Happy Snow Couple

      Last week, I would have told you that this cute snow couple might be in danger of melting but our weather has turned chilly again and that now seems less likely.  I guess the groundhog was right about 6 more weeks of winter!  

     My card today is my DT inspiration piece for the challenge at FarmQuest Country Christmas.  Our theme is always "Anything Country and Christmas Goes."  We want to see outdoor, country, Christmas scenes on your projects but beyond that, anything is OK.  I think 2 snow people in the woods qualifies, right?

     The image came from Anet Art Store (I have a growing collection of her art) and it was colored with watercolor pencils, plus white gel pen for the snowflakes and highlights..  I used a Spellbinders die to cut the image, and I inked the edges with a red ProMarker.  The background dp came from Recollections.  That's been a favorite of mine and I've been hoarding scraps of it, using bits and pieces to patch together backgrounds for cards.  I'm not completely out of it yet, but the scrap stash is getting thin and I think I have only one full sheet of it left uncut.  

     I printed out the sentiment, cut it with an Avery Elle die, and added it to the bottom corner.  Overall, a very CAS card but the dp makes it look busy.  :-D

     Challenges:

    

     This is my second post today and my first one was for the challenge at FarmQuest General Store.  If you'd like to see that one, just scroll down one post.  For either challenge, we'd love to see you playing along this month.  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Welcome Country

      Our newest challenge has begun at FarmQuest General Store, where our theme is always "Anything Country Goes."  No cityscapes, shopping malls, crowded freeways, or high rises; just calm and lovely country scenes.

     The image I used on my DT card today is a clip art image, colored with Sanjoki markers to give it a sepia effect, with yellow and white gel pens used to give the lights their warm glow.  The sentiments at top and bottom were originally white but I used a beige marker to tone things down a bit.

     The image was cut with a Tonic Studios die, then I cut a white CS frame for it (also a Tonic Studios die from the same set.)  I inked the edges of that before adding the piece to the background dp, which came from an old DCWV stack.  That pad of papers has been in my stash for probably 5 years, unused, and that page seemed to be perfect for this "country" card!

     Challenges:

     I'll have a second post today for FQ Country Christmas so be sure to scroll up to see it, too.  Hope you'll come over and play in our challenge this month.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Easter in Blue

      Hey, guess what?  There's a new challenge starting today at Inspiration Station where we offer a different picture each month for inspiration.  Our challenges begin on the first Monday of each month and  ends on the Saturday before the next challenge begins.

     Here's our inspiration picture this month:

     Of course, it made me think of Easter and Easter bunnies so when I found the delightful image of Mrs. Bunny sporting her Easter bonnet, I had to use it (see card below.)  

     The image was originally a grayscale line drawing but I used blue colored pencil to go over each line and added white gel pen to each of the flowers for a highlighting effect. My favorite technique these days is to color grayscale images!  

     I added the sentiment to a scrap of white CS and mounted the colored image onto it.   Both of those were cut with QuicKutz dies.  That went onto a layer of gray, cross hatch dp.  I doodled around two edges of the dp and added everything to the card front.

     

     Challenges:

2 Sisters...Blog

Crafts Galore Encore

Critter Crazies

Die Cut Divas

Do-Al(l) Kreatives

Lil Patch of ...

Pammie's IP

Simon Says Stamp

     That's all I have for today but I hope to see you playing along in our challenge.  Let us know what in the photo inspired you.  Was it the bunnies, or maybe the sense of spring?  the colors?  maybe the sweet little bunny kiss?  Make something and enter it into the challenge before Saturday, April 5.  Because of the way the dates fall, you get almost a week of extra time before the March challenge closes.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Butterfly Kind of Day

      Is anyone else out there looking forward to spring?  Yesterday,  the groundhog said another 6 weeks of Winter but I'm thinking of spring and butterflies and buds on the trees.  This challenge inspiration photo from Inspiration Station pretty much says it all.  :-D

     A new challenge starts today and, as always, we give you a photo for inspiration.  You can do nearly anything but we do want to know how you were inspired.  Was it the butterfly?  The colors?  The season?  A memory?  Tell us and add your project to the link up for the entries.

     Here's my card ad I've already told you that the butterfly was my inspiration.  The image is a clip art photo, edited so that the background stayed pre-colored but the butterfly was gray scale, and I colored it with ProMarkers and gel pens.  I cut the image with a Spellbinders die, and added a frame made with pumpkin CS and trimmed to fit.  I layered that onto two pieces of kraft CS, added to diagonal corners top and bottom.  

     The plaid background dp came from a Recollections stack which has been in my stash almost forever!  I ran across the stack last month, hidden away in a craft room cabinet, and decided it was time to start using the papers before they got brittle and crumbled to bits.  :-D

     Challenges:

Lil Patch of ...

Love ...Pretty Papers

Neglected Stuff

Outlawz Monday

Pammie's IP

Simon Says Stamp

Triple B

     Come play in our challenge, won't you?  We love being inspired by what you create and enter.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Artist Trading Card

      It's been a long time since I made an ATC but I was inspired by the free image over at the Conjuror of Dreams FB challenge this month.  That challenge used to e for just tags but now they've changed it to tags, ATCs, cards, whatever.  I adore this "New Beginnings" fairy.

     The image was pre-colored but I love coloring my own images so I printed her in light grayscale, then colored her with a combination of pencils blended with gamsol (the fairy), water colors (the background & sky), and used gel pens for highlights.  I cut the pointed-window shape (I don't know the correct architectural term for that window shape but they are really common in old Gothic era churches), and laid it onto a plain, white ATC.  I inked the edges and called it finished.

     Challenges:

613 Ave Create

AAA Cards

Addicted to CAS

Coloring w Pencils

Lil Patch of ...

Polkadoodles

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

Winter Birds

      Here it is, time for the first challenge of the new year over at Inspiration Station.  We always give you a photo for inspiration and you may create anything you like but be sure to tell us what from the photo inspired you.  Here's the photo for this month and I was inspired by the wintery scene and the bird.

     I found a clip art image from Trendy Clipart which I reversed, printed in grayscale, & then colored with my new set of water colors (thank you, Santa.)  White highlights were added with gel pen.  I cut the image with a die from QuicKutz, inked the edges, and layered it onto glitter paper.  All of that went onto an A2 card front and the sentiment was added when all else was finished.  It really was a quick and easy card, taking less than 25 minutes, including coloring time.

     Challenges:

AAA Cards

Aud Sentiments (new watercolors)

Di's Digi Designs

Let's Craft and Create

Outlawz Monday

Pammie's IP

Simon Says Stamp (new watercolors)

Triple B

     Come play with us this month.  Just find something in the photo that inspires you, create a ard, and enter it into the challenge.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Snowflake Santa

      I have to share a card with a spectacular image which was colored by my sis-in-law using pastel Ohuhu markers and white gel pens.  Didn't she do an incredible job?  The image is clip art and I think originally it was a digital coloring book page but I sized it for a card before printing it.  

     After she colored it, I cut it with a QuicKutz die, then used a Fiskars punch on the corners.  The sentiment was printed and cut with a Tonic Studios die.  I decided to use blue glitter paper on the card front to enhance the soft blues in the image.  The two snowflake embellies are die cut foam and the dies were from Cottage Cuts.

     Challenges:

CRAFT-alnica

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Inspirations

Digi Choosday

I Spy ...

Passion for Markers

Male Room

Penny's P-C

     Christmas is less than 2 weeks away and I'm still making cards!  Yikes!  Have you finished all of yours?  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cardinal Time at FQCC

      We have a new challenge starting today over at FarmQuest Country Christmas.  Our theme is always "Anything Country and Christmas Goes."  In keeping with that, I found this delightful clip art image of a cardinal on a tree branch.

     I did something I hadn't tried before; I found a piece of distressed dp in blue with snowflakes and printed the cardinal image onto it.  Then I colored the bird and the branch with watercolor pencils and gel pens.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz die, then cut two different mats (one steel blue and the other white) with other dies from the same set.  I layered those all together and put that piece onto snowflake dp from DCWV.  I hand-tied a bow using wired cord, then printed and die cut the sentiment with a die from Avery Elle.

     Challenges:

Creative Inspirations

Digi Choosday

Let's Craft & Create

Outlawz Sketch

Penny's P-C

Triple B

     We'd love to see you playing along in this challenge.  It runs until December 5 so you have lots of time.  Remember, tis the season to get started making your Christmas cards!

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Sparkle

      Today I'm sharing a Christmas card, maybe the first one I've done since my few "Christmas in July" cards.  This one is  little different in that only three markers were used (yellow ProMarker on the glow of the candle flame, green ProMarker on the fir foliage, and light gray ProMarker for the shadow behind the swag), then the rest of the coloring was done by layering on sparkle gel pens over the greenery and the flame.  It gives a very soft, sparkly, glow to the image.  White gel pen was used for adding highlights to the ornaments, too.

     Once colored, I cut the image with a Tonic Studios die, then inked the edges with a green ProMarker.  The sentiment came from a scrap of Christmas CS, probably from K & Co., and I cut it with the smallest die from that same set of Tonic Studios rectangle dies, & again inked the edges with a ProMarker.  The background dp is from a Recollections stack.  I found the strip of holly & berries dp in the scrap basket. applied it across the top of the card, and trimmed it to size.

     Challenges:

Gem of a Challenge

I Love ProMarkers

Penny's P-C

Polkadoodles

Simon Says Stamp

Word Art Weds

     That's it for today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

All About Halloween

      I'm playing catch-up today because I haven't posted in nearly a week and because Halloween is only a week away.  I have three Halloween witches to share with you and one scared dragoon!  lol  Can dragons actually be scared of anything?  Let's see.

     This is another collaboration card (in fact, all the ones in this post are collaboration cards), with coloring by my sis-in-law, Lainy, and card making by yours truly. We found this silly image of a dragon hiding in a trunk on a clip art site and printed it for coloring.  Unfortunately, it was a very small image and when we enlarged it to color it, the image got a bit blurry.  We corrected as much as we could before printing but it's not really sharp.

     Lainy colored it using Ohuhu markers, then hand drew the spider and colored it with Ohuhus.  There is a string of web from which the spider is hanging but it's hard to see in the photo.  I cut the image with a Spellbinders die, inked the edges and layered it onto the embossed CS I selected for the background (Recollections.)  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I added a wrap of glitter ribbon for a touch of sparkle.

     Challenges:

C.R.A.F.T.

Digi Choosday

DL Art

     This next card (our first witch for the day) has an image that's actually from a digital coloring book, reduced in size to fit an A2 card.  Again, colored with Ohuhu markers but a few details & highlights were added with gel pens.  Image was cut with a QuicKutz die, and matted with orange CS.  The spiderweb dp is from a Recollections stack and the bow was hand sewn, then 'dyed' with a marker, and a pearl was added to the center of it.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

     Challenges:

Krafty Chicks

Outlawz Thursday

Try It on Tuesday

     Second witch card, an adorable mouse witch, and this time the image came from a friend who printed it for Lainy and asked her to color it, so we have no info on the artist.  If anyone knows, please leave a comment and let us know because we love giving proper credit.  The image had been printed in grayscale and Lainy used colored pencils on it.  I cut the image and the black mat with Tonic Studios dies.  Sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die, then I added a mat of orange, hand trimmed to size.  The background was made with CS and a strip of dp from the scrap basket.  I tied the bow with a scrap of ribbon lying on the desk from another project.

     Challenges:

Craft Rocket

Creative Knockouts

Penny's P-C

     This last witch is from my AuroraWings collection of images, and Lainy fell in love with her and her cat the instant she saw her so I printed it for her to color.  The black background is actually part of the image.  Lainy used Ohuhu markers to color this one, adding white gel pen to the whites of the eyes.  Once she finished, I cut the image on my Fiskars paper cutter, and matted it with white CS.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The background dp came from a Recollections stack and I added ribbon and a triple loop bow to the top of the card.  I love using ribbon because it allows me to make fancy bows with a shiny glow from the satin, unlike twine or cord which always seems flat or dull (but that works well on masculine cards, I guess.)

     Challenges:

As You Like It

Cardz 4 Galz

Double D

Paper Shelter

     OK, now I feel like I'm getting caught up on posting and I'll try to have another post tomorrow,  

Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Trick or Treat Cats

      When I ran across this adorable clip art image, I just had to see how it would look printed in grayscale and colored.  That's exactly what I did!  I colored with Ohuhu markers, added white highlights to their eyes and collars with a gel pen, then cut the image with a Spellbinders die.  I used a Fiskars punch on the corners.

     Although it's hard to see in the photo, I used my Linen EF to emboss the background, charcoal gray, CS.  The sentiment was printed and trimmed on my paper trimmer.  I sewed the little bow and dyed it orange, using a marker.  Bows have to be my favorite embellishment, partly because it's so easy to use them as the only embellishment.  There's a tiny, half-pearl in the center of the bow.  Very CAS design.

I pulled colors from AAA Colourful.

     Challenges:

Classic Design

Crafter's Cafe

Creatalicious

Creative Knockouts

Inspired By

Outlawz Thursday

Starz Stamps

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Garden Potting Sheds

      Here it is the end of the second week of the month and  new challenge is starting at FarmQuest.  Our underlying theme is always "Farm or Country" and this challenge we have a specific theme of "Garden Sheds or Potting Sheds."  

     I found this delightful clip art image which I printed in very light grayscale, and then colored with watercolor paints.  I added highlights to the sky, flowers, and colored the butterflies with gel pens.  Rather than die cutting the image, I tore the edges revealing the white center of the CS and I used pale blue chalk on the white bits of the torn edge.

     The background dp came from an old Recollections stack.  I printed the sentiment, cut it with an Avery Elle die, and layered it onto the background along with the image.  A pretty simple card but one which allows the image to take center stage.

     Challenges:

Classic Design

C.R.A.F.T.

Crafter's Cafe

Creatalicious

Creative Inspiration

Creative Knockouts

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

     Feel free to come and play along in our challenge this fortnight.  Any garden shed or potting shed will qualify for an entry.  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

It's Hot !

      For those of you living where the summer weather is really hot this year, or those ladies who are living through that period of life where "hot" is a relative and transitory thing, you should love this card as much the lady for whom it was made.  lol

     The image is clip art which I printed in light grayscale and then colored with my Sanjoki markers and white gel pens.  I cut it with a Tonic Studios die and inked the edges with a black ink pad.  The background dp came from a Recollections stack.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  Very CAS in design.

     Challenges:

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Knockouts

Creative Inspiration

Carlin's ... Paradise

Crafts Galore ...

Four Seasons

Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Beauty in the Desert

      There's a new theme for the new challenge at FarmQuest which starts today and the theme is "Things in a Desert or Dry Country."  For my DT card, I used a clip art image, printed in the lightest grayscale, and then colored with water color paints, Sanjoki markers, and white gel for the highlights.

     I used a Tonic Studios die to cut the image and a QuicKutz die to cut the white frame.  The pumpkin colored background is cardstock from Recollections.  The sentiment was stamped with a stamp from Cardz TV.   I was so in love with how the image turned out, I left the card very CAS with no embellishment whatsoever.

     Challenges:

Addicted to CAS

CAS on Friday

Crafty Calendar

Creative Fingers

Di's Digi Designs

Gem of a Challenge

I Love Markers

My Time to Craft

Outlawz Friday (summer)

Simply CAS

    Hope to see you playing along in our challenge these next two weeks.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Butterfly Birthday

      We're starting a new challenge at Crafty Catz today.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" but we also offer an OPTIONAL theme for those of you who are adventurous enough to try it.  The option this time is "Embellishments."  

     We are sponsored this fortnight by SheepSki Designs.  They provided the team with images we could use but I chose one from my own collection, called "Butterfly Curl."  This card will go into my "Birthday" collection for future use.

     I printed the image, added a birthday sentiment to it, and printed it onto pale blue CS.  I colored a few of the butterflies with Sanjoki markers and gel pens, leaving most of the butterflies as uncolored, outline sketches.  I decided to use my favorite color combo of all times, aqua and purple.  Purple is my favorite color and aqua goes so well with it that I use them together often.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz die.

     The two, horizontal, strips of paper came from the scrap basket.  The blue butterfly embellishment is machine embroidered and the purple butterfly is a ribbon bow, tied and trimmed to look like a butterfly shape.  It was white, initially, but I 'dyed' it with a Sanjoki marker.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

C.R.A.F.T.

Cupcake Inspirations

Pammie's IPnull

Pattie's Creationsnull

     Come play with us this fortnight, won't you?  Remember, Anything Goes unless you prefer to challenge yourself to "Embellish" your project.  Be sure to check out all the DT cards over on the main challenge site.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Gift

      Here we are on yet another Friday and that means another new challenge starts today at Crafty Catz.  Our challenges now run 2 weeks at a time so this one will run through June 27.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" but we also offer an OPTIONAL theme which you may use if you like.  The option this time is "Masculine."   Unlike many card makers, I love crafting masculine cards so this was right up my alley.  :-D

     Our sponsor is Hetty Clare and they provided images for the team to use.  I chose The Gift.  I kept it very simple by printing the image onto blue CS, and coloring with white gel pen.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz die, then cut a white frame with another QK die.  I used navy blue CS for the background, printed the sentiment, and cut it with an Avery Elle die.  I layered everything together and left it without embellishment because I wanted that super plain, CAS, masculine card.  

     I'm going to use this for a birthday card for one of my family guys with a June birthday.

     Challenges:

     That's all for today.  Happy Crafting and come play with us.  NanaConnie

The Christmas Horse

     Welcome to the start of our newest challenge over at FarmQuest Country Christmas.  Our theme is always Anything Goes as long as it's Christmas with an outdoor country flair.  This image was printed in gray scale, then colored with watercolor paint for the background, and colored pencils blended with gamsol for the horse.  I added white highlights with gel pen.  The image was cut with my largest square die from QuicKutz.

     The striped dp came from a Recollections stack.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  Since this card will be used for one of the guys in my family, I decided that no further embellishment was needed.

     Challenges:

12 Months Christmas

Creative Inspirations

Incy Wincy

Kerst Christmas

MFT Christmas

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Sparkles Christmas

Word Art Weds

     That's it for today.  I hope it's not too hot for you to be thinking about winter and Christmas.  Get a head start on your holiday card making and come play with us this month.  Anything Country Christmas will do.  :-D   Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Kitten and Pumpkins

      I have been clearing out the craft room, getting rid of things I no longer use and revamping how things I do use are stored, trying to make them more visible and easier to reach.  While I was doing those chores, I ran across some cards I had made last fall but never photographed, posted, or mailed.  This sweet autumn kitten jumped out at me and I decided to post him today, even though it's nowhere near Thanksgiving.

     The notes I had with the card indicate that it was printed in grayscale, then colored with markers.  I used white gel pen for the highlights on the kitten and flowers.  I cut the image and the frame around it with Tonic Studios dies.  The background dp came from an old Recollections stack.  I printed the sentiment, then cut it with an Avery Elle die, and I inked the edges before I added it to the card.

     Challenges:

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Inspiration

Digi Choosday

I Love Markers

Pammie's IP

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

SUYP Cats

Word Art Weds

     That's it for today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Mom & Apple Pie

      Oh, my, how can it be the 7th of May already?  This year is going by way too fast!  Well, in any case, it being the 7th of another month, I have two posts today; one for FarmQuest General Store (this one) and in a few minutes, a second one for FQ Country Christmas.

     Here at FQGS, we are always sponsored by QKR Stampede, and the prize is the three images used by the DT for the challenge.  For today's card, I used a darling little "Raggedy Ann" type image, called "Fresh Baked Pie."  The image was reversed before printing.

     I colored the image with watercolors and gel pens, then cut it with one of my oldest Spellbinders dies.  I inked the edges of the image, the sentiment, and the background dp with a pink ProMarker.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I found some delightful plaid dp for the background (Recollections, I think) and added a strip of burgundy ribbon for the wrap around and the hand tied bow.

     Challenges:

Classic Design

Creatalicious

Creations in Pink

Digi Choosday

Let's Craft & Create

Pammie's IP

Star Stampz

     Come play with us this fortnight.  Remember, all you need is a card with a 'country' element (mine are plaid paper, home-baked pie, and a hand-sewn doll image!)  Beyond the country aspect, it's Anything Goes!

  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Hello Butterfly !

      I absolutely adore the image on today's card!  Of course, I also love the nod to cathood.  :-D  The image is a grayscale, digital, photo which I colored with my ProMarkers and white gel pen.  I cut the image with a large Tonic Studios die.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

     The background was made by using a scrap of lavender CS laid diagonally across the card front and then trimmed at the corners.  I liked it in that CAS format so added no other embellishments.

     Challenges:

Aud Sentiments

Classic Design

Digi Choosday

Dream Valley

Lil Patch of ...

Pammie's IP

Passion for Markers

SUYP Cats

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie