Flower of the Family

     Since I was the baby and only girl among the siblings, my dad always said I was the "Flower" of the family.  In my teen years, my older brother said that was because I was a "bloomin' idiot!"  lol  Whatever the reason, I used that phrase as the sentiment on this card which features an image from All Dressed Up.

I was inspired by the colors at House of Cards.

     This one is colored with a combo of polychromos pencils and ProMarkers, then cut with an Unbranded die.  I matted the die cut image piece with light blue CS and trimmed the corners.  I mounted that onto dark blue CS and put that onto a kraft card base.

     I dug through my stash of ribbon and found two, matching-in-color, ribbons from completely different companies.  I used one to wrap the card front and the other to make a 'ruched' bow to which I added a row of pearls.

     I printed the sentiment, hand cut it, then matted it with a scrap of kraft CS.  I added that to the bottom of the dark blue CS.

     Challenges:
All Dressed Up
A Perfect Time to Craft
Carlin's Card Paradise
CCC Digi Creations
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafts Galore Encore
Joy Clair
Let's Craft and Create
Morgan's ArtWorld

     Have a wonderful, crafty day and Happy Stamping!   NanaConnie

Pumpkin Time

     I've spent the weekend doing both Christmas and Halloween themed cards and today I'm sharing one of the fall/Halloween cards.  The stamp is from Digistamps4Joy and I think it's adorable.

I was inspired by the colors in the mood board at Sum More Fun.

     I used ProMarkers to color the image and white gel ink to make the stars.  I cut the moon from white CS (colored with ProMarkers), added it to the corner, then cut the entire image with a Tonic Studios die.

    I printed the sentiment, cut it with another Tonic Studios die, matted it with yellow CS, and cut that with my paper cutter.  I added everything to an embossed card front and found a lace bowtie to add.  I left it CAS because it will be sent to one of the guys in my family.

     Challenges:
Double D
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
Fussy and Fancy
Hiding in My Craft Room
Outlawz Tuesday
Paper Shelter
Polkadoodles
SUYP Cats

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

CAS Christmas

     This is my second post today so if you missed the first one, be sure to scroll down to the previous post.  It's worth a look.  :-D

     Limited Runs has some wonderful Christmas images but I'm showcasing a very simple and large sentiment.  I'm going to make at least a dozen cards just like this one because it's one of those really quick, "git 'er done" (as my friend, Lynn, says) cards which is flat enough to mail.

I used a sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches

flipped side to side.

     I used ProMarkers to color the candy cane letters in the sentiment and also the border around the sentiment.  I used die cut holly leaves and berries, adhered them with Pop Dots, and added Glossy Accents to the berries for some sparkle and shine.   Plain but bright, CAS and fast.  :-D

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas
Addicted to CAS
Aud Sentiments
Catch the Bug
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas
Creative Inspirations
Everybody Art 
Outlawz Festive Fridays
Time Out

     Have a great rest of your weekend, my friends.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Too Cute to Spook

     OK, this weekend I've gotten inspired to make a few Halloween cards and I started with this darling little witch from Conie Fong.  Who could resist that cute face and that sweet little kitten cuddled in her arm?

I took inspiration from the sketch at The Outlawz

turning it a quarter turn and I also took a bit of a liberty with it.

     She's colored with ProMarkers, then fussy cut.  I used a set of framing dies from Spellbinders to cut the black piece behind the image.  I cut those from different pieces of scrap CS and inlaid them to make the one, large framing piece.

     The 'moon' is cut with a plain circle die from QuicKutz and the bats are cut with a Cottage Cutz die.  Those were also cut from scrap bits rescued from the trash can.

     I printed and hand cut the sentiment.  The three tiny dots are negative pieces which fell out of the Spellbinders die cut and I just used them like gem embellies.

     Challenges:
Crafter's Castle
Crafting by Designs
Double D
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Pixie's Snippet's
Scrappy Land
Send a Smile 4 Kids

     I'll have another post later this afternoon - not Halloween, but Christmas instead.  I'm still hoping our 103F weather will change and get cooler.  Throughout the summer this year, 5 out of every 6 days have been 100 degrees or higher, and even those which have been below 100, have been 98 or 99.  That started the last week of May and I'm really tired of it!  I'm trying to entice fall by doing cold weather cards.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Make Your Own Sunshine

     Here it is, Week 3 of my Guest Designing with Sketch Saturday and the challenge is being sponsored by The Paper Shelter this week.  They supplied two images for the DT to use and I chose "Sunshine."  I think it had something to do with the hot weather.  lol

Here's the sketch for this week.

     I started with a pre-colored image and then used ProMarkers to change the colors of the hat, hair and dress on little Miss Sunshine.   I cut the image with a large, rectangle die from QuicKutz, then I fussy cut her along the right side.  The background paper is from that Paper Shelter set, too. 

    The little flower and star embellishments are large sequins.  I printed the sentiment, hand cut it, and inked the edges before adding it to the card front.  Aside from the sequins, the card design is pretty CAS.

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
CARDZ TV
Crafty Friends
Digi Choosday
Double D
I {heart} ProMarkers
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Word Art Weds.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie  

Tennis Star

     I love Fridays!  It means I get to share another fun card with a silly and delightful QKR Stampede image.  Our newest challenge starts today and will run for a week.  I've used "Playing Tennis."

     I colored the tennis star with ProMarkers and used water colors on the background.  I cut the image with a die from Spellbinders. 

     I found two scraps of paper in the basket, neither of them big enough to make the frame, so I cut each one (again, Spellbinders) and then layered them together on a diagonal to frame the image.  I printed the sentiment, hand cut it, and inked the edges before adding it to the card.  I used tiny gems from Stampendous for a bit of sparkle.

     Oh, you want to know what the sentiment means?    You haven't figured it out?   It was on a personalized license plate the first time I saw it.  Give up?  OK, how about "Tennis, anyone?"  lol

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
CARDZ TV
Cutie Pie
Hiding in My Craft Room
Lemon Shortbread
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Southern Girls
Stamping Sensations
TTCRD
Words to Craft By

     I hope you're going to come and play in our challenge this week.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Staying in Shape

     I'm playing in one of my favorite progressive challenges today - the one over at The Outlawz.    The image this month is from Sandra Caldwell and I like this hippo's idea of a perfect diet (and a perfect shape!)  :-D

     She's colored with ProMarkers and die cut with a die from Spellbinders. I backed the image piece with deep pink CS, then cut it again with another die from that set.  I used that outer die to cut the card front and inlaid the image, making it a single layer card (but for the bow and sentiment.) 

     The bow is made from a strip of lace.  I did several of those all in one afternoon, trying to use up various scraps of lace which were in my ribbon stash.  I got more than two dozen bows using those scraps.

     The sentiment was printed, hand cut, matted, and hand cut again.

     Challenges:
Angie's Digital Stamps
Cute N Crafty
Dream Valley
Fussy and Fancy
Hiding in My Craft Room
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Southern Girls

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Fairy Land

     There's a brand new challenge starting today called "Creations in Pink" and I'm delighted to tell you that I was chosen as one of the DT members!   In simple terms, the challenge runs monthly on the 15th of each month and the primary requirement is to use lots of pink on your projects.  Other than that, it's pretty much Anything Goes.   How easy is that?

     This month, our sponsor is Fabrika Fantasy and they generously supplied images for the DT to use.  I used "Water Fairy, who looks so lovely and "summer-y."  Isn't she a fabulous stamp?

     I colored her with ProMarkers and cut her with an Unbranded die.  I cut the pink frame with a larger die from that same set.  The swans are also cut with Unbranded dies.  I added narrow pink ribbon and a pink ribbon bow.  The sentiment was printed, hand cut, matted, hand cut again, and added between the swans.

     Challenges:
Brown Sugar
CARDZ TV
Crafty Sentiments
DL.ART
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Polkadoodles
Star Stampz

     I hope you'll bookmark our challenge and come play along each month.  You can also find us on the "By Date, Not Days" list at Challenges for Days, a great resource for finding challenges you may want to enter.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie  

Portrait of a Lady

     It's mid-month and that means a new challenge is starting at World Wide Open DT, always sponsored by Julia Spiri and her magnificent images!  I've used one of the newer images, "Portrait Girl" which is done in gray scale and I used water colors to bring her to life.

    After water coloring, the image was die cut and the edges were distressed.  I used a larger Tonic Studios scalloped die to cut the white frame and the another to cut the pink CS piece.  Those were layered together before printing and fussy cutting the sentiment.  I matted the sentiment with a scrap of pink CS and added it to the image piece.

     I found the scrap of black dp in my stash and it's been around for so long, I don't even know who made it.  The pink bow is one I sewed together by hand and then added a tiny gem to it.  I love the soft feel of this image and I hope it carried over to the entire card.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Creations
Digi Choosday
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Festive Friday
Southern Girls
TTCRD
Work It Weds.

     I hope we're going to see you playing along in our Anything Goes challenge at World Wide Open this month.  For my US & Canada friends, remember that this challenges runs from the 15th of this month through the 14th of next month but that's on Australia time so think a day ahead.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Peacock

     I'm sharing a card this morning which was the result of my daughter challenging me to CASE a photo she found on the internet.  It was this picture of a beautiful peacock.

     Now, what you need to know is that I love peacocks but coloring them is something that intimidates me.  I don't think she knows that or she probably wouldn't have challenged me to CASE that one.  But we can't disappoint our children, so...

     I searched my files for a peacock image but the only two I had were pre-colored and I felt that wouldn't fit what she wanted to see from me.  I haven't collected many peacock images just because coloring them intimidates me.  However, I did find an embroidery pattern which I scanned and reduced to make it feel a bit like a digi image.  I've never tried coloring embroidery patterns before although I've embroidered my share of them with embroidery floss.  :-D  Here's what it looks like after I scanned it.

     And here's what I did with it.

     I colored with ProMarkers, adding super fine glitter to the head and neck and using gold paint pen on the lattice work.   I also used gold paint on the edges of the image after die cutting it with a rectangle die from Tonic Studios.  I'm thinking that I might like to try coloring this one again but using my polychromos pencils.  I'm sure it will give a very different look to that magnificent bird.

     I knew I wanted to bring out the main colors in the peacock so I used another Tonic Studios rectangle die to cut scraps of turquoise and green CS.  I put those together on an angle, then layered on the image.  I chose a purple CS scrap to make the card front and added a scrap of lace to it before adding the image.

     I added the sentiment but did not embellish the card because I didn't want anything to distract from the peacock.

     Challenges:
Cards in Envy
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Friends
Creates and Makes
Hiding in My Craft Room
Incy Wincy
Jo's Scrap Shack
Pile It On
Send a Smile 4 Kids
Stamping Sensations

     I rather like my first attempt at coloring a peacock and I'm proud enough of it to share it on my blog.  I did send a photo of it to my daughter as soon as it was finished (rather than making her wait until she came over or we had coffee together) and she pronounced it "Beautiful!"  lol

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Day in the Garden

     I dearly love this sweet image of a girl in her garden for the Sasayaki Glitter Progressive Challenge this month.  It's called "Butterfly Garden."

     I colored with ProMarkers, the cut the image with a die from Spellbinders.  That got mounted onto purple CS which became the card front.  I printed the sentiment , hand cut it, and added it below the image.

     For embellishment, I die cut a butterfly out of burlap paper, dyed it purple with a ProMarker, added a gem to the body, and glued it to the top corner.  I found the two orchids in my flower stash
and thought they'd look good on each side of the sentiment

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Butterfly Challenge (flowers & frame)
CARDZ TV
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Colors
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Pattie's Creations
Word Art Weds.

     The week is rolling by and before you know it, we'll pass the halfway point and then it'll be the weekend.  When time passes that quickly, it means Christmas is just around the corner.  Have you started on your cards yet?  lol  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Fairy Nightsong

     I have the honor of being a Guest Designer at The Outlawz Songs and Rhymes challenge today.   Each week, they choose lyrics from a song or poem as inspiration for a crafty project.  This week, it's "Fairy Nightsongs."  Fairy NightSongs

Dancing a spiral we sing unaware
On fairy night wings our songs fill the air
Making a circle of magic and light
Watched silently by the Fey of the night

     Here's my card with an image from Anne Fenton and she's the sponsor for the entire month of August.

I started with a sketch from Die Cuttin' Divas, turned to stand vertical.

     I used ProMarkers to color her, added copper glitter to her wings, then fussy cut the image.  I adhered her to a double oval die cut (Spellbinders.)  I found a scrap of lace in my stash, cut it in two, and added the strips to the card front.  I layered on the image and added one of my hand-sewn bows to the bottom of the ovals.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Brown Sugar
CARDZ TV
Crafty Friends
Crafty Sentiments
Creative Fingers
Incy Wincy
Jo's Scrap Shack
TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Pegasus in Purple

     I'm a Guest Designer for Sketch Saturday this month and this is my second card for them but a completely new sketch.  They have new sketches and new challenges each week.  The sketch this week was both fun and fancy.

     The sponsor for this week is LeAnn's World 101.  She has some of the most adorable images!  Go check them out.  I used one called "Daisy's Friend" and was delighted that the friend is Pegasus.  :-D

     A quick personal story - I first discovered Pegasus through reading.  As a child, summer meant plenty of reading time (without any teachers telling you what you had to read) and one summer, I discovered Greek Mythology.  That led to a love of all fantasy creatures and to this day, unicorns, fairies, mermaids, and especially Pegasus, all mean summer time to me.

Here's the sketch.

     I colored with ProMarkers, deciding to use a monochromatic range of my favorite color, purple.  I cut the image and purple frame with dies from my newest Tonic Studios set.  I love that die set.  It has alternating sizes of plain and scalloped rectangles.  Once I had the image cut with the  die, I carefully cut it into 6 "inchie" squares.

     I laid those out on the frame piece, spacing them carefully to get the 'window' look.  Once adhered, I layered that entire piece onto the background dp (Stampin' Up), then put that onto deep purple CS.

     I printed and added the sentiment, substituting it for the little flag piece.

     Challenges:

Aloha Friday

As You Like It (Fur or feathers?  How about both!  But fur is still easier to color.)

Aud Sentiments

Cut It Up

DL.ART

Outlawz PAM

Pattie's Creations

Polkadoodles

Star Stampz

Take It, Make It

     I'll see you again next Saturday with another sketch.  In the meantime, come play with us, won't you?  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Little Birdie Told Me...

     Good Friday Morning!  We have a new challenge starting today at QKR Stampede where our theme is always "Anything Goes."   I took the opportunity to add another birthday card to my stash with this CAS design using QKR image "Birdhouses" and sentiment "Birdie Told Me."  Remember that QKR Stampede images come in both rubber and digital, whichever is your preference.

     I colored the birdhouses and background in the image with ProMarkers and polychromos pencils, then fussy cut it leaving two spots where the image went 'off the edge.'  To give a little texture and dimension, I stacked the image onto 3 more layers of CS, hand cutting each one as I added it so that the final image piece is 4 layers of CS.  I inked the edges to make it pop a bit.

     I adhered that onto a confetti CS base.  I printed the sentiment, matted it with turquoise CS, and hand cut that.  I used baker's twine to wrap the card and die cut (Cheery Lynn) a butterfly out of burlap paper.  I 'dyed' it with a ProMarker, then added one tiny rhinestone to the butterfly body for a bit of sparkle and called it finished.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps & More
CARDZ TV
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Creations
Crafty Gals Corner
House that Stamps Built (1st column)
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Festive Friday
Penny's Paper Crafty
Victorine Originals

     Come play with us this week.  We love being inspired by you and you certainly can't go wrong with an Anything Goes theme.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Is It Fall Yet?

     OK, I'm done with summer!  I officially hate hot weather, I'm tired of day after day of temperatures over 100F, I'm tired of heat waves, and I don't want to hear the meteorologists tell us one more time to stay indoors because of bad air quality!   That part is really sad because outside is my favorite place to be if I'm not in the craft room.  I want it to be autumn and I want crisp, cool nights, not Hot August Nights. 

     I'm not doing any more summer cards - only fall and winter.  Maybe that will bring in cooler temperatures.  :-D  The image on this autumn card is from Bugaboo Stamps and I love this autumn deer.

I started with the sketch at Stella Says Sketch.

     I colored with ProMarkers, then used one of my Stitched Border dies from Lawn Fawn along each side of it.  I trimmed it top and bottom with a paper cutter and distressed the edges.  Both papers came from one of my DCWV autumn stacks which have been in my stash for more than 5 years now.  I use them up slowly but surely and, while they last, I don't have to buy any new fall paper stacks.  

     I found the orange, polka dot ribbon in my stash, wrapped it around and then hand tied the bow.  I printed the sentiments, cut it by hand, matted it, hand cut it again, then added it to the top corner.

     Challenges:

Angie's Digital Stamps

Catch the Bug

Craft-Dee BowZ

Crafty Calender

Crafty Friends

Crafty Hazelnut's Paper

Lawn Fanatics (outside)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends

Send a Smile 4 Kids

     Well, I went outside to check but fall hasn't arrived yet.  Back to the craft room to make more winter cards.  Maybe visions of snow will help.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Zombie Ball

     Today's card was done for the Progressive Challenge at Limited Runs and it has a story line.  Did you know that every year the ghosties and goblins throw an annual Ball?  It's usually an "invitation only" event but this year a young zombie showed up, hoping to gain access.  He was excluded, however, for lacking the proper dress.

     Coloring was done with ProMarkers, and I used a Sizzix die to cut the inner scalloped circle and a Memory Box stitched scalloped die to cut the larger circle.  I inked the edges of each one and inlaid them.  The background dp (Making Memories) and the spidery ribbon were both in my Halloween stash and they seemed to work well with this particular design.

     I printed and hand cut the sentiment, matted it with a bit of dp, then 'dyed' the little bow black with a ProMarker.

     Challenges:
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Sentiments
Cards in Envy  (new image)
Creates and Makes
Creative Fingers
Incy Wincy
Scrappy Land
Tuesday Throwdown

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Felines Made Me Post This!

     I had no idea when I did the previous post that I'd be posting twice today.  But the feline fur babies simply wouldn't let me do a salute to the world of canines without a balancing post featuring a cat.   Sigh.  If you want to see what upset them, check out this post (or scroll down one post.)

     I found this image in my collection of Di's Digi Designs and decided that I would color it with my polychromos pencils.   When it was finished, I cut it with one of my newest dies, an Unbranded cross stitch rectangle, and I used the smallest one from that set to cut the sentiment.

     I needed to get this one done quickly (since the fur babies were glaring at me) and I had already spent a good 45 minutes coloring, so I looked through various sketches and settled on the one from Cheerful Sketches.  Without a sketch, I can spend an hour or more fiddling with design ideas, laying things out, re-arranging them, and re-arranging again.  No time for that this morning!

     Everything on the card came from scraps in my stash.  The bit of red ribbon and the polka dot dp worked well together so I grabbed them, trimmed the dp squares to a suitable size, distressed the edges a bit,  and layered them onto a card base made from a leftover piece of confetti CS.  

     I dug out one of those white bows I sew up by the dozens, used a marker to 'dye' it red, and added it as the one embellishment on the card.  I called it finished and rushed around to get it photographed and ready to post.  

     Sorry the ribbon is crooked in the photo but I didn't take time to adjust it and re-photograph.  At that point, the felines were pacing and making threatening noises so I just sat down and began typing up the post.  (If you don't see a post from me tomorrow, call the FBI!  The cats have probably done something horrible with my remains, like hiding the shredded pieces under the ribbon stash in the craft room.  lol)

     Challenges:

A Bit More Time to Craft

Digi Doodle Studios

Digistamps4Joy

Joy Clair

Lemon Shortbread

Not Just Cards

SUYP Cats

TTCRD

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

For Love of a Dog

     I want everyone to know that I closed the door and banned the feline fur babies from the craft room while I write up this post.  They'd be complaining if they knew I was honoring dogs in general and one canine in particular.  lol  Hey, at least I'm staying true to loving fur critters better than those with feathers.  For me, that's probably because I think it's easier to color fur than it is feathers.

     This darling image is from Dragon's Lair and is for their monthly progressive challenge.  But I'm using it to honor Rambo, the best friend of a dear blogging buddy of mine, Lynn.  Rambo is a ferocious guard dog, fiercely protecting his family and home from invading cats and squirrels, despite the fact that his legs are only inches tall.  Go get 'em, Rambo!

     Since Rambo is a red doxie instead of black, I mixed as many shades as I could of red-brown water colors to color the image.  I used ProMarkers to do the nose, the eyes, and his collar.  I used Tonic Studios dies to cut the image and the frame.  As a salute to Lynn, I did a CAS design and added twine, both of which she does on most of her cards.  I really like the CAS for this one because it showcases dear Rambo so beautifully and makes a great masculine card.  :-D

     Challenges:
Addicted to CAS
As You Like It
Crafty Addicts
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lemon Shortbread
Scrappy Land
That's Crafty
Word Art Weds.
Work It Weds.

     Lynn, I hope you love this and I can't wait to see your own version of this.  Hug Rambo for me but don't tell the cats!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Family Christmas Letter

     Each year during the Christmas holidays, my mother used to write out (by hand and with carbon paper - bet most of you don't remember carbon paper) a long Christmas letter to family and friends, with updates on our nuclear family's activities and accomplishments which had taken place during the previous year.  It's a tradition which has been lost over time with the exception of one cousin who has lived in Australia for 45 years now.  Even he now sends out his Christmas letter via email.

     But this year, I'm going to revive the tradition and send real, live, postage-paid, letters to many friends and distant family members.  I decided since card making has become one of my favorite activities, and since many of the family members expect to get a card from me, I'd combine the two and send out letters inside a tri-fold, CS cover which will also serve as the envelope.

     I've made a dozen of these and have another half dozen to finish.

     I've actually made two versions of this and this one uses the 'negative' die cut.  The dies are Memory Box.  On the other style, I used the positive, that is, the actual die cut words.  I haven't photographed one of that style yet but the words are mounted onto a long rectangle of light red CS for a red and green combo.

     I used tiny, metal brads in the center and dimensional holly and berries.  The letter will be on regular 8.5" X 11" paper and it will tri-fold inside the cover, being stapled to it at the top.  I'll use a small Christmas sticker to hold the flap closed for mailing.

     Challenges:
Crafts Galore Encore
Creative Inspirations
Die Cuttin' Divas
Let's Craft & Create
Not Just Cards
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Paper Nest Dolls
Scrappy Land
TTCRD

     Having finally started my Christmas cards last month, I'm staying with my commitment to make at least 1 Christmas card per week between now and the beginning of October and then I may have to increase that.  We'll see how it goes but this is the one for this week.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cat Lover Thank You

     I've done another die cuts card but this one is a special Thank You for a cat lover friend of mine.   Her young daughter has 2 Siamese cats so I did my best to color them appropriately.  I know both of them are going to love this card.

     I used scraps of CS to do the die cuts.  The cat family die is from Cheery Lynn and the Thank You oval was cut with an Unbranded die.  I used ProMarkers to color the gray on the cats and the bit of purple on the ball of yarn.

     I dug in my stash to find one of my hand-sewn bows; it was white but I 'dyed' it with a violet ProMarker.  Once I learned that technique of dying with a marker, I only use white ribbon for my bows.  That way, I get bows which are exactly the color I want.

     I added a small gem to the center before adhering it to the card.

     Challenges:
Crafty Sentiments
Creative Fingers
Die Cuttin' Divas
Digi Choosday
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Pixie's Snippets
Quick Quotes
Send a Smile 4 Kids
TTCRD

     That's all I have for today.  Maybe something else tomorrow.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Reading Journey

     I'm so tickled to be a Guest Designer at Sketch Saturday for the whole month of August!  Our sponsor for this sketch is Star Stampz and "Journey through a Book" is one of their images. 

     I love sketches for inspiration and Sketch Saturday has some of the best ones.  Let me show you my card and the sketch.

And here's the sketch:

     I colored with ProMarkers and the 'sky' is done with watercolors.  Both the image and frame are cut with dies from Spellbinders.  The sentiment is printed and hand cut, then layered onto the CS flag.  I used one of my signature bows which was originally white but I used a ProMarker to 'dye' it. 

     Finally, I added three tiny gems to the left hand side of the image but they're hard to see in the photo.  All the paper/CS on the card were scraps left on the craft table from other projects.

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
CARDZ TV
Creative Fingers
Cute Card Thurs.
House that Stamps Built
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Pattie's Creations
Scrappy Land
Take It, Make It

      Are you feeling stuck for a creative idea or did your mojo go on vacation?  Try using our sketch for inspiration and then come play in our challenge this week.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Old Friends

     It's Friday so another weekly challenge is starting at QKR Stampede.  As always, we have an "Anything Goes" theme.

     When I was a young girl, I received my first Raggedy Ann doll.  She was precious and became my favorite right away.  Within a few months, I decided she needed a friend and begged for another rag doll to accompany her.  A second one arrived right around my birthday.  Over the next dozen or so years, I gathered up at least 6 more and each one of them was well loved, therefore also well worn.

     By the time they needed to be discarded (a heartbreaking occasion for me) I was old enough to have discovered quilting.  I can remember carefully removing their aprons and using that fabric in my first quilt.  I'm sure those memories have something to do with this card design, using "Girl Friends" (image) and "Best Antiques" (sentiment) from the QKR store.

     For coloring the image, I used a combination of ProMarkers and water colors.  I cut both the image and the frame with diamond dies from Spellbinders.  The frame piece was cut from a scrap of dp rescued from an ignominious death in the round file.

     I printed and cut the sentiment with another diamond die from that same set.  Instead of matting it, I just used a ProMarker to ink the edges.  The plaid background dp made me think of the apron fabric on one of my rag dolls so I decided it was the perfect choice for this card.

     I'm inspired now to use this image (printed onto plain white fabric) on a child's quilt.  Maybe I'll still be blogging by the time I get it done and I'll be able to share it with you.  On the other hand, quilting takes me a lot longer than it did when I was younger, so who knows?  :-D

     Challenges:
Aloha Friday
Aud Sentiments
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper
Crafting with Friends
Creative Knockouts
Cute Card Thursday
Digistamps4Joy
Not Just Cards

      Hope we see you playing along this week.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Just Chillin' at the Seaside

     Here's it is the first Thursday in August and we're starting a new challenge over at Crafting with an Attitude.  Our sponsor this month is Beccy's Place and I've used this magnificent Gull from her "Smooth Seas" set.

     I started by coloring with my ProMarkers and then did the background using a dried out marker as a water color 'paint brush.'   I dipped it into the water color, let it absorb quite a bit, dabbed it once on a paper towel, then used it to 'paint' both the sky and the water.  I had to dip several times to complete both the sky and the water.

     The marker I chose was actually an old blender so I didn't risk any color being left in the marker.  Old alcohol markers don't mix well with the water, even when they are dried out.  I really like the broad, chisel-tip look it gave me which I can't get with any of the water color paint brushes I have.

     I used a white gel pen to make the foam around the pilings.

     I cut the image with a stitched, Cheery Lynn, die.  I did the same with the printed sentiment but I trimmed off the top since the small square die was larger than I wanted.  Both of those pieces were mounted onto a confetti CS base.  I dug through my ribbon stash, found that blue ribbon, and used the last I had to wrap around the card front and then make the multi-loop bow with my bow maker.

     I think this made a wonderful masculine card and I'll have it in my stash for future use.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
Bastel-Traum
Beccy's Place
Carlin's Card Paradise
Country View
Craft-Dee Bowz
Crafter's Cafe
Crafts Galore Encore
Digistamps4Joy
Scribbles Designs

     Come play in our challenge this month.  Our theme is "Anything Goes" and we can't wait to be inspired by you.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cold Days & Hot Coffee

     This is my second post of the day so if you're looking for my DT card for 2 Crafty Critter Crazies, please click here.

     The new challenge starts today at SheepSki Designs and our theme is "Favourite Things."  I used the SheepSki image called "Coffee Break" because two of my favorite things are cold autumn nights and coffee.  When those are put together it's a perfect evening!   Just so you know, I'm really tired of the hot, hot, HOT weather we've had for 33 days (in a row) and I'm wishing for autumn and crisp air and coffee.  Does the coffee part make that a 'Warm Wish' ? 

     She's colored with ProMarkers and cut with a die from Spellbinders.  I framed the image with a pinhole die cut (Cottage Cutz.)  Both of those are simple square dies turned on point.

     The background paper is from DCWV, pulled from the oldest part of my paper stash, and I used an ink pad to ink the edges before applying it to the card front.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, added it, and then used three small pearls on each side for embellishment, also from the stash.

     Challenges:
CARDZ  TV
Crafting by Designs
Die Cuttin' Divas
Di's Digi Designs
Lemon Shortbread
Paper Shelter
Pile It On
Polkadoodles
TTCRD
   
     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cherry Harvest

     It's August 1st (how did it get to be August???) and that means another new challenge at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies where we always have an Anything Goes theme as long as you feature some sort of creature.  We're being sponsored by A Day for Daisies this month and they generously gave us images to use.  I chose "A Bite of Cherry" for my image and it makes me think of harvest time.  :-D

I started with the sketch from Sketch Saturday

and the colors from The Outlawz.

  

     I colored with a combination of ProMarkers and water color paints.  I cut the image with a Gina Marie die.  I found a scrap of marbled, rusty, CS and trimmed it to the exact size of the die cut, framing out the image in rusty reds for a feeling of fall harvest.

     I added a simple strip of sheer ribbon and red bow to which I added a tiny gem.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, inked the edges, and added it to the bottom of the image.

     Challenges:
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Sentiments
Digi Choosday
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Simon Says Stamp & Show
Take It, Make It
Word Art Weds.

     I hope we'll see you playing along with us this month.  You can submit any kind of project as long as it features some kind of creature - 2 legged, 4 legged, feather, fur, wings or no wings, insects, even complete fantasy creatures.  Come play!  NanaConnie