Milking Your Birthday

     And a good Friday morning to all of you!  If it's Friday, then you know that means another challenge is starting at QKR Stampede.  At the beginning of this year, QKR Stampede became an "Anything Goes" challenge but each week we give you an optional twist if you want to use it.   So this week, the optional twist is "Birthdays."  Here's what I did, using the image "High Centered" and the sentiment "All It's Worth."  I always give you links to the digital stamps but, for those of you who dearly love rubber, remember that most of the QKR digis are also available as rubber stamps.

     Of course, I used my ProMarkers to color the image and then cut it with a die from Spellbinders.   I used another, larger die from that same set to cut the black mat.  The kraft background has been embossed with my "Linen" folder.  I liked the kraft and black together so decided that I'd keep it as monochromatic as possible.  That also fit in with the masculine, CAS design.

     I added the two, different, black ribbons and used another of my wrapped burlap-twine bows.  I make those with burlap twine, wound around a chipboard strip and then wrapped with a fabric piece.  Before I take the twine off the chipboard, I brush it lightly with "Fray-Check" which stiffens it and keeps it from separating as I slide it off.  Clearly, bows (handmade or otherwise) are my favorite embellishments.  I use them on everything!  :-D

     Challenges:
CAS  on Sunday
Die Cuttin' Divas
Digi Choosday
Glitter n Sparkle
House that Stamps Built
Inspiration Destination
Kraftin' Kimmie
Moving Along with the Times
Ribbon Girl
Tuesday Throwdown
   
     I hope your week has gone well and that you have fun and wonderful plans for the weekend, even if all you plan is to have a veg-out weekend in front of the TV.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Emmy's Hat

     A second post for me today so that I can tell you about the new January challenge starting over on the Skeepski Designs Facebook site.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" with a Sheepski Designs image.  Just go to the site, click on the "Photos" tab at the top, then on "Albums" and enter your project there.

     I used this sweet, perfect-for-spring image called "Emmy's Hat."  Isn't she beautiful?  And so much fun to color!

     I chose a neutral, golden-beige, monochromatic, color scheme and used my ProMarkers to color the image.  The dp is from a Graphic 45 paper pad, and I used beige CS for one of the panels.  I distressed the edges of each piece, including the matted sentiment.

     I dug through my stash of embellishments and chose the flowers and the large bow.  Although it's difficult to see in the photo, each flower petal has a bit of glitter on it for a touch of sparkle.

     Challenges:
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Addicts
Creative Moments
Glitter n Sparkle
Inspiration Destination
Lemon Shortbread
Paper Girls
Through the Craft Room Door
Word Art Wednesday

     That's it for today.  I hope your week has gone well and that you have a fabulous weekend planned, even if it's going to be spent crafting and being creative instead of one filled with sports or other activities and travel.  Crafting's such a great way to relax and recharge.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie 

Pilgrim

     Well, less than a week now until we in the US celebrate Thanksgiving so our theme at QKR Stampede this week is "Thanks or Thanksgiving."   One of my favorite QKR images (aren't they all my favorites? lol) is this happy little pilgrim!  (Digi 17609 Pilgrim)  Can't you tell he's just about to go get the turkey for his family to eat during their gratitude celebration?

     I colored him all in neutrals with my ProMarkers and used one of my newest stitched dies (STAMPlorations) to cut it out, then matted the image with three layers of CS.  I used a kraft card base, added a triangle of dp and layered everything together, finishing with the cut and matted sentiment (Digi 13815 Happy Thanksgiving.)  The bow is wrapped burlap.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
AAA Cards
Angie's Digital Stamps
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Di's Digi Designs
Glitter n Sparkle
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
My Sheri Crafts
Outlawz Greetings
Pencil Case
Pile It On
Robyn's Fetish
Scrapper's Delights
Simon Says Stamp

     Come play with us this week and also have yourself a marvelous Thanksgiving with family and friends.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

A Silly Stack of Pigs

     We start a new challenge today over at QKR Stampede and our theme this week is "Autumn Leaves."  That's so appropriate for an early fall card but you know my odd sense of humor -- I had to something a bit different and funny.  :-D  I started by choosing Digi 16913 "Stacked Pigs" as my main image and used a monochrome/ neutral color combo I found at City Crafter (see below.)

Colors from the inspiration photo at City Crafter.

     This is really a very simple card, intended to be masculine.  Since our challenge theme involves 'leaves', I also used the Digi 3901 "Leaf"  and printed it several times in different sizes.  All the leaves and the pigs were colored with a combination of my ProMarkers and a few Copics.

     I hand cut everything, including the silly sentiment, then added everything to a kraft card base.  I matted the sentiment and the pigs with black CS and mounted the pigs on dimension dots.  As a final touch, I added the bow which originally had been white but I 'dyed' it with a ProMarker.

     Challenges:
Angie's Digital Stamps
Come and Get It
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Boots
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Sentiments
Crazy Challenge
Digi Choosday
Glitter n Sparkle
Lil Patch
Melonheadz Friends
One Stitch at a Time
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Robyn's Fetish
Tuesday Throwdown

     I hope you're going to come play with us at QKR Stampede this week.  Remember, you don't have to use QKR images but if you do, your card is entered into a separate draw for QKR users only and that really increases your chances of winning.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

MHK Designer Inspiration Post

     This is my second post today.  If you're looking for my QKR Stampede DT card, click HERE.


    Well, by now you've had a chance to see all the new releases for this month at MHK Designs and to check out the latest challenge inspiration photo so today I want to give you another way to be inspired by another of the images in the "Thankful Thoughts" set.   I used the cornucopia image last week and now this is the fabulous turkey.  I made a plain Thank You card but it could just as well have been a masculine birthday.  It would definitely make a great Thanksgiving card.

     I wanted to stick with monochromatic, fall neutrals but no matter what I did photographically, all the light browns in the dp turned to rust.  Hmmm, don't know how to correct that so you'll have to trust me that they are more brown and less rust than they look here.

     I colored with polychromos pencils but used ProMarker on his wattle for a deeper color.  I fussy cut the turkey and mounted him on dimensional tape.  I used satin lace to make the bow and the ribbon is velveteen.  The corners are decorated with sequins and pearls.

     Challenges:
Cards in Envy
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Sentiments
Creative Fingers
Digi Choosday
One Stitch at a Time
Pattie's Creations
Pixie's Crafty Workshop
Robyn's Fetish
Through the Craft Room Door

     I hope we're going to see you playing along in the August/September challenge which runs through until September 20.  Remember, if you use an MHK Designs image, then the theme is Anything Goes and you don't need to use the inspiration photo at all.  :-D  You can find the challenge on the main MHK Designs page by clicking on the tab at the top which says "Current Challenge."

     Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Please continue to leave comments.  The "Word Verification" really isn't on.  BLOGGER INSISTS ON SHOWING THE "CAPTCHA" ICON BUT IF YOU IGNORE IT AND JUST PUBLISH YOUR COMMENT, IT WILL POST JUST FINE.  I WISH I COULD GET RID OF IT BUT THERE'S NO OPTION FOR THAT WHEN THE COMMENTS ARE WRITTEN IN A SEPARATE BOX. SORRY.

Fat or Fluffy?

     

HAPPY NEW YEAR, Friends and Followers!

   
     Since it's Friday again, we at QKR Stampede have a new challenge for you and our theme is "Feathers or Fur."  We want to see images of animals that have feathers or fur on your cards!  I sure hope curly wool counts as 'fur.'  :-D

     Check out the sentiment!  Most years following the holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, and New Year celebrations included), this has been my excuse for the 10 pounds I've gained.  But this year, thanks to carefully following the diabetes routine I've been doing for the last 4 months, I had no gain at all!  Woohoo!  I used Digi 15611 "Old Ram."  This time the sentiment is mine.

     I colored with my ProMarkers, then die cut the image with a die from QuicKutz.  The copper paper was embossed with my "Linen" folder and the striped 'paper' is actually lightweight canvas fabric.  Both the ribbons came from Really Reasonable Ribbon and I used my new bow maker to tie the double bow.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
Colour Your World
Craft-Dee Bowz
Crafting from the Heart
Creative Card Crew
Deep Ocean
Lemon Shortbread
Love to Scrap
Not Just Cards
Through the Craft Room Door
Tuesday Morning

      May your New Year be filled with Peace, Prosperity, and Blessings beyond all your prayers.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Baby Shoes

     Today's card is one I ended up really liking but wasn't sure about it when I first started designing it.  I used an adorable new release digi set from Doodle Pantry (see photo below) and believe me when I say that the image wasn't the problem!   In fact, this set came to the rescue and saved the day!  :-D  OK, let me give you the background first --

     I have a new neighbor who moved in next door last weekend (more about her on another post I'll get up this week).  I intended to get a plate of cookies made to take over but my extra busy work week last week just got in the way.  Anyway, she came over, introduced herself, and asked if I might have a light bulb to spare since she couldn't find the box containing hers and she had none for her bedroom lamps.  I had been working at the dining room table and she saw a couple of cards I was making.  I immediately got an order for a new baby card.  :-D

     However, her friend's daughter (the one expecting the baby) is having a boy and hates blue!   She refuses to do the whole 'blue for a boy' thing and is doing the nursery completely in neutrals, which works fine for a boy, but just isn't what we normally do for baby cards.  So, Doodle Pantry to the rescue!

I found the sketch at Tuesday Morning Sketches.

     Laurie included wonderful digital papers with the "Baby Shoes" set, including the two I used which are in wonderful neutral tones.  I die cut the image with a die I bought more than a year ago and haven't used recently and also die cut the sentiment (part of the Baby Shoes set) and matted them both with brown CS which has been in my stash for a good, long time.  I also matted the dp with it.

     I added a strip of sheer brown ribbon and adhered the three little pearls to it.  I thought that was still a very CAS design, lots of open space (though not white space,) and with an overall masculine feel to it.  I wasn't sure I was going to like a baby boy card without blue on it, but I am very pleased with it after all.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge -- Male birthday (the actual birth!)
Art Impressions Stamps -- Masculine
City Crafter -- Clean and neutral
Craft Lovin' -- Anything goes
Crafting for all Seasons -- Masculine
Digistamps 4 Joy -- Masculine
Little Claire's -- Male theme
Pollycraft -- Anything goes
Shopping Our Stash -- Geometric shapes
Sisterhood of Crafters -- Masculine
Top Tip Tuesday -- Masculine

     Half the weekend is now gone and I've done nothing but spoil myself !  I've done no laundry, no house chores beyond fixing something to eat when I got hungry, and haven't even run a dishwasher.  Guess what, the world hasn't ended and I've not been struck by lightening.  How refreshing.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Hang Yer Hat

     I recently met someone who truly is an old fashioned American cowboy.  Soft spoken, very dry sense of humor, and not at all given to sentences much longer than 5 or 6 words.   He doesn't care at all about fancy or frilly.  So, when I decided to make a Valentine card for him (and he got wind of it from his daughter), he sent a message which indicated that cards weren't really necessary, that a simple "Hang yer hat" would be sufficient.

     That made me think about the new releases from Doodle Pantry, which included this fabulous cowboy hat from the Cowboy Gear set and also the Old Parchment set, which I used as though it was background dp.

I took my sketch from The Sweet Stop, modified a bit to be very CAS.  The lariat takes the place of the banner and the hat replaces the image square.

     This is actually a small card, only 4 1/4" X 4 1/4", so I'm going to have to make an envelope for it.  The hat is fussy cut and then popped up on dimensional dots, although that really doesn't show in the photo.  The lariat is made from jute cord.  I truly couldn't resist a little bit of "fancy", so I added four tiny, topaz-colored gems to the hat band.  While they are sparkly in the picture, they barely show on the card IRL unless the light happens to catch them.

     Challenges:
Cards Galore -- 1 for the men
Crafting Cafe -- Anything goes
Here Come the Boys -- Westerns
Hot Shot Crafts -- CAS
Natalie and Amy's -- Something old (cord) & something new (images)
One Stop Craft -- Anything goes
Oozak -- Anything goes w/ fav colors (mine are fav neutrals -- browns)
Outlawz CAS -- "Short" cards
Sentimental Sundays -- Celebrating 'new' (new person!)
Stamptacular Sunday -- Gents and gems (Does a gent's hat count?)
Word Play Saturday -- Anything goes

     We'll see if this card appeals to that dry sense of humor.  :-D  Below are pictures of the two new release sets I used for this card.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie