A Tartan Theme - 30 Days of Holidays

      This darling elf is an image from Beccy's Place and I love how proudly he's carrying those presents.  The challenge for today is one of the themed challenges rather than an alphabetical one and Beccy chose "Tartans or Plaids."  I immediately thought about this paper I knew was in my Christmas stash and chose the elf as the image I wanted on the card.

     I printed the pre-colored version, adjusted it to almost grayscale before printing it, and then enhanced all the reds with one of my Sanjoki markers, chosen because it was an almost exact match to the red in the dp.  The sentiment came from an old magazine.  I cut it out with a Tonic Studios die, matted it with red CS, and layered it onto the image piece after I cut the image with a QuicKutz die.  The three snowflakes are from Jolee's.

     Challenges:

Christmas...Throwdown

Crafty Calendar

Gem of a Challenge

Love Those...Papers

Outlawz Tuesday

Polkadoodles

Send a Smile ...

Sweet Stampin'

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Tie the Bow

      This card is for the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place and it features things with the letter "T" - Tent card, Toys, & Tying the bow (too bad he Tied his beard into the bow!)  These gnomes are from Beccy's Place, and while they aren't specifically for Christmas, they certainly do work well on Christmas cards.  But they are versatile enough to be great for birthdays or other gift giving occasions.

     These two gnomes are from the same set but I merged them into one image.  I colored with ProMarkers, then cut the image with a die from QuicKutz.  I used two scraps of CS for the corners behind the image.  The sentiment was printed, then cut with an Avery Elle die, and matted with green CS.

     The dp with the text greetings came from a Recollections stack (don't ask me which one since it was separated from the stack) and the toy embellies are from K & Co., along with the one tiny present in the bottom corner.  Ribbons are from my stash and the double, quad-loop bow was tied using my bow maker.

     Challenges:

Colour Crazy

Crafter's Cafe

Crafty Catz

Creatalicious

Creative Fingers

Creative Moments

Paperbabe

Scrapping4fun

Scribbles Designs

      OK, this finishes my posts for today but I'll have another post or two tomorrow.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Standing in for Santa

      We all know about the 2020 pandemic and have lived through the worst imaginable restrictions (to no apparent avail, sigh...) but few of us thought it would impact Santa's travels.  Mrs. Santa was so concerned about his health, due mostly to Santa's great age (did you know he's well over 125 years old - not counting all his years as Father Christmas or Sinter Klaus?), so she has forbidden him to leave the North Pole!

     Consequently, Santa has recruited the much younger, 109 year old, Christmas Gnome from Conie Fong to stand in for him.  The sack full of toys is an image from Conie Fong's "Santa Sack" and I merged them before printing.  BTW, both of those sets (and many others) are on sale until Christmas Day so if you want them, go and grab them RIGHT NOW!

Colored w ProMarkers & gel pens

Cut w Dare 2B Artsy die

Corners rounded w Fiskars corner punch

Glitter paper is die cut from wide washi tape (DCWV)

Hand-sewn, signature style, bow

     Challenges:

Christmas Kickstart

C.R.A.F.T.

Cute Card Thurs

House...Stamps Built

Outlawz Twisted Thurs

Paperminutes

Paper Shelter

Simon Says Stamp

     If you are on a last minute scramble to get everything done before this Christmas Eve has ended, good luck.  For this upcoming weekend, may you have many hours of  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Kitty in the Box

     I'm working on my Christmas card stash and am determined to have an additional 30 cards done by the end of this month.  I may not get them all posted this month but you'll see them over the upcoming weeks.  Today's card was made using an adorable image from AuroraWings.

Colored w ProMarkers
Dots in eyes done w white gel pen
Image cut with Unbranded die
"Noel" sentiment = Die-Versions
Holiday ribbon is a scrap
Background is glitter paper
Signature bow w pearl - 'dyed' w ProMarker

     Challenges:
12 Months of Christmas
 (3 layers/rectangle/dots/ribbon/faux stitching)
Classic Design
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafty Hazelnut's
Die Cut Divas
Morgan's ArtWorld
SheepSki Designs
Your Scrapbook Place

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Presents Under the Tree

     The letter "U" is the prompt for today over at Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas cards and it's not an easy one!  I decided on one of the suggestions given to us by Beccy ("Under the Tree") and went looking for a Beccy's image I could reasonably put Under a tree.

   

I tied the image coloring with the colors in 

the My Favorite Things challenge.

     The tree is one of Beccy's Images and I colored the scene with ProMarkers, adding snow to the tree with white gel pen.  The presents were also colored with ProMarkers but they came from another of Beccy's sets, the one I used for my "Reindeer in Training" card a few days ago.  I printed it twice, reversing the image once, and making sure that the image was printed small enough that the gifts would fit Under the tree.  That's one of the great things about using digis - you can adjust the size to fit your needs!

     I cut the reindeer away from both images, leaving only the stack of presents. then cut off the sled on one of them, doing fussy cutting on each one.  That was a dedicated effort because those piles of packages are less than a square inch in size.  Once the presents were adhered, I cut the entire image piece with a Spellbinders die and backed it with CS.

     The stitched ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons and the snowflake is covered in glitter.  

     Challenges:

Aud Sentiments

Cardz TV

Creative Knockouts

Outlawz Festive Fri.

Penny's Paper-Crafty

Polkadoodles

     I hope you are all enjoying your weekend.  I'm spending creative time doing things for and with family and having the time of my life!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Mail Delivery

     It's the 15th of the month so it's time for the next challenge at Creations in Pink.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" as long as you use lots of pink in making your creation.  We have wonderful sponsors this month; Starz Stamps and Di's Digi Designs.  I'm using a darling image from Di's Digi Designs, called "Surprise for All" (which may have been retired since I can't find it in the shop.)  I chose this one from my own, rather large, collection of Di's stamps.

     I colored the image with ProMarkers, then cut it with two related dies from Spellbinders and I inlaid the die cuts into each other.  I mounted that piece onto pink polka dot paper.  I printed the sentiment, hand cut it, and added it above the image.

     I used green satin ribbon to tie a bow-tie bow and put it at the top.  Everything went onto a pink card base.

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas
Crafty Hazelnut's DP
Creative Moments
I {heart} ProMarkers
Jo's Scrap Shack
Paper Shelter
Scrappy Land

     I hope we're going to see you playing in our challenge this month.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Fat Cat Steals a Present

     Switching from Autumn/Halloween back to Christmas once again, I want to share a perfect image which could easily be my own Honey cat absconding with one of the presents from under the tree!  Look at the expression on that face.  Does that say totally self-satisfied or what?  I know absolutely that expression means, "It's the biggest one so it must be mine!"  lol

     The image (stamped and sent to me by a friend so I don't know the artist) is colored with ProMarkers, then cut into a square, and corner punched with a Fiskars punch.  I cut and punched some scrap red CS for the mat.  I found that scrap of red and white dp in my stash of Christmas papers and added it to the card front at an angle.  I layered on the matted image then hand cut the sentiment, matted it with another scrap of red CS, and hand cut it again before adding it.

     The only embellishment needed was that bow made from sparkly ribbon and adhered to the upper corner.  A pretty simple card with a masculine flavor to it and most of it was done with scraps!

     Challenges:
Colour Crazy
Creates and Makes
Creative Moments
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jo's Scrap Shack
Kraftin' Kimmie
Morgan's Artworld
Polkadoodles
Send a Smile 4 Kids
Word Art Weds.

     That's all I have for today but tomorrow I'll be posting my card for another fab challenge over at QKR Stampede and you all know how much I love QKR images.  :-D  See you then.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Feline Wisemen

    Yesterday it was canines so today it has to be felines (or I'll never hear the end of it once I'm back home!)

     My friend who stamped and sent the Christmas images to me (to encourage me to keep my promise to myself about doing Christmas cards all year long instead of waiting til November to start on them) knows me so well!   She also shares with me a love of all things feline so she understands the kinds of 'gifts' our fur babies bring to us as a sign of their love and adoration.  See below...  click on the photo for a larger view.

     This one was so very simple to make.  I colored with my watercolor pencils, cut the image into a rectangle, and matted it with 2 more rectangles.  I found the scrap of polka dot dp in my stash of Christmas papers, added it to the front of a lime green card base, and tied two different green ribbons around the card front.  I added three metal brads, layered on the image, and pronounced it DONE!  Including the coloring, it took less than 30 minutes.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
A Perfect Time to Craft
Christmas Cards all Year 'Round
Crafty Awesomeness
Crafty Hazelnut's Extra
Love to Scrap
Paper Creator's Crafts
Scribbles Designs
Sunsational Stamps

     I'm still lazing at the beach so if I've been MIA when it comes to visiting your blog, that's why.    Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie    

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