Field Mouse

     It's time for another challenge to start over at FarmQuest, where our underlying theme is always something "farm or country."  On top of that, we have a specific theme for each challenge and this time we want to see "Critters that eat grain" or something closely related to that.

     I searched my clip art files for something appropriate and came across this little mouse on a wheat stem.  What could be more perfect?  I had a lot of fun figuring out how I wanted to best display the image and finally decided to make the background for the image by water coloring some wheat onto water color paper, letting it dry overnight, ironing it flat (since it has a tendency to curl up while drying), and putting that piece of paper into the printer, then printing the clip art image directly onto the background.  I used colored pencils and white gel pen to add highlights and deeper color to the mouse.  What do you think?

     I cut the image with a Spellbinders die, matted it with some light brown CS, and trimmed that with my paper cutter.  I made the background by digging through the scrap basket and finding a couple of dp and a strip of reddish-brown CS.  I ran the strip of CS through my Linen EF, then layered all three scraps onto the card front.  The image went on top of those, as did the sentiment which had been printed, then cut with an Avery Elle die.

     Challenges:

     I hope to see you playing along in our challenge this fortnight.  There are so many options for you in finding a critter that eats grains; rodents, birds, deer, horses and cows, ... the list is endless!  Let your imagination flow and share with us what you create.  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Birthday Card for a Leopard Lover

      Something a little bit different today, after a week of Halloween and Thanksgiving; a birthday card for a granddaughter who loves leopards!   No, not my granddaughter, but she is my grand-niece, she's my sis-in-law's granddaughter.  

     This is a pre-colored, clip art image, printed lighter and with the color saturation subdued by 40%.  It's amazing what can be accomplished with a little editing before printing.

     While I haven't yet convinced my SIL to get into the card making side of digital images, I did make her choose the shape of the card, the background dp (DCWV), and the ribbon (Place  & Time.)  We decided the birthday sentiment could go on the inside.  Image cut with Spellbinders die.  While I put the whole card together, the one part I chose on my own was the tiny, double layer, die cut flower which I layered on right where the ribbon ends meet.  I chose that instead of a bow.

     

     Challenges:

Crafty Catz

Creative Fingers

Outlawz Thurs (Jungle Book)

Pattie's Creations

Penny's P-C

Simon Says Stamp

Word Art Weds

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

In the Pumpkin Patch

      Well, yesterday I shared a Thanksgiving card with you and today I've reverted back to another Halloween card, this one with an image from QKR Stampede.  Over the years that I was on the QKR Stampede DT, I'll bet I used this image every Halloween for at least 8 years (which is pretty much every year I was on the team!)  It's a favorite of mine but this time I get to share it as another collaboration with my sis-in-law doing the coloring of the image with Ohuhu markers and me putting the card together.

     The colored image was cut with a Spellbinders rectangle die but I rounded the corners with one of my Fiskars punches.  I did the same thing with the frame around the image, cut with a Spellbinders die and corners rounded with the Fiskars punch.  My sis-in-law loved the shape and asked me to cut more of her colored images that way when turning them into a card.  lol  She's getting hooked on the card making process, ... slooowly.  Just not yet ready to try her own hand at it.  

     (I made another card yesterday afternoon as a birthday card for one of her granddaughters but I made her choose the image, the size and shape of it, plus the paper for the background and all I did was choose one little embellishment.  Maybe I'll share that card tomorrow.)

     I used paper scraps which originally came from a Recollections Halloween stack to make the background.  I combined the two of them because neither was large enough to cover the entire card front but even with different size stripes, they worked together so well.  The sentiment was printed and cut with a small Tonic Studios die, then framed with a scrap bit of CS.

     Challenges:

Crafts Galore Encore

Do Al(l) Kreatives

Four Seasons

Halloween AYR

Krafty Chicks

Mirtillamente

Morgan's ArtWorld

SheepSki Designs

Simon Says Stamp

     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

Waiting for Halloween

      Today I'm sharing another of the Halloween cards I've made and we've made a lot of them in this household this year.  As I shared yesterday, my sis-in-law and I are sharing a house now and since we're both crafty people, we're delighted with the arrangement.  But between the two of us, we now have nearly 50 family members, including grands and great-grands (and a few extra friends) who will get cards from us for holidays, birthdays, etc. so she's coloring like mad and I'm turning those colored images into cards.  So far, we have about 36 Halloween cards made, some of which she colored, some of which I colored.  I colored the QKR Stampede image on today's card.

     I dearly love this old broom and have used it before on non-Halloween cards but this year it just seemed to speak out as a witch's broom so I colored it with my ProMarkers, cut it with a QuicKutz die, inked the edges with a marker, and added the sentiment (cut with an Avery Elle die.)  I made the background by using a scrap of dp which came from a Recollections stack.  I just thought all the mummy eyes peeking out added to the sense of waiting, and waiting, and waiting for the witches to arrive.  (Kind of like waiting for the cooler fall temperatures to arrive out here where I live!)  :-D

 

     Challenges:

Double Trouble

Inspired By (theme & colors)

I Love ProMarkers

Krafty Chicks

Pammie's IP

Paperminutes

Passion for Markers

Simon Says Stamp

     Enjoy your day and Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Birthday Owl

      In the last few months, my life has become so much more fun and interesting.  My sis-in-law and I now share a house and we are both crafty, creative people.  She has gotten me addicted to the various craft related posts found on YouTube (something I never browsed before this) and I've introduced her to coloring with alcohol markers (something she had never tried although she's a fantastic colorist with other media like pencil, watercolor, paints, etc.)

     I haven't gotten her into the card making side yet, but she's happy to color and then let me make the cards.  So, today's post features one of our first collaborations - the coloring is hers and the card design is mine.

     She colored a Maya Silvercat image with Ohuhu markers.  I cut the image and the kraft CS frame with dies from Tonic Studios.  The sentiment was cut with an Avery Elle die and matted with a scrap of kraft CS, trimmed to size.  The card front is plain, lime green CS.  CAS to show off the magnificent image!