Birthday Roses in Black and White

     OK, so I woke up at 4:00 in the Oh, God! morning today and there was no going back to sleep.  Nothing to do but get on the computer, check e-mail, and see what new challenges might bring some inspiration.  I found the new challenge at AAA Cards which I've missed for the last 3 weeks due to being so busy.  I did the first few challenges over there because it's a great way to practice on CAS cards, since that's always the primary requirement regardless of the theme for that week.

     Well, this week's theme was a challenge all by itself to get everything included and still do a CAS card!  Being a glutton for punishment, I decided to add 14 other challenges to it and do one card to fit all the themes.  Let's start with the "MacGyver" recipe at AAA Cards:  string, corrugated paper, plastic, a stamp, and a hole.  Don't forget, we still have to keep it CAS!!  So, what do you think?

   

     The image is from Artbymiran and the coloring on her hair is done with ProMarkers; the 'frame' is actually cut into the card front.  The paper behind the sentiment is corrugated but it just doesn't show up in the first two photos so I took another shot with a bright light shining on it.  

     The button is plastic and I used my string to make the bow (threaded through the button.)  So, I got all the MacGyver items -- but it was a struggle to keep it CAS.  It does have minimal embellishments and lots of open space even though the space has tiny polka dots instead of being all white.  At least give me credit for taking on the challenge and getting something made -- to say nothing of also including the following challenges and themes.  :-D

     Challenges:

Allsorts

Artbymiran

Craft for the Craic

Crafting by Design

Creative Corner

Delicious Doodles

Docerela Creations

Jo's Scrap Shack

Our Daily Bread

Paper Creator's Crafts 

Sister Act

Sisterhood of Crafters

So Artful

Stampin' with the Dragon

     Thanks for visiting, my friends.  Hope your weekend has been filled with inspiration and beauty.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Baby Brother

     I was asked to make a card for a little guy who's waiting for his baby brother to arrive.  He's 3 and adores dinosaurs.  That fit in perfectly with the new challenge starting today at Tuesday Throwdown, sponsored by My Grafico who supplied digis to all the team members.  Even though I'm on leave from the TT team this summer, since I had a My Grafico digi available, I decided to get this made and the post scheduled during a lull in the "busy, busy, busy!"  :-D  My teamie, Lynn, will love this one, too, since it done with lots of blue.  :-D

     Colored with ProMarkers and die cut.  Can you believe that's the first Spellbinders die set I ever purchased?  No wonder it's still my sentimental favorite.  :-D  Papers are from the Linen Closet stack by DCWV and the polka dots are embossed.  The ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon.

     Challenges:
4 Krafty Girlz
A Gem of a Challenge
A Little Bit Crafty
As You Like It
Bearly Mine
Brown Sugar 
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards
Crafting Musketeers
Delightful Challenges
Ladybug Crafts
Little Miss Muffet
Paper Crafting Journey
Red Rubber Inspirationals
Sister Act
Stamping Boutique

     Quick post today, but I really hope we'll see you playing along this week at Tuesday Throwdown. Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Moonlight Walks on the Beach

     I originally made this card for my daughter to give to her husband for Father's Day but she decided on something different.  I just love the way it celebrates love for Dad in a really masculine style but with humor.  Don't these two look like they're strolling down the beach? Well, that's what the sentiment says anyway.  :-D

     I colored the cats using my ProMarkers, cut a simple rectangle, then corner punched it.  The sketch was an old one I found at Meljen's Designs, where their theme this week is "Dads," and the image is also from Meljen's.

     DP is from the Linen Closet stack by DCWV, probably my favorite papers of all time.  Not only are the colors subtle, they work for either masculine or feminine projects.  This time I used some that I've had in my stash for more than 2 years because I keep stocking up on it when I find it on sale and then the old ones get pushed to the back of the shelf.  In reorganizing the week after I got home, I pulled all the old pads to the front and put the newer ones in the back.

     The flower is handmade from punched flower-petal layers.  I thought that added just a splash of color to what is otherwise a pretty neutral color combo.  No other embellishment because I wanted to keep it CAS.

     Challenges:
2 Sisters -- Make your own embellies
Art Impressions Stamps -- Hip to be square
Crafting Cafe -- Love and marriage
Craft Room -- Sun, Sand, Surf
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned dp -- A/G with dp
I {heart} ProMarkers -- Stripes
Ladybug Crafts Ink -- For him
Natalie and Amy's -- 4 legged friends
Oldie But a Goodie -- Masculine
Sassy Studio Designs -- All about men
Through the Craft Room Door -- A/G
Twisted Tuesday -- 2 animals and dots (around the cats and in the stripes)

     If all goes as scheduled, I should have another post for you this evening.  If it doesn't show up, then I'm going to have to get someone to feed the gremlin in my computer so that he'll let my posts show up on time instead of eating them!  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

Rick St. Dennis Steam Punk II

     OK, here I am trying my hand at another steam punk card (something I do very rarely and not very well) but at least I'm far enough away that I can't hear you laughing at my attempt.  Of course, the card does have a wry humor so maybe that's why you're laughing.  The image is a progressive freebie to all who used an Rick St. Dennis image and played in the first part of the steam punk challenge last month.

     This is the card folded flat and ready for the envelope but I did a new-to-me fancy fold technique called Dutch Fold or Dutch Door.  Here's a photo of the card opened and standing.

     OK, a few card details and then I have a close up to show you.  I colored this fun little monster, called "Nyner," with my ProMarkers.  While Rick's images are very detailed and can be somewhat intimidating to color (especially when you see the gorgeous coloring done by his entire DT!), his shading already drawn onto the image gives you great direction for getting shadows and high lights in all the right places.  As I was working with this image, I grew to love this creepy character more and more, and by the time I finished coloring him, I was truly in love.  :-D

     I still wasn't sure exactly what to do with him but his "Winner" sash made me think of a prize winner and the sentiment (printed on my computer) just popped into my head.  I die cut the image and did the card base (following tutorial instructions which I now can't find or I'd give you the link.)  The papers are from the "Loolah" stack by Iron Orchard.  Then I began searching through my embellishment stash for some steam punk appropriate cogs or gears.  Sigh... Those were seriously lacking because I do so little steam punk but I did find the two metal cogs you see above the image.

     Now, the great part of the story -- On his hat are drawn a few tiny cogs and gears.  I tried coloring them with silver and gold markers but they just didn't show up.  OK, let's go back a couple of weeks.  I was a challenge winner and the sponsor was 7 Kids College Fund.  I used my voucher to order a couple of Elisabeth Bell stamps (you'll be seeing those next week probably) and some little charms in a package called "Watch Parts."  I had no idea of the sizes but it was a collection of metal goodies that would work on steam punk cards.  Those just happened to arrive as I was finishing up the card and voila, perfection!  Let me show you what I mean --