"Bear" Necessities

      Here we are starting another challenge over at FarmQuest, where we always want to see a country element in your projects and then we give you a specific theme.  Our theme for this challenge is "Bears." No, not 'bare', "Bear."  The kind that roam around in the woods and growl, catch fish from the rivers, and slurp down berries as soon as they ripen.  

     Apparently, based on this clip art image I used, they also need certain necessities when they go camping!  lol  I used a combo of water colors and Sanjoki markers to color the image, adding  few highlights with gel pens.  I cut the image with a Tonic Studios die.  The starry background was cut with a Unity die from a scrap of dp (Lawn Fawn stack) and I thought that gave it a nice, night-time-almost-'bedtime' look.  I thought the stars were enough embellishment so added nothing else.

     Challenges:

Ally's Angels

Country View

Crafts Galore ...

Friendship

Happy...Stampers

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

Outlawz Thurs (rustic)

Rabisco

YSBP

     I really hope you'll put something together that has a 'country' flair and add a bear, then come enter it into our challenge over at FarmQuest.  We love seeing your projects.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Moon and Stars

      It's the middle of the month and that means a new challenge is starting over at QKR Stampede where our theme is always "Anything Goes."   You may use any image from any company to enter the challenge but if you use a QKR image (or one from our sister company Eureka Stamps), your entry is put into a completely separate draw for those entries only and that increases your chance of winning by quite a lot!

     For today's card, I used an image called "Full Moon."  I reversed it before printing it.  I used watercolors and Promarkers to color the image, then added a touch of glitter to the stars.  I used a Spellbinders die to cut the image and an Avery Elle due to cut the printed sentiment.  

     The background paper is from a Lawn Fawn stack.  The multi-loop, sheer ribbon, bow was hand tied using my bow maker.  The ribbon for the bow was a left over scrap and I did as many loops as I could to use all of it.  I think I trimmed less than 1/2 an inch to make the dove-tail ends.

     Challenges:

A Bit More Time ...

Ally's Angels

Creatalicious

Creative Fingers

Dies R Us

Dream Valley

Outlawz PAM

Paperbabe

Polkadoodles

World Wide Open

     We would love to see you playing along with us in this challenge.  Remember, it runs through the end of the month  so you have plenty of time to get an entry linked up.  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cup of Tea

     This cute image is the freebie at The Outlawz Progressive Challenge this month and it's from the Paper Shelter.  It's been a long time since I did anything steam punk so this was a bit of fun.  I also wanted to see what I could do with larger scraps of paper, card stock, and ribbons.  The background dp had been used before.  The larger piece had a circle cut out of it which I covered with the image and there was a narrow strip which I laid next to the larger piece, then covered the seam with the ribbon.  The image was printed onto a scrap of white CS, as was the sentiment.

Colored w/ ProMarkers
Image & sentiment cut w/ Spellbinders
Sentiment from Beccy's Place (scrap CS)
Tea cup stack cut from scrap CS w/ Tutti Designs die
Mesh lace & satin ribbon (scraps)
Background dp - scrap from DCWV
3 stars are left over from the sentiment cut

     Challenges:
All Fun
Archi-scraps (colors are in the image)
Colouring in Scrapland
Creative Moments
Cutie Pie
Dragonfly Dreams
Morgan's ArtWorld
Pixie's Snippets
Your Scrapbook Place

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie 

Candle Light and Silent Night

     This post is all about the latest challenge which starts today over at Crafting with an Attitude.  As usual, our theme is "Anything Goes" and we have Lemon Shortbread as our fabulous sponsor!  They generously supplied us with images we could use and I fell in love with Candlelight Girl. Candle light at Christmas is probably my favorite thing during the holiday season.

     I think the image may have originally been intended for Halloween but it's so versatile, it worked perfectly for a Christmas card as well.  I think it could make a great birthday card, too.

     I colored with ProMarkers, made the stars with white gel pen, and cut it with a die from Gina Marie.  I used silver ribbon with glittery, silver spots which could be interpreted as winter snowflakes.  Everything went onto a navy blue card front, and I added a tiny, hand tied, bow below the image.  It's pretty CAS but that's what showcased the image.

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas
Cardz TV
Creative Moments
Cute N Crafty Christmas
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Festive Friday
Southern Girls
That's Crafty!
Winter Wonderland

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie 

Nativity Night

     Today Beccy's Place is using "N" as the inspiration prompt for the 30 Days of Christmas cards and I used various parts of the Nativity set, part of which I used for "Kings" a few days ago.  I couldn't use all the parts - it would have been too large for the card.  So this time, I used a different one of the kings and added a shepherd and lamb (reversed in Word so that he was facing the manger.) 

     I love using Nativity scenes at Christmas - it reminds me of the Reason for the Season.

     I remember, as a child, being completely fascinated by a Nativity set my Grammy had.  Her father had hand carved it from blocks of soap her mother made.  She told me that when the set was new, it was sparkling white (a huge feat for home made soaps in those days) but by the time I was seeing it, it was yellowed with age.  I thought that made it all the more spectacular.  :-D  It was passed on to my mother but I have no idea what became of it after that.  If it was still around, I'd be setting it out each Christmas.

I used colors from the Tic Tac Toe Color Dare at Color My Heart,

3rd column plus Saffron for the gold shades and neutrals of beige & brown.

     Once again, I started with a pre-colored image (printed with the Nativity Night sentiment) but I used ProMarkers to add highlights and even to change some colors on the clothing.  I used white gel pen on the lamb and on the beards of the shepherd and wise man.  I cut the image with a rectangle die from QuicKutz, inked the edges with gold ProMarker, and matted it with Natural Earth CS - CS which is made completely from recycled products.

     I layered additional papers behind the image onto the card front, all of which were scraps left on the crafting desk.  I swear, most of the time the only way the craft desk gets cleared off is because I'm using up things left over from other projects!

     I dug through my bag of spangles and sequins to find the two stars, one gold and one silver.  I layered those together with craft glue (not easy to do with things that tiny) and added them above the image.  I used the gold ProMarker to draw the lines of light downward.

     Finally, I found my Noel sentiment die (by Die-versions) and cut white CS, then added Neptune Green glitter to it.  Once that dried, I put it on the upper corner and called the card finished.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
Bastel-Traum
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafts Dreamy
Creative Craft Cottages
Cute Card Thurs.
Paper Nest Dolls
Winter Wonderland

     There will be one more post today but not until 3 a.m. my time.  I'll be sharing my DT card with you for the challenge at QKR Stampede so feel free to check back.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie