Winter Birds

      Here it is, time for the first challenge of the new year over at Inspiration Station.  We always give you a photo for inspiration and you may create anything you like but be sure to tell us what from the photo inspired you.  Here's the photo for this month and I was inspired by the wintery scene and the bird.

     I found a clip art image from Trendy Clipart which I reversed, printed in grayscale, & then colored with my new set of water colors (thank you, Santa.)  White highlights were added with gel pen.  I cut the image with a die from QuicKutz, inked the edges, and layered it onto glitter paper.  All of that went onto an A2 card front and the sentiment was added when all else was finished.  It really was a quick and easy card, taking less than 25 minutes, including coloring time.

     Challenges:

AAA Cards

Aud Sentiments (new watercolors)

Di's Digi Designs

Let's Craft and Create

Outlawz Monday

Pammie's IP

Simon Says Stamp (new watercolors)

Triple B

     Come play with us this month.  Just find something in the photo that inspires you, create a ard, and enter it into the challenge.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Woodland Critters

     A second post today because I just had to share a tag I made using the mid-month freebie from Conjuror of Dreams for their Tag Challenge.  They do 2 tag challenges each month on their FB site and I didn't get one finished in time for the first challenge in November so I didn't want to be late with this one.  They offer freebies to use in the tag challenge and those alone make it totally worth playing.  :-D

     Isn't this the cutest collection of woodland critters building their winter snowman?  I used kraft CS for the tab and made the shape myself by cutting a rectangle with a die from QuicKutz and then cutting the top corners with a punch from EK Success.  The image is pre-colored and I used it "as is" instead of printing it in grayscale and coloring it myself.  I added pearls to the sides and bottom, then added a "To/From" stamp to the back.  Red twine was added through the hole on top finished it off.

     Challenges:

Ally's Angels

C.R.A.F.T.

Craft Rocket

Crafty Catz

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspiration

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Friday

     That's it for today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Frozen Pond

      Once again, we start a new challenge over at FarmQuest and our theme this time is "Frozen Ponds or Creeks."  What a great idea for getting a few more Christmas cards into our stash!  I found this clip art image and was so impressed that I had to use it right away.

     The image was originally pre-colored, but I printed it in a very light gray scale and then used watercolors (sky and trees), alcohol markers (water and rocks), and gel pens (highlights on ice and snow) to put some color back into the scene.  Once colored, I used a large, square Spellbinders die to cut the image, then trimmed navy blue CS to make a mat for the image.

     The background dp came from a Recollections stack and I printed and cut the sentiment using an Avery Elle die.

     Challenges:

ABC Christmas

Aud Sentiments

Digi Choosday

Dream Valley

Holly & Ivy

Pammie's IP

Penny's P-C

Word Art Weds.

     Come play in our challenge this fortnight, won't you?  You can use nearly any outdoor, frozen scene you have and it'll fit the theme.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cardinal Time at FQCC

      We have a new challenge starting today over at FarmQuest Country Christmas.  Our theme is always "Anything Country and Christmas Goes."  In keeping with that, I found this delightful clip art image of a cardinal on a tree branch.

     I did something I hadn't tried before; I found a piece of distressed dp in blue with snowflakes and printed the cardinal image onto it.  Then I colored the bird and the branch with watercolor pencils and gel pens.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz die, then cut two different mats (one steel blue and the other white) with other dies from the same set.  I layered those all together and put that piece onto snowflake dp from DCWV.  I hand-tied a bow using wired cord, then printed and die cut the sentiment with a die from Avery Elle.

     Challenges:

Creative Inspirations

Digi Choosday

Let's Craft & Create

Outlawz Sketch

Penny's P-C

Triple B

     We'd love to see you playing along in this challenge.  It runs until December 5 so you have lots of time.  Remember, tis the season to get started making your Christmas cards!

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Happy Snow Couple

      Once again, a new challenge has started over at FarmQuest Country Christmas.  Our theme is always "Anything Country Christmas Goes."  For today's card, I chose a clip art snow couple, happily dancing in the yard of their country home.

     The image started out in black and white but I used computer software to change it into sepia tone before printing it.  I love the vintage feel it gave the card.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz die and the sentiment was cut with a Tonic Studios die.  The background dp came from a DCWV stack.  I used very narrow, 1/8" ribbon which is wrapped around the card front and tied into a simple bow.

     Challenges:

Digi Choosday

Holly & Ivy

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Friday

Pammie's IP

Peace on Earth

     I hope we're going to see you playing along this month.  If you make something to enter into our Country Christmas challenge each month of the year, you'll have 12 cards done before the holiday rush hits you next Christmas.  :-D  Besides, we love being inspired by what you create and share with us.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Horse and Cardinal

      Good morning (or afternoon or evening, whatever time it is when you visit.)  Today I have two posts done within minutes of each other and both are for different FarmQuest challenges.  This one is for the FarmQuest Country Christmas Challenge (FQCCC.)  In case you missed it, the FarmQuest General Store post is immediately before this one.  Be sure to check it out, too.

     The card was amazingly quick to make.  I know horses aren't exactly traditional CHRISTMAS critters, not like polar bears or penguins, but I found this incredible clip art image, pre-colored, and I just had to use it!  It was perfect for a country Christmas.  I merged the sentiment before printing it.  I added a few white highlights using a polychromos pencil.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz die before layering it on top of a background made with glittery mesh ribbon strips and burlap/baker's twine strings in the very middle.  Rather CAS and the whole thing took less than 15 minutes.

     Challenges:

Christmas Kickstart

Colorful Options

Digi Choosday

Happy...Stampers

Holly & Ivy

Outlawz Friday

Peace on Earth

Triple B (bird, blossoms)

     I hope we're going to see you playing along this month.  I know we're all focused on Christmas (and other December holiday) cards this month, so why not find an image with a country or farm theme and use it to enter our Country Christmas challenge?  See you there.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Kitten's First Snow

      I have a dear friend who adores cats and kittens as much as I do and each Christmas I make her a card with kittens.  So, when I saw this adorable clip art image, I 'pounced' on it and made her Christmas card for this year.  Once again, I took a color image and printed it in light gray scale before coloring it myself.  The great thing about printing in gray scale is that you get all the shading and highlights which were in the original but you choose your own color palette.

     I colored with a combo of Sanjoki markers (sky and wall) and polychromos pencils (kittens, birds, and cherries on tree), plus white gel pen for snowflakes.  I cut the image with a square QuicKutz die and framed it with white CS, also cut with a Quickutz die.  The holly paper came from the scrap basket and I think it was from DCWV.  The sentiment is from Beccy's Place and I cut it with an Avery Elle die.

     Because this one has to be mailed, I left it very flat and without fancy embellishment.

     Challenges:

Christmas Kickstart

(In honor of Janis and her Cat Lovers Hop)

Digi Choosday

Happy...Stampers

Let's Craft & Create

Lil Patch of ...

My Favorite Things

Pattie's Creations

Peace on Earth

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie    

North Pole Express

     Welcome to my blog.  So good to see you visiting today.  It's Friday so that mean another challenge has begun at Crafty Catz  where our theme is always "Anything Goes" but with an OPTIONAL twist.  This week the twist is to use more than 1 fold.  Our sponsor is Last Minute Miranda.  They supplied image for the DT to use and I chose the one called "North Pole Express."

     I did a Gate Fold card and used three of the images which came with the set.  I started by coloring the images with by Sanjoki markers and a gold paint pen, then added highlights with a white gel pen.  I cut the three images using either QuicKutz dies (outside images) or a die from Tonic Studios (inside image.)  The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die.  I cut plain red CS to mat the images and sentiment.

Card front

Inside

     Challenges:

ABC Christmas

Creative Creases

Creative Fingers

I Love Markers

My Favorite Things

Outlawz Friday

Paper Funday

Paper Shelter

Pattie's Creations

Penny's P-C

     This is my second post today and if you scroll down, you'll see the first one.  I'll be posting the third one later today so come back and see it, too.

     I hope you'll be inspired to make something and come enter it into our challenge.  If you get truly inspired, make a card with more than 1 fold but if not, Anything Goes is perfectly fine.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Outdoor Snow Events

      I'm not sure we need to tell anyone is the USA about outdoor snow (or just plain cold) events this month but that's the theme for our latest challenge over at FarmQuest which starts today.  Of course, it needs a country flair as the standard FarmQuest requirement, but that's pretty easy to accomplish if you're focusing on outdoor events.  :-D

     I sorted through my collection of winter-y images and found these two in my QKR Stampede collection.  The girl is called "Sledding" (which I reversed before printing) and the Dog is called "Cross Country Skiing."  I wanted to use both images so I designed a slimline card.  The images were colored with water color paints and shaded with ProMarkers, then fussy cut with scissors.  The snowflake papers are from an old DCWV stack which I've had for at least a decade and it tends to come out each winter.  The stack is getting very thin these days but I still have some really great papers in it.  The sentiment is mine and it was also fussy cut.

     Challenges:

Ally's Angels

Colour Crazy

Crafty Calendar

Creatalicious

Happy Li'l Stampers

Lil Patch of ...

Pattie's Creations

There's a Stamp ...

Word Art Weds

     Are we going to see you playing along in our challenge?  I sure hope so.  We love seeing what you've created and being inspired by it.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Uphill vs Downhill

Happy New Year to All !     

     We're starting a new challenge today at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies and our theme is always Anything  Goes featuring a Critter.  Our fabulous sponsor this month is QKR Stampede and their challenge starts in three more hours so think about playing over there, too.  They supplied images for the entire team and I chose "Cross Country Skiing."  

     The image reminded me of the first (and only) time I tried cross country skiing.  It was very early on in a dating relationship with a fellow who loved cross country and wanted me to enjoy it also.  I rented skis and boots (not willing to invest in expensive equipment until I knew it would be something I enjoyed year after year) and we set off in search of suitable terrain covered with snow.  Keep in mind, this was in a state in the US where the only snow to be found was in the mountains which necessarily means the going is NOT going to be flat.  lol  In fact, every tiny snowdrift required uphill climbing to get over it.  

     After an hour of struggling with mostly uphill pushing and scooting, I was assured that the rest of the journey would be 'all downhill.'  RIIIGHT!  Two hours and four blisters later, with an ankle that swelled to the size of a football as soon as I took off the ill fitting boots, I was done with cross country and pretty much done with the gentleman who had introduced me to it!  He did survive several more dates but it ended when he just couldn't handle having animals around and I realized I preferred them to him anyway.  lol

     I'm using this for a Birthday card for a neighbor lady who turns 80 this month!

Colors taken from My Favorite Things.

Colored w ProMarkers

Glitter added to hat tassel

Cut w QuicKutz die

Paper from DCWV

Glittered snowflakes - Recollections

     I also want to tell you about a fun "challenge-yourself" idea being promoted by my blogging buddy, V.  It's called "Just Stash January" and it involves using nothing but things already in your stash throughout the entire month of January!  There are a few reasonable exceptions (all of which mean that no money has come out of your pocket) and you can read about those on the post.  Just click on the link and find out all about it, then start counting those coins and bills you'll be 'stashing' in your pocket this month instead of crying about even more charges on the credit cards after the holiday season.  :-D  Everything on this card came from the stash!

     Challenges:

Colour Crazy

Colour It, Create...

Crafts Galore Encore

Crafty Animals

Cute Card Thurs

MFT Birthday Project

Outlawz Twisted Thurs

Paperbabe Stamps

Polkadoodles

     Come play with us this month.  You have until January 25 to get an entry posted (don't forget to feature a critter) and you could win some fantastic QKR Stampede images.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Thin Ice

      Reindeer rarely ice skate because, unknown to most of us, they have a pathological fear of thin ice!  lol  The only time you can get a reindeer to cross a frozen pond or river is if it has recently snowed so that the snow hides the ice.  

     The Bugaboo Stamps image below (which is the Friday Freebie for the last day of the Holiday Chaos challenges and is still available if you want to grab it) will show you what I mean.  I reversed the image before printing it.

The theme is a color palette.

Colored w ProMarkers

Liquid Pearls used for snow

Cut w Gina Marie Die

DCWV washi tape for image mat

Hand-tied bow w pearl (my signature style)

     Challenges:

Allsorts

Craft-Dee BowZ

Crafty Calendar

Crafty Hazelnut's

Cutie Pie

Di's Digi Designs

Gem of a Challenge

Outlawz PAM

Passion for ProMarkers

Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie  

Snowflake Wishes

     You know how every once in a while you get a card finished and it looks and feels exactly the way you imagined it would?  Terribly pleasing, isn't it?  Well, that's what happened with this card and I just love it !  :-D

     The image is one of the newer ones from Conie Fong, called "Snowflake Wishes" and I think she's so beautiful.  

     When I first printed this image, I thought about making an entire scene with her rather than just a single-image card.  But I spent so much time on the coloring, adding lots of shading and highlights, that I decided on just the image as the focus.  I find that when it comes to Conie's images, I love to put the detail into the coloring and I rarely make scene cards with them.  

     I did take time to do a bit of water coloring on a scrap of water color paper which I added to the background.  It does look a bit like a stormy sky.  :-D  In any case, here's another card for my Christmas stash.

I used Peacock, Linen, and Mint colors

(plus Peach for her skin)

which came from Color My Heart #396.

Colored with ProMarkers 

Glitter added to snowball, snowflakes, and wings

Cut with QuicKutz die &

     trimmed to show glitter paper

Silver glitter paper cut w/ Quickutz die

Background dp made w/ water colors

Ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon

Sentiment printed and hand cut

     Challenges:

As You Like It

Colour Crazy

Creative Fingers

Cute Card Thurs

Dream Valley

Outlawz Festive Fri

Simon Says Stamp & Show

Southern Girls

Your Next Stamp

     Conie Fong has two challenges that run every month and they can be found on our Facebook page.  One is for coloring only and the other is for completed projects.  Each challenge requires the use of a Conie Fong image but how can you resist any of her cute images?  I hope we're going to see you playing along.  Don't belong to the Conie Fong FB group yet?  Joining is free so join us and come play.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Winter's Night

     If it's Friday (and it is), then this has to be the start of another weekly challenge at QKR Stampede where our theme is always "Anything Goes."

     Today is also the last day of my Christmas and New Year holidays and I'll be back to my regular creating and posting routine over the weekend.  It may take me until mid-week to really get back to visiting blogs and commenting on your fabulous designs, but I'll get there somehow.  I don't promise to go back over the last 3 weeks and comment o every post you've done during that time, but I will get back to my routine of visiting as often as possible.   :-D

     I'm celebrating winter with this card, using a gorgeous image called "Snow Scene Circle" and it's from our sister company, Eureka Stamps.

Colored with ProMarkers and chalks
Cut with Spellbinders embossing die
Embossed white CS for background (Doodlebug)
Blue strip has suede polka dots
Hand sewn bow with pearl
Sentiment is printed & hand cut, w/ inked edges

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Classic Design
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafts Galore Encore
Creative Knockouts
Dies R Us
Pattie's Creations
Polkadoodles
Your Scrapbook Place

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Digi Doodle Studio Guest Designer !

     I'm so excited to be a Guest Designer at Digi Doodle Studios this month and my card is being featured today on their FB page.  :-D  The image I used is called "Cocoa's Snowballs for Sale" and I think it's one of the most adorable little snowmen I've seen.  It's new and I fell in love the instant I saw it.

     Doesn't this remind you of every childhood snowball fight you ever joined? 

Colored with ProMarkers
Glitter added to snowflake on his cap
Image and kraft frame cut with QuicKutz die
Polka dot dp cut with Spellbinders die
Sentiment printed, hand cut, matted & hand cut again
Silver snowflake embellie

     Challenges:
Crafty Creations
Creative Inspirations
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
House that Stamps Built
Paper Shelter
Scrapy Land
Simon Says Stamp
Word Art Weds.
Work It Weds.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

December Challenge at Brown Sugar

     Good morning and happy Friday morning.  We're starting a new monthly challenge today over at Brown Sugar.  Our sponsor this month is The Paper Shelter and they supplied us with an image set called "Holy Night."  Paper Shelter is having a sale this month and the image we all used is included in the sale.

     Interestingly enough, I used this very same image for a DT card last month but with a different team.  You can see what I did for them by clicking this LINK.  Rather than duplicate something I had just done, I decided to use the beautiful background that came with the set and build a scene on top of it with die cut deer and Liquid Pearls.

Background paper from The Paper Shelter (Holy Night digi set)
Cottage Cutz dies for deer - colored w/ metallic ProMarkers
Sentiment cut with Die-versions dies
Liquid Pearls for deer hoof prints in the snow
Snowflake cut with Art Impressions die
Blue rhinestone added to snowflake center

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps
Dare 2B Artsy
Dream Valley
Incy Wincy
Outlawz SAR
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Simon Says Stamp & Show
Sparkles Christmas
Tales from the Craft Room
Your Scrapbook Place

     I hope we're going to see you playing along with us this month.  This is my last month on the Brown Sugar DT but I'll be visiting many of you before the month ends.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Ice Skating

     Having grown up in an area where snow never falls and ice doesn't form on the ponds, any ice skating was done in a rink and the next town over actually had an ice rink.  I was probably 10 or 11 years old when I discovered a pair of ice skates in one of my Grammy's old trunks and had to try them on, just for curiosity sake.  They were a great fit, though a bit tight around the heel.  She had very narrow feet! 

     I clumped around in them for a couple of weeks and finally asked my mother if she would drive me over to the ice rink.  Forget that I'd never done anything other than roller skate and had no idea how to ice skate, nor that it was a 45 minute drive over to the next town - I was determined to go!

     She was a loving mother and saw how much I wanted to try my hand (my feet?  my rear end?) at ice skating so as my Christmas present that year, she managed to scrape up the funds for 3 ice skating lessons and faithfully drove me to the rink three different times for the lessons.  What I learned is that ice skating isn't roller skating, that ice is harder than it looks, and that the Olympic ice skaters who look so magnificent probably did nothing other than practice, practice, practice all day long!

      Fortunately for my backside, I quickly outgrew the skates as my feet increased in shoe size and Grammy's tiny skates had to be left behind.  However, this darling image (progressive challenge freebie) from Scrapper's Delights brought back all those wonderful memories.  :-D

Colored with ProMarkers
Aleene's Sparkle Snow added w/ palette knife (Adding snow this way gives such great texture!)
Cut with Memory Box die
Edges inked with ProMarker
Papers w/ spots and wavy stripes are scraps
Signature, hand-sewn bow w/ gem
Signature hand cut and edges inked

     Challenges:
As You Like It
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafty Calendar
Crafty Catz
Creative Knockouts
Cute Card Thurs
Scrapper's Delights Progressive

      Have a great weekend.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Sledding by ..

     A second post from me today so that I can share with you a card I made for a Christmas card exchange organized by Digi Doodle Studios.  We were assigned exchange partners (either within our country or international) and we had to use a Digi Doodle Studios image, which was no problem for me because I love every one I've ever seen.  :-D   I used Penguins Lottie and Tillie and I think they are so cute on their little sled.

Colored with ProMarkers
Fussy cut with scissors
Background by Paper Shelter
Sentiment hand cut
Image and sentiment mounted on Pop Dots
Glittered snowflakes and gem added

     Challenges:
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Sentiments
Creative Inspirations
Creative Knockouts
Cute Card Thurs
Digi Choosday
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds
Lemon Shortbread
TTCRD

     Have a great day and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Warm Winter Wishes

     It's time for the November monthly challenge at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies and this month, we're sponsored by Paper Shelter.  They generously supplied a set of images which includes black and white outline or pre-colored images, plus sentiments and backgrounds.  The set chosen is called "Holy Night" and what I like best is that it could be used for Christmas or any winter theme.

     Here's my own hand-colored version of the main image.

Colored with ProMarkers
Cut with Unbranded die
Background paper from Doodlebug (my favorite papers for winter/Christmas cards have snowflakes.  I like them because we never get snow where I live and that's my way of having a "white Christmas." )
Dark blue dp from DCWV
Snowflakes with glitter and gems

     Challenges:
Art Impressions
As You Like It
Aud Sentiments
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
C.R.A.F.T.
Cute Card Thurs
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Southern Girls
Time Out

     I have a total of 5 posts today!  That's what happens when the first of the month falls on a Friday, the day I do my usual DT post for QKR Stampede and Brown Sugar (first Friday.)  On the 1st, I also have my DT posts for 2 Crafty Critter Crazies (you're reading it now) and SheepSki Designs.   This month, very late tonight, I have a post as a Guest Designer for Mo's Digital Pencil.

     I hope we're going to see you playing along with us this month.  Remember, all you need to enter 2 Crafty Critter Crazies is a "Critter" featured on your project.  Other than that, it's always Anything Goes.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Coldest Day of Winter

     We start a new challenge over at Crafting with an Attitude and our theme is always "Anything Goes."  Our wonderful sponsor this month is Lacy Sunshine (Colour of Love) and I'm using a darling image called Rory's Winter Day.

My colors came from My Favorite Things.

     I decided to do a card using the 'spotlight' technique so I printed the image twice, cut one with a rectangle die from Spellbinders, and colored the second one with my ProMarkers, adding just a touch of sparkle with some glitter on the snowflakes.

     Once colored, I used a circle die (QuicKutz) to cut just the portion of the image where I wanted to focus attention.  I inked the edges of both cut pieces, then layered the colored circle on top of the black and white image to create the 'spotlight.'

     I found an icy-blue card base, wrapped it with sparkly, silver and white ribbon, then added the image.  I printed the sentiment, hand cut it, and added it to the lower section of the card front.  I think this is a delightful CAS design with just enough sparkle to celebrate the cold chill of early January!

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Cardz TV
Cute N Crafty
Cutie Pie
Double Trouble
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Whoopsi Daisy

     That's it for today but I'll have another post tomorrow and then I'll be back to my post holiday activities.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie 

Snow Buddies

     The challenge theme at SheepSki Designs this month is "New or Old" and since I'm still on my Holiday break, I'm sharing with you a card with an image more than 2 years old.  The image is called "Penguin Pals" and I think it's absolutely adorable!  Two penguins building their own snow man penguin.

     I colored with ProMarkers and die cut both the image and the frame with dies from Cheery Lynn.  I mounted those onto a a deep green card base.  I added a single, hand-tied, red bow and the sentiment, then left it CAS.

     Challenges:
As You Like It
Cardz TV
Crafty Hazelnut's
Creative Knockouts
Cute Card Thurs.
Outlawz Twisted Thurs 
Penny's Paper-Crafty

     Have yourself a wonderful New Year's Day and I'm sending wishes for a happy and prosperous year.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie