A Face a Mother Can Love

     The latest challenge at QKR Stampede starts today and our theme is "Feminine or Mother's Day."   Sometimes our moms just need to be recognized for being the ones who always loved us, no matter what.  :-D   My card today celebrates that side of moms the world over.

I chose the colors from Hand Stamped Sentiments.

     This image, Digi 402 "Geese" by QKR Stampede, was printed directly onto the card front and then colored with ProMarkers and a couple chalk markers with which I added sky and ground background to turn it into a complete scene.   Because I wanted to showcase the scene and sentiment, I did a completely CAS, single-layer card with no embellishments at all.

     Challenges:
Cards in Envy
Chalk n Stock
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Critters and Creatures
Eureka Stamps
Incy Wincy
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Festive Friday
Paper Minutes
Passion for ProMarkers
Where the HeART Is

     Come play with us this week, won't you?   You can use stamps/images from any company and you can enter up to 3 times.  However, if you use an image from QKR Stampede, your card will be entered into a separate drawing for QKR only and that greatly increases your chance of winning.  Hope to see you there.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Recycling at Its Best!

     For any of you who are regular followers of my blog, or even for those who are visiting for the first time but have seen the feline photos I have, it must be obvious that I'm a cat lover.  I use that to preface what I'm going to say next.

     Someone in my neighborhood has an orange tabby cat who must weight 50 pounds, can raid garbage cans better than a raccoon or a bear in a national park, and for some reason he has decided that my particular can has the best 'recycle-ables' around!   There is no keeping him out if he decides to get in, and he doesn't clean up his messes!  Grrrrrrr  This card is done in his honor.  :-D

     The image is from QKR Stampede, where the challenge theme is "Animal Antics." I colored it with Promarkers and Spectrum Noirs, then die cut it with a Wonky Squares die from Spellbinders.  The chevron and the striped papers are from DCWV, "Linen Closet" stack again.  Told you it was a favorite of mine. :-D  

     I used a stippling brush and three different Tim Holtz distress ink pads on the card base and the image.  Ever since I saw someone using a stippling brush at one of my monthly craft get-togethers, I find that I like the effect even better than sponging.  I'm hooked!  I added the three hand-punched flowers with centers hand-colored as the only embellishments.  This is a masculine card so I prefer lots of layers to lots of flowery or glittery embellies.

     Challenges:

613 Avenue Create -- Anything goes w/ flowers

Cards for Men -- Humorous

CDAC 1, 2, 3 -- 1 sentiment, 2 dp, 3 embellies (flowers)

Crafty Cardmakers -- Humour

Created with Love -- Funny cards

Digi Darla's -- Laughter is the Best Medicine

Glitter n Sparkle -- Cute

Pile It On -- Handmade flowers (punched and colored)
That Craft Place -- Animals

     BTW, if you do a card for the 1,2,3 Challenge over at CDAC this quarter (see link above), you'll get a set called "Watermelon Ants" from Doodle Pantry after the challenge closes just for playing in that challenge.  The challenge runs for an entire quarter (April through June) but since I'm on the Doodle Pantry Creative Team, I just wanted to give you a heads up.  :-D  

     Halfway point in the week, and it's supposed to be a gorgeous day, nearly 80 degrees F!  How's that for making those of you still buried under the snow pea-green with envy?  lol  Well, if it makes you feel better, they are saying rain for tomorrow.   Glad you stopped by and if I'm not here, I'm playing in the garden.  Pour yourself a cuppa whatever, and enjoy a browse around.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Rose and Butterfly

     I intended to have this posted yesterday but I'm having internet connection problems for some reason.  So it gets posted this morning instead.   I used one of my newest images which came from Delicious Doodles (challenge theme -- Flowers for Spring), and I used the sketch from A Die for a Sketch, plus I chose the colors from Dynamic Duo this week.

   

     The image is colored completely with SN markers, and the image is cut with a square die, using the 'out of the box' technique on the butterfly in the top corner.  The tiny butterfly next to the sentiment is a leftover from another project I did where I used a Spellbinders die and the butterfly is one of the cut out pieces.  I'm not sure why it looks green.  It's a deep teal, IRL.  The sentiment is a rubber stamp and I don't remember what company for sure, but I think it was one I chose as a winner at DRS Designs.

     Both dp were in the Linen Closet stack from DCWV, and they are clear embossed.  I used two different ribbons and added pearls to both butterfly bodies for a few little gems.  I thought this made a very feminine and 'romantic' card.  

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge -- Add a bow
Color Me Creative -- Color a feminine image
Craft Us Crazy -- Show us Favorites (Linen Closet dp & flowers)
Crazy 4 Challenges -- Texture (ribbon, embossing, butterfly)
DRS Designs -- Plaids
Heck of a Challenge -- Love and flowers
Outlawz Paper Ala Mode -- Anything goes
Paper Crafting Journey -- Bingo: Gems, Emboss, Ribbon
Paper Creator's Crafts -- Flowery Delight
Paper Playtime -- Sentiment Stamp
Sparkle and Glitter -- All the things I love (flowers & butterflies)
Speedy Fox & Friends -- My State (CA, Rose Parade)
Sweet Stampin' -- Mother's Day or special lady

     OK, I hope Blogger works and posts this as scheduled.  (Edited to add: It didn't!  Had to post it manually as soon as I saw it hadn't gone as scheduled.)  I'm having a super busy week and don't know how much crafting I'll actually get done.  I'm just going with the flow so look for me when you see me a'comin' down the river!  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Nature Calls at Doodle Pantry

     The other day, a dear friend from Blogland posted a card to her blog that featured an outhouse and fabulous story about her husband building a meat smoker in their back yard which, to her eye, looked just like an outhouse.  You can see her card and read the whole story here.  To that, I can only say, "Thanks for the inspiration, Lynn!"

     Shortly after seeing her card, the new release came out at Doodle Pantry and what had Laurie designed?   My very own "Nature Calls" outhouse set, complete with sentiments!  I couldn't wait to color it up.  :-D  Without further ado --

     The image (which you can find here) is colored with Spectrum Noir markers, and chalked around the edges.  I distressed the edges of the image, the sentiment (also part of the Nature Calls set) and the mat piece.  The dp is from the scrap pile which was on my table.  I added twine and cord from deep in my stash, and left the rest of it completely plain.    

     I'm sending this to a cousin in Australia who always claims to live in the Outback with no conveniences.  Since he sang at the Sydney Opera House for a good many years and still has a Sydney address, I have grave doubts about his story!  :-D

     If I wasn't on the Doodle Pantry DT, I'd be entering this into their September Challenge.  It's always an 'Anything goes' theme, but you do have to use a Doodle Pantry digi.  If you enter the challenge this month (it runs until September 24), you'll get this set as a freebie just for playing.  You can't beat that!

    Since I can't enter the Doodle Pantry challenge, I'm going to enter this card into the following challenges (all of which, except the Anything Goes, I selected BEFORE I started making the card; yes, really!):

A Gem of a Challenge -- A Boy Thing

ATCs & Cards with Attitude -- Anything goes

Crafty Calendar -- Browns and creams

Creative Stamp Friends -- Distress

Cutie Pie Challenge -- No flowers

Dream Valley -- Something old (papers), something new (digi)

Fat Pages & Cards with Attitude -- Anything goes

Hooked on Crafts -- Cards for Men

Lexi's Creations -- Fall colors

One Stitch at a Time -- Use a digi

Paper Crafting Journey -- Anything goes

     That's it for this post.  I hope you're enjoying the short week and already looking forward to the upcoming weekend.  I do have a question -- if summer is 'officially' over, why is the weather still so hot?  Did someone forget to tell the sun it can move southward now and warm up all my Aussie, NZ, and South African friends?  Sheesh!  Thanks for visiting.  Feel free to browse around while you're here.  See you tomorrow with something new.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie