By-Gone Days

      I had a request last month for a masculine card for my neighbor's father.  He's turning 91 in mid-January and has been a lifelong farmer in the central valley of California.  The request fit in perfectly with the new challenge starting today at FarmQuest General Store (Anything Goes but must have a farm or country feel) and I decided on blues and browns.  That's almost always a perfect color combo for a masculine card.

      What could be better for a lifelong farmer than an image of long forgotten farm equipment, tucked away in a dusty corner of an old barn?   This is a pre-colored, clipart image to which I added the sentiment before printing it.  I cut it with a square, QuicKutz die, added a frame made from white CS, cut with a die from Spellbinders.  The striped dp is from an old DCWV stack, and I added a bit of left over burlap fabric from another project I had worked on last month.  It seemed to give perfect texture and eye appeal without being too frou-frou as an embellishment.

     Challenges:

613 Ave Create

Creative Fingers

Gem of a Challenge

GMGC

Love Those...Papers

Outlawz Friday (used blue)

Pattie's Creations

     I hope we're going to see you playing along in our challenge this month.  Anything with a country or farm flair can be entered and we'd love to be inspired by you.  

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Blessings on Thanksgiving

 Happy Thanksgiving !

     I wanted to share this card with you on Thanksgiving Day even though I actually made it for the 30 Days of Holidays at Beccy's Place.  I know, I know, the day for alphabet letter "T" was last week, but the card turned out so magnificently that I knew I had to hold it back and post it today.  :-D

     I used Thanksgiving, Turkey, Tent card, and Tilted image piece for my "T"s.  The image is pre-colored, clip art, and before I printed the image, I edited it so that the turkey printed in gray scale while everything else was already colored.  I colored the turkey with pencils and markers.  Everything other than the turkey is the original, pre-colored image.

     The pumpkin vines background behind the image piece is another digital dp which I sized to fit a 5.5 x 5.5 inch card.  I felt like the digital dp was bright enough that no other embellishment was needed.  I think it makes a delightful masculine card even if it does feel a bit 'busy.'

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Cinnamon Mitten

      I've completed my "M" card for the 30 Days of Holidays over at Beccy's Place and this time I used Beccy's Mitten image.  I love how it's stuffed with all the wintery, Christmas goodies like cinnamon, hearts and stars, berry branches, and has Mistletoe hanging on it.

     I printed the black and white image, then colored it with ProMarkers.  I used the colors Magenta and Melon green for my Christmas colors; not strictly 'traditional' but at least in the red and green family.  

     Once colored, I went to Beccy's A - Z Folds tab at the top of her blog and checked out the possible fancy card folds under "M."  I found a tutorial for a Matchbook card but I turned it 1/4 turn so that the 'matchbook' opens from the right hand side instead of the bottom.  It fits my image better that way.

     I fussy cut the image with scissors (not an easy thing to do with all those tiny spots between the berries and the loops & tails of the ribbon that's on the mitten.  An Exacto knife helped on the smallest bits.)  The Merry Christmas sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I left the card very plain, as CAS as I could get it because I wanted a Masculine look since it will be going to one of my grandsons, or maybe even a great-grandson. 

     Challenges:

CRAFT-alnica

I Love ProMarkers

Outlawz Weds

Paper Funday

Paper Shelter

     I may take a break from card making and posting for a day or two.  This respiratory virus doesn't seem to be getting better as quickly as I'd like and I really think complete bed rest (not counting trips to the bathroom) might be the answer.  I'm going to try it and see what transpires.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Old Time Santa

      This CAS card is my DT sample for the FarmQuest General Store challenge which starts today.  Our theme is always "Anything Goes" and we are always sponsored by QKR Stampede.  The DT use three images from QKR and those are the prize for the challenge winner.

     I chose to use the Old Time Santa image and I colored him with Sanjoki markers, then cut the image and the two mats with Tonic Studios dies.  I used a Uchida punch of each of the corners and then layered them all together.  The card font was dry embossed with my Linen EF.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  A delightfully CAS card and very masculine.

     Challenges:

Colorful Options

Holly & Ivy

Outlawz Sketch

Paper Shelter

Word Art Weds

     Come play with us this month.  We love being inspired by you and what you make.  Who knows, you might even end up the winner of the three QKR Stampede images.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Pheasant Flight

      We have a new theme starting today for our latest FarmQuest challenge and the theme is "Turkeys, Pheasants, Peacocks, &/or Feathers."  Obviously, I opted for a pheasant.  :-D

     This clip art image was printed in grayscale onto pale blue CS, then colored with water color paints and pencils.  Once dry, I ironed the image flat (it curled a bit with the water color paints), then cut it with a QuicKutz die.  The plaid dp for the background came from a digital paper file which I sized to an A2 card size, then printed.  The sentiment was printed and cut with an Avery Elle die.  I left it without embellishments because it's such a perfect masculine card.

     Challenges:

Classic Design

Coloring w Pencils

Crafty Calendar

Crafty Catz

Creative Fingers

Lil Patch of ...

Outlawz SAR (pheasant in the sky?)

Polkadoodles

     Come play with us this fortnight.  We love seeing what you create and being inspired by it.  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