Three Kings

      I've done a really simple card for the letter "K" at Beccy's Place 30 Days of Holidays challenges which are running every day in November.  I chose the 3 Kings image from Beccy's Place and put it onto a card front made with Kraft CS.

     The images are pre-colored and merged together to make a single image.  The sentiment was added before printing.  I cut the image piece with a die from Cottage Cuts.  The 'strip' of glittered CS across the middle of the card is actually scrap bits from the basket of Christmas papers but I layered them on so that the empty space between them is covered by the image piece.

     Challenges:

12 Months Christmas

Christmas Kickstart

Crafts Galore

Do Al(l) Kreatives

Incy Wincy

Kerst Christmas

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

     See you again tomorrow, I hope.  This respiratory infection or virus, whatever it is, is really wearing me out!  The fatigue factor is definitely in charge.  :-D

   

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

30 Days of Holidays - "F"

      Back to Halloween for this card but on it, I used all Beccy's Place images and sentiment.  The 3 images and the sentiment are all from different sets but they merged perfectly together for a fun card for the letter "F."  The witch is a silhouette, the potion bottles were sized to hang on the wall (I drew in the shelf myself, that's not part of the image) behind the witch, and the frog was colored with pencils.  Of course, we reference the flying monkeys for one extra "F".  

     Once merged and colored, I cut the image piece with a Spellbinders die, and cut the corners with a Fiskars punch.  The mat behind the image piece was cut on my paper cutter and the corners were rounded with another Fiskars punch.  The card front is a piece of orange CS and I added the snippet bits of dp, all of which came from the scrap basket.  The tiny flying bats add yet another "F." 

     I love this card!!  It came together so perfectly and I hate that I have to wait almost a full year to use it but that's what I get for making Halloween cards in November.  :-D

     Challenges:

A Cut Above

A Perfect Time ...

Critter Crazy

Do Al(l) Kreatives

Let's Craft & Create

Make My Monday  (Do frogs & flying monkeys count? lol)

Polkadoodles

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Hat that Doesn't Fit

      There's a story behind this card today and I will share with you the short version.  Belladona, the cat image from Beccy's Place, really wanted his own witch hat to wear on Halloween.  But his witch was so busy preparing potions and spells for the big, spooky night that she had no time to make one for him.  So she found one of her old hats (also a Beccy's Place image and it's a freebie on the challenge post today) and tossed it over to Belladona.  

     You can see Belladona's reaction in both his expression and in the sentiment.  :-D

     I merged the images together before printing it.  Even though the images are mostly silhouettes, I used Sanjoki markers to color the cat's eyes and the flowers on the hat.  They are from different sets but I think they work perfectly together.  I cut the merged images with a QuicKutz die, then rounded the corners with a Fiskars punch.

     The dp is from Recollections, the glitter CS is a scrap, and the bow is hand-tied, then dyed with a marker to get the exact orange I wanted.  The ribbon started out white.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I inked the edges of both the image piece and the sentiment with a marker.

     Challenges:

A Perfect Time ...

Conjurer of Dreams

Crafting Challenge

Crafts Galore Encore

Critter Crazy

Die Cut Divas

Passion for Markers

SUYP Cats

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Fright Night

      One more Halloween card with images from Beccy's Place.  Each of these spooky cats is a separate image and I merged them before printing so that they became a single image.  

     Although they are silhouette images, I used markers to darken the printed version since it had faded out somewhat during the printing process.  I also colored their eyes green which actually increased the cats' "spookiness."  The sentiment is also from Beccy's.  Both the image and the sentiment were cut with Spellbinders dies.

     The two background papers were left-over scraps, originally from a  Recollections stack.  The spiderwebs are embossed for a bit of texture.

I based my card design on the sketch from Sketch Saturday.

      Challenges:

Colorful Options

Critter Crazy

Let's Craft & ...

Love...Pretty Papers

Mirtillamente

SUYP Cats

Two Old Bats

     That's it for today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Irish Dragon

     I shared a St. Patrick's card the other day which I had made for my granddaughter who loves cows, and today I have one for another granddaughter who adores dragons (as do I !)  

     I merged this digital coloring book, clip art image, with the small dragon image merged in the upper corner, then printed it in very light grayscale.  Once printed, I colored it with water colors and alcohol markers.  The image was cut with a Tonic Studios die and layered onto a white background on which I had printed the sentiment.  The background paper came from a K & Co. stack.

     Challenges:

Classic Design

Digi Choosday

Double Trouble

Outlawz SAR (March, April, Nature)

Pammie's IP

Simon Says Stamp

Star Stampz

     Enjoy and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Wicked Good Time

       It's October already!  How did that happen so quickly?  I suppose everything moves more quickly once Labor Day is behind us and that means the fall and winter holidays will be in our laps before we know it.

     My card today is for the FarmQuest General Store challenge and our theme is always "Anything Country Goes."  I decided on an old fashioned celebration of Halloween in a country graveyard.  I merged these spooky images from a set I found at Jan's Digi Stamps called "Haunted."  It's been one of my favorite Halloween sets since Jan first made it.  So many fantastic images and so many possibilities!

     I colored the merged images with Sanjoki markers, then fussy cut them with scissors.  The sentiment was also merged and it can be found in that same set.  I decided to create a background by using polka dot dp and adding bits of foiled spider webs which are metallic and shiny.  It looks really spooky IRL !

     Challenges:

Classic Designs

Double Trouble (all 3)

Halloween All Year ...

Mirtillamente

Most Magical ...

Pammie's IP

Park Hopping (Universal Studios)

Two Old Bats

Worldwide Crafters ...

     We'd love to see you plying in our challenge this month.  Just do something "Country" and enter it.  Did you know we also have a new FarmQuest Country Christmas challenge blog?  (If you scroll down one post, you'll see my DT card for that challenge.)  You can submit anything that has a 'Country' flair but it must be Christmas (or a winter holiday) and our first challenge started just minutes ago!  Get over there and take a look.

  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bear Hugs for Christmas

      This sweet Christmas image, called Mrs. Teddy Bear, is from Jan's Digi Stamps and I think it's really precious.  Although I made it before my vision problems got really bad, I'm just now getting around to posting it.

     The image was pre-colored but I added my own highlights using ProMarkrs and gel pens. I merged the holly (also an image in the set) into her pocket and onto her hair bow, then cut the image and punched the corners with Fiskars punches.  The red chevron paper was a scrap from an old Recollections stack and the green CS was embossed using my Linen EF.   The sentiment is part of the Teddy Bear set.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

Creative Fingers

Creative Knockouts

Outlawz Thurs Twist

Paperbabe

Pattie's Creations

Winter Wonderland

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Tie the Bow

      This card is for the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place and it features things with the letter "T" - Tent card, Toys, & Tying the bow (too bad he Tied his beard into the bow!)  These gnomes are from Beccy's Place, and while they aren't specifically for Christmas, they certainly do work well on Christmas cards.  But they are versatile enough to be great for birthdays or other gift giving occasions.

     These two gnomes are from the same set but I merged them into one image.  I colored with ProMarkers, then cut the image with a die from QuicKutz.  I used two scraps of CS for the corners behind the image.  The sentiment was printed, then cut with an Avery Elle die, and matted with green CS.

     The dp with the text greetings came from a Recollections stack (don't ask me which one since it was separated from the stack) and the toy embellies are from K & Co., along with the one tiny present in the bottom corner.  Ribbons are from my stash and the double, quad-loop bow was tied using my bow maker.

     Challenges:

Colour Crazy

Crafter's Cafe

Crafty Catz

Creatalicious

Creative Fingers

Creative Moments

Paperbabe

Scrapping4fun

Scribbles Designs

      OK, this finishes my posts for today but I'll have another post or two tomorrow.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

"R" for Rocker Card

      OK, I'm now up to the letter "R" in my cards for the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place and it stands for Red and Rocker card.  I'm going to pretend that the birds are Robins (both are images from Beccy's and I merged them) and I used wide Ribbon to make the bow.

     The rocker shape was cut with a die from Tattered Lace, as was the image itself.  The red snowflake dp is from Recollections.

     Challenges:

Cardz TV

C.R.A.F.T.

Crafty Hazelnut's

Cutie Pie

Mod Squad

Outlawz PAM

Paperbabe

Peace on Earth

Polkadoodles

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Coffee and a Muffin

      This is my second post today so feel free to scroll down and check out the first one.

     We're mid-way through our August challenge over at Your Scrapbook Place  and I'm using the other 2 images which are the prize from Bugaboo Stamps this month.  Check out my first card (at this post) if you want to see the third image of the prize.  You may know that the Bugaboo Stamps store closed unexpectedly but we are still offering a prize of the three images Bugaboo gave to the DT for this challenge.  So sad that Bugaboo closed.  :-(

     I merged the images before printing and coloring them.  I colored with my ProMarkers and then cut the image with a complex die set from Sue Wilson.  That same die also embosses the frame part of the cut.  I used my 'Linen' EF on both pieces of CS, aqua and lavender.  I backed the cut image with the aqua CS an the purple CS strip went behind the image.  The die cut is so detailed that I allowed it to be the 'embellishment' on the card.

     Challenges:

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Inspirations

Cutie Pie

Dragonfly Dreams

Dream Valley

Gem of a Challenge

Get Creative

Inspiration Station  (great range of colors!)

Three Room Studio

TTCRD

     You still have a little over 2 weeks to play in our Anything Goes challenge this month so get something made and come play with us.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

'Til the Cows Come Home

      "...'til the cows come home" was part of my childhood.  Both of my parents loved the phrase and would put it behind nearly any admonition to finish doing something or in answer to every child's "Are we there yet?"  The answer was usually something like "We're going to drive 'til the cows come home," "I want you to run 'til the cows come home,"  "You must study 'til the...."  Well, you get the idea.  When I saw this silly little cow from Bugaboo Stamps, I giggled and browsed through all those childhood memories.  :-D

Calf and Barn images merged

Sentiment printed w image

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut w Cottage Cutz stitched die

Satin edge, sheer ribbon from RRR

Metal brads

CAS masculine design

     Challenges:

Cardz TV

Catch the Bug

Colour Crazy

Crafty Calendar

Crafty Catz

Gem of a Challenge

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz SAR

Paper Shelter

Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Celebrate Winter

      Many of you know that Imagine That! has reopened and they are running the monthly Progressive Challenge again.  This adorable image is for the December challenge.

Sentiment merged w image before printing

Colored w ProMarkers and while gel pen

Cut w QuicKutz die

Background dp from Love to Craft

Sparkle ribbon wrap

Velvet ribbon for hand-tied bow

     Challenges:

Colouring in Scrapland

Crafty Sentiments

Creative Moments

Cuttlebug Mania

Digi Choosday

Ike's World

LeAnn's World 101

Passion for ProMarkers

Simon Says Stamp (hand coloring)

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Pumpkin Spice Gratitude

      Gratitude for what, you ask?  This is another of those Mondays when Jan's Digi Stamps not only starts their own new monthly challenge but also is sponsoring the new weekly challenge at Pammie's Inky Pinkies so I get to use this one card as my DT inspiration for both of those challenges.  :-D

     I used a combination of Jan's Digi Stamps images from different sets -- The pumpkins are from the "Harvest Scarecrow" set and the wheat is from the "Fall Note" set.  I used the png images and merged them.

I used colors from the challenge at My Favorite Things.

All I'm getting are error messages when I try to 

copy and paste the color picture to my blog.  Sorry.

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut w Lawn Fawn die

Edges inked w ProMarker

All papers are scraps & are from SU

Sentiment stamped & fussy cut

Wide grosgrain ribbon used for bow

Bow tied using bow maker

     Challenges:

All Fun

Artsy Stamper

Coloring in Scrapland

Di's Digi Designs

Gem of a Challenge

Inspired By

Lil Patch of Crafty...

Simon Says Stamp

Word Art Weds

     I'm really looking forward to seeing you play in both of these challenges so don't disappoint me!  Both challenges have "Anything Goes" themes so there's no excuse.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Haunted !

      It's the day we start a new monthly challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps and our theme is always "Anything Goes."  It's October and time for Halloween!  Jan's Digi Stamps has two new releases this month (both on sale so check out the store), one of which is a new Halloween set, but I wanted to use on of the older set called "Haunted!"

     The Haunted! set has so many secondary images that it's great for merging to get an entire scene.  For this card, I combined the tree, the tombstone, and the ghost, plus one of the sentiments using the merge tool available in MS Word.  If you go to the store (see link above which is the name of the set) and compare the thumbnail with the image on my card, you'll see how easy it was; nothing fancy, nothing complicated, just simple merging using the png images.

Colored w ProMarkers & gel pens

  (tombstone is pre-colored image)

Cut w Tutti Designs die

Satin ribbon scraps

Hand-tied bow

Spiderweb embossed w sparkle EP

Black card base

     Challenges:

Art Impressions

Aud Sentiments

Coloring in Scrapland

Colour Crazy

C.R.A.F.T.

Crafty Calendar

Creative Fingers

I {heart} ProMarkers

Penny's Paper-Crafty

Simon Says Stamp

     Come play with us and be sure to check out the sales at Jan's Digi Stamps.  We'd love to see what you create.  Remember, you may use any images from any company but if you choose to use an image from JDS, your entry will go into a separate draw just for JDS projects and that increases your chances of winning by a huge margin!  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Independence Day !

     Here's a reminder that the June monthly challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps is still ongoing and you can enter projects until 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 5.  The July challenge starts on Monday, July 6.           My mid-month reminder card for June celebrates with one of Jan's newest sets, Independence Day Friends, and the set is on sale until the end of June!

     I'm so proud of this card because, while I used all pre-colored images from the set, I put a lot of work into merging the ladies, their picnic lunches, the fireworks, and the sentiment so that they would look like a single image.  I've been practicing but this is the first time I've merged more than just 2 images.  Each image becomes a 'layer' and this one has a total of 6 layers!  I can hardly believe I managed it.  :-D

     But if merging isn't your thing, fret not.  Jan has already merged images within the set so you can either use a single image or one of the pre-merged images.  You really should go and look at the entire set.  It's going to be so versatile.  I used the Independence Day sentiment to make this one a 4th of July card but leaving that sentiment out, all the rest of the individual images would make fabulous summer-themed cards or cards to celebrate nearly any occasion.

     You know, it's digi sets like this one that make me remember why I'm now so hooked on digis as opposed to real rubber.  Not only can you adjust the size of your images (which I love!) but there are so many images and sentiments in this set, if I had to store them all mounted on wood, I'd run out of room.  As digis, they store in a really small space on one of my flash drives.  Yep, digis for me forever!

This card has all the colors from the TicTacToe board

found at Color Dare this week except for the very

center, Laguna Blue.  I used top and bottom rows plus

first and third columns.

Pre-colored images
QuicKutz and Spellbinders dies for all cut shapes
Baker's twine in blue and red stripes

     Challenges:
Angie's Digital Stamps
As You Like It
Aud Sentiments
Creative Fingers
Creative Knockouts
Cute Card Thurs
DreamValley
Stamping Sensations
Time Out (It was the celebration part that got to my creative juices!)

     If you haven't played in our June challenge yet, please come on over!  Our theme is always Anything Goes and, while you aren't required to use a Jan's stamp, if you do your entry will go into a separate draw just for JDS images.  That increases your chances of winning buy a huge amount! 

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Ladybug Girls

     I think I'm getting more practiced (and hopefully better) at merging images.  Before I learned how to do that with .png images (thanks to my bogging buddy, Lynn!), I would place images as close as possible before printing them or I would fussy cut them and overlap them as needed, but my card this morning shows how I overlapped two separate Bugaboo Stamps images to make a single image and then printed. 

I started with the newest sketch from Stella Says Sketch

with the sentiment flipped side to side.

Image printed onto card front
Colored with ProMarkers
Sheer ribbon added to top
Ivy leaves cut from scrap dp w/ Sue Wilson die
Scrap strip of dp added across the ribbon
Sentiment cut w/ CUTplorations dies
3 black pearls added

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Catch the Bug
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Friends
Double D
Lemon Shortbread
Penny's Paper Crafty
Pixie's Snippets
Word Art Weds.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie