Loving Winter

    I've finally gotten a card done for the progressive challenge at Sasayaki Glitter!  Nothing like scooting in right before the deadline.  lol  Too much Christmas visiting, I guess.

     Obviously, this snowman loves winter because in any other season, he'd melt.  :-D  I colored with ProMarkers, then cut the image with a CUTplorations die.  The snowflakes were made with a die from Spellbinders.  The sentiment was printed and cut by hand.

     Challenges:
Crafty Creations
Crafty Sentiments Designs
Digi Choosday
Incy Wincy
Paper Shelter
Simon Says Stamp
TTCRD
Whoopsi Daisy

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

New Year Resolutions

     Another Friday and another new challenge at QKR Stampede!  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" and you can win some of the cutest images anywhere in the digital (or rubber, if you prefer) world.

     Today I want to have a brief discussion about New Year Resolutions.  Each and every year, we all get subtle 'nags' about making new resolutions for living our lives in the upcoming year but we all know that the resolutions will get broken within the first week (ok, maybe some will last a whole month if we make our resolutions easy and non-stressful) and then we can overwhelm ourselves with guilt for not sticking to them.  What's the point?

     Here's what I think should be done with New Year Resolutions!

     Write them down, share them with NOBODY, put them into a bottle, and toss them into the ocean (or any nearby body of water where they can sink to the bottom and be lost forever.)

     This QKR image is called "Wish in a Bottle" and I've been meaning to use it for over a year now.  See, I should have made using it one of my New Year Resolutions last year and it might have gotten done more quickly. :-D

The colors from the challenge at My Favorite Things

were perfect!

 
     I colored with ProMarkers and watercolors, then cut the image with a simple, square die from QuicKutz.  I wrapped it with sparkly, sheer ribbon and tied a 5-loop bow with the help of my bow maker.  The white 'flowers and leaf flourish' was cut with a Memory Box die.  I printed the sentiment, hand cut it with scissors, and mounted it on dimensional dots.

     Challenges:
As You Like It
Craft-Dee BowZ
Creative Knockouts
Cute Card Thurs.
Cut It Up
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Southern Girls

     One more week and my routine will be back to normal with all the holidays out of the way.  There will be some big changes coming up in the new year and they have nothing to do with resolutions!  I hope you're going to play along with us this week.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Leftovers

     We all have Christmas leftovers, some from the meal we shared, some from the decorating, and some that are still around simply because we haven't recovered adequately after the festivities to take care of them properly.  But I have a great idea.  What if we just made all the leftovers (candy canes, fruitcake, ornaments on the floor because the feline fur babies took them down...) the property (and responsibility) of the elves?  Problem solved!  lol

I decided on bold and bright traditional Christmas colors 

so I could play along in the Color Dare challenge.

     This cute image is from the Progressive challenge at Limited Runs and I used ProMarkers to color it.  I cut it with a scalloped die from Memory Box.  I printed the sentiment and cut it by hand.  I added the red, polka dot ribbon and the white bow with a pearl but left it rather CAS.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Butterfly
Cardz TV
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Hazelnut's
Cupcake Inspirations

Cute N Crafty
Double Trouble
Hiding in My Craft Room
Outlawz Festive Fri
Paper Girls

     BTW, if you need a suggestion, I'm sending all our Christmas leftovers home with the Elf on the Shelf!  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

     I'm wishing each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas.  

     My card today celebrates the day and the blessings of the Christmas season which stretch back hundreds of years, including the era of Charles Dickens, the iconic author who brought us Tiny Tim, Scrooge, and all things Christmas from a classic Victorian period, including carolers in olde London.

     My dear friend and blogging buddy, Christi, sent me these die cut carolers (I don't know who made the dies) and I just had to use them before the rush of Christmas and spending time with family took over.  I thought it would make a perfect post for Christmas Day!

    Challenges:
Crafty Gals Corner
Creative Moments
Cutie Pie
DL.ART
Double D
Ellibelle's Crafty Weds.
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Path of Positivity
Whoopsi Daisy

    Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Kandy Kane

     A very quick post this morning just to share this darling image from LeAnn's World 101, called "Kandy Kane."  Everything on this card is done with snippets and scraps, including the CS on which the image and sentiment were printed.

     I colored with ProMarkers and used an Unbranded die to cut the image.  The plaid paper is a scrap from a stack by Your Next Stamp, one of my recent favorites (and I've already ordered another stack of it so that I won't run out right away!)  :-D  The sentiment is cut with another die from the same Unbranded set.

     Challenges:
Cupcake Inspirations
 
Dragonfly Dreams
Incy Wincy
Outlawz Greetings
Pixie's Playground
Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting and have a wonderful Christmas Eve tonight.  NanaConnie

Poinsettia Gardener

     My mom was one of the few people who could successfully transplant potted poinsettias into our yard and they often grew to as much as 5 or 6 feet tall!  We had the loveliest border of poinsettias along the west side of our home.  She was a school teacher and poinsettia plants seemed to be a favorite gift from one or more of her students.  She was, indeed, a 'poinsettia gardener.'

     This sweet image of a poinsettia snowman is from Beccy's Place and I use it as a salute to Mom.  :-D  The image is fussy cut (by hand) and popped up on dimensional tape.  The fabric tape was a gift from my friend, Christi, who sent me a whole box of goodies!  Thanks, Christi.

     The sentiment is part of the image set and I hand cut it before adhering it.  The little white bow is one of the ones I make by the dozens and toss into my stash for future use.

     Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Cardz TV
Crafty Calendar
Crafty Hazelnut's
Di's Digi Designs
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Pattie's Creations
Winter Wonderland

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

December Birthdays

     I have a dear friend and a DIL who each have late December birthdays, late enough in the month to get lost in the Christmas rush, so each year I make it a point to do birthday cards for them in addition to the Christmas cards I send.  The friend's birthday is on the 21st (shortest day of the year here in the northern hemisphere) and this year I used the DT card I did for QKR Stampede as his birthday card.

     Our new challenge starts today and our theme is always "Anything Goes."  I used a QKR image called "Puppy Eyes" and a sentiment called "Dog Years You're Dead."

     I used ProMarkers to color the image, then fussy cut it with scissors.  The embossing folder is from Couture Creations ("Tied Together") and I used it on CS which I had already run through my "Linen" folder.  The Happy Birthday at the bottom was made by cutting letters with an alphabet die from Memory Box.  I had to adhere each letter by hand and it took some time to get them lined up as well as they are.  lol

     Challenges:
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Creations
Crafty Gals Corner
I {heart} ProMarkers
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Paper Shelter
Scrappy Land
Simon Says Stamp
That's Crafty!
Word Art Weds.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Flamingo and Unicorn Christmas

     I'm sharing another commission for two Christmas cards for 6 and 4 year old granddaughters.  The 6 year old loves unicorns and purple is her favorite color (mine, too!) and the 4 year old loves flamingos and her favorite color is pink.  Their Nana chose the images from many which I have in my collection and I did card designs which complement each other in style.

     First, the Flamingo:

     I don't know who drew this image.  It was in my collection of clip art.  I colored the image with my ProMarkers, then die cut it with an Unbranded die. 

     I dug out a Cheery Lynn die to cut the hat and scarf but had to add the pointy bit and the pompom myself since the hat was just a simple stocking cap and I wanted it to look more like a Santa hat.  I colored the brim with white gel ink.  I folded the scarf piece before adding it to the flamingo's neck.

     The sentiment was cut with a die from Die-Versions, and I added a glittery snowflake for some texture.

     Challenges for this card:
A Gem of a Challenge
Brown Sugar
Crafty Friends
Crafty Hazelnut's
Outlawz Festive Friday

     Next, the Unicorn:

     This unicorn is an image from Bugaboo Stamps.  Again, I colored with ProMarkers, adding gold paint pen to the unicorn horn, then used the same Unbranded die to cut the image.  The hat is cut with that same Cheery Lynn die and I added the pointy bit and the pompom to make it into a Santa hat.  The 'fur' is done with white gel pen.

     I used the same die cut to cut the sentiment and added another glittered snowflake.  I think these two sisters will love their cards.  ;-D

     Challenges for the unicorn card:
Catch the Bug (Texture/ No dp/ Bugaboo image)
Crafty Calendar
Di's Digi Designs
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jo's Scrap Shack

     That's it, my friends.  I trust you are on top of all the holiday things which seem to mount up during the last few days before Christmas.  How nice it is to NOT be the home to which the entire family will flock for Christmas dinner.  I love letting someone else in the family do all the cleaning and cooking and decorating while I simply travel to their house for the festivities.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie     

O, Holy Night

     This wonderful image is the freebie from the Progressive Challenge at The Outlawz for December.   It's by Star Stampz and is called "The Conductor."  It made me think of Christmas cantatas with choirs singing O, Holy Night!

     I colored with ProMarkers and cut the image with a plain, rectangle die from QuicKutz.  I had a left over Bo Bunny cut frame which I colored with marker and added on top of the image.  Something about framing it that way made the image stand out.

     I found a couple of scraps of white and gold, sparkly ribbon which I wrapped around the card front before applying the image.  I added one of my signature bows with the pearl.

     Challenges:


     That's all I have for this post but I have another one scheduled in a couple of days.  See you then.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

All Shopped Out

     I hope this post goes live as scheduled because there's nothing I can do to fix it right away if it doesn't.  :-D  We have our latest monthly challenge starting over at Creations in Pink and our theme is always "Anything Goes with Lots of Pink."  Each challenge starts on the 15th of the month and runs until the 14th of the following month.

     We have The Paper Shelter sponsoring us this month and I used an image from them called "Snug but Stylish."  I could tell instantly her feet needed a rest from all the Christmas shopping.  If she's like me and has to combine a couple of birthdays with the Christmas rush, she must be totally beat!  :-D

     I colored with ProMarkers, then used a Gina Marie die to cut out the image.  The chevron paper is a scrap from my stash and I cut it with another Gina Marie die from that same set.

     The white background piece was cut with a die from Memory Box.  I backed it with solid pink CS and ran gold ribbon through the cuts along the left edge.

     I printed the sentiment, hand cut it, and added it below the image.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps
A Gem of a Challenge
Aud Sentiments
Cardz TV
C.R.A.F.T.
Creative Fingers
Di's Digi Designs
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz Greetings
Penny's Paper-Crafty

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Elf

     This is my last post as a DT member at the World Wide Open challenge.  I'm so sorry to be leaving but once the hustle and rush of holiday visits and travels are over, I'm going to find my lifestyle making a radical change and that means much less time for my usual creative pursuits.  Not that I won't still be crafting and making cards but I need to be able to do it without deadlines or commitments.  I'm staying on a couple of teams but I've resigned from most of them and World Wide is one.

     This month, we have our usual "Anything Goes" theme and I've used a delightful little elf from Julia Spiri to celebrate the Christmas season.  The image is actually named "Little Gnome" but with the use of traditional Christmas red and green, it made a perfect elf!  And, right now, it's also on sale at 50% off.  Click on that link and go get it!

     I colored mostly with water colors but used ProMarkers on the hair, face, and eyes.  I cut the image with a Spellbinders' die and inked it all around the edge. 

     The background was done with scraps of papers from my Christmas stash, which I distressed along the edges.  The green snowflakes are embossed stickers and the white one was punched and glittered.  The bow was tied and I added a button to the center of the knot.

     Challenges:
Butterfly
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Gals Corner
Cute N Crafty
DL.ART
House that Stamps Built (sparkle/ red/ holiday)
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Scrappy Land
Simon Says Stamp

      I have several pre-scheduled posts done and may be adding one or two more between now and my return (to normal?) in January.  In the meantime, Merry Christmas and Happy Crafting to all.  NanaConnie

Decked Out for Christmas

     Yesterday, when I did an extra QKR Stampede card, I promised you that today your would see my regular, Friday, QKR Stampede DT card and here it is!  Our newest "Anything Goes" challenge starts today so please come and join us.  I used a delightful image from our sister company, Eureka Stamps, called "Christmas Kitties."

     For those of you who don't share your lives with furry felines, you're missing out on the loveliest way to have 'Warm Wishes' - when they cuddle in your lap and snuggle in your bed on cold, winter nights.

I used the colors from Cupcake Inspirations,

red, green, & white.

     I colored with ProMarkers, then cut the image with an Unbranded die.  I printed and cut the sentiment with another die from that same set.

     I wanted a very simple design, flat and easy to mail, so I mounted both the image and the sentiment on a red card base, then added the narrow, sparkly, ribbon, finishing the wrap around with a bow.

     Challenges:
Crafting from the Heart
Cute N Crafty
Cutie Pie
Dream Valley
Outlawz Greetings
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Paper Girls
Simon Says Stamp & Show
SUYP Cats

      I hope we're going to see you come and play with us.  I know Christmas is nearly here but surely you can take a bit of crafty time just for yourself?  You need a break from the hustle and bustle!  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

BARK! the Herald Angels Sing

     I know Friday is the day you see me posting projects with images from QKR Stampede and if you stop by tomorrow you'll see another one, but today I'm sharing an extra one which I hope will make a country boy grin.  :-D  The image is called "Country Crooning" and I turned him into a Christmas card.

     I colored with ProMarkers, then cut the image with a die from Tonic Studios.  The Christmas tree dp was a scrap I found in my stash and I wrapped it with red, grosgrain ribbon to look like package wrapping.  I tied the little bow with a scrap of narrow green ribbon.

     The silly sentiment was printed and hand cut, and seems to go well with the doggy image.  :-D

     Challenges:
Crafty Creations
Crafty Sentiments
Cute N Crafty Christmas
Digi Choosday
Lemon Shortbread
I {heart} ProMarkers
Passion for ProMarkers
Simon Says Stamp
TTCRD
Tues Throwdown

     Happy Crafting and thanks for stopping by.  NanaConnie

Glad Tidings of Great Joy

     This is the third of the "Angel" cards I did and the gal is coming by tomorrow to make her choice.  I love them all and it will be interesting to see which best suits whatever she had in mind.  She has purchased other cards from me and has loved each one so I know already that she likes my style (if I even have one!)  :-D

     Here's one with a hand colored image but who drew it or when I have no idea.  It was in one of my clip art files and had no identifying information.  If you recognize it, or know who drew it, please leave me a comment and let me know.  I'd love to give proper credit.

I started with the Soft and Pastel Colors in Challenge #323

at Color My Heart Color Dare.

     I used ProMarkers to do the coloring and added glitter to the angel's wings.  After it dried, I cut the image with an oval die from QuicKutz, then wove white, satin, ribbon through the holes in the outer edges.

     I tried putting the image onto embossed white CS thinking it would make a great white-on-white card but, instead, it just got lost.  So I switched to a light blue CS, ran it through my "Linen" embossing folder for a bit of light texture, and added the image piece to it.  The sentiment is printed and hand cut.  I didn't think the card needed any additional embellishment.

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
Crafty Addicts
Creative Inspirations
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Quick Quotes
Scrappy Land
Time Out
Winter Wonderland
Word Art Weds.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Angels We have Heard on High

     This is the second of the 'angel' Christmas cards I did for the friend who commissioned me to make an angel card for her to give to a friend.  This time I did just die cuts and a sentiment, no colored image, but I think the card is superbly elegant.  Whichever one she chooses, I'll donate the other two to my local senior center so there was no problem with making a total of three to give her more than one choice.

     I cut the angels from glittered CS by Doodlebug.  The Impression Obsession angel die only faces one direction so I cut one with the die on the glittered side and cut the second with the die on the back side.  Fortunately, there's very little embossing on the angel so it didn't make a lot of difference between front and back.

     I mounted the angels onto deep, blue CS, then printed and hand cut the sentiment.  I found silver satin ribbon and made one of my hand-sewn bows with a pearl as the single embellishment.

     Note to my friend, Lynn:  I know you get starved to see blue around Christmas since all your friends are doing red and green (but for a few cards that might have ice blue shadows on snowmen) so I did this one with you in mind.  Absorb it, my friend!  :-D

     Challenges:
Cardz TV
Crafting by Designs
Crafting from the Heart
Crafty Catz
Ike's World
Outlawz Greetings
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Paper Girls
Path of Positivity
{Pin}spirational

     Happy Stamping!  NanaConnie

Believe in Angels

     Each year when we would put the angel on the tip of the Christmas tree, I would hear my mom whisper, "I believe in Angels."  Years later, when I had my own home and was decorating my own tree, I heard myself whispering the same thing as I put the angel on the tree.  A tradition was passed down without any of us realizing it at the time.  :-D  So this card is a salute to my mom.  I miss you, Mom.

     The image is from Bugaboo Stamps and I colored it with ProMarkers.  I added white Liquid Pearls to their little wings, then cut the image with a scalloped, Tonic Studios die.  I found a scrap piece of plaid paper from a stack by My Favorite Things and it had perfect colors in it to complement the card base and the colors in the image.

     I wanted a CAS design so I added only the bow tie bow at the bottom of the image.  That one was made from the last scrap of that ribbon that I had.

     This card was done as one of three options for a lady who wanted a card with an angel to giver to a friend of hers at Christmas.  You'll see the other two I did in the next few days, both with angels.  The other two are more Christmas-sy but this one could be left on a mantle piece all year round.  :-D

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps
A Gem of a Challenge
Catch the Bug
Di's Digi Designs
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jo's Scrap Shack
LeAnn's World 101
Pixie's Snippets

     Thanks for stopping by and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Here Comes Santa Claus

     This morning, I have the honor of being a Guest Designer for the Songs and Rhymes challenge at The Outlawz.  The challenge always uses lyrics as the inspiration for their challenge and this week it's "Here Come Santa Claus."

     I've done a pretty simple card using all die cuts instead of a hand colored image but I really like it even though it's different from what I normally create.

     I used dies from Die-Versions (Santa Sleigh and Reindeer), Art Impressions (Snowflakes), and Die-namics (North Pole sign.)  All of the snowflakes are heat embossed with clear EP.  Everything was adhered to blue CS.  No embellies, just the die cuts.

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas
Crafty Gals Corner
Cute N Crafty Christmas
Double D
Double Trouble  (all 3)
Dream Valley
Paper Girls
{Pin}spirational
Scrappy Land
Three Amigos

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Christmas Lady

     This image, from Delicious Doodles, has been one of my favorites for a few Christmases now and I'm using it again this year.  I think I've colored her in greens each year so maybe next year I should think about using reds.  :-D

I was inspired by the sketch this week at Sketch Saturday.

     I colored her with ProMarkers, then cut a green oval with a die from Spellbinders.  I hand cut the image and mounted it onto the oval.  I backed that oval with another die cut shape (also Spellbinders) which had been cut from white CS.  It gave a little pop since the image piece tended to fade into that lovely Christmas dp. 

     The branch and pine cone were cut with a Memory Box die, and I added white Nuvo Crystal Drops to it.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, then grabbed one of my hand-sewn, signature bows and added it below the pine cone.  The pine cone and the bow take the place of the stars in the sketch.

      Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge
Brown Sugar
Crafty Calendar
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned dp
Jo's Scrap Shack
Outlawz PAM

     It's been a busy morning but I'm finally finished with my chores and can now head to the craft room to play.  I'll see you tomorrow with a GDT project I hope you'll love.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Holiday Chaos - Shopping Humbug!

     I know this is my third post of the day but the Holiday Chaos at Catch the Bug ends today and we have to have our projects posted within the next few hours.  I spent the morning sporadically getting this card made, interrupted by many other things that kept cropping up.  Now, in the middle of writing up this blog, I find out that my daughter is on her way over with my grandson and I'll delay one more time in order to visit with them.  :-D  Sorry, but being a Nana always comes first!

     The image I used is the Friday Freebie from Bugaboo Stamps which we are supposed to use along with this BINGO board.

I used the diagonal from bottom left to top right: Plaid/ Die Cut/ Sentiment but I also used a Bugaboo image.  :-D

     I colored with ProMarkers, then die cut the image and the frame with dies from Bo Bunny.  The plaid dp came from a stack by My Favorite Things.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, inked the edges with red, and adhered it with dimensional dots.  The red bow is one of my hand-sewn, signature bows with a pearl.

     Challenges:
Art Impressions
Cardz TV
Creative Fingers
Pattie's Creations
Penny's Paper Crafty
Take It, Make It
Winter Wonderland

     I've had a ton of fun playing each day this week and I now have an additional 7 cards in my Christmas stash.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Reindeer are Loose!

     It's Friday and we have a new challenge starting at QKR Stampede.   Our theme is always "Anything Goes" but I stayed with the Christmas theme I've been doing since the beginning of last month.  This time, I used an image from our sister brand, Eureka Stamps, and it's called "Jumping Reindeer ES3202."

     In order to get the sense of a team of Santa's reindeer, I used the image 3 times in a row.  I colored with ProMarkers and Copics, plus white gel ink.  I used a border die from Spellbinders to cut the image, then layered them onto polka dot paper from DCWV. 

     I wrapped that with red, grosgrain, ribbon and added a hand-sewn bow with a tiny button in  the middle.  I printed the silly sentiment because they do look like they ditched the sleigh and are off on a joyriding (joy flying?) trip without Santa.  :-D

     I used my "Linen" embossing folder on deep blue CS, then used that for the card front.  Simple, fun, and flat for mailing!

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
C.R.A.F.T.
Crafting from the Heart
Cute Card Thurs.
DL.ART
Double D
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Sasayaki Glitter
Time Out

     I hope we're going to see you playing along this week.  We do love being inspired by you!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie