Spooked on Halloween

     When I found this image at Sweet Pea Stamps, I knew I'd use it over and over again.  This time, I thought it would make a great Halloween card but I can also see it for a general autumn card, or Thanksgiving, or even a card about mice or other unexpected things.  :-D

I started this card with inspiration from Sweet Sketch Weds. 2

but did just the bow instead of a ribbon across the middle.

     The only coloring this time was on the little mouse and her eyes, both of which were colored with ProMarkers.  I really liked the pencil sketch look of this image and wanted those muted colors that we see after the garishly-hued leaves have all dropped and died in the late fall.  The image and the sentiment were printed directly onto the card front so what looks like a mat of brown CS behind the image is actually layered on top of the image and a window is cut so the image shows.

     I didn't know I was going to do a frame around the image when I printed the card front and it was a challenge just getting the window cut in the right spot.  Not only did I have to get the image framed, I had to make sure the sentiment still showed.  That's a process I'll think all the way through before trying it again.  :-D  I added three score lines at the top for a little texture and interest.

     It wasn't until I was editing the photograph that I noticed the misprint on the sentiment.  I corrected the missing stem on the "p" in 'Spooked' with a black ink pen but couldn't correct the photograph and didn't have time to photograph it again..

     Challenges:
ArtbyMiran
Crafty Girls Creations
Creative Corner
Digital Delights
Dragons Lair Designs
Hiding in My Craft Room
House That Stamps Built
Really Reasonable Ribbon
Simon Says Stamp
Simply Papercraft
Sisterhood of Crafters
Stamping Boutique
Sweet Pea Stamps Progressive Challenge
Whimsy Inspiration

     OK, I may be a bit absent off and on this week.  I do have a post for tomorrow and for Friday but I'm not sure what else I may get done.  I'm busy with diabetes classes and will be out of town a couple of days in the middle of that, but I'll see what else I might be able to do.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Snowflakes are Winter's Butterflies

     Another Sunday morning and another challenge starts at Pile It On.  We have a 1, 2, 3 recipe for you this week, meaning that we want to see 1 of something, 2 of something else, and 3 of something else.  You get to choose what those things are.  I chose 1 bow, 2 mats of CS behind my image, and 3 different ribbons.

     Our sponsor is Stitchy Bear and they generously provided images for the DT.   I used a new one called "Snowflake Butterflies" and the sentiment that came with it.

     I colored the image with my ProMarkers and added a bit of sparkle to the snowflakes with a gel pen.   I die cut the image, plus two CS layers for mats.  I went shopping this week and bought new ribbons, so three of those made their way onto the card.  Finally, I added the little bow which  is one of those I make by the dozen and toss in my stash.  Like the majority of my other bows, this was made from white ribbon and I 'dyed' it with my markers to get the exact share of blue I wanted.

Challenges:

A Snowflakes Promise

Aud Sentiments

Crafting by Designs

Crafty Ribbons

Die Cuttin' Divas 

Digi Choosday

Fan-Tastic Tuesday 

Fresh Brewed 

House That Stamps Built 

Inspiration Destination 

Star Stampz 

Through the Craft Room Door 

     This challenge runs for two weeks and we'd love to see you playing along with us.  Remember, you can enter as many times as you like and we strongly encourage you to "Pile On" the challenges, as many as you can.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie   

Owls

     The image on this card is a freebie from TLC Creations in honor of World Card Making Day.  Since I spent the majority of the day with family while we celebrated my grandson's birthday, I didn't have much time to make cards.  This one was a late evening effort and I rather like it.  Thanks, TLC!

     I colored it with ProMarkers, cut it with a die from QuicKutz, and added two mats before layering it onto a white card base.  The feathers were in my stash and the bow is one of those I make and keep in my stash for future use.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Allsorts
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Calendar
Creative Moments
I {heart} ProMarkers
Male Room
Melonheadz Friends
Mod Squad
Scrapper's Delights

     Have a great second half of the weekend.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Pumpkins and Pie

     One of the really great things about Thanksgiving when I was a child was the pumpkin pie!  For some reason, we rarely had it the rest of the year but Thanksgiving was a guarantee that the lovely, orange-y, nutmeg-spicy pie would be there, just waiting for a first bite.  It was my favorite pie back then and remains so all these years later.  :-D  My card today celebrates that annual occasion.

I used this sketch from Tuesday Morning  Sketches.

     I colored the image with chalk markers and made a background sky and clouds by coloring with gel inks.  (I'm totally crazy about all these Bird Brain images by From the Heart Stamps!)  I added gold and silver glitter to the moon and gold glitter to the embossed pumpkin embellie.  The papers are from Lawn Fawn and I rounded the corners on the image and the mat with a punch.  The 'raffia' ribbon is actually a strip of plastic bag, wrapped  around the card front and scrunched on a piece of  3/8s double stick tape.  The bow is made from glitter-striped ribbon, tied with my bow maker.

     Challenges:
Cardz for Guyz (moon)
Chalk n Stock
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards
Clear It Out
Crafting with an Attitude
Craft-Dee Bowz
Crafty Boots
Crafty Cardmakers
Jo's Scrap Shack
Julie Spiri
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Quick Quotes
Scrap and Craft

     I'm off to my daughter's house where the whole family and about a dozen 8 and 9 year olds are going to celebrate my grandson's birthday.  Have a great weekend.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Gnome Man as Santa

     New challenge at QKR Stampede this morning and our theme is everybody's favorite, "Anything Goes" so I took advantage of that to get one more Christmas card done for the stash.  I used Digi 4201 "Gnome Man" and Digi 15710 "Name Ain't There" for the sentiment.

     All it took to turn him from a plain gnome into Santa was to color him in red.  :-D  I used ProMarkers and chalks, and die cut him with a die from Spellbinders.  The dp is a left over scrap from my stash.  I made the candy cane with recycled white and red wires, twisted together and curved into the cane shape.  The bow is tied from red cord.  It's a CAS design and I really like it.  This one will be easy to mail come holiday time.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps and More
Aud Sentiments
A Snowflakes Promise
Christmas Cards
Come and Get It
Crafting from the Heart
Eureka Stamps
Fab 'n Funky
Holly Jolly Christmas
Robyn's Fetish

     That's all I  have for today but I did do another post late last night; if you missed it, be sure to check it out, too.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Mums and Butterflies

     It's time for the next monthly challenge over at Pattie's Creations and our new theme is "Fall or Halloween."  In honor of a new month and a new challenge, I bought a new type of die (new for me) and used it for the first time.  It's a reverse die, by Memory Box, meaning that when you use it, you have the negative space showing instead of the cut out piece.  Check out these butterflies.

I used the sketch from Sketch Saturday as my start

(using the butterflies as my diagonal)

and took the colors from Catch the Bug

and Crafting for all Seasons.

     

   
     The image is called Pumpkin Watering Can with Mums and I love it!  It was fantastic to color and I used a die from Spellbinders to frame it.  The sentiment is mine.  I used two different colors of CS, both of which have been embossed with my 'Linen' folder.

     I chose glitter-striped ribbon to add some sparkle, put a few pearls on the butterflies, and finally added a little bling to the bottom corner.  Do I even need to tell you that I LOVE this card?  :-D

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
A Gem of a Challenge
Classy Cards n Such
Colour Your World
Crafting by Designs
Craft Your Passion
Die Cuttin' Divas
Dream Valley (Top row)
Little Claire's
Not Just Cards
Pencil Case
Through the Craft Room Door

     I have no idea how much crafting I'm going to get done this upcoming week.  I have some doctor appointments, some classes related  to Type 2 Diabetes, and am also going to be out of town for a couple of days during the week.  I'll get my DT work done and pre-scheduled but may not have much else to post.  I'll play it by ear and see what gets done.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Headless Horseman???

     No, it's not the Headless Horseman.  Take a closer look.

I  used the sketch from I {Heart} Sketches

to showcase this fun Bird Brain image

by From the Heart Stamps.

     This is a  brand new image for me and I'm using it right away!  I colored with Copics and used Memory Box dies to cut the image and the mat.  The dp piece is from DCWV, the "Autumn Melody" stack.  I added three little punched leaves which were still on my desk from yesterday's creation.  I didn't do any other embellishing since I want this for a masculine card.

     Challenges:
Crafting from  the Heart
Creative Card Crew
Deep Ocean
Die Cuttin' Divas
Digi Choosday
Eureka Stamps
MarkerPOP
Melonheadz Friends
Without Words

     OK, now that I've gotten to share my birdbrain sense of humor with all of you, I'm going to wish you all a good day.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

October Digi of the Month

     The October Digi of the Month challenge has already started over at Deedee's Digis.  If you played in this progressive challenge last moth, you should have already received your freebie image for this month.  If not, please contact Deedee through the challenge blog so that it can be sent to you.  The set this month is called "Pumpkin Patch" and there's a photo of the full set at the bottom of this post.

     First thing I must tell you is that I was inspired by a fellow DT, Kren @ A Fourth Life, and I just had to CASE the idea of the leaf embellies as she used them on this card.  Although, I admit I got a bit carried away with the idea!  Thanks, Kren, for the inspiration.  :-D  

     For my card, I used the pre-colored image, used ProMarkers to add the sky and to color the scarecrow's shirt so that it was more red.  All the leaves were individually hand-punched from scrap bits of CS, then added around the edge of the image, one by one.  That piece was adhered to a card base made from shiny CS.  I 'dyed' a white bow with a marker to get the shade of orange I wanted.  The sentiment is also from the set.

     Challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge

Classy Cards n Such

Come and Get It

Crafty Sentiments Designs

Digitally Sweet

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends

Love to Scrap

Oddball Art

One Stitch at a Time

Outlawz Greetings

Paper Girls

Robyn's Fetish

Sisterhood of Crafters

Whimsy Inspiration

     Hey, it's Wednesday and that means we're half way to another weekend.  Why do the weeks go so quickly as we get closer and closer to the holidays?   Yikes, I already need more time to get everything done that I want to do before Halloween knocks on my door.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Pumpkin Kitty

     There's a new challenge starting today over at Tuesday Throwdown and we have Sugar Pea Designs sponsoring us this week.   Our theme is "Clean And Simple" (CAS), meaning lots of open space and minimal embellishment in the card design.  I chose to do one last Halloween card because I simply couldn't resist this precious kitten peeking out of a pumpkin.   I don't have any Sugar Pea images in my collection so I used an image from AuroraWings.

     I colored the image with my ProMarkers, deciding right away that this was a little white kitten, not a black cat.  :-D  I also decided to use my three favorite fall colors (goldenrod, orange and black) instead of the typical Halloween colors.   I added glitter to the pumpkin face and waited for it to dry.   Then, I cut the image with a hexagon die from QuicKutz and matted it with another die cut one size larger.

     Everything went onto a yellow pre-made card base.  I added the matted sentiment and three, tiny, black rhinestones, then left it alone.  The entire card, including the coloring process, took less than 45 minutes but it also gave me a chance to use up one more pre-made card base from my stash.

     Challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks
A Gem of a Challenge
AuroraWings
Cards in Envy
Come and Get It
DL.ART Thankful Thurs
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jo's Scrap Shack
Just Add Ink
Little Claire's
Pencil Case
Send a Smile 4 Kids
Simply Papercraft
Stamping Boutique
Wags 'n Whiskers

     I hope we're going to see some wonderful CAS creations from all of you this week!  Just  click on the Tuesday Throwdown name up above to go directly to the challenge blog.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Apple Season

     Picking apples every fall is a warm and wonderful childhood memory of mine.  The whole family would go up into a high foothill community, appropriately named Apple Valley, and pick at least 5 bushels of apples, combining sweet and tart, juicy and crisp, and in all possible apple colors.  They were stored in the cellar and we had apple pies, applesauce, baked apples, and Waldorf salads, to say nothing of slipping down into the cellar just to pick out that one perfect apple to go into the lunchbox for school.

     When I saw this image set at MHK Designs, I bought it immediately and this is the first chance I've had to use it.  Makes me want to sing the old, old "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree..." which was popular with soldiers going off to war. :-D

     I colored the image with ProMarkers, cut it with a die from Spellbinders, and threaded the ribbon through it.  I adhered the piece onto a colored card base and called it finished.  How's that for something really CAS which has an elegant flair to it?

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Friends
Crafty Girls Creations
Creative Fingers
DL.ART Thankful Thurs.
Jo's Scrap Shack
Little Red Wagon
Morgan's ArtWorld
Outlawz PAM
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Paper Girls
Simon Says Stamp
Simply Papercraft
Sweet Stampin'
Word Art Weds.

     I hope your week is starting well and that your weekend was filled with relaxing and productive activities.  I helped my daughter prepare invitations and other things for my youngest grandson's 9th birthday and got cards made for my DT commitments so my weekend felt both productive and relaxing.  I do love to craft and be creative.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Coffee and Autumn

     There's something about autumn and the cooler weather which means it's time to break out the coffee pot & mugs and put away the ice tea pitcher & lemonade glasses.  I'm celebrating that coming of autumn with this card, hoping that, finally, it might bring on that cooler weather.  We're so tired of hot, hot, hot out here in dry and drought-stricken California.

     On the other hand, once that cooler weather does set in, we're really grateful for all those wonderful warm drinks poured into a mug, held in our cold hands, and used to warm our insides.  :-D

     Paola, at My Whimsical Little World, has done several of these coffee and teacup images and it was through her that I heard about the Coffee Loving Cardmakers blog hop for National Coffee Day.   She's one of 42 different sponsors!

     I colored the image with ProMarkers, then used a Spellbinders' die to cut it.  I added the ribbon, put everything on a colored card base, and beyond that, left it pretty simple.

     Challenges:
Cards in Envy
City Crafter
Coffee Loving Cardmakers
Crafting with Dragonflies
Cut It Up
Deep Ocean
Fan-Tastic Tuesday
Inspiration Destination
Really Reasonable Ribbon
Scrapy Land
Simon Says Stamp
Stamping Boutique
Sweet Stampin'
Through the Craft Room Door

     OK, the weekend is half over and I still have DT cards to make for this upcoming week.  But my day is without any other plans so crafting the day away will work just fine.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

I'm Here for You

     Yesterday I shocked many of my followers by posting a card with a dog image instead of a cat so today, I'm making up for that.  :-D  This sweet feline "Homework Helper" is from a set of the same name available at Deedee's Digis.  See the photo of the full set at the bottom of this post.

     Those of you who share your lives with felines will totally understand this image.  Regardless of what you are trying to accomplish, the cat must be in the middle of it!  Even my teenage granddaughters know about the kind of homework help cats give.  No matter, we love them and reward them for loving us enough to be there for us.  :-D

     To make this card, I started with a sketch from Sweet Sketch Weds. but flipped it, top to bottom.

     The image is colored with ProMarkers and cut into a square.  I inked the edges and layered it onto a die cut, square, lace doily.  That went onto dp from Forever in Time, their "Perfect Prints" pad.  I added sparkly ribbon (made with twine and narrow double stick tape), then  a two layer flower to which glitter had been added.  I used another of my favorite die cut leaf stems (Cheery Lynn) with glitter added to those also.  I put a full stem of leaves above with the flower and three individual ones at the lower left.   Finally, I added the small pearls to the three leaves and to the opposite corner above.

     Although this feline is supposedly helping with homework, I think it would be a great card just to tell someone they're not alone.

     Challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks
Bunny Zoe's
Cheery Lynn
Crafty Boots
Crafty Cardmakers
Crafty Gals Corner
Crafty Ribbons
Digi Choosday
Digital Delights
Eureka Stamps
Inspiration Destination
Little Miss Muffet - top row
Mod Squad
Outlawz Twisted Thursday

     Have a wonderful weekend and don't forget there's still a little bit of time to play in the September DOM challenge at Deedee's Digis.  It runs until just before midnight, Pacific Time, on Sunday, September 27.  Playing this month means you'll get the digi for next month free and it's a cutie!  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

A Dog's Life

     OK, ok, I know many of you are going to be in shock when you see the image I chose to use on my DT card for the new challenge at QKR Stampede this week, where the theme is "Dogs or Cats."   With a theme like that, those of you who are friends or who visit here regularly will be expecting to see a feline image, right?  Sorry.  It's time to clear up the misconception that I'm a 'crazy cat lady.'
 
     Actually, I'm a crazy ANIMAL lady!  I love cats and dogs equally but for the last few years, it's been the felines who've let me share their home, feeding and caring for them, cleaning their litter box and otherwise tending to their demands needs.  <--They made me change that!

     So, today, I'm honoring the canine side of the theme.  :-D  Let's face it, nothing is more dedicated than a dog.  Retrievers are dedicated to chasing anything thrown for them.  Chihuahuas are dedicated to barking at every sound or motion.  Poodles are dedicated to strutting their stuff.  And some dogs are just dedicated to napping and laying claim to their personal space.  :-D

     This image (Digi 6601 "Spoiled Dog" & Digi 14619 "Dog's Life") was colored with ProMarkers then cut with a die from Spellbinders.  The sentiment was hand cut, inked on the edge, and adhered to the image piece.

     I also die cut a mat out of dark brown CS, layered it onto the striped dp (DCWV) and ran both of those layers through an embossing folder to make the pawprints.  I added one of the small bows I make and used it as the only embellishment since this card will be for a guy.

     Challenges:
Cards in Envy
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Love to Scrap
Not Just Cards
Passion for ProMarkers
Path of Positivity
Sweet Stamps
Through the Craft Room Door
Without Words

     We're only hours away from the start of another weekend and I have great plans for getting away from it all while never straying more than a couple of miles from my home.  Hope your plans include rest and relaxation in whatever form suits you best.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

"Fall" in Love

     How's this for a perfect, fall wedding, bridal shower card?  The shower decorations are all being done in fall colors.  The image is from The East Wind, where their current FB challenge has a theme of "Lovin' the Animals."

My colors were inspired by Our Crafty Corner.

     The image is colored with ProMarkers, then die cut with a die from Spellbinders.  I took a few of the leaves which were bits that dropped out of the die cut, colored them with ProMarkers, and used them for corner embellies.  The background CS (all from my stash) is hand-torn and layered onto the card front.  Each piece was run through my "Linen" folder before tearing.  The bow is made from hem tape lace and I 'dyed' it with ProMarker to get the color I wanted.

     Challenges:
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards
City Crafter
Clear It Out
Crafty Catz
Crafty Creations
Deep Ocean
Fan-Tastic Tuesday
Hanna & Friends
Little Claire's
Not Just Cards
Oddball Art Stamps
Our Creative Corner
Really Reasonable Ribbon
Scrapy Land
Simply Papercraft
Sisters of Craft
Whoopsi Daisy

     Hey, it's Wednesday and officially Autumn here in the Northern Hemisphere!  Only two more days 'til the weekend and our weather is supposed to cool down for a day or so, then get hot again on Friday and Saturday.  I keep hoping for the cool breath of fall but I'm beginning to lose faith in the weather predictors.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Christmas Magnolia

     I was looking through my huge collection of images from Doodle Pantry, and ran across this Magnolia Blossom.  I've had that image for more than three years and this is the first time I've used it.  It just struck me that, as a lovely white flower, it could make a beautiful Christmas card.

     I printed it twice, once on green CS and again on white.  I outlined the one on CS with white gel ink.  I also printed the sentiment onto the same green CS and then went over it with white gel ink, too.  The colored flower was fussy cut and mounted atop the green CS flower on Pop Dots.  I matted both the image and the sentiment with white CS and layered them together set at angles to each other.

     I found the background dp in my Christmas stash (something else in my stash for more than a year.)   The ribbon and the twine were scrap pieces just waiting to be used, and the holly leaves are actually shank buttons.  So, don't you agree this was a good image for Christmas?

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
A Snowflake's Promise
Christmas Cards All Year Round
Crafting for all Seasons
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Catz
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas  (posy)
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra
Digi Galore
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jingle Belles
Love to Scrap
Outlawz Greetings
Paper Minutes
Papertake Weekly
Petal Lu
Scrapper's Delights
Simply Papercraft

     My stash of Christmas cards is growing and, since I know that I'll have several more of them to do for DT projects as Christmas gets closer, I'm feeling good that there won't be any last minute rush for getting cards done in mid-December.  :-D  Happy Stamping.   NanaConnie

Mid-Challenge Reminder at Quirky Crafts

     We're at the mid-way point of the challenge at Quirky Crafts where I'm one of the Guest Designers this time around.  They have two marvelous sponsors; last week I used an image from Sweet Pea Stamps and this week, I'm using Bugaboo Stamps.  The theme is "Animal Magic" so I thought this fun Halloween silhouette (called Skull Tree) from Bugaboo, with a cat, an owl, and  a couple of bats was perfect.

     This is a really CAS design.  It's also a new design technique I've not tried before.  I printed the silhouette image and the sentiment directly onto colored CS, then cut it to size for the black card front.  That gave me a single layer card which looked like two layers.

     There was no coloring involved (extremely unusual for me and part of doing something new) but I added a blingy look by using three different colors of glitter on the skull faces, the jack-o-lantern, the animal's eyes, plus a tiny touch of red on the spiders' tummies.

     I used a fine point, white, gel pen to add eyes to the bats.  I  added absolutely no ribbon or embellies making it very flat and perfect for mailing but very blingy and eye-catching nonetheless.  I like it, yes, I do!  :-D

     Challenges:
Animal Friends
Artistic Inspirations
Artistic Stampers
Aud Sentiments
CCC Digi Creations
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Boots
Digi Choosday
Incy Wincy Designs
Melonheadz Friends
Outlawz PAM
Papertake Weekly

     OK, this is my last "Sunday" post today - even though one actually went live late last night.  Two guest designing spots on the same day isn't something I planned but it has been fun.  This is my last post for Quirky Crafts  and it's been loads of fun.  Thanks, ladies, for allowing me to join all of you.  For my friends and followers, why not go by the Quirky challenge blog and check out what all the DT members have done, both last week and this.  Then find something magical in one of your animal stamps and make something to enter in their challenge.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Pilgrims for Harvest

     We start a new challenge at Pile It On today and we have a fun palette of autumn colors for our theme (see below.)  Digital Delights is our sponsor and they generously provided images for the DT to use.  As it happens, I have quite a collection of Digital Delights digis so I used "Pilgrim Boy" and "Pilgrim Girl" from my own collection and then added the sentiment which was provided to the team members.

Our wonderful color combo...

...and below is my card.

     There really was no place on either of these partially pre-colored images to use that lovely olive green color so I used my linen folder to emboss some olive CS, cut it to size, and punched the corners.  The image piece was die cut with a set from Spellbinders, as was the dark brown mat (I know it looks black in the photo, but it really is brown as is the narrow ribbon.)

     After I got it all layered together, including the ribbons, bow, and pearls in the one corner (all from my stash!), the olive green CS just wasn't working.  I dug through my ProMarkers, found a lovely light olive green shade and colored in her apron.  I also punched a few leaves from the olive CS and layered them on top of the image.  Instantly, the olive CS fit right in!

     It's amazing what a little bit of added color can do.  I know it makes her look very different from the way a traditional Pilgrim girl is pictured in all white, black and gray, but in this case, the overall design works better.  :-D

     Challenges:

Card and Scrap

Cardz 4 Guys 

CCC Digi Creations 

Clear It Out

Crafting by Designs

Crafty Creations 

Creative Card Crew 

Digi Galore 

Oddball Art Stamps 

Our Creative Corner 

Outlawz Twisted Thursday 

Scrapy Land 

Through the Craft Room Door

WordArt Weds.

     Autumn and all the upcoming holidays are rushing toward us at a pace faster than I care to see.  I have a solid start on all my holiday cards so I think I'll be done by the end of November.  Which is a good thing because the amount of time I spend away from my cozy home during December means that the crafty time is much reduced.  For now, I'd be delighted to see you playing along with us at Pile It On, and remember, that means pile on those challenges!  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Christmas Cuddles

     My third week as a Guest Designer on the Sunday CAS challenge at The Outlawz and I'm truly enjoying it.  I've done a couple of very simple cards so far, and this week is also CAS but with some layers and dimension used in the design.  We have a new theme this week and it's one everybody loves - Anything Goes!   I used an image from Sweet Pea Stamps called "Sugar and Snowball" and took the opportunity to add one more card to my Christmas stash.

I started with a sketch from Pals Paper Arts

and colors taken from Color My Heart.

   

     I used my ProMarkers to color the image and then cut it into a square.   The red CS I used for the die cut frame has been hiding in my Christmas stash for nearly 3 years.  It's very heavy duty and one side is polished so that it shines.  This time, I chose to use the matte side because it worked better with the image colors and was much easier to photograph.

     Once matted, I added the entire piece to the card front, giving me layers but without a lot to distract the eye.  Afterall, I was after a CAS design but I wanted some layers and texture.  The sentiment is printed, hand-cut and matted, and adhered with dimensional dots.

     Challenges:
ArtbyMiran
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards
Christmas Stampin' All Year Long
Crafting for all Seasons
Crafty Catz
Crafty Creations
Crafty Gals Corner
Fan-Tastic Tuesday
Hanna & Friends
Incy Wincy 
Jingle Belles
Morgan's ArtWorld
Outlawz Greetings
Paper Minutes

     It's been fun Guesting at the CAS challenge and I'm looking forward to one more week before it's over.  Any time I can work on mastering the magic of CAS, I grab it.  I'm just honored that they asked me to be Guest Designer this month.   :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie  

Fall Birthday Lady

     This beautiful lady was a freebie from A Day for Daisies where their challenge theme is "Frame It."  As soon as I saw the image, I just knew she called for soft, fall colors - almost pastels rather than the usual bright oranges, reds, and deep yellows.  Even without those bright colors, I wanted her to be "Autumn" without question.  What do you think?

     I colored her with my ProMarkers, cut her with my paper cutter, rounded the corners with a punch, and die cut the background frame from a scrap piece of dp with one of my dies from QuicKutz.  I threaded the two ends with ribbon from my 'bits and pieces' stash, then mounted the matted image onto buttercream CS.   That entire thing went onto a white card front.   I added fall leaves and pearls and then used the negative, drop-out pieces from a decorative-corner die (Cheery Lynn) on the top and bottom of the framed piece, adding a delicate filigree flair to the overall design.

     Challenges:
ABC Challenge (first column)
Crafting by Designs
Crafting for all Seasons
Crafty Gals Corner
Digistamps 4 Joy
Inspiration Destination
Petal Lu
Sisters of Craft
Through the Purple Haze

      I hope your weekend is wonderful and that you find lots of 'refresh' time.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

One Old Buzzard

     Another silly card for the challenge starting today at QKR Stampede.  Our theme is "3s a crowd" meaning we want to see 3 of something on your card.  I used three strips of ribbon and three bows.

     I actually combined two images, one of which I used as the sentiment:  Digi 13610 "Old Buzzard" and Digi 13604 "Ain't Scared."   Another of my Halloween cards.

     The image is colored with ProMarkers.  I cut the image with my paper cutter and inked the edges with distress ink.  The polka dot paper is from Lawn Fawn and the ribbons are from my stash.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
Colour Your World
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Glitter n Sparkle (graveyard)
Incy Wincy
Not Just Cards
Paper Minutes
Passion for ProMarkers
Through the Craft Room Door
Whoopsi Daisy

     That's it for today but I'm already working on cards for Sunday and next week so plan to stop by again, won't you?  Don't forget to play in our challenge this week and if you use a QKR Stampede image, you'll be entered into a separate drawing just for those who use QKR images and that means your chances of winning are much higher.  See you there.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Autumn Harvest

     I'm sharing a new card today, made with one of the images from Deedee's Digis Autumn Harvest set.  There's a photo of the full set at the bottom of this post.

And here's the inside with the sentiment from the set.

     I printed the basket image and fussy cut it before layering it on pop dots on top of the three different dp scraps I used.  I added the double bow of narrow, satin ribbon and the two wooden leaves which came from my stash.  I think this is a perfect masculine card for Thanksgiving or just gratitude in general.

     I know this is a very brief post but I have appointments scheduled this morning and must post this before I leave.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
ArtbyMiran
Clear It Out
Craft Your Passion
Crafting from the Heart
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Boots
Crafty Friends
Creative Card Crew
Digi Choosday
Di's Digi Designs
Incy Wincy
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Love to Scrap
Paper Girls
Ribbon Girl
Scrapper's Delights

      I hope you have a fantastic day, friends and followers.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

  Autumn Harvest

I Really HATE Spiders!

     I hate spiders, I really do.  I can't even stand looking at photographs of real ones and I definitely don't want to see them creepy-crawling up the wall or across the floor.  But when I saw this freebie image from Judy at Blue Jeans, Coffee and Friends, this goofy little spider was so cute, I just had to use him for this card.  Thanks, Judy!!

     I bravely grabbed my ProMarkers and colored him up, adding sparkle gel ink to the web.  Then I cut the image piece into a simple square and offset it onto four layers of textured CS.  I added the two ribbons and tied a double bow.  The final touch was the sentiment, printed and added above the spider.  A very simple design, worthy of a spider who scares off everything else.  :-D

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
AAA Cards
A Gem of a Challenge
Crafting from the Heart
Crafts Galore Encore
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Catz
Digi Galore
Incy Wincy
Morgan's Artworld
Pencil Case
Ribbon Girl
Sisters of Craft
Your Scrapbook Place

     This is the last of the 10 cards I had to make for a neighbor and, since she's paying me for them, I've agreed to swap out any she may not like with ones I've made (or will make) for my own family.  That way, I know she's absolutely happy with everything she gets.  Her only instructions amounted to giving me the genders and ages of her grandkids and two nieces.   Not a lot of information on which to build but I think she'll like what I take to her.  You'll see most of the others over the next couple of weeks, as I have time to get them posted.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie