Bow Tie Bunny

      This is my first post today and once again, I'm featuring an image from Mariola Budek.  This sweet bunny was almost complete as he was but I did add a bit of dove gray and cool gray to his fur, plus a dab of soft pink on his ear, nose, and mouth.  This time, I used my new Sanjoki markers.  The more I use those alcohol markers, the more I like them!  They seem to be pretty much on par with Copics and ProMarkers but the cost is so much more budget friendly.  :-D

     I used my bow maker to tie the double layer bow which I applied just under his chin as a bow tie.   The bunny is fussy cut with scissors.  I used a scrap of deep purple CS for the card front, and added a strip of  blue CS which I dry embossed with my 'Linen' EF.   I wrote out the sentiment using a fine tip Versamark pen, then heat embossed it with white EP.  Overall, very CAS.

     Challenges:

Addicted to CAS

Can You Handle ...

Dream Valley

Pammie's IP

Paperminutes

Passion for Markers

Penny's P-C

     I'll have a second Easter card to share in a couple of hours.  I'm working on getting everything ready for the craft fair I'm attending tomorrow but I also want to get my posts done so that I can share with you the progress I've made on Easter cards these past 10 days.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Facebook Birthday

      Today's card is being sent to my grandson who turns 22 on Friday.  I decided on a card that is focused on the sentiment and I chose this sentiment from Bugaboo Stamps (I still miss them!)  I printed the sentiment onto aqua CS and I die cut it with border dies from Spellbinders.

     The texture on the white background is dry embossed with a folder from Cuttlebug.  I used my bow maker to tie the polka dot, bowtie bow, enhancing the masculine feel of the card.

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...

Dies R Us

Dragonfly Dreams

Dream Valley

Penny's Paper-Crafty

Simon Says Stamp

There's a Stamp ...

TTCRD

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Here, Kitty, Kitty

      It's the middle of the month and we are starting a new challenge over at QKR Stampede where our theme is always "Anything Goes."  I used a fun and fabulous image called "Bobcat" and I did the entire card using scraps, leftovers, punches, and dies.

     I printed the digital image onto a scrap of white CS, then colored it with ProMarkers and chalks.  I trimmed the image into a rectangle and cut the corners with a Uchida punch.  The golden background was cut with a die from Altenew and I put many of the cut out dots back into the cut piece.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.   I found the scrap of dp in the basket on my craft desk and it seemed to work with the background color.  Finally, I tied a bow tie and shaped the tails with a Fiskars punch.

     Challenges:

Ally's Angels

Colour Crazy

Dies R Us

Digi Choosday

Paperbabe

Passion for Markers  (Nov: Citrine)

Simon Says Stamp (Cats & Dies)

Star Stampz (C = Cat)

TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Summer Rays

     Our latest monthly challenge has started over at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies and I have to announce that it is also the last challenge after nearly 5 years.  I really hate to see it close, but unless someone steps forward and is willing to take it over, when this challenge finishes on September 25th, it will be the last one.

     Our theme has always been "Anything Goes with a Featured Critter" but that could be changed if someone else wants to take over.  We've had sponsors each month and that, too, could be changed.

     One of our first sponsors was QKR Stampede and they are our last sponsor as well.  They have the most adorable images, many of them available in both digi and rubber stamps.  I chose one called "Basking" and I just love the idea of a rooster soaking up the last rays of summer even if it means a bit of sunburn.  :-D

     The image is colored with ProMarkers and gel pens, then cut with a pinpoint die from Dare 2B Artzy.  The green dp square was cut with a QuicKutz die, and then I cut the center of it with the same Dare 2B Artzy die and inlaid the image cut into that piece.

     The sunshine dp was also a scrap from the basket.  It had been in there so long, I was pretty sure it would never get used but it was too big to throw away.  This seemed the perfect card for it.  :-D  I tied a bow tie bow from satin ribbon; printed the sentiment and cut it with an Impression Obsession die.  It's CAS enough to work as a masculine card.

     Challenges:

Ally's Angels

Crafty Hazelnut's

Creative Moments

Dare 2B Artzy

Die Cut Divas

Dies R Us

Dragonfly Dreams

Outlawz Greetings

     I hope you'll come and play with us in what may be our last challenge.  Or maybe you'll be the one to decide to take it over and keep it going.  Many on the team are more than willing to stay and all will be most helpful.  If you have any interest, please email 2 Crafty Critter Crazies.  Here's the address:  2craftycrittercrazies@gmail.com

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Sympathy Card

     I don't make sympathy cards ahead of time - they just aren't the cards I want to do.  So I leave them until I need one and then make it in the midst of emotion.

     Unfortunately, I lost a sweet friend in my neighborhood on Friday and I've made this card for her two grown grandsons, the closest relatives she had.  Her own daughter passed on several years ago and the grandsons and 3 great-grands are all the family she had left.  They lived back east and she was in California so none of the family had seen her since her daughter passed on.

I used the sketch from Viva la Verve

to get some inspiration and a starting point.

     The image is from Digistamps4Joy and I kept in mind her favorite colors, pink and green.  I used my polychromos pencils and ProMarkers to color the image, then cut it with a Die-Versions double-stitched die.

     Other than the image, everything on the card is done from scraps.  The card front was embossed with my "Linen" folder, then I layered together the pink and green scraps and cut them with that same die, which gave me the second, outer row of stitching.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, adding it to one side.  I tied one of my bow tie bows using my bow maker.

     Challenges:
Aloha Friday
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Creations
Digistamps4Joy
Fussy and Fancy
Joy Clair
Sugar Pea Designs
That's Crafty!
Word Art Weds.

     That's all I have for today but I hope to have another post tomorrow.  If not, I'll see you on Friday with a double post.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Lilacs for You

     I'm really on a kick of using some of my sprites from AuroraWings and here's my second one in a week.  This image is the Lilac Sprite.  I remember the beautiful lilacs I had at my house before I moved.  I spent several years tending them and training them to grow up over the railing on the second-story deck I had.  Each year that they bloomed, they'd hang down over the drive which ran underneath the deck.  Oh, they were so marvelous in the late spring and early summer!  Their scent filled the air.

     I colored with ProMarkers, and cut her with a die from Spellbinders.  The delicate, lacy frame is also cut with a Spellbinders die.  I had that gingham paper left on my craft desk from doing another project a couple of days ago and decided to use it up instead of tossing it out.

     I tied a 'bowtie' bow from a bit of white lace, then "dyed" it with one of my ProMarkers.  I made that the only embellishment because I really wanted the image and the frame to be the central focus on this card.

     Challenges:
Angie's Digital Stamps
AuroraWings
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Friends
Cutie Pie
Di's Digi Designs
Fussy and Fancy
Outlawz Festive Friday
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Simon Says Stamp

     That's all I have for today except to say that we're halfway through the week.  It's been Easter break here in my neighborhood, with all the kids out of school.  They don't go back until Tuesday and they all get to celebrate Easter before then.  Thanks for visiting, and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Gas Mask & Birthday

     I know, I know, - - that seems like a strange title for a blog about crafting and card making and a bit of inspiration now and then but if you just take a look at my card, you'll understand.  You'll also immediately recognize my odd sense of humor.  Maybe you'll even get a little grin from it.  :-D

     The image came from Limited Runs for their Facebook progressive challenge this month.  I thought it was hysterical !  :-D  Naturally, the sentiment is all mine.

     I'm using this for a birthday card for a gentleman who claims he's going to outlive all of his friends and family so that nobody can fight over his estate.  I love that idea!  Maybe he'll take some inspiration from this silly card and shoot for 25 million years!

     Colored with ProMarkers and cut with a stitched die from Die-namics.  The die I used was a rectangle die but wasn't as narrow as I wanted so I just cut the image once, then moved the die over to one side and cut it a second time to get it as narrow as I wanted.  The larger rectangle frame is the actual size of the next bigger die in the set.  I cut that one and added turquoise CS behind it, then layered on the image piece.

     I did one more really narrow die cut, wrapped it with ribbon, and added one of my bow tie bows.  The sentiment was printed and die cut with another stitched die from that same set, again adjusted to make it the width I needed.  All of those stitched die cuts were cut from scraps waiting to be tossed into the round file.  The turquoise CS was also a scrap.

     Challenges:
Crafting from the Heart
Crafting with an Attitude
Dragonfly Dreams
Dream Valley
Hiding in My Craft Room
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Festive Friday
Pile It On
Ribbon Girl

     Hope your day is fun now that you got to start it with a smile.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie