Letter "Z" - 30 Days of Holidays

       Last letter of the alphabet and tomorrow is the last day of the Beccy's Place 30 Days of Christmas challenges.  "Z" is another one of those difficult prompts because very few Z words relate easily to Christmas but I did use a tutorial at Beccy's and made a Double Z Fold Card.  This one isn't in the  A - Z Folds tab but I did give you a link to the blog post where Beccy showed us the Double Z Fold.  There is a tutorial for a single Z fold in the A - Z Folds tab and it's much easier but I wanted the challenge of doing the Double Z fold.

     The candy cane image is from Beccy's Place and everything was done using up scraps, including the piece of CS on which the image was printed.  I colored the canes with ProMarkers (I used 'Vanilla' instead of white on the candy canes so it would better match the beige in the papers), then cut the image with a Die-namics stitched die.  I used my Scor-Pal board to make all the scores for fold lines, much more precise than trying to make the folds by hand without first scoring.  

     All the paper scraps were in the Christmas scrap stash and originally came from a stack by Graphic 45.  That particular stack of Christmas papers had to be one of my all time favorites. Unfortunately, that stack is used up except for the few scraps left in the basket, but then, it was probably 8 or 9 years old!

 

Here's a shot from the top showing the Z folds.

     Challenges:

C.R.A.F.T.
Crafty Catz

Creative Creases

Creative Fingers

Cut It Up

Rudolph Days

Paper Shelter

Simon Says Stamp

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Spider Treat Box

      We're starting a new challenge at Pammie's Inky Pinkies this morning and our theme is "Anything Goes."  We are being sponsored by The Cutting Cafe and they have some of the cutest projects, including this adorable Spider Treat Box.  Their .svg file is designed for electronic cutting machines but, since I don't have one, I used their .pdf file and cut everything by hand.  

     Mine is a little different than the sample you'll see on the Cutting Cafe's website but that's because I printed the spider onto white CS, colored it black with my ProMarkers, cut it with scissors and attached it to a little, orange box I made with my ScorPal board.  Black and Orange is still my favorite color combo for Halloween, even though I'm perfectly fine with purple and some shade of muted olive green having been added as spooky colors in more recent years.  Those of you who are over 50 will know what I mean.

     I used tiny google eyes to make the spider eyes, opting to add them to two small ovals so that they looked more like 'people' eyes.  I found that spreading them across the spider face (the actual placement of real spider eyes) was distracting and nearly unidentifiable so did them this way instead.  At least, you still get the sense of multiple eyes.  :-D

     I used sparkly, metallic, wired ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon to make the triple loop bow and attached that to the top of the spider, as though it was a jaunty, autumn chapeau!  Hope you like him.  If you have an electronic cutter, you could make dozens of these with the .svg file from The Cutting Cafe in the amount of time I spent making just this one.

     Challenges:

Country View

Creatalicious

Creative Creases

Mirtillamente

Paperminutes

Scor-Pal 

TTCRD

Two Old Bats

     Don't forget that our challenges at Pammie's Inky Pinkies run every week, starting on Mondays and our theme is always Anything Goes except for the occasional 5th Monday in a month when we have a specific theme.  Come play with us - this is an Anything Goes week.          :-D

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Puppy Love from Digi Doodle Studios

     My next DT card as a reminder that our challenge at Digi Doodle Studios is still open and you have time to play.  Our theme for February is all about Love & Friendship and this time I used an adorable image called "Puppy Love" for my card.

I was influenced by Sketch 176 at Sweet Sketch Weds.

Colored with ProMarkers & pencil
Image and mat cut with QuicKutz octagon dies
Background scored with ScorPal board
Sheer ribbon and signature bow w pearl
Sentiment printed and hand cut

     Challenges:
Arty Divas
Creative Inspirations
Cuttlebug Mania
Digi Choosday
Lemon Shortbread
Southern Girls
TTCRD
Word Art Weds.

    Come join our challenge or visit us on Facebook.  We'd love to see you enter the challenge.  Happy Crafting.   NanaConnie

Gracie & Nibbles

     I'm so tickled to announce that after having served last month as a Guest Designer for Digi Doodle Studios, I've been invited to be part of the DT!  I'm thrilled and have fallen in love with all of Dina's sweet images.  I can hardly wait to share with you what I've done with them as time moves along.  :-D

     Here's my first card as a DT for the challenge which begins today, with a theme of "It's a Love Thing."  I used a darling image called "Gracie & Nibbles" which is perfect for another Valentine card to add to my stash.

This is a fancy fold card and here's how it looks with the top flap open:

     The card base is a triangle, cut on the diagonal across a full sheet of CS, 11 x 8.5 inches.  The points are scored to make an A2 size card, 5.5 x 4.25 inches, when folded.  I used my Scor-Pal to get perfectly straight score lines.  I added the rectangle of white CS to the inside which can be used for writing the message.

Colored with ProMarkers

Image is fussy cut with scissors

Circle cut with QuicKutz die

Pink satin bow is hand tied and stitched

Colors from the inspiration at Color My Heart.

     Challenges:

Crafty Sentiments

Cute Card Thurs

Cuttlebug Mania

Passion for ProMarkers

Scrappy Land

Simon Says Stamp & Show

SUYP Cats

Time Out

Your Next Stamp

     Happy Crafting and come share your creations with us in our "It's a Love Thing" challenge.  NanaConnie

Edward Elephant for St. Patrick's

     I promised you another post today if I got the card finished and I did!  This is my second or third St. Patrick's card and I make them every year for all my grandkids to remind them that they have an Irish heritage on my side of the family.  It's also a fun turn-around on birthday cards since I celebrate my birthday on St. Paddy's Day and it's fun to send out cards on my birthday.  :-D

     This image came from Bugaboo Stamps and is so adorable.

My colors came from the board at Color My Heart Color Dare

and used the sketch from Stella Says Sketch.

       

     I colored Edward with my ProMarkers, then cut the image with a Memory Box, scalloped, stitched die.  All the papers and CS were scraps and snippets from my desk, even the three little flowers were die cut from a scrap of mulberry paper (Spellbinders dies.)

     I used my Linen embossing folder on the gold CS at the top and used my Scor-Pal to score the lines on the deeper green scrap of CS at the bottom.  I added gems to the flower centers and called it finished.

     Challenges:
Catch the Bug
Colour Crazy
Crafting with Friends
Cute Card Thurs.
Cut It Up
Dare 2B Artsy
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends 
Pixie's Snippets
Scor-Pal

     OK, that's it for today.  I'll be back tomorrow.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

The Perfect Pumpkin

     When was the last time you wandered through a pumpkin patch (with or without kids/grandkids) searching for that one perfect pumpkin?  I remember the days when we actually went out to the farmer's field and found pumpkins for Halloween and Thanksgiving.  Now, they come to us by way of our super markets and a good number of grandkids don't even know that pumpkins grow on vines which are found trailing across acres and acres of ground.  Sigh...

     I absolutely love this darling image from Ching-Chou Kuik and I know that she didn't find her perfect pumpkin in a grocery store.  Nope, she and her kitten found that one in the field and picked it straight off the vine.  :-D

     I colored the image with my ProMarkers, then use dies from Sizzix to cut it and the frame piece.  I had already decided on a CAS design so I grabbed a scrap of kraft CS which was not large enough to made a standard A2 size card.  I left the back side as a 4.25" x 5.5" rectangle but the front flap was only 3" wide.

     I used my Scor-Pal to make the score lines vertically on that front flap, then added the scalloped circle image.  Although it's not really clear in the photograph, it gives a very interesting shape to the card.  I printed and hand cut the sentiment, adding it below the image.  There are no additional embellishments, only the score lines.

     Challenges:
Aloha Friday
Cardz TV
Ching-chou Kuik FB
Creative Fingers
Fussy and Fancy
Outlawz Festive Friday
Pattie's Creations
Scor-Pal
Take It, Make It

     It's the start of the weekend and we still have another few sweltering days before cooler air moves in from the Canadian north.  Weatherman is saying we'll be down in the 80s before the end of next week and I can hardly wait!  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Raspberry Abode

     I started this card with a particular idea in mind but it took off on its own and I admit I like it even better now.  :-D  The image is from Beccy's Place.

Beccy's had an optional sketch this month which I used,

and I used colors from 2 Sisters on the Blog.

   

     I used my ProMarkers to color the image and I added highlights to the berries with white gel ink.  I cut the image with a Spellbinders die.  Both dp strips were in the scrap basket and I dug them out because they matched the colors in the berries.

     I did faux stitching on one of the strips, scored the longer strip 4 times with my new Scor-Pal (which added some great texture!), and then added a pink, satin bow with a gem placed in the middle of the knot.  The sentiment is printed, hand-cut, and inked on the edges.

    Challenges:
A Bit More Time to Craft Extra
Crafts Galore Encore
Create with TLC
Creative Craft Cottage
Let's Craft and Create
More than 1 Score
Not Just Cards
Paper Nest Dolls
Scrappy Land

     Hope your weekend is going well and that you are enjoying some down time.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Spring Cleaning?

     It's a great morning around here and exactly what spring should be!  Cold weather is gone, hot weather has not yet arrived, and the daytime temps are in the 70s.  What could be better?  Well, how about a little QKR Stampede humor and a new "Anything Goes" challenge on a Friday morning?

     For my DT card in this challenge I used a fun QKR image called "Bathing Turtle."  The sentiment which turns this card into something completely silly can only be blamed on me.

     I colored with ProMarkers (my favorites which I love because of the way alcohol inks blend) and watercolors, then used a Sue Wilson die to cut the image and frame.  The mat is cut with the largest of the dies in that set and that paper was also water colored before being cut.  Everything is mounted onto a green card base which has been scored three times at the top with my Scor-Pal.

     When I decided to add the sequins for a bit of shine on the bubbles, I had no idea they would photograph as pink!  They're NOT pink, they're completely clear but for some reason they are pink in the photograph.  Sigh...

     I added a teeny drop of  Liquid Pearls to the center of each sequin and that's what's adhering them to the card.  They give some great texture, too.

     Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps & More
As You Like It
Crafty Addicts
Crafty Creations
Creative Moments
DL.ART
Outlawz Twisted Thurs.
Penny's Paper-Crafty
Scrapy Land
Simon Says Stamp

     Have yourself a great weekend and don't forget to take some time just for yourself.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie