Honk If You Love Halloween!

Hello there!

Been having fun making Halloween cards this past week. I probably have enough for several Halloweens to come. I don't care, it's my favorite holiday so I will be content to line them up on my mantle as decor! LOL

This one is with some new stamps I got last month from Unity Stamps.  These geese are just hilarious I think.  We have alot of Canadian geese around our NC town all the time and I'd love to see some of them dressed up! 

For Following Challenges:

Sunday Stamps - SSC371 Lined Up

Double D Challenge - Halloween Colors

Card Supplies: 

Stamps: Geese & Sentiment- Goosey Ghouls(Unity Stamps) 

Paper: Neenah Natural White; Black cardstock (Stash); Patterned Paper - Feline Spooky (CP Designs).

Ink: Midnight (CP Designs); Copics.

Extras: Postage die (CP Designs); stitched banner die (MFT Stamps).

Thank you for stopping by for a visit.  Hope you come again soon!

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.”  

Henry Ward Beecher

Nance

Hugs & Cuddles

 Good Morning Monday!

Happy Indigenous People's Day!

It's finally a nice and cool Fall feeling day in central NC. It's about time too. One quick post this morning before off to do errands with the Hubs.

Playing with the Freshly Made Sketches sketch by Judy this week.  I pulled out some neglected patterned paper and some neglected stamps.  Who am I kidding - most of what I have has been neglected for a long time. So I'm trying to remedy that.

This cute little fox and acorn are by Photoplay Stamps. My paper is from Echo Park and the sentiment is from Penny Black.

For Following Challenges:

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you come back soon!

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.”  Henry Ward Beecher

Nance

Splashy Birthday

Good Afternoon!

This week is flying by! It's already time for another challenge at Seize The Birthday. Shirley is our host for the next two weeks and she has selected Splish Splash as our Toppings.  

I chose this cute image of Newton the cat and a birdbath (Newton's Nook Stamps) for my interpretation of Splish Splash.  We love watching the birds splash around in our birdbath. Sometimes they even use the dog's outdoor water dish to splash around. So I thought it would be fun to also create an extra "splash" by stenciling a water puddle under the birdbath.  I stenciled it first, masked it off and then ink blended the grass.  I also took a Copic marker to go around the puddle to define it more.  Then I stenciled the clouds, colored my images and foam taped them  to the background.  I did add a party hat to Newton to make it more festive.  

Please stop by the Seize the Birthday blog to see all the rest of the Team's creations for our Splish Splash Toppings. Then, why not play along and share your birthday card with us.  Of course, if you're not a toppings kind of person, you can still play in our always Anything Goes Birthday Challenge. 

Card Supplies: 

Stamps: Birdbath set (Newton's Nook); Sentiment(Avery Elle); Party hat stamp (Catherine Pooler).

Paper: Neenah Solar White 110lb cardstock

Ink: Blue Raspberry, In The Park, Midnight (CP Inks); Copics.

Extras: Cloud stencil (My Favorite Things); Rolling hill stencil (My Favorite Things); Puddle stencil (Whimsy Stamps); Coordinating dies for Newton and birdbath (Newton's Nook), Coordinating party hat die (Catherine Pooler) Birthday sentiment strip (Simon Says Stamp).

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you come back soon!

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.” - Henry Ward Beecher

Nance

 

Furry Stocking

 Good Evening!

Hope your weekend has been nice. Hubs and I went to the ballet Saturday night, the first ballet of the season for the Carolina Ballet. It's a nice Date Night usually with dinner out first. I also got some time in my craft room the last few days.  Been cleaning out a bit and re-organizing.  In the process I found a lot of background panels for various seasons and decided to try and form them into cards.  

This is the first one I've done for the Freshly Made Sketches this week hosted by Narelle.  I took a stamped background I had made with the Ho Ho Ho background stamp by My Favorite Things and sliced it up.  So that is not only an element of the sketch but the sentiment too.  Then I cut out that cute kitty in the stocking by Simon Says Stamp.  I got it last year and this is the first time I've played with it.  I cut out several in various colors so I have them all ready for another card. 

For Following Challenges:

NBUS #78

ABC Christmas Challenge - S & T

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you come back soon!

"To create one's world in any of the arts takes courage."

Georgia O'Keefe

Nance

Spooktacular Wishes

Good evening!

A late post this Sunday for me.  

A little something cute and spooky for a couple challenges.  

Halloween is my favorite holiday(next to Christmas).  I love the decorations, the costumes, trick or treaters, the candy and the scary movies. I sooo love the scary movies season! I do have to specify, I love horror movies, but not slasher movies (there is a difference). In fact, as I make this post, I'm watching The Conjuring 2 and the Hubs agreed to watch it with me.  He is NOT a horror fan but will endure it with me sometimes. 

I was inspired by the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches this week to create a Halloween card with this cute little ghost dog die (Spellbinders) sitting in front of a full moon on Halloween. I created the moon with moon stencils from Spellbinders. I thought white clouds didn't look right so I cut black clouds and and inked some white on them for a more mysterious look.  The bat I sparkled a bit because, who says scary can't sparkle too? 

So while I love my movies dark, scary and all things supernatural creepy (think The Nun, Paranormal Activity, The Conjuring, etc), most of my cards I like to keep on the cutesy side of Halloween. How about you? 

For Following Challenges:

Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you come back soon!

"To create one's world in any of the arts takes courage."

Georgia O'Keefe

Nance

 

Quilted Hugs

Happy Friday!

It's nice and sunny here at my "river retreat"!  

I've been a happy busy crafter today and with sunshine it's doubly nice. 

Squeaking in for the Inkspirational Challenge.  It's a mood board of pinks/oranges/yellow-orange, not a favorite combo of mine so I let it challenge me.  I used some Waffle Flower products from a couple releases back that I hadn't gotten to play with yet.  The cross-stitch frame I ink blended light pink at first, didn't like it so ink blended the darker pink, still wasn't sold, so on the bottom half I ink blended orange and the combo of the pink and orange kind of grew on me.  Happy accident maybe? LOL. The cat die has coordinating stencils and the background was a stencil.  I thoroughly enjoyed the process of this entire card with all the stenciling and ink blending. I have been finding stenciling/ink blending to be very satisfying and therapeutic at the same time lately. 

For Following Challenges:

Card Supplies: 

Stamps: Sentiment - Quilted Sentiments (Waffle Flower).

Paper: Neenah Solar White 110lb cardstock

Ink: Cotton Candy, Be Mine, Tiara, Orange Twist, Tutti Frutti, Pebble, Twilight (CP Inks)

Extras: Quilted Floral Stencil (WF); Quilted Frames die (WF); Fabric Lover die & stencil (WF); Tiny Square Texture Die (WF); Oval die (CP Designs).

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you come back soon!

“To practice any art, no matter how well or how badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. So do it.” – Kurt Vonnegut

Nance

 

Meowy & Bright

 Hello there! 

Happy Monday!

I got another card made this weekend.  This one is a Christmas card.   I had the cat die all cut and put together and sitting in my UFO stash since last fall.  So I pulled him out, added the gift, hat, sentiment and the background and DONE!  

For Following Challenges:

Krafty Chicks Challenge - Christmas

Card Supplies: 

Stamps: Sentiment -  Critter Christmas (Waffle Flower).

Paper: Neenah Solar White 110lb cardstock; Teal, pink, grey, bright green  cardstock (Stash); Patterned paper (Catherine Pooler).

Ink: Samba (CP Inks).

Extras: Cat, Christmas Accessories, Gift dies (Waffle Flower); Dashed Snowflake cover plate (Waffle Flower).

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you come back soon!

"You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." 

- Maya Angelou 

Nance

Color Hues #109 Guest Designer - Bring Me Joy

Good Morning 

and 

Happy May!

Today is a good day as I am the Guest Designer at The Color Hues Challenge! So thrilled to be guesting again.  You can see the card that got me a guestie spot here. 

I had several ideas in my head for this color combo - beachy, floral, poolside, but I finally went with this cat in a basket of flowers.

I love this sweet cat die from Waffle Flower and I just thought a bright yellow cat sitting in a basket of blue flowers was perfect. Then, I decided to add a little bluebird friend as well.  I kept my background pretty simple.  I already had the blue watercolor panel of the same blue as the flowers so i die cut it from a scallop frame die.  The flower blooms are some of my only stand alone flower dies and they are by Lil Inker Designs.  They are no longer in business and I miss them. So I hope you enjoy my little feline.  

I hope you will play along in the challenge this fortnight.  Be sure and check out the Design Team's wonderful creations on the Color Hues blog. It's been one of my favorite challenges to play in as they come up with some great color combos. 

 

Card Supplies: 

Stamps: Sentiment - Where Flowers Bloom (MFT Stamps)

Paper: Neenah Solar White 110lb cardstock; Kraft cardstock (Lawn Fawn); Watercolor paper (Stratford).

Ink: Icing on the Cake; Chiffon, Oh Boy (CP Inks)

Extras: Cat Die - Be A Cat (Waffle Flower); Flower dies (Lil Inker Designs); Tag center die - Stash; Basket die (Impression Obsession); Bird die - Snowman and Friends Die (Waffle Flower).

Our own Annabella celebrated her 8th birthday this week so it's fitting I made a cat card.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you come back soon!

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for.” 

~ Georgia O’Keeffe

Nance

 

Wart's Up?

 Hello there!

It's Monday! Hope you had a nice weekend!

I have a quick share for Freshly Made Sketches.  I had every intention of submitting this at least on Saturday, but my weekend blew up from Friday afternoon through yesterday.  I had Friday and Saturday carved out for crafty time and then Date Night with the Hubs to the Carolina Ballet.  Unfortunately, our sweet ole Lab, Ellie, got ill on Friday afternoon and resulted in a trip to the ER Vet on Sat evening.  Thankfully after IV fluids, an x-ray and five hours later, we brought her home around midnight with non-obstructive gastroenteritis.  VERY thankful it was not an obstruction for Ellie's sake and our checkbook's.  And more thankfully that today she appears to be fully back to normal all the way around(knock on wood).  February has not been a good month for her, being this was her third trip to the vet, 2nd to the ER. So today I'm putting other things off and crafting diligently to make up for lost time. 

I guess in light of the weekend, it's good my first card today is whimsy and hopefully brings smiles...

I flipped the sketch for my card so I could create a sunset scene for this cute fly catchin' frog in a pond.  I decided to leave the pussy willows all white for some contrast and interest.  

Freshly Made Sketches #674

Card Supplies:  

Stamps: Sentiment - Hi - Pond of You(Waffle Flower) & Wart's Up -Ribbit Ribbit (Avery Elle) 

Paper: Neenah 110# Solar White; 

Ink: Midnight, Cotton Candy, Party Dress, Orange Twist, Catching Rays, Oh Boy, Cummerbund, Fiesta Blue, Lime Rickey, Melon Ice, Midnight (Catherine Pooler Inks)

Extras: Pool stencil (My Favorite Things); Pussy Willows, Frog, Dragonfly, Fly, Puddle Dies -Inquisitive Frog Dies (Waffle Flower);

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you come back soon!

Hoppy Monday!

Nance 

Foxy Cocoa

Hello Again! 

Another card to share today.  I know - shocking right?  

This card took a slight turn from original conception but I am glad I pivoted. And yes, that's a marshmallow the fox is holding.

For Following Challenges:

Card Supplies:  

Stamps: Winter Hat - Winter Vibes(Catherine Pooler Designs); Sentiment - Graphic Greetings Valentine (Taylored Expressions).

Paper: Neenah 110# Solar White. Grey cardstock; Kraft cardstock.

Ink: Samba (Catherine Pooler Inks); Versamark.

Extras: Fox Die -Heart Hugs(Honey Bee Stamps);  Mug die - Hot Cocoa Die (MFT Stamps); Falling Hearts Emboss Folder (Simon Says Stamp); White emboss powder (WOW).

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you come back soon!

Hugs & Luv!

🩷

Nance 

Batty Boo!

 Good Morning again!

The last of my trio of cards I made yesterday ---

This card came together very quickly. While I was putting together my witch seagull card, the idea came to me to have this smaller seagull peek out from this large bat die I recently purchased from Simon Says (thanks Michele for the enabling. 😉😁).  I die cut the web cover plate die onto the Batman die for some texture. Hopefully you can see it some. I already had the ink blended background panel, which I thought was perfect for this.  I also can't believe it took me til now to use these gull dies.

For Following Challenges:

My inspiration came from Black, Die Cuts, Bats

Two Old Bats - October ATG Halloween

Word Power #10

NBUS Challenge # 67

Card Supplies:  

Paper: Neenah Solar White 110#.

Ink: Serenade (Catherine Pooler Inks).

Extras: Big Bat Die (Simon Says Stamp); Seagull die (Waffle Flower); Web cover plate die (Waffle Flower); Boo Die (Lawn Fawn); 

I'm so glad you visited. Have a wicked good day! 

Be safe and

 Come back soon! 🧹💖

Nance 

You Say Witch

Hello again!

Another Halloween card today. 

The second of my trio I made yesterday - 

So a bulk of my die cutting frenzy this weekend was Halloween dies, some new some not so new.  I had a lot of fun putting these cards together in the end after all that cutting.  This one I got in my head last week when I was thinking of what to make for the current Color Hues challenge.  So, thankfully I finally had time to cut and put it together yesterday after being in my brain so long.  

For Following Challenges:

Two Old Bats - October - ATG Halloween

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers - Challenge #255 - H is for Halloween

Card Supplies:  

Stamps: Sentiment (MFT Stamps).

Paper: Neenah 110# Solar White; Watercolor paper (Canson); Fright Night Patterned Paper (Reverse Confetti).

Ink: Tiki Torch and Grape Crush (Catherine Pooler Inks).

Extras: Seagull die (Waffle Flower); Frame die (Penny Black); Hat die - Howl-o-ween (Stampin' Up); Pumpkin die (Memory Box);  Spiders (Catherine Pooler). 

I'm so glad you visited. Have a wicked good day! 

Be safe and

 Come back soon! 🧹💖

Nance 

Hello Fall Friend

Good Morning!

It's been a minute.  We have been on a much needed beach vacation.  Had perfect weather, great company and good food.  However, a little bittersweet as we all were continually thinking about our fellow NCers in the mountains and all the devastation from Helene.  Dave and I also were prepared to have to go to Greenville, SC and get his dad and stepmom had their power not been back on later last week.  Thankfully they got their power back last Tuesday and are ok, just lots of limbs and debris in their yard and lost all the food in their fridge.  Some of their neighbors fared a bit worse with trees on the house so very grateful they were ok.

Today is the first really Fall-ish feeling day here in Central NC with cool temps, 60 presently.  It has been hard to stay in Fall mode when it's 80+ and humid. So, my first post today is a Fall card.

This card went to my Stamp Nation Penpal.  How adorable is that Yorkie peeking out of that leaf pile?  That was a quick and easy card to pull together as I already had the background sitting in my UFO background stash.  I just matched up the colors for the leaf pile.  The die for the leaf pile comes with an extra little die that cuts a slit if you want to have something "peeking" out of the pile.  I cut the tree die from watercolor paper and inked it up and added the sentiment.

For Following Challenges:

Four Seasons Challenge - October ATG

I'm so glad you visited. Have a creative day! Be safe!

 Come back soon! 💖

Nance 

 

Just A Note

Good Afternoon!

Hope if you've been in the path of Helene that you're safe, dry and sound.  I did see the news recently that at least 1 Million people are without power presently in SC and NC.  So, please be safe.  Here in central NC, the rains have gone and the sun is out slightly.  Luckily we just had some torrential downpours and some gusty winds.  Nothing any worse than a couple weeks ago. Presently, my inlaws are sitting in western SC without power but safe and sound. So prayers to all for safety as Helene ventures farther north and then east. 

I did use the sloppy day to do a little crafting and here is a clean and simple one - - -

I've had this pooh bear image colored for a bit and it seemed perfect for the Addicted To CAS challenge.  I kept it very CAS with just the sentiment and a notebook border die punch on top.  I almost forgot I had that die as it's very old.

For Following Challenges:

Addicted To CAS #267 - Just A Note

Card Supplies: 

Stamps: Pooh Bear stamp (Unity Stamps).

Paper: Neenah 110# Solar White

Ink: Copics - Y13, Y15, Y17, E13, E23. E25, BG05.

Extras: Notebook border die (EK by AmericanCrafts).

I'm so glad you visited. Have a creative day! Be safe!

 Come back soon! 💖

Nance 

 

Make A Wish

Hello Monday Evening!

 A quick post tonight with a sweet card...

A while back Unity Stamps had a nice sale, maybe last spring or summer, I don't remember and I had to jump on getting a couple of their Winnie The Pooh stamps.  The Hubs is a huge Pooh Fan.  In fact, we decorated the nursery for both our kids (one got the handme downs) in Winnie the Pooh. Dave was in school-aged childcare way back then and had painted some large life size posters of Pooh Bear we hung up.  And, I had actually drawn two pictures in oil pastels from a Pooh book for a Children's Lit course I took in college.  We hung those also.  All of those pictures we still have somewhere in our attic. And this past Halloween Dave got a Pooh costume for himself.  So, we are a Pooh family!  hahaha

For Following Challenges:

Tic Tac Toe Challenge #252

Column #2 - Die Cuts - Free- Any Sentiment

Krafty Chicks Challenge #726- All Occasions

Card Supplies: 

Stamps: Winnie the Pooh (Unity Stamps); Flower stamp - Clover & Blooms (Catherine Pooler); Sentiment -

Paper: Spectrum Noir Alcohol Ink Smooth cardstock; Neenah 110 lb Solar White cardbase; Summer Pick N Mix patterned paper(Catherine Pooler).

Ink: Be Mine, It's A Girl, Garden Party, all That Jazz (Catherine Pooler Inks); Copics.

Extras: Scallop oval die (Catherine Pooler); Flower die (Catherine Pooler); Banner die (Reversed Confetti). 

Thought I'd share our long time ago artwork of Winnie the Pooh:

Dave's 1989

                                                                               

  

 Mine 1988

Dave in his Pooh costume

I'm so glad you stopped by my blog. 

 Have a great week! Come back soon! 💖

Nance