Happy and Spooky Halloween

     Tonight's the night when things go bump and the witches fly!  Most of us will close our shops and head home to greet the spooky goblins and ghouls at the door for Trick or Treat.  But there are some, mostly witches and warlocks, who will be open for Halloween business if you care to visit them.

     This image is from The Paper Shelter and I've had it since last year but had never used it.  I thought it would be perfect for a post on Halloween itself.  It's colored with ProMarkers and cut with a QuicKutz circle die.  I printed the sentiment before I cut the circle.

     I used three different papers all layered onto one another, plus some luscious mesh ribbon that is oh, so sparkly and gives some great texture!  I added a sheer ribbon bow with a pearl.  All of those seemed to really work with the vintage image.

     Challenges:
Crafty Creations
DL.ART
Fussy and Fancy
Outlawz Festive Friday
Outlawz Greetings
Star Stampz

     That's all I have for today but tomorrow starts a new month and new monthly challenges so be sure to stop by for a couple of DT posts from me.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Feed the Squirrels

     It's time for another challenge over at Createful Heart, #5 this time and, as usual, our theme is Anything Goes.  I've used this darling Ms.Scarecrow with Squirrels, which you can find here.  She was a dream to color!

     I colored with a combination of ProMarkers and polychromos pencils, then cut the image with a die from Sue Wilson.  The frame is actually an insert cut from a scrap bit of dp, using another die from that same Sue Wilson set.  That got mounted onto another scrap from my stash of leftover scrap booking papers. Whenever I am looking for a larger piece, I go search the scrap booking scraps because they tend to be larger, having been larger papers to start.

     I love the textured golden yellow ribbon and I paired it up a bow I tied using a darker gold ribbon.  The pumpkins (die cuts - Impression Obsession) were added to balance off the side with the ribbon embellishment.

     Challenges:
Colour Crazy
Di's Digi Designs
Hiding in My Craft Room
Jo's Scrap Shack
Morgan's Artworld
Outlawz Festive Friday
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Pixie's Snippets
Polkadoodles
Victorine Originals

     Please come play in our challenge this month.  You can use any image from any company but if you use one from Createful Heart, you'll have a larger prize.  :-D  Hope to see you there.  NanaConnie

October 29 is National Cat Day!

     Just in case you have never looked at the sidebar photos on my blog --

     This is a perfect representation of the reason we even have a National Cat Day!

     Sweet Cleo is no longer with us but the memories of the time I shared with her are still in my heart and mind.  She was the sweetest, cuddliest, most adorable and loveable feline ever but she definitely understood the pecking order (er, ah, chain of command, I mean.)

     So, all you enslaved humans, join me in wishing our feline friends a most Happy National Cat Day.   Salute appropriately and go dig out the catnip and tuna!  :-D NanaConnie

Asian Doll Birthday Card

     I have a very dear friend whom I've not seen since college days but I send her birthday greetings each year and she does the same for me.  Shortly after graduating from college, she married and her husband was transferred almost immediately to a foreign field office in Taiwan.  They were there for nearly 10 years and she grew to love all things oriental.  I thought this image would be perfect for her.

     The image is from Heart Song, a company for whom I designed almost 7 years ago, when I first started blogging.  They have since closed the shop but I still love Leah's images and use them whenever I can.  This one is "Asian Doll."

     I used my Promarkers to color, then cut it and the frame with a die from Spellbinders.  I trimmed a scrap of burlap to fit behind the image, pulling threads to get the fringed edges.  The black CS was a left over scrap, cut with another Spellbinders die.  The "birthday" sentiment was done with a die from Sizzix.  The bow tie bow was tied using my bow maker.

     Challenges:
Crafting with Friends
Crafty Friends
Dream Valley
Incy Wincy
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Scrapper's Delights
Send a Smile 4 Kids

     I can't believe my weekend is half over and I still have so much to do.  Monday starts another week of full days and busy evenings and I'll be glad when I can just "be retired" again.  :-D  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie