Valentine Bike Easel Card - Anna Griffin 3D Bicycle Dies

Anything, everything...little or big...becomes an Adventure,
when the right person shares it.  Kathleen Norris

Hey there from Nannyland,

I've been dying to make this adorable Anna Griffin 3D Bicycle Easel Card for ages and this Valentine's Day seemed like the perfect opportunity to pull out these fabulously detailed dies and start creating. All the parts to this fun bicycle are included in the die set to create some really fun layers, including the basket of flowers, banner and flag. Flowers for the basket are included in the die set, but I used some small Spellbinders flowers from my stash to fill my basket.  Accessorizing the dies was delightful using heart shaped gems and embellishments.  I stamped the labels with sentiment stamps from Hero Arts with a personal message for each of my recipients.  Foam tape on the bottom of the label created the depth I needed to make an easel for my bike. 

I  made four of these cards...one for my husband and one of each of three friends.  When their this cute, you can't make just one!

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

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

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

                                                              Playing along with:

The Sisterhood of Crafters - Red or Pink
The Paper Funday Challenge #73

A Perfect Time to Craft #2

Daisy Chain Challenge #93

Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge #85

A Cut Above February Challenge

613 Avenue Create February Challenge

Cut it Up Challenge #323

Whimsical Journal Pages - Jeremiah Ketner Peony Digi Stamp

 There are many wonderful things that will never be done if you do not do them. 
Charles D. Gill

Hey there from Nannyland,

Sometimes, when we're walking a dimly lit new path, it can be a very unsettling and daunting challenge. As we take those first few tentative steps and realize that both heavenly and earthly angels are surrounding us to illuminate our path, it's a testament to the fact that God knows each one of us and is always there to help us along the way.

This is true for me more than ever right now and I'm so blessed to be encircled by dear friends and family who encourage me and lift me up.  I love retreating to Nannyland for some therapeutic journal coloring to relax me and keep my head in a happy place. 

I used my Whimsical Journal to showcase this gorgeous digi image from Jeremiah Ketner called Peony.  I have chosen a nontraditional cool toned palette to bring her to life in her lush peony garden.  I framed her with a lacy Spellbinders frame that mimics  the sketching on the DP on the opposite page. My inspiration quote was created in Cricut Design Space using the writing feature on a lace doily cut from the image library.  Small gems and gold foil stars are scattered throughout the pages for sparkle. 

I hope I have inspired you to shine your loving, friendly light in the path of someone who is hiking up a lonely, difficult trail.  And grab hold of their hand, while your at it.  They will be forever grateful and you will be blessed in ways you can't imagine. 

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 #2
Beautiful Blossoms Challenge #25

Classic Design Challenge #1

Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge #85

A Cut Above February Challenge

A Place to Start Challenge #020325

Path of Positivity Challenge #128

Polkadoodles Challenge #2. Wk4

613 Avenue Create February

CD Sunday Plus Challenge #151

Believe in Your Selfie - Whimsical Journal Pages with Vera Lane Digi Stamp

Take time first thing to visualize an incredible day. 

 Hey there from Nannyland,

It's a gray, misty day outside my Nannyland window,  but that doesn't stop me from creating a bright, sunshiny world for my adorable Vera Lane image's selfie-snapping stroll.  She's obviously a modern-day Dorothy-type, meandering down the yellow brick road on her way to the Land of  Oz, snapping selfies of her awesome self in a magical, enchanted landscape.

Imagining a colorful landscape with bedazzled primary-colored orbs on curly tree branches is just what I needed today to immerse myself in a happy, peaceful place.  I adore Vera Lane's quirky images and I can't resist creating large soulful eyes to replace the cute dots she draws for a more whacky wide-eyed look.  I drew stripes on my little lady's frock to add some swing and added die cut hearts to the bodice for extra texture in honor of Valentines Day this month.  A few die cut flowers and a butterfly make my scene come to life

I was happy to skip my usual Cricut generated sentiment in exchange for some easy word strips I created on my computer.  

These pages came together very quickly to my delight because my mojo takes a little extra effort due to my recent health challenges.  It's nice to know that my imagination doesn't depend on outside factors in my life, but is ignited by lighthearted energy from within.  True joy lives within our hearts! 

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

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

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

                                                              Playing along with:

613 Avenue Create January Challenge
Stamping Sensations Challenge - Hand Colored
We Love 2 Create Challenge #2

Allsorts Challenge 815

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #608 

Paper Funday Challenge #72

A Perfect Time To Craft Challenge #1

Classic Design Challenge #1

Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge #84

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge #131

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

Seize the Birthday #297

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

Allys's Angels Challenge #89

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