fall temperatures to arrive out here where I live!)  :-D

 

     Challenges:

Double Trouble

Inspired By (theme & colors)

I Love ProMarkers

Krafty Chicks

Pammie's IP

Paperminutes

Passion for Markers

Simon Says Stamp

     Enjoy your day and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Spooky Pumpkin Patch Cat

      We are starting our newest challenge at FarmQuest General Store today and, as usual, we have a general "Country/Farm" theme.  We are sponsored by QKR Stampede and the prize is the three images used by the DT on their inspiration cards both today and on September 21 for the halfway reminder post.

     For my card, I used the adorable QKR image called "Kitty and Pumpkin."  I colored it with my new Ohuhu markers, then cut it with a Cutz die.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

     The plaid paper in the upper background came from a digital stamp I got from Beccy's Place.  The orange triangle in the background was cut from a scrap of CS found in my basket of fall papers.   The black bow was hand sewn (starting with white ribbon which I dyed black with a marker) and to which I sewed a tiny, white, pearl bead.

     Challenges:

Creative Inspirations

Digi Choosday

I Love Markers

Not2Shabby

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Two Old Bats

     Come by and play with us this month!  You could be the winner of three adorable QKR Stampede images.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

At the End

      I have a fun card to share with you today which takes a very black and white view of being last in all things.  :-D  The image is one by QKR Stampede, very simply called "Zebra."  

     I printed it and added some subtle shading with Ohuhu markers, my first time using them (and I do like them!)  The image was cut with a Spellbinders die, and I matted it twice with dp from the Midnight Chic paper stack by DCWV.  That stack happens to be rather old.  I bought two of them at least 10 years ago, have used most of the first one, and I cut into two sheets from second stack for this card.  One is the darker frame and the other is the background dp.  I used white CS to frame the image before layering it onto the background.

     The sentiment was printed and cut with a Tonic Studios die.

     Challenges:

613 Avenue Create

Crafting

Crafts Galore ...

Do Al(l) Kreatives

Lil Patch of Crafty ...

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

     Have a great day and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Checking the List

      We all know that Santa has a long list of good and bad children and that he checks it continuously from August right through until Christmas Eve.  I decided to celebrate his faithful endeavors in that arena by putting together a Country Christmas card for the newest challenge at FarmQuest Country Christmas.  We always have an "Anything Country Christmas Goes" theme so you have to imagine Santa pacing around in the snow in front of the toy shop which he checks that all important list!

     The image came from QKR Stampede and it's called "Checking it Twice."  That seemed a perfect phrase for the sentiment so I used it.  The image is colored with Sanjoki alcohol markers, cut with a QuicKutz die, and inked on the edges.  The two papers for the background came from a Recollections stack which has been in my stash for at least 5 years!  I think it has a nice country (and Christmas) feel to it.

     I printed the sentiment and cut it with an Avery Elle die.  Nice simple Christmas card; one more for the holiday stash.

     Challenges:

12 Months Christmas

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Fingers

Digi Choosday

Dream Valley

Holly & Ivy

Kerst Christmas

Outlawz Friday

Peace on Earth

Penny's P-C

     I hope you'll come and play with us this challenge.  Create something that has a Country Christmas feel to it and enter it into the challenge.  We look forward to seeing what you create.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

One Good Scratch ...

      Welcome to my DT post for the newest challenge at FarmQuest General Store.  We are sponsored by QKR Stampede and the prize will be the three QKR Stampede images used by the DT this month.  The challenge runs until August 5, 2024 and our theme is "Anything Country Goes."  Your project must have a country element and not be filled with cityscapes, malls, or other strictly city life scenarios.  We want to see "country!"

      You can't get much more country than a sheep dog on the ranch.  This image is called "Happy Dog" and I think he's so adorable.  I know he's scratching off a well-earned flea which joined him on a trek through the meadow, guarding the sheep.  lol  I colored him with Sanjoki markers, cut the image with a large QuicKutz die, and inked the edges with an ink pad.  The plaid paper came from DCWV.  Sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die, and again, the edges were inked with a black ink pad.

     I wanted a simple, masculine card to put in my stash of birthday cards.

     Challenges:

Alphabet

CRAFT-alnica

Crafts Galore Encore

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspiration

Pattie's Creationsnull

Polkadoodles

     

     That's all I have for today.  Come play along in our challenge.  Do anything with a 'country' feel, enter it into our challenge, and cross your fingers that you're the winner.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Bear

      I'm still posting Christmas cards which I'm making to get ahead of the late fall rush.  I'll get a few done this month with all the Christmas in July encouragement and that will make me very happy when late November and Thanksgiving hit because the holiday season just gets so rushed right about then.

     The image is from QKR Stampede (one of my favorite of all stamp companies) and it's called "Angel Bear."  I used my Sanjoki markers to color the image, then cut it with a die from Spellbinders.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The background was made using a scrap of DCWV dp.  Pretty simple, no embellishments because I thought the dp was eye-catching enough.

     Challenges:

12 Months...Christmas

A Perfect Time ...

Carlin's Cardnull ...

Crafts Galore Encore

Kerst Christmas

Mirtillamente

     That's it for today but I may have another post later this week.  Happy July!!

  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Eve Bedtime

      I've done a few Christmas cards over the last month or so but haven't gotten very many of them posted, just one which I did for the FarmQuest Country Christmas last week (click HERE to see it.)  But today, I thought it would be fun to show you another of them, and this one will be for one of the newest great-grands this year.

     This is an older image from QKR Stampede, called "Baby Bear" and I colored him in traditional Christmas colors of red and green.  I used my Sanjoki markers, then cut the image with a Tonic Studios die.  I cut a scrap of dp to make the frame around the image but I can't tell you who the maker of that dp was.  The background was made with strips of paper from an old EK Success Christmas stack.  Some of the strips have gold embossing on them.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

     Challenges:

Creative Inspirations

Digi Choosday

Passion for Markers

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Carpenters & Handymen

      Time for a new challenge at FarmQuest General Store, sponsored by QKR Stampede, and the 3 images supplied by them will be the prize for this challenge.  Check out the main challenge post to see both of the Carpenter images (one person, one rabbit) and the adorable "Couch Potato" image.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes."

    I used both of the Carpenter images on separate cards so you get a double treat in this post.  The first one is the Carpenter Rabbit.  I colored the image with Sanjoki markers, then cut it with a Tonic Studios die.  The blue CS background for it was embossed with my "Linen" EF.  I had a strip of plaid dp (Your Next Stamp) in the scrap basket and I thought it worked perfectly to enhance the color palette on the card.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

      Challenges:

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Inspiration

Krafty Chicks

Not Too Shabby (color)

Outlawz Thurs

     The second card features the other Carpenter image (one of my oldest digital images), and I colored it with my newest ProMarkers and some gel pens.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz die and, again, I embossed the background card front with my "Linen" folder.  In case you haven't figured it out, I much prefer dry embossing to wet embossing and that's because it's so much quicker and much less messy!  lol  

     The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The striped strip of dp was another scrap from the basket and I have no idea what company made it.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

Colorful Options

Double D (old, new, blue)

Double Trouble

Simon Says Stamp

     I hope we're going to see you playing along in our challenge this month.  Remember, it runs until the 5th of July and the next challenge starts on the 7th of July.  We love seeing what you create so come and inspire us.  Remember, it's Anything Goes!

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

New Way to Roller Skate

      My daughter called and asked me to make a Get Well card for a neighbor of hers who fell while roller skating with her grandkids.  She has a serious hip break and it'll take a while for her to heal up completely.   Much as I would love to take credit for the sentiment, when my daughter saw this image in my collection, she suggested a reference to roller skating.  lol

      The image is from QKR Stampede and I colored it with ProMarkers & water color pencils.  I cut the image with a stitched die from Memory Box, and I inked the edges of it before adhering it to the background.  The background piece was cut and embossed with a plate die from Poppystamps.  I inked the edges of that so that I had little pops of red in the image, around the cut image, and around the edge of the background.  I did the same with the sentiment which I printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  Inside it has a simple, "Get Well Soon."

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...

Crafts Galore Encore

Crafty Calendar

Do Al(l) Kreatives

Gem of a Challenge

Incy Wincy 

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

Sheepski Designs

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Spring Birdhouse

      Today we start a new challenge at FarmQuest General Store where our theme is always "Anything Farm/Country Goes."  We are always sponsored by QKR Stampede and the images used by the DT are the images for the prize.  Today, I've made 2 different cards and used images called "Birdhouse and Vines" and "Artist Pallet."  

    I was excited to use the Birdhouse and Vines image because it combines 2 of my favorite things in stamps: cute and flowers!  I usually go for cute but this time, I love the flowery, spring image, and the fact that it's a bit on the "cutesy" side just enhances it.

     On this first one, I colored the image with watercolors and Sanjoki alcohol markers.  I cut the image with a Tonic Studios die, inked the edge and layered it onto a background with was made using water color paints.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle Die, also with inked edges.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

Colorful Options

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspirations

Outlawz Friday

Pattie's Creations

Polkadoodles

Triple B

    For my second DT card, I used water color paints on the image, cut it with a Spellbinders die, inked the edges, and layered it onto a bit of scrap dp to make a frame for it.  The sentiment was printed and cut with another Avery Elle die.  The brick background is paper from an old Recollections stack.  Very CAS but great for a masculine card, I think.

     Challenges:

Creative Knockouts

Di's Digi Designs

Dragonfly Dreams

Simon Says Stamp

     There you go, two cards for only one visit.  :-D  Come play with us this month.  The challenge runs until May 5 and you could be the winner of 3 wonderful QKR Stampede images.  Want to know what the third image is?  Visit the FQGS blog and take a look at all the DT cards.

 

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Temptations

      This week, it's my turn to host the new challenge over at Crafty Catz, where our theme is always Anything Goes but we also give you an OPTIONAL theme if you choose to use it.  This fortnight (yes, our challenges go for 2 weeks now!), the optional theme is "Any Cute Critter."  We're sponsored by the fun and fabulous QKR Stampede and all the images used by the DT are the prize.

     I chose this fun and funny image "An Apple a Day" and made a rather simple card with it.  Don't you love the look of temptation on his face?  

     When I printed the image, I placed it so that it would print on the bottom of a tent fold card, therefore becoming the front of the card.  I colored the image with my Sanjoki markers and added the red frame which was a scrap left over from cutting something I used on another project.  The die I used is from Spellbinders.  

     I printed the sentiment and cut it with an Avery Elle die.  Very CAS even though it looks rather fancy because of the die.   I've probably done three or four cards using this image over the years that I've been associated with QKR Stampede.  

     Challenges:

     Come play with us in this challenge.  It runs until April 18 and you could win the three adorable images from QKR Stampede!

  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Happy Country Cottage

      It's the 7th of the month and that means a new challenge at FarmQuest General Store, where our theme is always "Anything Country Goes."  We are once again sponsored by QKR Stampede and the prize is always the 3 images used by the DT.   Be sure to check the FQGS blog to see who won the challenge for February. 

     I used a cute image from QKR Stampede called "Cottage," which I colored with Sanjoki markers, then fussy cut with scissors.  (No electronic cutter in this house!)  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The background dp came from a DCWV stack and it was a left over I found in my scrap basket.

     I found some sparkly cord and wrapped it around the card front, tied a knot, and frayed the tied ends into a tassel shape.

Be sure to check out the challenge blog to see the other 2 images for this month.

     Challenges:

Creative Fingers

Outlawz Monday

Pattie's Creations

Polkadoodles

Simon Says Stamp

     Come play in our challenge.  You could be the winner of those 3 delightful QKR Stampede images!   Also, scroll down one post to see my DT card for the FarmQuest Country Christmas challenge.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Over the Moon

      Today's card serves as a reminder that our Challenge #13 at FarmQuest General Store still has a couple of weeks to run so there's still time for you to enter anything that has a country flavor.  Our sponsor is QKR Stampede and the image I used on this DT card is one of three images which are the prize.

     I love the humor this image invokes!  I think my sentiment says it all.  :-D  The image was colored with Sanjoki alcohol markers, then fussy cut.  The background was made by adding blue CS to the card front and trimming it to fit.  I added a multi-loop bow made from jute cord to enhance the country feel and the sentiment was cut with a die from Avery Elle.

     Challenges:

Creative Moments

Digi Choosday

Dream Valley

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz SAR ("...leaps & bounds")

Pammie's IP

Star Stampz

     If you haven't played already (or even if you have) come play with us before our challenge ends on March 5.  Our next challenge starts on March 7.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Appy-loosa Birthday

      Here we are with another challenge starting over at FarmQuest General Store and starting with this challenge, we have a sponsor and a prize!  Our underlying requirement for every entry is that it have a country/farm flair but other than that, it's always "Anything Goes."

     Our sponsor is the fun and fabulous QKR Stampede and the prize is the 3 digital images which have been used by the DT.  Check out the challenge post on FQGC to see them all.  I've used the one called Appaloosa Foal and turned it into a masculine birthday card.

     The image was colored with my Sanjoki markers, then cut with a QuicKutz die.  I did the corners with a Fiskars corner punch.  The background argyle paper came from a DCWV stack and it was a left over scrap.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

Sketch based on #556 at Sketch Saturday. stretched into landscape.

     Challenges:

C.R.A.F.T.

Crafty Calendar

Creative Fingers

Gem of a Challenge

Let's Craft & ...

Outlawz SAR (what better new beginning than a new foal and a birthday?)

Pattie's Creations

     Come play with us this month.  You could be the winner of our first sponsored prize!  Visit the FQGS challenge blog to see the other two images which, along with this one, are the prize from QKR Stampede.

 

     Happy crafting.  NanaConnie

Warm Winter Quilts

      We have a new challenge beginning over at FarmQuest, where all entries must have a "farm or country" feel plus use a specific theme.  This month, the theme is "Quilts" - anything to do with quilts or quilting.  

     I chose to use one of my quilting dies from Spellbinders.  It's a 2.75" die and I used it 4 times to make the background.  All of the dp I cut came from scraps of a winter stack of papers by DCWV, plus plain dark & light blue CS.  Think of the stars as snowflakes and you'll definitely get the chilly winter feel.  :-D

     The moose is an image from QKR Stampede and I colored it with my Sanjoki markers.  I fussy cut the image with scissors and mounted it onto Pop Dots before layering it onto the background.  The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die.

     Challenges:

Digi Choosday

Double D

Double Trouble

I Love Markers

Lil Patch of ...

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

Snippets Playground

Word Art Weds

     That's it for today.  Feel free to come and play in our challenge this month.  It runs until the 13th of January so you have plenty of time.  Happy Crafting and Happy New Year.  NanaConnie

"Corny" for Thanksgiving

      OMGoodness, where did the last 2 weeks go?  It's already time for another challenge over at FarmQuest where we always want to see farm/country elements on your cards but, in addition, we have a theme you must follow and this time the theme is "Corn."  That can be anything having to do with corn - ears, husks, stalks, corn fields, Indian Corn, dried corn.  Let your imagination go and show us something fun.

     I picked an image from my collection of QKR Stampede, colored it in my favorite fall color combo (yellows and browns) with Sanjoki markers, and cut it with an old Spellbinders die.  The corn stalks background behind the image was self made using clip art to create the dp.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The card front is covered with burlap paper from a DCWV stack of woven papers.  Great texture and one more 'country'-looking element.

     I'm going to use this as a Thanksgiving card this year.

     Challenges:

Aloha Friday

Creative Fingers

Creative Knockouts

Paper Shelter

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

     Don't forget to find something 'Corny' in your own collection and come enter a card into our challenge.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Thanksgiving Wish

      I'm working on Thanksgiving cards these days, as well as Halloween and Christmas.  This adorable mouse is one of my favorite QKR Stampede images and I've used him on birthday cards, good luck cards, thinking of you cards, but I wanted to see if I could turn him into a cute Thanksgiving card and I think he's perfect!

     I colored with my Sanjoki markers, then fussy cut him with tiny scissors.  That cutting took ore time than either the coloring or putting all the pieces together to create the actual card.  :-D  I grabbed a Hero Arts die which was still lying on the craft desk and used it on a piece of orange CS.

     That die only cuts the interior part of a piece of paper (usually a rectangle 4.25" X 5.5"), not the edges, so I took my scissors again and fussy cut what is now the exterior shape of that orange piece, following the die cut bits.  I mounted the image onto it with dimensional dots, lifting the image off the background.  I found a wonderful piece of dp in an old DCWV 'Tres Chic' stack and trimmed it to size for the card front.  The sentiment was printed and fussy cut.

     Challenges:

Bastel-Traum

Classic Design

Crafty Calendar

Creatalicious

Di's Digi Designs

Dragonfly Dreams

Gem of a Challenge

Lil Patch of ...

Polkadoodles

Worldwide Crafters ...

     Thanks for visiting.  If you have time, and if you played in the September challenge at LeAnn's World 101, check out the winners post which went live today.  You could be the winner or even a Top 3!  While you're there, think about entering something into our "Anything Goes" challenge.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie