Mom's Kitchen

      Today we have a new challenge starting at FarmQuest, where we have not only the underlying "Country or Farm" element but we also give you a specific theme to use.  This time the theme is "Kitchen Tools, Equipment, or Appliances."  

      I found this fabulous clip art image of a country kitchen with cooking tools and dishes.   I printed it in grayscale, then colored it with ProMarkers.  Highlights were added with white pencil and shadows with blue-gray pencil.  I cut both the image and the frame for it with square dies from QuicKutz.  The striped background paper came from a DCWV stack.  I printed the sentiment and cut it with an Avery Elle die.

      Challenges:

613 Ave Create

Crafty Calendar

Digi Choosday

Homestyle Kitchen

Inkspirational (Spring)

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Tues

Pammie's IP

     Come play with us in our challenge.  I used the image for a Mother's Day card but you could do something fun for a summer card, or a birthday, or even Father's Day if he's a cook (as many men are these days), as long as it has some kind of kitchen tools or equipment.  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Kitchen Adventures

      Today I've done another card celebrating country kitchens and the adventures which can be found in simple, home-prepared meals.  Country kitchens always make me think of my childhood.  Even the faintest whiff of baking bread takes me right back to the childhood kitchens of not only my own home but also my Grammy's warm and wonderful kitchen.

      Among my favorite memories are those of Grammy's special French Toast breakfasts always made with slices of her home baked sourdough bread and eggs fresh from the hen house.  Many a weekend morning I enjoyed that treat.  Our house was located diagonally behind my grandparent's home and, although the properties were large compared to today's standards, it was a fairly simple trek across to the backyard corners of each yard and around the large expanse of her veggie garden, through the back door, and into the kitchen.  Sundays often found me there for an early morning breakfast!

     This card is a salute to those French Toast memories.  The image is digital clip art, printed in grayscale, and colored with Sanjoki markers.  I used a square QuicKutz die on the image, then inked the edges with a marker.  The background was made using dp scraps from the basket.  I printed and cut the sentiment with an Avery Elle die.

     Challenges:

HomeStyle Kitchens

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Sharing Recipes

      For many months now, I've been collecting recipes by searching for clip art recipe cards.  A friend of mine asked me to share this one with her and, rather than just writing it down or sending an email, I decided to print the clip art, add my own colors to  it, and make it into a card which I mailed to her yesterday.

     I also discovered a fun new challenge that's all about food and kitchens and farmer's markets, and I think this will make a perfect entry!  The challenge is part of the FarmQuest family of challenges, run by Becca Sadler.  Rather than join the challenge as another of her DT gals, I told her I wanted to be a play and share cards I make using many of the clip art recipes I've been collecting.  Since I have more than 25 of them at the moment (and will undoubtedly collect more of them), I'll be able to play along for a couple of years.  :-D  Here's a link to that challenge:  FarmQuest Homestyle Kitchen.

     This first one is for a fabulous Artichoke Dip and I really love it.  It's marvelous with freshly baked (and still warm) artisan breads, or even as a drizzle for a plate of corn chips or tortilla chips.  I printed the clip art at 20% color saturation, then used my Sanjoki markers to add somewhat softer colors to most of the image.  I used pencils on the tomatoes because I wanted them to be a bit more vibrant. 

     I framed the image with white CS, then added that piece to a layer of dp which I had used for the background.   I cut the leaves with an old Cheery Lynn die and layered them onto the top of the image.  I'm sure my friend will love this way of getting the recipe.

      Challenges:

Creative Inspiration

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Star Stampz

Word Art Weds

      Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie    

Country Farm Kitchen

      Ok, we're done with the deer from the last challenge and are moving on to our newest theme at FarmQuest Challenge, "Country Kitchen."  I found this clip art image, printed it in gray scale (a technique I really love these days!), and colored it with a combo of (mostly) water colors, ProMarkers to create the 'rust,' and gel pens for white highlights on the cherries. 

     The background stripes were made using a scrap of dp.  The image and the frames were cut with Tonic Studio dies.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I decided on a CAS design (despite the background stripes instead of just white space) so no embellishments beyond that paper.

     Challenges:

A Perfect Time ...

Classic Design

Crafts Galore ...

Happy ... Stampers

Let's Craft & ...

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

Not2Shabby (4 of 5 colors + country)

     We'd love to see what you create for our challenge.  Anything farm or country kitchen will do.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie