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

Day 22, Letter "S" - 30 Days of Christmas at Beccy's Place

     It's Day 22, and we're using the Letter "S" at Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas.  I've used the following "S"s:  Snowman, Snowflakes, Sue Wilson die, Sparkle, Satin ribbon, embossed Snowflakes, Stickles, Special fold.  I've made one more of my gift card holders.  Here's a link to the YouTube video that inspired me to start making these gift card holders.

     The inside looks like this, although this is a photo of one of the other holders I did.

Colored with ProMarkers and gel inks
Cut with a QuicKutz die
Sparkle mat cut with Sue Wilson die, trimmed to fit
Glitter paper from Recollections
Stickles used on the snowflakes hanging from his hat
1/8" satin ribbon used for the tie
Folder made with embossed CS

     Challenges:
Double Trouble combined with Cupcake Inspiration
Dream Valley
Incy Wincy (black, white, red)
Lil Patch of ...
Outlawz Greetings
Outlawz SAR
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Passion for ProMarkers

     This s my second post to day and I'll have my regular Friday DT post for QKR early tomorrow morning so I hope you'll be back to see that one, too.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Day 19, Letter "Q"- Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas

     Wow, this month is really rocketing by!  Here we are on Day 19 of the 30 Days of Christmas at Beccy's Place and our letter prompt is "Q."   Not an easy one; I pretty much feel limited to quilting or quilling and since it's been years since I did any quilling, I turned to Quilted.  I used Beccy's (free) Three French Hens image from her 12 Days of Christmas set, along with one of my Quilting dies.

My card design was inspired by the sketch at Tuesday Morning

but I stretched it to allow for a horizontal design.

Quilted hens colored with ProMarkers
Cut with Oval die from QuicKutz
Quilt die from Sizzix
Glitter paper by Recollections
Green polka dot dp from K & Co.
Red CS embossed with Linen EF
Holly leaves die from SU
Mini buttons

     Challenges:
Crafty Sentiments
Cuttlebug Mania
Digi Choosday
I {heart} ProMarkers
Lemon Shortbread
Passion for ProMarkers
TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Day 14, Letter "L" - Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas

     Day 14 and today we get to use the letter "L" on our cards for the 30 Days of Christmas at Beccy's Place.    I've used a sweet image with Lambs around the manger which holds the Lamb of God.  I also did Lots of Layers and used a Beccy's sentiment - "Let us adore Him."

Colored with ProMarkers
Glitter added to halo
Die cut with stitched die (Die-namics)
Gold sparkle paper from Recollections (Unbranded die)
Blue CS cut with pinpoint die from Memory Box
Stitched ribbon from Crafty Ribbons
White card base
3 layers on the sentiment (unbranded dies)
A total of 8 layers including the card base

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
C.R.A.F.T.
Cute Card Thurs
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Paperbabe Stamps
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Take It, Make It
Time Out

     Have a great day and find some crafting time.  It'll strengthen your spirit.  :-)  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Day 12, Letter "J" - 30 Days of Christmas at Beccy's Place

     My card today for Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas is a bit different from any of the others so far this month.  Instead of using one of Beccy's images, I'm using one of her digital papers (from her Rocking Horse set, which is now one of her free images!  Go grab it.  :-D )

     A blue and purple color combo is one of my absolute favorites, and I thought that using it for a Christmas card would be both challenging and fun.  My only "J" is in the Joyeux Noel sentiment.

I used a sketch from Sweet Sketch Weds.

Background paper from Beccy's Place.
Silver glitter paper from Recollections
Ornament shape cut from gold, iridescent, geometric CS (Spellbinders die)
Joyeux Noel cut with Die-versions die
White paper strips are embossed
Silver paint pen and white gel ink used to define the 'stitched' areas of the sketch
Flat gems added to diagonal corners

   Challenges:
Crafty Catz
Creative Inspirations
Elliebelle's Crafty Weds
Outlawz Festive Fri
Scrappy Land
Time Out
Word Art Weds.

     Hard to believe we're nearly half way through November.  Good grief, I can barely believe we're right around the corner from all the winter holidays!  It seems like only yesterday I was complaining about the miserable heat of summer and now we have wonderful, crisp evenings and the TV ads are all about snow and Christmas.  (I do wish we could have the fun of Halloween and the warmth of Thanksgiving before they start running 24 hour a day ads to buy, buy, BUY!)  And here I am making Christmas cards!  lol  But that's different since I have to mail most of my cards and I have so many to make.  Besides, I don't plaster advertising all over the television waves.  OK, ranting finished.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Day 1 - 30 Days of Christmas at Beccy's Place

     OK, this is my first official post for this year's 30 Days of Christmas at Beccy's Place and, as usual, we start with the first letter of the alphabet as a theme.  I chose to do an Angel, colored with Alcohol markers, added to an A Frame, A2 card.

     Beccy's image is actually supposed to be a Holly Fairy but for this card, I turned her into an Angel, one with jingle bells on her collar and hem.  :-D  This was one of the first Beccy's Christmas images I ever bought and I've used her a lot over the years but never before substituting as an Angel.

Colored with  ProMarkers
Cut with an oval die from QuicKutz
Gold frame cut with QuicKutz die
Glittered papers from Recollections (gold) and DCWV (red)
Stickles Icicle added to her Holly wings
Stickles Frosted Lace added to hat and leggings
Silver paint pen added to the jingle bells on her tunic
Sentiment printed and hand cut

     Challenges:
Christmas Kickstart
Crafty Calendar
Crafty Friends
Crafty Hazelnut's  (Holly for her wings)
Passion for ProMarkers
Simon Says Stamp
TTCRD

     I'll have one more post a bit later for the second day of the 30 Days of Christmas, featuring the letter "B."  See you then.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Warm Hat Girl

     This sweet image is from All Dressed Up and it's a wonderful image for staying warm on a cold, winter-y day.  I love the play in the sentiment (which is part of the image) on the old saying "Cold hands, warm heart."  This time, both are warm.  :-D

Colored with ProMarkers

Image and frame cut with  Tonic Studio dies

Glitter paper from Recollections

Everything die cut came from scraps

Doodlebug dp - also scraps (My favorite designer papers always have small prints so that they enhance the image instead of overwhelming it.  If they are somewhat monochromatic, that's even better.)

White CS embossed with Linen EF

Signature bow with snowflake gems

    Challenges:

As You Like It

Crafty Sentiments

Cute Card Thurs.

Dream Valley

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends

Pixie's Snippets

Scrappy Land

TTCRD

Word Art Weds.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Feline Nativity

  This is the last day of the 2019 Cat Lovers Hop.

 Haven't played before but interested?

Click HERE.

     Feeling that I nearly cheated on yesterday's post because it only had one tiny cat in a die cut, I went a little crazy with die cut cats for this Christmas card.  For those of you who know me and the kinds of cards I enjoy making, you'll see right away that this is outside my "normal" creation.  Still, I do occasionally do cards that are filled with only die cuts so it's not a completely new venture.

Background is dry embossed with "Linen" folder

Manger & star cut with Die-versions die

Cats are cut with Poppy Stamps and Impression Obsession dies

Sentiment cut with Cheery Lynn die

Sparkle paper for manger is from Recollections

     Challenges:

Art Impressions

Cute Card Thurs

Dragonfly Dreams

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends

Outlawz Festive Fri

Pammie's Inky Pinkies

Penny's Paper-Crafty

Polkadoodles

Winter Wonderland

     That wraps up the Cat Lovers Hop for this year but I'm sure we'll all be hopping along next year at this same time.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Halloween High

     This is my second post today and I have wonderful news.  I've been invited to join the DT at Brown Sugar!   It's a monthly challenge which starts on the first Friday of each month.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" and we'd love to see you come and play along with us.

     Our sponsor this month is QKR Stampede and how much fun it is for me being on both teams!  :-D  I've done a Halloween card using the QKR image "Hanging" and "Halloween High" for the sentiment.

I pulled all my colors from the inspiration photo

at Color My Heart Color Dare #362.

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with Tonic Studio dies
Framed with glitter paper from Recollections
Sparkle ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon
Hand tied, stitched ribbon, bow

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Aud Sentiments
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Cute Card Thurs
Cute N Crafty
Cutie Pie
Outlawz Greetings

Happy Crafting and come play with us this month!  NanaConnie

Bewitched !

     Another Halloween card today and it's for our challenge at Crafting with an Attitude where we have our usual "Anything Goes" theme.  Our fabulous sponsor is Digi Doodle Studios and you know how much I love their images!  This one is called "Witchy Shoes" and I colored it Halloween colors.

Colored with ProMarkers
Die cut with QuicKutz
Glitter paper by Recollections
Hand tied bow with sequin
Sentiment cut with QuicKutz
Inked edges on sentiment
Black card base

     Challenges:
Crafty Creations
Creative Inspirations
Digi Choosday
I {heart} ProMarkers
Paper Funday
Passion for ProMarkers
Scrappy Land
TTCRD
Work It Weds.

     Come play with us this month!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Hedgies with Poppies

     I think hedgies are my favorite critters (don't tell the cats!) especially for making cards.  Poppies are one of my favorite flowers so this darling image from Di's Digi Designs was a delight to color.  When I checked their current challenge theme, they want to see Fancy Folds so I took a standard gate fold card and turned it sideways so that the 'gate' opens top and bottom.  Sounds weird, I know, but let me show you the pic and you'll immediately see what I mean.

     I used water colors on the image and cut it and the frame with scalloped circle dies from Sizzix.

     I used kraft CS to make the card base and scored an 8.5 inch x 5.5 inch piece at the 1.5 inch line and the 2.5 inch line, leaving the middle section 5.5 x 4.25 (standard A2 size.)  The dp (Recollections) was a scrap and it worked perfectly with the color combo - beige background to complement the kraft and red flowers to pair up with the image and frame.

     I folded on the score lines and adhered the image to the top flap.  I tied a bowtie bow, dyed it red with a ProMarker, and added it to the bottom of the image.  Finally, I printed the sentiment, hand cut it and matted it with a scrap of red CS, then hand cut it again, attaching it at the top of the card.

     My next door neighbor loves poppies - any color, any size, and any variety so I'm giving this one to her for her birthday next month.  That should 'brighten her day' and make it an occasion.  :-D

     Challenges:
Crafty Friends
Everybody Art
Hiding in My Craft Room
House that Stamps Built
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrappy Land
Send a Smile 4 Kids

     That's all I have for this first day of the work week.  Have a great week and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Building Dreams

     The newest challenge starts today over at QKR Stampede and our theme is the usual "Anything Goes."  I made this card for a friend who has donated more than 1500 hours of labor to Habitat for Humanity over the last 10 years.  He doesn't even talk about the amount of materials he's also donated.  I just wanted to give him a pat on the back and this QKR Stampede image called "Carpenter Rabbit" seemed perfect.

I was inspired by the sketch at My Favorite Things.

     The image is colored with ProMarkers, then cut with a die from Spellbinders.  I used chalk to highlight the embossing around the edges of the die cut.

     I chose dp from Recollections, cutting a strip from the chevron paper and trimmed down the background scrap to fit the card front.  I layered everything together, printed and hand cut the sentiment, and after that, left the card very plain and un-embellished.   It had to be mailed and it's for a guy so plain is better.  :-D

     Challenges:
Cute N Crafty
Crafty Creations
Digi Choosday
Dream Valley
House that Stamps Built
I {heart} ProMarkers
Ike's World
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
TTCRD

     I hope we'll see you playing along at QKR Stampede this week.  I mean, how can you go wrong with an Anything Goes theme?  See you over there.  NanaConnie

Beach Weather

     Well, they said the really hot weather would arrive last weekend but we jumped from 84F on Thursday to 100F on Saturday and 102F on Sunday!  I know it'll get hotter over the upcoming summer but an almost 20 degree jump over a single weekend nearly wiped me out.  I'm ready for a month at the beach!

     The image from Bugaboo Stamps was in my collection and I grabbed it to use for the Stella Says Sketch challenge (see below.)

Here's the sketch I followed.

     I use ProMarkers to color the image and added some sparkle gel ink to her sunglasses.  Unfortunately, it doesn't show in the photo so it looks like I did nothing.  :( 

     I cut the image with a Bo Bunny die which included the delicate frame that allowed me to inset the image.  The patterned, blue, dp is a left over scrap from a Recollections stack and the chevron dp is also a scrap but I can't remember the maker.  The textured, brown CS came from the scrap pile.  Come to think of it, even the image was printed onto a scrap.

     The bow is one of the wrapped-burlap bows I make but I 'dyed' this one with a purple ProMarker to match her bikini and flip flops.  Overall, this is a pretty CAS design but the dp patterns and fancy die cut make it look much more complex.

     Challenges:
Catch the Bug
Crafting from the Heart
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Greetings
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Pixie's Snippets
Send a Smile 4 Kids
Stamping Sensations

     Weatherman says we will "cool down" to the high 90s until next weekend when the 100+s will hit us again.  Thank goodness for air conditioning!  I can stay inside and do some Happy Crafting.  :-D  NanaConnie

Daisies for Your Birthday

     By now most of you think of me as a Crazy Cat Lady and, while I share my life with felines at the moment, the truth is I'm an animal lover.  Any kind of animal; well, maybe not poisonous snakes but nearly anything else.  Never-the-less, I was  browsing the store at Di's Digi Designs, saw this darling kitty carrying a double arm full of daisies, and I fell in love.  Had to have it, had to use it right away!

     I colored with ProMarkers and pencils, then die cut the image with a Sizzix die.  I cut the pink frame with another die from that set and started my search for background dp.  I found an old Recollections stack and it had that lovely pale pink, sort-of-flowery paper.  Perfect!

     I added deep pink lace, then layered on the image.  I put 3 little, metal, brads in the corners and dug through my stash of  cut and embossed flower petals, selected a single layer, and added a small, pearl button to the center.  The last step was printing the sentiment and adding it above the image.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge (metal brads)
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Gals Corner
Die Cuttin' Divas
Digi Choosday
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Passion for ProMarkers
SUYP Cats
TTCRD

     It's the first weekend in a new month and my schedule is getting hectic.  What happened to being retired and having all the time in the world?  :-D  Maybe that'll happen again one day next week, like Tuesday or Wednesday -- or Friday.  Sigh...  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Purr More...

     How can it already be June?!  However it happened, today is the start of a new challenge at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies where the theme is always "Anything Goes with a Critter."   Our sponsor this month is Sparkle n Sprinkle and they generously supplied images to the DT.   You might want to check out their own challenge on their FB page, too.

     I fell in  love with this one (of course!) - "Sitting Pretty Kitty."  It's such a delightful 'summer-y' image.

     I colored the image with ProMarkers and polychromos pencils, then die cut the image with a plain rectangle die from Spellbinders.  I matted the image with another die cut rectangle using a stitched rectangle die from Lawn Fawn.  That was cut from hand made paper which was colored with watercolor paints.

     The butterfly dp seemed a perfect background for that little kitty with the butterfly on his nose.  It came from a Recollections pad.  I found a tiny, die cut butterfly and put it by the sentiment.  The sentiment came with the image.

     I thought that dp was so busy that the wrapped, burlap, bow tie, bow was enough embellishment.

     Challenges:
Butterfly Challenge (hunter green and hot pink)
Crafting with Friends
Creative Fingers
Cutie Pie
Cuttlebug Mania
Lawn Fawnatics
Outlawz PAM
Outlawz Songs and Rhymes
Send a Smile 4 Kids
SUYP Cats

     Come play with us this month, won't you?  Any kind of crafting project is acceptable (yes, including cards :-D) as long as there is some kind of creature featured!  Challenge starts today and ends on June 25 so you have plenty of time.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie     

Dance from the Heart

     I love the sweet little ballerina image which is the freebie for the monthly progressive challenge at Dragon's Lair.  It brings back such wonderful childhood memories.  Strange as it may seem since I was a true tomboy in all other aspects of my childhood, I was in ballet classes from age 6 to about 12 and I loved dancing!  Our ballet school was prominent enough to put on 3 performances per year in our local municipal auditorium and I participated in all of them.  We were quite famous, locally.  :-D

     At first, I thought about a pink and girly color theme but then decided that pale lavender would work just as well and I could use dp with both lavender and pink in it.  I colored with ProMarkers, then fussy cut the image.

     I chose a lavender card base, found dp from Recollections, trimmed it to size and added it on top of the card base.  I wanted it to be a bit more feminine so I added the lace to it after weaving through the pink, satin, ribbon.

     The feather is a peacock feather from a 'white' peacock.  My granddaughter collected a huge number of feathers at one of our local parks where they have a peacock enclosure.  She only gathered the ones which have been shed naturally by the birds.  Until she brought these to me, I had no idea that the 'white' peacock feathers were so beige.  :-D

    I mounted the ballerina on Pop Dots, then put it right over the feather.  The sentiment is printed, hand cut, and inked before layering it onto the ribbon.

     Challenges:
Allsorts
Aloha Friday
Aud Sentiments
Crafting with Friends
Creative Fingers
Creative Inspirations
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
TTCRD

     Hey, we're halfway to the weekend!  For those of you not yet retired, that's important.  For those of us who are actually retired, weekdays often feel like weekends and vice versa.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Birthday Bear

     What a great morning this is!  I've added one more card to my stash of birthday cards, this one for a 1-year-old.   The image is from Beccy's Place (I love his frosting mustache and beard!) where the challenge has a fun optional theme of flipping a coin.  There are 4 categories and 2 choices in each category.  You flip a coin and choose the design item under either the "heads' or the "tails" column, depending on which comes up when you flip the coin.  I ended up with "Use a Sketch" - "Color with Markers" - "Ribbon" - and "No Sentiment."

The sketch is from Outlawz.

     I used ProMarkers to color, then printed, and cut a snippet of plaid dp which is also from Beccy's Place.  I cut the image with another, smaller, die from that same Cottage Cuts die set.

     The ribbons were scrap pieces from my stash and the lace flourish in the corner came from Recollections.  I can't even begin to tell you how long I've had that piece!  I added three tiny metal brads to the lower corner.

     Challenges:
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Catz
DL.ART
Outlawz Festive Friday
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Polkadoodles
Take It, Make It

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Balancing Christmas

     This darling little mouse has everything completely balanced for the Christmas holidays.  He's the freebie for the Progressive Freebie over at Gerda Steiner Designs. 

     He's colored using ProMarkers and Copics, with a touch of white gel ink.  I fussy cut him, then used dimensional dots to mount him onto a white die cut (Spellbinders.)

     I chose two matching papers from a stack by Recollections, and added the image piece to the top of them.  I printed the sentiment and adhered it to the image piece.

     I kept this one very flat and CAS because I know it's going to be mailed.

     Challenges:
Angie's Digital Stamps
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper
Jo's Scrap Shack
Merry Monday
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Send a Smile 4 Kids

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Jingle Bells Jammies

     Do you remember being a kid and having Christmas break roll around?  For me, that meant getting to stay in my jammies all day long if I chose.  No need to get dressed for school or for going outside - just lazy days playing indoors in my jammies.

     Well, the alphabet challenge at Beccy's Place is all about the letter "J" today so I'm celebrating Jammies.  This cute little image is called Holly Fairy but I think she looks like she's still in her Jammies with the Jingle Bells.  What do you think?

Inspiration from House of Cards and their colors.

     As you can guess, I colored her with my ProMarkers (always my 'go to' markers), added silver paint to the Jingle bells, and then I used a border die from Poppy Stamps to cut the sides.  I trimmed both top and bottom with my Fiskars paper cutter.

     The green polka dot dp came from one of my Recollections pads.  I added glittered silver ribbon and a line of gems to sparkle like ice and snow.

     Challenges:
Beccy's Place
Colour Crazy
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Friends
Delicious Doodles
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Festive Friday
Ribbon Girl
Victorine Originals

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Humbug vs Ho Ho Ho

     Into every holiday season, a little "Humbug" seems to fall.  In my family, we were taught that for every "Humbug" we should respond with a happy and cheerful "Ho Ho Ho."    When I saw this snowman from Beccy's Place with a 'grinch'-like sneer on his face , it triggered memories of my mom saying, "Answer every Humbug with a happy Ho Ho Ho!" and that was long before the movie "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas."  Since today's alphabet letter in Beccy's 30 Days of Holidays is "H" what better image and sentiment?  :-D

I started with the colors at House of Cards.

     I colored Mr. "H"umbug Snowman with my ProMarkers, accentuated the scowl on his eyebrows with black marker, and added a little gel pen sparkle to him and covered it with Glossy Accents.  When that was dry, I cut him out with a die from QuicKutz.  The dp with the jolly Santa (I can hear the "Ho Ho Ho" rumbling out of him!) is from a Recollections paper pad.

     The ribbon is one of my favorites.  It's "H"olographic in that it alternates red and green depending on how the light hits it.  With no light at all, it looks completely black.  I used my mom's saying as my sentiment.

     Challenges:
Beccy's Place
Crafting from the Heart
Creative Inspirations
Creative Moments
Deep Ocean
Dream Valley
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Scrappy Land

     One more day, one more Christmas card in the stash.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie