Frightful Raven

      I have my first Halloween card for the year to share with you today.  Somehow, I got things out of order in my card making.  I've been focused on Thanksgiving cards and have most of those done already and then it struck me that Halloween is next month and Thanksgiving the month after that so I got busy and made my first two Halloween cards yesterday.

     I have 12 more Halloween images colored and ready but they haven't been turned into cards yet.  Later this week, probably, and certainly over the weekend so that I have more of them to share with you early next week.

     I chose this image from Beccy's Place, colored it with my newest Ohuhu alcohol markers, then cut it with a Spellbinders die.  I inked the edges with a marker and mounted the printed and cut sentiment (also Beccy's Place and a Tonic Studios die to cut it) onto the image piece.  The background CS is embossed with glitter EP and it says "Boo" in half a dozen different fonts and sizes.  I think that's from a DCWV stack.  No embellishment beyond the embossing because it was perfect the way it was.

     Challenges:

Critter Crazy

Digi Choosday

Halloween  AYR

Pammie's IP

SheepSki Designs

Triple B

Two Old Bats

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

At the End

      I have a fun card to share with you today which takes a very black and white view of being last in all things.  :-D  The image is one by QKR Stampede, very simply called "Zebra."  

     I printed it and added some subtle shading with Ohuhu markers, my first time using them (and I do like them!)  The image was cut with a Spellbinders die, and I matted it twice with dp from the Midnight Chic paper stack by DCWV.  That stack happens to be rather old.  I bought two of them at least 10 years ago, have used most of the first one, and I cut into two sheets from second stack for this card.  One is the darker frame and the other is the background dp.  I used white CS to frame the image before layering it onto the background.

     The sentiment was printed and cut with a Tonic Studios die.

     Challenges:

613 Avenue Create

Crafting

Crafts Galore ...

Do Al(l) Kreatives

Lil Patch of Crafty ...

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

     Have a great day and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Spotlight Rooster

      It's a new day and a new challenge at FarmQuest, where we always have a farm or country requirement but we add a specific theme to that and this time the theme is "Farm or Forest Animals starting with the letter R."  That could include rams, rabbits, raccoons, Rock Hoppers, (rhinos?) -- let your imagination roam.  :-D  I chose something very farm oriented and very simple: a Rooster!

     I have an all-abiding love for the old "spotlight" technique but I forget to use it.  So, when I found this grayscale image, I printed it twice, then colored the rooster's head and neck (plus the background around his head) with Sanjoki markers and watercolors on the background.  Alcohol markers are my favorites for coloring but I also love combining them with watercolor because the two together give such a delightful contrast to each other; markers for depth and definition and watercolors for soft, undefined washes of color.

     I used a Spellbinders round die to cut out the 'spotlight' and carefully lined it up on the grayscale background.  I also inked the edges of the circle with a black ink pad just so the spotlight piece would pop off the background.

     The plaid paper (which I think always lends an air of farm or country) came from Beccy's Place and it's digital.  I printed it with my printer and cut it to size for the card front.  The sentiment was printed and cut with a Tonic Studios die.  I used markers to ink the edges of both the image and the sentiment before layering the onto the background dp.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

Aud Sentiments

Digi Choosday

Dream Valley

Lil Patch of ...

Polkadoodles

     That's all I have for today but I hope we're going to see you playing along in our challenge this fortnight.  What could be more fun that figuring out what letter "R" farm or forest animal you want to enter?

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Little Sparkle

      Hello, friends and followers.  I'm finally getting back to the monthly challenge over at Beccy's Place.  It's been a while since I played last and I want to get back into a regular routine of playing there each month.  For this card, I used her lovely "Hydrangea" image and one of her sentiments, also.

     This is a pre-colored image because I needed a fast and simple card for a friend.  I merged the sentiment onto the image before printing, then cut them with a Tonic Studios die.  The sentiment inspired me to dig through my collection of glittered CS stacks and this one seemed to bring out the bits of purple in the flower petals so it got the nod.  I cut a piece to the size of the card front, layered it on, then added the image.  Quick and easy card and really CAS but with lots of eye appeal.

     Challenges:

Crafty Calendar

Creative Fingers

Di's Digi Designs

Gem of a Challenge

Lil Patch of ...

Pammie's IP

     Happy crafting to all.  NanaConnie

Sweet Tulip Mouse

      This image is from Di's Digi Designs and I printed it ages ago.  It's been sitting in a folder, waiting to be colored.  I ran across it this past weekend when I was cleaning, clearing, and reorganizing the craft room.  I colored it with my Sanjoki alcohol ink markers, then cut it with an old Spellbinders die.  I inked the edges with an ink pad.

     I decided it would make a great birthday card, so I printed the sentiment and cut it with an Avery Elle die.  The background dp came from a DCWV stack.  I found a long scrap of gold ribbon in the stash and  did both a wrap around the card front, plus hand-tied a bow.

     Challenges:

Aud Sentiments

Crafty Calandar

Creative Moments

Cutie Pie

Dream Valley

Love...Pretty Papers

Pammie's I P

Polkadoodles

Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Garden Potting Sheds

      Here it is the end of the second week of the month and  new challenge is starting at FarmQuest.  Our underlying theme is always "Farm or Country" and this challenge we have a specific theme of "Garden Sheds or Potting Sheds."  

     I found this delightful clip art image which I printed in very light grayscale, and then colored with watercolor paints.  I added highlights to the sky, flowers, and colored the butterflies with gel pens.  Rather than die cutting the image, I tore the edges revealing the white center of the CS and I used pale blue chalk on the white bits of the torn edge.

     The background dp came from an old Recollections stack.  I printed the sentiment, cut it with an Avery Elle die, and layered it onto the background along with the image.  A pretty simple card but one which allows the image to take center stage.

     Challenges:

Classic Design

C.R.A.F.T.

Crafter's Cafe

Creatalicious

Creative Inspiration

Creative Knockouts

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

     Feel free to come and play along in our challenge this fortnight.  Any garden shed or potting shed will qualify for an entry.  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Anemone Maiden

      I'm so excited about finding a new progressive challenge, this one at Moondrea Designs (formerly Moon Flower.)   This is the first image given to the players and she's called "Anemone Maiden."  I can't tell you how much fun it was to color her!  I had to go to their Etsy shop and buy a couple more images because I couldn't just wait until September to get the next progressive image.  :-D

     I colored her with my Sanjoki markers, adding highlights to all the pearls with a white gel pen, then cut the image with a Tonic Studios die.  I inked the edges with a Tim Holtz ink pad.  The woodgrain paper for the background came from a DCWV stack (a very old stack which has been in my stash for at least 8 years!)  I printed the sentiment and cut it with an Avery Elle die, then matted it with a scrap of the background dp and trimmed it to size.  The two little flower embellies are from Petaloo.  

     I've already put this one in my stash of birthday cards and I'm sure it'll be used within the next month.  Summer seems to be a busy time for family birthdays around here.

     Challenges:

Crafty Calendar

Cupcake Inspirations

Gem of a Challenge

Let's Craft & ...

Lil Patch of ...

Penny's P-C

Star Stampz

Triple B

     Have yourself a wonderful day and find some time to craft if that makes you happy.  Stay out of the heat or the humidity and especially the flooding rains left over from tropical storm Debby.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

I Know, I Know !

      Time for another challenge at FarmQuest General Store where our theme is always "Anything Goes" and where we are always sponsored by QKR Stampede.  The prize is always the three QKR images used by the DT for their inspiration cards, and you can be certain they are cute, cute, cute.  Occasionally, we are given realistic animal images and even those are 'cute' in their own way.  

     Be sure to check out the main challenge blog to see all the images we used this month.

     I chose the image called "Got the Answer" and colored it with ProMarkers and gold paint pen.  I cut the image with an old Spellbinders rectangle die.  I sorted through my scrap basket and found two patterned papers which I trimmed to size, plus a scrap of purple CS, then I layered all those together with the image.  I printed and cut the sentiment with an Avery Elle die, and layered it onto the purple scrap.  I thought the plaid and the old sheet music added an extra bit of country flair.

      Challenges:

Aud Sentiments

Creative Fingers

Love ... Pretty Papers

Paperminutes

Pixie's Snippets

Polkadoodles

     Come play with us this month, won't you?  We love being inspired by you and what you make.  Happy Crafting.   NanaConnie

Checking the List

      We all know that Santa has a long list of good and bad children and that he checks it continuously from August right through until Christmas Eve.  I decided to celebrate his faithful endeavors in that arena by putting together a Country Christmas card for the newest challenge at FarmQuest Country Christmas.  We always have an "Anything Country Christmas Goes" theme so you have to imagine Santa pacing around in the snow in front of the toy shop which he checks that all important list!

     The image came from QKR Stampede and it's called "Checking it Twice."  That seemed a perfect phrase for the sentiment so I used it.  The image is colored with Sanjoki alcohol markers, cut with a QuicKutz die, and inked on the edges.  The two papers for the background came from a Recollections stack which has been in my stash for at least 5 years!  I think it has a nice country (and Christmas) feel to it.

     I printed the sentiment and cut it with an Avery Elle die.  Nice simple Christmas card; one more for the holiday stash.

     Challenges:

12 Months Christmas

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Fingers

Digi Choosday

Dream Valley

Holly & Ivy

Kerst Christmas

Outlawz Friday

Peace on Earth

Penny's P-C

     I hope you'll come and play with us this challenge.  Create something that has a Country Christmas feel to it and enter it into the challenge.  We look forward to seeing what you create.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

It's Hot !

      For those of you living where the summer weather is really hot this year, or those ladies who are living through that period of life where "hot" is a relative and transitory thing, you should love this card as much the lady for whom it was made.  lol

     The image is clip art which I printed in light grayscale and then colored with my Sanjoki markers and white gel pens.  I cut it with a Tonic Studios die and inked the edges with a black ink pad.  The background dp came from a Recollections stack.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  Very CAS in design.

     Challenges:

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Knockouts

Creative Inspiration

Carlin's ... Paradise

Crafts Galore ...

Four Seasons

Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Bear-ly Old

      Today we begin our latest challenge at FarmQuest and our theme is "Things Found in a Forest."   I interpreted that very broadly and decided to find an animal that would inhabit the forest instead of just trees or plants.  This image of a bear is pencil sketched clip art.  I wish I knew the name of the artist but it came from a book of clip art coloring pages available online and there is no company or artist names on any of them.

     Although it may be difficult to see in the photo, after I printed the image I used a very pale, blue wash of watercolor paint over the entire image, then darkened the sketch using blue colored pencils and gamsol.  

     I cut the finished image with a Tonic Studios die, then printed the 2-part sentiment and cut those with dies from Avery Elle.  Everything was mounted onto a dark blue card front which I had embossed using my 'Linen' EF.  I made this as a birthday card for one of my grandsons who celebrated just a week ago.

      Challenges:

Addicted to CAS

Can You Handle ...?

Crafty Calendar

Lil Patch of ...

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Polkadoodles

WordArt Weds

     It would be wonderful if you'd come and play in our challenge.  Think of a forest, choose something you might find there, let it inspire your creativity, and enter it into our challenge.  We can't wait to see what you create!  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Beauty in the Desert

      There's a new theme for the new challenge at FarmQuest which starts today and the theme is "Things in a Desert or Dry Country."  For my DT card, I used a clip art image, printed in the lightest grayscale, and then colored with water color paints, Sanjoki markers, and white gel for the highlights.

     I used a Tonic Studios die to cut the image and a QuicKutz die to cut the white frame.  The pumpkin colored background is cardstock from Recollections.  The sentiment was stamped with a stamp from Cardz TV.   I was so in love with how the image turned out, I left the card very CAS with no embellishment whatsoever.

     Challenges:

Addicted to CAS

CAS on Friday

Crafty Calendar

Creative Fingers

Di's Digi Designs

Gem of a Challenge

I Love Markers

My Time to Craft

Outlawz Friday (summer)

Simply CAS

    Hope to see you playing along in our challenge these next two weeks.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Flower Puppy

      This is my last DT card for Crafty Catz and I've enjoyed my time with that team more than I can express!  We have a new challenge starting today, and our theme is always "Anything Goes" but we also offer an OPTIONAL theme if you choose to use it.  The option this fortnight is "Make It Cute."  We are sponsored by Last Minute Manda and I chose to use one of their oh, so cute "Flower Puppies."

     I colored the image with Sanjoki markers and the highlights were done with a white gel pen.  It was cut with one of my oldest dies from QuicKutz.  I printed the sentiment and cut it with a die from Avery Elle.  The background was made using 2 scraps of CS, each of which I embossed with my "Linen" EF.  I inked the edges of the image and layered it onto the background.  Quick and very CAS.

Colors came from the challenge at My Favorite Things.

     Challenges:

Creative Inspiration

Digi Choosday

Dream Valley

I Love Markers

Outlawz Monday

Pammie's IP

Simon Says Stamp

Star Stampz

Word Art Weds

     That's all for today.  Please think about playing in our challenge.  We get so inspired by what you create and we love visiting your blogs.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

One Good Scratch ...

      Welcome to my DT post for the newest challenge at FarmQuest General Store.  We are sponsored by QKR Stampede and the prize will be the three QKR Stampede images used by the DT this month.  The challenge runs until August 5, 2024 and our theme is "Anything Country Goes."  Your project must have a country element and not be filled with cityscapes, malls, or other strictly city life scenarios.  We want to see "country!"

      You can't get much more country than a sheep dog on the ranch.  This image is called "Happy Dog" and I think he's so adorable.  I know he's scratching off a well-earned flea which joined him on a trek through the meadow, guarding the sheep.  lol  I colored him with Sanjoki markers, cut the image with a large QuicKutz die, and inked the edges with an ink pad.  The plaid paper came from DCWV.  Sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die, and again, the edges were inked with a black ink pad.

     I wanted a simple, masculine card to put in my stash of birthday cards.

     Challenges:

Alphabet

CRAFT-alnica

Crafts Galore Encore

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspiration

Pattie's Creationsnull

Polkadoodles

     

     That's all I have for today.  Come play along in our challenge.  Do anything with a 'country' feel, enter it into our challenge, and cross your fingers that you're the winner.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Manger

      It's the 7th of July and time to begin another challenge at FarmQuest Country Christmas where out themes are always "Anything Country Christmas" goes.  Show us outside country decorations, scenes, or critters like these from Suzy's Zoo.

     I stamped the image, then colored it with water color paints.  The sentiment is part of the Suzy's Zoo set, stamped using a light coffee brown inkpad.  I cut it with an old QuicKutz die, and inked the edges with a marker.   The plaid paper came from a stack by Recollections, I think.  It was a scrap in the Christmas basket and I thought it made a perfect "country" element.

     Challenges:

Crafty Calendar

Di's Digi Designsnull

Dragonfly Dreams

Gem of a Challenge

MFT Christmas

Outlawz Friday

     Don't forget to also check out my second post of the day for FarmQuest General Store which is a sponsored challenge and you could win the images used by the DT which came from QKR Stampede, the sponsor.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Bear

      I'm still posting Christmas cards which I'm making to get ahead of the late fall rush.  I'll get a few done this month with all the Christmas in July encouragement and that will make me very happy when late November and Thanksgiving hit because the holiday season just gets so rushed right about then.

     The image is from QKR Stampede (one of my favorite of all stamp companies) and it's called "Angel Bear."  I used my Sanjoki markers to color the image, then cut it with a die from Spellbinders.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The background was made using a scrap of DCWV dp.  Pretty simple, no embellishments because I thought the dp was eye-catching enough.

     Challenges:

12 Months...Christmas

A Perfect Time ...

Carlin's Cardnull ...

Crafts Galore Encore

Kerst Christmas

Mirtillamente

     That's it for today but I may have another post later this week.  Happy July!!

  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Butterfly Birthday

      We're starting a new challenge at Crafty Catz today.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" but we also offer an OPTIONAL theme for those of you who are adventurous enough to try it.  The option this time is "Embellishments."  

     We are sponsored this fortnight by SheepSki Designs.  They provided the team with images we could use but I chose one from my own collection, called "Butterfly Curl."  This card will go into my "Birthday" collection for future use.

     I printed the image, added a birthday sentiment to it, and printed it onto pale blue CS.  I colored a few of the butterflies with Sanjoki markers and gel pens, leaving most of the butterflies as uncolored, outline sketches.  I decided to use my favorite color combo of all times, aqua and purple.  Purple is my favorite color and aqua goes so well with it that I use them together often.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz die.

     The two, horizontal, strips of paper came from the scrap basket.  The blue butterfly embellishment is machine embroidered and the purple butterfly is a ribbon bow, tied and trimmed to look like a butterfly shape.  It was white, initially, but I 'dyed' it with a Sanjoki marker.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

C.R.A.F.T.

Cupcake Inspirations

Pammie's IPnull

Pattie's Creationsnull

     Come play with us this fortnight, won't you?  Remember, Anything Goes unless you prefer to challenge yourself to "Embellish" your project.  Be sure to check out all the DT cards over on the main challenge site.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Things Found in a Pond or Creek

      We have a new challenge and a new theme starting today at FarmQuest, and the theme is "Things Found in a Pond or Creek."  My dad would have immediately thought of fish because he loved fishing more than nearly any other outdoor activity and I often got to join him on those fishing treks.  Oh, what fabulous childhood memories!

     This image is clip art which I printed in sepia tone, then colored with my Sanjoki markers.  The card front was embossed with my Linen EF before adding the image.  I cut the colored image with a die from Spellbinders, and the sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The strip of polka dot dp came from an old DCWV stack.  Pretty CAS and masculine, and I really like it.  :-D

     Challenges:

Aloha Friday

Alphabet 

Creative Fingers

Di's Digi Designs

Outlawz Friday

     I hope you'll use your creativity and come up with something you might find in a pond or creek, then you can create something fun and enter it into our challenge before July 13.  You could end up taking top honors!

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Gift

      Here we are on yet another Friday and that means another new challenge starts today at Crafty Catz.  Our challenges now run 2 weeks at a time so this one will run through June 27.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" but we also offer an OPTIONAL theme which you may use if you like.  The option this time is "Masculine."   Unlike many card makers, I love crafting masculine cards so this was right up my alley.  :-D

     Our sponsor is Hetty Clare and they provided images for the team to use.  I chose The Gift.  I kept it very simple by printing the image onto blue CS, and coloring with white gel pen.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz die, then cut a white frame with another QK die.  I used navy blue CS for the background, printed the sentiment, and cut it with an Avery Elle die.  I layered everything together and left it without embellishment because I wanted that super plain, CAS, masculine card.  

     I'm going to use this for a birthday card for one of my family guys with a June birthday.

     Challenges:

     That's all for today.  Happy Crafting and come play with us.  NanaConnie

Windmill and Pumphouse

      It's the 14th of the month and we have another of our 'Country' challenges starting today at FarmQuest.  Our theme this fortnight is "Farm Equipment, Windmills, Wishing Wells."

     When you live out in the country or on the farm, life goes along at a different pace.  There are always things which must be done and life isn't always as easy as jumping in the car and running to the grocery store for a half gallon of milk or a pound of butter.  Even having clear, cool water sometimes means keeping the windmill in good repair and updating the water pump every few years.  The ones I used on my card today have seen better days and have most likely been replaced altogether.

     I printed the image in grayscale, then colored it with pale yellow and pale brown pencils.  I cut the image with a die from Tonic Studios and inked the edges with a marker.  The background dp came from an old Recollections stack and was a scrap in the basket.  The sentiment was printed, cut with an Avery Elle die, edges inked, then adhered to the card front.

     Challenges:

     Come play with us and impress us with your creations.  We love seeing what you make.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie 

Christmas Eve Bedtime

      I've done a few Christmas cards over the last month or so but haven't gotten very many of them posted, just one which I did for the FarmQuest Country Christmas last week (click HERE to see it.)  But today, I thought it would be fun to show you another of them, and this one will be for one of the newest great-grands this year.

     This is an older image from QKR Stampede, called "Baby Bear" and I colored him in traditional Christmas colors of red and green.  I used my Sanjoki markers, then cut the image with a Tonic Studios die.  I cut a scrap of dp to make the frame around the image but I can't tell you who the maker of that dp was.  The background was made with strips of paper from an old EK Success Christmas stack.  Some of the strips have gold embossing on them.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

     Challenges:

Creative Inspirations

Digi Choosday

Passion for Markers

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Carpenters & Handymen

      Time for a new challenge at FarmQuest General Store, sponsored by QKR Stampede, and the 3 images supplied by them will be the prize for this challenge.  Check out the main challenge post to see both of the Carpenter images (one person, one rabbit) and the adorable "Couch Potato" image.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes."

    I used both of the Carpenter images on separate cards so you get a double treat in this post.  The first one is the Carpenter Rabbit.  I colored the image with Sanjoki markers, then cut it with a Tonic Studios die.  The blue CS background for it was embossed with my "Linen" EF.  I had a strip of plaid dp (Your Next Stamp) in the scrap basket and I thought it worked perfectly to enhance the color palette on the card.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

      Challenges:

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Inspiration

Krafty Chicks

Not Too Shabby (color)

Outlawz Thurs

     The second card features the other Carpenter image (one of my oldest digital images), and I colored it with my newest ProMarkers and some gel pens.  I cut the image with a QuicKutz die and, again, I embossed the background card front with my "Linen" folder.  In case you haven't figured it out, I much prefer dry embossing to wet embossing and that's because it's so much quicker and much less messy!  lol  

     The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The striped strip of dp was another scrap from the basket and I have no idea what company made it.

     Challenges:

As You Like It

Colorful Options

Double D (old, new, blue)

Double Trouble

Simon Says Stamp

     I hope we're going to see you playing along in our challenge this month.  Remember, it runs until the 5th of July and the next challenge starts on the 7th of July.  We love seeing what you create so come and inspire us.  Remember, it's Anything Goes!

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Christmas Horse

     Welcome to the start of our newest challenge over at FarmQuest Country Christmas.  Our theme is always Anything Goes as long as it's Christmas with an outdoor country flair.  This image was printed in gray scale, then colored with watercolor paint for the background, and colored pencils blended with gamsol for the horse.  I added white highlights with gel pen.  The image was cut with my largest square die from QuicKutz.

     The striped dp came from a Recollections stack.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  Since this card will be used for one of the guys in my family, I decided that no further embellishment was needed.

     Challenges:

12 Months Christmas

Creative Inspirations

Incy Wincy

Kerst Christmas

MFT Christmas

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Sparkles Christmas

Word Art Weds

     That's it for today.  I hope it's not too hot for you to be thinking about winter and Christmas.  Get a head start on your holiday card making and come play with us this month.  Anything Country Christmas will do.  :-D   Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Puppy Fetch

      It's Friday!  Hooray!  How about a great way to start off your weekend?  We have a new challenge this morning over at Crafty Catz.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" but we also offer an OPTIONAL theme for you if you choose to use it.  This challenge that option is "Use Stencils."

      Our sponsor is Dr. Digi and they supplied images for the DT to use.  I chose "Fetching Fido" because I think he's so adorable!  I colored the image with Sanjoki markers, then cut it with a QuicKutz square die.  I used a Fiskars punch to decorate the corners.  The background papers were made using three different stencils on colored paper.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

    Come play with us.  This challenge runs through June 13 and the next one begins on June 14.  We'd love to see what you create, with or without using a stencil.  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Picnic at the Beach

      It's time for the next challenge at FarmQuest and this time our theme is "Picnic Things."  Don't forget the underlying 'farm or country' element which is always required.

     My mind went to childhood days of picnics at the seashore and cooking things on a grill or in a pot.  I'm a great collector of  recipes and I knew I had one for a shrimp boil with a fabulous picture of a beach picnic with shrimp and lobster, clams and corn.

     I wish I could take full credit for the coloring on this one, but it's a pre-colored image and all I did was edit the color saturation on it before printing.  Isn't it marvelous?  What a perfect rendition of a Carolina coast or even something along the Gulf Coast in Bayou Country.  The 'country' element certainly comes through even if it's a beach instead of  "mid-west farm" country.

     Challenges:

Crafty Calendar

Creative Fingers

Creative Knockouts

Creative Moments

Digi Choosday

Lil Patch of ...

Pammie's I P

     I hope you're going to come and play with us for our "Picnic Things" challenge.  We love seeing what you create so let your imagination go and be as wild as you like with the idea of a country picnic.  :-D

   

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Beach-y Keen

      Welcome to a new Crafty Catz challenge, where our theme is always "Anything Goes" but we also give you the OPTION of using a specific theme.  This time, the optional theme is "Dots and Stripes."  As you can see, I managed to work in the dots and stripes in both the image and the background papers.

     Our sponsor for this challenge is LeAnn's World 101 and I used a cute image called "Annette."  I used Sanjoki markers to color her, adding the polka dots to her bathing suit with a white gel pen.  The image was cut with a Tonic Studios die, then I inked the edges.  I printed the sentiment and cut it with an Avery Elle die.  

     Both the polka dot and striped papers came from an old DCWV stack.  I added a little enamel dot (Sweet Dots) to the scrunchie around her pony tail.  Sweet and easy card.

Colors from the challenge at My Favorite Things.

     Challenges:

C.R.A.F.T.

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Inspirations

Double D

I Love Markers

Paper Shelter

Penny's P-C

Outlawz Monday

Simon Says Stamp

    I hope we see you playing with us sometime over the next 2 weeks.   You could win some great images from LeAnn's World 101!  Remember, it's "Anything Goes" unless you decide to use the option of Dots & Stripes.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Mom's Kitchen

      Today we have a new challenge starting at FarmQuest, where we have not only the underlying "Country or Farm" element but we also give you a specific theme to use.  This time the theme is "Kitchen Tools, Equipment, or Appliances."  

      I found this fabulous clip art image of a country kitchen with cooking tools and dishes.   I printed it in grayscale, then colored it with ProMarkers.  Highlights were added with white pencil and shadows with blue-gray pencil.  I cut both the image and the frame for it with square dies from QuicKutz.  The striped background paper came from a DCWV stack.  I printed the sentiment and cut it with an Avery Elle die.

      Challenges:

613 Ave Create

Crafty Calendar

Digi Choosday

Homestyle Kitchen

Inkspirational (Spring)

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Tues

Pammie's IP

     Come play with us in our challenge.  I used the image for a Mother's Day card but you could do something fun for a summer card, or a birthday, or even Father's Day if he's a cook (as many men are these days), as long as it has some kind of kitchen tools or equipment.  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie