Gnome for Christmas

     Our newest monthly challenge has begun today over at SheepSki Designs.  Our theme this month is "Favorite Things" and Gnomes falls right into that category for me.  The image I used is called "Gnome for Christmas."

Colored with pencils and ProMarkers
Aleene's Snow on beard
Stickles added to ornaments
Frame cut with Die-namics stitched die
Stitches enhanced with ProMarker
Signature, hand-sewn bow
Sentiment done with white gel ink

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time ...
Aud Sentiments
Christmas w the Cuties
Classic DT
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafty Friends
Creatalicious
Die Cut Divas
Outlawz PAM

     I really want to see you playing along in our challenge this month.  Sadly, this is my last month on the DT at SheepSki Designs and I'm going to miss being there.  My blogging life is taking me down a slightly different path which includes more responsibilities starting in the new year and I'm having to cut back on the number of teams I currently serve.  To those of you still on the SheepSki team, I'm waving a sad goodbye but I'll come by as often as possible and play in the upcoming challenges.
 
     Hugs and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Dreaded "X" Day at 30 Days of Christmas

     Well, it's finally here - Day "X" at Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas.  I've been dreading this prompt all month long.  Having faced this prompt before in earlier years, I was pretty much stumped but still not wanting to do anything I've done before.  Then, day before yesterday, the idea of making the entire card an X shape popped into my head.  How to make that happen?  I chewed on that one for nearly 30 hours and this was the result.

The X was made by using one corner of a square die (Spellbinders) on the top and bottom of a tent fold card, and one point of a hexagon die (QuicKutz) on both sides of the card.  

Rocking chair image from Beccy's Place, colored with ProMarkers
Image cut with Die-namics die
Stitching is fauX, done w/ green gel ink (another "X"?)
Paper from Graphic 45

     There's a story behind the sentiment.  All during my growing up years, the last few evenings before Christmas and especially Christmas Eve were spent listening to Christmas stories read by my mom (or sometimes my Grammy) as we sat curled in blankets, attentive and awed by the magic of her voice reading the story.  On Christmas Eve, we had two great favorites which had been reserved for that night alone - The Night Before Christmas and the Christmas story from the Bible.  Over the years, those evenings became known as "The Christmas Read" and they went on through the early years of my children's lives.

     I do love traditional Christmas!

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas
Crafty Creations
Double D  (traditional)
House that Stamps Built
I {heart} ProMarkers
Simon Says Stamp
Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Day 21 at Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas - Use Scraps

     Much as I love the alphabet prompts for the 30 Days of Christmas at Beccy's Place, when Beccy said to "Use Scraps," that was right up my alley!  I love using scraps.  It means I buy fewer papers overall but at the same time, it makes me feel justified in buying new paper stacks when supplies get low.  No, of course that's not a justification!  lol

     This card is made entirely from scraps, including the piece of CS on which I printed the image and the one from which I cut the sentiment.

     After I shared in my previous post that it doesn't snow where I live, here I am doing another of my typical Christmas cards featuring snow and snow people.  Maybe it's because we don't have snow on the ground that I feel so drawn to it for Christmas cards.

Colored with ProMarkers and gel inks
Cut with QuicKutz dies
Matted with scalloped die from Memory Box
Faux stitching done with white gel pen
Background scrap papers from DCWV (I think)
Sentiment die cut with Die-namics die

    Challenges:
ABC Christmas
Crafty Sentiments
Creative Inspirations
Cupcake Inspirations
Double D (My style is "snowy")
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Colors
Paper Shelter
Scrappy Land
TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie