Geraniums

     It dawned on me the other day that I'm living in a house which has no geranium plants anywhere.  To most of you, that's kind of meaningless but I've had geraniums at every house where I've lived since I was a child and my mother raised them.  The two years I spent in Anchorage, AK, I had geraniums in pots which lived indoors all winter and then went crazy in the long hours of summer sunshine.

     I'm going to correct that lapse as soon as possible but in the meantime these geraniums (Ike's Art) will have to hold me over.  :-D

      I colored with ProMarkers and then fussy cut the image.  I printed and added the birthday sentiment across the clay pot, then added the image to the background using dimensional tape. 

     The background is embossed Swiss Dots and I added sparkle to each individual dot.  I tied one of my bowtie bows using my bow maker and added it to the top of the card.  Rather simple in design but it shows off the geraniums, which was my intent all along.

     Challenges:
Cards in Envy
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Cardmakers
Creative Inspirations
Creative Moments
DL.ART
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
Ike's World
Incy Wincy
Southern Girls

     Has spring weather hit your part of the Northern hemisphere yet?  If you're down under, are you already longing for the hot weather to be gone and wanting the cool, crisp evenings of fall to arrive?  Wherever you happen to be located, Happy Crafting!  NanaConnie

Time for May Flowers

     We've had the April Showers (more than we usually get where I live) and now I want to see the May Flowers.   My garden is growing strong and healthy plants and in another month, we'll be harvesting the first of the tomatoes and maybe even a summer squash or two.  Watermelons should follow in early July, and it's beginning to look like we may have a bumper crop of beans and peas.

     But I want flowers!  :-D  This is the best I can have right now, I guess.

     The image is from Bugaboo Stamps and I colored with ProMarkers.  The frame was cut with a die from Amy's Designs and I layered it directly onto the image.  That entire thing was placed onto a scrap of dp from a Bo Bunny stack.  It has a hole in it from a die cut done for another project but it's hidden underneath the image.

     I added grosgrain ribbon and 'dyed' my handmade bow with a marker to get just the shade of golden yellow I wanted.  The sentiment was printed, hand cut, and inked on the edges before adding it to the top of the card front.  I took one of the flower piece negatives which fell out after cutting and added it on top of the ribbon.

     As a final touch of embellishment, I added tiny pearls to each of the large flowers in the die cut frame. My handmade bow already had a pearl.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Allsorts
Brown Sugar
Catch the Bug (1st column)
Crafty Friends
Creative Moments
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
Jo's Scrap Shack
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrappy Land
Send a Smile 4 Kids

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Thinking of You

     This beautiful lady, surrounded by dahlias, comes from Ching-Chou Kuik, where they want us to use our favorite colors.  Of course, you couldn't guess from the card below that my favorites are always in the purple family - everything from periwinkle blue to lavenders and lilacs, to the deepest red-violet or burgundy.

I started with the sketch from Sketch Saturday.

     I colored with my ProMarkers, then cut the image and the oval frames with dies from both QuicKutz and Spellbinders.  Stacking them all together gives some wonderful dimension to the card.

     The strip of dp with the butterflies was in my scrap basket and I think it is from SU.  The background paper is digital and came from one of the sets at MHK Designs.

     The large butterfly is machine embroidered using purple, white and black thread.

     Challenges:
Butterfly Challenge (digi/die cut/dimension)
Crafty Friends
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrappy Land
WordArt Weds.

     I'm so glad you stopped by for a visit.  If I haven't been by your blog over the last couple of weeks, it's because I'm still healing from a shoulder injury and, often, I have to decide whether to craft or spend time at the keyboard commenting.  I'll be around to catch up on my visits and comments as soon as I can.  In the meantime, I appreciate you visiting my blog even though I'm not reciprocating right away.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Flowers in a Honey Can

     I fell in love with this image from Sparkle n Sprinkle the instant I saw it.  I think it's by Jan Mahew.  In any case, it's lovely and I was so happy to color it up!

     I colored with ProMarkers and pencils, with little touches of white gel pan.  The background is dp from SU, dry embossed with a folder from Darice.

     The image is fussy cut with a very narrow, white, border.  I mounted it onto the two die cut, octagon, frames using dimensional dots.  The octagons are also embossed all around the edges.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, then added it to the image piece.

     The final step was making two bows, one from lace & the other from satin ribbon, and mounting them together as a double bow.  There was so much going on visually that I decided the bows were all that was needed by way of embellishment.

     Challenges:
A Perfect Time to Craft
Archi-Scraps
Beccy's Place (die cut/3 colors/lace & ribbon)
Card Mania
Craft-Dee BowZ
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper
Die Cut Diva's
TLC on Doing Life

     That's all I have for this weekend but my entire day is cleared so that I can work slowly, with lots of breaks to rest my shoulder, and still get a couple of cards made for later this week.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Fairy Sleeps

     Another really fun image this month from Dragon's Lair for their progressive challenge on their FB page.  I love that the fairy is curled up asleep in the flower with the dragon watching over her.

     I used ProMarkers, Copics, and water color pencils to color the image.  I used dies from QuicKutz and Sizzix to cut and mat the image.  The background dp came from my scrap stash.  I added three of my signature bows and a tiny rose bud, and called it finished.

     Challenges:
Crazy Challenge
Cutie Pie
Double D
Everybody Art
Ike's World
Lemon Shortbread
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Greetings
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
TTCRD

     Thanks so much for stopping by and enjoy your weekend.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Spring Foal

     Happy Friday and we all know that means another new challenge at QKR Stampede!  Our theme is always Anything Goes and you can use any kind of image by any company.  If you decide to use a QKR image, your entry will go into a completely separate draw and than increases your chances of winning by a huge margin.  :-D

     If you follow my blog, you know that I usually do some kind of humorous card with QKR images but today I want to share with you a delightful spring foal ("Appaloosa Foal") image which looks like he was just born yesterday.  Isn't he gorgeous?

I was inspired by the color combo at House of Cards.

     I colored him with ProMarkers, added the sentiment, and cut it with a die from Spellbinders.  I chose red-brown CS for the card base, layered on the image piece, then added the gingham ribbon and the wrapped, burlap-twine, bow.  I left it very CAS because I intend to use it as a masculine birthday card and I wanted the image to be the focus, not a bunch of embellishments.

     Challenges:
AAA Cards
Angie's Digi Stamps
Aud Sentiments
Cards in Envy
Color Inspiration Monday
Crafting from the Heart
Incy Wincy
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Pammie's Inky Pinkies

     HAae a fantastic weekend and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

OMG, Cats !

     I'm reminded of a childhood friend I met at summer camp and we became best buddies in the way kids do.   We promised to write to each other all the time but, unlike most kid promises, we actually did.  Our friendship lasted into and beyond college.  When I was getting married, she traveled more than 300 miles to attend and stayed at my house.  It turns out she was traveling with her beloved macaw, a large kind of parrot, because after the wedding she was moving to San Diego for graduate school.

      I didn't mind in the least but her bird went a little nuts when he discovered my two cats!

     Colored with water colors & die cut with a die from Spellbinders.   Papers are from my stash of scraps and the ribbon had the perfect colors.

     Challenges:
Crafting w/ an Attitude
Crafty Creations
Crazy Challenge
Creative Inspirations
Limited Runs
Outlawz PAM
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Scrappy Land
TTCRD
WordArt Weds.

      That's it for today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Celebrate a Rainbow

     That sounds like a fitting title for a month known for its showers!  But in this case, it's a way of celebrating a boy's April birthday.  :-D

     The image is from Bugaboo Stamps (Catch the Bug) and I colored it with my ProMarkers.  The dark blue CS frame is a leftover, negative, scrap laid on top of the image and then trimmed to fit.  I printed the sentiment, hand cut it and adhered it to the bottom of the frame.  The lavender CS (also a scrap) is embossed and used for the card front.  It actually has a die cut hole in it but I covered that by tilting the image slightly when I adhered it. 

     I added no embellishments at all because I wanted a very CAS card for a boy.

     Challenges:
AAA Cards
Addicted to Stamps
Crafting from the Heart
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz CAS
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Pixie's Snippets
Send a Smile 4 Kids

     That's the best I can do for typing with this shoulder injury.  Writing up the post in 10 minute increments at the keyboard means that it's taken me well over two hours to do this short little post.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Make a Wish

     It's time for the start of a new monthly challenge at World Wide Open DT Challenge and our theme is always "Anything Goes."  The challenge is sponsored by and we showcase images by Julia Spiri.  Today I'm using "Jasmine" - isn't she fantastic?

     I colored with ProMarkers, then die cut the image with a die from Cheapo Dies.  I dug through my stash of scraps and found both the turquoise and the flowered papers.  Since they made up my favorite color combo of purple and turquoise, I grabbed them right away.  I ran the turquoise through my machine using an embossing folder from Sizzix before layering it onto the card front.

     I had two scraps of sheer and satin ribbons so I used them for the strip between the two papers and also for the bow.  The sentiment was printed and die cut with the smallest die from that Cheapo Dies set.  I'm using this as a birthday card so the sentiment really works.  :-D

     Challenges:
Angie's Digital Stamps
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Friends
Crafty Sentiments
Di's Digi Designs
Everybody Art
Passion for ProMarkers
Send a Smile 4 Kids
Stamping Sensations
Unicorn

     I hope we're going to see you playing along this month.  Don't forget that you can also visit the FB page for Julia Spiri and see her new shop here, which features original art and fabulous coloring books!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Spring Cleaning?

     It's a great morning around here and exactly what spring should be!  Cold weather is gone, hot weather has not yet arrived, and the daytime temps are in the 70s.  What could be better?  Well, how about a little QKR Stampede humor and a new "Anything Goes" challenge on a Friday morning?

     For my DT card in this challenge I used a fun QKR image called "Bathing Turtle."  The sentiment which turns this card into something completely silly can only be blamed on me.

     I colored with ProMarkers (my favorites which I love because of the way alcohol inks blend) and watercolors, then used a Sue Wilson die to cut the image and frame.  The mat is cut with the largest of the dies in that set and that paper was also water colored before being cut.  Everything is mounted onto a green card base which has been scored three times at the top with my Scor-Pal.

     When I decided to add the sequins for a bit of shine on the bubbles, I had no idea they would photograph as pink!  They're NOT pink, they're completely clear but for some reason they are pink in the photograph.  Sigh...

     I added a teeny drop of  Liquid Pearls to the center of each sequin and that's what's adhering them to the card.  They give some great texture, too.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps & More
As You Like It
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Creations
Creative Moments
DL.ART
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrapy Land
Simon Says Stamp

     Have yourself a great weekend and don't forget to take some time just for yourself.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Kitty Hugs

     The cat in this image from The East Wind reminds me so much of Honey (see sidebar.)  When Honey wants attention, regardless of what I may be doing, I'm interrupted with purrs, mewlings, even a large white body in my lap or on the computer keyboard !  But if I want a kitty hug when it's not desired by the Great White Feline, then I get front paws pushing away and a sneering feline face.  lol

     I colored with ProMarkers, added a sparkly flower to her hair, and used a die from Spellbinders to cut the image.  The sparkly, glittered, ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon and, between the glitter and the interesting fold at the top, I used it to add some texture. 

     I printed the sentiment and cut it with another scalloped die, then cut that in half lengthwise.  I found an orchid in my stash of flowers and added it.  After that, I left it as a CAS design.

     Challenges:
Color Inspiration Monday
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Sentiments
Cutie Pie
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Greetings
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Pause, Dream, Enjoy
Stamping Sensations
SUYP Cats

     Be sure to stop by tomorrow when the new challenge at QKR Stampede starts.  I have a card that features such a fun image!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Down the Aisle

     This sweet image is from Gerda Steiner Designs and is perfect for the upcoming wedding season.  I adore these little gnomes.  :-D  I know gnomes are supposedly only mythological, but if they exist, obviously they get married!  :-D

I used the colors from the challenge at 

House of Cards.

     I colored with  ProMarkers, then cut the image with a Gina Marie die.  I matted it with red CS to pull out the red in the roses.  The strip of red behind the lace and ribbon is another piece of that same CS even though it looks more pink.   The flowers were in my stash.

     Challenges:
Colour Inspiration Monday
Crafting from the Heart
Cutie Pie
Everybody Art
Gerda Steiner Designs
Get Creative
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Simon Says Stamp and Show
TTCRD

     I just discovered that I didn't finish this post last night so it didn't get scheduled.  But here it is now and I hope you enjoy.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Dancing in Your Mind

     I remember 6 years of childhood ballet classes (and more than a few performances) and, all these years later, my mind tells me I could still do it.  My body, however, rebels at the idea so the dancing is only in my mind.  Today's sentiment was inspired by that.  :-D

     The card features an image from Fabrika Fantasy - I think it's called Fire Fairy.  I colored it with a combination of polychromos pencils and ProMarkers, trying to keep an underlying 'sepia' tone, highlighted with bright yellow.  I cut the image with one of my newer stitched dies from Cheapo Dies.

     I matted it with black CS and shaped the corners with a Fiskars' punch.  The card itself was shaped with one of my extra large dies from Spellbinders, then folded in half.  I added the glittered ribbon and laid down a row of bronze pearls to accent the sepia look. 

     I put one, tiny, bronze, pearl on the opposite side and then added the sentiment.

     Challenges:
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Creations
Crafty Gals Corner
Di's Digi Designs
Fabrika Fantasy
I {heart} ProMarkers
Jo's Scrap Shack
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Unicorn

     Thanks for stopping by and I appreciate all your comments.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

House Mousies Playing in the April Showers

     This is one of my very favorite House Mouse stamps and I'm sure I use it every year to celebrate April showers.   How could I resist those tiny Mousies splashing their way through the rain puddles?

     I colored with a combination of polychromos pencils and ProMarkers, with white gel pen for the raindrops.  I used one of my straight border dies (Spellbinders) to cut each edge of the image and then matted it with a royal blue CS frame. 

     The background was originally a card front which I 'rescued' from the trash bin because I loved the glittery embossing, and I trimmed the edges by hand.  I added both ribbon and heavy twine but left it very simple after that.  I wanted it to stay CAS and to work as either feminine or masculine.

     Challenges:
Addicted to CAS
Crafty Sentiments
Crazy Challenge
House Mouse
Ike's World
Incy Wincy
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Pile It On
Unicorn

    Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie  

Purr-fect Spring!

     Today's card makes me feel like I'm back on the SheepSki Designs team since this is one of Andrea's images.  :-D  It's one of my favorite cats and it's also the monthly freebie at the Outlawz Progressive challenge.

     Before I started this card, I decided that it was time to clear off the crafting desk and that means using things which are on the desktop.  Sometimes, as was the case with this card, I can use nothing BUT things which are left on the desk; other times, I have to add a bit here and there.

     I colored with 4 ProMarkers - gray, teal, pale pink, and golden yellow.  As I used them, I slid them back into their proper cubbyholes where I keep all my markers, sorted by main color.  The oval QuicKutz die was on the desk and I used it to cut the image, then put it back in the envelope with the set.

     Since the image had a butterfly, and since the Cheery Lynn butterfly die was also on the table, I picked through the dp piled up, found the piece I used for the background, trimmed it to size and used the cut off to die cut the butterfly.  Digging through the papers brought to light the second oval - already die cut with an Unbranded die- and since the teal color was perfect, I added it to the card design.

    Finally, I got to the sentiment.  It was printed and since there was a small, oval die from Spellbinders waiting to be put away, I used it to cut the sentiment.  I liked the repetition of ovals and of butterflies.  Who knew when I started that a card design would come together out of that messy pile on the desk?!  :-D  Of course, it took me another half hour to clear the rest of that messy pile off the desk completely.

     Challenges:
Butterfly  (using Teal)
Crafting by Designs
Creative Inspirations
House that Stamps Built
Incy Wincy
Penny's Paper-Crafty
SheepSki Designs
Simon Says Stamp
SUYP Cats

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Blame It on the Cat Nap !

     For the newest weekly challenge starting today at QKR Stampede, I made a card I needed for a belated birthday and used the funniest image - "Black Leaning Cat - ES1407" which is from our sister shop, Eureka Stamps.

     The sentiment is my own but is also my excuse for missing the actual birthday and having to send a belated card.  :-D

     Since this card is for a guy, I kept it pretty CAS.  The image is fussy cut (by hand) and the sentiment was printed and cut by hand, then matted and hand cut again. 

     I found the polka dot ribbon with the rainbow dots in my stash and used a scrap of red, polka dot, satin, ribbon to hand tie the little bow.  I added three metal beads to the top and the bottom and called it finished. 

     Inside it says, "I must have napped right through your birthday!"

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft Extra
Classic DT Open
Craft-Dee BowZ
Creatalicious
Get Creative
Not Just Cards
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Paper Girls
Simon Says Stamp & Show
SUYP Cats

     I hope you're going to come and play along in our "Always Anything Goes" challenge at QKR Stampede this week.  Remember, there's no requirement to use QKR or even Eureka on your projects but if you do, those entries are put into a separate draw and that increases your chances of winning by a huge amount!  See you there.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Ballroom Dancer

     This is my third sprite in the past 2 weeks and I'm not done yet!  lol  I do love these sprites from AuroraWings and they are such a delight to color.  AuroraWings is celebrating its 4th Anniversary and is requiring (for this challenge) that only sprites be used.   Today's Carnation Sprite turned into a Ballroom Dancer.  :-D

     I colored with ProMarkers and gel inks, then cut the image with a die from Spellbinders.  This card shows off one of my favorite techniques which is making CAS cards that look much more complex than they are.  I used one of my fancy frame dies to cut the image and then layered it onto the card front. 

     When doing this technique, I always keep embellishment to a minimum; in this case using only a dyed, lace, bow-tie bow.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, then added it to the bottom of the image.  With that, I was done!

     Challenges:
AAA Cards
Di's Digi Designs
Get Creative
Hiding in My Craft Room
Incy Wincy
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Greetings
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Stamping Sensations

     We're on the downhill slide to the weekend and I have to get a bunch of prep work finished for a garage sale on Saturday.  Originally, I would have said "yard" sale but since the weather forecasters are saying it might rain, we're moving it under cover.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Tulip Thank You

     I was in need of a quick "Thank You" card and this cute image from Bugaboo Stamps was perfect.  While I was planning it, I looked at the challenge theme from Catch the Bug and it was a recipe challenge: 1 button, 2 images, & 3 layers.

I was inspired by the sketch at Try Stampin' on Tuesday

but I flipped it so that I could use it horizontally.

     When I printed the image, I did it twice on leftover bits of white CS, reversing one of the images as I did it.  The sentiment is part of the image but I cut it off the reversed image so that it was only on the other side.  I colored with ProMarkers and cut one of the images with a simple rectangle die from Spellbinders.  I hand cut the other image so that I could merge it with the other image.

     A tiny bit of the cut off sentiment still showed so I decided that was where I'd put the button.  I search my collection of buttons, looking for a large one.  I laced it with a scrap of jute cord and tied that into a bow.  In my stash, I found the pink and tan, plaid paper and, even though it was only a scrap piece, I knew it would be perfect for the first background layer.  To make the second background layer, I mounted the plaid scrap onto ruby pink CS, and that gave me the 3 layers!  Voila' - fast and easy.

     Challenges:
Butterfly (Twine & Thistle)
Crafty Creations
Crafty Gals Corner
Everybody Art
Lemon Shortbread
Outlawz Twisted Thursday
Pixie's Snippets
Sisterhood of Crafters

     Thanks for visiting.   Feel free to browse around while you're here.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Daddy's Boots

     Each year I make Father's Day cards for all the guys in the family (son, SIL, Grandson, etc.) since I don't get to make one for my own dear papa anymore.  :-D  When I saw this pair of boots over at Beccy's Place, I knew they would make a fantastic Father's Day card for a young man to give to his father.  Yes, I also make cards for the grandkids to give to their dads.  :-D

I started by choosing one of the sketches

(#506) over at Sketch Saturday

but I flipped it top to bottom and side to side.

     I colored the boots with my ProMarkers, then die cut them with a die from the Spellbinders Romantic Roses set.  The die was actually larger than I needed for the image, so I cut once, then moved the die and cut a second time, getting the size I wanted.

     I used red CS, textured with my "Linen" embossing folder, to make the card front, and layered the image onto it.  I wrapped red and white baker's twine around and tied it into a double knot.  I wanted to keep it simple since it a card for a guy so the twine was the only embellishment.

     Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft
Crafts Galore Encore
Die Cuttin' Divas
Dies R Us
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jo's Scrap Shack
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Send a Smile 4 Kids

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Happy Easter and New Challenge at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies

Happy Easter to all !

     Today starts our newest monthly challenge over at 2 Crafty Critter Crazies and, for April, we're sponsored by Linda Simpson Designs.  Check out the post on the 2 CCC blog for all the details.

     I used an image from the "So Heavenly" set and it just seemed to call for flowers and butterflies!

      The image is cut with a die from Spellbinders and I backed it with yellow CS so that the little butterfly 'negatives' would show through.  I used two of the tiny butterflies which fell out, along with two Cheery Lynn die cuts I used to make the yellow, double butterfly.

     I found the lovely spring flowers in my stash and decided to use them along the left side of the main image.  Everything went onto a scrap of wood grain CS for the background.  I printed, cut and added the sentiment and finally found 2 left over pearls which I used as the body of the double butterfly.

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Cookie Challenge
Crafty Catz
Crafty Friends
DL.ART

Fussy and Fancy Friday
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Star Stampz
Victorine Originals

     Sorry I was late adding my challenge links but I've come down with a cold and have such a stuffy head and sore throat that I just couldn't sit at the computer any longer.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie