Day 2 of Critter Chaos at Catch the Bug

     This card is for Day 2 at Catch the Bug and, instead of a theme, we have a sketch.  I turned it a quarter turn to better fit the length of my image, one of the Bugaboo Stamps lovable birds.  I colored and cut all the Bugaboo images I used while I still had access to my craft room.  Then I put the cards together with supplies I took with me or "borrowed" from family and friends.

Here's the sketch and you can see how I turned it.

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with oval die from QuicKutz
Embossed red CS
Glitter paper (source unknown)
Bow made with Bowmaker
Ribbon scrap

     Challenges:
12 Months of Christmas
Classic DT
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafter's Cafe
Creative Moments
Prika Crafts
Scribbles Designs
Stamping Sensations
Star Stampz

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

It's Critter Chaos at Catch the Bug

     Each year there's a week long celebration of Christmas over at Catch the Bug, with a new challenge each day and a new theme.  This year they are all "Critter" related.  I'm running late on getting things done but most of that has to do with family fun and activities so now I'm playing catch up.  I find that the late night hours are currently best for accessing the internet but managed some time this morning so I'm doing two posts with projects I managed to finish yesterday.

     This is the first one using the Day 1 theme of "Use a Christmas Critter and use Snow."  Bugaboo Stamps image of these cute snowmen surrounded by a flock of cardinals (my 'critters'.)

Colored with ProMarkers
Stickles added to the snowflakes
Aleene's MemorySnow added to the snowmen
Die cut with a Memory Box die
Glitter paper - source unknown
White ribbon is a scrap

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps
A Perfect Time ...
Carlin's Card Paradise
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafty Friends
Crafty Hazelnut's
Die Cut Divas
Lil Patch of ...
Sparkles Christmas

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Selfie Girl

     Although I'm not a gal for taking selfies myself, I love it when my granddaughters (and occasionally a grandson) sends me their latest selfie.  This image was a freebie from LeAnn's World 101 for the coloring contest at their 1st Birthday Celebration all through February.  I'm just now getting it done.

     I colored with ProMarkers, then cut both the image and the scalloped frame with QuicKutz dies.  The shapes are cut with dies from Memory Box.  The shapes and the scalloped frame were cut from glittered CS.

     The plaid dp came from a sheet of 12 x 12 scrap booking paper, and now I have remnants of it on my craft table so expect to see it again fairly soon.  :-D  The sentiment was printed and cut with another QuicKutz die.

     Challenges:
Crafting from the Heart
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafty Hazelnut's 
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Creatalicious
Dream Valley
Morgan's ArtWorld
Outlawz Greetings
Scribbles Designs

     This will post Tuesday night but it's really a post for mid-week Wednesday and I'll see you again on Friday with 3 posts for the 1st of the month!   Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Birthday Celebration

     Before I tell you about today's post, let me give you a quick update.  I've spent the majority of the last 4 days, sometimes long into the night time hours so the sleeping pattern has been badly disrupted, working on all the things I have to complete around the house.  I've been packing boxes and it's amazing what one runs across during that process.  I've been trimming down, throwing out, reorganizing -- all those things one does during this process.

     But yesterday, I awoke at 1:30 a.m.  Since I was clearly wide awake, I gave myself permission to take a break and indulge in some crafting.  I made a batch of cards for the week-long, daily challenge themes at Catch the Bug where they are celebrating their 9th Anniversary.  That means they are just starting their 10th year and I want to help them celebrate that wonderful new beginning!

     They have a different theme for each day and we all have until Saturday evening to get our projects entered.  So, I spent 7 hours making 6 cards, including coloring each of the Bugaboo Stamps images, and I'll make one more with Friday's Freebie Image once it's been released.

     I'm sharing the first 3 of those cards here in this post and will do the others late on Friday or perhaps Saturday morning

Saturday Theme: Monster Birthday Party

I started with the sketch from Sketch Saturday.

     I colored with ProMarkers, then used two dies from Tonic Studios to cut the image and the aqua frame.  I layered those two together, sandwiching the green, polka dot, ribbon between them, then mounted them onto sky blue CS.

     I printed and hand cut the sentiment, matted it with aqua CS, hand cut that, and added it to the bottom.

     Challenges for this card:
Cardz TV
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Catz
Crafty Friends
Outlawz Festive Friday
Polkadoodles


Sunday Theme: Sketch

                                         

      Again, I used ProMarkers to color the image (which is a new one for me) but I cut this one with a die from Gina Marie.  I used a square, kraft CS card base, then added the two narrow rectangles of glittered paper.  I wrapped that with stitched ribbon from Crafty Ribbons before adding the image piece.

     I printed the sentiment, hand cut it, and then added the three rows of three metal brads to the top corner.

     Challenges for this card:
Colour Crazy
Crafty Creations
Creative Knockouts
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.


Monday Theme:  Anything But a Card

     For this one, I did a party favor box with a personalized tag.  I used one of my box dies from Spellbinders to cut glitter CS and fold it into the tall, box shape.

     The name of each guest is on the back of the tag.  I colored the tag image with watercolor pencils and gel pens.  I cut it with a stitched die from Cottage Cutz.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment sand added twine to the corners of both the tag and the sentiment and taped the twine loops inside the favor box.  I filled the boxes with chocolate candy.

     Challenges for this project:
Creative Inspirations
Creative Moments
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
Paper Fundays
Scrappy Land

     Happy Crafting, my friends.  NanaConnie

Under the Sea

     OK, now that I have all those who read the post title humming that song in their heads...  :-D   This sweet mermaid image is from Lemon Shortbread and this is one of the images I chose when I was a winner at one of their recent challenges.  Of course, I also went on a shopping spree so maybe this is one I bought - I don't actually remember.

     I colored with ProMarkers, added glitter ink to the bubbles, then cut both the image and the dp frame with Wonky Square dies from Spellbinders.  Instead of lining up the frame exactly with the image, I turned the frame a quarter turn which seemed to accent the 'wonkiness' of the die cuts.  I also cut the printed sentiment with the smallest wonky die but this time I had to do it in two cuts, moving the die before the second cut to fit the size of the sentiment.

     I used a scrap of mesh 'ribbon' and I think it added to the ocean theme.  I found the seahorse charm in my stash and used it as the primary embellishment.  I wanted the design to be as CAS as possible so that the image would be showcased.

     Challenges:
Crafty Creations
Creative Moments
I {heart} ProMarkers
Ike's World
Outlawz Festive Fri
Polkadoodles
Scrappy Land
That's Crafty!
Work It Weds.

     That's all I have for today but it's good to be back into my normal routine.  I'll be catching up on all my missed visits and comments so bear with me.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

House Mousies Playing in the April Showers

     This is one of my very favorite House Mouse stamps and I'm sure I use it every year to celebrate April showers.   How could I resist those tiny Mousies splashing their way through the rain puddles?

     I colored with a combination of polychromos pencils and ProMarkers, with white gel pen for the raindrops.  I used one of my straight border dies (Spellbinders) to cut each edge of the image and then matted it with a royal blue CS frame. 

     The background was originally a card front which I 'rescued' from the trash bin because I loved the glittery embossing, and I trimmed the edges by hand.  I added both ribbon and heavy twine but left it very simple after that.  I wanted it to stay CAS and to work as either feminine or masculine.

     Challenges:
Addicted to CAS
Crafty Sentiments
Crazy Challenge
House Mouse
Ike's World
Incy Wincy
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Pile It On
Unicorn

    Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie