A Fresh Start...

I think everyone deserves a fresh start every now and then.  I'm taking a fresh start into blogging again about everything that interests me!  I'm starting a new blog called The Crafting Nanni.  That's what my grandkids think I am so I'm going to embrace it!

My grandchildren make me so happy.  My girls and sons-in-law thrill me with how wonderful, kind, and caring they all are.  My church family feeds my soul in ways I don't get anywhere else.  My girlfriends are the absolute best and make me laugh so hard I tinkle.  Not gonna lie, life is really good.

I love to sew, knit, papercraft, read, get lost in genealogy.  I love Christmas and could leave my tree up all year long and not get tired of it.  I love photography and the beach.  Food trucks are the best things ever, and I'm trying to be healthier.  I love Easter and each year it gives me hope.

Speaking of a fresh start, what is sweeter and more refreshing than watermelon in the summertime?  Nothing if  you ask me!  My granddaughters, Alaina and Raylee, have the cutest friend, Emmalynn, who they met at dance class.  This child could and would dance her life away!  We had a driveby birthday party for her and I had the perfect card to make for her.  This is my version of Ballet Marci and some of the dies from Club La-La Land Crafts monthly kits.  This one is from March 2018 and I've used it like 6 times with ballet recitals and just for fun!  

Isn't she just the cutest thing?!  She is colored with copies and I still need to work on her hair.  One thing at a time, I say!  Below is the inside.  The balloon and the package on the front and the slippers and tutu are from the same set from La-La Land Crafts and the Birthday cutouts are from the August 2019 monthly set.

I need to get my photo box set back up and some more coloring under my belt.  I've found some really great classes that I've been taking so hopefully my folds in clothing, hair and other things will come around.  But as long as I'm happy with it, I'm good with that!  

I plan to enter that sweet girl into a few challenges, like:

1.  Crafty Friends Challenge Blog

2.  Colour Crazy Challenge

3.  As You Like It Challenge Blog

Just a few this time to start out.  We'll see what happens!

After all, it's just a fresh start...

Love,

Susan

September Pencil Class - Flowers!

I know it's been a while but I'm jumping back into blogging and paper crafting.  I needed a break from working so hard and I needed some relaxation.  I've found a really wonderful group to be associated with, Kit and Clowder facebook group, and absolutely love all of the inspiration and ideas Alyce Keegan is so talented and one of the best instructors and people I've ran across in such a long time! I get so much inspiration and encouragement from the facebook group that it's made it so easy to get back into coloring  I took some time with the newest Pencil class I did and am so glad I did!  Here are some pictures of how the class progressed for me:

 Day 1: I did just the first video and this is just one of the flowers I worked up.

Day 2:

I really liked how the twine came out!  It's the little things!

Day 3:  Seeing how the butterfly came out really made me happy!

Day 4: Adding these two flowers really made the picture start to pop right off the page.

The end result:  I still need to work on blending the background, but before I started being serious with these classes, I never would have even tried a background, let alone the flowers! 

If you've seen any of my blog posts from way back, you know flowers aren't my specialty - cute or sassy girls are.  While I have a lot to learn and practice up on, I'm having more fun now than I did before!  These were all done with Prismacolor Pencils and I used some Gamsol to blend the background out.  I absolutely loved how this came out.  More than how it came out, I totally loved the experience of just doing something for the relaxation of it. 

Recipe:

Kit and Clowder September Pencil Class
Prismacolor pencils

I hope you'll stop by again to see what else I have going on.  Have a great evening!

Fairy Birthday for my sweet Emma

My first granddaughter turned 9 in July and we had a blast!  This girl is so amazing and tough!  She can smack a softball like no one's business and do some serious butt kicking in karate!  She's got some of the thickest hair I've ever seen, and believe me between my three girls and 4 granddaughters, I've seen and dealt with a lot!  Emma is always sweet to me and always wants me to show her how to do something, knitting, crochet, and I can see us sewing together in the future.  I love her to the moon and back and had to make a special card just for her.

Most of the birthday cards I made for my granddaughters come from my favorite, Miss Elisabeth Bell!  I simply adore her images and can never get enough of them.  For Emma's card, I used lots or purples (which I don't normally use), and had such a blast coloring her up!

 True to form for me, she's got stickles all over her and the frame and flowers are done with Spellbinder dies and the Swiss Dot embossing folder from Cuttlebug addes some texture to her.  Oh, and I can never forget the pearls!  Oh, how I love me some pearls!

For anyone who was stopped by, thank you so much!  I'm back in the swing and hope to be back with some fun cards and silly stories.

Enjoy!

Norwex - Making Things Cleaner and Greener

I've taken off on a great adventure as a Sales Consultant for Norwex products!  I'm hook on anything that can make my life easier, cleaner, and greener.  These products make cleaning quicker and without the need for all the chemicals that come in commercial cleaners.  For the most part all you need is water and some of these amazing microfiber cloths and you're off towards a healthier lifestyle. 

I'll be back with more on them and my Pampered Chef as well as some adorable cards I've got sitting on my craft table that I just need to put together!

Hope to hear from some of you soon!

Sweet Baby Ray-Ray and Valentines

It has been a while but I'm getting my mojo back.  Today is a day of celebration for my Sweet Baby Ray-Ray, really Raylee, because she's three years old today!  Isn't she just a doll?

She makes me happy just being around her and she makes my heart so full.  Happy Day sweet baby girl!

 

I also finally made a couple of cards and I was pretty proud of them! 

 

This one is Miss Kelly Von Sweet from Polkadoodles and she's colored with Tim Holtz Distressed Ink Markers. They are quickly becoming one of my favorite digital companies!  I'm still working on my coloring skills because I'm so rusty, but at least I'm trying!  If you really need help, I highly recommend Kit and Clowder's classes.  They are so easy to follow and break things down to help you with your blending, light source, mixing colors, everything! 

 

And the second one is Molly's Basket of Love by Connie Fong Art.  I am in love with her cute designs as well!  She's also colored with distressed inks and I added some Stickles to her as well.

 

I just wanted to pop in and say "Hello", and share a little bit of my happiness with whoever might be out there.