Be a Dragon?

      I'll have two posts today and this is the first of them.  I have a grown granddaughter who adores dragons as much as I do and we both love the "How to Train Your Dragon" movies.  I often make cards featuring dragons just for her, without needing any particular occasion.  This is one of those and it features a clip art image of our favorite dragon.  I'm sure you'll recognize him.  Yep, that's Toothless!     :-D

     This one was pre-colored so I didn't have to do anything other than print the image, cut it with a simple rectangle die from Spellbinders, and ink the edges with an ink pad.  The background is a scrap of dp from an EK Success stack.  That was probably my favorite paper in the entire stack and I've used it on half a dozen cards in the last couple of weeks.  I think this is the last of it but there may be another small scrap or two in the basket.  I'm already missing it.  lol

     The small bow is one of my signature, hand-sewn bows which I make by the dozen and toss into my stash for future use.  I see it's about time to start making another batch because the supply is getting low.  I used to use different colored ribbons to make them but then I discovered I could use white ribbon and "dye" the bows any color I wanted with my markers.  The great advantage in that is I can match up any one of the colors I've used when coloring an image.  However, since I didn't color this image, I just used a deep blue that complemented the background paper.

     Challenges:

Creatalicious

Creative Moments

Gem of a Challenge

Happy ... Stampers

Let's Craft & Create

Outlawz Tuesday

Pammie's IP

     Be sure to stop by again in a couple of hours when my second post of the day goes live.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bald Eagle

      It's Friday once again and that means another new challenge over at Crafty Catz, where our theme is always "Anything Goes," with the added benefit of an OPTIONAL twist if you want to use it, and this time it's "Wings."  We don't have a sponsor this week so everyone on the DT has chosen whatever they want to use for their inspiration cards.

     I chose this magnificent (clip art) Bald Eagle image, printed out in gray scale, and hand colored with my Sanjoki markers and white gel pens, plus water colors on the sky and water.  I cut the image with a Tonic Studios die.  The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die.  The dark background is actually dp from Paper Studio and I hand-tied the little satin bow.

     Challenges:

Creative Fingers

Creative Moments

Digi Choosday

Double D

Happy...Stampers

I Love Markers

Outlawz Thurs

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

Word Art Weds

     Come play in our challenge this week, won't you?  We love seeing what you've created and, even though we don't have a sponsor this week, you could take a Top Pick spot with your entry.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Dandelion Wishes

      A new challenge starts today over at FarmQuest and our theme is "Dandelions" along with our standard 'Something Farm/Country.'  Very simple this fortnight and I'm sure you have some kind of dandelion image in your vast collection of stamps.  :-D  So why not whip up something and enter it into our challenge?

     I chose a House Mouse stamp from my rather large collection of those, and stamped it using a stone gray ink pad from Tim Holtz.  I colored it with ProMarkers and cut it with a simple rectangle die from QuicKutz.  I found a scrap of paper in the basket and used a larger die from that same set to cut a frame for the image.  The other two paper layers in the background are also pieces from the scrap basket and I'm guessing they were left over from St. Patrick's cards done sometime in the past year or two.

     I printed and cut the sentiment with the smallest QuicKutz rectangle die from the set.  Lot of layers of paper but pretty simple in design and very flat for easy mailing.

 

     Challenges:

Creative Knockouts

Cutie Pie

Dream Valley

House Mouse

Jan's Digi Stamps

Pammie's IP

Paper Funday

Passion for Markers

     Please come play along with us.  This challenge will last until May 13 so you have plenty of time.  We love being inspired by you!   

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bunny Birthday Card

      Here I go featuring another Mariola Budek image on my card, this one a commissioned birthday card for a young girl who loves bunnies.  I colored with Sanjoki alcohol markers, then cut the image with a QuicKutz die.  The happy birthday sentiment was cut with a die from Sizzix.  The papers are scraps which originally came from a Recollections stack.   (...and, yes, she loved the card!  :-D)

     Challenges:

Butterfly (salmon, sea green, sky blue)

Creative Inspirations

Double D

I Love Markers

Paper Funday

Paper Shelter

Simon Says Stamp

     That's it for today.  See you tomorrow with anther new post.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Roses in Many 'Flavors'

      I'm about to overwhelm you with roses in this post!  I spent a bit of time over the weekend coloring the same Mariola Budek image, but with the roses and sentiment done in red, yellow, and pink, respectively.  I made one card for each color and they were all for Mother's Day - due to the sentiment which is part of the image.  See below and you'll understand immediately.

     I used my Sanjoki markers on the pink and yellow roses, but the red ones were colored with the few Copics I have left.  I really have shifted away from the more expensive Copics and have very few of them remaining.  I no longer invest in Copic refill colors because, truthfully, I can replace either ProMarkers (which I've used almost exclusively for almost 8 years now) or my newer Sanjoki markers for less money than what the Copic inks cost.  The Sanjokis are also less than the ProMarkers, have the brush tips which I prefer to the bullet tips, and they blend a little bit better, IMHO.

     Let's start with the 'red' image: colored with Copics and water color paints, then cut with a QuicKutz square die.  The red CS circle was also cut with a QuicKutz die.  I mounted those two onto a white card front, then added one of my signature hand-sewn bows, this time with a pearl.

     Next, I colored the yellow roses with my Sanjoki markers, gold paint pen on the sentiment, and again, cut the image with a QuicKutz die before inking the edges.  I layered the image onto green fiber paper (DCWV) which I used for the card front.  Very clean and simple.

     Finally, I colored the pink one with my Sanjokis, and used a metallic ProMarker on the sentiment.  These edges were also inked but this time I used an ink pad instead of a marker.  I used more of the fiber paper from DCWV, this time in pink and added two scraps of green fiber paper from the first card.  

     I'm going to enter the first card into the following:

     Challenges:

Bastel-Traum

Beautiful Blossoms

Crafter's Cafe

Creatalicious

Creations in Pink (3rd card)

Double Trouble (all 3 things)

Happy...Stampers

Papercraft

Star Stampz

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Leo, the Lion

      I had a request from a friend for a birthday card for his young grandson who just happens to be crazy about Leo, the Lion.  As it happened, I had a grayscale clip art image in my stash which I think was probably art work for a movie poster but it worked perfectly for the card.

     I printed the grayscale image, then colored it with my ProMarkers.  I cut it with a Tonic Studios die and inked the edges.  The sentiment tag was made with a Dovecraft die sent to me by a friend in England.  I cut it from a very thin piece of cork and layered it onto a scrap of fiber paper (DCWV), roughly torn around the edges.  The yellow plaid paper came from a Lawn Fawn stack.  

     How's this for a simple and masculine card for a young man?  :-D

     Challenges:

613 Ave Create

AAA Cards

Crafts Galore ...

Lawn Fawnatics (plaid dp)

Lil Patch of ...

Pammie's IP

Park Hopping (Safari Land)

SUYP Cats

     See you tomorrow with a new post.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Thank You for Mom

      I'm still working on Mother's Day cards, trying to get several ready for the upcoming vendor event at the Classic Car Show next weekend.  I know the cards with classic cars on them will sell the best, but since Mother's Day is just around the corner, I thought it wouldn't hurt to have some on hand at the event.

     I've done half a dozen with Mariola Budek images on them and I'll be sharing those with you between now and our actual Mother's Day in the USA which is always the second Sunday in May.  My card for today features an image Mariola called "Women Secret" and I think she's lovely.  She's also free if you check out Mariola's Freebie FB site.  I reversed the image before printing it, which is why Mariola's signature on the image is backwards.  :-D

     I colored with Sanjoki markers (roses) and water color paints (hair & skin), then cut both the image and frame with dies from Tonic Studios.  The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die.  The paper strip was a scrap which originally came from a Recollections stack.  I added dots of 'Diamond' Stickles for a tiny bit of sparkle.

     Challenges:

A Perfect Time ...

Classic Design

Die Cut Divas

Happy...Stampers

Morgan's ArtWorld

Rabisco

YSBP

     Happy Crafting, my friends.  NanaConnie

Moonflower Lullaby

      I absolutely LOVE this image from Conie Fong, called "Moonflower Lullaby."  I've used it before on my DT cards but each time I change the color combo and it looks completely different each time.  This time I colored her with my Sanjoki markers and used white gel pen for highlights. 

     I'm just mad about her hair and how it turned out.  I think this may very well be the best "redhead" I've ever done.  I give full credit to the Sanjoki marker colors and the fabulous way they blend!  :-D  I think orchids may be my favorite flower to color since I can always use purple and that's my fav color.  

     The image was cut with a die from Sizzix, and the sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The background dp came from a Recollections stack.  Once it was all layered together, I left it alone, no embellishments.  I thought the paper was enough and I really wanted the image to be the focus.  :-D

Colors came from the challenge at Dragonfly Dreams.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspirations

Creative Knockouts

I Love Markers

Outlawz Thurs

Paper Funday

WordArt Weds

     I think I'm going to have a post for every day this week; getting back to my old routine before the eyesight problems came along, I think.  My vision has improved so much in the last 2 months and I'm really grateful.

     Don't forget that our challenge is still running and there's time to get an entry in.  You have to use a Conie Fong image, but if you don't have any, there are freebies available on the FB page.  We'd love to see what you create.

  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Monkey Business

      It's time for another weekly challenge over at Crafty Catz and this time our sponsor is Last Minute Manda.  I'm using one of the cute images they supplied to the DT, which came from a set called Monkey Birthday.  This is only one of the images in the set and all the others are just as cute.

     Our theme at Crafty Catz is always "Anything Goes" but we have an optional twist each week if you choose to use it.  Our optional theme this week is "Celebration."

     I used both Sanjoki and ProMarkers to color this image, taking special care to make the balloons as translucent as possible.  I cut the image with a Cutz die and then layered that onto dp from EK Success.  I printed and fussy cut the sentiment.  I added one of my signature style bows and called it finished.  I think this will make a great birthday card for a young boy, although I've known a lot of grown men who never outgrew their love of silly monkeys.  :-D

I used colors from Dragonfly Dreams.

     Challenges:

Ally's Angels

Bastel-Traum

Creatalicious

Creative Fingers

Happy ... Stampers

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Thurs

Pattie's Creations

Star Stampz

     Come play with us this week.  We love seeing what you create.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Classic Car

      Something a bit different for me today.  Two or three weeks ago, I had a booth at a craft fair and did pretty well with my cards.  I sold more than I expected and made a few dollars from my favorite hobby.  Having had that experience, at the end of this month, I'm going to have a booth at a local Classic Car show so I've been making some cards featuring photos of cars from previous car shows.  Unfortunately, I have no idea how to credit the photographer because none of the photos had a photographer's name on them.  Still, I think these cards will serve a dual purpose for both car lovers and for Father's Day.  I did very masculine, CAS designs, which really focus on the car photos.

     I started with this classic 1956 Chevy Bel Air because that was my first car.  Of course, it wasn't a classic back in those days, but I loved what was then just an old car.  Mine was red and, boy, do I wish I had it today!  Unfortunately, my Chevy Bel Air managed to get itself into an accident and that was the end of it.  But I replaced it with another Chevy Bel Air, this time a 1958 station wagon model, and I drove that one until the wheels fell off.  So, here's my salute to my beloved Bel Airs.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Yellow Roses

      Another Mother's Day card and another Mariola Budek image, this one called, appropriately, "Roses."  What mom wouldn't love roses for Mother's Day?  My daughter loves yellow roses so I decided that would be the color of these.  I've printed three different copies of this black and white image so the other two will probably be red and pink, but I'm also thinking of white roses if I can figure out how to make them stand out from a white background.  :-D

     The image has been colored with a combo of  Sanjoki markers and water color paints, with tiny dots of Diamond Stickles added as dew drops to 2 of the rose petals.  I cut the shape of the image by laying on a Spellbinders die and drawing around it in pencil.  Then I used scissors to cut on the pencil line.  I inked the edges of the shape with a dark gray ink pad.  The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die and I inked the edges of it, also.

     I found twill ribbon in my stash and the yellow chevrons on it worked so well with the color of the roses.  The bow was made with a bit of muslin fabric, folded accordion style and wrapped in the middle, then hand-stitched on the back to make it stay in that shape.  Everything was mounted onto an olive green CS placed on the card front.

     Challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Inspirations

Double Trouble (all 3)

Pammie's IP

Paper Funday

Passion for Markers

Penny's P-C

Triple B

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Spring Bees & Blossoms

      We are actually having a delightful spring day today and I did this card to celebrate it.  It's also another card for my Birthday stash.  It features one of my favorite spring images from SheepSki Designs, called "Bee n Blossom."  I seem to use it at least one time every spring.  :-D

     Colored with Sanjoki markers, with sparkle gel pen used on the wings, then cut with a fancy Spellbinders die.  Both of the papers are from Recollections and the background has embossed suede texture.  The stripes are shiny gold and also have texture.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

I used colors from the palette at Not2Shabby.

     Challenges:

Ally's Angels

Bastel-Traum

Beautiful Blossoms

Country View ...

Crafter's Cafe

Happy...Stampers

Papercraft

SheepSki Designs

Star Stampz

     May your weather be gorgeous and mild, and feel like spring.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bow in Her Hair

       When I first saw this image by Mariola Budek, my thoughts went straight to my mom who combed out my hair every day for the first 14 years of my life and dressed it in some sort of braid, with bows tied into it most days.  By the time I was 14, my hair was long enough that I could sit on it, even when braided.  Up to that point, I had never had it cut.  What a patient woman she was!  :-D

     I colored this image (sorry, I can't remember the name of it but it probably came in one of the many hairstyle images books she has available) with Sanjoki markers and used water color paints on the background.  I cut the image with a die from Tonic Studios, and inked the edges with an ink pad.  

     The card front has been water colored, then run through my Linen embossing folder for texture.  The sentiment was cut with  QuicKutz die and the flower layers were Spellbinders cuts.  I added Wink of Stella and glitter to the larger flower layer, and just a tiny spot of Stickles to the tiny flower layer.  The bow in her hair was hand-tied using a bit of sparkle twine.

     Challenges:

Di's Digi Designs (bow)

Gem of a Challenge

I Love ProMarkers

Outlawz Thurs

Paper Funday

Pattie's Creations

There's a Stamp ...

Word Art Weds

     That's it for today but I'll have another post tomorrow so I hope you'll stop by.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

When a Dog Scratches ...

      As I was sorting through my collection of QKR Stampede images, trying to decide what I wanted to use for my DT card today, I ran across this old one called "Scratching Dog" and it actually made me laugh.  So, first I reversed the image before printing and then I was off to the craft desk for some quick coloring with my newest Sanjoki alcohol-ink markers, and this card was born!  

     I cut the image with an Unbranded die, and I printed up the sentiment which had popped into my head as I was coloring.  The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die and the little paw print was cut from a tiny scrap of dp which was lying conveniently on the desk.  It was a simple thing to cut it with scissors and add it to the sentiment.

     Both the deep bronze CS and the striped dp were in the scrap basket and both came from a Whimsey Stamps stack sent to me by my friend, Vicki.  I'm loving the papers she shared with me!  Always fun to use something not usually found in my own stash.  :-D

     Challenges:

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspiration

Jan's Digi Stamps

Lil Patch of ...

Morgan's ArtWorld

Outlawz Friday

Rabisco

SheepSki Designs

     Hope to see you playing along with us this challenge.  See the QKR Stampede challenge blog for full information on the challenge.  Remember, you have until April 30 to enter and you can enter up to 3 times.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Just Like Daddy

     I have big news!  I'm now part of the DT over at Crafty Catz.  We have weekly challenges which go live every Friday morning and they are nearly always "Anything Goes" with an optional theme if you choose to use it.  Our optional this week is "For a Child."

    This is my first post for Crafty Catz and I was lucky enough to get to use an image from our sponsor, Conie Fong.  Most of you will know that I'm also on Conie's DT so this is a really delightful card to post and I'll be posting it on the Conie Fong April challenge as well.

     This fun image from Conie Fong is called "Just Like Daddy."  I colored it with ProMarkers (including the smudge on his t-shirt - typical boy thing, right?), and I cut the image with a Gina Marie die.  To cut it as a long, narrow rectangle, I had to cut once, then move the die and cut it a second time.  The die I used is actually about half again as wide.  That's just a tip for how to make your framing dies more versatile.  :-D

     I used a blue dp from a Recollections stack and the solid blue CS background has been embossed with my 'Linen' EF.  I added a wrap of baker's twine as the finishing touch on this CAS and masculine card.

I based this on the sketch from My Favorite Things.

      

     Challenges:

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspiration

Creative Inspirations

Digi Choosday

Outlawz Tuesday

Pammie's IP

Penny's P-C

Polkadoodles

     That's all I have for today.  Happy Crafting  NanaConnie

Country Bandanas

      Welcome to the next challenge over at FarmQuest where we do projects inspired by the country and our theme this fortnight is "Bandanas."  No, not the fruit 'bananas' but those things you wear around your neck or pulled up over your nose to keep the trail dust out of your nose and mouth - banDanas!  My mom used to wear one like a scarf when we were out camping to keep her hair from flying everywhere when we were bouncing along in the 4-By-4.

     So, today, I combined a bandana with an svg cut horse and horseshoe.  The background bandana is actually a photo of a black and white bandana I happen to own.  I took the photo, reduced it in size and printed it on lavender CS.  I cut that with a QuicKutz die and used it as the background of my card front.  I cut the horseshoe with the horse head out of black CS, added white polychromos pencil to give the cut some definition, and mounted it onto dimensional tape.

     After looking at the die cut, I thought a bit more definition between the horse and the shoe would be a good thing, so I took a cotton swab. dipped it into a tiny bit of beach (just enough to moisten the cotton but not make it soppy wet) and then lightly stroked it over areas of the horse head.

     The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

     Challenges:

Ally's Angels

Classic Design

Crafts Galore ...

Creatalicious

Outlawz Friday

Rabisco

YSBP

     Check back tomorrow when I'll have a new DT card for Crafty Catz and on Saturday one for QKR Stampede.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Singing in the (April) Shower

      Today I was inspired to dig into the House Mouse stash and I came up with this stamp which I've probably used a million times over the years!  To say it's a favorite of mine is to understate the obvious.  :-D

     I thought it would be fun to go back and use a technique I like but haven't used in quite a while, called a "Spotlight."  As you can see, it involves stamping or printing an image twice, then coloring only a portion of the image and cutting it with a die (or scissors, if you have a steady hand.)  I used a simple circle die from QuicKutz this time but I've done squares, rectangles, scalloped edges; all sorts of options are available depending on your own preferences.

     I used my ProMarkers to color the 'spotlight' image, and used a coffee brown ink pad to ink the edges.  I stamped the background image with a Stone Gray ink pad and colored it with 3 shades of gray alcohol markers because the stamp looked so plain in just it's 'native' state.  I cut the gray image with a die from CUTplorations and inked the edges of it.

     I mounted the spotlight image onto Pop Dots and carefully lined it up with the gray background image and, voila' - a Spotlight card!  I printed and cut the sentiment using a die from Avery Elle, inking the edges of it before applying it to the upper corner of the card.  A fun technique for focusing attention but really quite a CAS design without any embellishment aside from the faux stitching of the die.

     Challenges:

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Inspirations

Double D

House Mouse

I Love Markers

Pammie's IP

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Word Art Weds

      That's it for today but I've been on a coloring binge with Mariola Budek images so you may see another card or two featuring her images in the next couple of days.  Then, on the 14th, a new challenge starts over at FarmQuest and I'll be posting a DT card for that one, plus I have NEWS !! on Friday so be sure to come by then.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie   

Best Friend

      I'm featuring another image by Mariola Budek on this card today and, as you can probably tell from a quick perusal of my blog, I love cats and consider them to be appropriate "best friends."  :-D  I fell in love with this darling image and knew I had to use it.

     The image was colored using my Sanjoki alcohol markers, then cut with one of my oldest Spellbinders rectangle dies.  I used a Fiskars punch on the corners.  The butterfly was a leftover from another project but had been cut with a Cottage Cutz die.  The background  was made from a scrap of dp, embossed with a folder from Taylored Expressions.  The sentiment was printed and fussy cut, then inked around the edges.

     Challenges:

Butterfly (Heather, Highland, Hawk's Blue)

Can You Handle ...

Digi Choosday

Di's Digi Designs

Dragonfly Dreams

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Thurs

Pammie's IP

Passion for Markers

SUYP Cats

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Happy EASTER !

 May EASTER blessings find all of you.

     I'm sending each one of you the warmest Easter wishes this morning and sharing with you an Easter card I made for our pastor.  I'm hoping this is how he sees his Congregation, even when it's filled with energetic kids looking forward to the egg hunt following the church service.  :-D

     Clip art, printed in grayscale, then colored with Polychromos pencils (still practicing with those but I'm happy with this one!) and water color paints.  Image was cut with a Spellbinders die and the edges were inked with a gray marker.  The dp square (a scrap) was cut with a QuicKutz die, and the sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The background CS was embossed using my 'Linen' EF.

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...

Crafty Calendar

Creatalicious

Di's Digi Designs

Gem of a Challenge

Lil Patch of ...

Polkadoodles

There's a Stamp ...

     That's all for today.  We're off to church to do our best to look just like this bunny family.  :-D  Happy Easter.  NanaConnie

Sweet Peas

      Another flower image from Beccy's Place, but this time it's Sweet Peas and I used the pre-colored image for a fast-to-assemble card.  I've done a lot of  Easter cards in the past 2 weeks, sold most of them at the craft fair, including ones like this which were quick and easy to make.  Thanks, Beccy, for the lovey coloring.

     I fussy cut this image and cut the sentiment (also from Beccy's Place) with a Tonic Studios die.  The purple CS came from a pack by Recollections.

     Challenges:

Classic Design

Crafts Galore ...

Friendship

Happy...Stampers

Incy Wincy

Morgan's ArtWorld

Rabisco

Your Scrapbook Place

     Easter is only 2 days away now, and I'm running out of time to post all the cards I made.  Oh, well, I guess some can wait until next year.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Flowers in a Jar

      It's time for the April challenge at FarmQuest Country Store where our theme is always "Anything Goes" as long as it's Farm or Country.

      There's something so country-wholesome about hand picked flowers tucked into a Mason or Ball jar placed in the middle of a wooden table.  You know right away that someone cared enough about the recipient (usually mom) to take the time to pick the flowers (or even flowering weeds in the case of younger kids), bring them to Mom, and that she cared enough about the giver to make the flowers the center of attention!  

      Hmmm, maybe the hand-picked version of flowers is the best kind of Mother's Day recognition, even though I did this card as part of my birthday card stash.  :-D

      The photo featured on my card came from online clip art, which I cut with a Spellbinders die, then inked along the edges before adding it to the background.  The background itself is kind of fun - it came from a book of wallpaper samples which I've had for a million years and I thought it really emphasized the country feel of this card.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

     Challenges:

     We'd love to see your 'country' creations this month.  The challenge runs until May 5 and the May challenge will start on May 7.  Come play with us.  

     Wishing you all the blessing of Easter as we start the weekend of Holy Week today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

24 "Carat"

      For my DT card today, I'm using one of Conie Fong's new releases "Bunny with Carrot," which can be found on sale in the store.  

     This may be my last Easter card (last made; I still have quite a few to post) but it could also be used for a birthday, for Mother's Day, or nearly any occasion for a special person.

     What fun this was to color!  I used my Sanjoki markers to color the image, then cut it and the frame with dies from Tonic Studio.  The background was made using  paper scrap (Recollections) and I hand tied the bow using grosgrain ribbon.  The sentiment was printed and cut with another Tonic Studio die.

     Challenges:

Outlawz Monday

     I may have another post today but it may have to wait until tomorrow.  I'm still a bit under the weather.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Hydrangeas

      This beautiful image of a hydrangea came from Beccy's Place and, though I've used it before, it's one of my favorite spring flowers so it gets used a lot.  :-D  

      I colored it with my new Sanjoki markers (I really am loving them!), then fussy cut it.  The Easter sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I mounted both the image and the sentiment on dimensional dots for a little bit of visual interest but beyond that, this is a very CAS design.

     Challenges:

Addicted to CAS

Archi-scraps

Creatalicious

Dragonfly Dreams

Friendship

Lil Patch of ...

There's a Stamp ...

     I'm a bit under the weather today so this is the only post I'll have but tomorrow should be a better day a nd we'll hope for two posts then.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Long Winter's Nap

      It's time for another new challenge at QKR Stampede and, while most of us in the northern hemisphere are really hoping spring will arrive any minute now, this adorable "Santa Bear" from QKR is ready for his winter nap.  Unfortunately, I can't give you a link to it in the store right now because the store is being revamped.  Once that's done I'll update my post with a link to the new store.

     I used water color paints on the image, then cut it with a scalloped die from Sizzix.  I inked the edges with a ProMarker.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die, and I inked those edges also.  The background paper came from a Coffee Lovers stack which was given to me by my friend, Vicki.  Thanks!  :-D

     Challenges:

Crafty Calendar

Creative Fingers

Di's Digi Designs

Gem of a Challenge

Outlawz Friday

     Come play in our challenge!  It runs through April 14 and the next challenge starts on April 15.  Our  theme is always Anything Goes and we really look forward to seeing what you've created.  We love being inspired by you.  :-D  Happy Crafting  NanaConnie

Bird and Flowers

      This image came from my collection of Ching-Chou Kuik digital images.  This one is colored with water color paints, and cut with a stitched Cutz die.  The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die.  The background was made using paper from a DCWV scrapbooking stack.  I know the image wasn't meant to be an Easter image but having chosen this spring-like color combo, I knew that an Easter sentiment could transform it.  :-D

     Challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms

Ching-Chou Kuik

Die Cut Divas

Penny's P-C

     This is my first post today so check back later for a second post.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bunny in a Basket

      This card was so fast and easy!  I started with a pre-colored, clip art image which I cut with a fancy die from QuicKutz.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I used dp from Paper Studio for the background and added one of my signature, hand-sewn bows, this time with a pearl on it.  Finished in less than 20 minutes!

     Challenges:

     That's it for today.  I did quite well at the craft fair, better than I expected given my previous experience with vendor booths.  :-D  I'm very pleased.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cutest Bunny Butt

      Is this the cutest 'Bunny Butt' ever?  It's from Can You Digi It and it's been in my stash forever!  Well, for a long time, anyway.  I just decided that it would make a cute Easter card so I colored it up with my new Sanjoki markers, then cut it with a Die-namics die.  

     The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I chose a dp scrap from the basket, cut it with the same Die-namics die and inset the image into it.  Then I embellished the card with a butterfly gem and with small rows of gems in the lower corner.

     Challenges:

C.R.A.F.T.

Digi Choosday

Paper Funday

Paperminutes

Passion for Markers

Penny's P-C

Simon Says ...

     I'm off to my craft fair this morning but I'll have another post for you late this afternoon when I return home.  Wish me luck at the fair.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie