The Cuddle Kind of Love

     Today is a good day for cuddling at my house.  The weather is chilly, my fur babies think I should be curled up in bed so that they can pile on top of me or crawl under the covers and plaster themselves against my back for warmth.  They didn't think much of my taking time to sit at the craft table and make this Valentine salute to love in the rarest of forms.  :-D

     The stamp is from House Mouse.  HM images always make me smile and this one is no exception.  I apologize that the image isn't spectacularly clear but I stamped it with Light Coffee ink so that the design would look almost as though it had no outlines but I think my coloring just didn't give enough definition.  None-the-less, I submit this for your enjoyment.

Coloring w/ ProMarkers and chalks
Die cut green CS is a snippet cut with Sue Wilson die
Burlap fabric pieces are left over scraps
Mulberry paper flower, 'dyed' with ProMarkers
Sentiment printed and cut w/ Avery Elle die

     Challenges:
Arty Divas
Digi Choosday
Double Trouble
Dragonfly Dreams
Incy Wincy
Pixie's Snippets
Simon Says Stamp & Show
SUYP Cats
TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Birthdays Creeping Up

     Since my own St. Paddy's Day birthday is creeping up on me, I used all the Irish greens on this card that I could manage, even though the card isn't for me.  lol  The image (from SheepSki Designs) just made me think about things that creep around the corner and catch you unaware.  This is my first month since leaving the team and I miss them all already.  :-D

I used the sketch from Crafting Vicky Sketch,

a new challenge that just started.

Colored w/ ProMarkers
Cut with Spellbinders Die, trimmed on 2 sides
dp used as wallpaper - old scrap from my stash
Burlap fabric - new to the stash, but replaces some I used up
Sentiments printed & hand cut
Metal brads added to 2 corners

     Challenges:
Creative Inspirations
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
Ike's World
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Color
Papercraft
Scrappy Land
Tuesday Morning

     I'm back into my regular routine!  It feels so good to be able to sit and create or post whenever I choose.  :-D  I've even gotten a start on my commenting and visits to favorite blogs.  If I haven't visited yours yet, I will within the next day or two.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cowboy Pumpkin

     It's Friday again and I'm sharing another DT card for QKR Stampede.  Our theme is always Anything Goes.  As you can see, I've done another Halloween card, this time using a cute QKR image called "Cowboy Pumpkin."  The sentiment is also from QKR - "Happy Halloween."

Colored with ProMarkers
Fussy cut with scissors
Silhouettes cut with dies from Memory Box & Die-versions
Burlap cloth for background texture
Kraft card base

This one is also for Day 5 of the Cat Lovers Blog Hop.

Haven't played before but interested in joining?

Click HERE.

Before you tell me there's no cat, look on the fence!

LOL  Tiny but there, nonetheless.

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
C.R.A.F.T.
Creative Fingers
Cut It Up
My Favorite Things
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Penny's Paper-Crafty

     Thanks for visiting today and come play with us this week won't you?  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Live Out Loud !

     You all know how much I love the weekly challenges at QKR Stampede and working with their images but this "Baby Donkey" image is one of my favorites.  I used it on my DT card this week and am already thinking of other possibilities.

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with Sue Wilson die
Paper from Linen Closet stack by DCWV
Dots on dp are embossed w/ sparkle EP
Sentiment printed on vellum
Background made with burlap
Sheer ribbon & hand tied bow

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments (top row)
Colour Crazy
C.R.A.F.T.
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafting from the Heart
Creative Fingers
Creative Moments
Outlawz Festive Friday
Scribbles Designs
Take It, Make It

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Rather Fish than Work

     This adorable, little bear from Imagine That! proves the point that any reasonable guy would rather fish than work.  To quote someone famous and silly (don't ask me who said it), "Give a man a fish and he'll eat one meal.  Teach a man to fish and he'll sit by the river and drink beer all day!"

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with QuicKutz die
Burlap with distressed edges
Kraft CS for the card base

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Aud Sentiments
Crafty Calendar
Crafty Catz
Outlawz Festive Fri
Scrapper's Delights
Take It, Make It
Time Out

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Day in the Garden

     I dearly love this sweet image of a girl in her garden for the Sasayaki Glitter Progressive Challenge this month.  It's called "Butterfly Garden."

     I colored with ProMarkers, the cut the image with a die from Spellbinders.  That got mounted onto purple CS which became the card front.  I printed the sentiment , hand cut it, and added it below the image.

     For embellishment, I die cut a butterfly out of burlap paper, dyed it purple with a ProMarker, added a gem to the body, and glued it to the top corner.  I found the two orchids in my flower stash
and thought they'd look good on each side of the sentiment

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Butterfly Challenge (flowers & frame)
CARDZ TV
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Colors
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Pattie's Creations
Word Art Weds.

     The week is rolling by and before you know it, we'll pass the halfway point and then it'll be the weekend.  When time passes that quickly, it means Christmas is just around the corner.  Have you started on your cards yet?  lol  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Stockings Were Hung...(and filled!)

     Day 4 of the Christmas in July daily challenges at Catch the Bug and I'm still on target for playing along each day.  Today I used a Bugaboo Stamps image with the cutest little teddy bear filling up a stocking - with himself, not with toys.  :-D

     The theme for today is a BINGO challenge and I managed to use all the items listed on the board.

     I started by coloring with ProMarkers, then I fussy cut the image with scissors.  I die cut a stitched circle to go behind the image (Die-namics) and mounted the image onto Pop Dots before putting it onto the circle.  It gave some great dimension.

     I found a scrap of burlap and used that behind the image/circle which added wonderful texture.  The rectangle of dp was a scrap from my Christmas paper stash and I inked the edges before adding the sparkly washi tape to it.  

     I dug through my stash of handmade bows, found one made from ivory ribbon instead of white, and used it.  It better matched the beige card base.  I printed, hand cut, matted, and added the sentiment, then put three small pearls in the lower corner of the burlap.

     Challenges:

Card Mania

Crafter's Cafe

Crafts Galore Encore

Create with TLC

Creative Craft Cottage
Die Cuttin' Divas

Digi Doodle Studios

Morgan's ArtWorld

Not Just Cards
Passion for ProMarkers

Sparkles Christmas

     That's it for me today.  Hopefully, I'll  be back tomorrow with a project for Day 5 of the Christmas in July challenges.  See you then.  

     Also, don't forget to check out the Birthday Bash with all the great prizes over at Challenges for Days!   Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Asian Doll Birthday Card

     I have a very dear friend whom I've not seen since college days but I send her birthday greetings each year and she does the same for me.  Shortly after graduating from college, she married and her husband was transferred almost immediately to a foreign field office in Taiwan.  They were there for nearly 10 years and she grew to love all things oriental.  I thought this image would be perfect for her.

     The image is from Heart Song, a company for whom I designed almost 7 years ago, when I first started blogging.  They have since closed the shop but I still love Leah's images and use them whenever I can.  This one is "Asian Doll."

     I used my Promarkers to color, then cut it and the frame with a die from Spellbinders.  I trimmed a scrap of burlap to fit behind the image, pulling threads to get the fringed edges.  The black CS was a left over scrap, cut with another Spellbinders die.  The "birthday" sentiment was done with a die from Sizzix.  The bow tie bow was tied using my bow maker.

     Challenges:
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Friends
Dream Valley
Incy Wincy
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Scrapper's Delights
Send a Smile 4 Kids

     I can't believe my weekend is half over and I still have so much to do.  Monday starts another week of full days and busy evenings and I'll be glad when I can just "be retired" again.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Under A Spell

     Once more, I'm sharing a card using one of the Sasayaki Glitter Progressive Challenge images over on their FB page.  I've been really consistent in playing in the FB progressive challenges and don't want to miss any of them.  :-D

     I used my ProMarkers to color the image, then cut it with a die from Gina Marie.  I printed the sentiment and cut it with a die from Die-namics. 

     While I was trying to decide what I was going to do design-wise, I ran across some scraps of burlap in my stash which I had originally cut for some fall cards last year.  I had scraps in green, beige, red, and dark brown and thought I'd combine the green and brown as background for this card.  Since the green scrap was already a wonky shape, I pulled a few more threads from it to accentuate the 'shabby' look, then did the same with the brown scrap, after which I layered them onto each other on the card front.

     I added the image piece, then some ribbon with spiders and webs, and on top of that, I added the sentiment piece.  A hand-tied bow made from sheer orange ribbon (with a black fringed edging) made a perfect embellishment, standing alone for great dimension and texture.

     Challenges:
Aloha Friday
A Vintage Journey
Colour Crazy
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Catz
Creative Fingers
Pattie's Creations
Polkadoodles
Sasayaki Glitter

     That's what I have for you this morning.  I'm planning a half-day of laundry, house cleaning, and grocery shopping, then I'm diving into the craft room for the rest of the weekend to work on some DT cards for November and December.  Maybe I'll find time for one or two cards to post next week.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A QKR Valentine

     It's Friday again so that means a new challenge starting at QKR Stampede.  Don't forget that we've changed over to "Anything Goes with a Twist" and the twist is always optional.  Our twist this week is "Valentine."   I chose to use Digi 10304 Chocolate Kisses as my image and Digi 10302 Kiss Me Quick as my sentiment.

I used colors from the inspiration photo

at C.R.A.F.T. Challenges.

     I used my ProMarkers to color the image and then cut it with a die from Spellbinders.  The sentiment is printed, hand cut, inked on the edges and mounted onto the image.  I saved three of the little hearts that fell out of the die cut so that I could use them for corner embellishments.

     I dug out a piece of burlap, trimmed it, and pulled out some of the fibers along the edges.  I mounted that onto a red card base, then applied the image on top.  Finally, I tied the fibers I had pulled out of the burlap swatch into a knot and used them as a 'bow.'  Fast, clean and simple, and perfect for a masculine Valentine.

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
CAS on Sunday
Come and Get It
Crafting with an Attitude
Cute Card Thurs.
Di's Digi Designs
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Time Out

     Come play with us this week, won't you?  Although you can do only the "Anything Goes" part of the challenge theme, if you want to get another Valentine finished, (it's only 10 days now until you'll need them!) feel free to use the optional twist, too.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

New Sheriff in Town

     I am so tickled to have found this silly rooster image (Digi 15105 "Running Rooster") from QKR Stampede and have used it in the newest challenge, starting this morning, with a theme of "Wild West."  You'd think that as long as I've been part of the QKR DT, I'd have seen all the images but there are so many that I run across ones I haven't seen at least once or twice a month.  :-D

I decided to use the Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 sketch again.

     OK, I have to tell you that I made a tiny modification to the image which you won't find if you go to the original.  I added the sheriff's badge to his vest to coordinate with the sentiment and better fit our "Wild West" theme.  Other than that, it's exactly the same, and it's such a tiny badge, you might not have really seen it if I hadn't pointed it out.  :-D

     I colored with ProMarkers, utilizing fall colors, then die cut both the image and the dp mat with dies from QuicKutz.  I hand cut the sentiment and matted it, too, with a tiny scrap of that same dp.  The card base is made with brown CS and the orange CS strip was embossed with my "Linen" folder.  The black chevron striped paper is actually burlap.  I added the orange jute cord and the card is perfect for a masculine birthday or other celebration.

     Challenges:
Catch the Bug (1st column)
Crafty Addicts
Creative Inspirations
Creative Moments
Get Creative
Kraftin' Kimmie
Melonheadz Friends
My Sheri Crafts
Passion for ProMarkers
Pattie's Creations
Sasayaki Glitter
Take It, Make It
Work It Wednesday

     OK, check back in an hour or so because my second post of the day will be live by then and you don't want to miss it.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Snakes in the Snow

     We're starting a new challenge today and we have a really simple theme: "Lots of Layers."  I think this is one of the funniest images I've ever seen at QKR Stampede!    (Digi 12602 "Happy Snake")  The sentiment is my own this time.

     The image is colored with ProMarkers and die cut with a die from Spellbinders.  I used two layers of burlap as mats for the image because it gives such great texture.  Besides, the burlap is new and it was right there on my desk, waiting to be put away, so why not use it?  :-D  Those mats are die cut with the same set of dies.  I also matted the sentiment with burlap.  Behind the matted image, I used torn CS and behind that a layer of dark brown CS.

     For embellishments, I added a strip of ribbon (brand new from Really Reasonable Ribbon) at the top of the card and then added one of the handsewn bows I make by the dozens and keep in my stash for future use.  This one was made with white ribbon, dyed with marker to get the exact color I wanted.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
A Snowflakes Promise
Artistic Inspirations
Classy Cards n Such
Craft for the Craic
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Cutie Pie
Digi Choosday
Dragonfly Journey
Get Creative
Glitter n Sparkle (1st column)
Lemon Shortbread
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Melonheadz Friends
Pattie's Creations
Really Reasonable Ribbon
Scrapy Land
Stamping Boutique

     Come play in our Layers challenge this week, won't you?  We'd love to see what you create.  Remember, you can use any image by any company, but if you do use a QKR Stampede image, your project is entered into a separate drawing just for QKR users.  That increases your chance of winning significantly.   Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie