Winter Mice for the Letter "E"

     Today's card is going to be entered for Day 5 in the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place so we're using the letter "E" as the theme.  My "E"s are: Embossing, Ecru (the stars), & Embellishments. (and a little Eeek for all of you who are afraid of mice!)

     I'm also playing again in the challenge over at Conjuror of Dreams and this month their optional theme is "Winter Critters."  The image I used is from Conjuror of Dreams and I adore these little mice.  I just know they are perched on that log, singing Christmas Carols from their tiny hearts.

     The image and its white frame were die cut with dies from QuicKutz and Tonic Studios.  The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die. I embossed the gray CS background, using my 'Linen' EF.   I found a strip of red dp in the scrap basket and added it to the left side, then put the angels and snowflake embellishments along the left side.

     Challenges:

4 Season

Digi Choosday

Make My Monday

Peace on Earth

Penny's P-C

Polkadoodles

Simon Says Stamp

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Silver Fox

      Maya Silvercat is one of my favorite artists and I've introduced my sis-in-law to her artwork and digital images.  The image on this card was colored by my SIL, using Ohuhu markers (she has so thoroughly mastered alcohol markers in less than 2 months!)  I love how she decided to make the fox a silvery white.  Really masterful !

     I still haven't gotten her to actually make cards (or even scrapbook pages) with her colored images but we have this marvelous collaboration going, and I make cards out of her colored images.  Of course, I continue to color images myself, but this one is another of our collaborations.  :-D

      The image, once colored, was cut with a Tonic Studios die, and I inked the edges.   The background for the image was made by running a piece of charcoal gray CS through my Linen embossing folder. That added a delightful bit of texture.  The birthday sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  For the bow, I used white ribbon, dyed green with a marker, then hand sewn into the butterfly shape.  

     Challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms

Digi Choosday

DL Art

Pattie's Creations

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

Word Art Weds

     That's all for today but check back tomorrow for another post.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie  

New Way to Roller Skate

      My daughter called and asked me to make a Get Well card for a neighbor of hers who fell while roller skating with her grandkids.  She has a serious hip break and it'll take a while for her to heal up completely.   Much as I would love to take credit for the sentiment, when my daughter saw this image in my collection, she suggested a reference to roller skating.  lol

      The image is from QKR Stampede and I colored it with ProMarkers & water color pencils.  I cut the image with a stitched die from Memory Box, and I inked the edges of it before adhering it to the background.  The background piece was cut and embossed with a plate die from Poppystamps.  I inked the edges of that so that I had little pops of red in the image, around the cut image, and around the edge of the background.  I did the same with the sentiment which I printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  Inside it has a simple, "Get Well Soon."

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...

Crafts Galore Encore

Crafty Calendar

Do Al(l) Kreatives

Gem of a Challenge

Incy Wincy 

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

Sheepski Designs

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Dressed for the Easter Parade

      Back in the good old days, in the early 1900s, People actually made or purchased new "Sunday Best" clothes each year for Easter Sunday, and then walked up and down the avenue in a 'parade' as a way to  celebrate Easter.  This wonderful "Wearing Spring" image from our sponsor, Paper Shelter, really fits that idea.  Our latest challenge at Crafty Catz has our usual Anything Goes theme but our optional theme is "Embossing Folders."

     I merged the image onto a half-page background found in the same set, then colored the image with my Sanjoki markers.  I used a Darise EF on the background side, then did an out-of-the-box cut on the actual image.  She's fussy cut around her form and die cut one the two straight edges on the right side above and below her.  The sentiment was merged before printing.

     The pink background paper came from a Recollections stack.

     Challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms

Classic Design

Creations in Pink

Digi Choosday

Double Trouble

Papercraft

     Hope to see you playing in our challenge this fortnight. Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

FarmQuest and Double Trouble Collaborate

      Our newest challenge at FarmQuest starts today and tomorrow (January 15), we collaborate with Double Trouble through the end of the month (January 31.)  Our theme at FarmQuest is "Winter Activities," things like skating, skiing, sledding, or even sleigh rides.  In addition to that, Double Trouble wants you to use embossing folders or stencils.  (See below)

THING  1:  Trouble Maker 

says, "It's Wintertime and I'm just chillin' so I don't want to make things complicated. That's why I'm asking you to pull embossing folders and/or stencils from your stash to create a project with a wintry country feeling."   

You can stop here... 

OR  

play along with Twisted Sister's optional twist to help you earn another chance in our random drawing.  

THING  3:  Twisted Sister 

says, "Remember the song, "Playmate, Come Out and Play with Me"?  If you come out and play with me, be ready to enjoy skiing, sledding, sleigh riding, tobogganing, or skating. My optional twist is to include one of these winter sports in your project to earn an additional chance in our random drawing.   

"And let's not forget National Hat Day is January 15th. This is a fun observance when you wear and enjoy any hat of your choice and style. If you also include a hat in your project we have a 'January Special' for you - a second random drawing in addition to our usual one." 

THING  2:  Double Dare 

says, "If you have met Thing 1's requirement to create a wintry theme and have included a winter sport, you are eligible to enter your project HERE at Farm Quest Challenge #44 and you will qualify for an additional chance in our random drawing."                   

January Special:  While not a requirement don't forget if you have included a hat in your project you are eligible for our 'January Special' - another drawing in addition to our usual random drawing.

 

     For my card, I used an Ice skate image from Jan's Digi Stamps, colored with Sanjoki markers, and fussy cut with scissors.  The winter themed frame was made using a die from Amy Designs and it has embossing on it.  The background is Swiss Dot embossed on sparkly, glitter paper.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The image, the frame, and the sentiment are all mounted onto dimensional tape for a raised effect and visual interest.

     Challenges:

Can You Handle...?

Christmas Bingo (I - Image, Free, Square)

Creative Fingers

Di's Digi Designs

Friendship

Outlawz Friday

Pattie's Creations

Peace on Earth

Polkadoodles

Star Stampz

     Come play in our challenge this week and if you use an embossing folder or a stencil, then enter it over at Double Trouble, too.  We look forward to seeing what you create.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Kitten in the Mistletoe

      One of the things about kittens (no matter what time of year), they will do their best to misinterpret any instructions given to them!  This sweet little guy is asked to "Hang the Mistletoe" but he goes a bit wild and hangs from it instead.  Maybe he's confusing it with catnip.  :-D

     In any case, this is a grayscale, clip art image which I colored with ProMarkers, then fussy cut.  I layered it onto a Sue Wilson die cut left over from another project but it made a great frame for this kitten.  The green background was embossed with a Sizzix folder.  

     The sentiment pieces were printed and fussy cut.  The final touch, the round embellishment from K & Co. was added to cover up a tiny tear in the die cut frame.  It's a dimensional piece so it gives some texture to the card.

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...?

Christmas Bingo (rectangle/free/emboss)

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Inspiration

Digi Choosday

My Favorite Things

Outlawz Thurs

Passion for Markers

Penny's P-C

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Beccy's Place - Letter "B"

      This is my second card for the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place and we are using the letter "B."  I have Baker, Baking, Baked Goods; I know those are all related to the root word, but I also have Bow, Brown, and Burgundy.  The cute elf is one of Beccy's images.

     I colored with ProMarkers and did highlights with a white gel pen.  I used QuicKutz dies to cut both the image and the square frame.  The green CS was embossed with a snowflake embossing folder, and the red card front was embossed with a holly folder.  I think both of those are Darice folders.  I inked the edges of both die cut pieces before layering them onto each other and then onto the card front.  The bow was hand-tied, a sequin was added, and the sentiment was fussy cut with scissors.

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...

Classic Designs

Crafts Galore ...

Die Cut Divas

Digi Choosday

Dream Valley

Outlawz Thursday

Pammie's IP

Simon Says Stamp

     I'll have 2 posts again tomorrow since I'm still trying to get caught up with the number of days and letters of the alphabet already used over at Beccy's Place 30 Days of Holidays.  Hope you'll stop by and see them tomorrow.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Mystic Journey

      This card was so easy, I almost hesitate to write up a blog post about it, but then, easy is sometimes exactly what we need !  I printed the digital stamp onto lavender CS, cut it with rectangle die from QuicKutz, and matted it with white CS.  The purple background was dry embossed with an embossing folder (but I don't remember the name of it - something about waffles) from Darice.  I wrapped the card front with dark blue, sheer ribbon and used purple sheer ribbon to sew one of my signature bows.  

I spend an afternoon & evening sewing up those bows and have them handy to just grab from the stash.  That allows me to combine my two biggest passions, sewing and card making.  :-D

The sentiment was printed and cut with another QuicKutz die.  

     Challenges:

Allsorts

Can You Handle ...

Crafting Techniques

Creative Fingers

Creative Knockouts

Di's Digi Designs

Paperbabe

Polkadoodles

Taylormade ...

There's a Stamp ...

     Have yourself a fantastic weekend !  I'm headed back to the craft room where I'm going to have myself a 2 day coloring binge.  I may even get another card done before the weekend is over but mostly, I want to color and color and color ...

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie