Sweet Birthday Girl - Lana Green Genoise Digital Stamp

There is no greater joy nor greater reward than to make a fundamental
difference in someone's life.    Sister Mary Rose McGeady

Hey there from Nannyland,

I've adored my darling, angelic friend, Dona, since we were babies (our early 40's).  Through the years, she has become a cherished kindred spirit and neighbor.  Our mutual silliness has provided us with indescribable joy and saved us a fortune in therapy costs.   We met in California when we were raising our young families and shared many delightful times together, escorting our children to activities and events.  After years of separation, we are now happily living in the same town again and enjoying life in our new stage of life.  Her heartfelt prayers and listening ears have helped me through some tough health challenges recently.  

The one thing I find  most difficult about her, though, is her youthful appearance.  She is close to my age but looks at least ten years  younger. She is a gorgeous, slender redhead with loads of professionally highlighted beach curls that attract attention and compliments wherever we go. So annoying. 😀

I chose to color this adorable image called Genoise from Lana Green Art for Dona's birthday card because it reminds me of her back in the day when she wore her hair in a bob similar to this.  I knew I could mimic all the red and blond highlights with my Copics and that sweet, cherubic face was perfect to capture her sunny disposition.   Her favorite color is aqua and she loves silver accents, so I added my favorite color,  red, which creates MY favorite color scheme. It's not all about her!  I supplemented my silver scalloped background panel with a glittery aqua frame cut in Cricut Design Studio.  The sentiment tag was also created in Cricut Design Studio using the cutting and writing features.  Tiny pearl gems and glitter hearts were used for accents.

Happily, Dona loved her card. There's a pretty mushy note inside. Isn't it a blessing that we can sift through our art supplies and come up with personalized creations for all our favorite people? It's an awesome way to show we appreciate their fabulously unique qualities. 

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit. 
Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)
                                                              Playing along with:

A Perfect Time to Craft Challenge #1

Ally's Angels #90

Classic Design Challenge #1

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge 131

Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge #84

613 Avenue Create January

A Gem of a Challenge #1

My Time to Craft Challenge #551

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Passion for Markers Week 771

Dreaming of a Secret Gate - Fantasy Journal Pages with Zan Von Zed Digital Stamp

Take time first thing to visualize an incredible day.   Robin Howard

Hey there from Nannyland,

It's nice to begin the New Year with a dream of an intriguing new road or magical secret gate just around the bend.  I'm anxious and eager for a change in my path this coming year because,  although the one I've been on has been loaded with amazing learning and growing opportunities, it has been way too bumpy with obstacles for my liking! 

I'll never grow too old to fantasize about being a princess on an ornate balcony in the fanciest of frocks with nothing else to do but survey my vast kingdom. Zan Von Zed is one of my favorite artists when it comes to regal ladies and this one seems perfectly content in her "castle-in-the-forest" setting.  I loved coloring the layers of her gorgeous gown in jewel toned shades of Copics and adding rhinestones for sparkly decorative trim.  

I found some beautiful background DP to mimic a balcony and forest landscape and was happy that her fussy cut image tucked into the scene perfectly.  Since the paper wasn't quite large enough to fill the opposite page, I used some pretty marbled DP to expand the space. I created my inspiration quote in Cricut Design Space using the cutting and writing features, then added a few journal-friendly flat die cut flowers to adorn my tag.

Hanging on my patio pergola is a vintage sign leading into my backyard that says "Secret Garden." It's one place I love to go this time of year to drink warm cider and read a favorite book. I'm sure any princess would love it there as much I as do. That's where I'm planning to hang out whenever possible this year. I hope you have a cozy, restful escape where you can feel joy, contentment and peace of mind and visualize the fantastic things to come.   Happy New Year! 

  

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.
I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit. 
Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)
                                                              Playing along with:

My Time to Craft Challenge #550

Time Out Challenge #279

Digi Choosday Wk50

A Perfect Time to Craft January Challenge

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Classic Design Challenge #12

Love to Scrap Challenge #171

The Creative Crafters Challenge #83

Morgan's Artworld Challenge #84

Passion for Markers Challenge Wk 769

Christmas Cards - Spellbinders Cozy Toes Slippers

"Christmas is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand,
 and for a talk beside the fire: it is time for home".

 Hey there from Nannyland,

It's been a while since I've posted a blog and I can explain, Lucy.  What a wild roller coaster ride we've been on here, with lots of exhilarating ups and unforeseen downs.  We were able to see both of our darling daughters during the weeks surrounding Thanksgiving, but due to a series of unfortunate events, we weren't all together at once as we had hoped.  My daughter from Copenhagen caught a nasty cold while visiting friends in Sacramento. My other daughter from Pacific Grove, California took a two day road trip to be here for our much anticipated Thanksgiving family reunion.  But she and I have compromised immune systems so my sniffling daughter was unable to be with us on Thanksgiving.  In my defense, my oncologist told me if I got sick on my new meds I would have to go to emergency and she forbade me to let anyone who even had a slight tickle in their throat enter my home. So my daughter ended up extending her trip so she could see us after she got better.  All was well in the end, but you know what they say about the best laid plans.  

I haven't been able to soak up the comforting creative energy in Nannyland for weeks and I'm feeling the consequences. I almost decided to forgo my annual limited addition Christmas cards this year, but then I realized that sending handmade notes to the people I love would be a very uplifting and healing pursuit.  And, happily, it was just that.  

My cards are simple this year, but gluing together all the cute details of these Spellbinders slippers did take some time.  I love how fanciful and cheerful they turned out and I'm happy to say, I mailed most of them yesterday.  Now I just have to get some Christmas baskets ready for friends and wrap a quilt that I'm giving to a special angel of mine who could use a quilty hug. Who would have thought all the hustle and bustle of Christmas would be so energizing to a anxious mind and fragile body.   

I hope you are enjoying this beautiful season and all the wonderful meaning and symbolism that surrounds it.  Merry Christmas and a healthy, happy, prosperous New Year, y'all. 

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.
I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit. 
Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

                                                                 Playing along with:

As You Like it Challenge - Anything Christmasy

Moving Along With The Times Challenge 173

Little Red Wagon Challenge #787

A Cut Above December Challenge

A Place to Start December Challenge

The Cutie Pie Challenge #201

Classic Design Challenge #12

Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge #83

613 Avenue Create December Challenge

A Perfect Time to Craft Challenge #11

Reading Books in Cozy Nooks - Journal Pages With Zekesami Emma Digital Stamp

In the winter she curls up around a good book and dreams away the cold.

Hey there from Nannyland,

When the crisp cool weather of winter begins, one of my favorite ways to relax is soaking up the brisk air as I sit on my patio reading a good book.  A snuggly warm jacket and a cup of warm apple cider are all I need to take me to my happy place.

Emma, the darling girl in this Zekesami digi, looks like she is exactly where she wants to be on a cool, winter's day.  I have colored her with Copic markers using warm citrus green and orange hues combined with cool winter shades of blue.  I fussy cut the image and mounted her on a lacy oval die cut frame and surrounded her with  bejeweled snowflake accents.  I was excited to find tiny matching green brads in my stash to add dimension to the front of her sweater. The dots on her mug were made with green and white fine line markers.  

                                      

I wasn't sure about my color palette when I started coloring, but I really like this mix of cool and warm non-traditional colors.  I'm having such fun branching out from my favorite color palettes and experimenting with some new combinations. The inspiration page was created using the Cricut cutting and writing features. 

Cool and warm, crisp and cuddly, I love all the contradictions of winter.  I hope you are looking forward to the magic of the season as much as I am.

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.
I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit. 
Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)
                                                              Playing along with:

Craft Rocket Challenge #120

Time Out Challenge #276

Little Red Wagon Challenge #782

Passion for Markers Week 765

A Cut Above November Challenge

A Perfect Time to Craft Challenge #11

Ally;s Angels Challenge #88

Classic Design Challenge #11

Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge #82

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #261

Bee Still and Know Journal Pages - Jeremiah Ketner Honey Bee Digital Stamp

Be still and know that I am God.     Psalm 46:10

Hey there from Nannyland,

One of the best things about being a colorist is that I'm able to sit quietly and let my thoughts wander to lovely places while I serenely add color and shading to my project. The only other pursuit I can think of that offers this kind of rest to my soul is walking in nature. Oh, and maybe quilting. When the world seems to be in a constant state of  chaos, sitting down to color a beautiful piece of art, preferably a gorgeous lady in my case, whispers to me to slow down and breathe. 

I chose a  tranquil image called  Honey Bee by Jeremiah Ketner to sooth my restless inner dialog and it didn't take long before my coloring took me away to my happy place.

I cut a gold foil frame in Cricut Design Space and sized it to my journal page and image. The blooms were created by adhering beaded flowers from my stash to purple foil card stock and then fussy cutting them.  It's always a delight to find treasures in my gem drawer that can be adapted for use on my creations.  A jar on my embellishment shelf is full of punched swirls in every color, ready to add sparkly accents to my flowers in place of leaves for a stylish flair. 

The idea for my inspiration page came from the cute bee necklace my pretty miss is wearing.  The metallic bee accent on the tag was created in Cricut Design Space.

I hope I have inspired you to engage in the things you love that bring you peace and joy.

    

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.
I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit. 
Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)
                                                              Playing along with:

Moving Along With The Times Challenge 172

A Pefect Time to Craft Challenge #11

Classic Design Challenge #10

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge #129

love to Scrap Challenge #170

613 Avenue Create November Challenge

CD Sunday Plus Challenge #146

Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge #82

Sweet Picture Perfect Autumn - Spellbinders September 2024 Large Die of the Month

Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.
F. Scott Fitzgerald

Hey there from Nannyland,

I'm always excited to snag my Spellbinders Large Die of the Month out of my mailbox each month!  I'm never disappointed at the wonderfully designed dies inside the package.  September's gorgeous set of dies called Picture Perfect Autumn contains dies of all sizes and shapes for creating beautiful fall scenes. The sky is literally the limit.  I chose to use a slimline card format to allow me the real-estate to include some fabulous oversized sunflowers in the foreground to give my scene a fun perspective. 

Sponging and Copic coloring work best for me with my die cuts because it's so easy to create just the right color and texture.  It's also much easier for me to cut the dies out using white card stock instead of hunting for just the right color in my huge stash.   

I couldn't help adding lots of Stickles sparkle to the flowers and trees and I think it adds just the right amount of shine and texture to my already cheerful scene.  The bird and mini flowers are dies from some cute Impression Obsession sets I bought many years ago to add dainty details to my nature scenes.  And, of course, I had to add a little bling to my mini flower centers with small gems. 

Happy fall, y'all.  I hope your world is a beautiful wash of stunning warm hues like the ones I see out of my window in my comfy desert home. 

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.
I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit. 
Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)
                                                              Playing along with:

Craft Rocket Challenge #119

Creative Knockouts Challenge #533

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #603

Sisterhood of Crafters October Challenge

The Paper Funday Challenge #70

A Perfect Time to Craft Challenge #11

Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge #82

The Creative Crafters #81

A Place To Start October Challenge

Dream Valley Challenge #324

Leave a Little Room for Miracles - Mariola Budek Lady Spring digi

Miracles happen to those who believe in them.   Bernard Berenson

Hey there from Nannyland,

It's still a wild ride over here with some pretty intense medical issues going on at our house, but I'm making sure I find time to relax, take deep breaths and color some beautiful inspiration for my art journals.  When it feels impossible to summon my mojo,  I just dive in and get started until the creative juices begin to flow. They have never failed me and  I love feeling like my old self again. I thank God everyday for my magnificent obsession with paper arts and quilting that allow me to escape into a bright, magical world of color and creativity. 

The lovely image I colored here is called Lady Spring from the artwork of Mariola Budek.  I usually have a color scheme in mind, but this time I just started laying down color until I liked what I saw. Instead of using soft, spring colors for the flowers I ended up going with more of a Fall palette and added lots of Spellbinders die cut blooms to add dimension and movement. 

My inspiration sentiment has meant so much to me during these stressful times. I wanted to create something I could look at as I flip through my journal pages and remember the amazing miracles and tender mercies that have lifted me up the past couple of months.  

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit. 

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

                                                              Playing along with:

Crafty Catz Challenge #681

Cut it Up Challenge #315

The Paper Funday Challenge #70

A Cut Above October Challenge

Dream Valley Challenge #324

A Perfect Time to Craft October Challenge #9

Classic Design Challenge #10

Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge #81