Letter "U" for Beccy's Place

      This is my card for the letter "U" in the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place.  I've used Utensils and Under the Mistletoe.

     I may have told this story before since I know I've used the image for Christmas cards and it always brings back the same childhood memory but, when I was growing up, we lived in the same town as an uncle and his family, which happened to include a favorite cousin.  My aunt had been given a set of decorator, wooden utensils (I think they were a fork and spoon) and they were about 20 inches long.  She chose to hang them (crossed into an 'x') above the doorway between the dining room and the kitchen.  They were on the dining room side.  Each holiday season, she would hang a bit of mistletoe from them with a sign that said "Kiss the Cook."

     Every time I see this utensils image from Beccy's Place, it brings back that memory and I decided to use the image for "U."   I colored with Ohuhu markers, then cut both the image and the sentiment with oval dies from QuicKutz.  The gold, glittery squares were cut with Spellbinders dies.  The deep green square was dry embossed with my 'Linen' embossing folder.

     The tiny poinsettia and candy cane embellishments were in my Christmas stash and I think they are probably Jolee's.

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...? (green square 'Linen' EF)

Crafty Calendar

Crafty Catz

Creative Knockouts

Lil Patch of ...

Peace on Earth

Polkadoodles

    Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Time for the Dreaded "Q"

       It's another challenge with an alphabet letter and this time it's the dreaded "Q" for the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place and our letter prompt is "Q."   Not an easy one for sure.  I pretty much think of quilting or quilling and I haven't done any quilling in more than 10 years so I turned to Quilted.  I used Beccy's Three French Hens image from her 12 Days of Christmas set, along with one of my Quilting dies.

      The quilted hens were colored with Sanjoki markers, then cut with an oval die from QuicKutz.  The Quilt die I used is from Sizzix.  The glitter CS is by Recollections and the green polka dot dp came from an old K & Co. stack.  The red CS was dry embossed with my Linen EF.  These are all scrap papers cut with the quilt die.  I looked through all my Christmas dies and found a holly leaves die which is from SU.  I had the mini buttons in my stash and have no idea what company made them.  The sentiment was printed and hand cut with scissors.

I based this on the sketch #289 at Sweet Sketch Weds 2

turned sideways so that the oval is horizontal and adjusted for an A2.

     Challenges:

Creative Inspirations

Digi Choosday

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C
Simon Says Stamp

Snippets Playground

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Day 4 - "D"

     Here we are, already four days into the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place and, so far, I've managed to make and post a card for each day.  Today we have to use things beginning with the letter "D" and I managed to compile 4 or 5 things.

     I started with two autumn themed digital images from Beccy's Place, along with a sentiment about 'pumpkin days...', and I merged all three of them into a single image for this Thanksgiving card.  I loved the warm, latte drink; lattes always make me think of fall (the only time I ever drink them.)  Fall makes me think of pumpkins, pumpkin spice, pumpkin pie, and all those things are perfect for a Thanksgiving greeting.

     The images are both pre-colored, so it was a matter of printing them, and die cutting the image with a QuicKutz die.  I found two embossing folders and dry embossed both card stock and a scrap of metallic foil.  Those became the background for the image piece.  The 'Thanksgiving ...' sentiment was printed and cut with another die, this one from Avery Elle.  I added a jute cord bow for a little dimension.

     Challenges:

613 Ave Create

Can You Handle ...?

Crafty Calendar

Di's Digi Design

Lil Patch of ...

Polkadoodles

Triple B

    Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place - Day 1

      Today begins the 30 Days of Holidays over at Beccy's Place and most of us will be making Christmas (or even Thanksgiving) cards but I'm not quite done with Halloween so you may see 2 or 3 of those in the collection of cards this month.  Fortunately, Beccy allows us to make cards for any holiday as long as we follow the alphabetical theme.  Since the first theme is the Letter "A,"  I used my Ohuhu Alcohol markers to color the pumpkin, an image from Beccy's Place.  I also made it an A2 card.

     I cut the image using a QuicKutz die, and cut the kraft frame for it with another die from that same set.  The CS I chose for the card front is a simple, beige, CS from my stash but I used a 'leather' embossing folder to add some texture to it before applying it to the card front.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The bow is brown gingham, hand-tied, and I added it below the pumpkin's 'chin' so that it looked like a bow tie.  :-D.

     Challenges:

Color Dare

C.R.A.F.T.

Creative Fingers

Creative Knockouts

Krafty Chicks

Outlawz Thursday

Pattie's Creations

Simon Says Stamp

     I hope to be able to get a card made for each of the days this month but I'm not sure that will happen.  I have a few days when I'll be out of town and I have no idea if I'll manage to pre-schedule posts for each day I'll be gone but we'll see,

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Great (Hair) Day

      My granddaughter, the one who's away at college in Texas and who has a thing about cows - especially highland heifers, is having a birthday soon.  I haven't been able to decide which cow image I wanted to use for her card so I've done a couple of collaboration cards with my sis-in-law in which she colors and I turn her colored images into cards.  This is one of them and it's definitely in the running to be the birthday card!

     After Lainy colored the image with Ohuhu markers and colored pencils, I cut it with a large QuicKutz die.  I rounded the corners with a Fiskars punch.   I dug through the scrap basket and found the bits I used for the background; a dp strip from a Recollections stack, some orange CS, and a rectangle of beige which had been run through an embossing folder making a leather-look embossed pattern.

     I hand-sewed a small bow, 'dyed' orange with a marker.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.

     Challenges:

Crafty Catz

Creative Fingers

Double Trouble (green, blue, orange, brown, yellow)

Night Owls

Pammie's IP

Passion for Makers

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Silver Fox

      Maya Silvercat is one of my favorite artists and I've introduced my sis-in-law to her artwork and digital images.  The image on this card was colored by my SIL, using Ohuhu markers (she has so thoroughly mastered alcohol markers in less than 2 months!)  I love how she decided to make the fox a silvery white.  Really masterful !

     I still haven't gotten her to actually make cards (or even scrapbook pages) with her colored images but we have this marvelous collaboration going, and I make cards out of her colored images.  Of course, I continue to color images myself, but this one is another of our collaborations.  :-D

      The image, once colored, was cut with a Tonic Studios die, and I inked the edges.   The background for the image was made by running a piece of charcoal gray CS through my Linen embossing folder. That added a delightful bit of texture.  The birthday sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  For the bow, I used white ribbon, dyed green with a marker, then hand sewn into the butterfly shape.  

     Challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms

Digi Choosday

DL Art

Pattie's Creations

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

Word Art Weds

     That's all for today but check back tomorrow for another post.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie  

Thankful ?

      I think the image I used on today's card is an old one from Eureka Stamps but to tell the truth, I printed it out last year, didn't label it, and am guessing.  If I'm wrong and you know who drew this image, please let me know.  I believe in giving credit to the artists when I know who they are.

     I colored the image with Ohuhu markers and added highlights with a white gel pen.  I cut the image with a  QuicKutz die and cut the frame with a second die from that same set.  The frame is brown CS.   The background paper is dry embossed with one of my EF, but I don't remember which one.  It has a 'leather' look and feel.  I added a tiny, double layer, butterfly which had a little seed bead for the body.  Despite the butterfly, I plan to use this as a masculine card for one of my great-grandsons.

      Challenges:

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Inspirations

Digi Choosday

Paper Funday

Paper Shelter

Passion for Markers

Simon Says Stamp

     Have yourself a great day and 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

Love Letter Gnome

     Our latest challenge is starting today over at 613 Avenue Create and our theme this month is Anything Goes with an optional theme of  "Love Letters" (make the letters in the sentiment the focus.)  What could be more perfect for February?

     I found some really cute gnome images at Serene Dove which does delightful clip art images.  I printed this one in very light gray scale, then colored it with Sanjoki markers.  I cut the image with a die from Spellbinders and double-embossed the edges.  I found a piece of dp from a Hobby Lobby pad in my basket, trimmed it to fit the card front, and used scraps from the trimming to make the 'bow.'  I cut two slits in the card front and slipped the folded bow into them.  The edges of the bow were inked before I slipped it into the slits, just to make it stand out from the background paper.

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...

Colorful Options

Crafty Calendar

Creative Fingers

Di's Digi Designs

Gem of a Challenge

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Friday

     Make a Valentine and come play in our challenge this month.  We'd love to see what you create.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Signs of Christmas

      I'm apologizing right now for being so late with this post but between internet connection problems and back pain problems all last week, I simply couldn't get it posted any sooner.  Nevertheless, here's two cards I did as DT inspiration for the challenge this week at Crafty Catz.  Our sponsor is Jan's Digi Stamps and they generously supplied images for the DT to use.  I chose to use both of them.  The first is called "Santa's Gift" (with the image reversed) and the second is "Christmas Skates."  The sentiments on both cards are from the Christmas Skates set.

     Santa is colored with water color paints, cut with my Fiskar's paper cutter, and the edges were inked with a Sanjoki marker.  The background dp came from a K & Co. stack and it has a decorative, die cut edge on two sides.  I found some lovely, silver, metallic ribbon in my stash and used it to do a quick wrap around the card front and to tie the bow.

     Challenges (1st card):

Crafts Galore ...

Creatalicious

Happy...Stampers

Jan's Digi Stamps

Kerst Christmas

SheepSki Designs

     Here's the second card with the Christmas Skates image and it's probably my favorite of the two.

     I colored it using my Sanjoki markers, then cut the image with a die from Tonic Studios.  I inked the edges with an ink pad.  The red background is dry embossed with snowflakes (easier to see if you enlarge the photo by clicking on it), and I used more of that silver ribbon to tie a simple but larger bow. 

 

     Challenges (2nd card):

Archi-scraps

2 Sisters on the Blog

Carlin's Card Paradise (Iceskates)

Die Cut Divas

Happy...Stampers

Jan's Digi Stamps

     So happy to be back online and to finally have this posted, even if it is 3 days late!  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie 

Defining Gratitude !

      Once upon a time, way back when I first began serving on Design Teams, I was invited to join the team at 613 Avenue Create.  After a couple of years, I resigned because life just got waaay too busy.  Now, I'm pleased to announce that I'm happily back on that DT.  :-D

     As always, we have an "Anything Goes" theme but there's also an optional twist if you choose to use it and this month that option is "Autumn Colors." 

     This image is from QKR Stampede and I thought he was perfect for an autumn card - an old moonshine framer.  lol  I colored him with my Sanjoki markers, then cut him and the rust orange frame with octagon dies from QuicKutz.  I found a scrap of dp from DCWV and used a Taylor Made embossing folder on it.  The gauze paper for the background is also from DCWV.

     I found a strip of mesh ribbon (Really Reasonable Ribbon) in my stash and added it for more texture.  I thought it worked really well with the gauze texture behind it.  The sentiments were printed and one was cut with a QuicKutz die, and the other was fussy cut and matted.

     Challenges:

Classic Design

Creatalicious

Creative Fingers

Double Trouble (all 3)

I Spy with My ...

Night Owls

Not2Shabby

Pammie's IP

Worldwide ...

     Pop on over to 613 Avenue Create and see what all the other DT have done for their inspiration cards, then get something made and come enter it into our challenge.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Butterfly Kisses

      Today I want to share one of Conie Fong's most gorgeous image, called "Butterfly Kisses."  I've used it before and each time I color it, I see something new in it.  This time I chose to do a mostly pink pallet with touches of aqua and purple (pink and purple being my favorite 2-color combo.)  I've also done her (previously) in purple and yellow, and in teal with spring green.  They were all delightful but this one pleases me the most.

     I used Sanjoki markers to color the image, then cut it with a CUTplorations, stitched die.  That die set has been left on my desk the last couple of weeks and I seem to grab it whenever I need a rectangle.  :-D  I also cut the sentiment with a die from that same set but because the set didn't have a die small enough, I cut it twice, adjusting the die in between cuts.  The sentiment is also from Conie Fong but please don't ask me which set because I don't have my Conie Fong files saved in 'sets;' I just keep a separate folder for sentiments.

     The background for this card is double embossed, meaning that I first embossed the entire front with my "Linen" EF, then went back and used a Roses EF from Cuttlebug to emboss all but the bottom portion where the ribbon and sentiment would go.  The sentiment was framed with a scrap of the background CS.  The ribbon is satin-edged, sheer ribbon and I think it's probably my favorite kind of ribbon.  At least, it's the one I hoard the most.  lol  I used my bow maker to tied the double-loop bow.

     Challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms

Crafter's Cafe

Creatalicious

Creations in Pink

Creative Fingers

Scribbles Designs

Star Stampz

Worldwide Crafters ...

     Don't forget that we have an Anything Goes challenge over on the Facebook site. All  you have to do is use a Conie Fong image (there are freebies available on the site so not having a CF image is not a valid excuse!)  If you haven't yet joined the Conie Fong FB site, it's free, quick, and easy to do that.  Come play in our challenge.  We  love seeing what people create.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Gray Wolf

      I'm finally posting a card I made several weeks ago using this fabulous image "Wolf" from Eureka Stamps, sister brand to QKR Stampede.  Challenges over there are still on hold while we await the sale of the QKR Stampede and Eureka Stamps brands.  In the meantime, I'm using cards I put in my stash for masculine birthdays and this is one of them.

     I used a combo of Sanjoki alcohol markers and water color paints to color the image, then cut it with a CUTplorations stitched die.  The sentiment was printed and cut with a die from Die-namics.  The paw print embossing was done with a Darice EF.  As a final masculine touch, I added the three, tiny, metal brads.

     Challenges:

Can You Handle...?

Creative Fingers

Digi Choosday

Gem of a Challenge

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz Friday

Pammie's IP

Pattie's Creations

Penny's P-C

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Puppy Walking

      How about a reminder that LeAnn's World 101 has a monthly Progressive Challenge over on their FB page and the freebie (if you played last month) image is Dog Walker Annie?  If you didn't play last month, you can purchase the image, make a card, enter it into the album on FB, and next month, you'll get a free image to play again.  Each month that you play, you get the image free the following month.

     I did a card with a lot more embellishment than is my normal "style" (if I even have a style!) but after mostly CAS or near CAS cards over the last couple of weeks, I just wanted to create something different.

     I colored the image with ProMarkers, and cut it with a QuicKutz die.  I inked the edges on both the image and the sentiment (cut with an Avery Elle die), using a deep purple marker.  The background papers are both from Stampin' Up and they've been in my stash for at least 5 years, probably longer.  I found scraps of them in a folder and used a Darice EF on each one, carefully matching the embossed design when I layered them together on the card front.  

     The ivy vine was cut with a Sue Wilson die.  I decided on a bow and found the lovely, sparkly, copper ribbon, then used my bow maker to tie a triple-loop bow.  I thought the copper color was a great compliment to the color of the butterflies in the image.

     Challenges:

     We'd love to see you playing along in the Progressive Challenge at LeAnne's World 101.  If you played last month, this image has already been sent to you.  If you didn't play, head over to the store (see link to the image up above) and grab it.  Then play with us and get the image for next month free!  

  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Kimono Kayuki

      This adorable geisha girl image is from Conie Fong and this is probably the 4th or 5th time I've used her for a card, each time with a different color combo.  This time I used a favorite color combo, purples and pinks.  She's called "Kimono Kayuki."

    I colored her with a combination of watercolors and alcohol markers.  Her hair was done with alcohol markers, but all the rest is water colored.  The image piece was cut with an Unbranded Designs die.  The sentiment is also from Conie Fong but please don't ask me from which set.   I only know it came from a set other than Kimono Kayuki.  I cut the sentiment with a QuicKutz die.

     The swan was made with a Cutz die, and the die allows you to do a second step for dry embossing.  I mounted everything onto a deep, purple card base and put a white CS rectangle inside the card so that a message can be written.

     Challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms

Ching-Chou Kuik

Happy ... Stampers

Mirtillamente

Paper Funday

SheepSki Designs (fav color combo)

Word Art Weds

YSBP

     We have a new 2 month challenge going (August & September) and you can enter any kind of paper craft project as long as you use a Conie Fong image.  If you don't yet have any Conie Fong images, there are freebies available on the Facebook site.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Back to School

      The three most dreaded words for any school kid who hasn't yet drained the last drops out of summer are "Back to School"!!    My youngest granddaughter claims to be ready for school instead of summer but then, she's in college and has spent her summer working to earn money to come home for a few days this month and again at Christmas break.

     I'm going to give her this card right before she heads back into classes.  It's my DT card for the August blog challenge starting today over at LeAnn's World 101.   The image is called "Bookworm" and you can find it in the store by clicking on the name.

     I colored the image with my Sanjoki markers, cut it and the frame behind it with QuicKutz dies.  I used 2 pieces of embossed CS to make the background and I used a Darice EF on the top piece with the diamond pattern, and a Sizzix EF for the leaves on the bottom.  The sentiment was printed and fussy cut, then "framed" by inking the edges.  

     I used some fall ribbon from my stash to wrap the card front and to hand tie the bow.

I pulled colors from the challenge at My Favorite Things

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...?

Creative Inspiration

Double D

Outlawz Thurs

Penny's P-C

Thru...Purple Haze (center column)

Word Art Weds

     I hope we're going to see you playing in our Blog Challenge.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" and it runs until the end of the month.  Don't forget that our Progressive Challenge has also restarted on our FB site and it goes live on the 5th of each month.  Go check out the post and you'll find all the rules in the August Progressive album.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Painting Ornaments

      Today's image is from a digital coloring book, reduced in size to fit onto a card.  I think it was a Dillies coloring book, but since the image was printed last year and stuck in a folder waiting to be used, I can't be positive.

     I colored it with Copics and ProMarkers, added sparkling, metallic ink to the snowflakes and the ornament hanger for a tiny bit of sparkle, then cut the finished  image with a Tonic Studios die.  The sentiment is from QKR Stampede, and I printed and fussy cut it, then added a mat and fussy cut it also.  I used Pop Dots to add it.  The mat for the image was made from two CS scraps, one red and the other green.

     The background papers are from Paper Pizzazz and K & Co., the second one having been embossed with a folder from Cuttlebug.

I based my card design on the sketch at The Outlawz,

having dropped the middle CS piece to the bottom.

     Challenges:

ABC Christmas

Double D

I Love Markers

Paper Shelter

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Finding Ladybugs

      Once again, I'm featuring a Mariola Budek image.  No, I'm not on a DT for her, nor do I have any connection to her other than my love for her fabulous artwork.  She does magnificent images of women and hair, but I also dearly love her cute images of children and critters, not the least of which are her images of cats.  I bet that's a surprise to you, right?  :-D

     I've colored and used this image more than once but this is the first time I've done her as a redhead.  I decided on a spring/summer color palette and did the coloring with water color paints.  The image was cut with a Tonic Studios die, and I inked the edges.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  The green flower strip was embossed with a Darice EF.  

     The red butterfly is machine embroidered and I thought it was a great complement to the hair tie and the ladybug.

     Challenges:

613 Ave Create

Art Impressions

Butterfly

Lil Patch of ...

Pammie's IP

Paper Dragonfly

Paper Funday

Penny's P-C

Polkadoodles

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Cats' Christmas Tree

      Any of you who share your house (or have shared your house) with one or more cats know how they absolutely take over the Christmas tree once it's up and decorated.  It's like they think Santa brought that tree as a gift just for them!  This adorable image from Conie Fong, called "Purrfect Christmas," goes so well with another DT card I shared the other day (see post here) which also has Christmas kittens and is from Conie Fong, that I decided I had to share both of these in the same week.  :-D  Besides, falling in love with one of those images made me fall in love with the other one, too!

     For this image, I colored it with water color paints, added gold glitter to the star, and cut the image with an Unbranded die.  I used a Darise embossing folder to make the brick background.  I printed the sentiment (my own, inspired by the looks on the kittens' faces!) and cut it with an Avery Elle die.  I did add a few tiny red pearls as ornaments but I left it without further embellishment because it will probably go a great grandson so it didn't need a lot of fiddly bits.

     Challenges:

12 Months Christmas

Carlin's Card ... (C for Cats & Christmas)

Country View

Happy...Stampers

Kerst/Christmas

Lil Patch of ...

Polkadoodles

Sparkles Christmas

YSBP

     Don't forget that the Conie Fong Challenge is still running on the Facebook site and all you have to do is use a Conie Fong image to enter a card.  If you haven't joined the FB group yet, that's free and easy to do.  Don't have any Conie Fong images?  You can find them in the Etsy store or there are even freebies available. :-D

     We'd love to see what you create.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie   

Kitten in the Mistletoe

      One of the things about kittens (no matter what time of year), they will do their best to misinterpret any instructions given to them!  This sweet little guy is asked to "Hang the Mistletoe" but he goes a bit wild and hangs from it instead.  Maybe he's confusing it with catnip.  :-D

     In any case, this is a grayscale, clip art image which I colored with ProMarkers, then fussy cut.  I layered it onto a Sue Wilson die cut left over from another project but it made a great frame for this kitten.  The green background was embossed with a Sizzix folder.  

     The sentiment pieces were printed and fussy cut.  The final touch, the round embellishment from K & Co. was added to cover up a tiny tear in the die cut frame.  It's a dimensional piece so it gives some texture to the card.

     Challenges:

Can You Handle ...?

Christmas Bingo (rectangle/free/emboss)

Crafty Gals Corner

Creative Inspiration

Digi Choosday

My Favorite Things

Outlawz Thurs

Passion for Markers

Penny's P-C

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie