Coneflowers

     I had such a great time making this DT card for the newest challenge starting today at Tuesday Throwdown.  Our theme is "Use Die Cuts" and our fabulous sponsor is Sweet n Sassy.  I'm using an image called "Coneflowers and Butterfly."

     The image is colored with ProMarkers and cut with a framing die from Spellbinders.  I use another framing die to cut a second frame and inlaid the image into it.  I added sparkle tulle trim and layered the sentiment onto it.  A lovely, feminine card, I think.  :-D

     Challenges:
2 Creative Chicks
A Bit More Time to Craft
Addicted to Stamps
A Vintage Journey
Country View Crafts
Creative Corner
Fussy and Fancy
Great Impressions
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Really Reasonable Ribbon
Stamping Boutique
Stamping Sensations

     That's all I have for today but I've posted three days in a row now and have several more coming up over the weekend and next week.  Can hardly wait to share them all with you but I still have to get things ready, including all the posts.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Happy Scarecrow Salutes Changing Seasons

     It's very early on a Tuesday and that means a new challenge at Tuesday Throwdown.  Our theme this week is "For a Child" and our sponsor is Sweet n Sassy.  They generously provided images for the team to use and I chose to use "Happy Scarecrow."   He just looks like something a child put together and is a perfect image for a happy child's card.

This is based on the sketch at Sketch Saturday,

although I took the liberty of lowering the horizontal line

and angling things a bit differently.

     The image is colored with a combination of ProMarkers and Copics, then die cut with a die from Spellbinders.  The sentiment was printed and also die cut.  I used sheer ribbon to wrap the card and the tied a triple bow with that same sheer ribbon plus two others that were all in my stash.

     All the papers and card stock pieces were scraps left over from other fall themed cards I've been making this past week.  I always feel so good when I can use up scraps -- like it gives me permission to cut into a new, full sheet of something for the next project.  :-D  Because this is a boy card, the bow is the only embellishment.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Aud Sentiments
Crafting with an Attitude
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Catz
Crafty Friends (bow)
Crafty Girls Creations
Di's Digi Designs
Hiding in My Craft Room
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Morgan's ArtWorld
My Sheri Crafts
One Stitch at a Time
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Outlawz Coloring Friday
Ribbon Girl
Scrapper's Delights
Word Art Weds

     Hey, I hope you're going to come and play in our "For a Child" challenge this week.  I'd love to be inspired by what you create.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

My Funny Valentine

    That song, "My Funny Valentine" has been running through my head all morning and I don't know how to get rid of it!  But it's appropriate for the card I want to share with you, which was inspired partly by the sketch with a twist challenge over at The Sweet Stop.  The twist is to make a 'non-traditional Valentine.'   So, I used a newly released digi from Sweet 'n Sassy (make an easel card) and added a silly sentiment for a bit of humor.  :-D

Here's the sketch, but I turned it on it's side.

     I colored the image with ProMarkers (Passion for ProMarkers -- Humor), and added the computer-printed sentiment, modifying the digi slightly to make it work.  The digi is from a new set called "Cheer Up" and only the question mark is actually in the "text balloon."  I adhered my sentiment next to the question mark and then made the balloon surround the entire thing.  Papers are from DCWV (I think -- they've been in my stash for a while), and the twine is the only embellishment.  I tied big loopy bows from blue and brown twine (with one gold) and added them to the blue and brown twine wrapped around the card front before attaching it to the easel.  I'm fairly new at doing easel cards, and this is the first one I've done with an A2 style card which is folded on the 4 1/4" side.  So, new image and new technique.

     I think this is a perfect Valentine for a kid -- not too sloppy or smoochy, and with a bit of fun.  It seems to me that's exactly the kind of thing a kid would think if the girl who liked him (oooh, yucky) ate his chocolate Valentine heart!  lol

     Challenges:
Corrosive Challenge -- I {heart} you
Crafty Ann's -- "What's New, Pussycat?"  (New image, new easel style)
Crafty Creations -- Valentine
Crafty Pad -- Something for the Boys
Digi Doodle Shop's Best -- Blue & Brown
PanPastel UK -- 2 of something: 2 cats, 2 twines, 2 patterned papers
Paperminutes -- Anything Goes
Pattie's Creations -- Fancy folds
Pixie Dust Studio -- We're going dotty
Poodles Parlour -- Valentine
Scrap It Girl -- C, H, A -- cats, heart, appetite or animals
Send a Smile 4 Kids -- Anything goes for kids
Simply Create, Too -- Love is in the Air
Squirrel and the Fox -- Critters
Stampin with the Dragon -- Anything Goes
Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturday -- Have a heart
Wags 'n Whiskers -- Valentine
Whimsy Inspiration -- Blue & Brown

     I hope you found a smile somewhere in today's post.  The weekend is nearly over and by the time this one posts, I'll be on my way to watch the 49ers football playoff game.  I hope it's not going to be a long evening!  Enjoy the rest of your Sunday and I'll see you tomorrow, right here in Grammy's Attic.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie
  

Tuesday Throwdown Challenge

   Edited to add:  This card was featured on The Sweet Stop.     

     It's Tuesday, that old Back-to-Work-Monday is now behind us and it's time for another challenge at Tuesday Throwdown!  This week we are celebrating "Fall Days" as our theme, and our sponsor is Sweet 'n' Sassy stamps.  They have some really wonderful images, and I chose Rubarb Scarecrow.  Isn't he a sweetie?

     Sweet 'n' Sassy also has a challenge with an inspiration photo this week.  You have to go over to the site and check it out, but it has a little girl who seems to be crying out for new toy.  I thought Rhubarb in his autumn scarecrow outfit would make a perfect new toy for her!  

           I used a sketch from The Sweet Stop where they also have a spin on it this week -- "Starstruck", which you can interpret any way you like.  I chose to add ribbon which had stars in it.  The ribbon came from Really Reasonable Ribbon (part of the September monthly ribbon club selections) and they also have an "Autumn" theme for their challenge.

     Catch the Bug Challenge wants us to "Make a Scene" and Rhubarb made that one easy!  He's a scene all by himself with the pumpkin, the bird and the sign.   Crazy 4 Challenges would like us to do projects which have pumpkins on them.  Rhubarb's colored with Copics, then fussy cut and matted with die cuts from Spellbinders.  The Corrosive Challenge wants us to use punches or dies.  For the colors, of course I used the "Fall Days" theme from here at Tuesday Throwdown, but the following challenges also had us use either specific colors which fit in with fall or autumn colors as their theme: Pile It On (and don't forget they want us to pile on the challenges, too.), The Ribbon Girl (green and brown), Our Daily Bread (fall colors),  Send a Smile for Kids (fall or Halloween cute card).

     The papers are mostly from DCVW, but have been in my stash more than a year.  I'm going to be so sad when that dp with all the leaves and acorns is used up.  (sniff)  For embellishments, I used the ribbon, the pearls, the paper roses, the ribbon roses, and the yellow foam petals beneath the flowers.  Crafty Emma's CES Challenges wants us to "Embellish it more" by using 4 or more different types of embellishments.  The Emerald Faerie Garden asks for pearls this week, and Little Miss Muffet wants "Things with Wings" -- the bird.  Creative Craft would like us to use something New, and Rhubarb is my new image along with the new ribbon.   My Time to Craft wants us to use things starting with the letter "L" and I have done leaves and layers.

     Di's Digi Designs (a brand new challenge blog) says Anything Goes, and Cardmadfairy wants Lots of Layers (I have ten not counting the embellishment layer.)  Finally, Scrappy Frogs (my first time playing over there) wants Vintage.  Rhubarb looks just like one of the Halloween post card images that were so popular from the early 1900s through the 1920s.  All the roses give him an even more vintage look, I think.

     OK, I've piled them on again.  I hope when you pile up your challenges this week that Tuesday Throwdown will be one of them.  Obviously, there are a ton of challenges out there that all have some connection to fall, autumn, or colors that celebrate the season.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie