Gothic Valentines

      Today is my turn to share my DT projects for the February challenge at Conjuror of Dreams.  The theme is Anything Goes but we give you an optional theme and this month, it's "Gothic Hearts."

     I did three cards using fabulous Conjuror images from two different sets.  This first one is from the "High Priestess of the Heart" set.  I printed her in grayscale, then colored her with Ohuhu markers.  I cut the image with a Tonic Studios die, matted her with white CS, and then inked the edges.  The background dp (both of them) came from a Lawn Fawn stack.

     Challenges:

Girlz Creative Fun

Hand Stamped ...

Lawn Fawnatics

Pammie's IP

     This second card is from the same "High Priestess..." set and again, I printed it in light grayscale, colored it with markers (Sanjoki, this time), and cut it with a Spellbinders die.  Again, the dp came from that same Lawn Fawn stack.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

     Challenges:

A Place to Start

Aud Sentiments

Simon Says Stamp

ZieloneKoty

     Finally, this last card features an image from the Conjuror set called "Love Potion."  This time, I used the pre-colored version but used Word to adjust the color tone and brightness before printing it.  I cut the image with a die from Tonic Studios, and inked the edges with a black marker.  The background dp came from that same Lawn Fawn stack and the red strip is CS cut with a long punch on one side.  I dropped this one into a neighbor's mail box anonymously.  She collects old, fancy, perfume bottles so I knew she'd love this image!

   

     Challenges:

Night Owls

Path of Positivity

  

     I know Valentine's Day is gone for this year but our challenge is still open and you can enter it but only for the rest of this week.  Our next challenge starts on Saturday, March 1.  I hope you're going to play along with us this month.  Don't forget that we also have a Progressive Challenge on our Facebook page.  You need to use a Conjuror of Dreams image to enter the Progressive challenge, but then you get the image for the following month free!  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Valentine Couple

      This cute image is from LeAnn's World and I think it's adorable.  It works as a Valentine card but would also be great for an anniversary, a dating couple, or any occasion where LOVE is being celebrated.

     I tried for a 'light line' version of the image but all that happened is the outline got a bit fuzzy.  Nevertheless, I used my water color paints to color the image, then fussy cut the couple using scissors.  The circle behind them was cut with a stitched circle die from Dare 2B Artzy.  I ran that circle through my Cuttlebug, using a new EF I got from Taylored Expressions.  

     The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die and the butterflies were cut with dies from a Sue Wilson set.  Everything was layered onto a beige card front so that the pops of pink and red would stand out.

     Challenges:

Butterfly (Damson, Dandelion, Denim & Die cuts)

Can You Handle...?

Crafty Catz

Creative Fingers

Dare 2B Artzy

Di's Digi Designs

Dragonfly Dreams

Outlawz Friday

Pattie's Creations

There's a Stamp...

     Happy Crafting!  NanaConnie

Blowing Bubble Hearts

      One more Penny Black stamp from those given to me by my neighbor and, happily, it's another hedgie!  What could be cuter for Valentine's Day than a little hedgie blowing bubble hearts?

     Water colored and then cut with stitched, circle die from Tutti Designs.  The background papers were saved from the scrap pile and the sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die.  The hand tied bow was made with sparkly, metallic ribbon.

     Challenges:

2 Sisters ... Blog (red/lavender/blue)

Ally's Angels

Classic Design

Country View Craft

Crafty Friends

Heart's Quest

LeAnne's World

Papercraft

Penny Black Sat.

Your Scrapbook Place

    Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Rose Wreath Cupid

      I've been using quite a few images from the Heart and Soul set by Gecko Galz and this is another one.  Again, I used ProMarkers and water colors on the image, then I fussy cut it with scissors.  I made the background from scraps of red and black CS, the red having been left over from this morning's project which included embossing it with my Linen folder.

     The sentiment was printed, then cut with an Avery Elle die.  The flower in the corner was made from two sizes of flower petals, Spellbinders dies.  

     Challenges:

A Perfect Time ...

Creatalicious

Die Cut Divas

Gem of a Challenge

Incy Wincy

Not2Shabby

Papercraft

Your Scrapbook Place

     That should do it for today, but if you haven't seen my earlier post, be sure to scroll down 1 post.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Final Vintage Valentine Cards

Happy St. Valentine's Day !

     I want to share with you my last three vintage Valentines.  These were done at the last minute after I got a call yesterday from a friend who had seen the earlier ones I did and asked if there was still time for me to make two cards for her grand-daughters (ages 4 and 6) and one for her daughter.  

It took me about 3 hours to get these done and she's on her way over to pick them up.  :-D

     Here are the two for the grand-daughters.  She told me they both love kittens so...

 

     On both cards, the kittens were originally gray scale images so I used ProMarkers to add some color.  On the top one, I used white gel pen to add the sentiment to the hearts.  I fussy cut the kittens and added them to a red heart with Pop Dots, then layered that onto a white doily.  I used 'confetti' CS to make the card base, added two scraps of red dp (Paper House) and one of my signature, hand-sewn, bows with a pearl.

     Challenges for this card:

Crafting by Designs
Crafty Gals Corner
Double D
If You Give a Crafter...
Southern Girls

     For this second card, the kittens were already in a heart shape so I fussy cut that allowing for the pink bow and the rose to be "out-of-the-box."  I used dimensional tape to add the kitten/heart piece to the inside of a filigree heart stamp.  I cut that piece with a Gina Marie die and added the sentiment to the top and bottom.  I used chalks to 'sponge' the border.  The card base is embossed, burgundy CS and I added a scrap of dp from my stash plus 2 blue doilies.

     Challenges for this card:
Aud Sentiments
Creative Knockouts
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Pattie's Creations

     Finally, this is the card for her daughter.

     On this one, I highlighted the roses with white gel pen on one of the images and popped up the roses and the bow in her hair with Pop Dots for added dimension.  The lace behind the image is from my stash and the pink half-frame is a scrap of CS which was on the craft desk.  The bright pink bow was made with lace, wrapped with satin ribbon.  I added the tiny, epoxy, flower/heart and called it finished.

     Challenges for this card:
Aloha Friday
Crafty Addicts
Creative Inspirations

Mod Squad
Paper Fundays

     That's it for today.  Spread the love this Valentine's Day and don't forget to love yourself, too.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Puppy and Cupid Valentines

     I have to get this post written up very quickly before the feline fur babies awake and see me posting something featuring a puppy!  Here are two more of the Valentine cards I've done by recycling vintage Valentines from the box I found hidden under who know how many tons of supplies when the craft room was getting packed up and reorganized.

     I especially love these two and put in quite a bit of work on them.  Let's start with the puppy.

     Starting from the card base and working upward, the background dp came from Paper House, trimmed to fit the front of an A2 size card.  I had some lovely, glittered ribbon scraps in my stash which I think came from Crafty Ribbons.

     I dug out a set of doily dies from Spellbinders, and cut alternating layers of white and pink doilies (all cut from scraps), offsetting them as best I could.  Once all those were layered together with foam tape, I added the hand cut puppy to the top of the stack.  

     I added one of my signature bows to the bottom of the card front and called it finished.

     Challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge

Aud Sentiments

Cute Card Thurs

Cut It Up

Outlawz Twisted Thurs

Paperbabe

Penny's Paper-Crafty

Pixie's Snippets

Southern Girls

     Here's the second card with a sweet cupid image.

     I put silver glitter on his wings, and I used a rectangle die from QuicKutz top cut the image from the front of the old card, then inked the edges with ProMarkers to enhance the distressed look.  I 'dyed' a white doily with a dark brown ProMarker so that the image piece would pop.  I had two scraps of ribbon, one in hot pink and the other a golden brown.  I decided to put the doily between them and then wrap them around a piece of background dp (also Paper House.)

     The image went on top and I make a double bow but sewing two hand crafted bows together.  The final touch was a tiny, epoxy flower in the bottom corner of the image.  I hand wrote the sentiment in the opposite corner.

     Challenges:
Aloha Friday
Brown Sugar
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Calendar
Crafty Catz
Creative Fingers
Happy Craft
If You Give a Crafter...
Polkadoodles
Time Out

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie  

Kitten Love and Lady with Roses

     Today I have two more recycled, vintage Valentines to share.  Of course, the one with the kittens has to come first.  -D

     This time, I fussy cut the kittens and added them to a heart shaped doily with dimensional tape.  I found two scraps of red dp from a stack by Paper House, and used those to cover the front of a square card base.  The doily went on top of that and I added a red, epoxy flower with a heart in the middle.  The bow is one of my signature, hand-sewn bows with a pearl.

     Challenges:
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Cute N Crafty
Digi Choosday
Get Creative
Paper Shelter
Simon Says Stamp & Show
SUYP Cats
TTCRD
Unicorn 

     The second card has a fantastic image of a Victorian lady with roses.

                               

     I cut the image from the original card with a QuicKutz rectangle die.  The "frame" behind it was a negative left over from cutting out a frame with a die from Spellbinders.  I took that piece, cut it diagonally, and offset the pieces behind the image.  That piece was previously embossed but I don't remember which of my embossing folders was used.

     The deep, pink card front is dry embossed and I used a scrap of white lace threaded with a piece of pink, satin ribbon and layered those along the left side of the card front.

     Challenges:
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Creations
Cupcake Inspirations

Cuttlebug Mania
Dream Valley
Double Trouble (Flowers + Bouquet)
House that Stamps Built
Lemon Shortbread
Paper Girls
Outlawz SAR

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Purrr-fect Together

     Open-Minded Crafting Fun starts its February challenge today and it will run throughout February and into March.  New challenges begin there on the 10th of each month.  This month, we have a theme of "Love" or "Valentines."  Even after Valentine's Day is over, we can always do with a bit more Love to share.  We have four great sponsors this month; All Dressed Up, Ppinky Dolls, SLS Lines, and Zuri Artsy.

     I am using a darling image from All Dressed Up called "Purrfect Together."

     I loaded the image once, using MS Word, and then loaded and flipped it for a second image.  I sized one slightly larger than the other so that I could use them as a cute couple.  I printed them onto white CS and then printed them again onto the background dp (I love how it looks almost like wallpaper!), including in that printing the sentiment which came with the image.

     I colored them with ProMarkers, fussy cut them and layered them onto the background, carefully lining up the whiskers and black outlines.  I used my favorite ever sheer ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon and then die cut some heart-shaped leaves (Spellbinders.)   I added punched and glittered flowers, putting wooden beads in the centers.  I think this is a delightful Valentine card but would work just as well for an engagement, an anniversary, for someone who just got a new feline fur baby, or for any occasion which celebrates pets or love.  :-D

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Animal Friends
Brown Sugar
Catch the Bug
Connie Can Crop
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafty Calendar
Crafty Friends
Crafty Hazelnut's Pattern Paper
Creative Corner
Dies R Us
Just Us Girls
My Time to Craft
Oddball Art
One Stitch at a Time
Paper Creator's Crafts
Pattie's Creations
Petal Lu
Really Reasonable Ribbon
Show Us Your Pussy Cats
Sweet Stampin'

     Come play along with us this month, won't you?   We'd love to see what you enter.  Remember, we get as inspired by looking at all the entries as you do by reviewing the DT cards.  See you at Open-Minded!  Happy Stamping.   NanaConnie

Totally in Love

     OK, you have a little over a week to get all your Valentine cards ready and we're going to encourage you over at QKR Stampede with a theme of "Valentine Cards" this week.   How can you miss with a theme that general?

     My card is made using a wonderful image and fun sentiment, both from QKR Stampede;  6905 "Totally in Love" and 14513 "Valentine." 

I used the colors from Colour Sisters

and Sketch #301 from Sketch Saturday.

         

     The image is colored with my ProMarkers and cut with a rectangle die (Spellbinders.)  The mat is cut with a stitched rectangle die from Lawn Fawn.  I used a Darice embossing folder on the darker panel.  The card is embellished with a flower, a button, twine, and a bow with a pearl.

     Challenges:

Artistic Inspirations

Card Mania

Connie Can Crop

Crafts and Me

Crafty Boots

Crafty Time

Crazy Challenge

Die Cut Divas

Di's Digi Designs

DL.ART

Dragonfly Journeys

Fussy and Fancy

Glitter n Sparkle

Incy Wincy

Let's Color Saturday

Lunagirl Moonbeam

My Sheri Crafts

Oddball Art

Pearly Sparkles

Pencil Case

Scrapy Land

Scribbles Designs

Tinker-Dream

     I'm nearly done with all the Valentines I need for this year; only a couple more to make and a couple which still need to be finished.  Get yours done and come enter them in our QKR Stampede challenge this week.  Looking forward to seeing your fabby creations.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConie