Live Simply

     I adore the image at the Progressive Challenge for LeAnn's World 101 this month, which you'll find on their FB page.  It reminds me of how wonderful it can be to just live simply.

     This is a one layer card and I printed the image right onto the card front, then colored with my ProMarkers, adding a few highlights with white gel pen.  The die cut sentiment was made with a die from Die-versions.  The original sentiment was inside a circle but I cut that away and used just the words.  No embellishments because I wanted this to be very CAS in keeping with the sentiment.

     Challenges:
AAA Cards
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafting by Designs
Creative Inspirations
Cute N Crafty
Double Trouble
I {heart} ProMarkers
Scrappy Land
Words to Crafty By

     A short post today but my time at the computer is limited.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Dust Off the Spells, You Wizards and Witches

     I've been working on Halloween cards and have almost enough to send out to all the kids, grandkids, and great grands.  However, this particular card is for a friend who celebrates her birthday on Halloween and I try to do a Halloween themed, birthday card for her each year.  I've always teased her that she must have magic spells to keep her age from showing.  :-D

     I also did this one for the challenge at Catch the Bug (Bugaboo Stamps image) and it should bring a smile.

     Believe it or not, this is a single layer card.  I started with placement of the black and white. outline image (plus the sentiment), then I scanned some saved packaging from a stamp set I bought a couple of years ago, and used my Word software to make strips of it at the top and bottom of what became the card front.

     I colored with ProMarkers, added the bow, and it was done!   Fun card but not all that fast.  Scanning and playing with the Word program took nearly an hour before I ever got to start coloring.  :-D

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Crafter's Castle
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
...Give a Crafter a Cookie
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Festive Friday
So Suzy/Crackerbox
That's Crafty
Tuesday Throwdown

     I'll be back tomorrow with yet another Halloween card.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Outlawz 'Songs and Rhymes' Challenge

     I have the honor of being the first GDT on the brand new Sunday "Songs and Rhymes" challenge over at the Outlawz and I'm delighted to participate.  :-D  Each week, they will have a song or a rhyme as the theme and you can create something which was inspired by it.  This week, I was inspired by the whole "English Garden" idea and I am convinced that English Gardens are filled with fairy circles and all that comes along with those, including fairies and dragons and tiny-but-meaningful gifts. 

     My card uses a delightful image from A Day for Daisies.

I started with colors from Color Sisters 

and loved the inspiration photo of this lovely garden at 

ARTastic.  Don't you just know there's a fairy in there somewhere?

  

     The image, which is printed directly onto the card front for a single-layer card, is colored with a combination of ProMarkers and polychromos pencils.  My version of the color combo is soft, springtime pastels to enhance the feeling of a garden.  I added some Wink of Stella shimmer to the fairy's wings and sparkly glitter to the dragon's wings.  As a salute to the previous requirement of CAS designs for the Sunday challenge, I kept this card very CAS, adding no embellishments other than the sparkle.

     Challenges:
Catch the Bug
CCC Digis
Crafty Calendar
Crafty Friends
Jo's Scrap Shack
Not Just Cards
Paper Nest Dolls
Send a Smile 4 Kids

     Come join us at The Outlawz.  There are new challenges each day, a monthly progressive challenge, and membership at the Outlawz is free.  You'll find lots of new (and old) friends, crafters just like you who are warm, friendly, and wonderfully helpful when needed.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Life's a Carousel

     Good Friday morning, friends and followers.  It's time for another weekly challenge at QKR Stampede and our theme is Anything Goes, as always.  I found the most delightful Carousel Horse image and made this single layer card with it.  BTW, if you go searching for the image instead of just using the link I made, you need to know that in the store the name was inadvertently misspelled as "Carosel" Horse.

     When I was a child, I loved carousels and the horses were always my favorite of all the animals.  Despite the exotic lions, or tigers, or even elephants, the horses were majestic and noble and that's why I loved them best.

     The image is printed directly onto the card front, then colored with ProMarkers and watercolor pencils.  I wanted a monochromatic black and white with a pop of color from the roses.  All the shading is done with gray ProMarkers. 

     Challenges:
AAA Cards (middle row)
As You Like It
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Sentiments
Creates and Makes
Cute Card Thurs.
Di's Digi Designs
Ike's World
TTCRD
Tuesday Throwdown

     I want to see you come over and play in our challenge this week.  How can you lose with an Anything Goes theme?   Remember, you can use any image from any company but if you use an image from QKR or even from Eureka Stamps (our sister company), your entry will go into a separate draw and that increases your chances of winning by a huge amount.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Face a Mother Can Love

     The latest challenge at QKR Stampede starts today and our theme is "Feminine or Mother's Day."   Sometimes our moms just need to be recognized for being the ones who always loved us, no matter what.  :-D   My card today celebrates that side of moms the world over.

I chose the colors from Hand Stamped Sentiments.

     This image, Digi 402 "Geese" by QKR Stampede, was printed directly onto the card front and then colored with ProMarkers and a couple chalk markers with which I added sky and ground background to turn it into a complete scene.   Because I wanted to showcase the scene and sentiment, I did a completely CAS, single-layer card with no embellishments at all.

     Challenges:
Cards in Envy
Chalk n Stock
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Critters and Creatures
Eureka Stamps
Incy Wincy
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Festive Friday
Paper Minutes
Passion for ProMarkers
Where the HeART Is

     Come play with us this week, won't you?   You can use stamps/images from any company and you can enter up to 3 times.  However, if you use an image from QKR Stampede, your card will be entered into a separate drawing for QKR only and that greatly increases your chance of winning.  Hope to see you there.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie