The Rose

     Last week I did a post about a rose given by a first love and how special that was, and today I'm using another image with a rose for a Valentine card done in black and white with just a tiny pop of red.  This image is by Ching-chou Kuik and I absolutely adore it!

I started with the sketch I found at Great Impressions,

although I added a strip across the middle

to better show off the lace.

     What little coloring there is was done with a tiny paint brush and water based ink, using it for water coloring.   Both the image and its dark mat are cut with dies from STAMPlorations (CUTplorations.)  I used papers from the Midnight Chic stack by DCWV, mixing four different ones on this one card.  I thought about adding a red heart but decided against it since I really wanted the rose to become the focus and a red heart diluted the impact.  I think most people can figure out this is a Valentine card even without a heart on it.  :-D

     The lace was in my stash and I'm getting low on it.  I'm going to be very sad when that spool runs out.  It's one of my favorite sparkly laces.  My finishing touch was the black bow with the pearl.

     Challenges:
Art Impressions
Ching-chou Kuik
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper
Creative Inspirations
Creative Moments
Cupcake Inspirations
House that Stamps Built (top row)
Julia Spiri
Paper Shelter
Sisterhood of Crafters

     OK, I think that's it for today.  I have a shopping date with a crafter friend so you know we can get ourselves into real trouble at a vendor's show but we have promised ourselves no more than 2 hours, regardless.  We'll see if we can stick to it.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

   

Snake in a Barrel

     If you're one of those folks who hates snakes, WARNING!!!  But this is a friendly one, bringing a gift.  Don't let it scare you off.  :-D  It's a cutie which is new from Sasayaki Glitter.  I bought it the instant I saw it.

     I used my ProMarkers to color the image and cut it with a die from STAMPlorations.  The background green CS was also cut with a die from that same set.  The ribbon is new, some I picked up the day after Christmas at the craft shop sales.  I had a wonderful time browsing shops that were new to me and found things for 70% or 75% off.  Even though I spent more than $50 that day on all sorts of bits, pieces, and embellishments, how can I complain at prices like that?

     Challenges:
Allsorts
Crafty Sentiments
Digi Choosday
Get Creative
I {heart} ProMarkers
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Greetings
Passion for ProMarkers
Sasayaki Glitter
Simon Says Stamp
Whoopsi Daisy

     Much as I enjoyed the holidays and family celebrations, it feels good to be getting back into my routine.  Today is a day for being home and getting laundry done.  Of course, I want to be busy and productive during the time the loads are in the washer and dryer so what better excuse for cluttering up the craft desk while making some fun new cards?  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Mama's Girls

    We're starting a new challenge at Ike'sworld Challenges and we have an "Anything Goes" theme to make these early January days easy for you.  I adore this polar bear family drawn by Ike!

The colors are perfect for the challenge at Great Impressions.

     I colored the image with my Pro-Markers and then cut it with a Double Running Stitch die by STAMPlorations.   I've had this set of dies for a while now and the die is actually a rectangle but I needed a square, so I cut the image once, then moved the die up and cut the bottom off to make a square,  I love inventing new ways to use my dies!  :-D

     The dp is digital paper and I simply can't remember what digi stamp company created it so if you recognize it, please leave me a comment and tell me.  I'd love to give proper credit.  It's old paper I printed out some time ago and had left over from another project.  It was the exact size I needed for the background on this card so I used it instead of throwing it away.

     The silver snowflake embellie was made by cutting 3 layers of CS with a brand new die from Spellbinders,   I used dimensional dots to separate the die cut layers and attach them to the card front.  The top layer is silver and white stripe CS, made sparkly with extremely fine glitter, and the other layers are plain white.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
Allsorts
Angie's Digital Stamps
Brown Sugar
Classic DT Open
C.R.A.F.T.
Cute Card Thursday
Cut It Up
Glitter n Sparkle
I {heart} ProMarkers
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz PAM
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Time Out
Tuesday Throwdown
Unicorn

     As this post goes live, the Christmas and New Year holidays are officially over and behind us for another year.  For me, that means I will be back and into my usual routine making cards and posting more regularly than I did during December.  I hope Santa treated you well and that you had a warm and wonderful New Year.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Pilgrim

     Well, less than a week now until we in the US celebrate Thanksgiving so our theme at QKR Stampede this week is "Thanks or Thanksgiving."   One of my favorite QKR images (aren't they all my favorites? lol) is this happy little pilgrim!  (Digi 17609 Pilgrim)  Can't you tell he's just about to go get the turkey for his family to eat during their gratitude celebration?

     I colored him all in neutrals with my ProMarkers and used one of my newest stitched dies (STAMPlorations) to cut it out, then matted the image with three layers of CS.  I used a kraft card base, added a triangle of dp and layered everything together, finishing with the cut and matted sentiment (Digi 13815 Happy Thanksgiving.)  The bow is wrapped burlap.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
AAA Cards
Angie's Digital Stamps
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Di's Digi Designs
Glitter n Sparkle
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
My Sheri Crafts
Outlawz Greetings
Pencil Case
Pile It On
Robyn's Fetish
Scrapper's Delights
Simon Says Stamp

     Come play with us this week and also have yourself a marvelous Thanksgiving with family and friends.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Christmas Baking

     One of the best parts of the holidays is the baking of dessert goodies.  The whole house smells so fabulous, baked goods are eaten while they're still warm, and the kitchen is the favorite room of family and guests alike.

     Our family has an award winning fudge recipe which has been passed down from Mother to Oldest Daughter through at least 5 generations now, and I can remember my mother whipping it into fudge frosting for cupcakes.  Mmmmm, so good, but the fudge all by itself was pretty wonderful, too!  So I'm celebrating those childhood candy and baking memories with this one little card.

     The image is from Angie's Digital Stamps and I'm entering their challenge this month.

     I colored that darling little baker mouse with my ProMarkers, then cut him and the mat/frame with my newest die set, "Double Running Stitch" from STAMPlorations.  I love that die set and you're going to see it getting lots of use.

     I dug out a scrap of ribbon and tied it diagonally across one corner of the image, then added the bow.  The background dp was done with left over scraps which came from my 12 x 12 scrapbooking papers.  I'm not sure how long the scraps have been waiting to be used but I know I bought the papers more than 2 years ago.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Sentiments
Crazy Challenge
Digi Chooseday
Incy Wincy
Pile It On
Send a Smile 4 Kids
TTCRD

     I think fall weather is finally settling in.  I'm absolutely delighted because now it's cool enough to start baking and making candy for the holidays.  I have tons of recipes for make-ahead cookie doughs which can be tossed in the freezer without any harm to the texture of the finished cookies and now is the time to start making those so that it's an easy job later during the holiday rush to get freshed baked cookies in a really short time with little fuss.  That leaves more time for crafting and that can't be a bad thing.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Gathering Acorns

     I just noticed there's a new challenge on the FB page for AuroraWings and their theme is "Holiday Sprites."  I love this little Acorn Sprite but have never used it before so I decided on Thanksgiving as my holiday.

I chose to use the sketch from STAMPlorations

and took my colors from the Friday Coloring challenge at The Outlawz.

  

     The Acorn Sprite is colored with my ProMarkers, then die cut with a die from QuicKutz.  The papers are from my stash and the yellow paper is embossed with Swiss Dots.  The sentiment is computer printed and matted with CS.  The "Thankful" sentiment is hand-printed on woodgrain paper, mounted on chipboard, and cut with a banner die.  Finally, I added a bow, the flower (punched pieces layered together with a gem), and the three gems below the bottom sentiment.

     Challenges:
ArtbyMiran
Corrosive Challenge
Crafting from the Heart
Crafting with Friends
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Creations
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Fingers
Creative Moments
Di's Digi Designs (top row)
DL.ART
DRS Designs
Fussy and Fancy
Inspiration Destination
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lacy Sunshine (top row)
Love to Scrap
Morgan's ArtWorld
Not Just Cards
Passion for ProMarkers
Scrapper's Delight
Stamping Boutique

     I'm getting toward the end of my Thanksgiving cards but still have a few to share.  Many of mine will have to be in the mail by mid-week if they are to arrive at their destinations on time.  I hope your crafting time isn't suffering from all the necessary holiday prep and that you're enjoying your weekend.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie