Water World Mermaid

     A summer card today, despite my recent focus on autumn cards in a desire to get summer over and done.  But this one has a cool color combo so it's almost as good.  :-D

     The image is from LeAnn's World 101 and is the freebie given for their monthly Progressive Challenge. 

I used the sketch again from Sketch Saturday 

but this time flipped side to side.

Colored with ProMarkers
Glossy Accents added to image
Image is fussy cut
Background splash cut with Memory Box die
DCWV background dp
Starfish ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon

     Challenges:
CardsTV
Crafty Creations
Crafty Friends
Creative Inspirations
LeAnn's World 101
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Pattie's Creations
Polkadoodles

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Butterfly Globe

     When I saw this image at Bugaboo Stamps, I fell in love with the peaceful feel of the butterflies in the globe.  Most of us think of globes as being snow globes and, therefore, only for winter but this one was unusual and I immediately wanted to work with it.

Based on the sketch at Sketch Saturday.

Image printed onto vellum and fussy cut
Colored with ProMarkers
Glitter & Liquid Pearls on globe and butterflies
Scrap dp
"Ocean" CS for card base
Sentiment printed and hand cut

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Bastel-Traum
Catch the Bug
Colour Crazy
Creatalicious
Creative Moments
I {heart} ProMarkers
Simon Says Stamp
Stamping Sensations

     That's all I have for today but enjoy your upcoming week.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Life is a Garden

     This beautiful girl surrounded by zinnias is from Ching-Chou Kuik and I've returned to one of my more usual color combos, something with purple, blue, or pink.  However, still in the interest of branching out and trying new things, I added yellow to the pink, a color I rarely use except for fall themed cards.

Although I took a bit of a liberty with it, my card was

 inspired by the 'quilted' background in the sketch at

Sketch Saturday.

Colored with ProMarkers
Image cut with Sue Wilson die
Background hand-pieced using Spellbinders dies
White satin ribbon
Pink satin, hand-sewn, bows w/ pearls.

     Challenges:
Brown Sugar
Ching-Chou Kuik FB
Crafty Sentiments
I {heart} ProMarkers
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Color
Passion for ProMarkers
TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Taking a Hike

     This card was made for my grandson who is heading off for summer camp in a few days.  My daughter asked for 5 masculine (and somewhat camp related) cards to mail to him while he's there.  I used a Penny Black stamp and modified it to look like a cliff drop-off.  I think it's fun and funny.  :-D

Sketch #565 from Sketch Saturday.

     Colored with Promarkers
     Die cut with Memory Box
     Scraps of CS and burlap
     3 gems

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
Addicted to Stamps
Crafts Galore Encore
Die Cut Divas
Dies R Us
Friendship
Outlawz SAR
Penny Black Saturday
Pile It On

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Wild Roses

     I wish I could tell you more about the image on this card but it was given to me by a lady who orders cards from me.  She didn't ask for a card - just gave it as a gift.  :-D

Sketch from Sketch Saturday.

Colored with ProMarkers

Die cut with QuicKutz

Jute cord

Hand tied bow

     Challenges:

Allsorts

Craft-Dee BowZ

Cutie Pie

Dies R Us

I {heart} ProMarkers

Outlawz Color

Prika Crafts

Simon Says Stamp

Sparkles Monthly

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bugaboo Father's Day

     Each year I make Father's Day cards for my son, son-in-law, and grandson, all of whom are terrific fathers.  This year, I started with a Bugaboo Stamps image on my grandson's card.

I used the colors from the Catch the Bug challenge

and the sketch from Sketch Saturday.

  

     I colored the image with ProMarkers, then cut it with a die from Spellbinders.  I used pale blue CS to make the card base and the two strips are scraps of CS from my 'use it up' stash.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Brown Sugar
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Friends
Di's Digi Designs
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz SAR

     Happy Memorial Day.  Say "Thanks" to a veteran and take a moment to remember the reason we have this long  weekend.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bunnies for Sale

     I'm working on Easter cards because I need quite a few this year, at least a dozen more than last year.  Since Easter is only about 6 weeks away, I'm spending most of my somewhat limited crafting time working on them.

     My card today uses a cute images from Bugaboo Stamps.

My layout was inspired by the sketch at Sketch Saturday.

     I used two different images, colored with ProMarkers, the die cut each one with a die from Tonic Studios.  I trimmed one side of the smaller one and laid it on top of the larger image.  I had two, die cut, scrap, squares of shiny pink lying on the desk and I used them behind the image.  The striped dp was also a scrap.  I printed, hand cut, and inked the edges of the sentiment, then added it.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Di's Digi Designs
Double D
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Papercraft
Pile It On
Stamping Sensations

     More tomorrow.  In the meantime, Happy Crafting!  NanaConnie

Birthday Celebration

     Before I tell you about today's post, let me give you a quick update.  I've spent the majority of the last 4 days, sometimes long into the night time hours so the sleeping pattern has been badly disrupted, working on all the things I have to complete around the house.  I've been packing boxes and it's amazing what one runs across during that process.  I've been trimming down, throwing out, reorganizing -- all those things one does during this process.

     But yesterday, I awoke at 1:30 a.m.  Since I was clearly wide awake, I gave myself permission to take a break and indulge in some crafting.  I made a batch of cards for the week-long, daily challenge themes at Catch the Bug where they are celebrating their 9th Anniversary.  That means they are just starting their 10th year and I want to help them celebrate that wonderful new beginning!

     They have a different theme for each day and we all have until Saturday evening to get our projects entered.  So, I spent 7 hours making 6 cards, including coloring each of the Bugaboo Stamps images, and I'll make one more with Friday's Freebie Image once it's been released.

     I'm sharing the first 3 of those cards here in this post and will do the others late on Friday or perhaps Saturday morning

Saturday Theme: Monster Birthday Party

I started with the sketch from Sketch Saturday.

     I colored with ProMarkers, then used two dies from Tonic Studios to cut the image and the aqua frame.  I layered those two together, sandwiching the green, polka dot, ribbon between them, then mounted them onto sky blue CS.

     I printed and hand cut the sentiment, matted it with aqua CS, hand cut that, and added it to the bottom.

     Challenges for this card:
Cardz TV
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Catz
Crafty Friends
Outlawz Festive Friday
Polkadoodles


Sunday Theme: Sketch

                                         

      Again, I used ProMarkers to color the image (which is a new one for me) but I cut this one with a die from Gina Marie.  I used a square, kraft CS card base, then added the two narrow rectangles of glittered paper.  I wrapped that with stitched ribbon from Crafty Ribbons before adding the image piece.

     I printed the sentiment, hand cut it, and then added the three rows of three metal brads to the top corner.

     Challenges for this card:
Colour Crazy
Crafty Creations
Creative Knockouts
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.


Monday Theme:  Anything But a Card

     For this one, I did a party favor box with a personalized tag.  I used one of my box dies from Spellbinders to cut glitter CS and fold it into the tall, box shape.

     The name of each guest is on the back of the tag.  I colored the tag image with watercolor pencils and gel pens.  I cut it with a stitched die from Cottage Cutz.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment sand added twine to the corners of both the tag and the sentiment and taped the twine loops inside the favor box.  I filled the boxes with chocolate candy.

     Challenges for this project:
Creative Inspirations
Creative Moments
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
Paper Fundays
Scrappy Land

     Happy Crafting, my friends.  NanaConnie

Christmas Lady

     This image, from Delicious Doodles, has been one of my favorites for a few Christmases now and I'm using it again this year.  I think I've colored her in greens each year so maybe next year I should think about using reds.  :-D

I was inspired by the sketch this week at Sketch Saturday.

     I colored her with ProMarkers, then cut a green oval with a die from Spellbinders.  I hand cut the image and mounted it onto the oval.  I backed that oval with another die cut shape (also Spellbinders) which had been cut from white CS.  It gave a little pop since the image piece tended to fade into that lovely Christmas dp. 

     The branch and pine cone were cut with a Memory Box die, and I added white Nuvo Crystal Drops to it.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, then grabbed one of my hand-sewn, signature bows and added it below the pine cone.  The pine cone and the bow take the place of the stars in the sketch.

      Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Brown Sugar
Crafty Calendar
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned dp
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz PAM

     It's been a busy morning but I'm finally finished with my chores and can now head to the craft room to play.  I'll see you tomorrow with a GDT project I hope you'll love.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Flying In

     Today is another double post day and all because of the Cat Lovers Hop.  It's the last day and I've had so much fun visiting all the other folks who've been doing feline related projects.  Lots of wonderful inspiration!

     I've tried to do cards for varied occasions and this one is for a birthday, though I think it could pass for Halloween as well with a different sentiment.  I used to have a friend in Arizona whose birthday was on Halloween, and I loved making cards for her each year.

 I started with the sketch from Sketch Saturday

reversed with sentiment on top.

My colors came from the 3rd column of the tic tac toe

challenge at Color My Heart's Color Dare

along with Mink and a neutral, beige.

 

     I used ProMarkers and gel pens to do the coloring, then cut the image piece and wrapped it with lemon yellow ribbon.  I used one of my lace bow tie bows to set off the ribbon.

     After I had those steps complete, I added the layer of mulberry paper.  The card front itself sparkles with glitter and embossing, but it's a bit difficult to see in the photo.

     Challenges:
Aloha Friday
Cardz TV
Cute Card Thurs
If You Give a Crafter...
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Festive Fri
Outlawz PAM

     Stop back later for my second post of the day.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Sketch Saturday Guest Designer

     This is my fourth (and final) card as a Guest Designer for Sketch Saturday and I'm having so much fun with the sketches and sponsors.  This week, we're sponsored by Little Miss Muffet and I've used their darling "Pippa" image.   She definitely looks like she's ready to conquer her first day at school !  Don't tell her it could also be used for someone's birthday.  lol

     Here's the sketch for this week but I turned it a quarter turn and reversed the layers because that better fit my image shape.

Here's my card:

     I used ProMarkers to color sweet Pippa, then cut her with a Bo Bunny die.  I used another die from that same set to cut the delicate, pink frame and inlaid the two.  The dp rectangle came from my scrap basket and didn't even need trimming; it was the perfect size as it was.

     I printed and hand cut the sentiment, then began looking for a single embellishment.  I thought about a flower but decided on the two-tone, bowtie, bow.  I'm loving the monochromatic pink of this card.

     Challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge

Aud Sentiments

Bastel-Traum

CASual Friday

C.R.A.F.T.

Crafty Sentiments

Cute Card Thurs.

I {heart} ProMarkers
Simon Says Stamp

Time Out

     Have yourselves a great little weekend and feel free to come play with us this week.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Make Your Own Sunshine

     Here it is, Week 3 of my Guest Designing with Sketch Saturday and the challenge is being sponsored by The Paper Shelter this week.  They supplied two images for the DT to use and I chose "Sunshine."  I think it had something to do with the hot weather.  lol

Here's the sketch for this week.

     I started with a pre-colored image and then used ProMarkers to change the colors of the hat, hair and dress on little Miss Sunshine.   I cut the image with a large, rectangle die from QuicKutz, then I fussy cut her along the right side.  The background paper is from that Paper Shelter set, too. 

    The little flower and star embellishments are large sequins.  I printed the sentiment, hand cut it, and inked the edges before adding it to the card front.  Aside from the sequins, the card design is pretty CAS.

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
CARDZ TV
Crafty Friends
Digi Choosday
Double D
I {heart} ProMarkers
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Word Art Weds.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie  

Pegasus in Purple

     I'm a Guest Designer for Sketch Saturday this month and this is my second card for them but a completely new sketch.  They have new sketches and new challenges each week.  The sketch this week was both fun and fancy.

     The sponsor for this week is LeAnn's World 101.  She has some of the most adorable images!  Go check them out.  I used one called "Daisy's Friend" and was delighted that the friend is Pegasus.  :-D

     A quick personal story - I first discovered Pegasus through reading.  As a child, summer meant plenty of reading time (without any teachers telling you what you had to read) and one summer, I discovered Greek Mythology.  That led to a love of all fantasy creatures and to this day, unicorns, fairies, mermaids, and especially Pegasus, all mean summer time to me.

Here's the sketch.

     I colored with ProMarkers, deciding to use a monochromatic range of my favorite color, purple.  I cut the image and purple frame with dies from my newest Tonic Studios set.  I love that die set.  It has alternating sizes of plain and scalloped rectangles.  Once I had the image cut with the  die, I carefully cut it into 6 "inchie" squares.

     I laid those out on the frame piece, spacing them carefully to get the 'window' look.  Once adhered, I layered that entire piece onto the background dp (Stampin' Up), then put that onto deep purple CS.

     I printed and added the sentiment, substituting it for the little flag piece.

     Challenges:

Aloha Friday

As You Like It (Fur or feathers?  How about both!  But fur is still easier to color.)

Aud Sentiments

Cut It Up

DL.ART

Outlawz PAM

Pattie's Creations

Polkadoodles

Star Stampz

Take It, Make It

     I'll see you again next Saturday with another sketch.  In the meantime, come play with us, won't you?  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Reading Journey

     I'm so tickled to be a Guest Designer at Sketch Saturday for the whole month of August!  Our sponsor for this sketch is Star Stampz and "Journey through a Book" is one of their images. 

     I love sketches for inspiration and Sketch Saturday has some of the best ones.  Let me show you my card and the sketch.

And here's the sketch:

     I colored with ProMarkers and the 'sky' is done with watercolors.  Both the image and frame are cut with dies from Spellbinders.  The sentiment is printed and hand cut, then layered onto the CS flag.  I used one of my signature bows which was originally white but I used a ProMarker to 'dye' it. 

     Finally, I added three tiny gems to the left hand side of the image but they're hard to see in the photo.  All the paper/CS on the card were scraps left on the craft table from other projects.

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
CARDZ TV
Creative Fingers
Cute Card Thurs.
House that Stamps Built
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Pattie's Creations
Scrappy Land
Take It, Make It

      Are you feeling stuck for a creative idea or did your mojo go on vacation?  Try using our sketch for inspiration and then come play in our challenge this week.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cherry Harvest

     It's August 1st (how did it get to be August???) and that means another new challenge at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies where we always have an Anything Goes theme as long as you feature some sort of creature.  We're being sponsored by A Day for Daisies this month and they generously gave us images to use.  I chose "A Bite of Cherry" for my image and it makes me think of harvest time.  :-D

I started with the sketch from Sketch Saturday

and the colors from The Outlawz.

  

     I colored with a combination of ProMarkers and water color paints.  I cut the image with a Gina Marie die.  I found a scrap of marbled, rusty, CS and trimmed it to the exact size of the die cut, framing out the image in rusty reds for a feeling of fall harvest.

     I added a simple strip of sheer ribbon and red bow to which I added a tiny gem.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, inked the edges, and added it to the bottom of the image.

     Challenges:
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Sentiments
Digi Choosday
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Simon Says Stamp & Show
Take It, Make It
Word Art Weds.

     I hope we'll see you playing along with us this month.  You can submit any kind of project as long as it features some kind of creature - 2 legged, 4 legged, feather, fur, wings or no wings, insects, even complete fantasy creatures.  Come play!  NanaConnie

Fairy Godmother in Training

     Have you ever wondered how Fairy Godmothers get their skills?  Like any truly great, magical creature such as warlocks or wizards, they are required to go to school and serve as intern/trainees with older, more experienced, fully accredited, Fairy Godmothers.  Yes, it's true!  And, sadly, there are mistakes and mishaps at the famous fairy school, Nowarts, just as there are each school year at Hogwarts.

     The Fairy Godmother Trainee on today's card comes from Bugaboo Stamps.

I was inspired by sketch #498 at Sketch Saturday.

       I colored with ProMarkers, and cut the image with a scalloped circle die from Sizzix.  I found a scrap of bright pink, polka dot dp and added it for a pop of color.  The sentiment was printed, hand cut, and inked on the edges.  I tied one of my bow tie bows, using complementary polka dot ribbon.

     There you are, a fast and simple card design that took about 20 minutes to make after the coloring was done.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
Catch the Bug
Crafty Friends
Crafty Gals Corner
House that Stamps Built
Jo's Scrap Shack
Send a Smile 4 Kids
Simon Says Stamp
Sisterhood of Crafters

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Butterflies and Poppies

     I needed a birthday card for a gal who loves blue and is an industrial designer.  That's all I know about her since this is a commission card.  I had trouble deciding between flowers or some cute animal.  I prefer to use animals more than flowers because they seem warmer and more animated but this time, I had no idea what animals this gal might like, if any at all. 

     This image seemed like a good compromise between fauna and flora.  I thought the butterflies and the flowers made it a bit feminine and the hexagon shapes added a modern industrial flair.

I based my card on the sketch from Sketch Saturday.

     I started with an image (actually it's a coloring page which I reduced to size) from Delicious Doodles, colored with pencils and ProMarkers.  I printed and sized the image twice, gave both a light, gray scale background, then used a hexagon die from QuicKutz to cut the poppies from one of the images. 
   
     I inked the edges of each hexagon and layered it onto the same spots on the original image.  That gave it both texture and dimension but lining up the flower petals exactly took more time than cutting the shapes!  :-D 

     I cut the sentiment with another, smaller, hexagon die from that same set, inked the edges with a lighter ProMarker, and added it to the image.  I used three layers of sheer, blue, ribbon to wrap the card front, then tied a small bow with a single layer of the same ribbon.  I added a glittered flower to the center.

     The design is flat and simple enough to mail easily but has enough visual interest to feel 'fancy.'

     Challenges:
Allsorts
As You Like It
Butterfly Challenge
Delicious Doodles
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Sasayaki Glitter
Sisterhood of Crafters

      Today we crest the hill to the weekend and then it's an easy downhill to Friday night.  Hooray!   Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Sweet Smell

     Today you get another post from me but count it as tomorrow's post.  I have a full schedule tomorrow and probably won't be anywhere near the computer nor the blog.  For this card, I used a freebie image from the Progressive Challenge at The Outlawz.  This beautiful vintage perfume bottle is by Sandi Huggett.

I followed the sketch from Sketch Saturday 

and colors from C.R.A.F.T..

  

     I used my ProMarkers to color the image and those inspiration colors from C.R.A.F.T. allowed me to use my favorite color combo, purple and turquoise.  I added a bit of glitter to the jewels on the bottle and I also used a white gel pen to make the reflection of light on the bottle.

     The image is cut with a die from Spellbinders.  I used some lovely ombre dp from Recollections.  I snipped a scrap of navy blue CS into a dovetail and added it across the middle, then hand cut the sentiment, inked the edges, and added it.   One of my signature, hand-sewn bows was the final touch.

     Challenges:
Angie's Digital Stamps
Crafting from the Heart
Di's Digi Designs
Dragonfly Dreams
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Simon Says Stamp & Show

     Enjoy the two-for-one posts and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Thinking of You

     This beautiful lady, surrounded by dahlias, comes from Ching-Chou Kuik, where they want us to use our favorite colors.  Of course, you couldn't guess from the card below that my favorites are always in the purple family - everything from periwinkle blue to lavenders and lilacs, to the deepest red-violet or burgundy.

I started with the sketch from Sketch Saturday.

     I colored with my ProMarkers, then cut the image and the oval frames with dies from both QuicKutz and Spellbinders.  Stacking them all together gives some wonderful dimension to the card.

     The strip of dp with the butterflies was in my scrap basket and I think it is from SU.  The background paper is digital and came from one of the sets at MHK Designs.

     The large butterfly is machine embroidered using purple, white and black thread.

     Challenges:
Butterfly Challenge (digi/die cut/dimension)
Crafty Friends
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrappy Land
WordArt Weds.

     I'm so glad you stopped by for a visit.  If I haven't been by your blog over the last couple of weeks, it's because I'm still healing from a shoulder injury and, often, I have to decide whether to craft or spend time at the keyboard commenting.  I'll be around to catch up on my visits and comments as soon as I can.  In the meantime, I appreciate you visiting my blog even though I'm not reciprocating right away.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Daddy's Boots

     Each year I make Father's Day cards for all the guys in the family (son, SIL, Grandson, etc.) since I don't get to make one for my own dear papa anymore.  :-D  When I saw this pair of boots over at Beccy's Place, I knew they would make a fantastic Father's Day card for a young man to give to his father.  Yes, I also make cards for the grandkids to give to their dads.  :-D

I started by choosing one of the sketches

(#506) over at Sketch Saturday

but I flipped it top to bottom and side to side.

     I colored the boots with my ProMarkers, then die cut them with a die from the Spellbinders Romantic Roses set.  The die was actually larger than I needed for the image, so I cut once, then moved the die and cut a second time, getting the size I wanted.

     I used red CS, textured with my "Linen" embossing folder, to make the card front, and layered the image onto it.  I wrapped red and white baker's twine around and tied it into a double knot.  I wanted to keep it simple since it a card for a guy so the twine was the only embellishment.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
Crafts Galore Encore
Die Cuttin' Divas
Dies R Us
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Send a Smile 4 Kids

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie