Lili's Little Fairies (DT) Pretty Pastels

Hello everyone, and welcome to another Lili-Day - this week over at LILI'S LITTLE FAIRIES the A Team have been playing with Pretty Pastels.

Such a welcome change from Christmas cards (if I make many more I may explode) so I really enjoyed making this.  The DT girls have come up with some amazing inspiration for you, I am in awe of them!

Here is my DT card for this week:

So, what have I used for this one

Stamped Image is LOTV Daisy Chain

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

The papers are all Wild Rose Studio Bella

For dies I used an ornate Nestabilities oval, and the Memory Box

Prim Poppy die which I inked in with Distress Inks

Sentiment is Personal Impressions

Pansy border punch is by Martha Stewart

Remember, to be eligible for the prize or Top 3, you need to use a LOTV image (stamp or die-cut), and follow the theme of this week's challenge.

Did you see the new release that came out last Sunday?  Oh so sweet animals for the young at heart.  I have been a naughty Squirrel and hit the overdraft to order the lot!  Thankfully my darling Toad has offered to buy a lot of them for me for Christmas, bless!  If you have not seen them yet you can find them here.

Hugs, Sxx

Humphrey Birthday

Well, this is my last day of freedom after a wonderful long weekend with my Toad, so it is back to work tomorrow.  Sigh.  The time has gone so quickly, but we have managed to get a lot of relaxing done!  Next break for me will be the Christmas holidays when I have an unheard of eleven days in a row, whooo!  It's the first Christmas in eight years that I shall get the whole shebang.  Can't wait!

Anyhoo, I'm not here to talk about Christmas, I popped on to share with you a rather bright little number than I made for the HERE COME THE BOYS challenge of Birthdays Only, and here it is.

A very simple card, but them boys don't like fluff!!

Stamped image is from the Party Time Humphrey set from Crafters Companion

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Big sentiment is Hero Arts, the little Happy Birthday is Personal Impressions

Lots of bright cardstock from the DCWV Bright Stack

Won't see you again until Thursday probably when I shall be back with my Lili's Little Fairies DT card.  Until then my friends .....

Hugs, Sxx

Another Wee

I seem to be Wee-ing a lot lately, but Sylvia's images I just find irresistible!  This little lady was in my exciting parcel that arrived yesterday from Bunny Zoe's.

And yet another on the squint photo!  Just tilt your head slightly to the left please ....

This is Berry from Whimsy/Wee Stamps

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain, Tattered Rose, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Festive Berries

Fired Brick, Scattered Straw, Weathered Wood

Papers are all from the Nitwits/LOTV Classic Christmas pad

Gold borders from stash

Here she is in close up

Hugs, Sxx

Return of the Squirrel !!

I'm back!  Flippin' technology eh?!  Morning all.  Not the nicest of mornings weather wise so I hope you are all ok.

We had a fab Friday off work and spent the day in Norwich doing some Christmas shopping.  Well, we got one present anyway, but it was an absolutely brilliant day, until I had to run for the train home.  Most of you know about my arthritis so running for trains is not on my agenda normally and this morning I am suffering for it.  Anyone got a spare Zimmer frame?

I have a hairy little helper today - Vince has decided to be the world's stickiest cat and is glued to me, he has even been to the smallest room in the house (a girl has no dignity).  I know what he is after though - he wants me to sit down in his favourite armchair so he can have a cuddle, but I am sorry to disappoint him for now.  Which means I have to put up with a furry, miaowy, shadow!  He is sat on the desk now, with a sad face on.

Anyhoo, enough rambles, I have a card for you at last!

Cute Card Thursday - Girls Only

Sweet Stamping Challenge - Flowers

So what have I used for this one?

The stamped image is Whimsy/Wee Stamps - Amy

Painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sorry, forgot to list the colours - told you it would take a while to get into the habit

Paper is from LOTV/Nitwits Bonnets & Bowties pad

Memory Box Spring Border inked in with ProMarkers

Sentiment is from LOTV

and finally black matting card is from stash

So that's it for now.   The postman has just delivered me a parcel of delicious loveliness from Bunny Zoe's so I am off downstairs to ooh and ahh for a little while!

Hugs, Sxx

Lili-day

Most important things first!  It is LILIDAY again and this week over at LILI'S LITTLE FAIRIES the challenge is Anything Goes (always a favourite) and Team B have sprinkled the fairydust to provide you with some awesome inspirational work.

And while I am here, a quick reminder that you have six days left to join in the CAS challenge for November over at WITHOUT WORDS which is Bright Colours!

I have no card for you today, Lili or otherwise.  Well, to be accurate, I do have stuff to show you, I just can't.  Having "technical issues" with the computer where all my photos are stored and I cannot connect to the internet from it.  I was shocked to discover that the laptop did connect, but then I have no photos on here!

I'm hoping the problem will be sorted for the weekend or I shall get bloggeritus withdrawals.  I managed to squeeze in some commenting from work this morning but only had half an hour so it really was a case of a flying visit.

Anyhoo, hope you are all well and that the weather (UK or otherwise) is being kind to you.  'tis a dark and stormy night here ......

Catch you soon, I hope.

Hugs Sxx

Summer?!!

I have been overdosing on Christmas cards ..... Santa is starting to bring me out in a rash!  The weather is dull and it is dark at both ends of my day.  I decided that I needed a touch of sunshine and this little love from Wee Stamps just screams summer!

I've kept with a very simple layout for this to show her off

Whimsy/Wee Stamps - Summer Fairy by Sylvia Zet

Papers are Nitwits/LOTV Promises pad, so pretty

Semi-circle banner done with Whimsy dies and stamps

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Lots of colours in this - Scattered Straw, Brushed Corduroy, Tumbled Glass, Broken China

Tattered Rose, Pumice Stone, Spun Sugar, Squeezed Lemonade

Dusty Concord and Shabby Shutters

Hugs, Sxx

Crafting on the Titanic

Afternoon all, sorry I didn't see you yesterday, and that I am quite late this afternoon.  I seem to be sinking without trace at the moment - all those plans for a crafty weekend did not come to fruition, I've ended up bumbling about and not making very much at all.  If I were a ship I'd be the Titanic .....

But, here is one that I did manage to finish - mixed reviews from hubby and a friend .....

And the stuff I used

Crafter's Companion stamp, Strawberry Kisses Special Delivery

Painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Festive Berries, Fired Brick, Scattered Straw, Brushed Corduroy, Tumbled Glass, Broken China,

Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Tattered Rose, Weathered Wood

Dovecraft papers from two different Christmas packs, red mirri card from stash

LOTV tag and sentiment

Die-namics bunting die

Memory Box Savannah border die

Pebbles Inc Candy Dot and HunkyDory gems

I know the bunting looks orange in the photo - but it's deep red mirri card, same as the border at the bottom - it was just the way the light caught it that turned it day-glo orange

Hugs, Sxx

It's Everywhere Grrrrrr

Last night I made a little card to say thank you to a very special lady.  And I decided to use Glamour Dust.  A lot of Glamour Dust.

Anyone who has used this in anger will know just how far the pesky stuff will travel.  I was wearing it, on my trousers, my jumper, my shoes, my squirrely fur ...... and it doesn't wash off.  Ever. 

I am now sparkling in places a woman of my age should not be sparkling!  Still, that will be entertainment for my colleagues who will, no doubt, gleefully tell me about it, as if I didn't know.

Anyhoo, here is the culprit

Ingredients for this little rascal are

Bristol Board scored and folded into an unequal three

Die-namies dies for the aperture (love that shape)

One of the LOTV Present Trio Bears

Painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Scattered Straw, Tea Dye, Walnut Stain, Tattered Rose, Tumbled Glass

Paper from Nitwits/LOTV Petal Fresh pad

Sentiment from LOTV A Little Message

Super cute little flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts

Thanks border punch by Martha Stewart

And two challenges:

Crafty Catz - Let's Have Sparkle  Or maybe I should enter myself!  And Stamping With The Dragon - So Cute.

Have yourselves a very happy Friday - it is nearly the weekend!!

Hugs, Sxx

Lili's Little Fairies (DT) Food Glorious Food

Yes, it is another Liliday, and this week at LILI'S LITTLE FAIRIES challenge the A Team have been let loose with the theme of Food Glorious Food!

I like cake.  I like cake very much.  Which is probably why my clothes have shrunk.  Cake reaches parts that salad can't even hope to.  It is comfort food for the soul.  But you don't have to use cake - as you will see from the fabulous creations from the DT, there are lots of LOTV food stamps out there for you to go with.  But I chose cake ....mmmmmmm.

Ingredients for this high LOTV content, calorie free cake card are:

Stamped Image - LOTV Rosie With Cake

Medium - Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers - Nitwits/LOTV Bonnets and Bowties, and a few scraps

Sentiments - LOTV To Fit Scroll

Extras - Memory Box Summer Border, Whimsy Corners

Looking forward to seeing all your delicious and yummy LOTV cards this week.

Hugs, Sxx

Fright Night

Afternoon all, are you having a nice Sunday?  The sun is shining brightly, the sky is blue, you've seen it in the movies, so you know it must be true ....... well, sort of.  HERE COME THE BOYS challenge is Favourite Films

I was too late in buying this stamp for Halloween but have been looking for a good excuse to use it - but it took me a while to choose a favourite film from the genre.  I've gone with Fright Night - anyone see it?  I do like a scare now and again.  It is funny watching frightening films with Toad because he really does jump out of his seat ......maybe I saw too many Hammer Horrors on C4 in my teens, lol.  You know what's coming, but it still scares you.

And the spooky ingredients are:

Stamped Image - Whimsy/Wee Stamps "Batty Boo"

Medium - Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers - from stash

Sentiment - Memory Box Typewriter Alphabet

Punch - Martha Stewart Goo Border

Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Pumpkin - Dried Marigold, Rusty Hinge, Walnut Stain, Shabby Shutters

Bats - Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Tattered Rose, Black Soot

Bowtie - Seedless Preserves

Ground - Pumice Stone

Hugs, Sxx

Remember

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Lt.Col John McCrae - 3 May 1915

In The Doghouse

Now, I didn't intend on being back again quite so quickly but I had a lightbulb moment and had to act fast while it lasted!

I was furtling through my boxes of stamps looking for something to use for this week's LESS IS MORE challenge, which is a One Layer Card with the theme of Houses.

I found a Penny Black stamp that appealed but felt that it was too small for a one layer, and then I came across an old Whipper Snapper stamp and "ping" the lightbulb went on .....

Inspired by the small Penny Black image, I did a rough pencil sketch of the doghouse on a 6x4 card base.  I stamped the Whipper Snapper dog over the top and then, using a waterproof ink pen, I inked in the lines of the doghouse that I wanted.  A slip-slap of Distress Inks (ReInkers) and a Hero Arts sentiment and done!

Even if I do say so myself, I was quite surprised by the end result but very pleased!  I hope doghouses are allowed in the challenge, or I shall be in one ......

Hugs, Sxx

You can find my earlier post by scrolling down or simply clicking here

Birthday Girl

Afternoon all, how are you?  I am really sorry that I've not been around much over the past week or so, I don't know what's happened, time is just getting away from me.  

Last weekend was a bit of a crafty washout so I was determined that this weekend was going to be better ... best laid plans of mice and squirrels .... mojo has gone walkies.  I am blaming that on a certain lady who has a big birthday soon and there has been a certain amount of pressure to get the card right for her, and I have procrastinated, and hmmmmmd and errrrrrrd a lot, but today I forced myself to sit down and get on with it!

And unusually for me I have found a few challenges that it will fit with so that's a bonus!

Cute Card Thursday - A Sketch

Totally Papercrafts - Cute And Girly

Allsorts - Young At Heart

Sweet Stamping - Anything Goes

This is an 8x8 card which was a bit of a bugger to photograph so sorry that the pictures are not as good as they ought to be

Ingredients for this card are

Stamped Image - Whimsy/Wee Stamps Birthday Baby Girl

Medium - Distress Inks (ReInkers) (colours listed below)

Papers - Nitwits/LOTV Bonnets and Bowties

and First Editions Up and Away

Dies - Nestabilities Lacey Circle, Cheery Lynn Birthday and

Memory Box Lanterns

Extras - Papermania gems, computer sentiment, Viva Pearl Pen

Distress Ink (ReInkers)

Hair - Scattered Straw, Brushed Corduroy, Walnut Stain

Skin - Tattered Rose

Clothes - Spun Sugar, Victorian Velvet, Antique Linen, Pumice Stone

Icing - Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick

Flowers - Tumbled Glass, Squeezed Lemonade

Cake - Scattered Straw, Brushed Corduroy, Festive Berries

Candle and Flame - Dusty Concord, Squeezed Lemonade, Dried Marigold

Hugs, Sxx

Slightly Confused

It took me an hour to get home from work last night - a journey of only five miles.  If anyone is thinking of coming to Ipswich (not that anyone with any sense does that), take a tip, don't bother!  There seems to be an attempt by the Council to have roadworks on every major route in town simultaneously.  I noticed the Delays Expected sign this morning .... at the beginning of September it said May 2013, then it changed to Summer 2013, today it says Autumn 2013.  Good grief.  A year of chaos.

 

And a knock on result of this is that poor old Toad was hugely late home last night too as his train, on the worst maintained line in Britain, suffered a points failure, and then he got the traffic, so he didn't get home til gone 8.00.

 

So, what is this all leading up to (apart from me whinging about traffic), is that I had a shortened crafty session last night and ended up with a very confused card.  But instead of confused, I am thinking of it as a new trend - welcome to Vintage/Cute Fusion!

 

 

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image: Crafters Companion Strawberry Kisses

Medium: Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers: Kaisercraft (magazine freebie)

Extras: Memory Box bunting die, Cheery Lynn Love die, Doodlebug Pearls

 

And a challenge for this

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes (plus optional Christmas)

 

Hope you all have a wonderful Friday!

Hugs Sxx

Lili's Little Fairies - All Things Bright & Beautiful

Morning All!  Is it Thursday?  No!  It's LILIday of course!  Welcome to another fabbie challenge with LILI'S LITTLE FAIRIES - actually it is Team B's week so I'm not really here ....

Anyhoo, as Secret Squirrel I'm sneaking in because I can't resist a Lili and this week's wonderful theme should blow away all those pre-winter blues with ALL THINGS BRIGHT & BEAUTIFUL.

Get your RayBans ready ......

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image - LOTV Maisie Sitting Pretty

Medium - Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers - Basic Grey: Life Of The Party

Sentiment - LOTV Handwritten Phrases

Looking forward to seeing all your bright and beautiful makes!

And if you are in the mood for bright colours, check out this month's challenge over at Without Words!

Hugs, Sxx

Without Words (DT) November: Bright Colours

Morning all, and welcome to another Monday - and as it is the first Monday of the month, it is time for a new challenge from WITHOUT WORDS.

Some of you have been a little shy of joining in the challenges because you have put a sentiment on your cards - rest assured guys, sentiments are fine, just so long as the focal point is your image!

So what do we have for you for November - well today is Bonfire Night/Guy Fawkes Day/Fireworks Day so we have gone for WHIZZ BANG - think firework colours, think vibrant, think BRIGHT.  Your image does not have to be firework themed so long as you are using wonderfully bright colours.

The Design Team (oh my, they are such a talented bunch) have created some magical inspiration again for you this month so please do pop over and say hi to them.

Here is my DT card for this month:

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image - High Hopes - Max The Magnificent

Medium - Distress Inks (ReInkers) 

Papers - Echo Park

Sentiment - Personal Impressions

But I can hear you asking where the sentiment is .......

Neat huh?  It was Toad I have to thank for that idea - men are useful after all, lol!

So, time for you to get crafting - the challenge will run until 6.00pm on 29 November.  Please remember to follow our CAS definition and follow this month's theme for your entry to be a valid one.

Take care, and looking forward to seeing you over at the challenge during November.

And before I go, I'm sneaking this into the Bold & Bright challenge at My Mum's Craft Shop.

Hugs, Sxx

Wee Suzi

Hello chaps.  Today hasn't gone as planned (I had intended to be SuperWoman but .....) and I didn't get any crafty time either (sob) so to keep you going, here is a card that I made last weekend for Joey's birthday on Tuesday.  I know she has the card so it's safe to blog it now.

Yet another squint photo - I really must stop buying stamps and save my pennies for a proper camera!

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image - Whimsy/Wee by Sylvia Zet - Wee Suzi

Medium - Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment - Hero Arts

Papers - Dovecrafts (pink) Papermania (blue roses)

Punch & Dies - Martha Stewart Flower Patch border, Whimsy Corner die

I've had a few email questions lately about the Distress Inks, so I've put a little voting thingie in my sidebar as to whether you would like me to list the colours I paint with.  It'll be there for a fortnight so you have time to vote.  I'm easy either way, but it may take me a while to get into the habit of listing them as I paint!

Enjoy your Saturday Bonfire Night (lots of organised displays going on) and stay safe with the fireworks.  We're staying tucked up indoors in the warm.  Vince is very relaxed about it all, it's me that gets frit!

Hugs, Sxx

Lili's Little Fairies (DT) Snow Is Falling

Happy All Saints Day chaps!  Yep, 1st of November already.  And it is also Thursday so that means it is LILI'S LITTLE FAIRIES day!

It's the turn of the A Team again, and this week Mummy Fairy has set the theme of SNOW IS FALLING for us all to play with.  There are so many lovely LOTV snowy stamps that you should find this one a breeze.  Here is my card:

For this one I have used:

Stamped Image: LOTV James Bear In the Snow (he's the other man in my life)

Medium: Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers: LOTV Krafty Christmas & Frosty Christmas

Dies: Memory Box Frostyville Border and Frostyville Wreath

Punches: Martha Stewart snowflake
There is a sprinkling of Glamour Dust around the circle too but you'll just have to take my word
for that as it doesn't show at all in the photo.

Don't forget to check out the gorgeous inspiration from my fellow Fairies - they are an incredibly talented bunch.

And, please remember, for your entry to be valid you must use a Lili of the Valley image (stamp or die-cut) and follow this week's theme.

Hugs, Sxx