Paths, Trails, or Walkways

      Oh, my gosh!  The year is nearly over and today we start our last challenge of 2024 over at FarmQuest.  As usual, we have a theme - a specific one in addition to the "Farm or Country" which is part of every challenge we have - and today that theme is "Paths, Trails, or Walkways."  I suppose I could have searched for a winter pathway but they all seemed to be buried under snow.  :-D  also,  you should know that, starting with this challenge, we are going to a monthly challenge instead of the 7th and the 28th.  So, this challenge will run through January 27, 2025!

     This image is clip art, printed in grayscale, then colored with water colors and pencil.  I cut the image piece with a QuicKutz die, and inked the edges.  The background dp came from my scrap basket.  I used jute cord to wrap the card front and tie a bow.  

     Challenges:

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Fingers

Girlz Creative

     That's all I have for today.  I'm off for the final Christmas family dinner which we delayed until my granddaughter could get home from college in Texas.  I hope all of your holiday celebrations went well and that you're resting from all the hustle and bustle.  

   

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

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

Day 4 - "D"

     Here we are, already four days into the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place and, so far, I've managed to make and post a card for each day.  Today we have to use things beginning with the letter "D" and I managed to compile 4 or 5 things.

     I started with two autumn themed digital images from Beccy's Place, along with a sentiment about 'pumpkin days...', and I merged all three of them into a single image for this Thanksgiving card.  I loved the warm, latte drink; lattes always make me think of fall (the only time I ever drink them.)  Fall makes me think of pumpkins, pumpkin spice, pumpkin pie, and all those things are perfect for a Thanksgiving greeting.

     The images are both pre-colored, so it was a matter of printing them, and die cutting the image with a QuicKutz die.  I found two embossing folders and dry embossed both card stock and a scrap of metallic foil.  Those became the background for the image piece.  The 'Thanksgiving ...' sentiment was printed and cut with another die, this one from Avery Elle.  I added a jute cord bow for a little dimension.

     Challenges:

613 Ave Create

Can You Handle ...?

Crafty Calendar

Di's Digi Design

Lil Patch of ...

Polkadoodles

Triple B

    Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Rustic Life

      Welcome to another challenge at FarmQuest where we always want to see something farm or country inspired, and on top of that we have a theme for each 2-week challenge.  This challenge we want to see cabins or cottages.

     My DT card is very CAS and it's a square card.  The cabin image is actually a photograph of an old, 19th century cabin, found in the mountains of northern Nevada about 4 miles back into the woods from Lake Tahoe.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz square die. 

     The background piece is from a wallpaper sample book, inked around the edges.  I layered them together, then tied a double loop bow using jute cord.  The sentiment was printed, cut with an Avery Elle die, and I inked the edges of it, too.

     Challenges:

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Inspirations

Creative Moments

Digi Choosday

Pammie's IP

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Granting Wishes

      OK, here's my third post for September 1st, and this time it's for the newest fortnightly challenge at QKR Stampede.  Our theme is always Anything Goes and our challenges start on the 1st and 15th of each month.  You may use any image from any company, but if you do use something from QKR Stampede (or our sister company, Eureka Stamps), your project is put into a completely separate draw for QKR only and that really increases your chance of winning!   Since QKR digital images are only $2.00 each, how can you lose?  Rubber stamps of the same images run a little bit more but most of those are $4.00 or less.  When is the last time you bought a rubber stamp for $4?

     I merged two images from QKR Stampede, "Genie" and "Genie Lamp" and colored them both with my ProMarkers.  I cut the image and the darker purple CS with Tonic Studios scalloped dies, and offset the image piece into an upper corner of the larger frame piece.  I printed the sentiment, cut it with an Avery Elle die, and added it to the lower corner of the frame.

     My final touches were jute cord twine and a sheer ribbon bow.  I think it's CAS enough that it could work for either a male or a female recipient.  :-D

     Challenges:

A Bit More Time ...

A Perfect Time ...

Classic Design

Crafter's Cafe

Crafts Galore Encore

Digi Choosday

Scribbles Designs

TTCRD

     I hope we see you playing along in this challenge.  We love visiting your blogs and being inspired by you as much as we enjoy creating and perhaps inspiring you!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Another Dance Day

      Did you enjoy my week long break from cards influenced by a dance theme?  I hope so because I'm back to dance cards today but these are a bit different from the Ballroom style.  Today we celebrate good old West Coast Swing and Boot Scootin' !  :-D

     There's also no coloring on either one of these which is extremely unusual for me.  Instead, I dug out a never-before-used die from Die-namics.  I bought this die probably three years ago when my daughter was teaching West Coast Swing dancing.  I wanted to do some cards for her and her dance group but shortly after I got it, she had an injury and couldn't dance for many months, probably as much as a year, and then the pandemic closed in.

     Now I'm finally using the die and made these two cards, the first of which I'll give to her.   On the card with the white background, I cut the silhouette from a scrap of black CS, added the color by trimming tiny scraps of red and blue CS and attaching them to the back of the silhouette.  The sentiment was printed, fussy cut, framed, and fussy cut again.    For the red card, I cut the dancers from  brown CS, mounted them onto a scrap of red CS, made a lariat using red jute cord, then printed and cut the sentiment with a die from Avery Elle.

     Both are CAS designs, good for either male or female.  I chose the red and blue because red is my favorite primary color and, when mixed with blue, it makes purple, which is my favorite color of the entire color wheel.  IN addition to that, either red or blue will work on masculine cards as well as feminine ones.

     Challenges:

    (Card #1)

A Perfect Time ...

As You Like It

Aud Sentiments

Classic Design

Creative Fingers

Dies R Us

    (Card #2)

A Bit More Time ...

Country View Crafts

Creative Craft ...

Cute Card Thurs

Let's Craft & Create

Outlawz Twist Thurs

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Catching vs Fishing

      First of a new month and the first day of the latest challenge at QKR Stampede.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" and you may use images from any company or artist, just be sure to use an image.  If you do choose to use an image from QKR (or their sister company Eureka Stamps), your card will go into a completely separate draw and that really increases your chances of becoming a winner.  :-D

     I used an cute, summer-time image from QKR called "Father and Son Bear."  I colored with my ProMarkers, then cut the image with a Memory Box die.  The sentiment was printed and cut with another Memory Box die.  I mounted everything onto a scrap piece of brown CS, and added a tiny, hand-tied, silver, jute cord bow.  Very CAS but a perfect masculine card.  :-D

     Challenges:

A Bit More ... Extra

Crafter's Cafe

Crafts Galore ...

Creatalicious

Cute Card Thurs

Dies R Us

Digi Doodle Studio

Friendship

Outlawz Twisted Thurs

     I hope we'll see you playing in our challenge this time.  It runs until the 14th of the month, then a new challenge begins on the 15th.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Does that Mean Prickly?

      Apologies for the post being late but I've been fighting back pain for the last few days and sitting a the keyboard of my computer was my least favorite thing to do during that time.

     Today is the start of a new weekly challenge at Pammie's Inky Pinkies, where our things are usually "Anything Goes" (unless there's a 5th Monday in a month and then we have a specific theme to follow.)  Our sponsor this month is the fun and fabulous We Are 3.  They supplied images, dp, and sentiments for the DT to use, all from this wonderful "Camille's Cactus" set.

     I merged the image and the sentiment onto the dp, then colored with my ProMarkers.  I used black gel pen to add more cactus spines and the noon-time shadow at the base of the cactus.  I found a tiny snippet of jute cord in my stash and hand-tied the bow.  Very CAS, very masculine, and I used it as a birthday card for one of my grandsons. 

     Challenges:

(I'll add these links when I can sit for a longer period)

     Come play with us and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Seahorse

      Today's card is in celebration of yet another Progressive Challenge, this one at Kinda Cute.  It just seemed perfect for a birthday card.  I reversed the image, then colored it with ProMarkers.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz, rectangle die and rounded two of the corners with a Fiskars punch.

     The dp and CS pieces were all scraps from the basket and I rounded those corners with scissors.  I hand tied a bow using two strands of  jute cord.

     Challenges:

Addicted to Stamps ...

Colour Crazy

Creative Inspirations

Cute Card Thurs

Inspiration Station (Sea & Sand)

Outlawz Color

Paperbabe

Scrapping4Fun

Word Art Weds

     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 

Greener Grass

      If you follow my blog at all, you know by now how much I love progressive challenges and the one at Imagine That! DOTM is no exception.  This is the June image, perfect for any dad or any man who loves his yard and wants it pristine.  I'm using it as a Father's Day card for my son-in-law who has a wonderfully dry sense of humor.

     I used ProMarkers to color it and added a few wispy clouds with a white gel pen.  I cut the image with an Unbranded die.  The plaid paper is a left over scrap, originally from a Your Next Stamp stack.  The bow was tied from a double strip of jute cord.  Because it's a masculine card, I kept it simple with little embellishment.

     Challenges:

Allsorts

Cardz TV

Colour Crazy

Crafty Catz

Creative Fingers

Gem of a Challenge

Outlawz PAM

Taylormade ...

Uniko

     Happy Stamping to each of you.  :-D  NanaConnie

Graduating Bear

      I need to begin with an apology.  I had prepared this post, pre-scheduled it to go live at the proper time and the entire post just disappeared!  It didn't revert to a draft - it simply disappeared altogether.  I have no idea what happened but I'm betting on yet another Blogger glitch.  Sigh...

     In any case, this is my second post of the day and I'm sharing my DT card for QKR Stampede.  I used this sweet Graduating Bear image to make a card for my youngest grandson who leaves the world of middle school and next fall starts high school.  How did that happen?  It's not possible that he's old enough for that!

     Just a quick update - back in January I undertook a personal challenge to not purchase or use any new products that entire month and to use only things already in my stash of craft supplies.  Not only did I manage to do that successfully in January, I have continued to do that each month since then and this card is another made only from things in my stash.  I haven't purchased any new supplies since late last fall !  I had no idea my stash was that large.  lol

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut w Gina Marie die

Sentiment cut w Gina Marie die

Linen EF on card base

Black CS is a scrap

Jute cord and blue fiber twine

     Challenges:

Addicted to Stamps ...

Crafty Sentiments

Digi Choosday

Double Trouble

Dream Valley

Lemon Shortbread

Lil Patch of ...

TTCRD

     Happy Crafting and come play with us!  NanaConnie    

Graduating Bear

      This is my next post of the day (and I have a total of 3 for the first of June) and it's for the new challenge at QKR Stampede.  I used Graduating Bear and this card is for my youngest grandson who leaves the world of middle school and heads for high school.  How did that happen?  Impossible!

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut w Gina Marie die

Sentiment cut w Gina Marie die

Jute cord twine

CAS Design

     Challenges:

(links will be added soon)

     Come play with us this fortnight.  Remember, QKR always has two separate draws - 1 for those who use any image and a second just for those who use a QKR Stampede image (or Eureka Stamps, our sister company) which means if you use QKR, your chances of winning are greatly increased!  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie  

Why They Call it Fall !

     I know we're only a third of the way through August but I get tired of the miserably hot weather some time in early July each summer and I begin pining for fall leaves and changing colors that come with the cooler evenings of autumn.  Here's my salute to the end of summer this year!  :-D

     I have this adorable kitten from Mo's Digital Pencil which I don't think I've used before (shame on me!) and it seemed a perfect time to dig it out and color it.  Since we're talking fall colors, I made the kitten a calico, patterned after my own sweet Queenie (see the right-hand sidebar.)

Inspired by the sketch at Sketch Saturday,

turned 1/4 turn.

Colored w ProMarkers
Image and both frames cut w/ Tonic Studios dies
Sentiment printed & cut w/ Tutti Designs die
Mesh ribbon was a scrap on the table
Jute cord used for the triple loop bow

     Challenges:
Catch the Bug
Crafty Friends
Crafty Sentiments
I {heart} ProMarkers
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz PAM
Penny's Paper-Crafty
SUYP Cats

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

CIJ Day 3 - "Wrap" a Gift

     Day 3 of the daily "Christmas in July" challenges at Catch the Bug and, in keeping with their usual "Anything but a Card" Mondays, today we are to make things that hold or go on gifts - gift card holders, money folders, boxes, bags, tags, etc.  Mine is a money folder with a cute Bugaboo Stamps snowman.

Here's a photo of the inside.

Image colored with ProMarkers
Cut with Gina Marie die
Scraps of Graphic 45 dp inside and out
Jute cord tie

     Challenges:
12 Months of Christmas
Dare 2B Artzy
Die Cut Divas
Dies R Us
I {heart} ProMarkers
Kerst Christmas
Lil Patch of Crafty...
Outlawz Festive Fri
Star Stampz

     That's all for today but I'll see you tomorrow with the next CIJ challenge at Catch the Bug.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Gnome Road

     I've always smiled at gnomes; they seem such an engaging sort of creature.  But a few years back when my blogging buddy, Linda - http://lindasimpsoncraftypieceofheaven.blogspot.com/ - revealed that her hubby really loves gnomes, I sent him a gnome card I had made.  For some reason from that point on, I began looking at gnomes differently, with more appreciation and joy over them.  They are now a close rival to dragons (yes, even pocket dragons) in my affections and I search artists for gnomes quite often.

     This gnome, from Mo's Digital Pencil, seemed rather wise in the ways of tramping the world's roads so I paired him with that Mo's sentiment.  This card will be going to a grandson for his 21st birthday, that magical age when all roads seem possible.  :-D

Colored w/ ProMarkers and water color pencils
Cut w/ stitched die from Cottage Cutz
Scrap dp for background
Jute cord, 2 colors, wrapped and tied

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Colouring in Scrapland
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Sentiments
Get Creative
Outlawz PAM
Paperminutes
TTCRD

     I hope you are having a marvelous weekend.  Take some time for yourself and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Out of This World

     Limited Runs has it's latest Progressive Challenge going right now and this cute little spaceman is the image for this month.  I went with a CAS design and a masculine theme.  I've just gotten a commission for a dozen or so masculine, encouragement cards for a friend of my daughter who sends a card to her 18 year old son once a week and this one will be a great start.  :-D

Colored with ProMarkers, gel inks, & water colors
Image and frame cut with QuicKutz dies
Sentiment printed and cut with Avery Elle die
Jute cord wrapped around pre-made card base

     Challenges:
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Inspiration
Get Creative
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Simon Says Stamp
Simon Says Stamp & Show

     Short post today but I'm still playing catch up from last week and trying to get everything done for all my First of the Month DT commitments.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

We Should Dance

     I love all of the images from Beccy's Place but her cats are the absolute best!  The theme in the monthly challenge is always Anything Goes and there's always an optional twist if you want to use it.  This month, the twist is a sketch.  Both the image and the sentiment are from Beccy's.

Sketch adjusted for square instead of rectangle

Image and sentiment printed onto scrap CS
Colored with ProMarkers
Image cut with Gina Marie die
Sentiment cut with QuicKutz die
Both are mounted onto a gray, CS scrap
Paper strip is a scrap from the basket
Doily is a scrap cut off
Jute cord from The Twinery

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time ...
Classic Design
Crafter's Cafe
Crafts Galore
Crafty Hazelnut's
Dream Valley
Ike's Art
Passion for ProMarkers
Pixie's Snippets
SUYP Cats

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Counting Blessings

     Fooled you!  No Halloween card today; instead I'm heading on down the road to Thanksgiving with this adorable image from Bugaboo Stamps.  Don't you just love that cute little owl sitting on his harvested pumpkins?

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with Memory Box Pinpoint Rectangle die
Wide satin ribbon and sheer ribbon from Crafty Ribbons
Jute cord added to bow

     Challenges:
Addicted to CAS
Allsorts
Catch the Bug
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Calender
Dare 2B Artsy
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz SAR
Passion for ProMarkers
Stamping Sensations

     Happy Crafting.   NanaConnie

Golden Libra

     One of my grandsons was born under the sign of Libra and, while I don't usually care much for the Zodiac images I've seen, the set recently released at AuroraWings appealed to me.  I grabbed images for the family birthdays (and there are a lot of them, many duplicated) and this is the first one I've used.  Grandson's birthday is only a couple of months away so...

I was inspired by the "Gold or Silver + 2 Accent colors"

(#356) at Color My Heart's Color Dare.

I chose Gold, plus olive green and kraft.

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with double stitched die from Die-namics by MFT
Inlaid into gold foil also cut with the same die
Sentiment cut with stitched die, adjusted to get proper shape
Gold jute cord

     Challenges:
AuroraWings
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Creative Knockouts
Outlawz Festive Fri
Paperbabe Stamps
Polkadoodles

     That's all for today.  Enjoy your weekend.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie