Very Cherry Birthday

     I have the honor of being a Guest Designer for the Thursday challenge at The Outlawz.  The theme is always "Anything Goes" and there's always an optional twist which you can use if you want to enter twice instead of just once.  The twist this time is "Feminine."  

     There's always a sponsor for the entire month and challenges run for 2 weeks at a time.  This month the sponsor is Christine Karron, a new-to-me artist (whose images and coloring pages I adore) and, as soon as I saw her artwork, I went on a shopping spree at her shop!

     For this card, I used an image called "Sweet Temptation" which was supplied by Christine for the DT to use.  (It's a freebie available on her website - just click on the name of the image above.)  I colored it using my ProMarkers, then cut the image with a circle die from Dare 2B Artzy.  The pink frame was cut with a larger die from that same set.  The background was made with glitter CS from Recollections.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die, and the bow is one of my signature, hand-sewn bows.

     Challenges:

Allsorts

Colour Crazy

Crafty Calendar

Creative Fingers

Di's Digi Designs

LeAnn's World

Let's Craft & Create

Lil Patch of ...

Pattie's Creations

Polkadoodles

     If you're not yet a member of  The Outlawz, you can join in about 1 minute and it's FREE!   You can play in a different challenge each day of the week ('join' each daily challenge individually from the main home page, then you can play in them whenever), plus there are both a progressive monthly challenge and another one for using up old stash items which are lying about, forgotten, and which need to be used.  Yes, you have lots of those, you know you do!  :-D  

    

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Guest Designer at The Outlawz Sketch Challenge

     I was honored to have been invited to be a Guest Designer at the sketch challenge at The Outlawz and I'm thrilled to announce that Jan's Digi Stamps is sponsoring the sketch challenges for the entire month of April.

     I decided it would be great to use one of the images and a sentiment from Jan's "April Showers Promise 920J" set.  Here's my card and the sketch, which I reversed.

 

Colored with ProMarkers and water color paints
Stickles added to the raindrops
Image and sentiment cut with Unbranded dies
Oval backing pieces cut with QuicKutz dies
Right Angle triangles embossed with Linen EF
Metal brads added to opposite corners

     Challenges:
Art Impressions
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafty Catz
Crafty Gals Corner
Lemon Shortbread
Word Art Weds.

     I hope we're going to see you playing along in the challenge at Outlawz.  It lasts 2 weeks and then there's a new sketch for the following 2 weeks.  Because of the way the Wednesdays fall in April, there will be a third sketch at the end of the month (April 29th) and Jan's will be sponsoring all three of them.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Outlawz Guest Designer for Songs and Lyrics

     Today I have the honor of being an invited Guest Designer for the Songs and Lyrics challenge at The Outlawz.  Every fortnight they choose a new set of lyrics to use as their challenge theme and the lyrics for today are from the old song "Anything Goes."

Song:  Anything Goes

In olden days, a glimpse of stocking 
Was looked on as something shocking. 
But now, God knows, 
Anything goes. 
Good authors too who once knew better words 
Now only use four-letter words 
Writing prose. 
Anything goes. 
If driving fast cars you like, 
If low bars you like, 
If old hymns you like, 
If bare limbs you like, 
If Mae West you like, 
Or me undressed you like, 
Why, nobody will oppose. 
When ev'ry night the set that's smart is in- 
'Truding in nudist parties in 
Studios. 
Anything goes.

     Yes, after all of that, all it means is that the theme is "Anything Goes" but I decided to try something that fit in with the lyrics.  I found this digital image over at TLC Creations.

     I printed out the image, enhancing the sepia tone with tools in Word, then cut the image with a die from Spellbinders.  Once it was cut, I used Ivory and Vanilla ProMarkers to color the frame parts of the die cut, leaving the image itself in sepia.

     I added a dark brown mat to it which had been embossed with my ScorPal and stylus to add a bit of texture.  Unfortunately, it doesn't show up that well in the photo but if you look at the very top of the brown piece, you can see how close I put the score lines.

     I printed the lyrics, cut out the first two lines and used those for the sentiment.  The background piece is paper-thin cork and everything is mounted onto a light brown card base.

     Challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge

Aloha Friday

Creative Fingers

Digi Choosday

Di's Digi Designs

Dragonfly Dreams

Jo's Scrap Shack

More than 1 Score

Scrappy Land

TTCRD

     Almost half of your weekend is gone but you still have time to tuck away in the craft room and enjoy some time just for yourself.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Staring You in the Face

     The image on this card is one of the new ones from Bugaboo Stamps and as soon as I saw it, I went on a shopping spree.  It just made me smile.  :-D

I started with the sketch from The Outlawz

but modified it to suit my die cut/embossing on the corner.

    This is another of those cards where everything I used came from the scrap basket or my stash of things needing to be used.  :-D  I always feel so self satisfied when I do that and then I give myself permission to go on a shopping trip for more supplies.

     I also challenged myself to see if I could use at least 12 shades of pink in the coloring (ProMarkers with watercolor pencils) and papers in the overall design but still wanted the image to look more or less "natural," meaning I didn't want to give her bright pink hair but still wanted it to have a pinkish tinge.  At my count, I used 15 different colors of pink, including a couple that favor the coral side of the hues.  :-D

     The corner die cut was done with a die from Poppy Stamps and the image and mat were cut with a couple of stitched circle dies from Die-Namics.  The papers were open stock scrapbooking papers from my stash of leftovers.  I used two shades of pink CS.  The flower and butterfly embellies are double layered and the top layer is sparkly with glitter.  Each one has a gem stone in the center for a bit of bling.

     Challenges:
Catch the Bug
Crafting by Designs
Crafting for all Seasons
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Creations
Crafty Friends
Di's Digi Designs
House That Stamps Built
Inspiration Destination
In the Pink
Let's Color Saturday
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Pencil Case
Scrapy Land
Simon Says Stamp

     We're starting a new week and, hopefully, it's going to cool down a bit.  We all but hit 100 degrees out here where I live (some nearby areas did get to an official 100 -- we got to 99) and it's just too early in May for that to happen.  I'm afraid it's a sign of a long, hot summer coming up this year.  Ugh.  Oh, well, good excuse to stay inside and craft, right?   Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Thanking the Hostess

     It's been several years since I played hostess over the holidays, due mainly to the fact that my kids and their families all lived so far away from me.  It was easier for me, as just one person, to travel to their homes over the holidays than for all of them to pack up kids, pets and packages, and come home.  So, I've become pretty good at doing Thank You cards for the hostess.

     When my DT duties at 613 Avenue Create called for a Thank You card for a hostess, I jumped right on that one!  Our wonderful sponsor this week is Bugaboo Stamps and they provided images for the team to use.  I used one called "FANSB Thanksgiving."  That stands for Fancy Sunbonnet, and she's always a favorite of mine.       :-D

I chose the sketch from the Wednesday challenge at The Outlawz

and the colors came from the Tuesday challenge at The Outlawz.

  

     I colored Fancy Sunbonnet with ProMarkers, then die cut her using one of my favorite frame dies from Spellbinders.  I matted that with charcoal CS.  I found gold CS to match her dress and layered a square of it onto the dark brown card base, after adding the two bits of lace ribbon to it.  I put just a touch of Stickles in each corner of the frame and the lace has its own glittery sparkle.

     The flower is hand made by piling up punched layers of flower petals, adding a metal flower charm to the center and using glitter on the largest layer of petals.  The swirl is done with Stickles Ice, then I added pearls to it.  I put one final pearl in the upper corner.  The sparkle and shine don't show as well in the photo but IRL, it will just knock your socks off!

     Challenges:
Crafting by Designs -- Anything goes
Crafting for all Seasons -- Autumn colors
Crafty Creations -- Autumn colors
Cuttlebug Mania -- Autumn
Divas by Design -- Use a Digi
Everybody Art -- Autumn
I {heart} ProMarkers -- All That Glitters
Inky Impressions -- Dies & punches
Just Inspirational -- Glitter
Moving Along with the Times -- Pearly, swirly, girly
Nutcrafters -- Autumn Splendor
Penny's Paper Crafty -- Lots of layers
Ribbon Carousel -- Holidays/celebrations
Top Tip Tuesday -- Seasons

     Well, I hope we're going to see you playing along at 613 Avenue Create this week.  Remember, our challenges are always "Anything Goes" but you can use the optional weekly twist if you like.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie