A Farm Country Birthday

      When I think of farms and country living, horses always come to mind.  So when I saw the theme for our latest FarmQuest challenge, "Things Found in a Barn," I started looking through my collection of images for a horse.

     This gorgeous clip art image was colored with pencils, blended with gamsol, then cut with a die from Spellbinders.  The kraft CS frame was also cut with a die from that same set.  The plaid dp came from a DCWV stack.  I printed the sentiment, cut it with scissors to get that particular shape, and matted it with a scrap of kraft CS.  I used jute cord for the hand-tied bow.

     Challenges:

Coloring w Pencils

Crafty Catz

Creative Fingers

Digi Choosday

Male Room

Pattie's Creations

Word Art Weds

     I hope you're going to take some time in the midst of the crazy holiday rush to have some personal play time and we'd love it if you came and joined in our challenge.  Just find an image of anything you might find in a barn (animals, tools, vehicles, feed or hay, etc.), make a card or other project, and enter it into our challenge.  

     FYI, you MUST check out the FQ challenge post this time.  There are some incredible AI images available for you to use if you choose.  Becca did a great job of putting those together for all the readers.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  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

Appy-loosa Birthday

      Here we are with another challenge starting over at FarmQuest General Store and starting with this challenge, we have a sponsor and a prize!  Our underlying requirement for every entry is that it have a country/farm flair but other than that, it's always "Anything Goes."

     Our sponsor is the fun and fabulous QKR Stampede and the prize is the 3 digital images which have been used by the DT.  Check out the challenge post on FQGC to see them all.  I've used the one called Appaloosa Foal and turned it into a masculine birthday card.

     The image was colored with my Sanjoki markers, then cut with a QuicKutz die.  I did the corners with a Fiskars corner punch.  The background argyle paper came from a DCWV stack and it was a left over scrap.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

Sketch based on #556 at Sketch Saturday. stretched into landscape.

     Challenges:

C.R.A.F.T.

Crafty Calendar

Creative Fingers

Gem of a Challenge

Let's Craft & ...

Outlawz SAR (what better new beginning than a new foal and a birthday?)

Pattie's Creations

     Come play with us this month.  You could be the winner of our first sponsored prize!  Visit the FQGS challenge blog to see the other two images which, along with this one, are the prize from QKR Stampede.

 

     Happy crafting.  NanaConnie

Home for Christmas

      Another Friday and that means another new challenge at Crafty Catz.  Each week we have an "Anything Goes" theme but we also offer you an optional theme if you want to use it.  The option for this week is pretty easy, "Christmas or Winter."  Our sponsor is Hetty Clare, who generously provided images for the DT to use.  But I chose to use an image from my own collection of Hetty Clare images, called Pony Christmas.  I know horses aren't really part of the usual "Christmas critters" we all recognize but think of all the images and stories which involve a horse pulling a sleigh, or a coach, or a wagon and you'll know why horses are my favorite, majestic, winter/Christmas critter.  :-D

     I reversed the image before printing it, then colored it with water colors.  I used an old Spellbinders die to cut the image and backed it with red and gold striped paper from DCWV.  The sentiment was stamped with a rubber stamp from Memory Box.  That one has been in my collection of rubber stamps for many years now.  I rarely use it but got it out for this card.

     I thought the die cut frame was fancy enough so I added no other embellishment.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspiration

My Favorite Things

Outlawz Friday

Paper Dragonfly

     I hope we're going to see you playing along this week.  We have only this week and next week  before the DT and the challenge take  holiday break, returning in January, 2024.  Show us something you've made for Christmas or winter and enter our challenge before it ends on Thursday night.

     

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Horse and Cardinal

      Good morning (or afternoon or evening, whatever time it is when you visit.)  Today I have two posts done within minutes of each other and both are for different FarmQuest challenges.  This one is for the FarmQuest Country Christmas Challenge (FQCCC.)  In case you missed it, the FarmQuest General Store post is immediately before this one.  Be sure to check it out, too.

     The card was amazingly quick to make.  I know horses aren't exactly traditional CHRISTMAS critters, not like polar bears or penguins, but I found this incredible clip art image, pre-colored, and I just had to use it!  It was perfect for a country Christmas.  I merged the sentiment before printing it.  I added a few white highlights using a polychromos pencil.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz die before layering it on top of a background made with glittery mesh ribbon strips and burlap/baker's twine strings in the very middle.  Rather CAS and the whole thing took less than 15 minutes.

     Challenges:

Christmas Kickstart

Colorful Options

Digi Choosday

Happy...Stampers

Holly & Ivy

Outlawz Friday

Peace on Earth

Triple B (bird, blossoms)

     I hope we're going to see you playing along this month.  I know we're all focused on Christmas (and other December holiday) cards this month, so why not find an image with a country or farm theme and use it to enter our Country Christmas challenge?  See you there.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Merry Country Christmas

      Can you believe that our fearless leader at FarmQuest has opened a new 'country' challenge blog?  This time she's focused on Christmas (opt: winter) and I jumped at the chance to be part of the DT.  The challenge is called FarmQuest Country Christmas challenge (naturally) and playing along is a great way to get your Christmas cards done a bit at a time over the entire year.

     The challenge goes live on the 7th of each month and runs through the 5th of the next month.  You may enter up to 5 times in each challenge.

     For my first DT card, I chose this delightful clip art image which I printed twice in grayscale, adjusting one of the images to be smaller and I 'pyramided' it as a top layer on the larger image.  I colored the smaller one with a combination of Sanjoki markers, watercolors, and white gel pen on the snow and snowflakes.

     I cut the images with Tonic Studios dies, and cut the mat frames with dies from QuicKutz.  The red snowflake dp is from Doodlebug and it's been in my stash for at least 6 years.  The sentiment was printed onto white CS before I cut it for the frame.  Because I'm going to use this as a masculine card, I left it rather simple and without any embellishment other than the background paper.

     Challenges:

12 Months...Christmas

Art Impressions

Creative Fingers

Happy...Stampers

Holly & Ivy

I Love Markers

Kerst Christmas

My Favorite Things

Outlawz Friday

Paperminutes

     Come check out this new challenge.  We'd love to see what you create.  Remember, it's always a "Country Christmas" (or country winter) theme.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Country Bandanas

      Welcome to the next challenge over at FarmQuest where we do projects inspired by the country and our theme this fortnight is "Bandanas."  No, not the fruit 'bananas' but those things you wear around your neck or pulled up over your nose to keep the trail dust out of your nose and mouth - banDanas!  My mom used to wear one like a scarf when we were out camping to keep her hair from flying everywhere when we were bouncing along in the 4-By-4.

     So, today, I combined a bandana with an svg cut horse and horseshoe.  The background bandana is actually a photo of a black and white bandana I happen to own.  I took the photo, reduced it in size and printed it on lavender CS.  I cut that with a QuicKutz die and used it as the background of my card front.  I cut the horseshoe with the horse head out of black CS, added white polychromos pencil to give the cut some definition, and mounted it onto dimensional tape.

     After looking at the die cut, I thought a bit more definition between the horse and the shoe would be a good thing, so I took a cotton swab. dipped it into a tiny bit of beach (just enough to moisten the cotton but not make it soppy wet) and then lightly stroked it over areas of the horse head.

     The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

     Challenges:

Ally's Angels

Classic Design

Crafts Galore ...

Creatalicious

Outlawz Friday

Rabisco

YSBP

     Check back tomorrow when I'll have a new DT card for Crafty Catz and on Saturday one for QKR Stampede.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Mortimer

      Late Sunday night in my time zone but it's already Monday over at Pammie's Inky Pinkies so a new weekly challenge has started.  Our theme is "Anything Goes" and our fantastic sponsor is Beccy's Place.  Beccy supplied images for the DT to use and I chose Mortimer from her fun and fabulous "Funny Farm" set.

     The facial expression said he really had doubts about how quickly birthdays arrive.  :-D

     I colored the image with ProMarkers and pencils, then cut it with a die from Spellbinders.  The background die cut is also a Spellbinders die and the only other embellishment I added was the baker's twine/jute cord combination.  I did take a few of the pieces which fall out of a die cut and added them to the top corners of the image piece.  It looks fancier than it is because of the die cuts.  This card will go to one of my grandsons this summer so I left it pretty CAS.

     Challenges:

Addicted to Stamps ...

Colour Crazy

Crafty Catz

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Fingers

Cute Card Thurs

I {heart} ProMarkers

Outlawz Twisted Thurs

Penny's Paper-Crafty

Simon Says Stamp

     Come play with us this week, won't you?  Any image, any occasion, any project, it's Anything Goes!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie 

Quilted Horse for a "Birth"day

     When I was a day or two ahead of my 10th birthday, I remember my dad asking me, "How many birthdays have you had?"  Of course, my first response was "10!" and then I realized I hadn't celebrated the 10th one yet, so I quickly changed my answer to "No, 9!"  He grinned and said, "No, you've only had 1.  All the rest were anniversaries of your only 'birth'day."

     So, this is a true "birth"day card for a new baby.  The image is from Beccy's Place and I used the optional colors for the challenge over there.

Colored w ProMarkers
Cut w QuicKutz circle die
dp from Beccy's Place
Ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon
Sheer ribbon - quadruple loop bow

     Challenges:
Carlin's Card Paradise
Crafty Calendar
Crafty Friends
Crafty Sentiments
Cuttlebug Mania
Digi Choosday
Paperminutes
Penny's Paper-Crafty
TTCRD

     That's it for today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Have a Good Hair Day !

     I love this fabulous image from Hetty Clare which was offered as the freebie from the Progressive Challenge at The Outlawz this month.  I wanted to do a card that had layers and visual interest and lots of 'personality' without being fussy or overdone.  I guess I wanted a take off on  something CAS.  Here's what happened:

Colored w/ ProMarkers
Edges inked w/ ProMarkers
Image cut with QuicKutz die &
     corners rounded with Fiskars punch
Papers are from DCWV - Basics & Midnight Chic stacks
Ribbon flowers

     Challenges:

Artsy Stamper

Arty Divas

Aud Sentiments

Digi Choosday

Do Al(l) Creatives

Penny's Paper Crafty

TTCRD
Your Scrapbook Place

     Enjoy your weekend and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Birthday Favor Box

     It's Day 3 at Catch the Bug's 10th Birthday and because it's Monday, the theme is the usual "Anything But a Card" so I did small party favor boxes.  These can be filled with candies and given to the party goers as something to take home with them.  The one I photographed was made specifically for the birthday boy with an additional sentiment.  The favor boxes are 2" x2" x1" deep.

     The image is Bugaboo Stamps' new "Hay There" horse.

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with rectangle die from Spellbinders
Double bow tied using burlap twine
Sentiment printed and cut with QuicKutz die

     Challenges:
Creative Inspirations
Creative Knockouts
Cutie Pie
I {heart} ProMarkers
Ike's World
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Paper Girls
Paper Shelter
Tuesday Throwdown

     Has anyone noticed how birthdays always feel like a whole new beginning to a child, especially one turning 10 or 13 - the magic of seeing double digits or being a teen - but they stop feeling like a new beginning when you are facing the 50s, 60s, 70s, and beyond?  lol

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

New Baby

     I always love the challenge at Beccy's Place and, while the theme is always "Anything Goes," Beccy gives an optional theme each time as well.  She also gives away a freebie and this month the freebie has the optional colors in it.  I was influenced by both the colors and the horse.  I chose a different horse from my collection of Beccy's Place images but it definitely works for the card I made.

     Here's my card and the colors from the blog.  To check out the free image, go to the blog (link is above.)

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with QuicKutz die
Scraps of turquoise CS and embossed brown CS
Sentiment printed w/ computer font & hand cut

     Challenges:
2 Sisters on the Blog (Stuffed animal)
A Perfect Time to Craft
Cardz TV
CCC Digi Creations
Classic DT Open
Colour Crazy
Friendship
Morgan's ArtWorld
Work It Weds.

     We've crested the mid-point of the week and are heading downhill to the weekend.  Woohoo!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Out for a Swim

     It's Friday again and that means we have a new challenge starting at QKR Stampede.  I'm using this fun QKR image, called "Out for a Swim."   The sentiment is all mine - printed with a computer font and hand cut with scissors.  I admit that's my favorite way to add a sentiment because it allows me to chose the font style and to add the silly sentiments which seem to pop into my head (unbidden, I might add) when I'm choosing images to use.  :-D

Colored with ProMarkers
Gina Marie die for image
QuicKutz dies for dp & brown CS
"Linen" embossing folder (brown CS)
Satin ribbon & hand tied bow
Kraft card base

     Challenges:
As You Like It
Aud Sentiments
Cardz TV
Crafty Creations
Creative Knockouts
House That Stamps Built
Scrappy Land
Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Life's a Carousel

     Good Friday morning, friends and followers.  It's time for another weekly challenge at QKR Stampede and our theme is Anything Goes, as always.  I found the most delightful Carousel Horse image and made this single layer card with it.  BTW, if you go searching for the image instead of just using the link I made, you need to know that in the store the name was inadvertently misspelled as "Carosel" Horse.

     When I was a child, I loved carousels and the horses were always my favorite of all the animals.  Despite the exotic lions, or tigers, or even elephants, the horses were majestic and noble and that's why I loved them best.

     The image is printed directly onto the card front, then colored with ProMarkers and watercolor pencils.  I wanted a monochromatic black and white with a pop of color from the roses.  All the shading is done with gray ProMarkers. 

     Challenges:
AAA Cards (middle row)
As You Like It
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Sentiments
Creates and Makes
Cute Card Thurs.
Di's Digi Designs
Ike's World
TTCRD
Tuesday Throwdown

     I want to see you come over and play in our challenge this week.  How can you lose with an Anything Goes theme?   Remember, you can use any image from any company but if you use an image from QKR or even from Eureka Stamps (our sister company), your entry will go into a separate draw and that increases your chances of winning by a huge amount.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie