Music for Your Birthday

      Aside from DT cards, I'm going to see if I can finish out this month with birthday cards and return to Valentine cards once we're into February.  Today's card features the January Progressive Challenge image from LeAnn's World.  

     The images was colored with water color paints, then cut with a Tonic Studios die.  The purple and blue CS pieces were all cut from scraps and QuicKutz dies were used.  The sentiment was cut with a die from Avery Elle.  I added the tiny yellow gemstones to fit in with the sketch I used (see below.)

The sketch came from Sweet Sketch Weds, turned a 1/4 turn.

     Challenges:

Birthstone (Amethyst)

Classic Design

Crafty Friends

LeAnn's World

Simon Says Stamp

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Musical Love

      This is another card made with an image from the Heart and Soul set at Gecko Gals.  It's such a CAS card and was so quick to make.  I printed the image, colored the two tiny hearts with red ProMarker, and fussy cut the shape.  

      The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I layered everything onto a scrap of black CS and put that onto an A2 card base.

     Challenges:

Colorful Options

Creative Fingers

Gecko Gals FB

Heart's Quest

Let's Craft & Create

Mirtillamente

Papercraft

World Wide DT 

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Have a Wild Party !

          It seems that the decade during which we humans have wild parties to celebrate birthdays or graduations or Father's Day ends just about the time we reach our mid-30s (although it may go on a couple of years more for males as opposed to females) but we do eventually give up acting we are attending a frat party from Animal House.  lol  My oldest grandson is reaching those mid-30s and I just wanted to remind him that it would be OK to have one last Wild(Cat) Party before he bid those days goodbye.  :-D

     Since both his birthday and Father's Day fall in June, I'm sending him this card.   The stamp is from Penny Black.

Cats are colored w/ watercolors

Piano and chair colored w/ ProMarkers

Image cut with die from Spellbinders

Sentiment cut with Impression Obsession die

Brown CS pieces in background were scraps

     Challenges:

Coloring in Scrapland

Crafty Sentiments

Creatalicious

Dies R Us

Pammie's Inky Pinkies

Passion for ProMarkers

Penny Black Saturday

Simon Says Stamp & Show

SUYP Cats

     I hope you've had a wonderful week so far and that things are beginning to return to normal around your home.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Making Beautiful Music

     I want to share one more DT card I've done for Digi Doodle Studios and this one features an image called "Violinist Janie."  She looks so happy playing her violin for that little song bird.  What a duet that must be!  :-D

Colored with ProMarkers and water colors
Cut and framed with dies by Spellbinders
Net ribbon is sparkly (hard to see) and a scrap
White grosgrain bow from 1" ribbon
Yellow 'dots' in the corners are drop out bits from frame

     Challenges:
Bastel-Traum
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Inspiration
Double D  (music)
Dream Valley
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds
Get Creative
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Word Art Weds.

     Have a wonderful week, my friends, and find some creative time.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Music in My Ear

     The image I used today came from the Progressive Challenge at LeAnn's World 101.  The sentiment came from a memory that goes back 50 years!

     One of my first 'serious' boyfriends was drafted into the Army when he was 18 (3 weeks after signing up for the Selective Service as required by law and I thought it was the end of the world.)  The first time he was allowed to make a phone call when he was going through Basic Training, he called me - not his mom or anyone in the rest of his family, but me!!  lol  During that conversation he said to me, "Your voice is music in my ear."  Most telephone calls we had from that point on, he would repeat that phrase and it became a thing between the two of us.  As happens with puppy love, we drifted apart and moved on to meet and marry other people, each of us having families of our own.

     As soon as I saw this image, that phrase popped into my head and I thought about him even though we completely lost touch years ago.  Funny how memories stay with us even decades later.

     I'm using this one for a masculine birthday card.

Colored w/ ProMarkers and chalks
Cut w/ QuickKutz die
Matted w/ Unbranded die cut rectangle
CAS, masculine design
Sentiment cut w/ Unbranded die
Metallic photo corners

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Country View Crafts
Do Al(l) Creatives
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Pattie's Creations
Polkadoodles
Stamper's Delights

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Play It, Man!

     Sasayaki Glitter has two wonderful images for its Progressive challenge this month and they can be combined into one image or used separately.  I used just one of them, this fabulous (and obviously unique!) trumpet player, for a masculine, musical card.

     I colored with my ProMarkers, adding a few highlights with a gel pen, and then cut the image with an oval die from QuicKutz.  I printed the sentiment, hand cut it, and matted it with a scrap which had been cut off the end of a stitched, die cut, strip (Lawn Fawn.) 

     What looks like a single ribbon is actually two ribbons of different widths, one layered on top of the other, and wrapped around the card front.  I tilted the image so that it looked like he was really l
'leaning' into his music and adhered it across the ribbon. 

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Crafting by Designs
Creative Fingers
Double D
Happy Craft
I {heart} ProMarkers
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrappy Land
Time Out

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Making a Joyful Noise with Music

     Yep, another card for the 30 Days of Christmas at Beccy's Place but then, if you've been visiting me at all this month, you already suspected that.  :-D  The alphabet prompt is the letter "M" and we're at the midway point of both the month and the alphabet.  My "M"s to day are related to Music.  I adore these 3 snowmen Making Music, singing Christmas carols at the top of their lungs (do snowmen have lungs?)

I started with the sketch from Tuesday Morning.

     I colored with ProMarkers, my favorite alcohol Markers, and cut the image with a Lawn Fawn, stitched, square die, turned on point to make a diamond shape.  The silver and white ribbon is wired & glittered and I wrapped the card front with it.

     I printed and hand-cut the sentiment and began layering on all the different bits and pieces.  The bow is from my stash, one of those I make by the dozens and toss into the stash for future use.  The snowflake charm was in my Christmas stash and I'm sure it's been there for 3 years, forgotten and unused.  It seemed awfully happy to see the light of day when I took it out.  :-D  I added glitter to it and put it in a prominent place at the top of the card.

     Challenges:
12 Months of Christmas
Cardz TV
Crafty Sentiments
Digistamp4Joy
Outlawz Festive Friday
Passion for ProMarkers
Scrap from Your Heart
Try Stampin' on Tues.

     This is my first post of the day and in about an hour, I'll be posting my DT card for Creations in Pink so be sure to stop by again.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Amaryllis Sprite

     I am just mad about most of the 'sprite' images drawn by Mitzi at AuroraWings and this Amaryllis Sprite is no exception.  I've had her for a while and this is the first chance I've had to use her for a Christmas card.  I remember my mom had amaryllis bulbs planted in her garden and each year at Christmas time, they gave a huge pop of color to an otherwise hibernating plant bed.  I guess when I see amaryllis, they will always mean Christmas to me.

     I colored with ProMarkers and added highlights with gel ink before cutting the image with a Memory Box die.  The sentiment came from QKR Stampede and it's cut with another die from that same Memory Box set.  I inked the edges of both die cuts with ProMarkers.

     The red background paper is from my Christmas stash and I have no idea who made it.  I found that scrap of sheet music, tore the edges a bit more, and added it to the background.  The bow was tied using burlap ribbon.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps & More
Crafty Creations
Creative Fingers
Outlawz Festive Friday
Paper Shelter
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrappy Land
Simon Says Stamp
Winter Wonderland

     Thanks for visiting and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Banjo Pickin'

     I'm going to use today's card for a masculine birthday card and it showcases another of the QKR Stampede bears I love so much.  Our new challenge starts today and this time it truly is "Anything Goes."  No optional twist, nothing - just anything you care to submit.

     The image is called "Banjo Picking" and the sentiment is "A Little Flat" but I changed the actual sentiment inside the text bubble to better fit this card.  You can see the original by clicking on the image title above.

     I colored the image with my ProMarkers and cut it with a square, stitched die from Lawn Fawn.  I inked the edges before adhering it to the card.

     I chose some denim blue CS and ran it through my music embossing folder.  Before putting it on the card front, I wrapped chevron striped ribbon to it and then added the image on top of that.  A small blue bow with a pearl finished it off.  Nothing too fancy for a masculine card.

     I love making cards because it both relaxes me while I'm crafting and allows me to express my creativity.  To be able to do masculine cards (something I truly love, unlike many crafters) means that I always have something for a guy that I can grab, even at the last minute when there's no time to get a card made!

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps
A Gem of a Challenge
As You Like It
Aud Sentiments
Classic DT Open
Crafty Ribbons
Delicious Doodles
DL.ART
Glitter n Sparkle
Tuesday Throwdown
Worldwide Open DT

     Come play with us this week, won't you?  We love being inspired by what you enter.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Music for the Soul

     This is my second card as Guest Designer for the CAS challenge at The Outlawz.  Our theme this week is "Musical" -- and that can have a wide interpretation.  I chose to use a rubber stamp image from Sparkle n Sprinkle, one I've had for a long, long time (before I even started blogging!) but still love.  In fact, this card is overwhelmingly filled with Sparkle n Sprinkle goodies -- embossing powder, glitter, and image.

I started with the sketch from The Outlawz

and colors came from Connie Can Crop.

    

     Before stamping my image, I used chalks to color and blend the background and then I stamped the image with embossing ink, used black EP and heat set it.  I used ProMarkers to add a bit of color to the butterfly in the image.  I die cut it with one of my favorite types of dies (framing) from Spellbinders, making a fancy frame for it.  The three little butterflies are die cut negatives and I added glitter to two of them.  I mounted the image onto a pre-made, colored card front, added the bit of sheer ribbon and the corner brads.  Another lovely, CAS design.

     Challenges:
AAA Cards
Cards in Envy
City Crafter
Crafty Gals Corner (mid row)
Everybody Art
Inspiration Destination
Not Just Cards
Papertake Weekly
Pencil Case
{Pin}spirational
Scrap & Craft
Scrapy Land
Simon Says Stamp
Stamplorations

     Enjoy the rest of your weekend and I'll have another Guest Designer post in a few hours.  Shhhh, it's a secret until then.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Beautiful Music

     The new digital images for the Creative Freebie Challenge at Outlawz arrived in my e-mail late last night and I stayed up to get this made.  The instant I saw Sandi's image, I started thinking "opera" and, since there were a couple of wonderful challenges which had music in their themes, I put a list of challenges together and ended up with this card.

I used the sketch from Sketch Saturday but didn't follow it quite so literally this time (a great feat for me!)

     I colored her with Touch Twin markers and heat embossed her neckline and sash.  I die cut the image and matted it with a die cut oval.  The dps are from DCWV's "Performance" matstack, including the piece with the sentiment "Sing your heart out", which I cut from the same piece as the oval frame.  I've had that stack at least a year and I keep hoarding it as though it must be saved.  lol  Better to use it, I think.  The pearls have also been in my stash quite a while but the flowers are relatively new, from Kaiser Craft this time.

     Challenges:
Clear It Out -- Something yellow
Di's Digis Designs -- Pile on the Flowers
Guylou's Inimitability -- Music or Dance
It's All about the Vintage -- Anything (vintage or retro) goes
Oldie but Goodie Challenge -- Flower Power
Paper Play -- Music
Skipping Stones Design -- Inspiration photo (woman holding flowers)
Use It Tuesday -- Emboss

     Ooops, Blogger forgot to post this as scheduled so I'm doing it myself now.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie