A Little Wee

Morning all.  Having terrible problems with the internet at home just now so I'm posting this from work. 

Thought I would share this cheery little fellow with you today - my mate Cathy reminded me last week that I have this stamp and I am ashamed to admit that he has been sadly neglected of late.

Ingredients for this card:

Stamped Image:  Whiff Of Joy Wee With Candy Cane

Medium  Tim Holtz Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers  Basic Grey "Jovial" and Forever Friends A Christmas Tale

Sentiment  LOTV Circular Christmas Sentiments

Extras  Anita's Glitter Borders

If you don't hear from me for a while it's because I've thrown our modem out of the window!

Hugs, Sxx

You're Putting a WHAT on Your Card?

Hello chaps, Monday evening it is.  Did you know that today was supposed to be the busiest day for cyber-shopping?  I confess I did a little of that this morning but only for part of His Nibs Christmas present.  Mind you, having just checked my bank balance (still got 9 nine days til payday) I think I might be able to squeak in a little shopping just for me too!

Now then, do your men only hear what they want to?  When I told him I had been asked to make this card his response was Why would you want a slapper on your card?  Oh good grief, no dear, that's FLAPPER with a F, not a S ......... I despair sometimes.

Our caretaker at work is a lovely little fella and he was looking through my box of cards last week to find one for his wife.  Not for any particular occasion, a just because card.  Anyway, we were chatting and he said that she likes to collect ornamental ladies in period costume.  Having established that the 20s and 30s is her favourite era I just knew that this was the right stamp.

Isn't she a doll?  He didn't want fussy thankfully as I think the CAS suits her well.

Ingredients for this little card are:

Stamped Image:  Lil Lolita - Evie 20s

Colouring Medium:  Part Distress Inks, part paper piecing

Papers:  K&Co and DCWV scraps

Sentiment:  Penny Black (from Hugs clear set I think)

Corners: Lili Of The Valley

No challenges for this one, it's simply a for-the-fun-of-it card.

Hugs, Sxx

Bling it on ......

Hello peeps, a very quick post from me today as I'm shortly sitting down to watch the Brazilian Grand Prix - the last race of the 2011 season, and I shall be cheering Jenson for a win.  With Vettel and Webber together on the front row I'm hoping they take each other out on the first corner!  (With apologies to fans of Seb and Mark of course!).

LESS IS MORE this week are looking for a little bit of bling

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image:  Penny Black Brightest Xmas

Colouring Medium: Tim Holtz Distress Inks

Papers: Basic Grey

Extras: Gems from stash

Sentiment: Penny Black

Oooh, I have some MEGA exciting news to share with you, but I'm zip lipped for the moment.  I think I might go pop if I can't tell you soon so I'll have to find something to take my mind off it - a good race this afternoon will be a start!

Hugs, Sxx

Brrrrr - LOTV Anything Goes

Hello Peeps!  Hope you are all well, or recovering from unwell, today.  After the high of Thursday, it was down to earth with a bump yesterday.  I woke up in the early hours of Friday morning (it happens when you reach a certain age) needing the loo.  I stumbled out of bed into the bathroom and sat there thinking Thank goodness it's Saturday.  Imagine my distress when the alarm went off at 5.45 and I realised that it was only Friday and I had another day at work to get through!

But never mind, Saturday it is now!  I've been for a tail trim this morning - feeling much tidier now.  I have to confess that the fur was looking a little like tumbleweed as I'd gone longer between snips than usual and with curly fur it plays havoc in damp and windy conditions.  So, nicely preened, I came home and set to with getting a casserole in the oven for tonight's dinner.  That is bubbling away gently now (ooh the wonderful smells of chicken, shallots, mushrooms and BEER - yep, a beer based gravy for this one - you should have heard Toad howl when I nicked a bottle from his stash).

One card for you today, but I am off to the craft space to play again once this is posted:

Challenge:  Lili Of The Valley - Week 122 - Anything Goes

And the ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image: My most used LOTV stamp, James The Bear In Snow

Colouring Medium: Tim Holtz Distress Inks (ReInkers & Pads)

Iced Spruce, Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap and Tumbled Glass

Papers:  BoBunny Snowfall Collection (so delicious)

Sentiment:  LOTV Christmas Postmarks

Extras:  Nestabilities Grommet (where's Wallace?) Labels, gems from stash, Martha Stewart and

Hobbycraft snowflake punches

Thanks so much for popping over today, I appreciate each and every one of you so much.  Without you, this blog wouldn't happen.  And a big thank you to everyone who left such a supportive message on my mad Timmie post on Thursday - who knows, one day I might even start to believe I can do it !!

And before I go, I just want to say a big hello to two super bloggie buds, Lisa (Wishcraft) and Clare (My Purrfect World ...) - you both have a very special place in my heart.

Huge Hugs, Sxx

Winter Wonderland - Nativity (DT)

Hello again chaps, hope you are all ok.  I'm not looking at the calendar, it is getting far too close to Christmas for comfort, and I am seriously lacking in Christmas cards this year.  Guess I will have to put the tail into top gear and crack on with them!

And, as it is Friday, it is time for another WINTER WONDERLAND challenge, and our theme for this week is Nativity.  Not the easiest of themes but I am sure you will all give it a good go.

And our sponsor this time around is the fabulous SIMON SAYS STAMP who are offering a $15 gift voucher for their store.

Here is my DT card for this week:

Stamped Image: High Hopes - Precious Nativity

Medium: Distress Inks

Papers: Forever Friends - A Christmas Tale

Sentiment: Computer generated

Extra:  Anita's glitter borders

Thanks for popping over, hope to see you at the challenge.

Hugs, Sxx

On Cloud 99

Evening all, how goes it?  Things are very exciting at Squirrel Towers today, in fact, I have something to share with you that I have been sitting on since 6.30 this morning and I know pride comes before a fall but if I don't tell someone soon I shall burst so I might just as well share it with all my fabulous bloggie buddies and then you can all laugh as you watch me topple over.

And breathe.

Two weeks ago, I sent an email to Tim Holtz (that's Lord Tim, he of the Distress Inks) principally asking if there were any new ReInker colours in the pipeline but was also cheeky enough to add a link to my Distress Ink Gallery and an invitation for him to see what I'd been up to with the inks. 

Not for one moment did I expect anything other than an automated reply or from someone else at Ranger.  Imagine the increase in my heart rate this morning when I saw sitting in my InBox a response.  Want to know what it says?

And breathe again.  It says:

All I can say is wow, wow, wow!  Your coloring is amazing!  In fact, I myself would love a tutorial from you on how you do it.  If you decide to create one I would happily link your blog post on mine when you do.  Thanks for sharing your creativity....love the coloring, really, I do.

Tim

OMG OMG OMG OMG !!!!!!!!   Is that almost an equivalent to "By Royal Appointment"?  Sadly no plans at present for new ReInkers colours coming though.

It's ok, I will stop squealing soon, I promise.  Hopefully long enough to mail him back with a link to the tutorial that is already there.  And maybe this is the prompt I need to do a Part 3: Advanced !!

Hugs, a very happy Squirrel xxx

Avoidance Tactics

Evenin' all, how are we tonight?  Tis a little bit chilly around the tip of my tail and there was a definite coating of frost on the fur this morning.  Could this be the long overdue winter finally arriving?  I doubt it, it will probably be back up to 18C tomorrow!  This time last year we were up to our knees in snow.

Now, as my boss will tell you, I have a knack of finding ways to avoid horrible jobs, like filing.  And right now, Christmas is falling into that category.  So, when I found this stamp whilst having a rummage, it did not take much persuading for me to use it to make a card for my dad that is only three months before the due date!

Ingredients for this card:

Stamped Image:  High Hopes

Papers: MME Lime Twist and scrap from box

Medium: Distress Inks

Sentiment: LOTV

Now, I have a bit of a grumble.  And it all came home to roost with this particular pad of MME papers.  I love quality papers that are a decent thickness and have a good finish to them and MME papers fall nicely into that category, along with some other big names on the market, but ....... why do double sided?!  In this pad there are only two sheets of each - so you end up using two designs for one card (the reverse of this alphabet paper is the lush brown polka dot) - it makes my heart weep as it feels so wasteful.  So, here is a small suggestion, reduce the weight of the papers ever so slightly (these are more like a light cardstock anyway) and only print on one side!  Or is that just me?

Anyway, it is grocery shopping for me tonight - my life is one big, frantic, social whirl - so I'm off to try and write a list.  Be back with you on Friday with a DT card for Winter Wonderland.

Hugs Sxx

Sweet Stampin Challenge - Birthdays

How could I resist the challenge that SWEET STAMPIN' CHALLENGE are offering this week with their BIRTHDAY theme, especially as I am struggling with the Christmas card production (any excuse not to have to make another one for a few days!).

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image:  LOTV Summer My Best Friend

Colouring Medium: TH Distress Inks

Papers:  98% Basic Grey (old pad, cover long gone), 2% K&Co

Sentiment: LOTV Circular Sentiments

Dies: Nestabilities scalloped rectangle and Magnolia Romantic Lace and Old Swedish Lace

Hugs, Sxx

Less Is More - Silhouettes

Afternoon all.  This week over at LESS IS MORE the theme is Silhouettes.  My first response was to run screaming from the room.  In fact, I spent an awful lot of yesterday just faffing about with this theme and getting nowhere very quickly.

Anyway, while we sat over at mum and dad's drinking tea, I glanced out of their kitchen window and got the perfect inspiration

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image:  Penny Black Winter Sky

Background: Handpainted in Distress Inks

Matting Layers: Papermania

Hugs, Sxx

Sweet Sixteen

My best mate, Pig, asked me if I would make a special birthday card for her stepdaughters 16th birthday.  Eeeek!  No pressure.

Pig chose the image she wanted me to use, with instructions that the cat had to be black and white, like their cat, Mudge, and to use lots of pink and sparkle .......

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image: LOTV Me And My Cat

Colouring Medium: Tim Holtz Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers & Cardstock:  8x8 300gsm smooth white PDA card, First Editions: Love Letters

and Sweet Owls

Sentiment:  LOTV Circular Sentiment

Extras: Martha Stewart Doily Lace border punch, gold edged holographic sparkle transparent peel-off borders, gold peel off borders, Anita's Outline Stickers for the numbers, Nestabilities dies

I've also used a sheet of the First Editions on the inside with a white central panel and a Happy 16th Birthday message.

This is the first time I've used an 8x8 card base and it felt enorrrrrrrrrrrrrmous!

Hugs, Sxx

Less Is More - One Layer Card - Leaves

For various reasons, I've just not had time to play at some of my favourite challenges lately but today, as we have church this evening, I made time to join in with this week's

LESS IS MORE - One Layer Card - Leaves

I know some people dread one layer cards, but I'm getting quite fond of them and I'm certainly not as intimidated by them as I used to be.

For this one, I cut a mask from Eclipse Masking using a long thin Nestabilities oval die.  Having positioned it on the card, I sponge inked the oval in Distress Inks using Shabby Shutters and Antique Linen.  Then I overstamped with a leaf from my Kodomo Autumn set in Memento Bamboo, Potters Clay and Rhubarb Stalk.  I then did the little leaves around the edges with a Tapestry stamp, again in Potters Clay.  Finally, I peeled off the mask and stamped the final leaf in Memento Rich Cocoa, and added the Hero Arts sentiment in Potters Clay.

Hugs, Sxx

Spots Before The Eyes

I wasn't sure if I would make it back again today, but like a bad penny, here I am!

Two challenges for this card:
Penny Black And More At Allsorts - November Challenge - All Creatures Great And Small
Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Spots & Stripes

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image:  Penny Black - Tea Cozy

Colouring Medium: Tim Holtz Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers: DCWV Spring Stack and scraps box

Sentiment: Hero Arts

Extras:  EK Success Medium Retro Flower Punch

Craftwork Cards Card Candi, hand drawn faux stitching

Thanks for popping back again.  Now I need to crack on with an order for a 16th birthday card.

For my earlier post today either scroll down or follow this Creature Comforts link

Hugs, Sxx

Creature Comforts

Morning all.  Hope you are ok.  It's been a mixed week for me, very sad to hear of the death of one of our brave blogging buddies, and a very emotional Remembrance Day yesterday.  I should be full of beans this morning, as it's the weekend, but I am feeling like a wrung out dishcloth.  Think it will be a quiet day at Squirrel Towers.

Anyhoo, here is a card that I started Thursday evening but only just finished for this week's challenge over at

Lili Of The Valley - Challenge 120 - Creature Comforts

I made this with my dad in mind - back to the old family thing of Daddy Bear and Baby Bear (ahh), and the fact that my dad NEVER sits still, even at his age!

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image:  Lili Of The Valley - Armchair Bear

Colouring Medium:  Tim Holtz Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers:  Basic Grey - Picadilly and MME Lime Twist - Fly A Kite

Sentiment: Lili Of The Valley - Greetings Postmarks

And what would one of my posts be without a close up on the image

Right then, I'm off downstairs to watch the qualifying for this weekend's Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix and then I suppose I'd better do some chores.  Be back with you tomorrow with another card.

Hugs, Sxx

Winter Wonderland - A Christmas Mouse (DT)

It's Friday again!  That means, not only is it nearly the weekend, but it is also Winter Wonderland day!

Thanks to everyone who joined in last week's challenge, don't forget to check back on Sunday to see who the lucky winners are.

This week we have the cutest of themes for you - A Christmas Mouse!  Surely everyone loves a mouse at Christmas?

And we have not one, but two fab sponsors for you!

Crafty Emma's Store

and

Crimson Cloud

As always, the DT have been busy creating some fab inspiration for you, and this week is no exception.  There are some very sweet meeces to see so do pop over and have a look.

Here is my DT card:

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image:  Whiff Of Joy - Henry Mouse Eating Large Cookie

Colouring Medium:  Tim Holtz Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers:  DCWV Christmas Stack

Sentiment:  Penny Black - Celebrate The Wonder

Extras:  Gems from stash

I do so hope you will be able to join in the fun this week - remember that it must be a Christmas card and follow our theme of A Christmas Mouse.  See you at the challenge!

Hugs, Sxx

A thing about animals .....

When I was little, I desperately wanted to be a vet.  Whether it had anything to do with James Herriott, or because I just loved animals I'm not sure.  And then I found out where vets have to stick their hands, and I rapidly changed my mind.

However, it has not cured my total, complete and utter love of animals (with one or two small exceptions) so this months Penny Black And More At Allsorts Challenge is perfectly suited - All Creatures Great And Small.  The challenge has now been opened up to allow entries using stamps other than Penny Black so I am taking full advantage of that with my second entry

Ingredients for this card are:
Stamped Image:  High Hopes - Couples Cruise

Colouring Medium:  Tim Holtz Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment:  Hero Arts

Papers:  DCWV Spring Stack

Extras:  Gems from stash

And here is a close up of the Ark

I'm allowed one more entry this month, so best I make it a Penny Black one!  Off to find a suitable stamp.

Hugs, Sxx

Bright & Sparkly Creatures, Great And Small

Hello everyone.  Well, I survived it.  It wasn't quite a disaster of Titanic proportions, but it came pretty close!  Not many sales at all but at least I ended the day in profit, it was a brilliant first experience and I met some wonderful people.

From talking to other stallholders, it seems that sales were down for the entire event - too many other things going on locally apparently, as visitor numbers were much lower than they've had before.  But never mind, there were a lot of people showing a real interest in my cards, even if they didn't buy any, and asked me lots of questions and were, I think, genuinely complementary.  Quite a few stopped to watch me painting images too.

Would I do it again?  Probably.  The next one is at Easter and the organiser has already asked me if I would like to reserve a table, so obviously I wasn't completely terrible!

Anyhoo, onto a card for today.  I feel pretty shattered after yesterday so this one is a bit ..... oh I don't know, a bit ..... well, you'll see what I mean.  Oh, and it is straight - even if the photo does make it look squint!

Challenges for this card

Lili Of The Valley - Bright And Sparkly

Penny Black And More At Allsorts - All Creatures Great And Small

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image:  LOTV Little Shepherd Boy

Colouring Medium:  Tim Holtz Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers:  Forever Friends A Christmas Tale

Sentiment: Wild Rose Studio

Extras: Hunkydory Diamond Sparkle Gems and gold border peel-offs

Here's a close up of the nativity image:

Although it was fiddly, it was such a joy to colour.  I really must get the other ones out from this series too.

Hugs, Sxx

Level Three Panic Mode

Evening all.  How has your week been?  Done anything exciting then?

Sorry that I've not had any cards for you since Tuesday - it's been a mad work week for me.  And no card for you tonight either I'm afraid as I've gone from slight fretting to full on Level Three Panic Mode about the craft fair tomorrow.

Anyhoo, I just wanted to say thanks for the emails with your hints and tips, I really do appreciate the help. I'm about as organised now as I shall ever be and have been through my list twice to check off what I need to take in the morning.

Hopefully I shall be back with you on Sunday with a new creation.

Hugs, Sxx

Christmas Is Good For Your Elf

Yeah, I know, so corny, but I just couldn't resist it, lol!  And who could resist this little cutie?  Let me introduce you to Little Elf Mim by Mo Manning for Penny Black.

She just looks to be so full of mischief!

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image:  Penny Black Little Elf Mim

Colouring Medium:  Tim Holtz Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers:  Free with a magazine, except for the paper pieced bauble which is Dovecrafts

Sentiment:  Craftwork Cards Oh My Words Christmas

Extras:  Gold border peel-offs

Challenge:  By The Cute & Girly - Christmas Girls

Hugs, Sxx

Henry Candy Winner

Morning all - how are we today?  Are you ready to find out who the winner is of my WOJ Henry Candy?  Not that many entries so you all stood a very good chance but the person selected by Mr Random Number Generator is ......

That's you CHRISTY BEANS (I Never Went To Kindergarten)

Could you email me your snail mail details please hun at squirrel1964@hotmail.co.uk

Thank you to everyone who took part - don't despair if you didn't win this time - there will be another little candy before Christmas.

I'll be back later with a card for you.

Hugs Sxx