Birthday Freesias

     We are starting the October challenge at Crafting with an Attitude where our theme is always "Anything Goes."  This month, we're sponsored by SheepSki Designs (and I'm honored to be part of that DT also!)  I chose to use this beautiful "Freesia Vase" image.

I decided to use colors from the Tic Tac Toe challenge

at Color My Heart's Color Dare.

I chose the bottom row.

     I colored with ProMarkers, then fussy cut the image.  The background pink and white 'mat' is cut with dies from Spellbinders and they are inset into each other.  I mounted the image onto dimensional tape and added it to the mat.

     All of that went onto peacock CS which was trimmed to fit the card base. The only embellishment I added were the two sets of three tiny pearls on the two diagonal corners.  I wanted it as simple as possible to showcase that gorgeous flower image.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
Country View 
Crafting with Friends
Dream Valley
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Festive Friday
Outlawz Greetings
Pammie's Inky Pinkies

     We hope to see you playing along in our challenge this month.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Witch Way?

     I absolutely adore this little witch from Fabrika Fantasy!   I have all my Halloween cards done  and ready to mail but there are so many Halloween themed challenges that pop up in October, I can't resist making more cards.  I guess I'll have plenty made for next year.  Or maybe I'll just donate them to the local hospitals for the kids.

I decided to base my design on the sketch 

at The Outlawz this week.

     I colored with ProMarkers and cut the image with a Lawn Fawn stitched die.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Unbranded die.  I cut the dove tail part by hand.  The papers are from Graphic 45 and the two witch's hats were die cut from foam and glittered.

     Challenges:
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Inspirations
Creative Moments
Double D
Lawn Fanatics
That's Crafty

     That's all I have for today but I'll be back tomorrow with a DT post for the latest challenge at Crafting with an Attitude.  I hope you'll come by to check it out.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Full Moon Bats

     We all know what happens when a werewolf is caught under the light of a full moon, Halloween or otherwise, but do you know what happens to bats?  Nope, nothing to do with vampires or Dracula. 

     They fall in love and get completely twitter-pated!  Here's the proof in this cute Conie Fong image.

     The image is colored with ProMarkers, and cut with a simple Spellbinders' die.  The two-piece, black mat behind it was cut with dies from Cottage Cutz.  I layered those together, offsetting them for a visual effect.  They are stitched buy that doesn't show well in the photo.  I added one, small, flying bat (a die cut) to the upper corner of the image (Cottage Cutz.)

     The spider web dp is from a stack by Memory Makers.  I added the stitched, orange ribbon and tied a black, bow tie bow.  There was already so much visual interest that I didn't want to add much more by way of embellishment.  This way, it's flat and easy to mail.

     Challenges:
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafty Gals Corner
Crafty Hazelnut's 
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Cute Card Thursday
Simon Says Stamp
Try Stampin' on Tues.
TTCRD
Unicorn

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Berry Pie Time

     Did you know that fall is really the time for berry pies?  I know most of you think that berry pie is a summer thing but since I used this marvelous "Berry" image on my DT card (theme is "Wings") for October SheepSki Designs challenge, I'll tell you the real story.

     Berry picking is definitely a summer activity but since those fresh, ripe, berries can only last so long, and since in my family we always picked more than we could possibly eat before they spoiled, we froze quarts and quarts of them.  When October rolled around and the weather finally was cool enough that we didn't care if the oven heated up the kitchen, we dug out a couple of quarts of those frozen berries and used them to make berry pies!  We could have berry pie throughout the fall and we usually used the last of them for a wonderful and unexpected Thanksgiving dessert.

     I colored the berry vine with my ProMarkers and added tiny spots and dots of highlighting with a gel pen.  The image was cut with a die from Spellbinders.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, adding it to the bottom of the image piece.

     The bow is one of those I sew up by the dozens, only this time it has a tiny button on it instead of a pearl.  I 'dyed' it aubergine purple with a ProMarker.  My final touch was to add the 'Wings" and that's a machine embroidered butterfly.  It reminds me that we always saw butterflies when we were out picking berries even though they were pretty much all gone by the time we were eating berry pies.  :-D

     Challenges:
Art Impressions
Cardz TV
Creative Knockouts
Digi Choosday
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Polkadoodles
Southern Girls (dots on the berries and on the die cut)

     That does it for my First-of-the-Month DT posts and I may or may not have another post tomorrow.  My fingers are tired from all the typing and my brain is recuperating from all the creative juices flowing through it.  Can you get drunk on creative juices?  :-D  But I'll be back in a day or two, I promise.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Fall Arrives in Style

     I'm so tickled to announce that I was invited to join the DT at Simply Magnolia!   I adore all the sweet little Tildas (and Edwins) and am so delighted to be using my rather large (and still growing) collection of Magnolia stamps.  Over the last 5 years, as I became more and more enamored of digital stamps, I began giving up my rubber.  However, a few brands were dear enough that I held on to them and Magnolia was one of those companies.  Aren't I happy about that now!  lol

     So, here's my first DT card using one of my Magnolia Tildas which is just perfect for an "Anything Autumn" (our theme this month) card.

I started with sketch #529 from Sketch Saturday

but reversed it.

     Most of you who follow me or who visit regularly know that I don't really do cards which are over the top with embellishments (because I mail so many of my cards and they need to fit into envelopes) but I did want lots of visual texture on this one.

     I started by coloring with my ProMarkers, then I used dies from Spellbinders to cut both the image and the orange mat (a left over scrap) behind it.   The sentiment was printed and hand cut, edges inked, and then added to the bottom of the image.

     I cut a scrap of orange plaid dp, and another scrap of orange CS to frame it, using rectangle dies from QuicKutz, then those went behind the matted image piece.  I had a scrap of that mesh on the craft table so I grabbed it to go behind the upper end of the image.  The visual texture I wanted is beginning to come together at that point.

     Finding the diamond pattern ribbon (Really Reasonable Ribbon) in my stash was perfect and added one more bit of texture.  Finally, I sewed one of my signature bows, dyed it olive green with a ProMarker, and added it.  Voila' - finished!

     Challenges:
Allsorts
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lemon Shortbread
Mod Squad
Pixie's Snippets
Send a Smile 4 Kids
TTCRD

     Check back in an hour or so when my next DT post is scheduled.     :-D Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Thankful for Autumn Deer

     "Autumn Deer" - that's the name of this beautiful image from Ching-Chou Kuik, who just happens to be our sponsor for the October challenge at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies.  As always, the theme is "Anything Goes with a Featured Critter."  Ching-Chou Kuik provided images for the DT to use and a few of us also used images from our own collection so be sure to check out the challenge post to see all of the images used by our DT.

     This time I colored with a combination of polychromos pencils and ProMarkers, then I cut the image with a die from Spellbinders.  I took some of the tiny leaves (which are the negative bits that fell out of the die cut) and colored them, then scattered them across the card as though they were blown by an autumn wind.

     I found a scrap of brown CS, ran it through my "Linen" embossing folder, and mounted it onto a kraft card front.  I wrapped the card front in coral ribbon and added the sentiment, plus one of my favorite hand-sewn bows.  The bow was originally white but I use ProMarkers to 'dye' it the color I wanted.  This card is pretty CAS and can be easily mailed.

     A couple of posts ago, I told you that winter was my favorite season but I was in the middle making Christmas cards and that definitely influenced my choice.  Truth be told, I love autumn best.  After a long, usually very hot summer, the cooler nights of fall and the smell of rainstorms rolling in satisfy me in a way little else does.  I used to be thrilled that football was back but I gave up watching televised football games when I became disillusioned with the NFL.  Still, I love autumn because it means cooler weather and a chance to craft with all those autumn colors which I tend to ignore the rest of the year.

     Challenges:
As You Like It
Ching-Chou Kuik
C.R.A.F.T.
Cute Card Thurs.
House that Stamps Built
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Paper Shelter
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Simon Says Stamp
Word Art Weds.

     I hope we're going to see you playing along in our October challenge.  We love seeing what you create and there's no limitation on what you make as long as it features a critter of some sort.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bite Me?

     Limited Runs is running their September/October Progressive Challenge and their freebie image is "The Count."  I thought the image was hysterically funny and here's what I did with it.

I used the sketch from Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2.

     First, let me say that the colors in this photo are completely off!  The spiderweb papers are actually violet and the bow is purple, not blue.  The plaid papers stayed pretty much true, thankfully.  I have re-photographed this a dozen times but the colors are still wonky.

     I used ProMarkers to color the image and cut it with a Sizzix die.  All four of the dp squares were cut with Unbranded dies and the sentiment was cut with a die from QuicKutz.  The papers are from Graphic 45 and both ribbons came from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  I used my bow maker to tie the double loop bow.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Cardz TV
Craft-Dee Bowz
Crafty Creations
Crafty Friends
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Moments
Scrapy Land

     Tomorrow is the start of a new month, October!  How did it get to be October already?  Sheesh - it feels like I'm just now recovering from the whirlwind of holidays last winter.  lol  Oh, well, that just means I'll have a pile of DT first-of-the-month posts over the next 24 hours, including one that's brand new for me.  That's all the hint you get right now.  Be sure to check back as your schedule allows.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Checking His List

     We all know that Santa checks his Naughty or Nice list at least twice for accuracy, but the truth is he knows if you've been bad or good even without checking.  lol  So, since it's another Friday, and since you've obviously been "good" enough, QKR Stampede is bringing you a new "Anything Goes" challenge.

     I've used a QKR image called "Checking It Twice" and I think it's adorable!

     I colored with water colors and used ProMarkers to add the shading and highlights.  I cut the image with a pinpoint die from Memory Box.  The two matting pieces were cut from red and green CS using a Lawn Fawn, cross stitch, die.  I layered those three pieces together and found a pale green card blank for the base.

     I cut one more piece - the snowflake (Intricutz die) - added glitter to it, and then began laying out all the pieces onto the card front.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, matting it before adding it to the card.

     The design is pretty CAS but that will make it good for mailing and so many of my family cards go out of state.  It's also a great masculine card for one of the grandkids (or even great grands!)

     Every year, as the holidays get closer and closer, it's always a toss up for me as to whether I love winter and Christmas best or autumn and Thanksgiving.  Both are family times and I love that the cold weather means staying inside in the craft room so thinking about that today, winter wins!  Tomorrow, who knows?  :-D

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps
As You Like It
Crafty Hazelnut's 
Creative Fingers
Di's Digi Designs
Hiding in My Craft Room
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Pattie's Creations
Winter Wonderland

     Come play with us, won't you?  It's Anything Goes and you are not required to use a QKR Stampede image.  However, if you do, then your entry goes into a separate draw for QKR only and that really increases your chances of winning!   Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Poinsettia Girl

     Look, after all the Halloween and Thanksgiving cards this month, I've actually done a Christmas card!   That beautiful image is from Lemon Shortbread.

I used the sketch at Try Stamping on Tuesday 

for inspiration, but turned it sideways.

     I colored with ProMarkers, added yellow Nuvo Crystal Drops to the centers of the poinsettias, then used a Memory Box die to cut the image.  The dp is from an old stack by K & Co. found in my stash, and the deep, forest green is CS which I embossed with my "Linen" folder.  The leaves were cut with a Cheery Lynn die and I added glitter to them for some Christmas sparkle.

     The card base is made from kraft CS and, after the papers were added but before the leaves or image, I wrapped sparkly, golden, ribbon around the bottom, then added all the other pieces, including the sentiment.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps
Angie's Digital Stamps
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Digi Choosday
I {heart} ProMarkers
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Scrappy Land
Tuesday Throwdown

     OMGoodness, it's nearly the weekend!  I have lots of crafting planned because the first of the month is almost here and I have DT projects which will be posting that day.

     Happy Crafting, my friends.  NanaConnie

Apples and Ants

     Yesterday I promised you a second card inspired by the challenge photo at Catch the Bug and here it is, again using an image from Bugaboo Stamps.

Here's the challenge photo.

     I colored my image with water colors and white gel ink, then cut it with a die from Spellbinders.  I backed that piece with some olive CS and trimmed the edges to size.  That went onto an embossed card front.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment.  I added one of my signature bows, leaving it white this time.  I added a tiny, red button to the center of it and called the card finished.

     Challenges:
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Creative Inspirations
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Scrappy Land
Stamping Sensations (bug, bow)
That's Crafty
TTCRD
Tuesday Throwdown (red/green)
Words 2 Craft By

     I hope your week is going well and that the crispness of fall has arrived for you.  In my neck of the woods, it looks as though we're going to have to wait at least another week for cooler weather, and even then, that may mean temperatures in the 80s instead of high 90s.  Sigh...  Hey, Mother Nature, if you send fall now I promise not to complain about the weather throughout the entire winter.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Apple Pie Happy !

     My dad loved apple pie more than any other dessert and it was probably the only way he ever ate apples.  My mom, on the other hand, hated making pie of any sort (cakes, cookies, sweet rolls, even candy was fine but she didn't like making pie crusts) so home-made apple pie in our house was something to celebrate.  As apple harvest season rolled around, the whole family would drive up into the foothill country for a day of picking apples at the orchards and we'd come home with bushel baskets which would be stored in the cellar for as long as they lasted under the onslaught of kids craving fresh fruit long after it had disappeared from the trees.  Usually we picked so many during the harvest that we still had apples well into the winter - certainly through Christmas and the New Year.

     When Mom broke down and made the first apple pie of the season, my dad would declare himself to be "Apple Pie Happy!" and we'd all celebrate and declare it was the best she'd ever made.  :-D

     Here's a salute to my mom and her harvest-season, apple pies. 

Both the memory and this card were inspired by the challenge photo at Catch the Bug

and I used an image from Bugaboo Stamps.

     This card is a combination of old and new things.  The childhood memories made me appreciate and reach for things from my stash which are the old.  The dies I used are my newest ones and the yellow CS is from a package I just purchased.  I was getting low on fall colors in my CS stash so had to purchase replacements. 

     I colored with ProMarkers, then cut the image and the yellow frame with my newest cross-stitch dies from Lawn Fawn.  I found a scrap of forest green CS to use on the card front, then printed, hand cut, and matted the sentiment.

     I had another scrap of that net mesh and I added it to the side of the card, tucking it under one side of the image.  I also found the leaf embellie in my autumn stash and thought it would look good tucked into the mesh.  I added three, tiny, brass, brads to the bottom corner but they're hard to see in the photo.

     Challenges:
Crafter's Cafe
Cutie Pie
Do Al(l) Creatives (Diagonal: top left to bottom right)
Double Trouble
Incy Wincy
Lawn Fawnatics
Pammie's Inky Pinkies

     I'll have another card tomorrow inspired by the same photo from the Catch the Bug challenge but completely different.  The only common thread between the two cards would be the "apple" theme.  Check it out tomorrow to see what I mean.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Thanksgiving Greetings

     A couple of weeks ago, I saw this card on Jane Willis's blog, Onions and Paper, and was so impressed with it that I just had to CASE it!  Thanks for the inspiration, Jane!

I love the simple design, striking background paper,

and wonderful autumn theme.

     Here's how I used that inspiration.

     The sentiment/image is from my growing collection of Victorine Originals stamps.  I actually added the little pumpkins on each side (also Victorine) so the main stamp is the sentiment.

     I used ProMarkers to color, then cut it into the long rectangle.  I inked the edges to make it stand out.  The argyle plaid paper is a digital paper and I really don't remember from what company.  It was a leftover scrap large enough to cover my card front and had gorgeous autumn colors.

    After putting on the sentiment piece, I added glittered ribbon above and below and knew instantly that the card was finished.  

     Challenges:

Crafty Friends

Crafty Sentiments Designs

Creative with Stamps

Double Trouble

Dragonfly Dreams

Get Creative

Hiding in My Craft Room

Jo's Scrap Shack

Passion for ProMarkers

Path of Positivity
Sum More Fun

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Teddy's Wagon

     I've been digging through my collection of Di's Digi Designs again and found this image - perfect for a Thanksgiving celebration.

I used a sketch from The Outlawz, turned on its side

and colors (again) from Time Out.

  

     I colored with ProMarkers, using muted autumn shades.  I trimmed the image to size and layered it onto a scrap piece of digital dp left over from another project.  I cut the orange frame with a Memory Box die and put that on top of the image and dp.

     I found that ribbon in my autumn stash and added the two strips of it, top and bottom.  I printed the sentiment, hand cut it, and inked the edges before adding it.  I did small pearls in each corner, then added the two leaves and the pumpkin on Pop Dots for some dimension and texture.

     I think this will be a perfect Thanksgiving card for one of the boys in my family.  :-D

     Challenges:
Angie's Digital Stamps
Cute N Crafty
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Send a Smile 4 Kids
Stamping Sensations (bear, bounty)

     Enjoy the last part of our weekend and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Hedgehog Gratitude

     Can hedgehogs be grateful?  Sure, why not?  Give them a few leaves to line their nests before winter hits and their gratitude knows no bounds.  :-D

     I did this sweet card using an image from Lemon Shortbread.

I started with the sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches

and the autumn colors from Time Out.

  

     I colored with ProMarkers and water colors, then cut the image with an Unbranded die.  The glittery dots which make up the flourish along the left side and the three on the top right I made by hand punching the dots out of paper which I had glittered and let dry before punching.

     I printed the sentiment, inked the edges and added it above the image.  The bow was hand sewn from sheer ribbon and I put one of the glittered dots on it.

     Challenges:

Aud Sentiments

House that Stamps Built

I {heart} ProMarkers

Mod Squad

Simon Says Stamp

Word Art Weds.

Words to Craft By

     That's all I have for today but I'll be back tomorrow with something else for you to see.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie 

A "Git 'er Done" Birthday

     I unexpectedly needed a birthday card and had almost no time to make it so I dipped into my quick and easy ideas, decided on die cuts, and put this together in about 15 minutes.  I'm on my way to deliver it to my neighbor who needs it for a coffee get-together this morning.  :-D

I took my color inspiration from the Color Dare

challenge at Color My Heart.

I'm really trying to support their challenge

and I encourage others to do the same.

You just have to use all and only the 3 designated colors.

     The background circle with the leaves was cut with an Unbranded die and the sentiment came from a Memory Box die.  I cut them from CS I had on hand and put them onto a kraft card base, thereby using all three colors and only those three.

    Challenges:

Cardz TV

Crafting from the Heart

Crafting with Friends

House of Colors

Jo's Scrap Shack

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends

Not Just Cards

Pammie's Inky Pinkies

Pile It On

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Back to School Fairy (or Not)

     While all the adults I know are thrilled that school is back in session, there are lots of grandkids (some of mine included) who would give anything to have a Magic Fairy who would let them out of school, even for just a day.  That was the inspiration for this card and sentiment.

     The image is the freebie for the Progressive Challenge over at Sasayaki Glitter.

     I colored with ProMarkers, then die cut the image with a stitched, scalloped die from Memory Box.  I printed and cut the sentiment with another die from that same set.  I inked the scalloped edges of both pieces.

     I ran a piece of shiny, lavender CS through my "Linen" folder to add some great texture and wrapped that piece with pink, polka dot, ribbon.  All the layers gave even more texture to the card. 

     For a simple embellishment, I made one of my signature bows with a pearl and added it to the ribbon. 

     Challenges:
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Moments
Digi Choosday
If You Give A Crafter a Cookie
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Passion for ProMarkers
Sasayaki Glitter
Scrappy Land
Tuesday Throwdown

     If I can get back into my craft room today, I may have a post for tomorrow.  I've been "babysitting" these two delightful, 'great-grand' fur babies (my oldest granddaughter's kittens) for a few days and they are very demanding of my time (to say nothing of being too cute to ignore!)  So very little has been done in the way of crafting for the last few days.  Good thing I had things ready to post.  :-D

Ivory and Ebony (perched where they can watch my every move!)

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Lead the Way, Rudolph

     Well, for the last couple of weeks, I've been doing Halloween cards with an occasional Christmas card thrown in and today I have one more Christmas card to share.  This one is definitely made for a child and it features an image from Bugaboo Stamps, a fun little reindeer which I turned into Rudolph (from the Christmas song fame) with his bright, red nose.

I started with the sketch at Stella Says Sketch,

although I let the bobble head be the circle shape.  :-D

     I colored with ProMarkers, pencils, and gel ink.  I used red glitter to his nose and colored the shine of its light onto his face.  The image is cut with a stitched die from Die-namics.  The dark blue dp is from DCWV - "Winter Magic" stack.  I used embossed dp for the white strip at the bottom (and filled in the top corner, also), then added the three snowflakes with sparkly, gem centers for embellishment.

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Catch the Bug (bottom row)
Color My Heart
 
(Poppy, Pacifica, Nutmeg, Bashful, Crystal Blue, Flaxen, Tangerine)
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Catz
Creative Fingers
Outlawz Festive Friday
Polkadoodles
Take It, Make It

     That's all I have for today but enjoy your week and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Welcome Home

     Neighbors on my street have been traveling the whole summer and got home just in time for the Labor Day holiday so they shuffled the things in their bags and took a weekend at the beach.  lol  I thought if I did a card welcoming them home, maybe they'd stay more than one day.

     My card features this sweet little girl collecting her travel bags and it's from Whoopsi Daisy.

I was inspired by the sketch at The Outlawz.

     I colored with ProMarkers, then cut the image with a stitched, scalloped die from Memory Box.  I cut the mat for the image with a larger die from that same set.  

     The butterfly dp was a large scrap I had in the basket and, with glitter and embossing, I thought it was the perfect way to enhance this card so I cut shapes dictated by the sketch and added them appropriately.  The sentiment was printed and added above the image and my final touch was the sheer bow with a tiny button.

     Challenges:

Butterfly (all 7 elements)

Crafty Gals Corner

Cute N Crafty

Dream Valley

Give a Crafter a Cookie

Lemon Shortbread

Paper Shelter

TTCRD

     Have a wonderful week and stop by again tomorrow for the next post.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

"Impossible" Fold for a Witch's Stew

     Beccy, from Beccy's Place, has done a couple of fancy fold tutorials this month and I'd never made either kind of card before so I tried them.  The Dutch Door fold I posted a week or so ago and now this one, an "Impossible Card," for today.  I followed her Tutorial exactly and discovered that despite the "Impossible" name, it's really quite simple to make. 

     The image is - make that WAS available as a digi through Sparkle n Sprinkle, and may still be available as a rubber stamp but I haven't checked that.  In any case, I'm using it for their challenge.

     I colored with ProMarkers and cut the image piece with a square die from Spellbinders.  I inked the edges and mounted it onto the middle flap.  The sentiment is part of the image set and I printed, cut, inked, and mounted it onto a scrap piece of embossed, beige CS.

     That beige piece (and the one like it at the back of the card) was layered onto a scrap of the main dp, then onto black CS, and each of those was cut to size for the card.  That checkered dp is digital paper from Doodle Pantry (now closed. :-(  )   I love that paper because it has my favorite fall color combo and works with most fall/autumn projects.

     I used a die from Impression Obsession to cut the bats from scraps of black CS and added them last.  The stand-up flap folds down for mailing.

     Challenges:
Brown Sugar
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Calendar
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Creates and Makes
Cutie Pie
Die Cuttin' Divas
Passion for ProMarkers
Pixie's Snippets

     I hope you are enjoying your weekend and getting a bit of relaxation/"me" time and not spending it all doing household chores.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Walking the Cat

     This card, which I've done as my DT inspiration for the latest Creations in Pink challenge, is going to my #1 granddaughter.  I'm 'babysitting' her two feline fur babies for a few days while she's out of town.  When she brought them over, we had a conversation in which she shared that she takes her 5- month-old babies out for walks on a leash.  They have harness collars which makes it easier but she says her neighbors think she's crazy.  Still, the babies seem to like it.

     Our sponsor is Ppinky Dolls and they have some of the most precious images!   My collection of  Ppinky Dolls is growing.  Every time I visit the shop, one or two of them sneak into my cart and come home with me.  :-D  This one is called "Jerry."

   

     I colored her with my polychromos pencils and ProMarkers, then cut the image by hand.  I mounted her, popped up with foam tape, onto an embossed die cut (Spellbinders) which had been left over from another project.  I had some glittery, embossed paper on the craft desk and I cut it into flag shapes and also die cut one tiny circle (Sizzix.)  I added those to the right hand side of the image, then tied a tiny, pink bow which I put in the middle of the circle piece.  I added one tiny gem to the bow.  Finally, I printed and hand cut the sentiment, matting it with a scrap of deep pink CS before adding it below the image.

     Challenges:

Brown Sugar

Crafting from the Heart

Crafty Friends

Crafty Sentiments Designs

Die Cuttin' Divas

Lemon Shortbread

Pammie's Inky Pinkies

Simon Says Stamp

SUYP Cats

     I hope you'll came and play in our second challenge at Creations in Pink.  It's an "Anything Goes" theme but you do have to use lots of pink on your project.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Venitian Masquerade

     We've just started the latest monthly challenge at World Wide Open Design Team Challenge and we have our usual theme of "Anything Goes."  The winners from the last challenge have been chosen and you can find them on the World Wide blog.

     We are sponsored by Julia Spiri.  You can find her FB page here.

     I used a beautiful image from the Venice Collection, Mask.  Julia's designs seem to draw the purples and turquoises out of me but since that's my favorite color combo ever, I don't mind.  :-D

     Once again, I colored with my ProMarkers and used a white gel pen for the highlights.   Both the image and the scalloped piece behind it were cut with dies from Sizzix.  However, the dp (from the Juniper Berry stack by DCWV) was just a scrap I saved from the trash bin so it's not a complete circle.

     The other two papers are from Graphic 45 and I put them onto the card front, wrapped the 2 layers of different ribbons (Really Reasonable Ribbon) around, added one of my signature, hand-sewn bows, and then layered on the two die cut pieces.

     Finally, I printed and hand cut the sentiment, inked the edge, and added it.  Not overblown with embellishments but not exactly CAS, either.  :-D

     Challenges:
As You Like It (Girly - because I have so many guys in my family that I end up doing masculine cards much more often and it's fun to do feminine creations instead.)
Cardz TV
Crafty Creations
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Inspirations
Creative Moments
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrappy Land
Word Art Weds.

     That's it for today but since I gave you a twofer, I think that's enough.  If not, check back tomorrow to see what's new.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Frankenstein Pumpkin

     Yes, it's time for the latest challenge over at QKR Stampede where our theme is alway 'Anything Goes.'   I'm still on my Halloween kick.  I first saw "Frankenstein Pumpkin" a few years back when I first joined the QKR DT and loved him at first sight!  I can't believe it's taken me this long to color him and put him on a card.  :-D

     I colored him with ProMarkers, then fussy cut the image and inked the edges.  I found a yellow card blank and added the glittered ribbon, then layered on the image piece.  I printed the sentiment, hand cut it, matted it with some lavender CS, and added it to the top corner.

     The witch's hat is a die cut (Cheery Lynn) and I tied the little black bow using my bow maker.  Very CAS and it will mail easily.

     Challenges:
Crafting from the Heart
Cute N Crafty
Cutie Pie
Digi Choosday
Dragonfly Dreams
Everybody Art  (middle column)
I {heart} ProMarkers
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
TTCRD

     Have yourself a wonderful day and remember that the weekend is only hours away!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bicycle Birthday

     Another birthday card for my stash, this one using a cute image from All Dressed Up.

I started with the sketch I found at Carlin's Card Paradise.

     I used ProMarkers to color the image, then die cut it with a die from Spellbinders.  I framed it with another die cut, also Spellbinders.  The dp came from the scrap basket and I layered everything onto a kraft card base.

     I printed, hand cut, and inked the sentiment.  The lace butterfly seemed perfect for this sweet card.  Because I am always interested in 'using up' instead of 'tossing out' things from my craft table, I took two of the tiny strips which dropped out of the frame and added them to opposite, diagonal, corners, then added three tiny pearls beside each of those strips.

     Challenges:
All Dressed Up FB
Butterfly (Apricot/Amethyst/Add Layers + Lace butterfly)
Crafty Creations
Crafty Sentiments
Creative Inspirations
Cute Card Thurs.
Penny's Paper Crafty
Scrapy Land
Word Art Weds.
Work It Weds.

     See you again tomorrow with a new DT card for QKR Stampede.  Be sure to visit.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Dust Off the Spells, You Wizards and Witches

     I've been working on Halloween cards and have almost enough to send out to all the kids, grandkids, and great grands.  However, this particular card is for a friend who celebrates her birthday on Halloween and I try to do a Halloween themed, birthday card for her each year.  I've always teased her that she must have magic spells to keep her age from showing.  :-D

     I also did this one for the challenge at Catch the Bug (Bugaboo Stamps image) and it should bring a smile.

     Believe it or not, this is a single layer card.  I started with placement of the black and white. outline image (plus the sentiment), then I scanned some saved packaging from a stamp set I bought a couple of years ago, and used my Word software to make strips of it at the top and bottom of what became the card front.

     I colored with ProMarkers, added the bow, and it was done!   Fun card but not all that fast.  Scanning and playing with the Word program took nearly an hour before I ever got to start coloring.  :-D

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Crafter's Castle
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
...Give a Crafter a Cookie
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Festive Friday
So Suzy/Crackerbox
That's Crafty
Tuesday Throwdown

     I'll be back tomorrow with yet another Halloween card.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Treats, Not Tricks

     I admit it - I've fallen in love with Conie Fong stamps.  I'd probably do a project every day with one of her images if I didn't have other commitments (and if my monthly crafting budget would allow me to buy that many new images.)  lol

     In any case, this is my second project this month using one of those images and we're not even half way through the month.  But, in my defense, I'm trying to use Autumn and Halloween images in my collection which I've not used before or at least didn't use last year.

     I used ProMarkers to color her and fussy cut the image.  I matted the image with black and fussy cut it again.  The inlaid background framing was cut from shiny, lavender, CS using 3 dies from a set by Spellbinders.

    I printed the sentiment, hand cut it and added it below the image.  All of that was mounted onto a black card base.  The framing was so intricate that I decided no other embellishment was needed.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
Crafting from the Heart
Crafts Galore Encore
Let's Craft and Create
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Paper Nest Dolls
Scrap from Your Heart
Send a Smile 4 Kids

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie