Showing posts with label hand made bows. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hand made bows. Show all posts

Friday, February 28, 2025

On the March ...

      This morning we are starting our newest challenge over at FarmQuest.  Our theme for the next month, in addition to the underlying "Farm or Country" which is always there, is "Nocturnal Animals."  

     As soon as I saw this clip art, owl image (it may even be a photograph but AI digital is so good these days, who knows for sure?), I knew I had to use it for my DT card.  Doesn't he look like he's determined to get home quickly before the sun can get any higher?  It's obviously waaay past his nocturnal bedtime!

     I cut the image with a Tonic Studios die, matted it with white CS (also cut with another Tonic Studios die from that same set), and added brown, gingham ribbon to the top and bottom.  I tied a separate bow and added it to the top strip of ribbon.  That ribbon has been in my stash for longer than I care to remember, lying about, forgotten in the midst of brighter ribbon colors.  It originally came from Really Reasonable Ribbon and still had the paper sleeve on it, proving it was unused.

     I printed the sentiment, then cut it with an Avery Elle die.  I mounted everything onto a kraft card base.   

     I love making masculine cards because they can be kept pretty simple in design, compared to feminine cards which tend to get over embellished (in my house, at least!)   Even when I do add ribbon, I find that the ginghams can feel masculine, especially when they are in the brown and black families.  But the real reason I do so many masculine cards is that I have more guys in my family than gals.  :-D


     Challenges:

     Hope to see you playing along in our challenge this time.  It runs until March 26 so you have plenty of time to create something with a country flair and get it entered into our challenge.  We love being inspired by you!

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Friday, June 23, 2023

For a Baby

      I adore today's image from Conie Fong, called "Baby Buttercup."  Conie Fong is sponsoring the challenge this week at Crafty Catz.  I decided to do the kind of card we used to do back in the days before most parents knew if it was a boy or girl halfway through the pregnancy.  I used a color combo of both pink and blue, suitable for either one.

     Believe it or not, I found the background dp (Recollections stack) and that helped me decide on the overall color combo.  I colored the image with Sanjoki alcohol markers, then cut it and the two frames with Die-namics stitched dies.  Everything is inlaid so the image and both frames actually make only a single layer but look like 3 separate layers.

     I hand-tied the white bow, then printed and cut the sentiment with another Die-namics die from that same set.  I thought turning everything on an angle gave some nice visual interest to the card.


     Challenges:

     I hope we'll see you playing in the challenge.  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   

Saturday, August 6, 2022

Bunny Tale

      This image harkens back a couple of years to when I lost my entire collection of digital images (nearly 10,000 of them gathered over a decade) due to a flash drive crash, and a dear friend took the time to print or stamp images and snail mail them to me so that I'd continue making cards.  She was so afraid I'd give it up.  I did spend a lot of time thinking about how much it would cost to replace all of those but instead I simply started collecting new images.

     Anyway, this is one she sent me which I simply never used.  (I still have probably 15 or 20 in the folder waiting to be colored and used.)  Unfortunately, when she sent them, she didn't give me any information as to what company or artist made the image but if anybody knows and can identify this one for me, I'll gladly edit this post and give full credit to the artist.

     I colored this one using both ProMarkers and pencils.  Once colored, I used a die from Spellbinders to cut the image.  The plaid papers are from a Lawn Fawn stack.  The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die, then matted with a tiny scrap of the blue plaid dp.  The gingham bow was hand-tied.


     Challenges:

     Have yourself a great weekend, and be sure to find some time for yourself.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Sunday, November 15, 2020

The Gratitude Season

      This morning, you get two cards in the same DT post for our newest "Anything goes" challenge at QKR Stampede.  The first one uses an image and a sentiment from our sister company, Eureka Stamps, and the image is called "Fall Harvest."


Colored with chalks, ProMarkers, and gel pens
Edges of card front are chalked
Burlap twine bow, wrapped w fabric
CAS design

     Challenges:

     For the second card, I've used another Eureka Stamps sentiment, making it the focus of the card, and it's called "Season of Change."


Sentiment cut w QuicKutz die
Edges inked w ProMarkers
Background pieces are done w fall & winter watercolors
Mesh ribbon is sparkly
2 bows: 1 from satin ribbon, 2nd from sparkle twine

     Challenges:

     I hope we're going to see you playing along at QKR Stampede this time.  Remember, our theme is always "Anything Goes" and you can use any products from any company.  However, if you do use a QKR Stampede image (or one from Eureka Stamps), your entry goes into a completely separate draw and that increases your chance of winning by quite a lot.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Hiking Break

     I'm sharing a card I made using the image from the Progressive Challenge at LeAnn's World 101.  The image is just the girl but I added a rock, grasses, and sky, creating a background scene so that she looked like she was taking a break while out hiking.  The frame around the image was made by cutting a scrap of paper which had been water colored for the sky part and cutting a scrap of dp for the ground part.  I think it turned out pretty well.  :-D 


Colored w ProMarkers
Cut w Frantic Stamper rectangle die
Frantic Stamper frame die
Card base embossed w 'Linen' EF
Ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon
Hand tied bow
Sentiment printed and hand cut

     Challenges:
Arty Divas
Bastel-Traum
C.R.A.F.T.
Creative Moments
I {heart} ProMarkers
LeAnn's World
Outlawz Color
Paper Funday
Passion for ProMarkers
World Wide Open

     See you tomorrow with another DT card to share.  :-D   Happy Crafting,.  NanaConnie

Sunday, July 19, 2020

Christmas in July - Day 2 - Sketch

     Here we are on Day 2 of the Christmas in July daily challenges at Catch the Bug and today we get to use their sketch.  I used this cute, silly bird who's in the process of decorating for Christmas.  He's definitely an "early bird" on Christmas decorating since it's only July.  :-D


Here's the sketch & you can see I adjusted it 
slightly for a square card.
I also used colors from House that Stamps Built.

 The House That Stamps Built Inspiration Palette Challenge JL1520

Colored w ProMarkers
Cut with Unbranded die
Frame cut w QuicKutz die
Sentiment cut w Die-Versions die
Papers from DCWV Basics stack
Satin ribbon and Twine bows

     Challenges:

     So far, I'm right on course with doing a card each day of the Christmas in July event and I already have the next project done so check back tomorrow.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Friday, July 17, 2020

Tori the Dragon - Birthday Girl

     I'm totally in love with dragons (as is one of my grown granddaughters) and I think this is the third card I've done with one of the dragons from Conie Fong.  This one is called "Tori the Dragon - Birthday Girl" and I love the look of that luscious birthday cupcake!


Colored w ProMarkers
Cut w circle die by Spellbinders, Pop Dots
Leafy mat cut w Sue Wilson die
Pink CS backing for mat
Sentiment hand cut & matted, Pop Dots
3 hand-tied bows

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time...
CCC Digis
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafts Galore Encore
Creatalicious
Creations in Pink
Creative Crafters
Creative Moments
Pearly Sparkles
Southern Girls

     Come play in our Conie Fong challenge this month.  Actually, we have 2 - one for coloring only and one for completed projects like this one. You do have to use a Conie Fong image but you have great chances of winning if you just enter.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Saturday, June 13, 2020

A Goofy Giraffe for a Birthday

     I have a dear friend who loves giraffes and at least twice each year, for her birthday and Christmas, I try to find a new giraffe image or stamp to make a card for her.  This year, as I was over exploring on the Stamp Junkies FB group, I saw this giraffe in a new set by Angie Blom.  As an artist, her work is new to me but I fell in love with a card she had done using and image from this new set and I went right over to her shop and bought it!  There are a few different giraffe images (and sentiments) in the set so I'll be able to do three or four cards for my friend with that set.  What a bargain!  lol

     I did a fairly simple design, flat and not too much embellishment (so good as a masculine card, too) because it has to go in the mail.  She and I now live about 350 miles apart although we once shared the same home town.


Colored with ProMarkers
All the frames are cut w/ QuicKutz dies
2 sentiment bit cut with Avery Elle dies
Red satin bow, hand tied


     Have a great weekend and find some Happy Crafting time.  :-D  NanaConnie

Thursday, December 12, 2019

December Birthdays

     My favorite DIL has one of those December birthdays so close to Christmas that it often gets lost in the holiday shuffle.  Each year since she joined the family (a long time ago!), I've tried to make sure that she got both a birthday card and a Christmas card along with separate gifts for each.

     Then, this year, I found this really fun image at The Paper Shelter and knew I could use it for a joint Birthday/Christmas celebration.  See how Mama Snow has both a birthday present and Christmas stocking for Little Snow Boy?  Perfect!  (I'll probably return to my separate cards and separate gifts for DIL but this year I couldn't resist!)  :-D


Color/ shading enhancements w/ ProMarkers
Cut with QuicKutz die
Hand tied, polka dot bow
CAS design

     Challenges:
Crafty Creations
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Inspirations
Outlawz Festive Fri
Paperbabe Stamps
Paper Funday
Scrappy Land
Word Art Weds.
Words to Craft By

     I have a pre-scheduled post tomorrow for my QKR Stampede DT inspiration and then several which are already pre-scheduled for the week-long, annual, Christmas celebration at Catch the Bug.  After that, it may be a bit hit-and-miss as I spend time with family and focus on the joy of holidays surrounded by them.  If I seem to be MIA when it comes to visiting your blogs, my apologies, but my focus is more apt to be on family than friends through Christmas and the New Year.  Once we get to January, I'm sure my return will mean all is back to the normal routine.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Snowman Joy

     It's the first Thursday of the month and that means our newest challenge is starting for December at Crafting with an Attitude.  This is my last post as a DT member as I've taken on additional responsibilities on other teams I serve and I have to cut back some place.  I'm sad to leave but will be visiting as a player as often as possible.  Hugs to all my teamies.  :-D

     This month, our challenge is sponsored by Beccy's Place and, if you were visiting me at all last month, you already know how much I adore her images!  She generously gave images to the DT for them to use but I chose one from my own collection.  This is "Boxed Snowman" but I can't find it in the store now so it may have been retired.


Inspired by Sketch #569 at Sketch Saturday.
 

Colored with ProMarkers w/ white gel ink on highlights
Fussy cut with scissors
Ribbon and bow done with scraps
Snowflakes cut with Art Impressions dies
Black CS for the base

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Colour Crazy
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafty Friends
Creative Knockouts
Cute Card Thurs
Outlawz Festive Fri
Time Out

     Won't you please come play with us this month?  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" and this will be the last of our 'sponsored' challenges.  Starting in January, they will be JFF challenges.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Saturday Night Cat Bath

     We've all heard of the Saturday night bath and we've all heard of a cat bath but this is a Saturday Night Cat Bath!  Come to think of it, this may actually be an annual, autumn bath!  Only in House Mouse land.  lol


I took colors from the challenge at Scribbles Designs.


ProMarkers for coloring
Die-versions stitched die
Sheer, hand-tied bow

     Challenges:
Bastel-Traum
Coloring in Scrapland
Creatalicious
Creative Moments
Die Cut Divas
House Mouse
Outlawz Greetings
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
World Wide Open DT

     That's it for today.  Unfortunately, the first cold germ of the season has found me and my poor sinuses are so stuffed, I can hardy breath.  Hopefully, I'll be able to get my posts done for Halloween and for Friday when the first of the month rolls around.  Can you believe I'll have 5 posts that day?   Be sure to come see them all.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Pumpkins for Sale

     OK, we had two days of temperatures in the mid- and low-80s (F) with a nice breeze blowing yesterday and I actually saw some leaves scuttering around in the wind so my hopes that summer temperatures were gone for the year rose and we had a party last night.

     Then I listened to the long range forecast and we're due to have another 2 days of temp 100F or above over the weekend.  Sigh... I knew it was too good to last and that I should never have celebrated.  That's it - not another word from me about temperatures or celebrations until at least November!  That way, I won't jinx it.  lol

     Today's card has an image from Digi Doodle Studios with lots of pumpkins for sale and no, the kitten and puppy are NOT for sale.  :-D  I used lots of my favorite fall colors - especially the combo of orange & green or orange & brown.  This time a combo of all three of them.






































I used the sketch from Sketch Saturday.


Colored with ProMarkers
Spellbinders dies to cut image & sentiment
Inked edges on die cuts
Background embossed with Darice EF
Hand tied bow dyed w/ ProMarker

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Brown Sugar
Coloring in Scrapland
Crafty Friends
Crafty Sentiments
Dare 2B Artsy
Digi Doodle Studios
Paper Funday
SUYP Cats

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Friday, August 23, 2019

Cleaning Up

     Welcome to another Friday and another start to the weekly challenge at QKR Stampede.  I have a DT card to share today which is filled with just plain silliness.  The image is called "Bathing Bear."  It comes in both digi and rubber stamps.

Again, using my favorite orange & brown fall colors.

ProMarkers
Sparkle gel ink on faucet
Spellbinders die
Stitched ribbon - Crafty Ribbons
Plaid Ribbon - Really Reasonable Ribbon
Brown CS for background embossed with 'Linen' EF

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Creative Knockouts (digi/sentiment/ribbon)
Cute Card Thurs.
Cutie Pie
Dragonfly Dreams
Get Creative
Outlawz Greetings
Path of Positivity

     Come play with us, won't you?   We love being inspired by you.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Worm in an Apple

     Mr. & Mrs. Worm have found a new home in a left over, picnic apple!  I know, I know, it's usually ants who show up at our picnics, but this couple was in serious need of a home and a meal so an apple, deliberately left behind by some kindly person after the last picnic of the summer, seemed a perfect choice.

     (Sorry, I had to take a break right there.  Queenie, the new kitten, decided it was nap time and that somehow required that I hold her in the crook of my elbow while she 'nursed' on my hand.  Of course, I couldn't put her down until she woke up.  Sigh....)

     The image on this card is for the latest Progressive Challenge at Limited Runs.  Actually, it's two images which I combined for the card.


ProMarkers
Fiskars corner punch
Polka dot ribbon for hand tied bow (scrap)
Scraps for the dp and the white frame
Linen embossing folder on the card front

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Coloring in Scrapland
Colour Crazy
Crafter's Castle
Dream Valley
Outlawz PAM
Path of Positivity
Pixie's Snippets
Words to Craft By

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

The Evening Gown

     LeAnn's World 101 has the most fantastic image for their Progressive Challenge this month.  It made me want to get all dressed up and go out on the town!  Isn't she elegant?


Colored with ProMarkers & gel inks
Pink glitter
Spellbinders die
1.5 inch Sheer ribbon
Paper scrap frames
Pink card base
Hand tied bows

     Challenges:
Aloha Friday
Colour Crazy
Crafty Creations
Creations in Pink
Happy Craft
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Festive Fri
Paperbabe Stamps

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Monday, March 18, 2019

Great Idea!

     I'm adding Mother's Day cards to the list of what cards I need to make over the next few weeks.  In the US, we celebrate our moms in May, not March, but there's nothing wrong with having them done well ahead of time.  Besides, I always get friends who call and ask if I have any 'extra' cards for Mother's Day that they can get from me.  :-D

     Flowers work so well for Mother's Day and this image from Conie Fong just struck me as something I could happily color and use for such a card.


I started with the sketch at Cheerful Sketches.


     I colored the image with ProMarkers, then cut it with a stitched Lawn Fawn die.  I cut the golden yellow square with another die from that same Lawn Fawn set.  The green square was cut with a die from Cottage Cutz.  The pink strip was in my scrap basket and all I did was ink the edges.  In fact, all of the die cuts were made with scraps.

     The plaid dp is also from  Lawn Fawn and is a left over from the plaid paper I used a couple of days ago but this time I used the reverse side.  The bottom strip with the little flowers is a scrap left over from that previous card.   It feels like I'm CASEing myself.  :-D   Here's a link to that post.

     The sentiment was printed, hand cut, inked on the edges, and added to the lower, right side of the image.  The final touch was to tie a bow from a scrap of satin & sheer ribbon.

     Challenges:
a2z Scrapbooking
A Gem of a Challenge
A Perfect Time to Craft
CCC Digi Creations
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafty Hazelnut's
Die Cut Divas
Friendship
Lawn Fawnatics
Morgan's ArtWorld
Pixie's Snippets
   
     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

Unicorn Love

     When this image from All Dressed Up begged to be used as an expression of love, I had a moment of doubt but then I remembered a saying from my childhood when my dad said, "Love from a puppy is the best kind of love" and I knew that had to be true about unicorns, too.  Maybe even better than puppy love since unicorns are so rare.      :-D


      I did my usual coloring with ProMarkers, then cut the image with a die from QuicKutz.  The background paper is the last scrap of a 12x12 scrapbooking paper from my stash.  I'm sad to see it used up and will have to look for more.  I love that it has hearts and flowers and is PURPLE!!!

     I knew I wanted a really different kind of bow for this one so I used a scrap bit of lace, rolled and pinched it in the middle, then wrapped with satin ribbon.  The sentiment was printed and hand cut, then added to the bottom.  Not quite CAS but not overdone either.

     Challenges:
All Dressed Up
Angie's Digital Stamps
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Calendar
Cute N Crafty
Dare 2B Artzy
Jo's Scrap Shack
Path of Positivity
Stamping Sensations

     Happy Tuesday to all of you and thanks so much for stopping by.  If I haven't visited you in the last week or so, hang in there and be patient with me.  I'm getting there in between home school projects for my grandson, trips to the doctor for my daughter (torn tendon in her ankle & can't drive), grocery runs for everyone, plus celebrating my oldest granddaughter's birthday this week!  I can't remember when I've been so busy day after day after day.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Friday, February 8, 2019

Puppy and Cupid Valentines

     I have to get this post written up very quickly before the feline fur babies awake and see me posting something featuring a puppy!  Here are two more of the Valentine cards I've done by recycling vintage Valentines from the box I found hidden under who know how many tons of supplies when the craft room was getting packed up and reorganized.

     I especially love these two and put in quite a bit of work on them.  Let's start with the puppy.


     Starting from the card base and working upward, the background dp came from Paper House, trimmed to fit the front of an A2 size card.  I had some lovely, glittered ribbon scraps in my stash which I think came from Crafty Ribbons.

     I dug out a set of doily dies from Spellbinders, and cut alternating layers of white and pink doilies (all cut from scraps), offsetting them as best I could.  Once all those were layered together with foam tape, I added the hand cut puppy to the top of the stack.  

     I added one of my signature bows to the bottom of the card front and called it finished.

     Challenges:

     Here's the second card with a sweet cupid image.


     I put silver glitter on his wings, and I used a rectangle die from QuicKutz top cut the image from the front of the old card, then inked the edges with ProMarkers to enhance the distressed look.  I 'dyed' a white doily with a dark brown ProMarker so that the image piece would pop.  I had two scraps of ribbon, one in hot pink and the other a golden brown.  I decided to put the doily between them and then wrap them around a piece of background dp (also Paper House.)

     The image went on top and I make a double bow but sewing two hand crafted bows together.  The final touch was a tiny, epoxy flower in the bottom corner of the image.  I hand wrote the sentiment in the opposite corner.

     Challenges:
Aloha Friday
Brown Sugar
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Calendar
Crafty Catz
Creative Fingers
Happy Craft
If You Give a Crafter...
Polkadoodles
Time Out

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie  

Monday, November 19, 2018

Christmas Quilt

     I'm following the letter prompt of "Q" at Beccy's Place for the 30 Days of Holidays but I keep forgetting which letter it is because I have as many "P"s as "Q"s in today's post; maybe even more.  :-D  But I did "P" yesterday so this is all about the Christmas Pudding Quilt.


     I colored the Quilt image with my ProMarkers (my favorite method of coloring) and then replaced the center square with my wish for Peace on Earth - a sentiment which is also from Beccy's Place.  I spent a bit of time sizing it to fit and still had to trim the edges in thin slices but it did fit eventually.

     I used two of my Quilting dies - one from Gina Marie and one from Sizzix - to cut the dp and the glittered paper.  I made that glittered paper by adding loose glitter to sticker paper, burnishing it in, and then cutting it with the die.  I have to give my friend, Donna, credit for jogging my memory and inspiring me to use that technique again.  Here's her post about glittering sticker paper, but I didn't do anything nearly as complex as she did.  I just peeled off one side of the sticker paper (trimmed to the size I needed for the die), added glitter to the entire thing, then cut it with the quilt die.  It made the glittery pieces easy to apply since they already had adhesive on the backs.

     I put the Quilted papers together like a puzzle, then placed them into position on the card front.  The Christmas Pudding Quilt image went on top.  I embellished the corners with two of my signature bows which had been dyed with a Pine ProMarker.

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas
C.R.A.F.T.
Double Trouble  (all 3)
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Path of Positivity
Pile It On
Try Stampin' on Tues
Unicorn
Use Your Stuff
Word Art Weds.

     I hope your week is starting well and, if you live in the USA, that you are getting on with all your preparations for Thanksgiving, only 3 more days away!   Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie