Empty without You

     It's time for another new challenge over at FarmQuest and our theme is all about Mason Jars!  I found this image in my collection of digital images and I suspect it's an old Doodle Pantry image but I'm not totally sure about that.  Doodle Pantry closed a few years back so there's no way for me to pop over to their store and check it out.  

     I colored the jar with ProMarkers and metallic gel pens, then fussy cut it with scissors.  I printed the sentiment, fussy cut it, and added it to the tag (which is part of the image.)  I mounted those onto a deep blue card base.  The tiny hearts were cut with Memory Box dies and added to give it a touch of love since this is Valentine's Day!  :-D

     Challenges:

CRAFT-alnica

Crafty Gals Corner

Crafty Friends

Cupcake Inspiration

Get Creative

Incy Wincy

Outlawz Friday

Outside the Box (Memory Box heart dies)

Paper Shelter

There's a Stamp ...

     I hope you'll come and play with us at FarmQuest.  The challenge runs until the 28th of February so you have a full two weeks to enter something which fits the Mason Jar theme.  

    

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Meowy Christmas

     Late on Christmas Eve, the fur babies wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas and they begged me for a card they could share with each of you.  They unanimously approved this one because it looked like a party!  :-D

     This was a coloring book image which was colored with gel pens and metallic sparkle inks.  I reduced it in size with my editing software after photographing it.  I trimmed the corners with a Fiskars punch, then mounted it onto a frame which was cut with an Unbranded die.  The CS for the card front was dry embossed with my Linen folder before the other pieces were attached.  The bow is satin and was hand-tied.  The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die.  Overall, very simple to make; took less than 15 minutes, so really perfect especially for a last minute card on demand.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

CRAFT-alnica

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Knockouts

Outlawz Festive Fri

Paper Funday

Penny's Paper- ...

Simon Says Stamp

SUYP Cats

Word Art Weds

     Merry Christmas from the 3 fur babies and from me.  May your Christmas be warm and wonderful, regardless of the weather outside.      Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Sharing at Christmas

     The Christmas spirit has really hit me this month and I'm truly tied up in the idea that it's all about the sharing so I wanted to do a serious card for QKR Stampede and share that joy of sharing with all of you.  We have a new challenge starting today and our theme is "Anything Goes."  Normally we have an optional theme if you want to follow it but this week it's all about "Anything Goes" and we've dispensed with the optional theme.

     I used this delightful "Happy Dog 13203" image.  Remember now - serious card!

     Colored with ProMarkers, and fussy cut with scissors.  The red frame was cut with a stitched die from Die-namics.  I found a scrap of metallic red paper and added it between the card front and the image frame, then added small, glittered presents with gold metallic bows.

     The large bow in the upper corner was tied with the help of my bow maker.  There are two metallic ribbons and a total of seven loops between the two ribbons.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
Aud Sentiments
Classic DT Open
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafty Hazelnut's Extra
Crea Chicky's
Daisy Chain
Star Stampz
Stempelsonnen
World Wide Open DT

     I hope your Thanksgiving was delightful and that you can look forward to the long weekend.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bringing Home the Christmas Tree

   

This lovely Christmas card is based on the sketch from Outlawz.

     I have no idea where I got this vintage/retro image but it's so lovely in gray scale with just touches of green on the tree and wreath.  I had it saved into a folder of digital Christmas images so printed it, adjusted the gray scale to darken it a bit, then used my ProMarkers to color.

     I cut it with one of my plain rectangle dies from Spellbinders.    One of the things I've learned about working with digis is that you can adjust the size of them so I made this one fit the size of the die.  Sometimes, depending on the size and shape of the original digi, too much adjustment will make the image wonky (too skinny or too wide.)  It's very difficult to change a square into a rectangle or vice versa, but this time it worked out well.  Of course, sometimes you can use a rectangle die to cut a square by just cutting once, then shifting the die up or down to cut again

     The sheer ribbon is lined with metallic fibers and the bow is made with two layers of ribbon, green and silver.  The sentiment was printed, hand cut, and matted before layering it onto the sheer ribbon.

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas
Crafting by Designs
Crafting with an Attitude
House that Stamps Built
I {heart} ProMarkers
Inky Chicks
Penny's Paper-Crafty

     By the time you read this, I may already be on my way to the California coast for a week of warm days and cool nights, or at least leaving soon.  So much better than staying here in this heat.  While I'm gone, Happy Stamping to all of you.  NanaConnie

Day 5 at MHK Designs

     This is the last day of the October release from MHK Designs and we're giving you a head start on New Year Greetings, which is the name of this set.  Yes, I know it's early but I always get so caught up in Christmas that I often forget about the New Year.  This year, I've already gotten 5 cards done, all using this particular set.  Here's the first one I did.

     I really like Mynn's retro image which I colored with ProMarkers and metallic gold and silver ProMarkers.  Hard to see in the photo but it gives a spectacular shine to the card.   I die cut the image with a die from Spellbinders, and then framed it with another plain octagon die cut (QuicKutz.)  That's metallic gold paper which also adds some shine.

     The ribbon is metallic and I added a simple white pearl to the bow.  The sentiment is part of the set (see photo below) and I matted it with the same gold paper.

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Colour Crazy Craft
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Sentiments
Creative Fingers
Digi Choosday
Glitter n Sparkle
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Quick Quotes
Through the Craft Room Door

     I'll have one more post later this morning and I'll have two posts tomorrow so be sure to check in to see each one.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

 New Year Greetings

Do Not Open 'Til Christmas

     Another day with two posts.  This darling image is the freebie for the Progressive Challenge at From the Heart Stamps and it clearly is the fulfillment of every child's biggest Christmas wish -- lots of packages just for him!

     The image is colored with ProMarkers, including gold, silver and copper metallic markers on some of the presents.  I heat embossed the sentiment with gold EP.  That image piece was layered onto shiny, gold CS and I added a leftover scrap of gold ribbon for the bow.  That was it --again, I wanted a CAS design, easier to mail.

     Challenges:
ABC Challenge
Addicted to Stamps and More
Frilly and Funkie
Holly Jolly Christmas
Kitty Bee Designs
Southern Ridge Trading Co.
Stempelsonnen
Sweet Stamps Technique
Through the Purple Haze

     I'll see you again tomorrow with my DT post for the newest challenge at QKR Stampede.  In the meantime, Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Priscilla Pilgrim

     Welcome to another challenge at The Crafter's Cafe Challenge Blog.  Our fabulous sponsor (whose images I just love) is Rick St. Dennis and our theme this time is "Heavy Metal" -- use something metal on your card.  I chose an image which happened to be the freebie for Rick St. Dennis challenge but "Priscilla Pilgrim" was just what I needed for the "ear of corn " charm I wanted to use.  That charm was sent to me by a dear blogging friend, Cely, from "Creating in Carolina."  Thanks so much, Cely.  It was absolutely perfect for this Thanksgiving card.

     The image itself is colored with a combination of ProMarkers and Graph'It pens (which a friend loaned me so I could try them), then die cut with a lacy frame and matted with another plain circle die cut.  To add a bit more metal, the image is mounted onto a sheet of embossed, sparkly metallic gift wrap, the good, heavy-duty kind which embosses so well.  What a glittery shine it has!  I matted that with brown CS and added it to the card after I stippled the front with both brown and gray ink.  The gold ribbon, from Really Reasonable Ribbon, had a fine, metallic border on each edge and I added a sheer ribbon to it before making the double bow.   The corn charm is tied on with hemp cord.

     Challenges:

2 Creative Chicks -- Thanksgiving

A Creative Need -- Ribbons or buttons

A Little Bit Crafty -- Sparkle & shine
Brown Sugar -- Thanksgiving
Cards Galore -- Animals
Craftitude -- Anything goes/falling leaves
Die Cut Divas -- Holidays & celebrations
Digi Haven -- Fall
Digitally Sweet -- Ribbon or lace
Graph'It -- Anything goes
Hiding in My Craft Room -- Die cuts
Jo's Scrap Shack -- Anything goes
Ladybug Crafts -- Autumn colors
Mema's -- Anything goes
Outlawz Alcohol Markers -- Thanksgiving
Really Reasonable Ribbon -- Gift packaging (metallic gift wrap) & ribbon
Sister Act -- Anything goes
So Artful -- Trees (in the embossing)
The Stamping Boutique -- Fall colors

     I know there's a ton of challenges on my list today but there are just so many with fall, fall colors, or Thanksgiving variations, to say nothing of the 'Anything Goes' themes, how could I not play in every one of them?  :-D  With that, I hope we're going to see you playing along with us at The Crafter's Cafe and remember, our theme is "Heavy Metal" so lets see some metal on your cards!  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie