A Day at the Beach

     It's so hot here that all I can think is we should be at the beach where it's 35 degrees cooler!  This Beach Fence image from Pink Gems is about the best I can do at the moment.

ProMarkers to color
Cut with QuicKutz die using out-of-the-box technique
Stitched ribbon
3 aqua gemstones
Inked edges on image and sentiment

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Angie's Digital Stamps
Aud Sentiments
Crafty Sentiments
Cut It Up
Digi Choosday
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Take It, Make It
TTCRD
Tuesday Throwdown

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Ice Cream at the Beach

     Want to know the perfect remedy for hot weather?  Yep, you guessed it - ice cream at the beach!  And I thought this cute little image from Bugaboo Stamps showed that off perfectly.  :-D

I used the sketch from Stella Says Sketch.

     I colored with ProMarkers and gel inks (white, silver, and sparkle), then die cut the image and the frame with two of my new dies from Tonic Studios.  I found scraps of dp in my basket, cut the ends of them with one of the scalloped dies from Tonic Studios, and added them underneath the framed image.

     I tied the multi-loop bow using two ribbons on my bow maker.  Finally, I printed the sentiment, hand-cut it, matted it, and added it, offset below the image.

     Challenges:
CARDZ TV
Catch the Bug
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafting from the Heart
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Catz
Outlawz Greetings
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Take It, Make It

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Beach Birthday

     I always envied my school-days friends who had summer birthday because, even though they complained about the lack of classroom recognition of their special day, they could go to the beach for their birthday!

     This cute image from Sasayaki Glitter is my way of celebrating all that summer fun.  Ice cream, the beach, and her kitty - what else could a gal need on a summer day?

I started with the sketch from Tuesday Morning,

turned sideways,

and the Color Sisters had some great inspiration.

   

     I colored the image with ProMarkers, then cut it with a die from Spellbinders.  I inset that cut into the frame die, also from that Spellbinders set.   I printed and fussy cut the sentiment, matted it with CS, hand cut that, and applied it at the bottom of the image.

     The bow is one of those I sew together by the dozens and toss in my stash for future use.  I mounted everything onto turquoise CS which became the card front.  CAS but more complex looking because of the complexity of the framing die.

     Challenges:
Crafty Sentiments
Cuttlebug Mania
Digi Choosday
Everybody Art
Lemon Shortbread
TTCRD
Tuesday Throwdown

     Catching up on all my 'favorite blog' visits is turning out to be very time consuming!  Even though I checked email pretty regularly, I had more than 200 in my inbox yesterday and that's without Blogger sending me any notifications of comments on my blog.  Whew!  So, I'm working on it but if I leave you one comment on all your posts, please forgive and understand.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Summer Joys

     For all of you down under in the Southern Hemisphere, including cousins of mine in Sydney, I hope your summer is warm and wonderful but not overwhelmingly hot.  I've done a card with all of you in mind for my GDT spot over at the Outlawz Sunday CAS challenge with a theme of "Summer."  This is a refreshing change from the "Snow" theme of last week and I imagine those of you in the north of the US and in Canada will agree.  Are any of you tired of winter yet?

     I used another House Mouse image and kept my card very CAS, even with the double layer on the card.

     I colored the mouse, the crab, and beach ball with ProMarkers and everything else was done with watercolor/polychromos pencils.  I cut the image with a die from Spellbinders and then cut a dark brown mat for it with a Pinpoint Rectangle die from Memory Box.

     I layered those together and added them to a yellow card base, deliberately putting them at an angle to add a little visual interest.  The sentiment I printed, hand cut, and put on top of the image.  There you are - totally CAS and easy to male.  It's going in my stash of masculine cards for one of the summer birthdays celebrated by several of my family members.  :-D

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Crafting with Attitude
Crafty Friends
Digi Choosday
House that Stamps Built
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Penny's Paper Crafty
Send a Smile 4 Kids

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Beach Frog

     This card really showcases the run of luck my neighbors have been having and I know they'll appreciate it.  They came by last evening to borrow a couple of folding beach chairs, deciding that one last sunny day at the beach before the Autumnal Equinox hits us here in California would be perfect.   We've had such a miserably hot summer that they had opted not to do anything much all summer long so this was to be their one and only day-trip before fall hits.

     An hour ago, I received a text message from them saying that it's cloudy and raining and they wish they had borrowed umbrellas instead of chairs!  lol

     I used ProMarkers to color the image then cut it with a die from Spellbinders.  I kept everything very simple, putting the image piece onto a dark blue card front and adding only the two polka-dot bows.  The sentiment was printed, hand cut, matted, and hand cut again.

     Challenges:
Cards in Envy
Crafty Creations
Digi Choosday
Outlawz Color
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Passion for ProMarkers
Sasayaki Glitter (FB Progressive)
Scrapy Land
Sisterhood of Crafters
TTCRD

     I hope you make your day pleasant and fun regardless of where you are or what the weather may be.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Last Flamingo on the Beach

     It's a sure thing that summer is coming to a close when you find only one flamingo on the beach, looking for that last drop of sunshine to tan his pink feathers.  Or maybe all the rest of them just got scared away by yesterday's solar eclipse?

I used colors from the Ellen Hutson Pin Sights challenge.

     The image is from the Sasayaki Glitter FB progressive challenge.  I colored with my ProMarkers and cut it with an Unbranded die.  The paper is from an old DCWV stack.  I printed the sentiment and fussy cut it.  I added ribbon from my stash, plus one of the bows I make up by the dozens and have ready as needed, and found an anchor charm which seemed good for the beach theme.

     Challenges:
Brown Sugar
Crafty Creations
Crazy Challenge
Creative Inspirations
Incy Wincy
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Festive Friday

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Beach Kitty in Purples

     If you follow my blog or even just visit regularly, you know how much I love purple and that it's my favorite color.  I incorporated some of my brighter purples into this card using a new digi I got from AuroraWings this weekend and I'm going to enter it over at their FB challenge.

     This darling beach kitty just looked so serene (kind of like the way I imagine my friend, Cely, who's a Carolina Girl and who loves the beach, would be sitting there.  This one is just for you, Cely!) that the sentiment needed to be something about not being stressed out.  Hence, the play on Meow and Out.  :-D

     The image is colored with my ProMarkers, then cut with a large rectangle die and mounted onto a pale purple card base.  The only embellishment that seemed necessary was the bow in the upper corner.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Aud Sentiments
AuroraWings
Catch the Bug
Creative Inspirations
Di's Digi Designs
Double D
Julia Spiri
Pattie's Creations
Sweet Stampin'

     I'm off to run some errands and will return late in the day.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Please continue to leave comments.  The "Word Verification" really isn't on.  BLOGGER INSISTS ON SHOWING THE "CAPTCHA" ICON BUT IF YOU IGNORE IT AND JUST PUBLISH YOUR COMMENT, IT WILL POST JUST FINE.  I WISH I COULD GET RID OF IT BUT THERE'S NO OPTION FOR THAT WHEN THE COMMENTS ARE WRITTEN IN A SEPARATE BOX.  SORRY.

First Day of New Release at MHK Designs

     I'm so excited about the latest release at MHK Designs!   Over the next 5 days, our DTs will be showcasing the newest sets so be sure to check the main MHK Designs blog to see them all.  Since I'm gone much of this month, I only have two of the sets to share but I love them all.

     The first set is called "Beachy Keen" and I had so much fun playing with it.  Both the image and the sentiment are included in the set and you can see a photo of the set at the very bottom of this post.

     I used my ProMarkers and some chalk markers to color the image, then added a tiny bit of glitter and some white gel ink to the ocean.  I used a die from Spellbinders to cut the random shape around the image, and you can see the actual shape of the die in the dark blue CS 'bunting' I added to two sides of the image.

     I wrapped twine around the dp and then added the two little shell charms, finally adhered the sentiment and called it finished.

     Challenges:
Artistic Inspirations
Chalk n Stock
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Crazy Challenge (twine/digi/die cut)
Cutie Pie
Dream Valley
Outlawz Greetings
Simon Says Stamp
Where the HeART Is

     Be sure to check out the MHK Designs blog to see what everyone else has done with this delightful set.  It's just so perfect for a summery June project.  Be sure to check out the MHK blog each day and I'll be back on Sunday with another MHK Designs release.   You definitely don't want to miss that one!  :-D   Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie



Please continue to leave comments.  The "Word Verification" really isn't on.  BLOGGER INSISTS ON SHOWING THE "CAPTCHA" ICON BUT IF YOU IGNORE IT AND JUST PUBLISH YOUR COMMENT, IT WILL POST JUST FINE.  I WISH I COULD GET RID OF IT BUT THERE'S NO OPTION FOR THAT WHEN THE COMMENTS ARE WRITTEN IN A SEPARATE BOX.  SORRY.