Guest Designer for C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #371 - Polkadoodles Winnie's Winterland Card

 

Hey there from Nannyland,

Today I'm delighted and very honored for the opportunity to be a Guest Designer for C.R.A.F.T. Challenge 371.  The theme is Christmas and the sponsor is one of my all-time favorite card-making and craft supply companies, Polkadoodles.  

For my card I chose this beautiful digital stamp called Winnie's Winterland to create a frosty Nordic scene.  I colored this darling image with Copic markers, including the drawing and shading of Winnie's facial features.  The original stamp has a very adorable simply drawn face, but I chose to add some personality with a little more detail.  

I backed my scene with digital water color paper to mimic the Northern Lights.  The frame was created in Cricut Design Space and cut out with silver metallic card stock.  The sentiment was also created with my Cricut using the Design Space writing and off-set features.

It's never too early to start thinking about Christmas cards and I'm excited that I have this one to get me in the holiday spirit.  I hope I have inspired you to do some Christmas creating also.  The holidays will be here before we know it! 

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

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

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

                                                                    Playing along with:

Digi Choosday Challenge - Wk 34

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #168

Dream Valley Challenge #321

613 Avenue Create August Challenge

A Gem of a Challlenge Wk17

Allsorts Challenge Wk 795

Polkadoodles Challenge - Wk 34

Classic Design Challenge #8

Creative Fingers Challenge #283

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #258

Get Up, Dress Up - Lori Holt Millie's Dresses Wall Hanging

 Look your best and you will think and act your best. 

Hey there from Nannyland,

I've been patiently waiting for just the right quilt block to exemplify my life's mantra and I found the perfect one in this beautiful vintage dress block called  Millie's Dresses by Lori Holt.  The minute I saw it I knew I was going to make a wall hanging for Nannyland with a sign above it symbolizing the daily motto I have followed since I was a teenager.

I'm going to confess to what may be a controversial practice in today's "free to be me" climate.  I have been engaging in an obsessive ritual that some might consider compulsive at worst and quirky at best.  I've been getting up every morning, since I was a teenager, dressing in an outfit appropriate to be seen in public, and  completing a full hair and makeup routine.  My daily mantra is always "Get Up, Dress Up."  There, I've said it.  My girls can back me up on this.  No matter what my daily challenge is, be it toothache, earthquake, surgery, cancer treatment, family crisis, girls camp...you name it, I'm going to be looking as spiffy as possible to greet the opportunities and challenges of the new day.  

Now, some of you might be thinking, "Could she be more vain?," but I have found the affect is just the opposite.  Once I've taken care of my own grooming, I don't think about it the rest of the day and I can go about my activities with confidence.  I can smile at strangers and engage with the people I meet, look for ways to do service, welcome visitors to my home without peering through a crack in the door, do errands any time for myself and others, hang with the people I love and just generally be present in the world.

I get this is not for everyone. The majority of my friends and family look and feel fabulous everyday, as they should, without focusing on eye shadow color or hair gel.  And don't get me started on those people with the thick mermaid hair, long dark lashes and glowing skin that don't ever need to look in a mirror!  This is just a ME thing that has helped me get through some difficult times, feeling like I can take on the day with faith and composure.  

I ended up in emergency a couple of weeks ago with some pesky blood clots and was happy that I had on full make up to offset the very unattractive, ill-fitting gown. I'm very happy that not one of my doctors or attendants seemed impressed with my lipstick color, but I, myself, didn't feel like a poor sick old lady who just dragged out of bed, and that meant something to me. The doctor commented on how healthy I was and said he didn't think blood thinners would be a problem for me since I didn't look like a person who falls a lot.  Because I obviously had the wits to apply make up, people! So that's my story and I'm sticking to it.  Get Up, Dress Up. It's worth the effort, I swear. 

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

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

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

Flamingo Anniversary - Spellbinders Grand Tropical Flamingos Large Die of the Month

 A happy heart is like good medicine, but a broken spirit drains your strength. 
Proverbs 17:22 

Hey there from Nannyland,

On August 15 my husband and I celebrated 56 years of wedded bliss.  Don't do the math please, but in our defense, we were very young when we got married.  This year I knew I was going to use these darling Spellbinders flamingos and was so excited to start my fun creation.  Then, as often happens in the aging season of life, I had an emergency visit to the hospital for blood clots (eek) and several stressful medical encounters thereafter related to my breast cancer saga.  I really just wanted to hide under some big pink flamingo feathers and hibernate.  But that's no way to go about life when challenges threaten to take you down.  So, as usual,  I secluded myself in Nannyland and went to work trying to design a card with my limited mojo.

One step at a time, my card came together and I ended up with something that expresses my love for my extremely supportive hubby who bears all my burdens with me with calm patience and optimism.  I cut my flamingos and leaves out of white card stock and shaded them with Copic markers.  The detailed layers on Spellbinders dies make it simple to create stunning dimension without much thought.  I wasn't sure if my Anna Griffin background die was too busy, but I actually like the lattice screen look it gives my card.  I couldn't help zhuzhing up my cute flamingo couple with the crown that comes in the die set and some small flowers from other sets.  I was actually a little shocked that my card came together so easily with stress zapping my energy, but I really like the results and so did my hubby.  

I'm an advocate for the healing powers of creativity.  The blissfully calm hours I've spent creating during some of life's most difficult times have proven to be life savers for me throughout my whole life and especially during my 19-year breast cancer saga.  Thanks to many blessings from a loving God, I'm still here, still creating, and still loving it.

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 Times Challenge #169

Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #231

The Paper Funday Challenge #68

Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #474

A Perfect Time to Craft Challenge #8

Ally's Angels Challenge #85

Morgan's Artworld Challenge #79

Once Upon A Time Challenge #25

PINspirational Challenge #316

Classic Design Challenge #8

Spellbinders Cat Lover's Birthday Card - Have a Purrfect Celebration

 People that don't like cats haven't met the right one yet. 

Hey there from Nannyland,

With two crazy cat lady daughters (they happily answer to that moniker) and several cat-lover friends, I couldn't resist adding this adorable Spellbinders Big Cat die set to my collection. The dies are large enough to create a shaped A2 card and just the right size for my usual preferred 5 x 7 base. The basic die has several layers to create dimension and detail, and the accessory die set has lots of festive add-on's to bring personality to an already charming kitty.

I admit, I have always thought of myself as a dog person, but when a large and very gorgeous disheveled black cat wandered into my back yard many years ago looking for food, I became a duel dog/cat fan. Tawnzie lived in our yard for almost 20 years and I still think of her with heartfelt fondness and miss her tremendously.  I appreciate the  uniqueness of all God's cuddly creations and dearly love my two darling grand-cats.  

My good friend in California has a frisky black and white cat she calls "Trouble," so I knew she would appreciate this card for her August birthday.  I loved dressing him up for a birthday celebration with quirky candle glasses and adding a festive circle die embellished with stars for the background. All the layers fit together perfectly with embossing details to guide with the layering.  I love how this little guy turned out.  So much crafty fun!!!

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

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

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

                                                                         Playing along with:

The Paper Funday Challenge #67

Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #473

Avenue 613 Avenue Create July Challenge

Crafting Happiness Challenge #185

As You Like It Challenge - Cats or Dogs - (See above)

A Place to Start July Challenge

A Perfect Time to Craft August Challenge

Critter Crazy Challenge #89

Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge #79

Classic Design Challenge #07

Craft Rocket Challenge #117