Gray Wolf

      I'm finally posting a card I made several weeks ago using this fabulous image "Wolf" from Eureka Stamps, sister brand to QKR Stampede.  Challenges over there are still on hold while we await the sale of the QKR Stampede and Eureka Stamps brands.  In the meantime, I'm using cards I put in my stash for masculine birthdays and this is one of them.

     I used a combo of Sanjoki alcohol markers and water color paints to color the image, then cut it with a CUTplorations stitched die.  The sentiment was printed and cut with a die from Die-namics.  The paw print embossing was done with a Darice EF.  As a final masculine touch, I added the three, tiny, metal brads.

     Challenges:

Can You Handle...?

Creative Fingers

Digi Choosday

Gem of a Challenge

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Friday

Pammie's IP

Pattie's Creations

Penny's P-C

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cyrano de "Rhino"rac

       It's the 1st of another month and that means I'll have 2 posts today; one for the challenge at QKR Stampede and another for Your Scrapbook Place.  I also posted my GDT card for Ike's World late last night because their challenge goes live on the First Tuesday of the month but that's Monday night in my time zone.

     This post features my DT card for QKR Stampede and both the image and the sentiment bring to mind the recent movie about Cyrano de Bergerac, only this fun image from QKR is Baby Rhino with an enormous horn on his nose!

     I colored with my ProMarkers, then used a die from Tattered Lace to cut the image.  The papers are from a Recollections stack.  I printed, then cut the sentiment using a QuicKutz die.  I added three tiny brads to one lower corner and called it finished.

Based on the sketch at Tuesday Morning, 

adjusted for a square card with the background flipped.

     Challenges:

Archi-Scraps

Crafty Hazelnut's

Creatalicious

Creative Moments

Dies R Us

Digi Choosday

Friendship

Papercraft

Star Stampz

     Come play with us this fortnight.  We always have an Anything Goes theme.  Remember, you can use any stamps/images from any company but if you choose to use something from QKR Stampede, or even our sister company Eureka Stamps, your entry will be put into a separate draw only for those who used QKR/Eureka, and that increases your chance of winning by a huge amount!  Come play.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

It's All About the Salsa !

      I know, all you 'foodies' out there think I'm talking about a new recipe just in time for the upcoming holidays, but this card has absolutely nothing to do with tomatoes or hot chili peppers.  Rather, it's all about Salsa Dancing!  I had to get one more of my dance theme cards shared.  :-D

     The image is water colored (although her skin tones are done with ProMarkers and the white on his shirt is gel pen), cut with a QuicKutz rectangle die, and the corners were done with a Fiskars punch.  The bright red-orange frame was cut with Sue Wilson dies, inlaid back into themselves.  I added scrap strips of textured gold CS, and everything is mounted onto a cocoa-brown card base.  I found three, square, metal brads in my stash, broke off the prongs, and glued them to the card front.  The "Salsa" sentiment was done with a dried-out black marker.

I chose colors from My Favorite Things.

     Challenges:

A Perfect Time ...

Classic Design

Crafts Galore Encore

Crafty Sentiments

Digi Choosday

Lemon Shortbread

Morgan's ArtWorld

Penny's Paper-Crafty

TTCRD

     Kind of a short post but my hand isn't completely healed so typing is still very slow.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Beautiful Iris

      I just have to share with you the most recent set of images from Beccy's Place which I have added to my collection.  It comes with 3 options for a planter and 3 different plants which can be put into the planter.  I chose the wooden tub and the iris flowers.  

    I colored the image with ProMarkers and gel pens, then cut it with a die from Spellbinders.  I think that was one of the first sets of dies I ever purchased and it's also one of my favorites.  The sentiment is printed and cut with another Spellbinders die. The CS and patterned paper are scraps from the stash (DCWV, I think), as are the glittered and embossed butterflies, which I fussy cut from dp.  I added the tiny gold brads to the square card, and that completed the first column of the TicTacToe option from Beccy's challenge this month (stash items/square card/something gold.)

     Challenges:

Colouring in Scrapland

Crafty Sentiments

Creative Inspirations

Digi Choosday

I {heart} ProMarkers

Lemon Shortbread

Paper Shelter

TTCRD

Word Art Weds

     Have yourself a lovely day and 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

Sky's the Limit!

     It was wonderful to receive the freebie image for the May Progressive challenge at Imagine That!  It meant I was back as one of the participants over there and that made me feel that things were definitely getting back to 'normal.'  :-D

     I thought this would be perfect for an encouragement card or just to let someone know I was thinking about them.

I based this on the sketch from The Outlawz.

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut w QuicKutz oval die

Polka dot dp - DCWV scrap

Flags cut w IO die

Flags colored w watercolors

Metal brads & gray pearls

     Challenges:

Addicted to CAS

Colour Crazy

Crafter's Castle

Crafty Calendar

Di's Digi Designs

Outlawz Festive Fri

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Ain't No Sunshine...

      This image took me quite a while to color but that was because I had to take several rest breaks during the process.  I've had a couple of 'not-so-good' days with low oxygen levels and a bit of dizziness now and then but I did manage to get this card finished.

     The image is from Bugaboo Stamps and I think she's just adorable!  In my part of the world, we're wishing we had rain instead of the drought conditions we've had most of the winter and the short bit of spring so far.

I was inspired by the sketch from The Outlawz

although you can see I twisted it a bit.

Colored w ProMarkers

Cut w QuicKutz dies

Frame dp is a scrap

Flag pieces cut w Impression Obsession dies

Metal Brads

     I also decorated the inside:

Umbrella cut w Spellbinders die

     Challenges:

Catch the Bug

Crafter's Castle

Crafty Creations

Crafty Gals Corner

Paper Funday

Paper Shelter

Penny's Paper-Crafty

Taylormade...

Word Art Weds

     I'm keeping this short because I'm ready to rest again.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Music in His Pocket

     If this isn't the best image of today's teenage boy, I don't know what is.  A music player in his back pocket, earbuds in his ears, and a cell phone in his hands.  If this is one particular teen I know, he's watching a basketball game streamed live to his tiny screen, and in a normal year, he might even be waiting for waiting for the bus to take him home after his first day back at school.  ;-D

     The image is from Mo's Digital Pencil.

I used colors from Color My Heart Color Dare

(diagonal from left bottom to right top 

+ Glacier, Espresso, & Peach)

Colored w/ ProMarkers
Cut w/ QuicKutz die
Edges inked w/ inkpad
Ribbons from Really Reasonable Ribbon
Sentiment printed and cut w/ QuicKutz
3 metal brads
Card base is metallic CS

     Challenges:
All Fun
Aud Sentiments
C.R.A.F.T.
Ike's World
Paperbabe
Paper Funday
Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie 

Bad Boy Gus - Day 4 Catch the Bug CIJ

     Here we are, on Day 4 of the daily challenges this week over at Catch the Bug and the theme today is a TicTacToe board.  I've used everything on the board except for 'distressed' and 'twine' (unless the gold cord counts as twine.)  Bugaboo image of Gus in Santa's sled.  The sentiment is totally mine. :-D  There's also a flash freebie which you can grab between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. today only

     If the papers look familiar, I've done enough Christmas cards over the last week that the scraps are piling up in the basket.  I decided to use up as many of the scraps as I can by reaching into the basket instead of cutting new sheet of paper.

 

I used 1st & 3rd columns plus the diagonals.

Colored w/ ProMarkers
Both image & mat cut w/ QuicKutz die
Glitter added to openings in frame
Paper scraps from Graphic 45 and DCWV
Gold cord + sparkly ribbon for bow
Sentiment cut w/ Spellbinders die
3 metal brads

     Challenges:
Colour Crazy
Crafter's Cafe
Crafty Hazelnut's
Creative Fingers
Double Trouble (fav tool = dies)
Outlawz PAM
Paper Girls
Winter Wonderland

     Another CIJ day down and I'm already looking forward to tomorrow when we get to use humor as the theme.  lol  I think all of mine so far have had an element of humor but check back anyway.  You might get a smile.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Peonies in a Jar

     Today I'm back with yet more peonies and I'm still not tired of coloring them.  :-D  This image is from Conie Fong, called Peonies in a Jar, and I thought it would be perfect as a Spring DT card.  On our FB page, we always have two challenges each month - one is for coloring only and the other is for completed projects.  On the completed projects, the theme is Always Anything Goes (with a Conie Fong image) but we give you an optional theme if you want to use it.

     This month it's all about Lace or Pearls.  I featured those on my first 2 DT cards but not this one.  The closest I got to lace was using the Little B die to cut the pink and green, scalloped, mat behind the image.  :-D  The image comes with or without the pebbles in the bottom of the jar.

I based this on one of the sketches at 

Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2.

Colored with ProMarkers and gel pens
Cut with Little B die
Mats cut with Little B dies
All papers are scraps from the basket
Sentiment printed and hand cut
Metal Brads

     Challenges:
Artsy Stamper
Colour Crazy
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Inspiration
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Polkadoodles
Southern Girls
Take It, Make It

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Double Trouble Once Again

     Once again, I'm posting a project I did as a Guest Designer at Double Trouble this month.  This challenge the theme is things which are related to Spring and our Double Trouble partner is Artsy Stamper and their theme is also "Spring."
 
               

     This time, I did something a bit different for me - all die cuts; no hand colored image.  But I managed to incorporate ocean waves as my "water" and also included a cat so how bad can that be?  My "Spring Things" are birds, vines, butterflies, and a feline staring out the window.

Dies:  Window = Unbranded Dies
           Butterflies = Impression Obsession
           Sentiment = CUTplorations
Glossy Accents on the waves
Wood grain washi tape
Pearls for butterfly bodies
Metal brads

     Challenges:
Butterfly (everything except card type)
Creative Knockouts
Creative Fingers
Cute Card Thurs
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds
Paper Funday
Pixie's Snippets
Simon Says Stamp (wood grain tape)
Time Out

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Baby Dragon Adventures

     Baby dragons are the most curious creatures ever and each new thing they encounter is a complete adventure in itself !   Purple leaves are amazing and watching them drift on a breeze is reason for giggles or even outright laughter.  :-D

     This sweet image is from Whimsy Stamps and the card will eventually find it's way into my eldest granddaughter's mailbox because she adores dragons (as do I!)

My color inspiration came from the challenge at The Outlawz

where they want to see lavender/purple monochromatics.

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with dies from Little B
All three ribbons from Really Reasonable Ribbon
Metal brads
Signature bow w pearl

     Challenges:
Colour Crazy
Cute Card Thurs
Die Cut Divas
I {heart} ProMarkers
Lemon Shortbread
SheepSki Designs
Time Out
TTCRD
Tuesday Throwdown

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Guest Designer at The Outlawz Sketch Challenge

     I was honored to have been invited to be a Guest Designer at the sketch challenge at The Outlawz and I'm thrilled to announce that Jan's Digi Stamps is sponsoring the sketch challenges for the entire month of April.

     I decided it would be great to use one of the images and a sentiment from Jan's "April Showers Promise 920J" set.  Here's my card and the sketch, which I reversed.

 

Colored with ProMarkers and water color paints
Stickles added to the raindrops
Image and sentiment cut with Unbranded dies
Oval backing pieces cut with QuicKutz dies
Right Angle triangles embossed with Linen EF
Metal brads added to opposite corners

     Challenges:
Art Impressions
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafty Catz
Crafty Gals Corner
Lemon Shortbread
Word Art Weds.

     I hope we're going to see you playing along in the challenge at Outlawz.  It lasts 2 weeks and then there's a new sketch for the following 2 weeks.  Because of the way the Wednesdays fall in April, there will be a third sketch at the end of the month (April 29th) and Jan's will be sponsoring all three of them.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Birthday Cake Sprite

     I fell in love with the sprites at AuroraWings when I saw the first one and have a huge collection of them now.  This one, Birthday Cake Sprite, I picked up along the way but have never used her before.  I need a few more feminine birthday cards in my stash so now seemed an appropriate time.

Colored with ProMarkers
Out-of-the-Box cut with Sizzix die
Doily dyed with ProMarkers
Wide ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon
Hand wrapped, lace bow
Metal brads
Navy blue card base

     Challenges:
Crafty Friends
Crafty Sentiments
Creative Fingers
Digi Choosday
Dragonfly Dreams
Outlawz Stash
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Star Stampz (die cut/digi/blue)
TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Look !

     These two cats have spied the largest butterfly ever and their attention is riveted.  I'm sure they are trying to figure out how to catch it.  The floral cat image is from Bugaboo Stamps.  I did two of them, flipped one horizontally, and adjusted the sizes so that one was just barely smaller.

I followed the sketch at Stella Says Sketch.

Colored with ProMarkers and white gel ink
Cut with die from QuicKutz (moved to get the shape and 2 cuts done)
Edges of cut image inked with ProMarker
Striped dp from K & Co.
Butterfly machine embroidered onto sheer fabric
Metallic brads added to image and butterfly
Sentiment hand printed

     Challenges:
Allsorts
Butterfly  (used die)
Catch the Bug
Creative Moments
Dragonfly Dreams
Lil Patch of ...
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Prika Crafts
Stamping Sensations (in the cats)

     Have a great weekend and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Welcome Gnome

     Any time gnomes are photographed on a large mushroom, it's a sure sign they have a new home!  They quickly email the pic to all their gnome friends so that the friends will know where they are, and then they disappear into the forest undergrowth so that no humans can find them.  True story - don't doubt me!   :-D

     This darling image came from SheepSki Designs, provided for the progressive challenge at The Outlawz.

Colored with ProMarkers & fussy cut
Bird is machine embroidered
Sentiment printed and hand cut
Metal brads for embellishment

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to...
A Perfect Time...
Angie's Digital
Art Impressions
Cardz TV
Crafty Friends
Dare 2B Artzy
Lil Patch of...

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Dragonfly Day

     This is my second post today so if you missed the first one, click HERE or scroll down one post.

     I was looking through my folder of older images which were waiting to be colored and found this one from Pattie's Creations.  I know it's been a long time since I used it and it just appealed to me as a sign that spring will be here before we know it.

Sketch from Sweet Sketch Weds 2

Colored with ProMarkers and chalks
Glitter added to the wings
Image cut with QuicKutz square die
Scrap below image cut with Spellbinders die
Background dp from my old stash (DCWV)
Metal brads

     Challenges:
Allsorts
As You Like It
Cardz TV
Crafty Friends
Creative Fingers
Creative Inspirations
Polkadoodles
Take It, Make It

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Puttin' on the Ritz

     Today we start our 5th challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps and our theme is always "Anything Goes."  With Valentine's Day right around the corner, Jan has released a darling new set called "Puttin' on the Ritz."  Although it works well for a Valentine salute, it's pretty versatile and can work for lots of occasions.  For my card, I reversed the image using MS Word before I printed it.

     I have to say that of all the penguin stamps I have in my collection, this one is among the top 5 favorites!  As new as it is, it made its way into my heart immediately. 

Colored with ProMarkers, highlights with polychromos pencils & gamsol
Cut with Unbranded cross stitch die
Edges inked with SU ink pad
Background CS embossed with "Linen" folder
Silver brads added to diagonal corners

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Angie's Digital
Brown Sugar
Crafter's Cafe
Crafty Friends
Dragonfly Dreams
Lil Patch of ...
Simon Says Stamp
Stamping Sensations
Word Art Weds.

     Jan's Digi Stamps is having a design team call.  Details can be found here.  You can use this link: 
https://jansdigistampschallenges.blogspot.com/p/dt-call.html

     Come play with us this fortnight and get your name into the draw to win a $10 gift card to Jan's shop!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Birthdays Creeping Up

     Since my own St. Paddy's Day birthday is creeping up on me, I used all the Irish greens on this card that I could manage, even though the card isn't for me.  lol  The image (from SheepSki Designs) just made me think about things that creep around the corner and catch you unaware.  This is my first month since leaving the team and I miss them all already.  :-D

I used the sketch from Crafting Vicky Sketch,

a new challenge that just started.

Colored w/ ProMarkers
Cut with Spellbinders Die, trimmed on 2 sides
dp used as wallpaper - old scrap from my stash
Burlap fabric - new to the stash, but replaces some I used up
Sentiments printed & hand cut
Metal brads added to 2 corners

     Challenges:
Creative Inspirations
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
Ike's World
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Color
Papercraft
Scrappy Land
Tuesday Morning

     I'm back into my regular routine!  It feels so good to be able to sit and create or post whenever I choose.  :-D  I've even gotten a start on my commenting and visits to favorite blogs.  If I haven't visited yours yet, I will within the next day or two.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Day 2 - 30 Days of Christmas at Beccy's Place

     At Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas, our second letter is "B" and I've used a Beautiful Berry wreath image for this card. I added one of my signature Bows and three, tiny, metal Brads at the bottom, and everything is on a Burgundy card base.  My sentiment is all about a "Berry, Merry Christmas."

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with QuicKutz die
Scalloped dp mat cut with Sizzix die
Metal Brads
White Bow
Burgundy card base embossed with Linen EF

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Creative Knockouts
Cute Card Thurs
I {heart} ProMarkers
Mod Squad
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Southern Girls
Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie