At the End

      I have a fun card to share with you today which takes a very black and white view of being last in all things.  :-D  The image is one by QKR Stampede, very simply called "Zebra."  

     I printed it and added some subtle shading with Ohuhu markers, my first time using them (and I do like them!)  The image was cut with a Spellbinders die, and I matted it twice with dp from the Midnight Chic paper stack by DCWV.  That stack happens to be rather old.  I bought two of them at least 10 years ago, have used most of the first one, and I cut into two sheets from second stack for this card.  One is the darker frame and the other is the background dp.  I used white CS to frame the image before layering it onto the background.

     The sentiment was printed and cut with a Tonic Studios die.

     Challenges:

613 Avenue Create

Crafting

Crafts Galore ...

Do Al(l) Kreatives

Lil Patch of Crafty ...

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

     Have a great day and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Hedgehog Mama

      I hadn't planned on a second post today but it suddenly dawned on me that I hadn't done a card for the Outlawz Progressive challenge for April and this is the very last day!  No time for any coloring so I decided right away on a black and white creation and it took me less than an hour, including photographing and editing.  :-D

     This adorable hedgie was drawn by Anne Fenton (I love her art!) and I copied it 4 times, in different sizes, added the sentiment before printing, and cut it with one of my Spellbinders big dies made for the Grand Caliber cutter.  The papers are all from an old stack by DCWV which has been in my stash for more years than I can count - maybe more than 7 years?   Most of them I found in my scrap basket and the largest one for the background I cut to fit this slimline card.

     Challenges:

Snippets Playground

     Like I said, simple and sweet, and created in a flash.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Magical Moments

      I want to share another of my dance themed cards, this one in black and white monochrome and with a very CAS design.  I'd love to say it was quick and easy but I spent a lot of time planning and executing the black silhouettes with the gray scale silhouettes, and putting the 'reflections' at the bottom.

     The finished image was cut with my largest QuicKutz die, and matted with black CS.  I added one of my signature bows with a pearl.  My stash of those is getting a bit low and I'm going to have to spend a day hand-sewing another 2 or 3 dozen of them pretty soon.  Once I had added the bow, it seemed finished and I decided to leave it that CAS.

Based on the sketch from Sketch Saturday.

    Challenges:

CCC Digi Creations

Classic Design

Crafts Galore Encore

Crafty Calendar

Gem of a Challenge

Let's Craft & Create

Lil Patch of ...

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Black & White Thinking

      I was so inspired by the black & white theme (photo) at Inspiration Station, 

with the suggestion of "Be Kind," that I decided on a card with black & white papers, plus B&W image, a spatter of glitter on the flower centers, and a black bow with white pearl.  The image is printed and cut with a QuicKutz square die and the edges are inked with an ink pad.  The scalloped circle is cut with a Memory Box die, and the sentiment is cut with an Avery Elle die.  

     All papers are previously cut scraps from the DCWV Midnight Chic stack (which I've had in my stash for nearly 10 years!)  The image is from Bugaboo Stamps and 'Kindness' is reflected in both the sentiment and in growing special flowers for the hummingbird.

     Challenges:

Allsorts

Catch the Bug

Crafter's Castle

Double Trouble

Get Creative

Gem of a Challenge

House ... Stamps Built

Paper Shelter

Pattie's Creations

Taylormade ...

      It seems odd not to have hand-colored an image for this card but I do love the end result of simple black and white.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Goin' for a Ride?

     I remember one of my favorite animals from childhood was a white, toy terrier who had the blackest nose and a black blotch on his otherwise white back.  His name was Buster and more than anything, he loved to ride in cars.

     My dad had his own business building custom furniture and kitchen cabinets so he was able to take Buster with him nearly everywhere he went.  Buster was well known at the local hardware store, at the lumber yard, and even at the fire department which was located 1/2 a block from the hardware store.  All the firemen spoiled him by giving him treats any time they saw him.  Usually, once he had greeted everyone at the hardware store, he made a beeline straight for the fire station.  :-D

     This fun pup, which is the image for the new Progressive Challenge at Ike's Art FB site, reminded me of Buster (although Buster's black blotch was up closer to his shoulder) and that partially accounts for the way I colored this pup.  Based on that coloring, I decided to do a black-and-white, mono card.

     I colored with ProMarkers, then fussy cut the dog.  I layered him onto a black die cut (Spellbinders) which was in my scrap stash.  The background dp came from a DCWV stack called "Midnight Chic."

     I found that black and white ribbon in my stash of Crafty Ribbons stock.  The final touch was the polka dot, bow-tie bow that I tied using my bow maker.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment in honor of Buster who had to go for a  ride at least once every day!  :-D

     Challenges:
Allsorts
Crafty Friends
Creates and Makes
Digi Choosday
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Send a Smile 4 Kids
TTCRD

     So glad you came by for a visit today, however brief it might be.  Enjoy a browse around if you have time and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Time Began in a Garden

     Hello and welcome to June!  How did we get to almost half way through this year?  Time is flying by.  Goodness, this month all the kids will be out of school, summer will officially begin (winter in the Southern Hemisphere), the days will begin getting shorter (longer down under), and before you know it, we'll all be scrambling to do our holiday cards.  :-D

     But for this morning, this is the first of three posts I have for 1st of the Month DT cards and this one is for the "Anything Goes with a Critter" challenge at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies.  Our sponsor is Sparkle n Sprinkle and they provided digi images for each of us to use.  I'm using "Garden Silhouette" and I love how easily it lent itself to a CAS design.

     No coloring on this one at all.  Each piece is printed, fussy cut, and layered onto the card front.  I used various thicknesses of dimensional dots or tape, the thickest of which is on the sentiment.  I finished it by adding a black bow for embellishment.

     Challenges:
Art Impressions
Crafting from the Heart
Creative Fingers
Glitter n Sparkle
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Ribbon Girl
Sisterhood of Crafters
Time Out

     I do hope we're going to see you playing along this month.  Remember, any project (not just cards) which features a creature of any sort qualifies to be entered in the challenge.  Come join us and give us some fantastic inspiration!   Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie    

Chicken In

     Today starts the October release at MHK Designs and our first set is called "Chicken In."  I've used two of the images (rooster and chicken wire) plus one of the sentiments.  I also used "Darling Daisies" dp from the "Flower Power" digital paper set.  Photos of both sets are at the bottom of this post.

     I love the simple design  of my DT card -- all black and white with only one tiny pop of red.

      Very little coloring was required on this one but I did use my ProMarkers on the rooster's comb.  I fussy cut the images and the sentiment and layered them all on top of the two dp pieces.  Everything went onto a black card base.

     Challenges:
Crafting by Designs
Crafting with an Attitude
Crafty Sentiments
Digi Choosday
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Color
Penny's Paper-Crafty
TTCRD
WordArt Wednesday

     Be sure to check back tomorrow for the next release set.  Also, our next challenge starts on October 21, right at the end of our five-day release.  That means you still have time to enter our current challenge before the next one starts.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

 Chicken In   Flower Power

It's No Costume!

     I have an old college friend (a guy) whose birthday falls on Halloween.  It's hard to do cards for him year after year without falling into the trap of just sending a Halloween card.  But this year, Sassy Studio Designs came to the rescue without even knowing it.  While they have "Halloween" as their theme, this wonderful sorceress just filled the bill for what I wanted to do.  Since it's a guy card, it had to be CAS.

     I did it all in just black and white because adding orange would have made it even more Halloween.  I grant you, I'm entering this into several Halloween theme challenges, but my purpose is really a birthday card for a 'dirty old man' who will love this image and the sentiment.  Sorry, Bobbie!

     The papers are from DCWV's 'Le Creme' stack and I've had them in my stash for well over a year.  I used Promarkers, glitter gel ink, and Sakura Glaze pen to color the image.  The sentiment is mine.  The three buttons are very sparkly because they are faceted but I had to tone that down in the photo.  They've also been in my stash for a long time.  Why I tend to forget about using buttons as embellies, I just don't know, but I do.

     Challenges:
Craft Your Passion -- Witches
Celebrate the Occasion -- Male birthday (+ tall card.  This is tall but the photo software "squashed" it!  Unfortunately, it makes most of my cards look like square cards.  This one is business envelope size.  Sorry)
Creatalicious -- Halloween
Everybody Art Challenge -- Add bling
Heck of a Challenge -- Spooktacular
Ladybug Crafts -- Halloween
Lia Stamps -- Halloween
Papelitos Stamps -- Witches
Raise the Bar -- Witches
Shopping Our Stash -- Trick or Treat
Through the Craftroom Door -- Anything goes

      Today may be another "twofer" day but if not, I'm sure to have something for tomorrow.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie