Come Away With Me - A Masculine Valentine Adventure

Come forth into the light of things. Let nature be  your teacher. 

William Wordsworth

Copic markers, Cricut Design Studio frames and sentiments, white gel pen, 

gold metallic card stock, Kit and Clowder Lighthouse Stamp from online class

Hey there,

Several years ago, I enjoyed taking one of my favorite card classes called "Masculine Cards" where we made several cards with a masculine theme in just one class.  I returned home feeling satisfied and maybe a little cagey,  with a fistful of manly cards to give to my husband throughout the year for all his important occasions.  That class is long gone (though I'm still good friends with the teacher) and I'm finding my skills at masculine card-making have not improved over the years.  It's not because I lack a gene for using neutrals and metal.  I think it's because I just don't try. 

I had the best time breaking away from my girlie card rut to create an actual legit well-thoughtout valentine card for my husband that actually required me to challenge myself in a new direction with my coloring.  I found an amazing Kit and Clowder on line class in my video files and decided to give ocean waves and aged concrete a go.  It turned out to be super fun and I think, with a little practice, I will have some valuable techniques in my coloring "tool box." 

I'll admit.  This card took me some serious sustained concentration with my tongue in the right place.  And there were times when I knew things would never come together.  But in the end, I like the results and I'm so happy to present a meaningful message created from my heart to my favorite valentine in the world. 

Thanks for visiting.

Go forth and challenge yourself in a new exciting direction.

Nancy

Playing along with:

 A Place to Start February Challenge - Masculine

Colouring in Scrapland February Challenge

Dream Valley Challenge 219

Just Us Girls Challenge 524

Brown Sugar Challenge 298

Creative Fingers Challenge 180

QKR Stampede Challenge 

CCC Digi Creations Challenge 111

Love to Craft Challenge 43

Pattie's Creations Challenge 167

Pretty Pink Petal Skirt - Julie Nutting Paper Doll

You were placed on this earth to create, not to compete. 

Robert Anthony

Hey there,

I've been dying to create another Julie Nutting paper doll because they're such fun to dress and embellish.  I was ecstatic at the thought of making a flower petal skirt for this little sweetie and I think it turned out pretty cute. I enjoy dressing these little girls so much, and since I've started adding faces to them, they're a little more my style. I like the faceless originals also, but I really prefer to see some personality looking back at me when I'm making wardrobe decisions. 

I often use beautiful designer papers for my backgrounds rather than creating originals from scratch... kinda like my cooking,  I like the process and the results of creating something imaginative; I just don't like the clean-up.   I have tons of dazzling dp in my stash just waiting to be auditioned, tempting me to skip all the painting,  stenciling and stamping hoopla and concentrate on coloring my foreground images. For this card,  I originally cut out a tag card base in Cricut Design Studio,  but I ended up cutting off the tab after the card was finished.  I decided to forego the ribbon tassels this time and go for a simpler look.  I have plans to expand my creative horizons by working on some fun mixed media backgrounds very soon.   Just like I plan to make some tasty new recipes.  It could happen.  

I had the honor of speaking at a baptism for a darling little eight-year-old girl last weekend and I think she liked this dainty little card, sort of a valentine and congratulations card combined.  She calls me "Fancy Nancy".  She melts my heart. 

Thanks for visiting.

Go forth and play enthusiastically with some stamps you love.

Nancy

Playing along with:

Coloring in Scrapland - February Challenge

Crafty Cardmakers - Challenge #250 

Creativ Fusion Arts & Crafts - Challenge #15

Creations in Pink - Challenge #19

Daisy Chain Challenges - Challenge #38

Love to Scrap - Challenge # 130

Tales From the Craft Room - Challenge #2

Daring Cardmakers -  Someone or Something You Love

QKR Stampede Challenge #385

My Time to Craft Challenge #425

Live Life in Full Bloom - Prima Princess Stella

Bloom as if you want to make the whole world beautiful. Debasish Mridha

Prima Princess Stella cling stamp, Copic makers, Spellbinders frame die,
Cricut cutting and writing, gold leafing pen, white gel pen

Hey there,

It seems like forever since I've used an actual rubber stamp for my coloring, so  I was thrilled  to look through my stash and discover THIS gorgeous cling stamp called Stella  from Prima's  Princess collection.  I love her large size, which is made to fit my favorite 5 x 7 inch card dimension. There are several amazing images in this collection and I think I have almost all of them. I colored her in Copics and trimmed her to fit  a 4 x 6 inch panel.  I edged the panel with a gold leafing pen and mounted it on a slightly larger black panel.  The black frame die is from Spellbinders.  I sized the ribbon banner in Cricut  Design Space and used the Cricut writing feature to print the sentiment.  I thought the corners were a little boring for this frilly card, so I trimmed them with a Crop-A-Dile and added a small gold gem.

I have several of these pretty Princesses on my desk just waiting to be colored and fancied up for cards.   Don't you love finding forgotten treasures in your stash?!

Thanks for visiting.
Go forth and discover some forgotten cherished treasures in your stash. 
Nancy
Playing along with:

Crafty Creations Challenge #406

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday February Challenge

Paper Shelter Challenge #414

Artsy Stamper Challenge #9

613 Avenue Create Challenge #230
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge #125

Stamping Sensations February Challenge 
The Crafter's Cafe Challenge #235
Sweet Stampers Challenge #41

My Punny Valentines, Part Deux - Lori Whitlock Pop Up Box Cards

If you would be loved,  love and be lovable.

Benjamin Franklin

It's that delightful time of year again when we get to unabashedly declare our love and appreciation to those we adore.  If I had the time and energy,  I would send hundreds of cards to friends, family and even some congenial acquaintances who go about their lives every day making people feel special.

Last year I purchased a couple of fantastic pop-up box card valentine bundles from Lori Whitlock's svg shop and I couldn't wait to revisit them this year to choose some new adorable punny cards.  As I did last year, I made multiples of four valentines, so I'd have some variety for the many valentines I make each year but I could also do some assembly line magic. Did I mention I LOVE Valentines Day? There are still some really darling files waiting in the que for next year. 

I uploaded my four svg cutting files into Cricut Design Space and sized them for 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 cards (when closed).  I used my cutting and writing features to print the sentiments and then die cut the file pieces on my Maker.  All the pieces fit together perfectly and, although it required a serious time commitment,  they were super easy to assemble.  Here's Lori's easy-to-follow YouTube tutorial.  I searched my stash for blingy embellishments like sequins, beads, rhinestones, washi tape, brads...anything that would add to their kitschy appeal. 

The difficult part is always deciding which card fits which recipient.  Gushy sentiments lend themselves to a variety of applications, but it comes down to the decision of deciding whether someone would rather be considered cute or cool.  I'd go with cute...but that's just me. 

Thankfully, everyone in my love orb is sorta cute, very cool and has a gigantic piece of my heart, so I think I'm covered here.

Thanks for visiting.
Go forth and make someone's day by sending them a heartfelt snail mail love note.
Nancy

Playing along with:

         Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #375

        Double D Challenge Hearts Challenge      

The Card Concept Challenge #128 - Clean and Layered Style

Paper Funday Challenge #14

Try it on Tuesday - Share the Love

Bitten by the Bug - Valentine's Anything Goes

Get Creative Challenge #88

Make My Monday Challenge #115

UnstampaBelles Challenge - Who Am I?

SheepSki Designs Challenge #35

DT For Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge #2 - Morgan Fitzsimons Fantasy Fae Digi Stamp

Once in awhile, right in the middle of ordinary life, 

love gives us a fairytale. 

Morgan Fitzsimons Fantasy Fae Digi Stamp 22, Copic markers, gold leafing pen,

 rhinestones, red and black card stock, dp

Hey there,

It's time again for another fabulous challenge at Morgan's ArtWorld.   I loved creating a modern, sophisticated valentine card using Morgan's stylish Fantasy Fae Digi Stamp 22  to inspire you this month. This fashionable "Queen of Hearts" is encircled with a scroll heart frame, which I sized  in Cricut Design Space and cut with my Cricut Maker.  The sentiment is also printed and cut in Design Space.  I added rhinestone embellishments to the frame and edged the sentiment with gold.  My trendy fae is adhered to a 5 x 7 card base with mounting tape for extra dimension.  I hope you like this chic, classy fairy. Not all the magical fairies in my craft room look like Tinkerbell.

The new challenge runs from February 1 through  February  27.   
The theme is always "Anything Goes" and you can use any image or project.
 Join in this fabulous challenge HERE.

      Morgan has a new shop that will be fully open soon and there are some beautiful digi images available now for purchase HERE.  

We  would like to invite you to our Morgan’s ArtWorld Facebook Group.

Please come and join our Group HERE.

Please join us for this fun challenge.  We can't wait to see what you create!

Thanks for visiting.

Go forth and find the joy in entering a Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge. 

Nancy

Playing along with:

        Always Fun Challenge #147

        Crafting Happiness Challenge #33

        Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenge #2004

        Arty Divas Challenge #14

        Simon Says Stamp - All Loved Up

        Color Crazy Challenge - Week 4

        Creative Fingers Challenge #178

        World Wide Open Design Team Challenge - January