Showing posts with label flowers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flowers. Show all posts

Sunday, January 26, 2025

Carnation Lady

      I'm finally getting around to posting a card for the progressive challenge over at Moondrea Designs this month.  I had problems for several days getting the image to print out but Wendy managed to send me a Word document with the image and I was ale to print that just fine.  Thanks so much, Wendy!

     The image is called "Carnations" and once I had it printed, I was able to color it with a combo of Sanjoki and Ohuhu markers.  After coloring it, I cut it with a Tonic Studios die.  The pink CS frame was cut with my Fiskars paper cutter and I mounted the image piece onto it.  The background dp came from a DCWV stack.  I found that delightful, embroidered ribbon in my stash of Christmas ribbons and I'm pretty sure it came from Really Reasonable Ribbon.


     Challenges:


     That's all I have today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Monday, October 14, 2024

Honey Bee

      The next challenge is starting over at FarmQuest, where we always want to see farm/country influenced creations but where we also have a specific theme for each challenge.  The specific theme this fortnight is "All About Bees."  That could be bees, honey, beehives, honeycomb, honey jars, even hexagons!  

     I chose this delightful image from SheepSki Designs showing the very first step in the process of making honey, a bee collecting nectar.  I colored the image with Ohuhu markers, then cut it with a QuicKutz die, and rounded the corners with a Fiskars punch.  The two papers for the background came from the scrap basket and they just worked so well together to give it that country flair, like a good old calico print paired with stripes.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.


     Challenges:

     Come play with us in this challenge.  We'd love to see what you create.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Friday, October 11, 2024

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:
Word Art Weds

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

Friday, September 27, 2024

Birthday Card for a Leopard Lover

      Something a little bit different today, after a week of Halloween and Thanksgiving; a birthday card for a granddaughter who loves leopards!   No, not my granddaughter, but she is my grand-niece, she's my sis-in-law's granddaughter.  

     This is a pre-colored, clip art image, printed lighter and with the color saturation subdued by 40%.  It's amazing what can be accomplished with a little editing before printing.

     While I haven't yet convinced my SIL to get into the card making side of digital images, I did make her choose the shape of the card, the background dp (DCWV), and the ribbon (Place  & Time.)  We decided the birthday sentiment could go on the inside.  Image cut with Spellbinders die.  While I put the whole card together, the one part I chose on my own was the tiny, double layer, die cut flower which I layered on right where the ribbon ends meet.  I chose that instead of a bow.
     

     Challenges:
Outlawz Thurs (Jungle Book)

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Monday, August 26, 2024

A Little Sparkle

      Hello, friends and followers.  I'm finally getting back to the monthly challenge over at Beccy's Place.  It's been a while since I played last and I want to get back into a regular routine of playing there each month.  For this card, I used her lovely "Hydrangea" image and one of her sentiments, also.

     This is a pre-colored image because I needed a fast and simple card for a friend.  I merged the sentiment onto the image before printing, then cut them with a Tonic Studios die.  The sentiment inspired me to dig through my collection of glittered CS stacks and this one seemed to bring out the bits of purple in the flower petals so it got the nod.  I cut a piece to the size of the card front, layered it on, then added the image.  Quick and easy card and really CAS but with lots of eye appeal.


     Challenges:

     Happy crafting to all.  NanaConnie

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Tulips for a Birthday

      Today I'm using an image from the Progressive Challenge at The Outlawz and I've printed three of them in adjusted sizes.  I colored the tulips with my Sanjoki markers, then fussy cut them with scissors.  I stacked them together and added a few bits of dimensional dots.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

     I found two scraps of CS and embossed each of them with my Linen EF.  I loved the way the tulips took center stage and decided not to add any other embellishments because I didn't want to detract from them.


I was inspired by the sketch at My Favorite Things.

     Challenges:
(The) Crafting ...
Outlawz Tuesday
Triple B

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Easter Bunny Dandy

      I love this image from Beccy's Place, called "Easter Bunny."  It's fun and clever and he's dressed to the nines, making him such a dandy.  :-D  I merged another Beccy's image, the "Easter Basket" (reduced in size to work with Mr. Bunny), plus the sentiment, all before printing.

     I colored with my Sanjoki markers, then cut the whole thing with a QuicKutz die.  The Beccy's Place challenge has an optional tic-tac-toe board this month and I used the middle row: flowers/digi stamp/color w markers.  I dug through the scrap basket and found flowery paper and a bit of striped paper (both from Recollections stacks) which I used to make the background.  

     I added three flowers (Flora Doodles) which have tiny gem stones in the center as a finishing touch.


My design is inspired by the sketch at Cheerful Sketches
with the background turned horizontal.

     Challenges:

     That's it for today but I'll have two posts on Thursday and another one on Friday so check back, even if it's over the weekend.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Sunday, January 21, 2024

A Lavender Birthday

      I've finally felt up to getting a card made but it took so much time and energy that it may be the only one I make the rest of this month.  Good thing I had worked many weeks ahead on most of my DT card obligations.  :-D  

     This is a birthday card for a dear friend who loves lavender, especially the flowers themselves, although she's willing to have the scent of lavender in soaps, candles, and air fresheners as often as she can find them.  The image is from Beccy's Place and it works perfectly for their optional challenge theme this month - "Flowers."

     I printed the pre-colored version of the image in gray scale, then used my Sanjoki alcohol markers and white gel pen to color it.  I was inspired by the sketch over at Sweet Sketch Wednesday (see below) and dug through the basket of scrap papers to find the two I used.  I'm pretty sure they are old (very old!) DCWV papers.  

     I matted each of them with a solid purple CS, and used another scrap of it right behind the fussy cut image.  The sentiment is also from Beccy's Place, but don't ask me from which set because I don't remember.


Sweet Sketch Weds. #269 - turned 1/4 turn

     That's it for today and I wish you Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Saturday, August 12, 2023

Fall Roses

      Last month, I won a challenge over at LeighSBDesigns and the prize was a coupon to their store and a chance to be a Guest Designer, using an image purchased with that coupon.   Today's card was made for my daughter's birthday which is in late October and I'm using the beautiful LeighSBDesigns image called Fall Roses.  My daughter loves yellow roses and the image just called for some autumn colors to enhance them.

     I used water color paints to color the image, let it dry over night, then cut it with a QuicKutz square die.  The brown CS frame was embossed using my 'Linen' EF.  The sentiment was printed and cut with a Tonic Studios die.  I added two hand-tied bows, one made from yellow gingham ribbon and the other from brown satin ribbon.  I layered them together with fabric glue.  Everything was put onto a 5.5" x 5.5" card base made from heavy duty white CS.


     Challenges:
Outlawz Tuesday (orange/yellow/green)

     Check out Leigh's Etsy shop.  You might fall in love with some of her lovely (or even the more quirky) images.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Friday, June 16, 2023

Leave a Little Sparkle ...

      It's time to share the card I made for the June challenge at Beccy's Place, and I was inspired by one of Beccy's sentiments which I merged before printing with her lovely "Hydrangea" image.  The theme this month is the usual "Anything Goes with a Beccy's image" but the optional theme she offered was "Doodling."

     I colored the flower with my ProMarkers and then added white and purple glitters to the blossom.  I doodled the stitching around the edges with a purple gel pen.  The little mulberry-paper flower came from Recollections and I used a white gel pen to accent the center.

     This is a very CAS, single-layer card with lots of white space.


     Challenges:

     Be sure to check out my first post today with all the details about the latest challenge over at Crafty Catz.  Just scroll down 1 post.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnieProM

Sunday, June 11, 2023

Birthday Roses

      Time to restock the birthday card stash and I've found a new artist (new to me) whose art I really like.  She draws under the name Maya Silvercat but I'm still searching for a website for her.  If/when I find it, I'll edit this post to add a link for all of you.

     This basket of roses was the first of her images I saw and I colored it with my Sanjoki markers.  I cut both the image and the sentiment with dies from QuicKutz.  The golden CS behind the image (which looks brown in the photo) was embossed using my 'Linen' EF.  The lace strip along the side came from my box of scrap lace bits but it fit the card perfectly.  The tiny butterflies, one pink and one white, are the negative pieces which came out of a Spellbinders die.  I saved them after doing another project and they were waiting just to embellish this card.  :-D


     Challenges:
Butterfly  (Briar Rose & Banana + butterflies)

     That's all I have for today's post but I'll be back later this week.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Friday, June 9, 2023

Time for Purple & Pink

      We have a new challenge starting over at Crafty Catz this morning and our theme is always Anything Goes but we also offer you an OPTIONAL theme if you want to use it.  This week the option is: Purple and Pink!  I love this combo and purple is my favorite color regardless of theme or season or subject matter so this worked perfectly for me.

     Our sponsor this week is Di's Digi Designs and, while they weren't able to supply the DT with images to use, I did have this one in my collection so used it to do pink and purple.  Aren't those hedgies adorable?

     I colored with my Sanjoki markers and cut the image with a QuicKutz die.  The sentiment was cut with a Die-namics die.  The diagonal strip of dp came from the scrap basket and I'm pretty sure it's made by Doodlebug.  The lace bow was hand tied and added as the primary embellishment.

     This one goes in my birthday stash!  

I chose colors from My Favorite Things.

     Challenges:

     I hope you'll come and play in our challenge this week.  We love being inspired by you.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Friday, May 26, 2023

The Gardener's Birthday

      Another Friday, another challenge at Crafty Catz.  We always have "Anything Goes" as our theme but we also offer you an OPTIONAL twist if you choose to use it.  This week, the twist is "Add Some Flowers."  Our lovely sponsor is The Paper Shelter and they generously provided images for the DT to use.  This one is called "The Sweet Gardener."  They are offering a delightful prize of 3 digital images!

     I reversed the image before printing it, then colored it with Sanjoki markers and gel pens.  I cut it with a die from QuicKutz.  I cut some small flowers with an X-Cut die (over doing the add some flowers twist!) and the butterflies were cut with a Memory Box die.  The background dp is from Recollections.  The sentiment was printed and fussy cut.


     Challenges:
(links for these will be added later)

     I hope you're going to come play with us this week.  We love being inspired by you.  Also, on this Memorial Day weekend, if you see a veteran or know one, be sure to thank them for their service.  They have given so much for so many.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Monday, May 22, 2023

Panda Birthday

      My sister-in-law and her granddaughter have birthdays this week and they will be celebrating them together.  My niece (SIL's daughter and granddaughter's mother) decided on a theme of panda bears.  While she and my daughter are working madly on decorations for the party, including making "bamboo" out of pool noodles and card stock leaves, I got started on birthday cards for each of them, and, yes, I did stick with the theme.  :-D  Today I'm sharing the one I made for my grandniece and will share the one for my SIL tomorrow.

     I searched for clip art, panda images, preferably pre-colored to save time, and found two which I thought really worked well together.  I had to check with my niece to ascertain her daughter's favorite color and it turns out it's the same as my own favorite, PURPLE !  How delightful that it worked so well with the image I had chosen.

     I embossed a scrap of CS and found another scrap, this time of dp, in the basket, using them to make the background.  The card was cut with a Tonic Studios die, then matted in white.  The sentiment came from Beccy's Place.  I finished the card by adding flowers and gems from Petaloo.

     Challenges:

     I hope you'll stop by tomorrow to see the card for my SIL.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Sunday, May 14, 2023

Blue Shelf

      Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

     Today I want to share the last Mother's Day card I made this year and it may be one of my favorites.  I love the blue monochrome and the homey feel of the shelf.  This would have been happy living in my mom's house and she would have loved it, especially all the different flowers in pots and baskets.  :-D

      This was a clip art image which I printed in grayscale, then colored with pale blue Copic markers.  I fussy cut the image and ran it through my Cuttlebug using my 'Linen' EF.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I added half inch wide, sheer ribbon and used it to also tie a triple loop bow using my bow maker.  The background dp came from a DCWV stack.


     Challenges:
As You Like It (spring over summer because I love using spring flowers and pastel colors)

     Enjoy what's left of your weekend and, if you still have your mom, do something special for her.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Friday, May 12, 2023

May Flowers

      It's Friday and you know what that means - another new challenge at Crafty Catz!  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" but we also offer an OPTIONAL twist if you choose to use it.  The twist this week is "Use Ribbon, Lace, or Twine."  Our sponsor is the delightful All Dressed Up and they generously provided us with images to use.  I decided on "Watering Time" but reversed the image before printing it.

     I used my ProMarkers to color the image, then cut it with an Unbranded die.  That frame is so delicate, I think it looks like lace.  :-D  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die, deliberately set on an angle.  The background paper came from the scrap basket and I think it was originally in a Lawn Fawn stack.  Finally, I wrapped sheer ribbon around the front of the card and tied a triple-loop bow with it, using my bow maker.


     Challenges:

     Won't you come play along in our challenge this week?  If you don't want to fuss with ribbon or lace or twine, feel free to just enter under the Anything Goes theme.  Who knows, you just might win digis from All Dressed Up.  :-D  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie   

Monday, May 8, 2023

The Duchess

      My card today features one of my favorite roses, the Duchess.  I remember my mother had one of these bushes in her rose garden when I was a young child.  It was such a delicate pink with a hint of lavender and white edges on the petals.  I used this for a Mother's Day card in honor of my mom who's been gone for more than 30 years now.

     I used my Sanjoki markers to color the rose and leaves, then cut the image with a stitched die from CUTplorations.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The background paper came from a Paper House stack.  I added 3 rows of tiny gems along the right side and added one gem to the center of the rose.  It just didn't need any further embellishment.  :-D


     Challenges:
The Four Seasons
Triple B

     That's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Roses in Many 'Flavors'

      I'm about to overwhelm you with roses in this post!  I spent a bit of time over the weekend coloring the same Mariola Budek image, but with the roses and sentiment done in red, yellow, and pink, respectively.  I made one card for each color and they were all for Mother's Day - due to the sentiment which is part of the image.  See below and you'll understand immediately.

     I used my Sanjoki markers on the pink and yellow roses, but the red ones were colored with the few Copics I have left.  I really have shifted away from the more expensive Copics and have very few of them remaining.  I no longer invest in Copic refill colors because, truthfully, I can replace either ProMarkers (which I've used almost exclusively for almost 8 years now) or my newer Sanjoki markers for less money than what the Copic inks cost.  The Sanjokis are also less than the ProMarkers, have the brush tips which I prefer to the bullet tips, and they blend a little bit better, IMHO.

     Let's start with the 'red' image: colored with Copics and water color paints, then cut with a QuicKutz square die.  The red CS circle was also cut with a QuicKutz die.  I mounted those two onto a white card front, then added one of my signature hand-sewn bows, this time with a pearl.


     Next, I colored the yellow roses with my Sanjoki markers, gold paint pen on the sentiment, and again, cut the image with a QuicKutz die before inking the edges.  I layered the image onto green fiber paper (DCWV) which I used for the card front.  Very clean and simple.

     Finally, I colored the pink one with my Sanjokis, and used a metallic ProMarker on the sentiment.  These edges were also inked but this time I used an ink pad instead of a marker.  I used more of the fiber paper from DCWV, this time in pink and added two scraps of green fiber paper from the first card.  

     I'm going to enter the first card into the following:

     Challenges:
Double Trouble (all 3 things)

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Yellow Roses

      Another Mother's Day card and another Mariola Budek image, this one called, appropriately, "Roses."  What mom wouldn't love roses for Mother's Day?  My daughter loves yellow roses so I decided that would be the color of these.  I've printed three different copies of this black and white image so the other two will probably be red and pink, but I'm also thinking of white roses if I can figure out how to make them stand out from a white background.  :-D

     The image has been colored with a combo of  Sanjoki markers and water color paints, with tiny dots of Diamond Stickles added as dew drops to 2 of the rose petals.  I cut the shape of the image by laying on a Spellbinders die and drawing around it in pencil.  Then I used scissors to cut on the pencil line.  I inked the edges of the shape with a dark gray ink pad.  The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die and I inked the edges of it, also.

     I found twill ribbon in my stash and the yellow chevrons on it worked so well with the color of the roses.  The bow was made with a bit of muslin fabric, folded accordion style and wrapped in the middle, then hand-stitched on the back to make it stay in that shape.  Everything was mounted onto an olive green CS placed on the card front.


     Challenges:
Beautiful Blossoms

Monday, April 17, 2023

Spring Bees & Blossoms

      We are actually having a delightful spring day today and I did this card to celebrate it.  It's also another card for my Birthday stash.  It features one of my favorite spring images from SheepSki Designs, called "Bee n Blossom."  I seem to use it at least one time every spring.  :-D

     Colored with Sanjoki markers, with sparkle gel pen used on the wings, then cut with a fancy Spellbinders die.  Both of the papers are from Recollections and the background has embossed suede texture.  The stripes are shiny gold and also have texture.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.


I used colors from the palette at Not2Shabby.

     Challenges:

     May your weather be gorgeous and mild, and feel like spring.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie