Mermaid Summer

     Summer is definitely here in my part of the world, with hot, hot, HOT weather, and I'm already wishing I was a mermaid !  This cute image is from Sasayaki Glitter.

I used the colors from The Outlawz.

     

     Colored with ProMarkers & glitter

     Cut with dies from Spellbinders

     Patterned papers are scraps from my stash

     Hand sewn bow 

     Challenges:

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Inspirations

Cute Card Thurs.

Double D

Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.

Scrappy Land

Word Art Weds.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Counting Kittens instead of Sheep

     This sweet image is from the Sasayaki Glitter Progressive challenge and I think it's adorable, especially 'wrapped up' in my fav purple & kraft combo.

Coloring:  ProMarkers and water colors
Image: Fussy cut & adhered to die cut mat  (leftover scrap)
Dies: Memory Box
Ribbon: Scrap from my stash
Bow: Sheer, hand sewn, gem added

     Challenges:
Catch the Bug (ribbon/ die/ sentiment)
Crafter's Castle
Crafting from the Heart
Cutie Pie
Get Creative
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Stamping Sensations
SUYP Cats

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Please Say "Yes"

   I've never done an engagement card but this cute image is from Sasayaki Glitter for their Progressive Challenge so here's my first engagement card.

     Colored with ProMarkers plus a bit of sparkle gel ink around the diamond ring, then cut with rectangle dies from QuicKutz, as were the two frames.  Sentiment printed and hand-cut, then matted and hand cut again.  Aqua CS used for the card base.

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Crafting from the Heart
Crafting with Friends
Get Creative
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Festive Friday
Time Out

     Have yourself a wonderful day and Happy Crafting!  NanaConnie

Sleepy Sheep

     The current challenge at Sasayaki Glitter has a theme of "Sleepy Time."  I thought this SG image of a coffee guzzling sheep in his night cap was a perfect for the theme.  :-D

     I colored with ProMarkers and gel pens, then used a die from Spellbinders to cut the image.  The starry sky paper is  scrap from DCWV.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, inked the edge, and added it to the image piece.

     Challenges:
Crafty Catz
Cute N Crafty
Dare 2B Artsy
Dragonfly Dreams
Incy Wincy
Lemon Shortbread
Mod Squad
Outlawz Festive Friday
Path of Positivity
Scrappy Land

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Monsters Are Hiding

     Did you know that when monsters hide (in the closet, under the bed, behind the flower pot), they can't be seen?  It's true!  Check this out.

     This image is for the April Progressive Challenge at Sasayaki Glitter and I colored it with watercolors, then used gel inks on the flowers and eyes.  I did all the die cuts with Unbranded dies.  The little plaid bow is actually made from a strip of fabric.  I added the glittered ribbon for just a touch of sparkle.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Cardz TV
Crafty Catz
Creative Fingers
Double D
Happy Craft
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz PAM
Take It, Make It

     Hey, we're mid-way through the week!  Does anybody else feel like time goes way to quickly these days?  I mean, we're a third of the way into April and almost a third of the way through 2019, and it still feels like I was doing Christmas cards just a couple of weeks ago.  Sigh...  Oh, well, Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Play It, Man!

     Sasayaki Glitter has two wonderful images for its Progressive challenge this month and they can be combined into one image or used separately.  I used just one of them, this fabulous (and obviously unique!) trumpet player, for a masculine, musical card.

     I colored with my ProMarkers, adding a few highlights with a gel pen, and then cut the image with an oval die from QuicKutz.  I printed the sentiment, hand cut it, and matted it with a scrap which had been cut off the end of a stitched, die cut, strip (Lawn Fawn.) 

     What looks like a single ribbon is actually two ribbons of different widths, one layered on top of the other, and wrapped around the card front.  I tilted the image so that it looked like he was really l
'leaning' into his music and adhered it across the ribbon. 

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Crafting by Designs
Creative Fingers
Double D
Happy Craft
I {heart} ProMarkers
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrappy Land
Time Out

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Loving Family

     One more progressive challenge in the bag and I love this sweet image of a big, happy family.  What better way to say "Love" this month?  The image is from Sasayaki Glitter and I think it's one of their best.

     I used ProMarkers to color the image, then cut it with a die from Gina Marie.  The purple dp was a scrap left over from a DT project which you'll see in a couple of weeks.  The dark blue CS was also a scrap and all of those things were layered together onto a 'confetti ' CS base.

     I printed and hand cut the sentiment, then inked the edges before adding it to the bottom of the card.  I used one of my signature bows, left white this time instead of 'dying' it to match a color in the card, and I added a sparkly gem to it.

     Challenges:
Brown Sugar
Crafting from the Heart
Creative Inspirations
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds
Happy Craft
I {heart} ProMarkers
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrappy Land
Word Art Weds.

     Thanks for stopping by and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Loving Winter

    I've finally gotten a card done for the progressive challenge at Sasayaki Glitter!  Nothing like scooting in right before the deadline.  lol  Too much Christmas visiting, I guess.

     Obviously, this snowman loves winter because in any other season, he'd melt.  :-D  I colored with ProMarkers, then cut the image with a CUTplorations die.  The snowflakes were made with a die from Spellbinders.  The sentiment was printed and cut by hand.

     Challenges:
Crafty Creations
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Digi Choosday
Incy Wincy
Paper Shelter
Simon Says Stamp
TTCRD
Whoopsi Daisy

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Off We Go

     Today, I'm thinking of holiday travels - both for Thanksgiving and for Christmas/ New Year.  They are all cold weather traveling and require taking lots of warm clothing layers instead of packing the Bermuda shorts and bikinis.  These two little mice from Sasayaki Glitter's Progressive Challenge have the right idea.  They even come bearing gifts!  :-D

I used most of the colors from Ike's World

missing only my favorite - purple.  The pink seemed 

a better fit for this little lady.

     I colored with ProMarkers and die cut the image with a stitched die from Memory Box.  The background papers are from DCWV.  I sewed one of my favorite bows, dyed it royal blue, and added a glittery paper-punched bit to the center.

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Crafting from the Heart
Cutie Pie
Lemon Shortbread
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Sasayaki Glitter
Scrappy Land
Unicorn
Word Art Weds.

     I'll have one more post today - yes, you guessed it - for Beccy's Place.  Be sure to stop by again in a couple of hours.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Back to School Fairy (or Not)

     While all the adults I know are thrilled that school is back in session, there are lots of grandkids (some of mine included) who would give anything to have a Magic Fairy who would let them out of school, even for just a day.  That was the inspiration for this card and sentiment.

     The image is the freebie for the Progressive Challenge over at Sasayaki Glitter.

     I colored with ProMarkers, then die cut the image with a stitched, scalloped die from Memory Box.  I printed and cut the sentiment with another die from that same set.  I inked the scalloped edges of both pieces.

     I ran a piece of shiny, lavender CS through my "Linen" folder to add some great texture and wrapped that piece with pink, polka dot, ribbon.  All the layers gave even more texture to the card. 

     For a simple embellishment, I made one of my signature bows with a pearl and added it to the ribbon. 

     Challenges:
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Moments
Digi Choosday
If You Give A Crafter a Cookie
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Passion for ProMarkers
Sasayaki Glitter
Scrappy Land
Tuesday Throwdown

     If I can get back into my craft room today, I may have a post for tomorrow.  I've been "babysitting" these two delightful, 'great-grand' fur babies (my oldest granddaughter's kittens) for a few days and they are very demanding of my time (to say nothing of being too cute to ignore!)  So very little has been done in the way of crafting for the last few days.  Good thing I had things ready to post.  :-D

Ivory and Ebony (perched where they can watch my every move!)

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Day in the Garden

     I dearly love this sweet image of a girl in her garden for the Sasayaki Glitter Progressive Challenge this month.  It's called "Butterfly Garden."

     I colored with ProMarkers, the cut the image with a die from Spellbinders.  That got mounted onto purple CS which became the card front.  I printed the sentiment , hand cut it, and added it below the image.

     For embellishment, I die cut a butterfly out of burlap paper, dyed it purple with a ProMarker, added a gem to the body, and glued it to the top corner.  I found the two orchids in my flower stash
and thought they'd look good on each side of the sentiment

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Butterfly Challenge (flowers & frame)
CARDZ TV
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Colors
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Pattie's Creations
Word Art Weds.

     The week is rolling by and before you know it, we'll pass the halfway point and then it'll be the weekend.  When time passes that quickly, it means Christmas is just around the corner.  Have you started on your cards yet?  lol  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Life can be a Circus

     Happy 4th of July!  Hope your is safe and sane.

     This morning, I'm sharing a card with an image from Sasayaki Glitter for their Progressive Challenge on FB.

     I colored with ProMarkers (don't you love my subtle red, white, and blue?), and cut both the image and the sentiment with  dies from QuicKutz.  I inked all the edges and layered them onto dp from a large, 12x12, DCWV stack.  I added the baker's twine and CAS card which can be mailed easily.

     Challenges:
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Cardmakers
Outlawz Festive Friday
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Passion for ProMarkers
Polkadoodles
Simon Says Stamp & Show
TTCRD

     OK, I'm out of here for a day of celebrating freedom and thanking those who keep us free with their service.  Then back home for a couple of days before I take a couple of weeks off.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Beach Birthday

     I always envied my school-days friends who had summer birthday because, even though they complained about the lack of classroom recognition of their special day, they could go to the beach for their birthday!

     This cute image from Sasayaki Glitter is my way of celebrating all that summer fun.  Ice cream, the beach, and her kitty - what else could a gal need on a summer day?

I started with the sketch from Tuesday Morning,

turned sideways,

and the Color Sisters had some great inspiration.

   

     I colored the image with ProMarkers, then cut it with a die from Spellbinders.  I inset that cut into the frame die, also from that Spellbinders set.   I printed and fussy cut the sentiment, matted it with CS, hand cut that, and applied it at the bottom of the image.

     The bow is one of those I sew together by the dozens and toss in my stash for future use.  I mounted everything onto turquoise CS which became the card front.  CAS but more complex looking because of the complexity of the framing die.

     Challenges:
Crafty Sentiments
Cuttlebug Mania
Digi Choosday
Everybody Art
Lemon Shortbread
TTCRD
Tuesday Throwdown

     Catching up on all my 'favorite blog' visits is turning out to be very time consuming!  Even though I checked email pretty regularly, I had more than 200 in my inbox yesterday and that's without Blogger sending me any notifications of comments on my blog.  Whew!  So, I'm working on it but if I leave you one comment on all your posts, please forgive and understand.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Turtle Birthday

     Another fun and silly image from Sasayaki Glitter for their monthly progressive challenge.   Fortunately, by using it I've added one more birthday card to my stash and that's great because I have a whole series of masculine, family, birthdays coming up over the summer months.

     I used ProMarkers to color the image, then cut it and the frame with dies from Gina Marie.  Sad note - after almost 8 years of faithful (and strenuous) service, my old Cuttlebug machine had to be replaced.  It worked so well for so long, I replaced it with new Cuttlebug and I'm happy I did.  :-D 

     I printed and hand cut the sentiment, matted it, hand cut again, and added it across the image piece.   I tied a little bow, using green satin ribbon, then left it CAS after that.  It IS a masculine card, after all.  :-D

     Challenges:
Cards in Envy
Crafty Cardmakers
Cuttlebug Mania
Digi Choosday
Dream Valley
Simon Says Stamp & Show
TTCRD
Tuesday Throwdown
Unicorn

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Birthday Cheers !

     Here's my card for this month's Progressive Challenge at Sasayaki Glitter and it's perfect for adding one more birthday card to my stash which was getting pretty thin.  :-D

     Before I even started coloring, I decided I wanted a very simple design.  I colored with ProMarkers and cut it with a die from Spellbinders.  The sentiment is cut with a Cheery Lynn die.  I cut three of them and stacked them together for a bit of dimension.

     The sheer ribbon was a left over piece from another project and I added one of my signature, hand-sewn bows.  That bow was white but I 'dyed' it navy blue with a ProMarker.  Lots of open space for a CAS design, even if the space is blue instead of white.  :-D

     Challenges:
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Cardmakers
Crafty Catz
DL.ART
Dragonfly Dreams
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Festive Fridays
Pammie's Inky Pinkies

     I love this sweet image and had so much fun turning it into a card.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Loves Me...Loves Me Not...

     The neat part about MOM is that you never have to pluck flower petals or ask questions about her love.  :-D  This sweet image is from Sasayaki Glitter and was a freebie from their last FB challenge.  Unfortunately, I missed getting it somehow before that challenge ended.  :-(   I'm using it anyway because I think it's so cute and I can use it for a Mother's Day card for one of the daughter-moms who gave me lovely grandchildren or even great-grands.

     Naturally, I used my ProMarkers to color her in various shades of pink (a favorite color for feminine cards), then die cut her with a die from Cheery Lynn.  The background pink is cut with another, larger, Cheery Lynn die. 

     I layered them both onto a pale pink card base.  I printed the sentiment, cut it, and inked the edges before adding it.  Those dies created such fancy cuts that I decided it needed no embellishment at all.

     Challenges:
Crafty Cardmakers
Cut It Up
Digi Choosday
Di's Digi Designs
Passion for ProMarkers
Path of Positivity
Pattie's Creations
Sasayaki Glitter
TTCRD
Victorine Originals

     This week seems to have flown by - maybe because I've been so busy?  Whatever the reason, the weekend is right around the corner and tomorrow I'll have another of my DT cards for QKR Stampede.  I know you'll want to see it.  I designed it with a good blogging friend in mind since she loves anything blue.  Did that give you a hint, Lynn?  lol  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Missing You

     This little pixie from Sasayaki Glitter (for their Progressive Challenge on FB) is called "Missing You" and that facial expression seems to say it all.  :-)

     I started with the Weds. sketch from The Outlawz

but didn't use an oval shape for my image.

     I colored with ProMarkers and polychrome pencils, then cut the image with a QuicKutz die.  I added some sparkle get ink to the wings and, IRL, it shines like crazy!  Both of the papers are scraps left over from another project and came from stacks by DCWV.  I layered everything onto a golden yellow CS base to pick up some of the tones in the pixie's hair.

     I found a tail end bit of twine in my stash and it was perfect for wrapping around the card front.  The butterfly is another of those cut from a scrap of stiff, taffeta, fabric.

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Colour Crazy
Crafting with an Attitude
Crafty Catz
Cut It Up
Cuttlebug Mania
Lemon Shortbread
Pixie's Snippets
TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Friendship

     The biggest difference between family and friends is that we get to choose our friends!  And the best friends are the ones who support and encourage us as we strive to meet our goals.  I love this image from Sasayaki Glitter which gives a whole different slant to the word "support!"

     I used ProMarkers to color the image, then fussy cut it with a craft knife.  I haven't cut with a craft knife in so long that I'd almost forgotten how to do it but I persisted and it turned out fine.

     I dug through my scrap stash, found the fancy die cut oval (Spellbinders), and decided that it made a perfect background for the kittens.  I mounted them onto dimensional dots and then added it to the oval.

     I put that piece onto confetti CS, added the printed sentiment, and called it finished!  Another of my CAS cards good for a guy or a gal.

     Challenges:
Crafting from the Heart
Creates and Makes
Cupcake Inspirations
Cutie Pie
Digi Choosday
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
SUYP Cats
TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Great Adventures in Reading

     I grew up in a family which treasured reading and one of my great pleasures was reading in bed before lights out.  I can remember asking about going to bed early so that I could read longer.  There were great adventures in those pages!

     However, when I look at this image from Sasayaki Glitter (for their Progressive Challenge) I think there may be Great Adventures in store for her FROM her avid reading.  lol

     I started  by coloring with ProMarkers, then cut the image with one of my Gina Marie dies.  I've used this die set quite a bit recently but it's so versatile and has 3 perfect sizes.  I knew I wanted the card to be completely CAS so I used one of my favorite techniques - die cut and let the die cut be the focus.

     I found a sky blue card base, printed the sentiment, and added both the image piece and the sentiment, then left it alone!

     Challenges:
Allsorts
Crafter's Castle
Crafting from the Heart
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz CAS
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Send a Smile 4 Kids

     Happy Crafting.   NanaConnie

Flowers for You

     This sweet little boy (image for Progressive Challenge at Sasayaki Glitter FB) is bringing flowers for his Valentine, although I think it would also make a great image on a Mother's Day card.  I wanted to keep this one CAS but with a bit of visual interest.

      I colored him with my ProMarkers and colored the flowers using Nuvo Crystal Drops (a new acquisition for me.)   I cut the image with one of my older dies from Spellbinders and I inked the edges using an old ink pad.  I die cut the sentiment piece and inked it the same way. 

     The plaid paper is from the DCWV Linen Closet stack (my favorite ever of all their stacks) and that was a scrap leftover from another project.  The background was in my stash of scraps I've saved from 12" X 12" papers and I don't remember the company.

     I added one of my hand-sewn bows and I made a tiny flower instead of my usual pearl.  Again, I used the Novo Drops to mimic the flowers in the image.  Despite the dp, the design is pretty CAS.

     Challenges:
Cards in Envy
Color Inspiration Mon.
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Sentiments
Crazy Challenge
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Passion for ProMarkers
Simon Says Stamp
Unicorn Challenge

     Happy Crafting, my friends.  NanaConnie