Wine and Age

     The sentiment on this card says it all and now I have one more birthday card in my stash.  I can't say who'll get this one because some people in my circle of friends and family read my blog and I certainly don't want to give it away.  :-D

The image, sentiment, and sketch are by From the Heart Stamps.

There's a twist with this sketch -"Crop the Digi" - which I did.

     I used my ProMarkers to color the inside circle of the image, leaving the outer circle in black and white.  I used two of my Die-Namics stitched circle dies to cut the image.  The sentiment is cut with with a square die from my Spellbinders collection.  The papers were scraps in my stash and the sheer ribbon I used was also a scrap.  I love the color and texture of it so much, I simply couldn't throw it out so found a way to use it.  :-D

     Challenges:
2 Creative Chicks
A Bit More Time to Craft
Art Impressions
Aud Sentiments
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafting with an Attitude
Dies R Us
Hannah & Friends
Not Just Cards
Paper Creator's Crafts
Petal Lu
Sisters of Craft
Sparkles Forum
Sweet Stamps

     Almost Hump Day and then we're on our way to the weekend - woohoo!  Enjoy your day and make it the best one so far this week.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Daphne's Daffodil

     This wonderful, sweet image is the FB Progressive Challenge freebie from ArtbyMiRan.  She became a birthday card because I'm stocking up on those.  No particular person in mind for this one but it will probably go to my sister-in-law who has the next family birthday coming up at the end of this month.  :-D

     I used my ProMarkers to color the image in lovely, spring greens and then used my latest Cheery Lynn framing die to cut it.  I backed it with pale green CS so that the frame element would be better showcased.  I added the leafy die cut, also a Cheery Lynn die, and punched flower petals for the white flower, adding a sparkly sequin to the center.  Green isn't my usual color choice for a monochromatic card but I rather like it on this one.

     Challenges:
A Beautiful Mess
ArtbyMiRan
Aud Sentiments
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards
C.R.A.F.T.
Craft Rocket
Crafty Catz
Crafty Creations
Creative Corner
Creative Fingers
Creative Moments
DL.ART
Inspiration Destination
Star Stampz

     I hope your week is going well even if it is a Monday and the first day back to work.  Count your blessings -- you have a job and a paycheck.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Staring You in the Face

     The image on this card is one of the new ones from Bugaboo Stamps and as soon as I saw it, I went on a shopping spree.  It just made me smile.  :-D

I started with the sketch from The Outlawz

but modified it to suit my die cut/embossing on the corner.

    This is another of those cards where everything I used came from the scrap basket or my stash of things needing to be used.  :-D  I always feel so self satisfied when I do that and then I give myself permission to go on a shopping trip for more supplies.

     I also challenged myself to see if I could use at least 12 shades of pink in the coloring (ProMarkers with watercolor pencils) and papers in the overall design but still wanted the image to look more or less "natural," meaning I didn't want to give her bright pink hair but still wanted it to have a pinkish tinge.  At my count, I used 15 different colors of pink, including a couple that favor the coral side of the hues.  :-D

     The corner die cut was done with a die from Poppy Stamps and the image and mat were cut with a couple of stitched circle dies from Die-Namics.  The papers were open stock scrapbooking papers from my stash of leftovers.  I used two shades of pink CS.  The flower and butterfly embellies are double layered and the top layer is sparkly with glitter.  Each one has a gem stone in the center for a bit of bling.

     Challenges:
Catch the Bug
Crafting by Designs
Crafting for all Seasons
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Creations
Crafty Friends
Di's Digi Designs
House That Stamps Built
Inspiration Destination
In the Pink
Let's Color Saturday
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Pencil Case
Scrapy Land
Simon Says Stamp

     We're starting a new week and, hopefully, it's going to cool down a bit.  We all but hit 100 degrees out here where I live (some nearby areas did get to an official 100 -- we got to 99) and it's just too early in May for that to happen.  I'm afraid it's a sign of a long, hot summer coming up this year.  Ugh.  Oh, well, good excuse to stay inside and craft, right?   Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Magical Birthday

     I've been fascinated with unicorns since I was a child.  The one in this image is so fantastic, I just had to use him for another birthday card.  I think I wish I could give this to myself.  :-D

I used the colors at The Outlawz.

I wish my purple doily had stayed purple instead of turning maroon!  Sigh...

    I used my ProMarkers and Copics to color the image, fussy cut the unicorn, then found a Cheery Lynn doily die to cut the mat.  I also cut a simple white circle and put it into the center of the doily, giving something of a 'full moon' look to the scene.

     I also used two pieces of dp, each of which had punched, rounded corners and those were found in my scrap basket, intended to be used on some previous project and then rejected in favor of something else.  How nice that they worked so well in this card design.  :-D

     The sparkly ribbon came from my stash and is probably from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  I tied a quad-loop bow.

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
City Crafter
C.R.A.F.T.
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Catz
Create and Inspire
Fabrika Fantasy 
Kitty Bee Designs
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Southern Girls
WordArt Weds.

     That's it for my second post of the day.  I'm going to have brunch with my daughter and then do a bit of craft shopping.  See you tomorrow.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Birdbrain Graduation

     Yesterday I shared a graduation card with you that I had done either for my granddaughter or her best friend.  Today, I'm sharing the second of those two cards and I still haven't decided who's going to get which one.  :-D  This one has an image by From the Heart Stamps and I'm also using the sketch from their challenge.

     I colored the image with ProMarkers, then die cut it with a stitched circle die from Memory Box.  I layered that onto black CS.  The sentiment is printed, hand cut, and matted with a scrap of that same black CS.  Since their school colors are blue and gold, I tried to keep to that color combo when designing the card.

     The dp is from my scrap basket.  I love that kind of argyle-plaid paper and I've used every single bit of it rather than throw away any of it.  I still have one full sheet of it left but hesitate to cut into it because I just love it so much.   It must be the geometric pattern -- those are always among my favorites because they work so well for masculine but also for girl cards.

     The stitched ribbon is the last bit of one-yard sample I had in my stash.  I added the yellow ribbon flower and the 3D grad hat for embellishment.

     Challenges:
As You Like It
Aud Sentiments
Connie Can Crop
Crafting with an Attitude
Crafty Catz
Creative Corner
Creative Fingers
DL.ART
Hanna and Friends
Outside the Box
Simply Papercraft

     Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

No More School Days!

     Happy Friday, friends and followers.  Are you looking for information on the newest challenge at QKR Stampede?   Well, it started today and our theme is "Graduation Cards."  Since I have a granddaughter who's leaving Middle School for High School this year, I'm doing cards for her and her lifelong best friend.  They both love my humorous cards so here's the first one and I'm not sure which of them is going to get it.

     For this card, I used the QKR sentiment 13513 "School Day" and the image 13912 "School Days."
I added the "No More..." to the sentiment and added the 3D grad cap to the image so if you go looking for those parts of the image or sentiment, you won't find them.  :-D

     I colored the image with my ProMarkers, then cut it using a die from Cheery Lynn.  I printed the sentiment and cut it by hand.  I put blue CS behind the die cut image piece, matching the blue in his shirt as closely as possible, and decided that the frame was enough embellishment so added nothing further.

     Challenges:
Artistic Inspirations
Cheery Lynn Designs
Colouring in Scrapland
Crafting from the Heart
Crafting with an Attitude
Creative Card Crew
Cre8tive Hands
Creative Ladybirds
Outlawz Greetings
Incy Wincy
Lemon Shortbread
Through the Craft Room Door

     I hope you'll come play along this week.  Those graduations are happening already and you don't want to miss out on getting a card ready.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Lovely Victorian Hat

     As soon as I saw this image over at Julia Spiri, I grabbed it and made this card!  It's actually called "The Victorian Hat" hence my post title today.  Naturally, I had to do a vintage card.  I'm going to use it for a birthday card because my stash is very low on birthday cards but I'm going to put the sentiment inside, along with a handwritten, personal note, and use this for my daughter's birthday card.

     I colored with ProMarkers, use a die from one of my Spellbinders sets to cut it out, and then cut a large oval for the mat (QuicKutz).  I added pearls, dried flowers, a die cut butterfly (2 layers) and used ribbon to make a double-color, double-loop bow.  Too bad it looks so pink in the photo.  It's really pale lilac.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafty Girlz
Creative Card Crew
Digistamps4Joy
Digitally Sweet
Double D
I {heart} ProMarkers
Julia Spiri
Lunagirl Moonbeam
Paper Creator's Crafts
Scrapy Land
Sisterhood of Crafters
WordArt Weds

     Hope your week is going well.  We're on the downhill slide to the weekend now so hang in there.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Inlaid Die Cut Butterfly

     I'm experimenting again with inlaid die cuts.  That's the challenge theme from AAA Cards and I do like the way this turned out.

     All the dies I used this time are from Spellbinders and I just love the way they work together.  For the background, I nested together 4 dies from one of my framing sets and cut both light and dark turquoise CS, then alternated the colors.  These are not stacked layers -- the two colors are actually inlaid so that when it's finished, there's only one layer.  I did layer everything onto white CS but that was only for gluing purposes.  I trimmed away all but the tiniest border of white before applying that piece to the black card base.  The outside frame and the oval were both embossed by using the die again but this time with a rubber pad for embossing instead of cutting.

     Then I used two butterfly dies to cut butterflies from two shades of CS in the purple family.  I inlaid those the same way but left a couple of negative pieces of the lavender instead of inlaying the darker purple.  I just liked the look of it that way.

     The sentiment is hand stamped and die cut.  While it was still in the die, I drew around the inside of the die with purple ink.  After removing the die, I edged it with purple ink.  Finally, I added one of those bows which I make by the dozens and put pearls on the butterfly body.  I kept it very CAS, even though my "white" space is black on this card.  :-D

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
Artistic Inspirations
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Cardmakers
Dare 2B Artzy
Our Crafty Corner
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Pile It On
Ribbon Girls
Scrapy Land

     We're halfway through the week and nearly half way through the year - can you believe that?  Next month is the turning point and we'll celebrate the longest day of the year here in the Northern Hemisphere, although the hottest days of summer will still be ahead of us so I'm not sure the days really feel all that much shorter.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Double Spotlight on Flowers

IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR MY TUESDAY THROWDOWN CARD TODAY, 

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN ONE POST.

     Our challenge for May over at Open-Minded Crafting Fun has four sponsors; Dr. Digi's, Julia Spiri, Lemon Shortbread, and Scribbles Designs.   We have a fun theme of "Using Your Favorite Technique."   There are several I really like to use but doing a Spotlight Technique has been a favorite ever since I first tried it.  Recently, I learned how to do a Double Spotlight and I love that even more!

     The image I used is "Flower Pot 2" from Scribbles Designs.

I took my colors mostly from the inspirational photo at

Make My Monday.

     After the image was printed, I printed a second one and colored only the flowers (ProMarkers.)  I cut it with a Scalloped Stitched Circle die from Memory Box, then cut out the center of that piece with another, smaller die from that same set.  I mounted the center piece onto Pop Dots so that it was raised above the main spotlight piece.  Lining up the spotlight pieces with the black and white image underneath resulted in an out-of-the-box technique also.

     With so much detail from the two techniques, I used a very CAS design for the overall card.  The sentiment was printed, hand cut, and adhered to the background dp which I found in my scrap basket.  I thought the tiny dots in the dp pattern complemented the stitches in the die cuts.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
Artistic Inspirations
Card Mania
CAS on Sunday
Classic DT
Crafts Galore Encore
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Dragonfly Dreams
Eureka Stamps
Incy Wincy
My Crafting Stories
One Stitch at a Time
Scrapy Land

     I hope we're going to see you entering the challenge this month.  Just decide on a technique and make something you can enter.  We can hardly wait to have you inspire us.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Thinking of You

     Our newest challenge at Tuesday Throwdown this week is sponsored by our very own Crafty Girl, whose marvelous images can be found here.  Our theme is a very simple one, "Thinking of You."  I used her Flower Trio image.

     I've been on a kraft kick lately and this time I combined it to get my favorite 'kraft and...' combo, kraft and pink.  I colored the image with my Promarkers and cut it out.  I embossed bright pink CS and added it to the bottom of the card front.  The ribbon is from my stash and I made the bow using that same ribbon plus a narrow, grosgrain so that it's a double layer bow.  The flower is a kraft paper embellie with a bead in the center.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Catch the Bug
Color Your World
Come and Get It
Corrosive Challenge
Glitter n Sparkle
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Ribbon Girls
Scrapper's Delights
Sweet Stampin'

     Come play along with us this week, won't you?  A "Thinking of You" theme is almost as good as an Anything Goes.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Kitten Cuddles

     This image from Ppinkydolls was the freebie for the May Progressive challenge at The Outlawz and you know I fell in love with it!

     I decided on a CAS design with very limited embellishments.  I colored the image with my ProMarkers plus I added sparkle gel ink to her wings.  The top wing is layered on with Pop Dots for a bit of dimension.  Then I used my largest square die (Spellbinders) to cut it.  I added a piece of sheer ribbon to the image piece and layered that onto a blue card base so that it looks framed or matted.  The butterfly is double layered with one colored and the other one white with a gem for a bit of sparkle.

     Wouldn't this make a perfect get well card for a child?

     Challenges:
A Beautiful Mess
Allsorts
Animal Friends
ArtbyMiRan
Aud Sentiments
Crafting -with-Friends
Creative Fingers
Jo's Scrap Shack
Julia Spiri
Outlawz CAS
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Path of Positivity
Quick Quotes
Show Us Your Pussie Cats Only
Simply Papercraft
STAMPlorations
 

     I hope you had a sparkling weekend and a wonderful Mother's Day for those of you who are mothers or have mothers.  Mine was fantastic.  :-D   Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Happy Mother's Day

     This is my last Mother's Day card for this year and I made it for my daughter's mother-in-law who loves pink so much she did her entire Christmas decorating one year in pink, including the tree!  The whole family is getting together over lunch to celebrate all the moms in the family so I'll give it to her then.

     When I first decided to make a card for her, I was inspired by the photo in the challenge at Sparkle and Shine and decided that flowers would be a good subject.  

     I have this delightful Rubber Stampede tulip stamp which I used the other day on a very CAS card but this time I wanted something a bit more detailed.  I stamped and heat embossed the tulips in white onto a scrap piece of dp.  There's a story behind that scrap.  It was a pale, pastel pink and I wanted something deep pink, yet bright.  I grabbed some of my pink ProMarkers and colored over the entire piece of dp.   The original pattern in the dp still showed through but it was now the deeper shade of pink that I wanted.  :-D 

     I stamped one more tulip onto white CS and colored it with my ProMarkers.  I fussy cut just the blossom and offset it slightly on top of one of the embossed tulips.  The black lace is from my stash and the little bunting die cuts are from a die set by Spellbinders.  I added three sequins in two corners for a bit of sparkle.

     Challenges:

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Card Crew

Deep Ocean

Double D

Going Grey with Scrap Creations

I{heart} ProMarkers

Inspiration Destination

Lemon Shortbread

Mod Squad
Outlawz PAM

Paper Minutes

Passion for ProMarkers

{PIN}spirational

Stampotique

Through the Craft Room Door

     Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

You're How Old ?!

     I was a winner at Cre8tive Hands this week and, while I've played in their challenges a few times, this was the first time I've visited their store.  Of course, the first thing that happened was that I fell in love with half a dozen feline images so, after claiming my prize, I went on a shopping spree.  I'm also now a member of their monthly club where I will be getting up to 20 images per month for $5, plus a discount on purchases from the store.  Since I'm really crazy about everything I've seen, that's going to work out for me.  :-D

     Here's my first card using a Cre8tive Hands image.

I used the sketch at The Outlawz.

     The cat is colored with my newest Warm Gray markers from ProMarkers, and I hope he looks like a young Siamese just beginning to get his distinctive markings.  I used a Memory Box Scalloped Circle Stitched die to cut him and did an out-of-the-box technique.  I used that same circular die to cut out the sentiment, cutting it once from the top, then moving the die and cutting it from the bottom to get an oval instead of a circle.

     The "Happy Birthday" is from a Spellbinders set and the dp is from DCWV, the "Midnight Chic" pad.  I hoard this particular stack of paper because I love working in black and white but it's hard to find really great b&w papers.  When I found this stack over 2 years ago, I grabbed it up and now I wish I'd grabbed two.  I haven't been able to find it since and every pattern is just so fabulous.  Consequently, I save all the scraps every time and use them before cutting a new sheet, if that's at all possible.  This was a scrap piece that fit the card and the sketch perfectly.

      Believe it or not, there are three sets of three sequins each on the card but they're hard to find in the photo.  They sparkle like the dickens IRL !

     Challenges:
Art Impressions
As You Like It
Aud Sentiments
Crafting by Designs
Cre8tive Hands
Creative Moments
Inspiration Destination
Little Miss Muffet
Scrapy Land
Show Us Your Pussies Cats Only
Sisterhood of Crafters
Word Art Wednesday

     I think that's all I have for today but I am working on a couple of new projects so you never know if there will be an additional post this afternoon.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

A Face a Mother Can Love

     The latest challenge at QKR Stampede starts today and our theme is "Feminine or Mother's Day."   Sometimes our moms just need to be recognized for being the ones who always loved us, no matter what.  :-D   My card today celebrates that side of moms the world over.

I chose the colors from Hand Stamped Sentiments.

     This image, Digi 402 "Geese" by QKR Stampede, was printed directly onto the card front and then colored with ProMarkers and a couple chalk markers with which I added sky and ground background to turn it into a complete scene.   Because I wanted to showcase the scene and sentiment, I did a completely CAS, single-layer card with no embellishments at all.

     Challenges:
Cards in Envy
Chalk n Stock
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Critters and Creatures
Eureka Stamps
Incy Wincy
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Festive Friday
Paper Minutes
Passion for ProMarkers
Where the HeART Is

     Come play with us this week, won't you?   You can use stamps/images from any company and you can enter up to 3 times.  However, if you use an image from QKR Stampede, your card will be entered into a separate drawing for QKR only and that greatly increases your chance of winning.  Hope to see you there.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

The Perfect Age or Aged to Perfection?

     It's time to begin stocking up on birthday cards again.  My stash seems to get really low about this time every year and, in my family, we have lots of summer birthdays.  Since I bought that set of rubber stamps the other day, I have been inspired to look through my collection of rubber and use a couple of them.  I also wanted to try coloring on kraft again, not something which has been all that successful for me in the past but I'm satisfied with this one.

     This time, I started with kraft card stock for the card base, stamped the flower and the sentiments with Stazon ink, and began my coloring using gel pens.  After I got the basic lines colored with gel; ink, I went over it with ProMarkers.  The tulip stamp is from Rubber Stampede, and the sentiments are from Hero Arts and Stampabilities.

     I knew I wanted something CAS but decided on a couple of  embellishments; paper ribbon and paper embellishments - staying with the kraft theme.  The paper ribbon was the last of something I had in my scrap basket.

     Challenges:
613 Avenue Create
Addicted to Stamps
Amusing Challenges
Artistic Inspirations
Cards in Envy
Come and Get It
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Incy Wincy
Inky Chicks
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Paper Girls
Penny Black and More
Stamping Sensations
Where the HeART Is

     Thanks for stopping by and feel free to browse around while you're here.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

PigWit in a Planter

     It's a new month and I went on a shopping spree at From the Heart Stamps.  I snapped up this darling set "Hamlet PigWit in the Planter" the instant I saw it (and then found out an hour later that it was the Progressive Challenge freebie for this month and I would have gotten it anyway! lol)

I also chose to use the sketch at From the Heart Stamps

but I added the lace and flower embellies along the side.

     I colored with ProMarkers, aiming for a lilac/lavender monochrome combo, and then cut the image with a stitched scalloped circle die from Memory Box.  I did an out-of-the-box technique with the sentiment and bottom portion of the image.   I merged the sentiment with the image before printing, using PhotoShop.

     The background squares are cut from ombre scrapbooking paper and those pieces all came from the same sheet.  I mounted everything onto CS and put that onto a kraft card base.  I added embellishments of  lilac satin ribbon and white lace, plus mulberry flowers with white or purple pearls in the centers.

     Challenges:
Art Impressions
Aud Sentiments
Crafty Boots
Crafty Cardmakers
Critters & Creatures
Get Creative
Hanna & Friends
Incy Wincy
Melonheadz Friends
Our Crafty Corner
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Time Out

     Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Tall and Skinny Bouquet

     Hmmm, tall and skinny -- I think that's what I wish I was!   In any case, this is my first ever Tall and Skinny card.  I've avoided making them because I never can find tall and skinny envelopes for them and don't want to try to make one.  However, I found some suitable envelopes in a box of old greeting cards and they are still good enough to use.

Colors in the image are from Crazy 4 Challenges.

     I dug out a stamp set by Stampendous and used different pieces of it to stamp this Bouquet in a Jar which I thought would be great for celebrating Mother's Day.  This time, I colored it with watercolors and used chalk markers (after it dried well) to give some shading for more depth.

     Since the watercolor paper I used for the image had some texture to it, I embossed the colored CS layers with my Linen folder.  Very hard to see it in the photo but it adds almost the same texture throughout all the layers.

     This is a tri-fold card and I added polka dot dp to the right side fold.  The CS I used for the card base is white which makes it white inside where one can write a message.

     Challenges:
Artistic Inspirations
Cards in Envy
Chalk n Stock
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Dragonfly Journeys
Just Us Girls
Let's Color Saturday
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Little Claire's
MFP Stamps
Outlawz Greetings
Penny Black and More
Stamping Sensations

     Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie  

May Flowers the 'Quirky' Way

     New month, so new challenge at Quirky Crafts and since it's May, we're doing "May Flowers" for our theme.  How much better can you get than a festive flowery card?  With Mother's Day right around the corner, it's a great way to get those cards done and to have something to enter into our monthly challenge.  We have three sponsors this month:  Bloobel Stamps, Delicious Doodles, and Ike's Art.

     My first card this month uses an image from Bloobel Stamps called "Thanks for the Flowers."  That was such a fun and funny image that I had to add that silly sentiment.  :-D
   

I started with Sketch #249

from Sketch Saturday, turned sideways

and was inspired by the colors

at Just Add Ink.

  

     I used my ProMarkers to color the image, then cut it and the offset mat with a die from Spellbinders.  I used ribbon and twine along the side, then added two butterflies.  The bottom one is colored with ProMarker and the top one is glittered.

     Challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge

Crafting with Friends

Di's Digi Designs

Hannah and Friends

Hiding in My Craft Room

Outlawz PAM

Scrapy Land

     I've also done a second card using an image from another sponsor, Delicious Doodles, called "Daisies + Butterfly."

     On this card, I colored with ProMarkers and Copics, then hand cut the image.  The flowers, the butterfly and the frame all make up the image.  I added it to yellow polka dot paper and made that the card front.  Very CAS design, just the image and the background but I really like showcasing the image instead of a pile of embellies.  :-D  

     Challenges:

Addicted to Stamps & More

ArtbyMiRan

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Fingers

Delicious Doodles

Double D

Inspiration Destination

Kitty Bee Designs

Outlawz CAS

     This will be my last month on the DT for Quirky and I want to say a warm goodbye to my Teamies.  Waving to all of you.  :-D  Happy Stamping,  NanaConnie

Courageous Cat

     Today's card is one of those "I never knew I would make this" projects.  It all started when I was killing time, waiting for a friend to finish up an appointment.  There was a local craft store right next door so I went in just to window shop!  As I walked by a rack of clear stamp sets , I heard this set cry out to me, a pathetic little mewling sound like something that might come from a sad and abandoned kitten.

     The set not only had stamps and sentiments, it had matching dies.  I rarely use rubber stamps these days, but definitely prefer red rubber to clear polymer when I do use them, and haven't purchased any kind of rubber stamp in who-knows-how-long.  But this one jumped on me and forced me to buy it, even though it had clear polymer stamps and wasn't on sale -- jumped on ME, the "I-only-buy-at-sales-or-with-a-discount-coupon-lady."

     Once home, it was necessary to immediately make this card.  If you don't believe me on the "necessity" part, just ask the kitten!  You know I'm a sucker for a cute feline face.  Cats are my favorite because they are the one totally irresistible animal when they want attention.  :-D

     Sketch is from The Outlawz, turned sideways.

     The kitten image is colored with my ProMarkers, then die cut with the dies from the set.  (Stampendous)   There are three separate pieces to the kitten and I adhered it with Pop Dots on the head and bow for a little dimension.

     The mouse is from Rick St. Dennis, also colored with ProMarkers, then hand cut (whew, what a chore that was!)   The kitten's expression just called for something to be in that corner so I hunted up that perfect little mouse.

     The sentiment is hand stamped with three tiny sentiment stamps from Stampotique (which have been in my collection forever), then die cut with an oval die from Spellbinders.  I added gems for a bit of bling and a white, satin-ribbon bow.

     I thought this would make a perfect card of encouragement for a child.

     Challenges:
A Beautiful Mess
As You Like It
Aud Sentiments
Brown Sugar
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Girls Creations
Creative Fingers
Cre8tive Hands Friends
I {heart} ProMarkers
Julia Spiri
Morgan's Artworld
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Stampotique

     Enjoy your weekend and do something just for yourself; recharge those batteries so that you have something to pass on to someone else when they are in need of a charge up.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Last of the April Showers

     Good Friday Morning, friends.  It's time for a new challenge at QKR Stampede.  Our latest theme is "April Showers Bring May Flowers" so let's see something with raindrops, umbrellas, puddles or flowers, gardens, etc.  I used an image and a sentiment from QKR Stampede:  Digi 24296 Chicken Little and Digi 14707 April Showers.

I used the sketch found at the Paper Play Sketches

and colors from Color Throwdown.

   

     I started by coloring the image with my ProMarkers and then I cut it with a Stitched Scallop die from Memory Box.  The blue background paper was in my stash of large scraps.  I hand cut the two dovetail flag bits, one from CS and the other from dp.  The striped ribbon is some which has been hiding in stash for far too long.

     Challenges:
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Moments
Deep Ocean
Digi Choosday
Double D
Fairy Tale (3rd column)
Fresh Brewed
I {heart} ProMarkers
Inspiration Destination
Passion for ProMarkers
Scrapy Land
Simon Says Stamp
Through the Craft Room Door

     I hope you've had a wonderful week and that your weekend is both productive and restful.  Thanks for stopping by and I hope we're going to see you playing along in our challenge.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Friends as Blessings

     A dear blogging buddy included me in a list of friends she believes have been instrumental in support and inspiration, and I felt so honored by that.  Today's card was made as a way of giving back to her the honor she bestowed.  She was the primary person who encouraged me to continue my journey into card making back in the days when I was learning the most basic things about card designs.  It's also because of her that I started blogging and she's the lady who has made all my blog mastheads with the adorable felines.  Thanks so much, Donna!  This card should be in your real life mailbox in just a few days.

The digi image is by From the Heart Stamps

and I used their latest sketch and their twist of

'Use a Die Cut.'

     I used my ProMarkers to color the image and decided I wanted to stay with a monochromatic yellow combo in my overall design.  The image and the mat are both die cut but since the die is  rectangle in shape, I had to cut once then move the die and cut a second time to get the square shape.

     I dug through my box of scraps and found 2 papers very close in color, even though one is a marbled design and the other very flowery.  They must have come from the same paper stack originally, but I have no way of knowing since they were just small pieces in the scrap pile.  I die cut one of the strips using that same die set.  I decided to try putting everything onto a black card base and I really like how it made all the yellows pop.  The sentiment is also from one of my From the Heart Stamps sets and I corner punched it before adhering it onto the dove-tail strip.

     I tied the bow with black satin ribbon and added a glittery flower and a rhinestone to one of the flowers in the image.  Oh, yes, I embellished with faux stitching, too.  :-D

     Challenges:
Artistic Inspirations
Craft Your Passion 
Crafty Boots 
Crafty Cardmakers (embellies: bow/flower/stitching)
Cutie Pie
Die Cuttin' Divas
Glitter n Sparkle
Lemon Shortbread
One Stitch at a Time
Outlawz Greetings
Passion for ProMarkers
Ribbon Girl
Through the Craft Room Door
   
     That's all I have until Friday unless I find some spare time from an unwanted sleepless night or a cancelled doctor's appointment.  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Blooming

     Tuesday Throwdown starts a new challenge today with an "Anything Goes" theme and our sponsor is Newton's Nook.  This stamp I used was already in my collection but it's also available as a digi freebie on their website.

     I decided it was time to celebrate my first dahlia to bloom this year and did this card for a friend who competes with me each year to see which of us has the first blooms in her garden.  It's hardly a fair contest since I move southward and she still lives in Northern California but when we started the competition, we both lived in the same city.  My having moved south means that now I get warm spring weather before she does.  So, I'm celebrating an early spring this year.  :-D

I used the colors from the challenge at DRS Designs

and the sketch from Sketch Saturday, rotated 1/2 halfway.

  

     The image is so delightfully CAS and I decided that I could add a few embellishments and still have a CAS design..  Although I love purples and purple-plus-something combos, I also love pink/brown, pink/gray, and pink/yellow combos.  The image is colored with ProMarkers and then cut with a Cheery Lynn LG Silver Stitched Square die.  I also cut the mat with the next larger size die from that set.

     I added an embossed panel to the bottom plus burlap and lace to the top.  The flowers are made by putting layers of flower petals together with a brad and adding a rose bud.  After looking at it several times, I wish I'd reversed where the embossed panel and the burlap/lace were placed.  Ah, well, next time.  :-D

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Cardz 4 Galz
Cheery Lynn
Crafty Friends
Crafty Girls Creations
Cre8tive Hands Friends
Di's Digi Designs
Little Miss Muffet
Moving Along with the Times
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Star Stampz
Time Out

     Come celebrate your own spring (or anything else you like) in our "Anything Goes" challenge this week at Tuesday Throwdown.  We'd love to see you playing along over there.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie