Winter Birds

      Here it is, time for the first challenge of the new year over at Inspiration Station.  We always give you a photo for inspiration and you may create anything you like but be sure to tell us what from the photo inspired you.  Here's the photo for this month and I was inspired by the wintery scene and the bird.

     I found a clip art image from Trendy Clipart which I reversed, printed in grayscale, & then colored with my new set of water colors (thank you, Santa.)  White highlights were added with gel pen.  I cut the image with a die from QuicKutz, inked the edges, and layered it onto glitter paper.  All of that went onto an A2 card front and the sentiment was added when all else was finished.  It really was a quick and easy card, taking less than 25 minutes, including coloring time.

     Challenges:

AAA Cards

Aud Sentiments (new watercolors)

Di's Digi Designs

Let's Craft and Create

Outlawz Monday

Pammie's IP

Simon Says Stamp (new watercolors)

Triple B

     Come play with us this month.  Just find something in the photo that inspires you, create a ard, and enter it into the challenge.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Farm Country Birthday

      When I think of farms and country living, horses always come to mind.  So when I saw the theme for our latest FarmQuest challenge, "Things Found in a Barn," I started looking through my collection of images for a horse.

     This gorgeous clip art image was colored with pencils, blended with gamsol, then cut with a die from Spellbinders.  The kraft CS frame was also cut with a die from that same set.  The plaid dp came from a DCWV stack.  I printed the sentiment, cut it with scissors to get that particular shape, and matted it with a scrap of kraft CS.  I used jute cord for the hand-tied bow.

     Challenges:

Coloring w Pencils

Crafty Catz

Creative Fingers

Digi Choosday

Male Room

Pattie's Creations

Word Art Weds

     I hope you're going to take some time in the midst of the crazy holiday rush to have some personal play time and we'd love it if you came and joined in our challenge.  Just find an image of anything you might find in a barn (animals, tools, vehicles, feed or hay, etc.), make a card or other project, and enter it into our challenge.  

     FYI, you MUST check out the FQ challenge post this time.  There are some incredible AI images available for you to use if you choose.  Becca did a great job of putting those together for all the readers.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

30 Days of Holidays - "B"

      This is my second post for the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place, and although I posted my card for "A" early this morning, Beccy's Place is on Australia time so they have already started the second day of the challenges.  The theme is to use things starting with "B."

     I love Birds on my Christmas cards and this time I even chose a Baby bird.  I colored him with markers using mostly Burgundy and Bayberry (green) on the bird and holly leaves & Berries.  After coloring, I cut the image with a QuicKutz die.  The sentiment was merged into the image before printing so it came out as part of the image when I die cut it.

     The Background paper was a scrap from an old DCWV stack.  I found some red ribbon, wrapped it around the card front, and tied a Bow.

      Challenges:

12 Months Christmas

Crafts Galore Encore

Kerst Christmas

Morgan's ArtWorld

MTTCC

Outlawz Friday

SheepSki Designs

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Silver Fox

      Maya Silvercat is one of my favorite artists and I've introduced my sis-in-law to her artwork and digital images.  The image on this card was colored by my SIL, using Ohuhu markers (she has so thoroughly mastered alcohol markers in less than 2 months!)  I love how she decided to make the fox a silvery white.  Really masterful !

     I still haven't gotten her to actually make cards (or even scrapbook pages) with her colored images but we have this marvelous collaboration going, and I make cards out of her colored images.  Of course, I continue to color images myself, but this one is another of our collaborations.  :-D

      The image, once colored, was cut with a Tonic Studios die, and I inked the edges.   The background for the image was made by running a piece of charcoal gray CS through my Linen embossing folder. That added a delightful bit of texture.  The birthday sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  For the bow, I used white ribbon, dyed green with a marker, then hand sewn into the butterfly shape.  

     Challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms

Digi Choosday

DL Art

Pattie's Creations

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

Word Art Weds

     That's all for today but check back tomorrow for another post.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie  

Garden Cat

      I needed a birthday card this past week and found this delightful digital coloring book image, which I reduced in size to fit onto a card.  Colored with Ohuhu markers and colored pencils, then cut with a QuicKutz die.  I used the next size larger die to cut the navy blue frame for the image.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

     The background dp is from a DCWV stack.  The butterfly-shape bow is hand-tied and dyed with an old marker.

     Challenges:

Creative Friday

Inkspirational

Lil Patch of ...

Polkadoodles

SUYP Cats

Triple B

     That's all I have for today but tomorrow will bring you three DT post!  Be sure to stop by then.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Spooky Pumpkin Patch Cat

      We are starting our newest challenge at FarmQuest General Store today and, as usual, we have a general "Country/Farm" theme.  We are sponsored by QKR Stampede and the prize is the three images used by the DT on their inspiration cards both today and on September 21 for the halfway reminder post.

     For my card, I used the adorable QKR image called "Kitty and Pumpkin."  I colored it with my new Ohuhu markers, then cut it with a Cutz die.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

     The plaid paper in the upper background came from a digital stamp I got from Beccy's Place.  The orange triangle in the background was cut from a scrap of CS found in my basket of fall papers.   The black bow was hand sewn (starting with white ribbon which I dyed black with a marker) and to which I sewed a tiny, white, pearl bead.

     Challenges:

Creative Inspirations

Digi Choosday

I Love Markers

Not2Shabby

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Two Old Bats

     Come by and play with us this month!  You could be the winner of three adorable QKR Stampede images.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bear-ly Old

      Today we begin our latest challenge at FarmQuest and our theme is "Things Found in a Forest."   I interpreted that very broadly and decided to find an animal that would inhabit the forest instead of just trees or plants.  This image of a bear is pencil sketched clip art.  I wish I knew the name of the artist but it came from a book of clip art coloring pages available online and there is no company or artist names on any of them.

     Although it may be difficult to see in the photo, after I printed the image I used a very pale, blue wash of watercolor paint over the entire image, then darkened the sketch using blue colored pencils and gamsol.  

     I cut the finished image with a Tonic Studios die, then printed the 2-part sentiment and cut those with dies from Avery Elle.  Everything was mounted onto a dark blue card front which I had embossed using my 'Linen' EF.  I made this as a birthday card for one of my grandsons who celebrated just a week ago.

      Challenges:

Addicted to CAS

Can You Handle ...?

Crafty Calendar

Lil Patch of ...

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Polkadoodles

WordArt Weds

     It would be wonderful if you'd come and play in our challenge.  Think of a forest, choose something you might find there, let it inspire your creativity, and enter it into our challenge.  We can't wait to see what you create!  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Bear

      I'm still posting Christmas cards which I'm making to get ahead of the late fall rush.  I'll get a few done this month with all the Christmas in July encouragement and that will make me very happy when late November and Thanksgiving hit because the holiday season just gets so rushed right about then.

     The image is from QKR Stampede (one of my favorite of all stamp companies) and it's called "Angel Bear."  I used my Sanjoki markers to color the image, then cut it with a die from Spellbinders.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The background was made using a scrap of DCWV dp.  Pretty simple, no embellishments because I thought the dp was eye-catching enough.

     Challenges:

12 Months...Christmas

A Perfect Time ...

Carlin's Cardnull ...

Crafts Galore Encore

Kerst Christmas

Mirtillamente

     That's it for today but I may have another post later this week.  Happy July!!

  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Christmas Horse

     Welcome to the start of our newest challenge over at FarmQuest Country Christmas.  Our theme is always Anything Goes as long as it's Christmas with an outdoor country flair.  This image was printed in gray scale, then colored with watercolor paint for the background, and colored pencils blended with gamsol for the horse.  I added white highlights with gel pen.  The image was cut with my largest square die from QuicKutz.

     The striped dp came from a Recollections stack.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  Since this card will be used for one of the guys in my family, I decided that no further embellishment was needed.

     Challenges:

12 Months Christmas

Creative Inspirations

Incy Wincy

Kerst Christmas

MFT Christmas

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Sparkles Christmas

Word Art Weds

     That's it for today.  I hope it's not too hot for you to be thinking about winter and Christmas.  Get a head start on your holiday card making and come play with us this month.  Anything Country Christmas will do.  :-D   Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Merry Cow-mas

      Another card for my cow-obsessed Texas Tech, granddaughter, who should be too busy taking finals and getting ready for a plane flight home to care about visiting my blog so I'm not too worried about her seeing it before she's here for Christmas.

     The image is another clip art I found and printed in grayscale before coloring it with water colors.  The 'spatter' was part of the original clip art and I loved it so much, I enhanced it with a Sanjoki marker.  I cut the image with an old Spellbinders die and found a scrap of Recollections dp to use for the background, then hand tied a tiny bow and added that to the cow's stocking cap.  Cute, but simple.

     Challenges:

     I'll have another post very, very late tonight for the newest challenge starting at FarmQuest.  Be sure to come back (tomorrow is fine - keeping in mind that with time zone differences, your tomorrow could well be my middle of the night!) and check out that post as well.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Home for Christmas

      Another Friday and that means another new challenge at Crafty Catz.  Each week we have an "Anything Goes" theme but we also offer you an optional theme if you want to use it.  The option for this week is pretty easy, "Christmas or Winter."  Our sponsor is Hetty Clare, who generously provided images for the DT to use.  But I chose to use an image from my own collection of Hetty Clare images, called Pony Christmas.  I know horses aren't really part of the usual "Christmas critters" we all recognize but think of all the images and stories which involve a horse pulling a sleigh, or a coach, or a wagon and you'll know why horses are my favorite, majestic, winter/Christmas critter.  :-D

     I reversed the image before printing it, then colored it with water colors.  I used an old Spellbinders die to cut the image and backed it with red and gold striped paper from DCWV.  The sentiment was stamped with a rubber stamp from Memory Box.  That one has been in my collection of rubber stamps for many years now.  I rarely use it but got it out for this card.

     I thought the die cut frame was fancy enough so I added no other embellishment.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspiration

My Favorite Things

Outlawz Friday

Paper Dragonfly

     I hope we're going to see you playing along this week.  We have only this week and next week  before the DT and the challenge take  holiday break, returning in January, 2024.  Show us something you've made for Christmas or winter and enter our challenge before it ends on Thursday night.

     

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Polly Parrot

      It's Friday and that means another challenge over at Crafty Catz.  This week, our theme is "Spots or Stripes" and I went with spots.  We are being sponsored by QKR Stampede and the prize will be the three images used by the DT.  Be sure to check out the challenge post over at Crafty Catz to see all three of the images.

     I used the "Parrot" image, although I think it's really a macaw.  I colored with my Sanoki markers, then cut the image with a die from Cutz.  The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die.  I found a lovely scrap of rain-forest-looking dp from DCWV for the full background, and cut another scrap for the band across the bottom with the 'spots' on it.

     Challenges:

Creative Fingers

Happy...Stampers

Jan's Digi Stamps

Lil Patch of Crafty ...

Outlawz Friday

Pammie's IP

Polkadoodles

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Percival

      Time for making Halloween cards has arrived and you'll see a lot of them this month (and probably next month, too.)  I love the array of Halloween sets available at Beccy's Place, and it's one of the first places I go when I'm thinking Halloween.  

     This owl is called "Percival" and he can be found in the "Hocus Pocus" set.  The sentiment is also from Beccy's but a completely different set, "Scaredy Cats."  I merged the owl and the sentiment before printing, then colored Percival with my Sanjoki markers and white gel pen.  The image was cut with a QuicKutz die and I used a hand punch to clip the corners.  

     I found a scrap of polka dot dp and used it for the frame around the image.  The orange square was a QuicKutz shape left over from another project and it just looked like it needed to be used instead of going into the scrap basket.  The plaid strip was a scrap of digital paper from Trimgym.

     Challenges:

A Perfect Time ...

Ching-Chou Kuik

Classic Design

Colorful Options

Crafts Galore ...

Incy Wincy

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

Two Old Bats

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Gray Wolf

      I'm finally posting a card I made several weeks ago using this fabulous image "Wolf" from Eureka Stamps, sister brand to QKR Stampede.  Challenges over there are still on hold while we await the sale of the QKR Stampede and Eureka Stamps brands.  In the meantime, I'm using cards I put in my stash for masculine birthdays and this is one of them.

     I used a combo of Sanjoki alcohol markers and water color paints to color the image, then cut it with a CUTplorations stitched die.  The sentiment was printed and cut with a die from Die-namics.  The paw print embossing was done with a Darice EF.  As a final masculine touch, I added the three, tiny, metal brads.

     Challenges:

Can You Handle...?

Creative Fingers

Digi Choosday

Gem of a Challenge

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Friday

Pammie's IP

Pattie's Creations

Penny's P-C

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Even Gators Have to Shop!

      It's Friday and that means another challenge is starting at Crafty Catz, where our themes are always "Anything Goes" but we give you an OPTIONAL theme each time which you may use if you like.  This week, the theme is: Sparkle or Shine.  We don't have a sponsor this week so the DT were free to use whatever images they chose.  

     I decided on a Christmas Gator from QKR Stampede mostly because I wanted to add to my Christmas card stash but also because it's fun to use sparkly, shiny things on Christmas projects.  I went through my stash of Christmas scraps, pulled a few bits of dp which were long enough to make the striped background, and included in those a delightful green glitter paper.

     I added the sentiment before printing the image, colored it with ProMarkers and Copics, then cut it with a CUTplorations stitched die.  I found a bit of twine and tied a bow.  Pretty simple except for putting all the scraps together for the background but it looks far more complex than it is.

     Challenges:

12 Months Christmas

Carlin's Card ...

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Fingers

Dragonfly Dreams

Happy ... Stampers

Let's Craft and Create

Lil Patch of ...

Merry Little Christmas

Star Stampz

     Come play with us this week, won't you?  It's Anything Goes and you can use the Sparkle or Shine if you choose but it's not required.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

"Bear" Necessities

      Here we are starting another challenge over at FarmQuest, where we always want to see a country element in your projects and then we give you a specific theme.  Our theme for this challenge is "Bears." No, not 'bare', "Bear."  The kind that roam around in the woods and growl, catch fish from the rivers, and slurp down berries as soon as they ripen.  

     Apparently, based on this clip art image I used, they also need certain necessities when they go camping!  lol  I used a combo of water colors and Sanjoki markers to color the image, adding  few highlights with gel pens.  I cut the image with a Tonic Studios die.  The starry background was cut with a Unity die from a scrap of dp (Lawn Fawn stack) and I thought that gave it a nice, night-time-almost-'bedtime' look.  I thought the stars were enough embellishment so added nothing else.

     Challenges:

Ally's Angels

Country View

Crafts Galore ...

Friendship

Happy...Stampers

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

Outlawz Thurs (rustic)

Rabisco

YSBP

     I really hope you'll put something together that has a 'country' flair and add a bear, then come enter it into our challenge over at FarmQuest.  We love seeing your projects.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Kitten in the Mistletoe

      One of the things about kittens (no matter what time of year), they will do their best to misinterpret any instructions given to them!  This sweet little guy is asked to "Hang the Mistletoe" but he goes a bit wild and hangs from it instead.  Maybe he's confusing it with catnip.  :-D

     In any case, this is a grayscale, clip art image which I colored with ProMarkers, then fussy cut.  I layered it onto a Sue Wilson die cut left over from another project but it made a great frame for this kitten.  The green background was embossed with a Sizzix folder.  

     The sentiment pieces were printed and fussy cut.  The final touch, the round embellishment from K & Co. was added to cover up a tiny tear in the die cut frame.  It's a dimensional piece so it gives some texture to the card.

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...?

Christmas Bingo (rectangle/free/emboss)

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Inspiration

Digi Choosday

My Favorite Things

Outlawz Thurs

Passion for Markers

Penny's P-C

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Strawberry Time !

      I love summer!  Not so much the miserable heat but for the fact that it's berry season; blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, huckleberries, loganberries, but most of all STRAWBERRIES!!!  In celebration of strawberries, I played with images from different Beccy's Place sets.  

     Before printing, I reversed the sweet mouse and then merged him with the basket of strawberries (also reversed.)  I have to say that when that sweet mouse was by himself (not yet merged with the basket), he looked like an industrious little guy, harvesting a berry from his carefully tended strawberry patch to take home for a delicious dinner.  Once merged, he looks more like a sneak thief  running off with berries which came from my garden!  lol

     I colored with ProMarkers, then did the intricate fussy cutting with scissors.  The green background is plain CS which has been cut and embossed with a Hero Arts die.  I love how the white card front peeps through, accentuating the dimension of the embossed and lifted leaves, flower petals, and butterflies.  

     After fussy cutting the mouse and his strawberry, I mounted it onto dimensional tape so that it would stand above the green background.  The sentiment was also fussy cut and adhered directly onto the card front.  I didn't want anything interfering with the cut background so I did without any added embellishments.

     Challenges:

4 Season

Can You Handle ... ?

Crafty Calendar

Digi Choosday

Di's Digi Designs

Dream Valley

Gem of a Challenge

Pammie's IP

Simon Says Stamp

     Wishing you a lovely day on this start of a new week and thanks for stopping by.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Birthday Hippo

      It's time for Challenge #467 over at QKR Stampede and it will run until the last day of the month.   Our theme is always Anything Goes and you can enter up to 3 times in each challenge.  There's no requirement that you use a QKR Stampede (or Eureka Stamps) image but if you do, your entry goes into a completely separate draw for a prize and that increases your chance of winning by a huge amount!

     We've also posted the winners from the two challenges which took place before we had to take a break, waiting for the new online store to be completely stocked.  That's now complete (but for some minor tweaking here and there) so we've announced the Winners of three different challenges and they can all be found on the main Challenge post which went live this morning.  Check it out and see if you're one of the Winners or Top 5 for Challenges #464, #465, or #466.

     My card today is another for my birthday card stash and the QKR image is called "Birthday Gator."  Yes, I'm aware that's a hippo, not a gator, but the image was incorrectly titled "Gator" so if you go searching for it in the store (without using the link I made), you'll need the name of it the way it's actually listed so ...

     I used my Sanjoki markers to color the hippo, then cut the image with a die from Dare2BArtzy.  The dark blue CS was embossed with my 'Linen' EF.  I found a scrap of dp in my basket and added it, then stamped and cut the sentiment (also from QKR but this time a rubber stamp instead of a digi), which is  called "Happy Birthday."  That die was also from Dare2BArtzy.

I took some liberties by turning it on its side but my 

design is inspired by the sketch at My Favorite Things.

     

     Challenges:

Ally's Angels

Crafter's Cafe

Digi Choosday

Happy...Stampers

I Love Markers

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

Word Art Weds

     Now that our challenges are back, we really would love to see you playing along with us.  How can you go wrong with an Anything Goes theme every time?  Come play!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Night Owl

      Guess what?  The QKR Stampede challenge is back!  Although the new store is not yet fully stocked, the challenge is ready for you to join in.  We've missed seeing all of you while we were on a break.

     As usual, our theme is always "Anything Goes" and our challenges begin on the 1st and 15th of each month.  We offer two prizes each challenge; one for those who use either a QKR Stampede or Eureka Stamps digital image (3 image prize) and a second for those who use any other image (2 image prize.) 

     On my card today, I used a fun image called "Night Time Owl" and I colored him with ProMarkers.  I used a die from Gina Marie to cut the image, then inked the edges with a ProMarker.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The background dp is from a DCWV stack.  The bow is one of my hand-sewn, signature bows, 'dyed' with a marker to get the exact color I wanted.

Colors from My Favorite Things

     We're so happy to be back!  We really hope you're going to come and play in our challenge these next two weeks.  We've missed seeing your creations and visiting your blogs.  :-D

     Challenges:

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspiration

Cupcake Inspiration

Digi Choosday

Dream Valley

Lil Patch of ...

Pammie's IP (dp/image/ribbon)

There's a Stamp ...

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie