Dagnabbit!

Having missed a couple of weeks of LESS IS MORE challenges, I was determined to find time to join in this weeks, especially as Chrissie and Mandi had created some fab inspiration cards for this week's sketch.

All was going fairly well (despite the photo it is straight) until I posted my card and realised ......

Dagnabbit, I've put the sentiment in the wrong place!  Sigh.  I am destined never to be Showcased.

Ingredients for my fairy faux pas are:

Stamped Image:  Buzzcraft Fairy Doodles

Papers:  First Editions Boho Chic and Prima Songbird

Sentiment: LOTV 

Medium:  Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Extras:  Magnolia Old Swedish Lace die

Hugs, Sxx

Bauble Bella

Hello folks, and a Happy Sunday to you all.  Now, a little while ago I had to have a stern word with Kate (Downrightcrafty) for making me spend money that I really didn't have at the time - she has been showcasing the adorable Bella Christmas stamps from Wild Rose Studios and I just could not resist!  Kate really does show these stamps and papers off to perfection.

Here is my take on a Bella Christmas

I've used the Bella On Bauble stamped and the Bella Xmas 6x6 papers (which are gorgeous by the way).  I paper pieced the bauble and used a gold metallic pen just to colour the stars.  Bella and her hat are painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers).  The sentiment is from a Penny Black clear set.

Hugs Sxx

Christmas With Cat Hair

Afternoon all, hope you are well.  Had a nail-biting day watching the Olympic Men's Road Race - poor Cav, it's such a shame he missed out.  Seems as if "the rest of the World" were letting our boys do all the work.  And as for Fabian Cancellara's dramatic crash, I confess to a tear.  He is such a superb rider, a great sportsman and a really nice guy - hugely disappointed for him that his Games are over so soon because of injury.

Now, a few among you will know that I am not a Domestic Goddess - and here is the proof.  We thought we'd have a stirfry tonight for dinner and I got the ingredients when we shopped on Wednesday but Toad (and this is a rare event) remembered today that we hadn't bought a sauce.  We both thought that we must have one tucked away in a cupboard, and we did, we found two - Best Before End 2006 and 2007 respectively!!  I really should clean that cupboard out more often, lol.

Anyhoo, I am here with my entry for this week's SWEET STAMPING CHALLENGE which is Christmas In July.  I've made four Christmas cards in the past couple of days so while I was in the mood .....

And yes, that is a cat hair on the right side of the card.  Little devil, if there was a Gold Medal for fur shedding he would have a stack of them by now.

Not much to tell you about the card really - image is LOTV My Little Tree, painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers) on Bristol Board, the matting layer is from scraps box and I did the sentiment on the computer.

LOTV My Little Tree
Painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers)

That's all folks!

Sxx

Too Hot To Be Christmas

This is my card for the challenge at Lili's Little Fairies of Christmas In July.  Unfortunately there are some technical issues with LLF at the moment which mean that the post hasn't gone up but I found the theme from Fairy Jayne and Fairy Netty who have uploaded their DT cards to their blogs.

LOTV Decorating The Tree - painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers)

I'm not sure what made me choose this little chap from all the Christmas stamps I have as that tree always gives me a headache with the colouring.  I think I ended up with four shades of green and I'm still not overly happy with it.  Anyhoo, here's my card:

The papers are a bit of a mixture, the green tree paper and the spotty paper are Basic Grey and the red with gold spots is Anitas and the matting layer is white card inked with DI Fired Brick.  Nestie star dies for the shapes, a LOTV Christmas sentiment and to finish off, star gems in the corner to coordinate with the stars on little lad's tree.

I'll link this to the challenge as and when it posts so if you see it before I do just give me a shout!

Hugs, Sxx

The Last Monster

Phew, what a scorcher!  I read somewhere today that the humidity is increasing as the week goes on - it's apparently been 49% today, but will be 87% on Thursday.  Brace yourselves for a serious dose of Tail Frizzing!

Anyhoo, as it is so hot today, I thought it a good time to show you Monster Chill - the last of my SCACD Susanna Loves Stamps Oddly Sweet Collection - there are others in the range, but not at my house.  Yet.

One of the young barristas is leaving my favourite coffee shop in five weeks to take up his place at University and I thought that the sentiment with this little chap was perfect for student life ...... he may not see it in quite the same way!

Isn't he just adorable and goofy looking?  I've painted him in Distress Inks (ReInkers) and the pawprints paper (which is glittered) is from a Bazoo Zoo pack that I got on sale for £1.29.  You've gotta love a bargain like that!.

Hugs, Sxx

Some Days .....

First day back at work post holiday ....... ick!  And the temperatures have shot up, and apparently may stay up until the weekend.  I never thought I'd say it but I am looking forward to 18C again!!

Anyhoo, I have another SCACD Susanna Loves Stamps Oddly Sweet card to share with you tonight, and this one is called Some Days

Afraid I went a bit lairy with the papers on this one, brace yourselves ....

Don't say I didn't warn you (with apologies to any migraine sufferers out there)!

Hugs, Sxx

No Apologies For This

WHOOOO-HOOO!!

And in classic Brad style, after all the presentations - his Winner's Speech

from the podium, in the centre of Paris.......

"Now we'll draw the raffle prizes"

PS.  I did post a card earlier today if you'd like to scroll down!

Vintage Romance

I made this card for the Lili's Little Fairies Challenge of a Touch of Romance this week but the challenge hasn't posted on the site yet - I found the theme from the blogs of Fairy Elise and Fairy Jayne.

I must have splashed out at some point and bought these beautiful V&A Collection linen papers.  They are truly gorgeous and the photo doesn't do justice to the colours or texture.

The image is LOTV Meant To Be and I stamped in a new Memento colour called Grey Flannel.  It has given a much softer, more vintage look to the image.

Painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers).  The sentiment is also LOTV and I've used, although it is hard to see in the picture, my favourite Martha Stewart border punch.

Why is it every time I descale a kettle we have to buy a new one?  Last time I did it we ended up with water everywhere, this time the switch has gone.  Perhaps it should be renamed as Kettle Kill.

Right, time for the final stage of this year's Tour de France where, all being well, Bradley will cross the line safely to be a British winner!

And then, it'll be BBC highlights of the German Grand Prix.  Come on Jenson!

Hugs Sxx

Nervous and Excited!

Second post today folks - you can find my earlier fairy card here.

Now then, SECRET CRAFTER SATURDAY CHALLENGE have a theme of Olympics or Sporty and for a Professional Flump that really is a challenge, lol, although I am very interested in watching many sports.  Regular readers will know about my passion for Formula 1 and Rugby Union.

But it's a third passion that has inspired my card for this challenge - I adore professional road cycling, especially the three Grand Tours, the Giro d'Italia, la Vuelta a Espana, and of course at this time of year, the big one, Le Tour de France - and what a great year us Brits are having in the Tour!  So, nervous and excited?  Yes, nervous for Bradley ahead of today's individual time trial, excited because if all goes well he could be confirmed as the first EVER British winner of the Tour - and that's since 1903.  That is a race with some serious history behind it - 109 years worth!  Yeah, I know, there have always been issues with idiots who try to cheat with drugs (Lance Armstrong is innocent by the way - I've said so, so it's got to be true) but 99.99% of the riders are clean, and it makes for an amazing endurance race.  It's like watching a three week game of chess on wheels, with all the tactics and clever team work.  Simply breathtaking.  And of course there is the beautiful French scenery as a wonderful bonus.

Anyhoo, enough of my ramblings, here is my card:

Ingredients for this are:

Stamped Image  LOTV Riding My Bike

Medium  Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers  (Sunflowers) Prima, (Yellow) magazine freebie

Extras  Hero Arts Fancy Flags for bunting, alphabet set for sentiment

Shall I explain the bunting?  Oh go on, you know you want me to - there are three main competitions within the race and the leaders of those competitions wear the appropriately coloured "jersey".  

Green is the points competition (points are awarded at various stages throughout each day of the Tour), Polka Dot is King Of The Mountains (ditto points for the categorised climbs) and 

Yellow is the overall leader - the rider who has done the distance in the quickest time.

When you consider that these lads have been riding for three weeks, sometimes up to six or seven hours a day, it is amazing to think that only 2 mins 5 seconds separates first and second at the moment.

It is only half an hour to go before the live tv coverage starts so I'm off to put on my Le Tour t-shirt (oh yes) and start crossing everything ......

Edited to add GO BRADLEY!  Stormed the Time Trial today and goes into the last stage to Paris tomorrow with a lead of 3 min 21 seconds!

Hugs, Sxx

Another Wonky Photo!

Honestly, even SpecSavers couldn't rescue me at the moment - what is it with not being able to take a straight picture?!  I'm even thinking of renaming the blog to Squirrel's World of Wonkiness.

Anyhoo, I'm here with a card for two challenges today.  It seems an age since I have entered either of these but usually by the time I get round to make a card for a challenge then I'm too late and another week has shot past.

Papertake Weeky Challenge - All Things Girlie

Cute Card Thursday - Fairy Nice

Ingredients are

Stamped Image Wee Stamps (Whimsy Stamps) by Sylvia Zet - Mountain Lily

Medium  Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment  LOTV

Papers  Green is First Editions and pink is magazine freebie

Extras  Sparkly butterfly sticker

Hugs, Sxx

Winter Wonderland Goes Colourful (DT)

Well, it's Friday, so that means it is WINTER WONDERLAND day (whoo-hoo) but it also means that I am soon back to work (boo hiss).  

Anyhoo, let's forget about work and concentrate on this week's challenge - we have a colourful one for you this time.  We would like to see

Pink and/or Purple AND Aqua and/or Green

We are sponsored this week by LILI OF THE VALLEY who are offering a £10 voucher for their amazing store - and there is a rumour that their Christmas release is due shortly, so that's what I call perfect timing.

I'm hosting this week's challenge so I've already had a sneeky peek at the DTs creations and oh sister, have they pulled out all the stops for you!  It would be lovely if you had time to show them all some appreciation.

Here is my card:

I've used Mo Manning's Little Elf Mim (Penny Black Slapstick stamp) and coloured her with Distress Inks (ReInkers).  The papers, including the paper pieced bauble, are from an old collection that I forget the name of - hang on while I go check ....... there we go, it's a pad of Making Memories from 2005 called Meg.  The adorable sentiment is from Personal Impressions.

I do hope you will find time to get colourful with us this week.  Only two things to remember, it must be a Christmas card or project and it must follow the theme.  Looking forward to seeing you there!

Hugs, Sxx

Sunny Days

Well we've not had many of those lately have we?!  I thought this morning was starting off well enough, and then the rain came, but it seems to be sunnying up again, sort of!

Anyway, if it is raining where you are, here is a little sunshine for your day.  Another of my birthday present bears from Toad (you just gotta love a man who buys you rubber, lol).

Ingredients for this are

Stamped Image  Lili of the Valley - Sunny Days and Smiles (including the sentiment)

Papers  Been rummaging through the old stuff, I think these are DCWV

Medium  Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Extras  Matting layers are white card edged in ProMarkers

We had a fabulous trip out yesterday to Colchester Castle Museum.  Not only are the park grounds spectacular (so well maintained and full of squirrels!!) but the Museum was a revelation, it was brilliant.  And I discovered that the Chinese for squirrel is Song Shu.  Doesn't that sound wonderful?  Song Shu.  How lovely I thought, until I continued to read the card and discovered that it translates as Rat Of The Pines!

Hugs, Sxx

One of Those Days?

When I saw this little fella over at Quixotic Paperie I just could not resist - he is from Susana Loves Stamps - Oddly Sweet range and appropriately named as Those Days.  You can find him here.

As usual, I painted him first and then rummaged about like a headless chicken looking for a paper that would work.  I thought this page from Prima Songbird worked well.  Matting layer and punched dots are DCWV card.  Oh, and the image is painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers) naturally!

I think I might have that expression when I go back to work next week ..........

Hugs, Sxx

Up Up And Away

Morning all.  And is that sunshine I see?  Good heavens, I do believe it might be!

I've been meaning to join in the Ready Teddy Go challenge for July of Up Up and Away ever since I saw it, and it's taken me two weeks to get there!

This little cutie arrived in our household two weeks ago but I wasn't allowed to touch him until yesterday.  He is part of the Companion Set to the LOTV Summer Bears release.  Coloured in Distress Inks (ReInkers) and teamed with a Hero Arts sentiment.  Punched border is Martha Stewart.

Hugs, Sxx

Fork Handles

Morning all!  When I made this card for the Less is More OLC challenge of Three, I was so tempted to make it four.  Hands up who remembers the Fork Handles sketch from The Two Ronnies?  Classic British comedy, and it still makes me chuckle.

Showing my age aren't I?  Well, I am allowed to today as it's my birthday and I'm celebrating by not being at work, wonderful!  We might take a trip to the cinema this afternoon to see Ice Age 4 (ooh the decadence, cinema in the daytime, lol).

Anyway, here is my card for the One Layer challenge:

The sentiment is Hero Arts and the candle was a magazine freebie from ages ago.  Light colour wash with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and all done.

Thank you to all my bloggie friends who have sent cards and best wishes - you really know how to make a girl feel all warm and fuzzy.

Hugs Sxx

Pretty In Pink

I would never have guessed that choosing pink papers could be so hard - who would have thought that there could be so many shades - red pink, purple pink. blue pink, orange pink .... blimey, I'm pinked out!

Lili's Little Fairies are looking for Pretty In Pink this week

There are so many LOTV images suitable for pink that it was a case of closing my eyes and just dipping in to the "Girls" box and see what came out!

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image  LOTV Little Nurse

Medium  Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment  LOTV Circular sentiments (pink part is Hero Arts)

Papers  Mixture of Wild Rose Studio and Basic Grey

Extras  Dewdrop Gems from Lakeland (that shows how old they are!) and Martha Stewart border punch

Today on Without Words Challenge Blog 

Hugs, Sxx

Vroom Vroom Bryan!

More years ago than I care to remember, when I first joined the DoCrafts forum, I received a RAK of stamped images from a lovely lady (Lisa - Wishcraft) and I am honoured to say that we are still firm friends.

In that batch of images, was a bear that I fell in love with - I didn't know the make or name of the stamp but it combined two of my favourite things - teddy bears and motor racing!  Anyhoo, for whatever reason (who knows how my head works sometimes), I thought about him again a while ago and I was determined to try and track him down.

Lo and behold, I found him!  Purely by chance, but it has made me a very happy Squirrel (it's the little things in life that give the most pleasure, honestly).

So, here he is!  This is Bryan from Art Gone Wild.  Painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers).  Papers are from my scraps box but I think they are Crafts Too and Joanna Sheen.

Hugs, Sxx

Disaster of Epic Proportions

Morning All!  It's Friday, yippee, and it is only eight and a half hours to my holiday, even better!

I was determined to have a colouring session last night and I already knew what stamp I wanted to use.

This is Wee Goldie by Sylvia Zet from Whimsy Stamps.  She is so cute and I love that little snail blowing heart bubbles.

Anyhoo, I was happily painting away, having spent nearly and hour fiddling around with her hair and then disaster stuck.  There was a big blob of dark green ink, on the edge of the biggest bubble.  Aaaargh.  Green?!  How did that happen?  My hands were clean, my white t-shirt was clean, so where did it come from?  I could feel tears pricking my eyes.  By this point I was seriously upset!  Toad had a look.  "oh dear" he said "can you cover it up?".  With what for Pete's sake, it's in the middle of white space??

But that did make me think.  And then I remembered a set of Hero Arts stamps that I have had forever.  18 tiny sealife stamps.  And that dear friends, is why Goldie is now swimming with a schoal of little green fish!   

Ingredients for this card

Stamped Image  Wee Stamps - Goldie, Hero Arts little fish and bubbles

Medium  Distress Inks (ReInkers) and Sakura glitter pen

Papers  Little Sizzlets - Watercolour, First Editions - Spring Drop and Boho Chic

Sentiment  Lili Of The Valley

Hugs, Sxx

It's Not Really Squint .....

Hello all, how are you?  Welcome to my recent new Followers - so lovely to have you join me!  

Sorry I've not been around much for a few days - I have tried to catch up on my commenting and visit as many of you as possible, but if I've missed you then I consider my wrists slapped!  I've been so tired after work that the last thing I've felt like doing is sitting in front of another computer.  And the internet keeps on disappearing,  I have just re-booted the router for the third time this week (it will get another sort of boot soon).  And tonight's not that much different except that I know I have only got 2 more sleeps plus 12 hours to my birthday week holiday, phew!  And Brad has retained the TDF yellow jersey for another day after Monday's stunning time trial - one day closer to Paris!!

Anyhoo, a little CAS quickie for you

It isn't squint, I promise - after I looked at the photo, I actually got the ruler out to check!

Ingredients are:

Stamped Image  Nellie Snellen - Dawn With Present

Medium Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment Hero Arts

Papers Prima Jack & Jill (the spotty one), lilac mat is white card coloured with ProMarker

(you would not believe the typo I made originally there - thank heavens for Preview)

Grocery shopping tonight, so off to write the list before Toad gets home.

Hugs, Sxx

Cupcake Kitten

I suspect I may well be talking to myself here for a little while - or at least until a certain tennis match has finished!  I had to take a break from it as the tension was all getting too much!

Here's the card I make today for an order - I was instructed that it had to be a kitten and lots of pink.

Ingredients

Stamped Image: Crafters Companion Strawberry Kisses - Birthday Kitten

Medium: Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment: LOTV

Papers: DCWV Spring Stack

Corners: Cheery Lynn

Extras: Papermania sparkly gems

Right, now I've had a breather, I'm back downstairs to sit and shell a saucepan full of broad beans fresh from my dad's garden - and watch some more of the match.

Hugs, Sxx

Less Is More - Gold

Afternoon all - how's your Saturday so far?  Weather wise we have been very lucky with sunshine most of the day but it looks as if the clouds are building up now.  Thankfully we have escaped the torrential rain this time.

It's been a bit of an up-and-down day - you guys know I do like my sports on wheels - the qualifying for the British Grand Prix was a disaster from my perspective, but that blow has been softened by the news that Bradley Wiggins is now the leading the Tour de France and taken the yellow jersey from Cancellara (sorry, Fabian, it had to happen).

Anyhoo, the LESS IS MORE challenge this week is a colour and it is gold, not yellow, although from my photo you'd begin to wonder.  I really do need to get myself a decent camera and soon!

Got myself nice and inky with the Distress Inks this afternoon.  Shape cut with an X-Cut die, and sponged in Scattered Straw, then edged in Tea Dye, and the corners darkened in Frayed Burlap.  The flower is from one set of Hero Arts stamps, the sentiment from another and they are stamped in Memento Peanut Brittle, the butterfly is a free one from Craft Stamper magazine and stamped in Memento Toffee Crunch.  I was going for the antique gold look with this rather than the bright and shiny.  

Hugs Sxx

Winter Wonderland (DT) White on White

Morning all and welcome to another Friday with WINTER WONDERLAND!  Thanks to everyone who joined in our Monochrome challenge last week, there have been some super entries and the winner and top 3 will be announced on the challenge blog on Sunday.

So, what do we have for you this week?  When Marianne asked me to join the Design Team last year my first challenge was White on White and I moaned and groaned about it.  So you can probably image the feelings I had to get White on White again this year!!  I'm sure it was done on purpose.

Anyway, as it is the first challenge of the month, our sponsor is CRAFTERS COMPANION offering a voucher to spend in their brilliant store so that should be enough encouragement for you to have a go.

The rest of the design team have created some beauties for you ......

Honestly, this could not get much simpler.  A 6x6 card base with a 4x4 white panel, Quickie Glue around the border of that panel and drowned in Glamour Dust.  Three Martha Stewart punched snowflakes, again Glamour Dust'd to the point of suffocating in the stuff, and then a sentiment from a Penny Black clear set stamped in Danube Blue Memento.  Now I need to get the vacuum out on Vince as he is black, white and sparkling.

If I see White on White for me again on next year's rota I shall issue an appeal!

Hope you find time to join us this week - see you at the challenge.

And if you have a moment, please see last night's post for some exciting news about a new challenge!

Hugs. Sxx

Orange Chocolate Chip and NEWS

Evening all.  Would you like my watercolour painting tip of the day?  Don't bother to try and paint with tiny brushes in temperatures over 32C!  The water was evaporating from the whiskers before it was anywhere near the paper.

But never a coward, I am quite willing to share my disasters with you as much as my triumphs, just please don't laugh too much!

This is for this week's Lili's Little Fairies Challenge of Anything Goes (thank goodness for that theme!).  

For this I have used LOTVs Rosie With Cake and I have turned it into the biggest Orange Chocolate Chip Cake you have ever seen - just the sort I'd like for my birthday!  Badly painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers) with the swirls, curls and sentiment stamped in Memento Peanut Brittle ink.  These stamps are from the Penny Black Clearly In Love set.  Matted onto a sheet of Basic Grey.

And after that faux pas, I have some NEWS for you that I am just a little bit excited about and which will explain why I've not been around much this past couple of weeks.

The eagle eyed among you will have noticed a couple of new blinkies in my side bar ..... go on, have a peek, they are there, I promise.

There is a brand new monthly challenge blog starting on 1 September 2012!  Called WITHOUT WORDS it will be a challenge focusing on clean and simple cards and good colourwork.  The Design Team are an elite bunch of colourists, and then there is me.  Well, it was my idea so there has got to be a couple of perks surely?!  

I hope you will find time to pop over and have a look at the blog (I must give enormous thanks here to Angie for her superb design work) and hope you sign up to Follow.  Although the first challenge is still just over eight weeks away, the DT will be posting some pics before then to fire your imaginations.  Keep an eye on us, it's going to be a fun ride!

Hugs, Sxx

Addicted to Wee

Well, that isn't strictly true, it isn't just Wee that I am addicted to - more like anything Sylvia!  I had quite a stressful day at work yesterday so when I got home, after we'd eaten, I lost myself in colour for a couple of hours.  And of course by then it had come on to rain so I'd lost the light for a decent photo!

This absolutely adorable little fairy is called Poppy and she is from SCACD by Sylvia Zet - I got mine from Quixotic Paperie.

I've painted Poppy with my trusty Distress Inks (ReInkers) and then teamed her up with some Basic Grey papers.  I think this must be an old pad as it has lost its cover and I have no idea what it is called.  Shame, as there are some luscious papers.

I used a Martha Stewart border punch to show off the contrast between the deep orange and olive green papers that I used for the central border and the matting layers on the image.

Hugs, Sxx

The Wee Free Wee

Happy Sunday all, hope you are having a good day.  I've had a very lazy one, I admit it.  I sat down with Vince earlier with a cuppa and lo and behold it was suddenly two hours later!!  I could never understand how my mum could just fall asleep in a chair, and now I'm doing it too.  Mind you, it was a lovely nap.

Only made one card today.  It was a difficult one to do as my cousin has been admitted to hospital after suffering a severe mental breakdown.  It came as quite a shock I can tell you.  I wanted to send her a card that says I am thinking about her but not one that would alarm her into thinking bad thoughts.  So I've tried to keep it bright and happy and this free Wee stamp seemed just the right one to use.

Three challenges for this little darlin'

Joanna Sheen - Summer Daze

Penny Black & More - Summer Blooms

Totally Gorjuss - Sweet And Simple

I've used the same layout that I did for the last time I used this Wee lass but as Sylvia Zet very kindly left a comment saying she liked it I thought, hey, if it ain't broke don't fix it!

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Images:  Girl and Mouse - free Wee stamps with magazine

(the best free stamps set I've ever had)

Medium: Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment: Hero Arts

Papers: Dovecraft and Papermania

I know I am way behind in commenting again but we are still suffering with intermittent internet connection so I am trying to comment when I can but it is becoming a bit of an issue!!  Also I have been spending quite a bit of time on an exciting new project, but more of that nearer the time.

Hugs, Sxx