Showing posts with label mulberry paper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mulberry paper. Show all posts

Friday, October 13, 2023

All About the Catnip

      This is a card that's doing double duty.  Since I'm on the Crafty Catz DT and since LeAnn's World 101 is sponsoring today's Crafty Catz challenge, for today's card I used the LeAnn's World 101 Progressive Challenge image for October as the focus.  It's called "Witches Brew." 

     While the name of the image indicates Halloween, I thought it would be fun to see if I could successfully use it on a non-Halloween card.  Since she has her witch hat on over her cute kitten ears, and since there's a kitty paw print on the teacup, I went with a catnip tea sentiment.  But you'll no doubt notice that I still used pretty traditional fall/Halloween colors

    The image is colored with Sanjoki markers, then cut with a die from Cutz Dies.  The background paper is from Recollections.  I added a small scrap of mulberry paper behind the image piece and feathered the edges of it.  The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die, then matted with a bit of orange dp.


     Challenges:

     We'd love to see you playing along in the LeAnn's Progressive Challenge which is on the Facebook page, and also in the Crafty Catz challenge where the theme is always Anything Goes.  But we also give you an optional twist each week and this week that twist is "Monochrome, except for the image."
  
     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Monday, December 26, 2022

Musical Couple

      This cute couple came from the Progressive Challenge at LeAnn's World and I love how they are sharing their music.  This is another image I printed very large so that I could color it (vision problems), then photographed it and reduced the size with my editing software before making my card.  I'm discovering that while that process allows me to color and then make cards with the reduced images, the photographing also tends to alter the colors.  Oh, well, at least I can continue to enjoy the coloring process.  :-D

     I colored with ProMarkers, cut the image with a large QuicKutz die, and cut the corners with a Fiskars punch.  I dug through my stash of mulberry papers (which I haven't used in ages!) and used a scrap behind the image piece.  The background dp is from a stack by Recollections (which I got as a Christmas gift.)  I printed and fussy cut the sentiment.


     Challenges:

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Saturday, June 26, 2021

When I am Old...

      More than 25 years ago, a friend introduced me to a poem called "Warning" by Jenny Jones.  She knew that purple was my favorite color but also noticed that I never wore it, settling mostly for navy blues, charcoal grays, and black.  Nothing too daring or outrageous.  lol  

     The message of the poem changed my entire life!  

Warning

When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple,
With a red hat which doesn’t suit.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves,
And satin sandals, and say we’ve no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I’m tired,
And gobble up samples in shops, and press alarm bells,
And run my stick along the public railings,
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain,
And pick flowers in other people’s gardens,
And learn to spit.
 
(When you're old) you can wear terrible shirts, and grow more fat,
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go,
Or only bread and pickles for a week,
And hoard pens and pencils, and beermats, and things in boxes.
 
But now we must have clothes that keep us dry,
And pay our rent, and not swear in the street,
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.
 
But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.
                                                                         -- Jenny Joseph

     I immediately started wearing purple and it's the predominant color in my wardrobe to this day!  
:-D

     A few weeks back, I was asked if I'd be a Guest Designer at The Outlawz Sunday "Songs and Rhymes" challenge and I was given two or three dates from which I chose today.  By happy coincidence, "Warning" was the poem scheduled for that date and I had no idea at the time I picked that date!  It was just meant to be.  :-D

     So, I chose this image, called "Emmy's Hat," from SheepSki Designs.  


     I colored the image with ProMarkers and gel pens, then cut it with a Spellbinders die.  The background dp is one of the chenille papers from Doodlebug, a leftover scrap from some other project.  What you can't see is that the chenille dp has a die cut hole in it.  By covering the hole with the image piece, I saved that (rather large) scrap from the trash can.   Always think twice before throwing anything away.   :-D 

     The sentiment was printed onto a scrap bit of CS & cut with an Avery Elle die.  I found a few scraps of mulberry paper and tucked one behind the image and another couple bits on the sentiment.  Two sparkly red Dew Drops and a white, mulberry paper, rose from Recollections for embellishment and the card was finished. 

     Challenges:

      If you're not a member of The Outlawz, you really should visit and join.  It's completely free and they have fortnightly challenges for each day of the week, plus two month long challenges each month, one of which is a progressive challenge so you can get free images from different companies each month.  Go check it out!

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Butterfly Wishes

    This is my latest DT Inspiration project for Conie Fong and I've used a beautiful image called "Butterfly Wishes."  I have a dear friend whose birthday is coming up in a week or so and this one will be in the mail to her this afternoon.

     Our challenges are always "Anything Goes with a Conie Fong image" but there is also an optional twist if you want to use it.  This month, it's "Lace or Pearls" and I used flowers with distressed pearl center but you'd have to count the die cut frame if you wanted to find any 'lacy'ness.  :-D


I was inspired by the sketch at Crafting Vicky for April.


Colored with ProMarkers and gel pens
Cut with a die from Spellbinders
Sentiment printed and cut with die from Avery Elle
Mulberry paper flowers with pearls
Burlap butterfly

     Challenges:
Crafty Sentiments
Creations in Pink
Digi Choosday
I {heart} ProMarkers
Lemon Shortbread
Mod Squad
Paperminutes
Simon Says Stamp
TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

Chocolate Kind of Love

     Catch the Bug has a theme of "Child's Play" and I'm still thinking back to those fun childhood days of Valentine exchanges in school but wishing someone had put chocolates in my Valentine box.  :-D  This adorable little sunbonnet girl is an image from Bugaboo Stamps.


Colored with ProMarkers
Image is fussy cut with scissors & mounted on dimensional dots
Heart doily cut from mulberry paper
Scrap strip of CS added to bottom & gems applied
Pearls added to sunbonnet & apron
Sentiment printed and hand cut

     Challenges:
Allsorts
Brown Sugar
Crafty Friends
Do Al(l) Creatives
Double D
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
Friendship
I {heart} ProMarkers
Paper Funday

      Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Going to Disneyland

     My eldest granddaughter is going to celebrate her 21st birthday with a trip to Disneyland with friends.  I was working on her card last night when she stopped by.  We had dinner together and then retired to the craft room.  I had completely forgotten that this was half completed and in plain sight on top of the desk.  She commented on how I had used the dies to cut it, and began making suggestions on design and embellishment.

     Since the sentiment wasn't visible (I had quickly tucked it away under a pile of scraps), I just fell in with design talk, undertook a few of her suggestions (the flowers and brad centers), and set about finishing the card with her very much a part of it.  She did find another image I had already colored and asked if she could choose dies and embellishment elements to make it into a card.  Since that distracted her from what I was doing, I gave her free reign with that one and you'll see it posted to my blog when she gets it done.  After she was safely gone, I added the sentiment.  :-D

     For this one today, the image is from LeAnn's World 101.


Colored with ProMarkers
Glitter on Star in her hair
Cut with Avery Elle strip dies
Mulberry paper flowers, dyed with ProMarkers
Metal brads for flower centers
Sentiment printed and hand cut

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Crafty Catz
I {heart} ProMarkers
Paper Shelter
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrappy Land
Simon Says Stamp
Southern Girls
Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

The Cuddle Kind of Love

     Today is a good day for cuddling at my house.  The weather is chilly, my fur babies think I should be curled up in bed so that they can pile on top of me or crawl under the covers and plaster themselves against my back for warmth.  They didn't think much of my taking time to sit at the craft table and make this Valentine salute to love in the rarest of forms.  :-D

     The stamp is from House Mouse.  HM images always make me smile and this one is no exception.  I apologize that the image isn't spectacularly clear but I stamped it with Light Coffee ink so that the design would look almost as though it had no outlines but I think my coloring just didn't give enough definition.  None-the-less, I submit this for your enjoyment.


Coloring w/ ProMarkers and chalks
Die cut green CS is a snippet cut with Sue Wilson die
Burlap fabric pieces are left over scraps
Mulberry paper flower, 'dyed' with ProMarkers
Sentiment printed and cut w/ Avery Elle die

     Challenges:
Arty Divas
Digi Choosday
Double Trouble
Dragonfly Dreams
Incy Wincy
Pixie's Snippets
Simon Says Stamp & Show
SUYP Cats
TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

It's All About the Stretch

     This is one of those cards that 'shows up' unexpectedly and drives you crazy for hours!  Let me tell you the story and you'll see why.  I got up this morning and was going to work in the craft room on some additional cards for the Cat Lovers Blog Hop going on between now and Saturday.

Haven't played before and interested in joining?
Click HERE.

     I looked at the desktop and there's a card lying on it which wasn't there yesterday when I finished playing.  I remember very clearly making the card but it was back a ways, maybe even six or seven months ago.  So I searched back through the posts on my blog and it wasn't there.  

     Hmmm, could it have been as much as a year ago?  I search back further, all the way back to last year's Cat Lovers Hop but nothing.  OK, go back even further - I covered every post for the last two years and more (wasting a good two hours of what could have been productive time - grrrrr.)  I have never blogged about this card!  

     Well, lucky you, folks.  You get to see it today and I get to enter one more card into the Hop.  :-D  This card was done in honor of one of my childhood cats who was named "Stretch."  He was black and always stretched before every activity.  Even when he awoke hungry and thirsty, he had to take time to stretch every muscle and tendon in his sleek body.  

     Please don't ask me who made the cat image because I don't remember.  I do remember sizing the two cat images and reversing one to print them both on the same piece of CS.


Eyes done with red glitter
Cut with square die (QuicKutz) and distressed
Red mulberry paper
Ribbon scrap from Crafty Ribbons
Hand tied bow tie bow
Sentiment hand cut and mounted on dimensional tape

     Challenges:
Crafty Sentiments
Cutie Pie

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Monday, April 1, 2019

Cuddle a Kitty

     Common wisdom says when you're feeling down, you probably need a hug.  At my house, it's a sure sign you need to cuddle a kitty.  :-D

     The April challenge has started over at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies (no April Fool gag!) and our theme (as always) is Anything Goes with a Critter featured.  Our delightful sponsor this month is Digi Doodle Studios.  Although they generously supplied the DT with images to use, I chose one I already had in my collection, called "Kitty."


     I used ProMarkers, chalks, and gel inks to color the image, then cut it with a die from Sizzix.  I printed and cut the sentiment with a die from QuicKutz.  I used a larger Sizzix die to cut the mulberry paper, then dampened the edge and 'feathered' it.

     The satin ribbon was the last piece of it I had in my stash and I wrapped it around the card front.  I used my bow maker to tie the double layer, bow tie bow, using gingham ribbon.

     Challenges:
Die Cuttin' Divas
Digi Choosday
Lemon Shortbread
Mod Squad
SUYP Cats
TTCRD
Tuesday Throwdown

     I hope you're going to come and play with us this month.  Remember, you are not limited to cards for your entries.  You can enter anything which features a 'critter' on it.  We love being inspired by your creations.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Meant to Be

     A really quick post this morning with only short prattling about how the card was made.  When I saw this sentiment/image at Bugaboo Stamps, I grabbed it right away but this is the first chance I've had to use it.  It's a sentiment I truly believe.  :-D


I based this on the sketch at The Outlawz.


     I used ProMarkers to color the flowers, then cut the image piece with a rectangle die from QuicKutz, inking the edges before adding it to the striped background dp (Echo Park.)  I used a scrap of mulberry paper which has been on the desk for at least a month and grabbed the gingham ribbons, one to wrap and one to make into a bow.  I thought the 3 pearls on each side of the image piece would set that off a bit.

     Challenges:
Catch the Bug (third column)
Crafting by Designs
Creative Knockouts (Pearls/Image/Ribbon)
Double D
Scrappy Land
Words 2 Craft By

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Saturday, March 16, 2019

A Rose for Mom

     Isn't this the cutest image?   It's from Di's Digi Designs and their current challenge is a TicTacToe board.  I did the top row of  Sentiment/ Flower/ Hand-colored.


I stared with colors in the Color Dare #333 challenge at
Color My Heart.  I used colors from the first column
plus Clover green (3rd column) and neutrals of gray and brown.

     I colored with ProMarkers and added little highlights with gel inks.  I cut a square, then used a Fiskars corner punch on all four corners.  I did the same with the two matting layers.

     I chose a plaid paper from Lawn Fawn and used it for my card front.  The little strip is also from that same dp. 

     I printed and matted the sentiment, hand cutting each layer.  I used a Spellbinders die to cut the two white flowers from mulberry paper and used a mat behind them before adding the sentiment piece.

     Challenges:
Crafty Friends
Crafter's Castle
Dragonfly Dreams
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
Outlawz SAR
Sasayaki Glitter
SUYP Cats

     Thanks for visiting.  I hope to be able to get around to some of my favorite blogs this weekend.  I do miss seeing what you've posted when time is so crunched.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Trees in the Forest

     Edited to add:  Beccy's Place threw me a curve giving us a non-alphabet letter prompt for today but I'd worked ahead on and pre-scheduled  my "T" card since it's Thanksgiving and I won't be posting until I'm back home.  I'll get caught up as soon as I can.
   
      One more post with a card for the 30 Days of Holiday cards at Beccy's Place and the prompt is "T."  Trees is a pretty obvious choice but I chose this image from Beccy's with pine Trees in the forest instead of a decorated Tree in the house.


I admit I was heavily inspired by the color combo photo
which I found at House that Stamps Built.


     I used ProMarkers to color the image, then cut it with a simple, rectangle die from Tonic Studios.  I added Teal ink to the edges of the cut piece.  The mulberry paper is called Teak Brown.  The Trees have a Tapered shape, adding yet another T !

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Crafter's Castle
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Hazelnut's
Digi Choosday
Paper Shelter
{Pin}spirational
TTCRD
Word Art Weds.

     That's all I have for today but I have two posts pre-scheduled for Friday; one for QKR Stampede and one for the next Beccy's Place daily challenge and the rather difficult letter "U."  I'm good so far at having been able to post each day of 30 days and it looks like I may get all the days in, even if I have to play catch up again after the weekend.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Saturday, October 27, 2018

Flying In

     Today is another double post day and all because of the Cat Lovers Hop.  It's the last day and I've had so much fun visiting all the other folks who've been doing feline related projects.  Lots of wonderful inspiration!

     I've tried to do cards for varied occasions and this one is for a birthday, though I think it could pass for Halloween as well with a different sentiment.  I used to have a friend in Arizona whose birthday was on Halloween, and I loved making cards for her each year.


 I started with the sketch from Sketch Saturday
reversed with sentiment on top.
My colors came from the 3rd column of the tic tac toe
along with Mink and a neutral, beige.
 

     I used ProMarkers and gel pens to do the coloring, then cut the image piece and wrapped it with lemon yellow ribbon.  I used one of my lace bow tie bows to set off the ribbon.

     After I had those steps complete, I added the layer of mulberry paper.  The card front itself sparkles with glitter and embossing, but it's a bit difficult to see in the photo.

     Challenges:
Aloha Friday
Cardz TV
Cute Card Thurs
If You Give a Crafter...
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Festive Fri
Outlawz PAM

     Stop back later for my second post of the day.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Friday, February 2, 2018

Valentine Ragdoll

     Another Friday, another challenge at QKR Stampede and, as always, we have a theme of "Anything Goes."  I've been working on a few Valentine cards and this darling image. "Be My Valentine," worked perfectly.  The sentiment is actually part of the image.


I started with the colors from House of Cards.

Image result for design seeds kiss

     I colored with a combination of ProMarkers and colored pencils, then did an out-of-the-box cut with a square die from Lawn Fawn.  I found a scrap of burgundy CS which I used for the card front and I added mulberry paper to each end of the card front.

     That was another scrap and I didn't have enough of it to do a long strip so I cut it into two small pieces and added one piece to each side of the image.  Once that was done, I 'feathered' the edges of the mulberry and then added the image to the card front.

     I tied one of my little hand-sewn bows to one side and called it finished.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time ... Extra
Card Mania
Classic DT Open
Creatalicious
Delicious Doodles
Die Cut Divas
Dies R Us
   
     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

The Snow Queen

     I was so sad to find that one of my favorite artists has closed his challenge blog.  :-(  But I adore all his artwork and will continue to use his delightful images.  Yes, I'm talking about Rick St. Dennis.  This image is especially precious to me since I live with a couple of felines who think just like this!


     I used ProMarkers to color the image and added a tiny pearl to her scepter.  I fussy cut the image, and layered it onto a piece of foil paper.  The little snowflakes were embossed with a stylus and the corners were rounded with a Fiskars punch.  I did learn the hard way that the punch didn't work well on the heavy foil paper but at least the corners were rounded.

     Those two pieces were mounted onto a triangle scrap of mulberry paper before I added it to the card front, which had already been chalked around edges.  I added sets of three pearls to three corners and then added the sentiment.  I think she's a perfect Snow Queen!
:-D

     Challenges:
Color Inspiration Monday
Crafting from the Heart
Digi Choosday
Ike's World
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Passion for ProMarkers
Path of Positivity
SUYP Cats
TTCRD
Tuesday Throwdown

     I hope you're having a marvelous Tuesday and that all is well in your world.  If the weather is nasty, either too cold or too hot, stay indoors in the craft room and enjoy.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Angel Blessings

     Today I'm celebrating angels, blessings, and new life as it begins on Christmas day.  I chose this wonderful image from Ching-Chou Kuik with an angel guarding and nurturing a new polar bear cub.


     I colored with my ProMarkers, adding glitter to her wings, the snowflakes & the icicles in her hair.  I used a die from QuicKutz to cut the image, then backed that with mulberry paper which I 'feathered' along the edges.

     I added that piece to the card front, then left it CAS at that point.  I wanted the image and the sparkle to be the focus.

     Challenge:
Ching-Chou Kuik FB
Crafty Sentiments
Creates and Makes
Digi Choosday
Ike's World
Lemon Shortbread
Passion for ProMarkers
TTCRD

     I'll have one more post today for the latest entry in the Holiday Chaos daily challenges at Catch the Bug.  Stop by again this afternoon to see it.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Monday, March 27, 2017

Corner Full of Roses

     I'm going to start by telling you that I LOVE THIS CARD!!  You know how every once in a while you create something and the more you look at it, the more it grows on you?  Well, this is one of those.  It wasn't what I had in mind when I started coloring the image, but it evolved into something I consider nearly perfect.  :-D

     We're starting a new challenge today at Ike's World and, as always, our theme is Anything Goes but we offer an optional twist if you want to use it: 'In the Garden.'  I chose Ike's gorgeous "Rose Corner" image and my favorite color, purple.  If you look at the image in the store, you'll see that Ike designed it to go in the top corner but it works just as well in a bottom corner.


     I colored it with ProMarkers, using chalk markers on the leaves, and cut it with a large square die from Spellbinders.  I wrapped the top half of the square with wide, lace ribbon and added two layers of both sheer and very narrow, polka dot ribbon, tying a triple bow with the narrow ribbon.

     I bordered the square on two sides with mulberry paper and layered that entire piece onto a background made from white CS and a triangle of scrap dp.  I hand-stamped the sentiment.  At first, I wasn't sure it was 'finished' but I set it aside to look at it again the next day and, at that point, it definitely looked finished.  I looked at it again a few days later and realized that I liked it even more than I had the day I made it.  Taking it out again today to write up this post, I find that it pleases me as much as any card I've made in the last 7 years and that's saying something!

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
Chalk n Stock
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper
Creative Ladybirds
Kreativeinkauf
Morgan's Artworld
Not Just Cards
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Worldwide DT Open

     I hope you're going to come and play with us in this challenge.  It's open until April 2 so you have plenty of time.  You can use any image from any company but we'd love it if you chose to use one of Ike's Art images.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie