Cat on the Fishbowl

      How's this for a complete break from Valentines?  I was inspired once again by the new "No Stamps" challenge over at The Outlawz.  I'm putting together birthday cards for family which I'll use throughout the year.  I usually try to have them all done in January but since this month seems to have been dedicated to Valentine cards, I'm pretty sure making the birthday cards will be dribbling on throughout February.  :-D

     This card was made by die cutting three different pieces of scrap watercolor paper, and one of regular CS, which I colored appropriately before cutting them.  I used the same die on each colored scrap, then cut the parts I wanted from each of those die cuts and pieced them together to make the whole.  The die came from Cheapo Dies.

     The green background scrap was embossed with my Linen EF before layering it onto the card front.  The sentiment was printed and fussy cut.  I found a scrap of burlap, added it to the right side, and trimmed it to fit.  The bow was hand-tied using sparkle twine from We Are Memory Keepers.

     The birthday sentiment is on the inside.

     Challenges:

Crafty Catz

Digi Choosday

Pammie's IP

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

Snippet's Playground

SUYP Cats

Word Art Weds

     I love the end result of this card, especially the die cuts and I know I'll be trying that technique again.  Using the die on each water colored scrap means that I didn't really know how it would look until I was layering it all together.  I'm going to try the same thing again but this time by die cutting white CS and then coloring the different parts with ProMarkers.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Catching vs Fishing

      First of a new month and the first day of the latest challenge at QKR Stampede.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" and you may use images from any company or artist, just be sure to use an image.  If you do choose to use an image from QKR (or their sister company Eureka Stamps), your card will go into a completely separate draw and that really increases your chances of becoming a winner.  :-D

     I used an cute, summer-time image from QKR called "Father and Son Bear."  I colored with my ProMarkers, then cut the image with a Memory Box die.  The sentiment was printed and cut with another Memory Box die.  I mounted everything onto a scrap piece of brown CS, and added a tiny, hand-tied, silver, jute cord bow.  Very CAS but a perfect masculine card.  :-D

     Challenges:

A Bit More ... Extra

Crafter's Cafe

Crafts Galore ...

Creatalicious

Cute Card Thurs

Dies R Us

Digi Doodle Studio

Friendship

Outlawz Twisted Thurs

     I hope we'll see you playing in our challenge this time.  It runs until the 14th of the month, then a new challenge begins on the 15th.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Birthday Fish

     Stocking up again on birthday cards and this delightfully silly fish from QKR Stampede's sister brand, Eureka Stamps, seemed perfect for adding one more to the stash.  I used it as this week's DT card for the new challenge at QKR Stampede.  The image is called "Birthday Fish 14708."  The sentiment is also from Eureka, called "Another Year."  Don't you love that red eye?  lol

Colored with ProMarkers
Image cut with QuicKutz die
Frame cut with Memory Box die
Background paper is a scrap
Signature, hand-sewn bow w/ pearl
Sentiment printed and hand cut w/inked edge

     Challenges:
Addicted to CAS
Colour Crazy
Country View Crafts
Crafty Hazelnut's 
Cute Card Thurs
Do Al(l) Creatives
Lil Patch of ...
Outlawz Festive Fri
Outlawz PAM
Penny's Paper-Crafty

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bubbles Everywhere

     This fun and silly image is from the Limited Runs Progressive Challenge and if you haven't played before, you can check out how to get the image on the Facebook page.  Just click on the Limited Runs name above and the link will take you there.

     The expression on this fish's face made me think he was suffering from severe indigestion or heartburn and this was the end result of my thought process.  lol

I used the sketch from Tuesday Morning and 3 colors from

Color My Heart #381 (Glacier/Lagoon/Nectarine.)

  

Colored with ProMarkers and gel inks
Cut with Memory Box die
Inked edges
Glitter added to bubbles
Background paper from scrap box
Paper used for strips also scraps & cut w/ Memory Box die
Blue pearls added
Sentiment printed and hand cut

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Crafty Catz
House that Stamps Built (middle row)
Ike's World
Paperbabe Stamps
Polkadoodles
Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Goldfish and Seahorses

     I have two cards to share with you today - both of which I made this morning and I couldn't decide which one to share today so I'm sharing both of them in the same post.

    This first one features an image from MHK Designs and I can't remember the last time I did an image with such gorgeous fish in it!

I used a number of the colors from Stamping Sensations,

although my "pink" turned a bit coral.

     I colored the fish bowl and fish with ProMarkers and chalks, then cut the image with a stitch, scalloped die from Memory Box.  The black background piece is cut with a die from Altenew and I love the way it gives the impression of bubbles in water.  I found sparkly, silver ribbon in my stash and used it to wrap the card front and tie the bow.

     The sentiment is from the same MHK Designs set.

     Challenges: (for this card only)
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Pile It On
Ribbon Girl

     My next card stays with the water creature theme and this time I've used a seahorse image called "Barbie Mate" from the challenge on Sasayaki Glitter's Facebook page.  I must admit, I'm not sure this seahorse is actually underwater since that would have a negative effect on his BBQ fire but he's grilling for all he's worth, regardless.     :-D

     Again, I used my ProMarkers to color the image, sticking with ocean blues and greens, and this time I die cut it with a die from Spellbinders.  I added strips of double sided tape and used loose glitter to make all the sparkles around the frame.

     I kept everything very CAS, adding only two scrap strips of embossed ("Linen" folder) CS and one tiny bow which I dyed to match with ProMarkers.

     Challenges: (for this card only)
A Gem of a Challenge
Glitter n Sparkle
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz CAS
Scrapper's Delights
Scrapy Land

     The weekend is fast disappearing and I hope you've stretched yours as far as possible.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Fish Wish

     Can you tell that my visits to the beaches this summer are influencing my crafting?  Yes, it's true but in this case, the fish image came from the Progressive Challenge at The Outlawz and it's by Tangle Street.  Not that I didn't jump in right away to use it.  :-D

I was inspired by the colors I found at Sugar Pea Designs.

     I printed the angel fish three times, in different sizes, with one of them reversed.  They're all colored with ProMarkers and then fussy cut.  I used a blue card base because it was a perfect color to represent water.

     I got the sheer, sparkly ribbon out of my stash, wrapped it around the card front and tied it into a square knot.  Then I mounted the fish using Pop Dots.  The final touch was the printed sentiment.  Clean, simple, masculine, and easy to mail.  One more birthday card for my stash.

     Challenges:
Crafting with an Attitude
Crafty Creations
Creative Fingers
Creative Moments
DL.ART Thursday
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Festive Fridays
Penny's Paper-Crafty

     That's all I have for today.  I may even venture outside today since the weather predictors are saying that we're going to have a wonderful "cool down" on our temperatures.  They don't expect it to get above 99F !!  And if tomorrow only gets to 98F (as predicted), then we will have ended our 3rd heat wave of the summer which only ran for 18 consecutive days this time.  The record setter was in June when we had a 19 day heat wave, the longest in recorded history for our area.

     And you were wondering why I've been either gone or hiding out so much this summer?  lol

     Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie