Oh, Deer!

     Today's card utilizes an image from one of MHK Designs' new releases and I think it's a perfect masculine card.  Hopefully, I'll have another card card this week featuring another deer but you'll have to wait on that one.  No more hints.  :-D

     I used my ProMarkers to color the image and used one of my Darice embossing folders on the background.  The sentiment is also part of that same MHK set.  I added the bow and pearl for simple embellishment.

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas
A Snowflakes Promise
Aud Sentiments
Brown Sugar
Craft Rocket
Crafting for all Seasons
Crafting with an Attitude
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Girls
Graph'It
I {heart} ProMarkers
Inkspirational
Inspiration Destination
Morgan's Artworld
Pencil Case
Scrap & Craft
Through the Craft Room Door

     We managed to get the costumes finished which was a real feat considering sewing machine problems with 3 different machines!  We worked on them until midnight last night and the girls finished the last piece of one costume early this morning.  If they get some good photos, I'll share them with you later.  I'm really proud of my granddaughter and her friend about how quickly they have progressed with their sewing.  It's been fun teaching again.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Polar Peace at Christmas

     This adorable image is from Deedee's Digis "Polar Peace" set and I just love it!

I based this on the sketch at Everybody-Art

turned sideways 1/4 turn.

     I started with a pre-colored image, then added my own sky, some shading on the ice flow and under the critters, and also a bit of sparkle gel ink on the ice.  The image is die cut and corner punched, then layered onto a die cut mat.  That piece is layered onto a darker purple mat and corner punched again.

     The sentiment is from that same set, hand cut and inked on the edge.  I added ribbon scraps to wrap around the card front and to make the bow.  In fact, now that I think about it, everything is done with scraps including the white CS on which I printed the image and sentiment.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
ABC Christmas
Aud Sentiments
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Rocket
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Moments
Fan-Tastic Tuesday
Incy Wincy
Inspiration Destination
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Love to Scrap
Papertake Weekly
Simon Says Stamp
Sweet Stamps
Vintage Stamping/Flonz

      One more darling card to add to my Christmas stash, which is growing nicely and I'm confident I'll have all I need plus some to donate to the Senior Center so that their participants have cards to give to family even though they can't get out to buy cards.  Each year I donate cards and you should see the looks on their faces when they get to go through the box and choose the ones they want!  Makes me feel good just seeing their smiles.  :-D

     Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie  

Cold Hands, Warm Hearts

     Friday morning, only a week before Thanksgiving here in the US, and many states and cities have already had snow.  That seemed to be a good reason to celebrate "Snowmen" in our new weekly challenge at QKR Stampede.

I used colors from the inspiration photo at City Crafter.

     QKR has so many adorable snowmen in its collection but I chose this one, Digi 13004 "Winter Friends" and paired it with Digi 13804 "Cold Hands" for the sentiment.   I used my ProMarkers to color the image and then used a scalloped border die from Spellbinders to cut one side of it.  The sentiment is hand cut and inked on the edges.

     The background dp is from the "Winter Magic" stack by DCWV.  I added the striped ribbon, lacing it through the scallops and then added the sentiment piece over the ribbon by using dimensional dots.  It's a pretty simple design which looks more complex because of the patterns in the dp and the ribbon.

     Challenges:
A Snowflakes Promise
Colour Your World
Crafting with Dragonflies
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Love to Scrap
Papertake Weekly
Scrapy Land
Sweet Stamps
Through the Craft Room Door
Where the HeART Is
WordArt Wednesday

     The weekend is here already - can you believe it?  This will be the last one I have to get things ready for Thanksgiving.  Tomorrow, I'm spending the day (and night) with my granddaughters, getting the last bits and final touches of costumes sewn for their big day at our local Comicon.

     It's been a project which has taken up the greater part of two weekends and several weekday afternoons but I've had so much fun spending that time teaching the first steps in sewing.  Nothing like picking a very complex costume pattern for the first sewing project!  But, then, that's my granddaughter.  Tackle big projects with absolute faith that they can be accomplished. :-D   Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

No Bah, Humbug Here!

     My dear blogging friend, Teresa of Tickell Expressions, drew this sweet little skunk (yes, skunks can be sweet!) and the first time I saw it, I just knew it belonged on a Christmas card. The sentiment popped into my head instantly.  Today was the first time I had the opportunity to get that envisioned card made and here it is.

     The image is colored with ProMarkers and a white gel pen, then die cut with a rectangle die from Spellbinders.  The mat was cut from dp with a larger die.  The bow is also a die cut (die from Cottage Cuts) and I cut three layers of it (white, navy blue, and patterned) for some dimension.  Both papers are from DCWV.  The Christmas tree charm was in my stash.

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas
A Gem of a Challenge
Come and Get It
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Friends
Cutie Pie
Di's Digi Designs (bow, digi, sentiment)
I (heart) ProMarkers
Incy Wincy
Inky Chicks
Lemon Shortbread
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Not Just Cards
Our Daily Bread
Paper Shelter
Scrapper's Delights
Sisterhood of Crafters

     I hope your week is going well and that the weather is being decent.  If the weather is nasty, then I hope you're warm and toasty inside, playing with your favorite crafty things.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Silhouette Christmas

     Lately, I'm finding myself really intrigued with silhouette images.  I did a couple of Halloween cards with them and now I've found this delightful set from MHK Designs just in time for Christmas.  I love the way Mynn has reversed the positive and negative on the silhouette!  The sentiment is also from that same set.

     This is a pretty CAS design.  I chalked the background before printing the image and then used an eraser to remove some of the chalk from the white silhouettes.  I added a button snowflake and made a 3-D poinsettia for the corner.  I also found a pinecone shank button, removed the shank, and added it next to the poinsettia.  Done!  The whole thing took less than 25 minutes, including making the flower.

     Challenges:
A Snowflakes Promise
Christmas Challenge
Come and Get It
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas
Cutie Pie
Inky Chicks
One Layer Christmas
Scrapbook Blessings
Send a Smile 4 Kids
Vintage Stamping

     Countdown to Thanksgiving is on in my family and Christmas follows so quickly thereafter I can hardly believe it.  This year, I'll be spending time with my oldest grandson and his family so that means getting to spend Christmas with the great-grands for the first time ever.  :-D  I'm really looking forward to that.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Last GDT card for Path of Positivity

     I love this "Pumpkin Topiary" image from Scribbles Designs and am so tickled that I got to use it for creating my last GDT card for Path of Positivity's "Thankful" theme this month.  There are two wonderful sponsors; Kitten Scraps and Scribbles Designs and this image is from Scribbles.

     I colored the image with my ProMarkers and I love the way the fall colors make such a warm color combo.  One of my favorite combos for the harvest season and Thanksgiving.  Everything on the card was found in my scrap pile, including the sparkly ribbon.  Nothing makes me feel better than using up scraps instead of cutting into new pieces of paper or spools of ribbon.

     I used punches and dies to get the shape on the image and mat but the sentiments are hand cut and matted.  I left it without embellishment except for the ribbon because it was so sparkly that it was just enough.

     Challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks
Brown Sugar
Catch the Bug
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafty Creations
Creative Moments
Fussy and Fancy
Hiding in My Craft Room
Inspiration Destination
Jo's Scrap Shack
Julia Spiri
Little Red Wagon
Morgan's ArtWorld
Pencil Case
Simon Says Stamp
Stamping Boutique
Word Art Wednesday
Your Scrapbook Place

     I've really enjoyed working with the Path of Positivity team this month and look forward to playing in their challenges in future months.  Thanks for having me as a Guest Designer.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Santa with Sparkles

     This cheerful Santa is another image which I found in my stash, already printed/stamped and ready to color.  Like the turkey image on the card I posted a couple of days ago, I have no idea who drew it.  I forgot to label it when I printed it and my memory fails me today.  If anybody knows, please tell me because I'd love to give proper credit.  Edited:  Mystery solved thanks to Vicki!  It's a retired SU stamp which I no longer have.  I sold or gave away all but about a dozen of my rubber stamps when I was packing to move to my current home.  :-D

I used the sketch from the Outlawz Sketch Challenge.

   

    Santa is colored with ProMarkers and I added glitter to the fur and pompom on his hat.  I wish I could figure out what's going on with my camera that I can't seem to photograph sparkle very well.  This photo (and all the others I tried) is so disappointing but IRL, his sparkle is fabulous.  :-D  Edited to add:  I finally managed to get a shot of the sparkle and here it is:

     I fussy cut Santa and mounted him on dimensional dots to red CS, die cut that and added it to a black die cut a size larger.  I put that entire piece onto the card after using two different papers to make the background and the diamond shape dp, and put on the wrapped twine.

     My favorite things on this card are the reindeer and sleigh plus the tree and snowman in the corners.  Can you believe those are all buttons?  I had to cut off the shanks and sand down the left over little bumps but I love the depth and dimension they give to the card without being 'too much' by way of embellishment.  Those have been in my stash for longer than I care to admit.  :-D

     Challenges:
12 Months of Christmas
Ching-chou Kuik
Christmas Stampin'; All Year Long
C.R.A.F.T.
Craft for the Craic
Crafting with an Attitude
Crafty Calendar
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Extra
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper
Crafty Time
Crimbo Crackers
Graph'It
Great Impressions
Julia Spiri
Moving Along with the Times
Sisterhood of Crafters
Unicorn Challenge

     Less than two weeks 'til Thanksgiving and only four more after that until Christmas!  Yikes!!  I have more to do than I realized but at least the Christmas shopping has been done for more than a month.  I have a couple of sewing projects I have to finish and I need to start wrapping things but that can wait until Thanksgiving weekend.  In the meantime, I'm going to craft my heart out.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Celebrate Any Holiday with Pile It On

     It's time to "Celebrate Any Holiday," the theme for the newest challenge at Pile It On this fortnight.  We are sponsored by Doodle Pantry, one of my favorite places to find images, sentiments, and papers, all in the same set.  Having once served on the DT over there, I was so delighted to get this image out of my stash and use it.  These are the pumpkins from the "Pumpkin Birdie" set, and the "Happy Fall Y'all" sentiment is also from that same set.

I used colors I found at Outlawz Color Challenge.

 

     This is a pre-colored image, die cut with a framing die by Spellbinders and matted with another framing die a size larger.  The larger frame is colored with chalks which I applied using a cotton ball.  The diagonal strips are washi tape.  The bottom sentiment is computer printed and punched.  I added wooden leaves colored with ProMarkers, a hand tied bow which was 'dyed' with a ProMarker, and a punched, layered flower also colored with ProMarkers.  The sparkly gold mesh was a leftover scrap found in my stash.

     Challenges:

613 Avenue Create

Corrosive Challenge

Craft-Dee BowZ 

Crafty Creations  

Crafty Gals Corner 

Crafty Time 

Fan-Tastic Tuesday (brown)

Inspiration Destination 

Lacy Sunshine (1st column)

Lemon Shortbread 

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends 

Little Red Wagon 

Lunagirl Moonbeam 

Melonheadz Friends (top row)

Not Just Cards 

Scrapy Land 

Through the Craft Room Door 

WordArt Wednesday 

     I hope we'll see you playing with us this challenge.  Just decide on a holiday, any holiday, and make a project to celebrate it.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Gathering Acorns

     I just noticed there's a new challenge on the FB page for AuroraWings and their theme is "Holiday Sprites."  I love this little Acorn Sprite but have never used it before so I decided on Thanksgiving as my holiday.

I chose to use the sketch from STAMPlorations

and took my colors from the Friday Coloring challenge at The Outlawz.

  

     The Acorn Sprite is colored with my ProMarkers, then die cut with a die from QuicKutz.  The papers are from my stash and the yellow paper is embossed with Swiss Dots.  The sentiment is computer printed and matted with CS.  The "Thankful" sentiment is hand-printed on woodgrain paper, mounted on chipboard, and cut with a banner die.  Finally, I added a bow, the flower (punched pieces layered together with a gem), and the three gems below the bottom sentiment.

     Challenges:
ArtbyMiran
Corrosive Challenge
Crafting from the Heart
Crafting with Friends
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Creations
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Fingers
Creative Moments
Di's Digi Designs (top row)
DL.ART
DRS Designs
Fussy and Fancy
Inspiration Destination
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lacy Sunshine (top row)
Love to Scrap
Morgan's ArtWorld
Not Just Cards
Passion for ProMarkers
Scrapper's Delight
Stamping Boutique

     I'm getting toward the end of my Thanksgiving cards but still have a few to share.  Many of mine will have to be in the mail by mid-week if they are to arrive at their destinations on time.  I hope your crafting time isn't suffering from all the necessary holiday prep and that you're enjoying your weekend.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

1st Place Thanks at QKR Stampede

     We've started a new challenge this morning over at QKR Stampede and our theme is "Give Thanks."  My image this week is another crow, but not an albino one this time.  To understand that reference, you'll have to check out this card I did some weeks back.  :-D  He looks nearly delirious to have taken a First Place award so I thought he'd be perfect for a "Thankful" card during this Thanksgiving season.  Image is Digi 14306 "Prize Pumpkin."

     I used my ProMarkers to color the image, die cut it with my largest square die, and matted it with background paper I made with chalks.   The leaf ribbon was in my autumn stash and the ribbons I used for the double bow both I think came from Really Reasonable Ribbon but it could have been The Ribbon Girl.  The leaves are punched and the sentiment is done with a banner die cut and a corner punched mat behind it.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
AAA Cards
Chalk n Stock
Corrosive Challenge
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafting from the Heart
Creatalicious
Cuttlebug Mania
Digistamps 4 Joy
Dragonfly Journeys
Eureka Stamps
Fan-Tastic Tuesday (Bird)
Lemon Shortbread
Passion for ProMarkers
Ribbon Girl
Sisters of Craft
Sweet Stampin'
Through the Craft Room Door

     We here in the US are getting really close to Thanksgiving, only a couple of weeks away now. Our family is busy finalizing plans for a shared dinner and lots of shared gratitude.  I hope yours is, too.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Old Gobbler

     

Happy Veteran's Day!

Take some time to Salute a Veteran today.

     As I was cleaning and re-organizing the craft room over the weekend, I ran across this turkey image in my stash of Thanksgiving things.  I have no idea when I printed it (it could have been 2 or even 3 years ago) or who should get credit for drawing it, but I decided to get it colored up and use it for one of my cards this year.

My colors came from the challenge at 

Color My Heart.

(Chocolate and Gold Rush plus kraft)

     Interestingly, I had adjusted the printing so that the outline on the image was printed in dark brown instead of  black.   Looked really nice.  The image was printed on kraft paper and I used ProMarkers to color it.  The kraft paper made some of my browns turn more red than brown but I actually like it that way.  It was a nice contrast to the chocolate brown outline on the image.

     The polka dot paper for the background is heat embossed so IRL that paper has some shine and sparkle.  The striped paper is from DCWV.  I tied a double bow from deep chocolate ribbon using my bow maker and added two bits of yellow ribbon for contrast.  The final touch is the three metal brads I added.  Very simple design even with the patterned paper.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
AAA Cards
Allsorts
ArtbyMiran
Catch the Bug
Crafting-with-Friends
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper
Crazy for Challenges
Creative Fingers
Dragonfly Dreams
Dragonfly Journeys
Just Us Girls
Ribbon Girl
Scrapper's Delights
Your Scrapbook Place

      Hey, we're halfway through the week already and it's getting too close to the holidays for the days to be flying by that quickly!  Come to think of it, I feel that way about how fast time flies even when it's not the holiday season.  Maybe my age is showing.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

A Leafy Thanks

     Today we start a new challenge at Tuesday Throwdown and the theme is "Thanks." Our wonderful sponsor is Deedee's Digis.  I just happen to be on both of those DTs so this was a really happy card for me.  I used the fun bear from Deedee's "Leave me Smiling" set and chose the pre-colored image which made it a much faster card to make.

     This theme fit perfectly because I needed one more Thank You card for a local non-profit group and, since they raise funds for Juvenile Diabetes education, awareness, and for scholarships to the summer camps for diabetic kids they put on, it's an agency near and dear to my heart.  My grandson is now 9 years old and was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes 18 months ago.  One of the Board Members had to resign from the organization because he and his family were moving out of town and the Board Chairman needed a card to say thanks for his service on the Board.  Since the name of the organization is "Smiles for Diabetics," I thought this would be a great sentiment.

I used the sketch I found at Cheerful Sketches.

     I embossed the orange CS with one of my newer folders before adding the image piece to it.  I used a Fiskars corner punch on the image, the orange mat, and the gray background CS.  I added one small metal brad as an embellishment and found the yellow leaf sticker in my stash so added it.  The top sentiment is part of Deedee's set and the bottom one I printed with a computer font.  Each one is hand cut and inked on the edges.

     Challenges:
Crafts Galore Encore
Creatalicious
CCC Digi
Digistamps 4 Joy
Dragonfly Journey
Lunagirl Moonbeam
Nordsalten Hobbyklubb
Petal Lu
Sisters of Craft
Sweet Stampin'
Tinker Dream

     I hope we're going to see you playing along in our "Thank You" challenge at Tuesday Throwdown this week.  Remember, November is the month for "Thanks."  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Deck the Halls

     Good morning.  I'm doing a card for the Progressive Challenge at From the Heart using their Bird Brain image for this month.  I think the look on his face is hysterical!  That's probably what I look like when trying to get everything decorated and ready for Christmas.  :-D

     I colored this little Birdbrain with my ProMarkers and used one of my new dies from Spellbinders.  To balance off using something brand new, I dug out my collection of Stickles (unused since last Christmas season -- I've recently been doing mostly loose glitter for some reason) and used three of them on the ornaments and on the negative spaces of the die cut frame.

     I matted the image with red and mounted it onto a black card front, then added the snowflake button embellies from my stash (also from last year.)  The sentiment is computer printed, cut and embossed.

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas
A Snowflakes Promise
Art Impressions
Aud Sentiments - bottom row
Craft for the Craic
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Girls Creations
Graph' It
Inspiration Destination
Julie Spiri
Little Miss Muffet
Male Room
Paper Shelter
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Scrapy Land
Unicorn Challenge

     I had a fantastic day sewing with my granddaughter yesterday, but spent so much time there that I didn't get my post written and scheduled.  So, I had to do it this morning.  Now I'm off to run some errands, do some grocery shopping, pick up a few forgotten items to finish the sewing project(s) on Wednesday, and wait for the next round of rain to wash my car for me.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Christmas Fairy

     This sweet little Christmas Fairy comes from Sweet Pea Stamps and is for their Progressive Challenge.  Sadly, this may be the last of the challenges since Sweet Pea Stamps is going to be closing this month.  But it gives me a chance to get one more Christmas card done so I'm happy to use it.  :-D

     I colored her with ProMarkers, a touch of watercolor on her hair, and added sparkle gel ink to her fairy wand, her wings, to the little stars and to the Shiney Stuff can.  Unfortunately, the sparkle doesn't show up very well in the photo but it's really wonderful IRL.

     I used one of my framing dies from Spellbinders to cut out the image and also to die cut the sentiment.  After I embossed both of those, I rounded the corners of a red card blank and mounted the image directly onto the card front.  I tied the lovely little red bow and adhered it to the top corner.  I really wanted to let that fancy die cut do all the work so I did no other embellishment.

     I'm not sure if this little fairy travels by flying or by a wave of her magic wand but I'm sure happy she traveled to my house this month.  :-D

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
ABC Christmas
Allsorts
Cardz for Galz
Christmas at Sweet Stampin'
Craft for the Craic
Crafting for all Seasons
Crafting with an Attitude
Crafty Girls Creations
Graph'It
Inspiration Destination
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Papertake Weekly
Passion for Promarkers
Quick Quotes
Scrapy Land

     I hope your weekend is going well.  I'm spending lots of time with my oldest granddaughter doing fabric shopping and then starting on a sewing project for her.  She's just learning to sew and I'm having the time of my life teaching her some of the tricks and techniques that I learned over the many years of sewing I've done.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Mrs. Frosty Dressed for Christmas

     Time for the next part of the Progressive Challenge over at Sparkle and Glitter where Rick St Dennis' art is shown off so magnificently.  I do love his images!  This month we get to use any RSD image and I chose something that works for Christmas.  It's called "Mrs. Frosty" and she reminds me of the animated Christmas film for kids, "Frosty the Snowman."  Can't you just hear everyone singing "Winter Wonderland" all over the open meadow?

I started with the sketch from The Outlawz. 

     I colored the image with my ProMarkers and die cut it with one of my scalloped dies from Spellbinders.  Then I framed the scallop oval with a cut from a Spellbinders' framing die.  The sentiment is also cut with a die from Spellbinders.  I mounted everything onto dark green CS, then added the ribbon.

    I hand cut the holly leaves from CS which I had already colored with watercolors and embossed them with a stylus.  I punched out three little dots of red CS and added red glitter to them.  I also added a tiny bit of glitter to the rose on her hat.  Not completely CAS but close.  :-D

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas (+ DT Call!)
A Snowflakes Promise
Art Impressions Stamps
Card and Scrap
Christmas Challenge
Colouring in Scrapland
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas
Crafty Hazelnut's Extra
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz PAM
Paper Shelter
Passion for ProMarkers
Scrapy Land
Through the Craft Room Door
Unicorn Challenge
Whimsy Inspirations

     That's all for today but I do have posts scheduled for the entire weekend and all the way through Tuesday. Aren't you impressed?  After more than 2 weeks with only spotty posting, I've managed an entire week with a post each day and three more still to come.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Turkeys, Turkeys, Turkeys!

     Let me start by saying, for those of you who were concerned about the fate of last week's turkey (see here), the problem has been resolved - as shown in the DT card I did for this week at QKR Stampede.  We have a new challenge today and our new theme is "Turkeys."  Any card with a turkey on it qualifies for entry.  I used Digi 13809 "Happy Turkey" and you can bet he really IS happy!  And thankful - and grateful.  :-D

I started with the sketch from Sweet Sketch Weds

(turned a quarter turn)

and used colors from Crafty Gals Corner.

  

     I colored the image with my ProMarkers and cut it into a 5 inch square.  I mounted that onto black CS and added the double ribbon and the sheer bow.  Beyond that, I left it very CAS.

     Challenges:
Classy Cards n Such
Colour Your World
Crafting by Designs
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Boots
Creative Moments
Digi Choosday
Dragonfly Dreams
Eureka Stamps
Glitter n Sparkle
Inspiration Destination
Mod Squad
Not Just Cards
Ribbon Girl
Robyn's Fetish
Simon Says Stamp
Sisterhood of Crafters
WordArt Weds.

     I hope you're going to come and join us this week.  Just find your favorite turkey stamp and use it for an entry card.  If you don't have any turkey images, check out the QKR Stampede shop.  You'll find some great ones!  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie    

Pine Cone Christmas

     I'm so enjoying the sets from MHK Designs!  I think I have almost all of  Mynn's sets but she comes up with new releases every month so I may have missed one.  :-D  But this set is so perfect for Christmas and I knew it would be best used in a very simple design.

     I used my ProMarkers to color the pine cones, then cut them out and punched the corners.  I sized the sentiment fairly large so that it would be the focus of the card, printed and punched the corners of that piece as well.  I layered everything onto forest green CS and mounted all of it onto the card front.  It looked just a bit bare in the upper corner so I added the bow.  Perfect!

     Challenges:
A Snowflakes Promise
Allsorts
Card and Scrap
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Hazelnut's Extra
Crazy 4 Challenges
Incy Wincy
Papertake Weekly
Ribbon Girl
Sweet Stampin'
Through the Craft Room Door
Time Out
Unicorn Challenge
Vintage Stamping/Flonz
Winter Wonderland

     I'm really cranking up on the Christmas cards now since it's not that many weeks away.  Have you started yet?  No???  Hey, get going!!  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Cornucopia and Turkey

     I'm almost done with my Thanksgiving cards but I don't have all the posts scheduled yet so you'll be seeing them throughout the next couple of weeks.   This one I did using one of my favorite cornucopia images which comes from Doodle Pantry.  I love that it's combined with a turkey.

I based this on the sketch from Try Stamping on Tuesday, 

but flipped and the horizontal strip (I used ribbon) is higher.

I also used scallops instead of flags.

     This is a pre-colored image which I die cut using two different curved border dies from Spellbinders.  I layered it onto some orange CS which had been run through my Linen embossing folder.  I rounded the corners with a hand punch.

     The leaf embellies were also done with a hand punch.  The ribbon is glittered and has been in my autumn stash for who-knows-how-long?  The striped background is actually fabric.  I used iron-on interfacing on the back to make it more stable. The sentiment is also from Doodle Pantry, hand cut and matted with dp from DCWV.

     Challenges:
Cards in Envy
Classy Cards n Such
Corrosive Challenge
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Boots
Di's Digi Designs
Dragonfly Dreams
Glitter n Sparkle
Graph'It
Julia Spiri
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Moving Along with the Times
Not Just Cards
Ribbon Girl
Sweet Stampin'

    Can you tell I'm actually getting back into my routine?  I did lots of crafting and cardmaking over the weekend so I finally have a chance to post each day.  Happy Stamping. NanaConnie 

Thank You Cards

     I recently made a dozen "Thank You" cards for a non-profit organization.  They use them to send a bit of gratitude to donors or for volunteers who work on their fund raising events.  I used a very CAS design, making them all similar but on different colored CS, with different stamped "Thank You" sentiments.  They are all blank inside for a hand written message.

     The 'smile...' sentiment was computer printed and hand cut and is the same for each card in the set of a dozen.  The various 'thank you' sentiments are stamped, then heat embossed with either white or black EP, depending on which shows up the best on the particular CS color.   All the CS came from my stash and I did a layer of white CS on the inside of each card.   Other colors are green, blue, purple, red, pastel pink, yellow, brown, and kraft.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
Cards in Envy
Crafty Cardmakers
Creative Fingers -
DL.ART -
Glitter n Sparkle
Hiding in My Craft Room
Incy Wincy
Jo's Scrap Shack -
Just Us Girls
Outlawz PAM
Word Art Wednesday -

     Here's to a great day and even a great week!  We had rain yesterday and we're very grateful for it.  It wan't enough to cure our 4-year drought, but every bit helps and we had a steady, light rain for about 5 hours.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Giving Thanks at Path of Positivity

     Today I'm honored to announce that I was invited to be a Guest Designer for Path of Positivity in their "Gratefulness" challenge.  There are two wonderful sponsors this month: Kitten Scraps and Scribbles Designs.  This card features a wonderful set (November Set) from Kitten Scraps.  There are actually 3 different sets for November; one with a masculine theme, one with a feminine theme and one that's neutral.  But if you buy it as the "November Set," you'll get all three sets in one!  This is my first time using Kitten Scraps products and they're fabulous!  Great for either cards or scrapbook pages.

I decided on my colors by checking the challenge at Paper Sweeties

and also found myself  inspired to include that particular background dp.

     I combined the boy and girl images before printing and then fussy cut the turkey and popped him up on dimensional dots.  The text papers are also part of the set.  I added the ribbon and tied a bow, then layered on the sentiment.  Fairly simple design but I really wanted to show off the pilgrim characters and not have a lot of distractions.

     Challenges:

Inspiration Destination

Jo's Scrap Shack

Lunagirl Moonbeams

Oddball Art Stamps

Outlawz Twisted Thursday

Simon Says Stamp

Simply Papercraft

Sisterhood of Crafters

Tinker-Dream

WordArt Wednesday

Your Scrapbook Place

     It's windy, the skies are getting dark, and there's a storm brewing so maybe we'll get a few sprinkles of rain out of it.  What a great excuse to stay indoors and get some more crafting done!  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie