Last Day at 30 Days of Holidays

      We've reached the last day of November and that means this is my final card for the 30 Days of Holidays challenges at Beccy's Place.  The theme today is Do What You Love, meaning Anything Goes on this last card.  I loved the CAS card I did yesterday and today I played with the placement of the image before I printed it so that it would be in the proper place on the front of a left-side-fold, A2 card.  Figuring out how the card stock moves through my printer wasted a couple of sheets of plain copy paper but I got it worked out.  

     This is a pre-colored image from Beccy's Place and the sentiment is also hers.

     Challenges:

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

30 Days of Holidays - Clean And Simple

      Today, Beccy (30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place) has given us the simplest of  non-alphabet themes (OK, second simplest, next to Anything Goes); she wants to see Clean and Simple cards.  I made a tent-fold, A2 card using one of her pre-colored images and a sentiment merged with it.  

     Both are printed together, adjusting the placement of them so that they print out on the bottom half of the card front.  I chose to use the pre-colored image mostly because it's simple but also because purple is my favorite color and that vase was beyond my wildest dreams!  Thanks, Beccy.  :-D

     This card literally took me 5 minutes to make and 8 minutes to photograph and edit.  Now, that's the way to get your stash of Christmas cards into the triple digits in no time at all !!

     Challenges:

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Knockouts

Digi Choosday

Outlawz Colors

Outlawz Monday

Outlawz Thurs

Pammie's IP

Penny's Paper ...

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

30 Days of Holidays - Letter W

      My second post of the day and this one serves two purposes just as my previous post did.   The image is from Wink Wink Ink, and it's for the November Progressive Challenge at the Outlawz.  But it also serves as my Letter "W" entry at Beccy's Place in the 30 Days of Holidays challenge.

     Other "W"s are:  Winter, Wonder (on the snowman's face), Weaving (the background), and Watermark (mine.)  I used ProMarkers and gel pens, and cut the image with a Spellbinders square die.  I used scrap papers from the basket of leftover pieces to put together the woven background.  The sentiment is a sticker and the glittery snowflakes are from Recollections.

     Challenges:

    Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

A Christmas Fireplace

     This is my second card as a DT at FarmQuest where we give you at least 2 theme options for each challenge!  For this challenge, our theme options are "Table or Fireplace."  I chose to do a Christmas fireplace and I used an image from Beccy's Place.  

     I can also use this as my card for Letter "F" in the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place even though it's terribly out of order given that we're currently at the end of the alphabet.  But I've been saving it for the start of this challenge.  :-D

     There are three different images, all from the same Beccy's Place set: the fireplace itself, the logs on fire, and the cat with his yarn.  All were fussy cut and put together on dimensional dots.  The images are pre-colored.  The dark green dp in the background is from Stampin' Up and the lighter greens are simple CS scraps.  The green ribbons were in my stash.  The sentiment was cut with a die from Die-Versions.

                   

     Challenges:

(links will be added shortly)

     I hope you're going to come and play with us this time.  The challenge will run until the 13th of December and all you need to do is make something that features either a table or a fireplace (or both, if you like.)  We look forward to seeing you there.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Up in the Air

      OK, it's time to do something for the Letter "U" in the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place.  Mine are Up in the Air, Use scraps, and Ultramarine blue.  The elf is a Beccy's image.

     I colored with ProMarkers, and cut both the image and the oval frame with dies from QuicKutz.  All the papers are scraps from the basket.  I had at least half a dozen, 2-sided, coordinating paper scraps in the basket and I have managed to use them up this year, finally.  I'll bet they've been in the scrap basket for at least 3 years!

     Challenges:

Crafty Hazelnut's

Digi Choosday

Kerst Christmas

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Monday

Pammie's IP

Passion for Markers

Peace on Earth

     That's it for today.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

30 Days of Holidays - Letter R

      Well, after 2 days of not posting (and not doing much creating, either, due to continuing respiratory problems), I finally finished another card for the 30 Days of Holidays challenges at Beccy's Place.  This time, it's for the letter "R" and I have these on my list: Rocker card, Red, Ribbon, Robin, and Ruby.  

     My rocker card isn't typical but I tried something I thought would work the same way but be easier to create.  I folded an A2 tent card (fold at top), then used a scalloped die from Little B Dies to cut the bottom of both the front and back of the card.  The scallops allow the card to 'rock' but not to fall over.  

     The image and the sentiment are from Beccy's and I added highlights with gel pens.  I cut the image using another of the scalloped dies from the Little B set, but I made it slightly oval by cutting the left side, then moving the die and cutting the right side.  I inked the edges using a ProMarker.  The stripes across the top of the card are made using ribbon scraps from my stash.  

     Challenges:

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Inspirations

Gem of a Challenge

Outlawz Festive Fri

Paperbabe

Paper Shelter

Penny's Paper ...

Winter Wonderland

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Q is for Quilt

      Ok, finally!  The card for Letter "Q" in the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place is finished !  It took me the best part of 3 days to complete it, with lots of breaks to take care of the respiratory issues, but it's done and I'm so happy.

     My "Q"s are: Quilt, Quilted, Quarter card, Quatro fold, and QuicKutz die.  My tutorial for the Quatro Fold came from Beccy's Place and it's such a simple one.  Thanks, Beccy.  :-D

     The papers cut for the quilt were all scraps and I used a Gina Marie quilting die.  The quilted deer inside is one of Beccy's pre-colored images and it was cut with a QuicKutz die.  The card folds to easily fit into an A2 envelope.  Here are photos to show you both the front when folded and the inside when open.

 

Front when Folded 

 

Inside when Opened

     Challenges:

12 Months ... Christmas

613 Avenue Create

Alphabet

Do-Al(l) Creatives

Dragonfly Dreams

Friendship

Lil Patch of ...

Peace on Earth

Scor-Pal

Snippets Playground

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

30 Days of Holidays - Letter "S"

      Another card done for the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place.  I know I haven't posted my cards for the letters "Q" or "R" yet but I don't have them done.  The "Q" card is taking forever to finish because it's very detailed and complex, and I have to take rest breaks because I'm still recovering from some tough respiratory issues.  But I do have a card to post today and I get to say thanks my sweet daughter for the dies I used to make this one.  She gave me this die set and another one, both from DIY Scrapbooking.  So this is a Special card just for her.

     My "S" items for this card are: Sparkle, Stitching, Silver, Sequins, and Sentiment.   I die cut sparkle glitter paper, both gold and white, then layered them in alternating colors.  I added three extra white 'leaves' behind the flower.  When I'm not using the traditional Christmas colors of red and green, I love the combo of gold and white because it makes everything looks rich and elegant.  When those are also sparkly, it's just an additional bit of WOW!

     The sentiment was cut with a die from Die-versions  I used a gold paint pen to create the faux stitching on two edges.  The sparkly sequins in the lower corner are silver but also have a hologram quality so they reflect a bit of gold sparkle, too.

     Challenges:

ABC Christmas (X-tra special)

As You Like It

Crafty Calendar

Crafty Catz

Creative Fingers

Creative Inspirations

Gem of a Challenge

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Thur Twist

     

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Pumpkin Kisses

      I love the images in this set from Jan's Digi Stamps!  The set is called "Fresh from the Farm" and I've used some of the lesser image, merged together to create this image.  The sentiment is also part of the set.

     The image and the frame were each cut with a die from Spellbinders.  The "butterfly" bow was one I tied and wrapped using 1 inch grosgrain ribbon and 1/4 inch grosgrain ribbon, plus my bow maker.  The ribbons were originally white but I dyed them with ProMarkers to get the colors I wanted.  Pretty CAS card even though it looks a lot more complex.

     Challenges:

Creative Fingers

Creative Knockouts

Dream Valley

Inspiration Station (autumn colors & harvest)

Outlawz Thur Twist

Pammie's IP

Paper Funday

Word Art Weds

Your Next Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Cats' Thanksgiving

      I did a card about 10 days ago which triggered this sentiment.  Unfortunately, I'd already completed that card before I thought of the sentiment so that card had to stand as it was.  However, I got this new (to me) Cutz die of all the cats in a row and I decided to do one more Thanksgiving card and use the sentiment, silly as it is.  :-D

     The cats' noses and eyes were highlighted with a gel pen, and the sentiment was cut with another Cutz die.  The scrap of tree paper came from an old DCWV autumn stack but I don't remember the name of it and the front cover has long ago disappeared, so no way of checking.  The tree trunks and branches are shiny and metallic but that doesn't show all that well in the photo.  I mounted everything onto a kraft card base.  Very quick and simple.

I pulled colors from the challenge at My Favorite Things.

    Challenges:

Crafter's Cafe

Crafty Gals Corner

Creatalicious

Creative ... Uncles

Happy Li'l Stampers

Incy Wincy

Penny's Paper-Crafty

SUYP Cats

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

30 Days of Holidays - Letter "O"

      I'm back creating again but am still recovering so my creating is not only slow, it's punctuated by time lying down to rest.  I'm feeling disorganized and that things are out of order but regardless, this is my card for the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place and it's for the letter "O."  I know, you're scratching your head trying to figure out the "O"s, but they are: On the Edge card (to see Beccy's card which inspired me: click HERE), Over Joyed, Onyx black, Oval die (for the sentiment), and Outdoors, which is where this snow couple is.  It's a good thing I had this one done before I got sick because otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to think of all those "O"s.  :-D

     I used ProMarkers to change the colors from blues and browns into traditional Christmas red and green on an otherwise pre-colored image.   Once colored, I cut the image with a hexagon die from QuicKutz, then printed and cut the sentiment with a QuicKutz oval die.  I cut the bottom of the card front so that it was shorter than the back, then layered the image and sentiment together and put them over the edge of the card front.  The two snowflakes were cut with Cutz dies.

     I'm still not up to adding links for other challenges so I'll just wish you all Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

"N" is for Naughty List

      Another quick post today for the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place and this is for the Letter "N."  The expression on this robin's face from Beccy's Place just seemed perfect for the Naughty List sentiment (also Beccy's Place.)  Other "N"s include: North Pole and Noel. 

     The image was colored with ProMarkers and cut with a Dare 2B Artzy circle die.  I used a QuicKutz die to cut the large, red square behind the image, then I ran it through my 'Linen' embossing folder before mounting the image on top of it.  The striped dp is distressed and came from a stack by Authentic.  The Noel was cut with a Die-versions die and for the North Pole sign, I used a Die-namites die.

     I've been really under the weather the last several days and am not entering this card into any other challenges, mostly because I'm not able to type up a list of links to such challenges today.  If that changes, I'll add them later.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Mitten

      Today I'm sharing my Letter "M" card for the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place.  I've used one of Beccy's Mitten images, this one filled with delicious gingerbread men.  Other "M"s used on my card are: Markers, Metal glitter paper, Metallic gold paint, Mat, and Magenta.

     I colored with ProMarkers, plus gel pens and gold metallic paint on the gingerbread men, then cut the image with an oval die from QuicKutz.  I used a larger oval die from that same  QuicKutz set to cut the metal glitter paper I used for a mat behind the image.  The dp is from a DCWV stack and it's both embossed and sparkly.  I fussy cut the tags panels and used them as the sentiment.

     Challenges:

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Lamb of God

      It's time for the Letter "L" at Beccy's Place 30 Days of Holidays.  I used this beautiful image from Beccy's showing the manger with the Lamb of God surrounded by Lambs.  I did a Latch card, following the TUTORIAL from Beccy's Place.  I also did the Lettering on the sentiment and used Lemon yellow on the halo.

     The image is pre-colored but I changed the color of the blankets and the hay using ProMarkers.  I also added blue sky, and I used white gel pen on the lambs for a little visual texture in their wool.  The halo was also colored with ProMarkers and gel pen.  I cut the image and the sentiment with Cutz dies.  The background papers came from Paper Studio, and the latch circle was cut with a Dare 2B Artzy die.  The latch was mounted on a dimensional dot for a bit more flexibility when opening and closing the card.

     Challenges:

Crafty Catz

Crafty Friends

Crafty Hazelnut's

Cutie Pie

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Festive Fri

Polkadoodles

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Pumpkins and Sunflowers

      I'm posting this particular card (for Beccy's 30 Days of Holidays) completely out of the alphabetical order but there's a quick story behind it.  Late last month, I was invited to become part of a DT where I had only begun playing, FarmQuest.  It's a fun challenge with easy themes, all of which are in some way farm/country related.  No limit on what kinds of projects you can submit; cards, journals, scrapbooking, ATCs, tags, bookmarks, whatever you desire as long as it meets the theme.  Challenges start on the 14th and the 28th of each month.

     The theme at FarmQuest this challenge is "Pumpkins or Turkeys or Cranberries."  Because we don't use sponsors, I was free to use whatever image I wanted and I chose this one from Beccy's Place because of the fabulous Pumpkins.  Obviously, that plays right in to the letter "P" so I'm posting this one a few days before the Letter "P" actually comes up.  I also have ProMarkers, Papers, and Printing.  The image was cut with a CUTplorations die, as was the background paper.  The sentiment was hand printed and fussy cut.  I used sheer ribbon and my bow maker to tie the multi-loop bow.  I added a fabric pumpkin to the bow.

I used colors from the challenge at My Favorite Things.

     Challenges:

Colour Crazy

Crafty Gals Corner

I Love ProMarkers

Inspiration Station

Outlawz Thurs Twist

Paperbabe

Paper Funday

Word Art Weds

     If you haven't played in the challenge at FarmQuest before this, I invite you to create something with a Pumpkin or a Turkey or Cranberries (or two or all of them!) and come play in the challenge.  We'd love to see our player-ship grow.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Thanksgiving Owl

      The second non-alphabet theme at Beccy's 30 Days of Holidays is "Humor."  Well, that's right up my alley!  Just in case you're not a regular follower of my blog, perhaps I should warn you that often my humor gets a bit off; not off color, just off the beaten track.  lol  

     I went looking for an image in my collection of Beccy's Place images and found this owl, which I've had for a short while but haven't yet used.  It struck me immediately that I could add a fun Thanksgiving sentiment and have a card in a jiffy and a flash.  I chose the pre-colored image, merged the sentiment before printing, then added all the highlights using ProMarkers and gel pens.  Once finished, I cut it with a die from Tutti Designs.

     I dug through the scrap basket and came up with the dp and brown CS scraps for the background.  I layered on the image piece and found one of my hand-sewn, signature bows which I 'dyed' with a ProMarker.  I added a tiny, flower sequin. 

    

      After I had finished the card completely, it dawned on me that I could have used "Where's the Fried Mice" for a much shorter sentiment.  Oh, well, the one I have on the card works for the same kind of humor.  :-D

     Challenges:

2 Sisters ... Blog

Crafty Catz

Di's Digi Designs

Outlawz Festive Fri

Paperminutes

Polkadoodles

Rabisco

Your Scrapbook ...

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Thanksgiving Blessings

      This morning, I'm sharing another Thanksgiving card but not one for the 30 Days of Holidays.  I'll have that one this afternoon.  This card has an image from a Jan's Digi Stamps set called "Autumn Leaves."  I'd give you a link to it but I can't seem to find it in the shop.  Sorry.  Edit: Found it! (Thanks, Donna) Click HERE to see the whole set.

     This image is the 'Spices' part of the set and I thought it had gorgeous autumn colors.  I cut the image with a Spellbinders die.  I used scraps of gold and orange CS to make the background, added glittered ribbon, and layered the die cut image on top.  The sentiment was merged with the image before printing.  I added a double loop bow with button which I 'dyed' with ProMarkers to match the colors in the card.

     Challenges:

Ally's Angels

Die Cut Divas

Happy Li'l Stampers

Incy Wincy

Inspiration Station (fall oranges and yellows)

Jan's Digi Stamps

Morgan's ArtWorld

Rabisco

     I'll see you later with another card this afternoon.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

K is for Kite Fold

      This is a fold I've never tried before and I found it on the Beccy's Place blog in the list of tutorials she's done.  There are so many fancy fold cards in that list and the one I used for this card is called a Kite Fold.  What better fold to use for the Letter "K"?   I also used Kings and Kraft.

     If you haven't looked at the tutorial, the top fold is angled to make the top of the kite by folding in the corners on each side.  The shape at the bottom of the kite is made by cutting away the corners on a diagonal.  The card opens at the top the same way a tent fold card opens.

     The three kings are from one of Beccy's Christmas sets, but they are from an older set, not her most recent Kings.  They are pre-colored and, when I printed them, I sized them to about 1 1/4 inches tall.  The Nativity figures came from another set completely and are also pre-colored.  I sized them to about 1 1/2 inches, then printed everything.  I fussy cut each image and placed them on the kite shape card front.  The crossed pieces which substitute for the kite frame are thin strips cut from a scrap of dp.

     Challenges:

AAA Cards

A Perfect Time

As You Like It (Blue or Purple + Kraft, and I love them simply because they're non-traditional)

Classic Design

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Knockouts

Digi Choosday

     I'm heading back to the craft room to work on cards from "L" through "P" and I hope to be able to post those on the same day the respective letters come up for the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place.  I'm sure Beccy will be throwing in another 'Theme' instead of a letter any time now but if I have these other days already complete, I can just take a pause, make one with the next non-alphabet theme, and have the next letter ready and waiting.  :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Joy Fold Card

      Today I'm sharing a Joy Fold Card for the letter "J" in the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place.  The sentiment image is from Beccy's Place and I followed the tutorial Beccy has available (click on  the word tutorial to see it.)  In addition to the Joy Fold, I have Jade green, Juniper green, and Joy in the sentiment.

     This was one of the easiest cards I've done, yet it looks much more complex.  I know I'm going to be using it again.  The word Joy was colored by adding a layer of texture using Liquid Pearls as the 'paint.'  It took quite a while to dry but once it was dry, I cut the sentiment with a Spellbinders rectangle die.  The papers came from Authentic, K & Co., and DCWV.

     Challenges:

12 Months ... Christmas

613 Ave Create

Crafty Calendar

Dragonfly Dreams

Happy Li'l Stampers

Kerst Christmas

Lil Patch of ...

Peace on Earth

Polkadoodles

     I'll have a second post today, in about an hour, because I'm still trying to get caught up on the alphabet prompts over at Beccy's Place.  Be sure to check back later on.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Letter "I" at Beccy's Place

     GOD BLESS OUR VETERANS
Thank you all for your service to your country.

      I'm up to the Letter "I" on the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place and maybe, by the end of the weekend, I'll be up to date.  :-D  For the letter "I," I've incorporated Ice, Ice skating, Image, Inking (on the edges of the cut image and sentiment), and Iridescent (the snowflake dots ribbon.)

     The Beccy's image was colored using ProMarkers and white gel pen, then cut with a Tonic Studios die.  I inked the edges using a ProMarker.  The background dp is from a "Stonewashed" stack by Paper Studio.  I thought it looked a bit like snow swirling in the air.  The glittered ribbon with the dots (snowflakes?) is iridescent but that doesn't show very well in the photo.  The sparkly red ribbon I used for the bow came from my stash.

     Challenges:

Colour Crazy

Crafty Catz

Creative Inspirations

Creative Knockouts

I Love ProMarkers

Outlawz Festive Fri

Penny's Paper-Crafty

Polkadoodles

Word Art Weds

     Have a wonderful start to your weekend and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie