Christmas Angel & Letter "W"

     It's the day for "W" over at the 30 Days of Holidays for Beccy's Place and I've managed to play along each day.  I started the month of November thinking that I'd get maybe 14 or 15 cards done so I'm really proud of myself for being this far through the alphabet and having done a card for each letter and each of the theme challenges.  My "W"s are: White, Wings, Winter, & Webbing (the 'ribbon.')

     This is another card that's a collaboration with my sis-in-law, who colored this gorgeous little angel and then had me put together the card.  It's not that I don't do my own coloring any more but she just isn't into the card making side of things (not yet, anyway!) so we've fallen into a lovely pattern of taking her coloring and turning it into cards.  In between, I color my own images and make those into cards, too.

     Lainy hand-colored the angel (from Monsoon Publishing) with water color pencils, and I cut the image with a Tonic Studios die.  The sentiment (from Beccy's Place,) was cut with a QuicKutz die.  I inked the edges of both using an alcohol marker.  The wintery background dp came from an old (very old!) DCWV stack. The glittered webbing seem perfect to use as a wide ribbon and the glitter added wonderful sparkle (oooh, another "W"!)

     Challenges:

52 Christmas Card

613 Avenue Create

Aud Sentiments

Christmas w Cuties

Dream Valley

Outlawz Monday

Pammie's IP

     I'll have another post tomorrow.  Until then, Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Pheasant Flight

      We have a new theme starting today for our latest FarmQuest challenge and the theme is "Turkeys, Pheasants, Peacocks, &/or Feathers."  Obviously, I opted for a pheasant.  :-D

     This clip art image was printed in grayscale onto pale blue CS, then colored with water color paints and pencils.  Once dry, I ironed the image flat (it curled a bit with the water color paints), then cut it with a QuicKutz die.  The plaid dp for the background came from a digital paper file which I sized to an A2 card size, then printed.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I left it without embellishments because it's such a perfect masculine card.

     Challenges:

Classic Design

Coloring w Pencils

Crafty Calendar

Crafty Catz

Creative Fingers

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz SAR (pheasant in the sky?)

Polkadoodles

     Come play with us this fortnight.  We love seeing what you create and being inspired by it.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

New Way to Roller Skate

      My daughter called and asked me to make a Get Well card for a neighbor of hers who fell while roller skating with her grandkids.  She has a serious hip break and it'll take a while for her to heal up completely.   Much as I would love to take credit for the sentiment, when my daughter saw this image in my collection, she suggested a reference to roller skating.  lol

      The image is from QKR Stampede and I colored it with ProMarkers & water color pencils.  I cut the image with a stitched die from Memory Box, and I inked the edges of it before adhering it to the background.  The background piece was cut and embossed with a plate die from Poppystamps.  I inked the edges of that so that I had little pops of red in the image, around the cut image, and around the edge of the background.  I did the same with the sentiment which I printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  Inside it has a simple, "Get Well Soon."

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...

Crafts Galore Encore

Crafty Calendar

Do Al(l) Kreatives

Gem of a Challenge

Incy Wincy 

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

Sheepski Designs

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Lazy St. Patrick's Day

      I'm one of those lucky individuals who celebrates her birthday on St. Patrick's Day but I'm also of Irish decent on both sides of my family tree!  My way of celebrating my Irish heritage is to make St. Patrick's cards for all the kids in my family; a way of reminding them that they, too, have an Irish heritage.  :-D

     Those of you who follow my blog probably already know about the running "cow" theme with my youngest granddaughter and St. Patrick's makes no exception.  I searched for cow images related to St. Paddy's Day and found an entire collection of them in digital coloring book form.  I've used many of the pages for cards this month, reduced to accommodate my need for card size, and colored most of them with either water color pencils or Sanjoki markers.  Those same images also come in pre-colored versions, but I print those in grayscale and color them myself.  I do that because the shading and highlights are still there and that gives my own coloring a marvelous 'finished' look!  Try it, you'll be delighted with the results.

     I cut this image with an old QuicKutz die, then snipped off the corners with deliberately different sizes, although the angle is the same on each corner.  I managed to do that by using one of my quilting mats, penciling in the line I wanted to cut, then cutting those with scissors.  The background paper is from K & Co.   Pretty CAS except for the design in the paper. 

     Challenges:

Colorful Options 

Daisy Chain

Double Trouble

Inspiration Station (St Pat's celebration)

Inspired By

LeighSBDesigns

Outlawz Friday

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

Simply CAS

     I'll share another couple of these with you later in the week.  In the meantime, Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie  

The Family Grows!

      This card I'm sharing today I made for my newest great-grandson, Jackson Wade, who arrived on Thursday, February 22, the day after my oldest granddaughter's birthday!  I'm so excited!  Not only that, we have another great-grand baby due in late August.  No word yet on the gender but I personally am hoping for a girl to help balance out the ratio of (too many) males to (not enough) females in my grands and great-grands.  :-D  I do love making masculine cards but that may be primarily because I have so many males in the family compared to the sprinkling of females.

     This adorable sleeping baby image is clip art from - oh, my gosh, I've forgotten.  I'll edit this post when I track down the company.  When I bought the set of images, I saved it into a folder called "Babies" instead of making a new folder with the company name on it so it'll be a search of long deleted emails to figure out who made it.  

     The original color of it was too bright a blue for what I wanted (more on the pastel side) so I printed it in very light, gray scale, then colored it with Sanjoki markers and water color pencils, blended with gamsol.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz die, then found two pieces of blue paper in the scrap basket.  I used those for the background, added the image and sentiment (cut with an Avery Elle die) and called it finished.  A CAS design but with geometric patterned dp instead of white space.  To my mind, geometrics make for great masculine cards.

I pulled my pastel colors from the mood board at Inkspirational.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

CAS on Friday

Creative Knockouts

Digi Choosday

Double D

Gem of a Challenge

I Love Markers

Penny's P-C

Polkadoodles

     That's all for today and I'm going to take the rest of the weekend off.  No computer, no social media, no phone... just time for me, watching TV and reading.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Autumn Deer

      It's time for another challenge at FarmQuest and that means another "farm country" card with a  theme.  This time the theme is "Deer."  Pretty hard to find deer without finding 'country' (unless they are in the zoo) but I loved this clip art image which has a farm feel with the old, faded barn in the background

     I printed the image in grayscale, then used water color pencils, blended with gamsol, to color it.  The white highlights were made with a white, polychromos pencil, left unblended.  I cut the image with a die from Tonic Studios, and the white frame with the printed sentiment was cut with a QuicKutz die.  I used my "Linen" embossing folder on the gold CS I chose for the card front to give it all some texture.

     Challenges:

(links to be added when I return home after the Memorial Day weekend)

     I really think I'm reacting to the unusual 'summer-feeling' weather we've been having when the calendar keeps telling me it's still spring.  Maybe I'm hoping to jump right past summer (which is always miserably hot in my part of the world and I dislike heat more than anything) and into fall.  At least, I was thinking about the crisp evenings at dusk which come with fall weather when I chose the colors for this image.  Sigh... fingers crossed the air conditioning is affordable for the next four or five months.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Butterflies

      I'm sharing with you my DT card for the current challenge at Pammie's Inky Pinkies.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" except on a 5th Monday, and that happens only a few times each year.  Our sponsor this week is the artist Varada Sharma and I've only recently been introduced to her work.  She's really marvelous!  I used her beautiful butterflies, merging them together into an interesting pattern and adding the sentiment before printing.

     I colored with ProMarkers and watercolor pencils, then cut the image with my Fiskars paper cutter.  I did the corners with Fiskars and Uchida punches.  I added glitter to the butterfly wings and let it dry.  I chose one color from the butterflies and matched (as closely as possible) colored CS to it for the background piece.  I tied a Butterfly shaped, wrapped bow, using 1" grosgrain ribbon, and 1/4" ribbon for the center wrap.

     Challenges:

2 Sisters ... Blog

Ally's Angels

Country View

Creatalicious

Creative Moments

LeAnn's World

Let's Craft & Create

     We really would love to see you join in our challenge; "Anything Goes" and it runs until next Sunday.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Birthday Card for His Valentine

     Today starts our newest challenge at I Love ProMarkers and we're sponsored by SheepSki Designs this month.  Our theme this challenge is "Birthday" and my card was actually one commissioned by a gentleman whose wife’s birthday falls on Valentine’s Day!  I used a SheepSki Designs image called 'Bumble Bee Blossom' to go with the specific sentiment he wanted, ‘Honey Bee Mine.’   He really liked Andrea's images (which I have in a binder for people to view) and he was very impressed with her art.

     I used ProMarkers, water color paints, and water color pencils to color the bee and blossom, adding sparkle gel ink to the wings, then used pale blue watercolor paint for the sky/background.  Instead of cutting the image itself, I used one of my dies from Spellbinders to cut a scrap of pink CS, then trimmed it to fit the card front so that the aperture was on an angle.

     I printed and hand cut the sentiment, then tied gold satin ribbon into a small bow and added it to the upper corner.  I thought the die cut shape was so 'fancy' that little else was needed in the way of embellishment.  I really wanted the image to be the focus.

     Challenges:

Ally's Angels

Creations in Pink

Dies R Us

Outlawz Stash

Papercraft

SheepSki Designs

Star Stampz

     I hope you're going to come and play in our challenge.  All of us can use an extra 'Birthday' card in our stash so even if you don't have someone specific in mind, I'm sure you can make one for your stash.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie     

A Rose for You

      This is my second post today and, again, I'm using a sweet House Mouse stamp.  I'm finishing up all my cards for a Valentine themed, vendor fair this weekend.   House Mouse images are always very popular on my cards and I get lots of requests for them so I thought I'd try them at the event.

      This was colored with ProMarkers and water color pencils, then cut with a QuicKutz die.  I cut a larger rectangle from a scrap of red CS for the frame, embossed it with my 'Linen' embossing folder, then used a Fiskars punch on the corners.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I matted it with a small scrap of deep pink CS, trimmed to fit.  Everything was mounted onto a pale pink card base.

     Challenges:

Crafty Calendar

Dare 2B Artzy

Di's Digi Designs

Dragonfly Dreams

Inspiration Station (colors & love)

Lil Patch of ...

Simon Says Stamp

Stamping Sensations

We Love Stamping

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Baby, It's Cold Outside

      This morning, I'm posting a card to remind you of the monthly challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps and I'm using an image called "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with a sentiment from the same set.   That set (images plus sentiments) is on sale through Christmas, along with the other new Christmas sets.  Be sure to check out all of them.

     This is also my card for the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place for the letter "P" - Pair of Penguins & ProMarkers.

     The image is colored with ProMarkers and pencils, then cut with a square die from QuicKutz.  I inked the edges with a marker and layered it onto a scrap of dp from my Christmas stash (DCWV).  I used my bow maker to tie a quad-loop bow and added a sequin to the center of it.

     Challenges:

Allsorts

Crafty Catz

Crafty Hazelnut's

Creative Fingers

Dragonfly Dreams

Outlawz Festive Fri

Paperbabe

Stamping Sensations

Winter Wonderland

     I'll have another post in a couple of hours so be sure to stop by again.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Hug Your Dragon

      All dragons need hugs but that's especially true of the young ones.  When hugged often and gently, they train well and become lifelong companions, cuddling to keep you warm in the winter and fanning you softly with their wings to cool you in the summer.  

     My eldest granddaughter and I are both crazy about dragons and when I saw this image from Mariola Budek, I grabbed it right away.  It comes as a pdf file in one of her digital coloring books.  I'm sure this card will end up in the hands of my granddaughter, with or without an occasion, but celebrating dragons is always an occasion in itself!.

     I colored it with ProMarkers and pencils, cut it with a die from Memory Box, and framed it with a die cut rectangle (QuicKutz) of scrap dp.  The yellow background dp is from Recollections.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  For a bit of embellishment on the otherwise simple card design, I added the wrap of sparkle twine and fluffed the ends to make a tassel.

I used the colors found at Cupcake Inspirations challenge.

     Challenges:

Colouring in Scrapland

Crafty Sentiments

Digi Choosday

Get Creative

Lemon Shortbread

Outlawz Color

Passion for Markers

TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Fairies & Ladybugs

     I'm playing around today with two things I've not done for a long while: a bendi card and a mini (4' x 4") card, combined into one.  The image was only about 2" x 2.5" which made coloring it a major task in itself.  :-D

     I colored with ProMarkers and water color pencils, then used a Gina Marie die to cut the image.  I used a Spellbinders curved border die to cut the two flaps of the bendi card which tuck in.  The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die.  I used a ProMarker to ink the edges of both the bendi flaps and the sentiment.

     The cute image is from Bugaboo Stamps.  I used the color board #449 at Color Dare and chose blue and brown in addition to the required purple.  Note that the fairy's skin was colored with a 'Praline Brown' marker.

     Challenges:

Aud Sentiments

Cardz TV

Catch the Bug

Crafty Sentiments

Cute Card Thurs

Digi Choosday

Double D

Lemon Shortbread

Marvelous Minis

     That's it for today and probably for tomorrow, too, but I'll be back with a new post on Thursday so check back then.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Set Your Goals High

     I have two posts today and this is the first.  I hope you'll come by later this morning to see my second post featuring another card for the Christmas in July event I'm following all this week.

     This morning I have a delightful inspiration card as my DT post for the mid-month reminder at Jan's Digi Stamps.  I've used a perfect summer-y (or fall) image called "Boy Climbing Tree" and the sentiment is also from that set.  I think this is a magnificent image for a masculine card.  :-D

Colored w ProMarkers and pencil
Cut with QuicKutz die
Vertical strip done w watercolors
Butterfly cut w Impression Obsession die
CAS design to go w masculine theme

     Challenges:
Butterfly (apricot & aquamarine)
Crafty Creations
Creative Inspirations
Cutie Pie
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds
Lemon Shortbread
Paper Funday
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Simon Says Stamp
Word Art Weds

     You still have time to come play in our "Anything Goes" challenge at Jan's Digi Stamps which runs until Sunday, August 2nd.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Gnome Road

     I've always smiled at gnomes; they seem such an engaging sort of creature.  But a few years back when my blogging buddy, Linda - http://lindasimpsoncraftypieceofheaven.blogspot.com/ - revealed that her hubby really loves gnomes, I sent him a gnome card I had made.  For some reason from that point on, I began looking at gnomes differently, with more appreciation and joy over them.  They are now a close rival to dragons (yes, even pocket dragons) in my affections and I search artists for gnomes quite often.

     This gnome, from Mo's Digital Pencil, seemed rather wise in the ways of tramping the world's roads so I paired him with that Mo's sentiment.  This card will be going to a grandson for his 21st birthday, that magical age when all roads seem possible.  :-D

Colored w/ ProMarkers and water color pencils
Cut w/ stitched die from Cottage Cutz
Scrap dp for background
Jute cord, 2 colors, wrapped and tied

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Colouring in Scrapland
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Sentiments
Get Creative
Outlawz PAM
Paperminutes
TTCRD

     I hope you are having a marvelous weekend.  Take some time for yourself and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Kitten in the Garden

     There's a neighborhood cat (apparently feral, but relatively friendly) who has had a litter of kittens in the next door yard and they are old enough to be out and about.  Two of them visit my garden at least once each day, often three or four times.  They are so cute, and I'm doing my best NOT to feed them.  You probably know how well that's working!

    Anyway, this darling image from Fabrika Fantasy reminds me of them.

Colored with ProMarkers and water color pencil
Image cut with QuicKutz die
Scraps of dp from DCWV
White satin ribbon
Yellow card base

     Challenges:
Ching-Chou Kuik
Country View Crafts
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafty Hazelnut's
Creatalicious
I {heart} ProMarkers
Papercraft
Simon Says Stamp
SUYP Cats

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Celebrate Life !

     I've been practicing my coloring on roses, using ProMarkers, or pencil, or charcoals, even pastel chalks.  I'll be sharing more of those in the upcoming days but today I wanted to show you what I did with a combination of ProMarkers, gel pens, and water color pencils.

     The image is from LeAnn's World 101.

     After coloring the image, I cut it with a stitched, scalloped die from Memory Box.  I used another, larger die from that set to cut the solid golden piece used as an offset mat.  The 'damask' background is a scrap of DCWV dp and the stitched bronze ribbon was a scrap I found in my stash.

     I printed the sentiment and hand cut it before adhering it below the image.  This one goes in my stash of birthday cards.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Cardz TV
Colour Crazy
Crafty Friends
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Pattie's Creations
Pile It On
Take It, Make It

     That's all for today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bribery Works

     Good morning on a lovely spring Friday!  We have another new challenge starting at QKR Stampede and our theme is always Anything Goes.  I have a fun card today, which is not only a total fantasy but is a take off on the old Tortoise and Hare fairy tale.  In this version, it takes a bit of bribery to keep the old turtle moving along.  lol

     The image is from QKR and is called "Bribery Goes Far."  I did my best to make it look like springtime since yesterday was the first day of Spring here in the Northern Hemisphere.  :-D

I used the colors from My Favorite Things

although my blue background is not quite dark enough

the rest of the colors are found in the image.

     I used ProMarkers and water color pencils on the image, then cut it with a stitched die from Lawn Fawn.  The blue background piece was cut with an Altenew die.  I put everything onto a kraft card base and added the metal brads to the upper and lower corners.

     I want to share with you a new technique I tried with the Altenew die.  I prefer dies over stencils but that's mostly because I have so many dies and so few stencils.  So I cut some very heavy CS with this particular Altenew die, then used the cut CS as a stencil to get perfectly aligned polka dots on a background piece.  I need a bit more practice but I'll share the results with you in a few more days.

     I printed the sentiment and cut it with the smallest Lawn Fawn die but I had to adjust the placement and cut twice to get the long rectangle shape out of a square die.

     Challenges:
As You Like It
Aud Sentiments
Brown Sugar
Colour Crazy
Cute Card Thurs.
Double Trouble  (all 3)
Outlawz Greetings
Penny's Paper Crafty
Take It, Make It

     Please come play along in our challenge this week, won't you?  You are NOT required to use images from QKR Stampede but if you do (or use one from our sister company, Eureka Stamps), your entry will go into a separate draw and that increases your chances of winning by a huge amount!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Santa on Vacation

      This is my second post for today.  If you're looking for my QKR Stampede DT card, scroll down one post.

     This post features my card made for the final day of the Christmas in July daily challenges at Catch the Bug.  We had to make a project inspired by this photo.



     Here's where inspiration took me.  When the Christmas rush is over and supervising the elves in the toy shop isn't yet needed for next year, Santa takes a tropical vacation.  :-D

     I colored the image with ProMarkers and gel inks, then carefully fussy cut it.  The 'sand' and sea in the scene are made from patterned paper, but I used a white gel pen to make the breaking waves in the ocean.

     The sky is done on white CS with water color pencils and gamsol for blending.  I printed the sentiment, cut it by hand and added it to the card front.  The three tiny pearls are the only embellishment but there is great visual texture from the four layers - 3 dp plus the image.

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas (on a beach - lol)
Aud Sentiments
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Gals Corner
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper
Digi Doodle Studios
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
Outlawz Festive Friday
Sasayaki Glitter
Sisterhood of Crafters
Star Stampz
That's Crafty

     Don't forget - today and tomorrow are the last days of the Challenges for Days Birthday Bash and all you have to do to win is to comment on my post (HERE) and on the Birthday Bash post at Challenges for Days.  There are great prizes to be won from not only some lovely sponsors on Saturday but also from each of the CfD List Manager volunteers who have offered prizes of crafting goodies.  Check it out and be sure to leave comments on all the blogs which are offering prizes.  See the list on the CfD blog.   

     That's all I have for today but you did get a "twofer" so no complaining.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie