Day 18, Letter "P" - 30 Days of Christmas

     Today we're using the letter "P" as our prompt in Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas and I chose one of Beccy's lovely Poinsettia images.  I made another gift card holder made from embossed, Pine Green CS.  The image is cut with a Pin Point die and I also used a die to cut Pine needles for the background.  The folder is tied with Peppermint Candy, red and white twine.  This one is done in my favorite Christmas color combo of red and green.  It's also another of my favorite traditional Christmas images which work better (I think) for adult gifts than cute-sy, childish images.

Just to show you how the inside of the folder looks, although this photo is of another folder I made.

Here's a link to the YouTube video I used to make these.

Colored with Polychromos Pencils, blended with gamsol
Pin Point die from Poppy Stamps
Embossed CS
Pine Needle die from Die-namics
Baker's Twine in Peppermint candy colors

     Challenges:
As You Like It
Colour Crazy
Dream Valley
Get Creative
Outlawz Festive Fri
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Polkadoodles
Southern Girls

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Guest Designer for Tales from the Craft Room November Challenge

     OK, by now you are probably well into your Christmas or other holiday cards but have you started on all the gift tags you will need?  No?  I hadn't either until Jo invited me to be a Guest Designer at Tales from the Craft Room this month.  Because the challenge theme is "Tags," that got me started and I have 6 done plus two or three gift card holders.

     This one with the adorable little Panda from Digi Doodle Studios was the first one I made.  It's called "Chuie Panda Christmas Tag" if you go looking for it in their store.

Colored with ProMarkers & silver/gold paint pens
Glitter added to the snow
Punched with Fiskars corner punch
Baker's twine from The Twinery

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time ...
Christmas Crafts ...
Christmas with the Cuties
Colouring in Scrapland
Dream Valley
Incy Wincy
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Greetings
Pammie's Inky Pinkies

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Floating By

     It's a lazy kind of weekend at our house.  I've been hiding in the craft room while grandson has a baseball game and the younger granddaughter is working.  Older granddaughter lives in her own house now so who knows what she might be doing.  Sleeping in, probably, if her fur babies allow.   I was working with this sweet image from Limited Runs Progressive Challenge and it seems to perfectly reflect how lazy the day is.

     The coloring on this one is a mix of ProMarkers, watercolor paints, and bleached dp (the pink half circle.)  The image and the sentiment are cut with oval dies from QuicKutz.  The blue rectangle with the cross-stitching was cut with an Unbranded die. 

     The pink circle had been cut with a die from My Favorite Things Die-namics.  I cut it in half for use on another project and this half was left over. 

     The bow was made with a bit of Baker's twine.  Everything (except the image piece) started out as a scrap and I cut them to suit based on how large or small they were.  Even the card base was a left over piece of 12" x 12" CS which had  been used in scrapbooking.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps
Crafty Sentiments
Digi Choosday
Dragonfly Dreams
Ike's World
Lemon Shortbread
Passion for ProMarkers
Pile It On
TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Early Bird

     Today the theme at Beccy's Place, where I'm playing in the 30 Days of Holiday cards, is a BINGO board.  I've used the 3rd column:  Ice & Snow/ Ovals/ Kraft CS. 

     The little 'cardinal' (maybe he's an owl, but since I colored him red for Christmas, he's now a cardinal!) is one of Beccy's images and I did a take off on one of the sentiments that comes with this bird set.

     I colored with ProMarkers, then cut the image with an oval die from QuicKutz.  The sentiment, "I woke up early but all the worms were under the snow!" was also cut with an oval die from QuicKutz.  I used kraft CS for my card base.

     I wrapped baker's twine around the card front and tied it in a square knot.  I used a few of the dots which dropped out of the image die cut to symbolize snow falling from the sky.  The "Merry Christmas" is a negative piece from an Elizabeth Craft Designs die.  I've used that one a lot this holiday season and you'll see it a couple of more times this week on upcoming cards.  It just seems foolish to let those negatives go into the trash bin when they are so usable!  :-D

     Challenges:
Crafting by Designs
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Creations
Crafty Hazelnut's
Dragonfly Dreams
Incy Wincy
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
That's Crafty!

     That's it for today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Life can be a Circus

     Happy 4th of July!  Hope your is safe and sane.

     This morning, I'm sharing a card with an image from Sasayaki Glitter for their Progressive Challenge on FB.

     I colored with ProMarkers (don't you love my subtle red, white, and blue?), and cut both the image and the sentiment with  dies from QuicKutz.  I inked all the edges and layered them onto dp from a large, 12x12, DCWV stack.  I added the baker's twine and CAS card which can be mailed easily.

     Challenges:
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Cardmakers
Outlawz Festive Friday
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Passion for ProMarkers
Polkadoodles
Simon Says Stamp & Show
TTCRD

     OK, I'm out of here for a day of celebrating freedom and thanking those who keep us free with their service.  Then back home for a couple of days before I take a couple of weeks off.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

It's All about the Purr

     My card today uses one of my favorite stamps from Kinda Cute and, of course, it's a cat!  :-D

I started with the sketch from Feeling Sketchy

     I used ProMarkers to color the image and an Unbranded die to cut it. The dp came from a DCWV stack and the baker's twine from The Twinery.  It's been in my stash for longer than I care to admit.

     The little bows were hand tied and I added the tiny glittered flowers for a bit of sparkle.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft Extra
Ching-Chou Kuik
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafter's Cafe (middle row)
Crafty Hazelnut's PP
Die Cut Divas
Fabrika Fantasy
Take It, Make It

     A simple post today to go with a simple card.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Fishing Days

     Salute and a good Friday morning, my friends!   We have a new challenge starting over at QKR Stampede today and our theme is always Anything Goes.  It's definitely summer weather around here and I'm getting Father's Day cards done for the three dads in my family (son, SIL, and grandson.)  Anything related to fishing always reminds me of my own dad so I used "Gone Fishing 12601" from QKR for this card.

     He always said that any summer vacation had to include a place to fish and he liked it even better if the entire vacation was planned around every day spent fishing.  :-D

     I started with a simple A2 card  design.  I love A2 and it's probably my favorite card shape and size because I mail so many of my cards and that's a standard size accepted by the post office with no additional postage.  This one will be in the mail to my son.

     I colored with ProMarkers and polychromos pencils, then cut the octagon shape with a die from QuicKutz.  I added a blue, CS, mat behind the image.

     The card front is embossed, though that doesn't show very well in the photo.  I added the image piece and then wrapped baker's twine around it.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, matted it, and then adhered it at the top of the card.  A CAS design, perfect for a masculine Father's Day card.

     Challenges:
As You Like It
Aud Sentiments
CARDZ TV
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Moments
Cute Card Thurs
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
House That Stamps Built
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Time Out
That's Crafty
Work It Wednesday

     Thanks for stopping by and feel free to browse around while you're here.  I hope you'll come play at QKR this week.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Daddy's Boots

     Each year I make Father's Day cards for all the guys in the family (son, SIL, Grandson, etc.) since I don't get to make one for my own dear papa anymore.  :-D  When I saw this pair of boots over at Beccy's Place, I knew they would make a fantastic Father's Day card for a young man to give to his father.  Yes, I also make cards for the grandkids to give to their dads.  :-D

I started by choosing one of the sketches

(#506) over at Sketch Saturday

but I flipped it top to bottom and side to side.

     I colored the boots with my ProMarkers, then die cut them with a die from the Spellbinders Romantic Roses set.  The die was actually larger than I needed for the image, so I cut once, then moved the die and cut a second time, getting the size I wanted.

     I used red CS, textured with my "Linen" embossing folder, to make the card front, and layered the image onto it.  I wrapped red and white baker's twine around and tied it into a double knot.  I wanted to keep it simple since it a card for a guy so the twine was the only embellishment.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
Crafts Galore Encore
Die Cuttin' Divas
Dies R Us
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Send a Smile 4 Kids

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Catch the Bug - Last Day of Birthday Celebration

     Today at Catch the Bug they want us to use an inspiration photo with great colors plus add sprinkles.  Sprinkles are always good for a birthday party and I chose confetti CS to use as my card base, giving me 'sprinkles' of color dots in the background.  I enhanced them a bit with my ProMarkers.

     The penguin with his balloons and cupcake is one of the newer images from Bugaboo Stamps and I colored him with ProMarkers, then fussy cut the image.  I mounted it onto Pop Dots, giving it a bit of dimension.

     I printed the sentiment, added dimensional tape to it, and put it in the upper corner.  Twine was my final embellishment and now I've added one more CAS masculine birthday card to my stash.

     Challenges:
AAA Cards
Aloha Friday
Brown Sugar
Colour Crazy
Crafter's Castle
Crafting with Friends
Polkadoodles
Quick Quotes

     That's the end of the week long challenges for Catch the Bug's Birthday Bash. Next month, I'll be Guest Designing with them and I'm really looking forward to that.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Invite the Cat

     I know a good many of you have homes which are graced (?) by cats and at least some of you banish the cats to the outdoors when you have the house all dressed up for a party.  But I want to share with you what happens at my house when you don't invite the cat(s) to the birthday party!

     The image is from Bugaboo Stamps in honor of Day 4 of their week-long, 8th Birthday Celebration.  The theme over there today is Bingo and I used Funny Sentiment/Bugaboo image/ Die or Punch.

     I colored with ProMarkers and die cut the frame for the image with a Gina Marie die.  I used that same die to cut the green background paper, then inserted the image and frame into window cut.  I backed that with yellow dp and added the yellow baker's twine. That went onto the card front, leaving a white border all the way around.  I used a ProMarker to 'dye' the satin bow the exact color I wanted.

     The "Party Time" is embossed with white EP and the sentiment below the image is printed and hand cut.  I added three, tiny, yellow, pearls below the upper sentiment.

     Challenges:
Catch the Bug
Color Inspiration Monday
Crafting from the Heart
Creative Moments
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Simon Says Stamp
SUYP Cats
Word Art Weds.

     Thanks for stopping by.  I'll see you tomorrow with another Catch the Bug birthday card.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Sketch for Catch the Bug's Birthday Bash

     Day 2 of the week long Birthday celebration at Catch the Bug and here's my take on today's sketch.  I used a new -to-me image for a birthday card and we all know that birthdays mean new things just over the horizon (no matter how many of them we've celebrated!)

Here's the sketch.

     I used ProMarkers to color the image, then cut it with a die from QuicKutz.  I brought out my stash of saved scraps and found the piece of plaid, glittered paper from the "Linen Closet" stack by DCWV.  It's hard to see the glittery sparkle but if you enlarge the photo, it'll show up.  With a bit of a trim on the end, that scrap worked perfectly.  I added the image piece and began searching the scraps again for a background.

     There was a scrap of Winter Blue CS exactly the size of an A2 card so I used it and added the strip and the image to it.  That went on the card front.  I printed the sentiment, hand cut it and added it.  Finally, because this is a Western themed, masculine card, I added the twine and made a lariat instead of a bow.  One more CAS, masculine, birthday card for my stash!

     Challenges:
AAA Cards
Angie's Digital Stamps
Crafting from the Heart
Dragonfly Dreams
Ike's World
Outlawz CAS
Passion for ProMarkers
Pixie's Snippets
TTCRD

     I'm a bit under the weather today, so I'm going to post this and go back to bed for a while.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Pumpkin Stack

     It's Friday and a new challenge has begun at QKR Stampede.  As usual, our theme is "Anything Goes" but we also have our optional theme for you if you want to use it and this week we'd love to see "Leaves."  My leaves are part of this fun "Pumpkin Stack" image.  The sentiment is also a QKR image called "Halloween High."

     I colored the image with ProMarkers, then cut it along one side with a curved border die from Poppy Stamps and used a corner punch from Fiskars on the other side.  I did the same with the scrap of candy corn dp.  I added the sentiment and then layered everything onto another patterned dp which I found in my stash of autumn papers. 

     I wrapped the entire card front with orange and white baker's twine and called it finished.

     Challenges:
Colour Crazy
Crafting from the Heart
Crafting with Friends
Di's Digi Designs
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Greetings
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Polkadoodles
Stamping Sensations
Take It, Make It

     Come play along with us, won't you?  We'd love to see your creations and be inspired by them.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Gratitude is Where You Find It

     Our new challenge at the Perfect Sentiments Challenge this week is do a card with a Thanksgiving or Autumn sentiment, and add some Baker's twine.  Our prize this week is offered by Shelly's Images.

My sketch came from A Die for a Sketch, and the image is from Digi Doodles, called "Hobo's Thanksgiving."  The Digi Doodle shop is going to be closing soon (sniff) so I went over there and bought a bunch of digis before they're gone forever.

     I thought this image was a great reminder that we all need to be grateful for what we have, because it's probably a lot more than many others have.   I didn't do a lot of coloring, wanting to leave the hobo looking a bit vague and 'empty', but I did use pastel Promarkers on the crates and for shadowing around the figure.  I had to use a fine point, black pen on the line drawing so that it would show up a little better.  It tended to fade out without coloring.

     The sentiment is printed with a computer font.  I loved the brown, gingham check dp and found another complementary dp for the background, both from DCWV.  I pulled the tiny bits of golden orange from the background dp by matching CS for the stripes down the left side.  I added the Baker's twine, the layered flower and the leaf plus pearls, and knew it was finished.  This will make a perfect Thanksgiving card for one of the guys in my family this year.  Guys outnumber gals in my extended family more than 2 to 1, just in case you're wondering why I learned to make masculine cards!  :-D

     Challenges:
ABC Challenge -- W for Wishes (called prayers on this card)
Card and Scrap -- Use a die
Cards for Men -- Going Digital
Creative Craft Challenge -- All about the Boys
Hooked on Crafts - Cards for men
Love to Create -- Ribbon or twine
Paper Playtime -- gingham and die cut
Raise the Bar -- Celebrate fall

     I hope you're enjoying this mid-week-Wednesday.  It'll be the weekend before you know it and then you'll have time to craft something to submit to our "Thanksgiving/ Autumn with Baker's Twine" challenge.  Don't forget the sentiment!  Happy crafting.  NanaConnie