Fancy Dress Slimline - Anna Griffin Paper Dress Dies

Dressing well is a form of good manners.
Tom Ford

Hey there from Nannyland,

I could spend countless hours creating fancy dresses from Anna Griffin's darling paper dress dies.  Oh wait...I DID!  I chose two of the three dies in this adorable set and reacquainted myself with my neglected 6 x 6 double-sided designer paper pads to use for "fabric." I got all giddy choosing coordinating designs for my chic frocks and was obsessed with folding them into stylish origami-style gowns. Zhuzhing them up with lace trim, button gems and elegant jewelry was the frosting on my girly cake. 

I don't own the 3D Anna Armoire die that was designed to hang her dresses, but I wanted mine to take center stage so I checked out the Cricut image library for "Armoire" images.   A pretty layered frame that mimics an armoire was sized to create a background for  my layout.  I chose a dress form instead of a hanger to showcase my designer ensemble and sized it to fit my dress.  

I'm thrilled that I created enough of these adorable dresses to send cards to my friends through the millennium. I can quickly cut the files I have saved in Cricut, change the sentiment in the writing feature, and add my dress to make a card for any occasion.  

I love the gold accent I was able to create in this layered frame.

 My finished image fits a  4 x 9 slimline card with room for embellishing. 

An adorable Spellbinders scissors die cut in silver and a mini flower 

are a cute accent for my sentiment tag.

These first four cards will go my dear talented friends in California to express how much I miss our weekly card making sessions.   Die cutting definitely is taking over a heartfelt place in my maker repertoire. 

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

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

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

                                                          Playing along with:

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #255

The Sisterhood of Crafters Challenge - Ladies

A Place to Start May Challenge

Get Creative Challenge #131

The Perfect Time to Craft #5

Classic Design Challenge #4

Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge #76

Pinspirational Challenge #313

Creative Fingers Challenge #277

Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenge #2418

Morgan's ArtWorld Butterfly Fairy - Fantasy Journal Pages

God's love is wrapping all around you whether you notice it or not. 

Hey there from Nannyland,

The first time I saw a beautiful Morgan's ArtWorld digi image was in a card making class with my dear friend, Arlene, who has been a designer for Morgan for many years.  I was so impressed with her beautiful coloring and asked where her gorgeous stamped image came from. She told me it was digital art, which I knew very little about, and as our conversation progressed,  I learned she was a designer for Morgan.  I grilled her a little on what was required to become a member of this coveted design team and shortly thereafter, I was having my first designer experience creating cards for Morgan's ArtWorld using her incredible images.  

I realized lately that I haven't colored a Morgan image in a while, so when I won this one on her challenge blog, I went right to work creating a journal page for my fantasy journal.  I found some intricate layered die cut butterflies in my stash that I used to replace her digi wings. I also added a vellum layered butterfly to coordinate with the lovely insects Morgan drew on her image  It was a delight zhuzing up her wreath crown with several small beaded die cut flowers.  On the opposite page, I created a butterfly and sentiment in Cricut Design Space and adhered it to a dp background. 

I no longer design for Morgan's ArtWorld but you can check out my design team cards in the Labels side bar of this blog under Morgan's ArtWorld or in her fabulous shop here. I also encourage you to enter her wonderful monthly challenge here.
 

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

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

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

 

                                                                                Playing along with:

Try it on Tuesday Challenge - Fantasy

A Perfect Time to Craft Challenge #5

Ally's Angels Challenge #81

Classic Design Challenge #4

Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge #76

Papercraft Challenge #105

Worldwide Crafters and Colorists Challenge #16

613 Avenue Create Challenge - April

Dragonfly Dreams April Challenge

Cinderella Fantasy Journal Page - Have Courage and Be Kind

The greatest risk any of us will take is to be seen as we are.
Cinderella

 

                                           

Hey there from Nannyland,

I can't believe I actually coaxed my husband into watching the 2015 Disney version of Cinderella with me this week! I guess the Hallmark movies are convincing him that, with the depressing menu on TV now, sometimes a fairytale is the only antidote to falling down the bleak rabbit hole.  Whatever the reason, it was delightful having his company for this enchanting walk down memory lane.  I knew I had this adorable Krista Smith digi in my digital stamp library so I set about coloring her to create a page for my fantasy journal.  I attempted to make a little scene behind her with a Cricut fairy cottage, but I got carried away with  my die cut flowers and pretty much eclipsed the cottage with floral splendor.  Whatever, she rode to the ball on a pumpkin pulled by horses created from mice and doormen morphed from lizards.  A few massive flowers aren't that much of a stretch.  

                                                 

Actually, Cinderella's mom uttered the famous quote on her deathbed that I used for my sentiment.  Simple, direct and so appropriate.  A lovely thing to teach to young folks who need a little direction in their lives to help them form their dreams for the future. I like all my journals, but I think my fantasy one is fast becoming my fave. 

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 #113

Crafty Gals Corner #254

Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #466

The Unicorn Challenge #97

A Place to Start April

Path of Positivity Challenge #120

A Perfect Time to Craft Challenge #4

Classic Design Challenge #4

Worldwide Crafters and Colorists Challenge #16

Choose What Makes Your Heart Bloom - Lendel Art Journal Page

Happiness is when you've gotten really good at being you! 

Hey there from Nannyland,

The burgeoning spring flowers outside my window are getting as big as my head...well almost.  This gorgeous Lendel Art beauty seems to have picked one and has landed in my art journal peaking out with her alluring gaze. What a blissful way to spend a clear spring day, looking out of my sunny Nannyland window, while creating a blossomy page for my journal.  I choose to do what makes my heart bloom and encourage you to do likewise.   

My layered flower was created with a Heartfelt Creations stamp, die and mold.  In the center I have glued tiny clear glass beads that I've colored with a blue Copic marker. I used my markers to add additional shading to my originally pink flower and glued it to a large flower that is part of the digital image.  I attached my image to a swirly Spellbinders die cut frame and added dainty pearls to the corners.  

After attaching designer paper to the opposite page, I created the sentiment tag using the Cricut Design Space writing and cutting features.  I added a layered Tim Holtz die cut butterfly with an embossed vellum layer and some small Spellbinders flowers to adorn my tag. 

What makes your heart bloom?  Find out and then joyfully do it.

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

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

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

                                                        Playing along with:

Crafty Gals Corner #254

Fab'n'Funky Challenge #593

The Sisterhood of Crafters - Showers or Flowers

A Perfect Time to Craft Challenge #4

Classic Design Challenge #4

Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge #75

Sparkles - April Showers Bring May Flowers

Worldwide Crafters and Colorists Challenge #16

A Place to Start April Challenge

Aud Sentiments Challenge #312

Dreaming Tree Fleurette Card with Copic Makers

Like a wildflower, you must allow yourself to grow
in all the places people thought you never would. 

Hey there from Nannyland,

While searching in my Dreaming Tree svg library for a project for my friend's birthday, which resulted in this fun taqueria treat box, I realized that I have tons of beautiful svg's there just vying for my attention.  I found this darling girl called Fleurette and went to work creating a spring card for my daughter's April birthday.  

Dreaming Tree designs are always super clever with lots of incredible details.  This cute girl has many layers which fit together nicely and create amazing dimension.  As a Copic colorist, I prefer to cut the smaller shapes out on white card stock and shade with markers.  In this case, I started by shading the clothes, sun, background flowers, and hair layers. I removed the original cuts for the face in the svg with the contouring feature in Cricut Design Space, to create a smooth surface for me to draw and color her features. I then drew simple facial features with a pencil and shaded the face, neck and arms in flesh tones. I replaced the original flower dies with several small ones from my stash, mostly from my Spellbinders collection.  And, as always, I added small gems and pearls for extra personality and sparkle. 

Nothing is more enjoyable for me than creating with die cuts and zhuzhing them up with Copic coloring and fancy embellishments. I love taking a wonderful design from Dreaming Tree and using my own style to make it uniquely mine.

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

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

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

Playing along with:

Passion for Markers Challenge 734

Try it on Tuesday - Rainbow Colors

Unicorn Challenge #97

A Place to Start April Challenge

A Perfect Time to Craft Challenge #4

Classic Design Challenge #3

Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge #75

613 Avenue Create April Challenge

Dragonfly Dreams April Challenge

Craft Rocket Challenge #113

Page For My "Cutesy" Journal - Moonstone Designs Cuties Digital Stamp

If it brings you even a little bit of joy, 
do that...definitely do that. 

Hey there from Nannyland,

My little library of art journals is growing with the addition of this one called "Cutesy," for want of a better name.  I have lots of digi images that are so adorable and delightful to color, they have earned their own category.  This darling image from Moonstone Ink Designs is over-the-top gorgeous, right?  There are several of these "Cute Fairies" in this bundle I bought from Etsy and I'm excited to color more of them.

 

When the opportunity arises, I love adding handmade die cut flowers to my compositions because they create a little added texture and dimension. These mini posies are from Spellbinders.  I framed this image with two Tattered Lace nested frame dies and did the same on the opposing page, after I glued a panel of coordinating designer paper to hide a calendar.  I created my sentiment in Cricut Design Space using the writing and cutting features and edged both panels with a silver leafing pen.  Just a couple more die cut flower embellishments for my sentiment panel and I was done. 

I've absolutely loved categorizing my creations and adding them to my personal art journals.  It helps me branch out and color some of the wonderful art work of my favorite artists that I might have been neglecting.  My  journals are becoming an unexpected source of bliss for me.  I'm still making lots of cards, but I'm using mostly die cuts and I love experimenting with one of my favorite mediums. I'm learning new skills and that's always a good thing. And, of course, quilting will always have an important  place in my repertoire. 

So, I hope you will consider listening to your heart as I did.  It just might take you on a new creative adventure that you will love. 

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 Cute or Floral Challenge

Digi Choosday Challenge Wk13

A Perfect Time to Craft Challenge #4

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge #122

Morgans ArtWorld Challenge #75

The Four Seasons Spring Challenge

Worldwide Crafters and Colorists Challenge #15

A Place To Start April Challenge

613 Avenue Create March Challenge

Classic Design Challenge#3

Dreaming Tree Taqueria Treat Box

I don't mean to brag, but,,, I just put a puzzle together in one day
and the box said 2-4 years. 

Hey there from Nannyland,

I guess it's true...two opposing things can be true at the same time.  I have learned that assembling 3-dimensional objects is definitely not my super power and it is also true that it is exceptionally fun for me. I never would have attempted putting together one of the many amazing Dreaming Tree 3-D items, especially the elaborate buildings, until I created this bird house treat box for my friend's birthday a couple of years ago.  As it turned out, the directions on YouTube were amazingly simple to follow and I ended up with an awesome gift box.  

This year I thought I would try this adorable Taqueria box for the same friend who is obsessed with Mexican food.  I plan to fill it with some yummy homemade chocolate chip cookies again and a gift card from his favorite Mexican restaurant. Turns out, I'm still pretty messy with the gluing and assembling thing, but look how cute it turned out!  My friend is a fabulous artist, but when I gifted him his birdhouse, he was more impressed with how it fit together and less with perfectly lined up edges. So I think he will love figuring out the intricate ins and outs of this clever box.    

  

The original pattern calls for yellow vellum in the windows, but I didn't have it in my stash so I substituted it for some thin textured paper that works just as well when lit with a tea light.   I made a ton of mistakes but was able fix them in ways that made them look like they were meant to be.  My Cricut blade must have been a little dull or my paper was the wrong weight for some of the intricate pieces.  The Taqueria sign had some tears in it, but I covered them up with a small flower and some surgical piecing.  The small holes in the die cut cactus pots were a mess, so I traced the pot shape on designer paper and filled them in with shiny Glossy Accents.  I mistakenly put glue all over the fancy dome on the roof before I realized it wouldn't actually be glued to the front.  Eeek!!! So I added green card stock backing and glued a star to the opening.  In the end, everything worked out fine,  I had lots of gold gems and stars in my stash, so I put them to good use.                                    . 

The back has a door that closes with Velcro so it is very easy to fill the box with treats, gift cards or whatever other treasures might fit inside. 

Whether I cook a traditional Mexican dinner for my friend and his wife, or we choose to go out for some delicious Mexican food, I can present this unique portable gift box to him with a proud grin on my face, knowing that as an artist himself, he will appreciate all the work and loving thoughts that went into creating it.

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

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

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

Playing along with:

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #714

Dream Valley #312

Crafter's Cafe Challenge #306

613 Avenue Create March Challenge

Krafty Chicks Challenge #709

The Paper Funday Challenge #63

A Place to Start March Challenge

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge #121

Love to Craft Challenge #79

The Creative Crafters Challenge #74