Super Hero ..... Sam

Happy Bank Holiday Monday to you peeps!

I'm popping by today to share a card that I made for a very special

young man - I have mentioned Sam before, he is Julie-Pig's son, and

he is amazing

As well as receiving a Headmaster's Commendation a little while ago (for an act

of incredible kindness and bravery), he's only gone and been made Head Boy

at his high school!  Way to go Sam!

CC Designs -Super Hero Henry

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Waffle Flower - Awesome die

Clearly Besotted Notebook Edger die

Clearly Besotted - City Skyline die

Papers are a mixture of Echo Park, Basic Grey and Hobbycraft

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

You Have My Heart

Afternoon all.  I have surprised myself today and found that I am (reasonably) up-to-date with stuff so I have had time to make a couple of just-for-fun cards!

I found a nice sketch over at the MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge so thought I would have a little bit of a play with it.

Here's the sketch

I used the You Have My Heart stamp set

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and sponge inked the clouds with a

home-made stencil, a few Polychromos for hair detail

Papers are Nitwits Promises (and Promises Solids)

MFT Love Is In The Mail sentiments

Die-Namics Stitched Scallop Basic Edges

Die-Namics Stitched Scallop Square Frame

Hugs to all
Squirrel xx

Squirrel With Flower (DTDF DT)

Yippee!  It's a three-day weekend, AND it's the Monaco Grand Prix, AND Jenson is back for this race, AND we're having takeaway tonight, AND it's my Dies To Die For day!

I have some woodland cuteness to share with you all

Oh my word, that tail was interesting!

Here's the list of linked ingredients from the Dies To Die For online store

Whimsy Stamps (Lee Holland Collection) Squirrel With Flower

MFT Tribal Prints 6x6 pad

Die-Namics Stitched Sentiment Strips

Die-Namics Tag Builder Blueprints 6

Die-Namics Stitched Scallop Basic Edges

MFT Friends Furever

The only extras were a custom sized card base, and of course my Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Whatever you are up to, have a wonderful weekend

Hugs, Squirrel xx

In The Pink (DT) Embossing

Hello peeps, it is my turn on the Pink Job-Share with Annette to bring you something for the challenge starting at IN THE PINK today.

For this fortnight's challenge we are asking to see your EMBOSSING - that can be wet or dry, or with dies/stencils - there are a surprising number of embossing techniques so we would like you to show yours.

I have been wanting to try the white outline style of embossing for a while but couldn't see to find the right stamp/image, until I bought a magazine with a fabulous floral stamp/die set as the free gift.

Ooh get me, all subtle!

So the flowers were stamped with VersaMark and I used a fine white heat embossing powder.  I painted the petals and leaves with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and then fussy cut the whole bouquet.

The vase was also stamped, embossed and painted, but there was a vase die with the freebies so that was simple.

Some polka dot and candy striped paper from my scraps box

Tonic scalloped edged dies for a little bit of interest

and a Tattered Lace sentiment die (which was a freebie with their magazine)

We are thrilled to have on board Tracy from Dies To Die For as

our very generous sponsor of this theme with a £15 store voucher for the lucky winner.

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

DTDF (DT) Doggie (not Dodgy) Artist

Morning all, as it is Saturday it is my day to share a design for the DIES TO DIE FOR blog and this week it is a typical Squirrel CAS affair, although not quite as CAS as last week.

I'll be honest, I was a little bit lost with this stamp (even though I just had to have it) but

his cheeky little smile rather dictated the covers-most-events sentiment

Whimsy Stamps - Doggie Artist

Echo Park - Birthday Wishes 6x6

MFT Die-Namics Cause For Celebration

All the linked items are available from the Dies To Die For online store

The only extras this time are

my beloved Distress Inks (ReInkers) and

the custom sized card base

Hugs to all, and happy weekend

Squirrel xx

AYLI (DT) Skin/Fur Colour Combo

Morning all.  Today I am feeling pawly and a bit ruff ......

It's the start of a new challenge over at AS YOU LIKE IT and the theme for this fortnight is your favourite colour combination for skin or fur.  

I tend to colour far more critters than I do human beans, and over time I have discovered that my favourite combination of Distress Inks for a golden fur colour is a base coat of Scattered Straw, washed over with Tea Dye, and Brushed Corduroy for shading.  If I am feeling particularly brave I will use Walnut Stain for darker areas, and on a particularly courageous day, Black Soot might make an appearance.  Another combination is a very simple Antique Linen/Frayed Burlap pairing, but the golden theme seems to prevail in my world!

as you can see, the little dog is peeking through the window, but what on earth is

he standing on?

what a cheeky pooch!

For this make I have used

MFT You Make My Tail Wag stamps

Die-Namics You Make My Tail Wag dies

MFT Four Legged Friends stamps

Die-Namics Square Peek-A-Boo Window

Doodlebug pawprint paper

and of course

Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Our sponsor for this challenge is

Prizes: - 3 digi stamps voucher worth £6.75

Do come and share your colouring secrets with us!

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Not another mermaid?!

Hello peeps, happy Tuesday.

Now, unless you have been locked in a shed for the last two weeks, you will have seen these mermaid images everywhere in Blogland and on FaceBook.  However, I am a wee bit behind as my own package of loveliness only arrived on Saturday but I simply could not wait to play so on Sunday, out came the fishiness!

MFT BB Mermazing stamp set

Die-Namics Double Stitched Circle Stax

MFT Tribal Prints 6x6 pad

MFT Wild Prints 6x6 pad

Distress Inks (ReInkers), Memento ink pads, Copics (for the splatter background)

aided by a Tim Holtz air-puffer gadget (Distress Marker Spritzer)

Do Copics wash out of clothes?  A fun method of applying colour, but not

particularly directional!

Just keep swimming

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

DTDF (DT) Pinkies Cupcakes & Balloons

Phew!  How is the week back at work after a holiday always the toughest?  Crikey, glad that's done with.

Anyhoo, happy Saturday folks, it is my day to design on the DIES TO DIE FOR blog and I have not one, but two, for you today.

OK, so they are verrrrrry clean and simple, but I think it just shows these super cute girlies off beautifully.

From the Dies To Die For online store I have used:

CC Designs - Pinkies Cupcakes & Balloons

MFT Wild Prints 6x6 pad

and in addition:

Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Polychromos Pencils

A sentiment from an ancient Personal Impressions set

and an equally ancient piece of a Papermania pad

There is a Pinkies Christmas stamp too called Peppermint, she is cute too so I might use her soon.

That's me done for today so I wish you all a wonderful weekend

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Happy Birth Day

No, it's not a typing mistake, I really did mean Happy Birth Day.  My mate at work has become a second time grandma and I made this to celebrate the birth of baby Jack and his safe arrival.

I have entered it as a twist on the Happy Birthday theme on the Lili of The Valley FB Challenge (1-14 May)

I think the stamp is perhaps called Special Delivery but it is one that I forgot to write the name of on the packet when it arrived.  It is most definitely LOTV though!  (EDIT: "Just Arrived")

I have painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers are from an el-cheap-o pad that I bought from The Works, but they

seem to be ok and certainly cope with wet glue so I may well get some more

Die-Namics Double Stitched Circle Stax die

Die-Namics Stitched Sentiment Strips die

Crealies Double Dots Squares die

Tonic Scalloped Squares dies

Clearly Besotted sentiments from their baby stamp set

Stars done with a shaped hole punch

For a simple card it seems to have a lot of ingredients!

Anyway, my mate was thrilled and she has had it on display on our reception desk

all week for everyone to see, even our clients, bless her

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Spotted!

I'm happy dancing!

You've Been Spotted - May 9 2017

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

DTDF (DT) Frog Prince

Morning all.  Now then ladies, who amongst you will admit to having kissed a few frogs before they found their prince?  Strangely, I kissed the frogs but married the Toad!

I'm here today with my make for the DIES TO DIE FOR blog 

Quite a list of ingredients for this one, all from the Dies To Die For store

Whimsy Stamps - Frog Prince

Die-Namics Double Stitched Square Stax

Die-Namics Tag Builders Blueprints 6

Die-Namics Diagonal Sentiment Strip Cover Up

Whimsy Dies Smiles, Happy, Celebrate WSD383

MFT Trail Mix 6x6 pad

MFT Tribal Prints 6x6 pad

MFT County Fair Plaid 6x6 pad

in addition I have used Distress Inks (ReInkers), Memento Tuxedo Black ink, and Bristol Board

plus a custom sized card base

I wanted to try a new colouring technique with the DIs and have been so inspired by

Tamara.  I think it will take a lot of practice, and it really isn't as easy as it looks.

Less really is more in this case.

That's all from me today, so I hope you have a super weekend

Hugs

Squirrel xx

AYLI (DT) Favourite Die(s)

Hello peeps!  Today I'm bringing you my DT card for the AS YOU LIKE IT challenge

and the theme for this fortnight is FAVOURITE DIE(S)

and remember, you need to tell us why it's your favourite!

For me, I love dies with detailed edges, so anything stitched or pierced makes me

very happy.  They just give a lovely finish to a project without the need

for too many matting layers

Here's my make

Lot of ingredients for this one

MFT Furever Friends stamp set

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Lawn Fawn stitched banner die

Die-Namics Blueprints 26

Die-Namics Pierced Heart Stax

Die-Namics Pierced Fishtail Banner Stax

Die-Namics Stitched Strips

Die-Namics Tag Builder Blueprints 6

Sentiment from the MFT Lots of Hugs set

MFT Trail Mix 6x6 pad

Phew!

Before I disappear

The sponsor of this challenge is

Lawn Fawn

A stamp set and 6x6 pad of the winner’s choice

So over to you - we are die-ing to know your favourite!

Hugs

Squirrel xx

Hang In There

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!  What happened this morning?  It's perishing!  We were supposed to be having a day out today, but heard the forecast and rapidly changed our minds.  It's like the middle of November instead of the beginning of May.

So, as we are mooching about I thought I would go through my card photos and I found a few that I haven't blogged yet.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought "hang" was a skateboarding term.  I have absolutely no idea what it means, so if I have used a totally inappropriate sentiment on this then I apologise!  

A simple card for the fellas.

CC Designs - Roberto's Rascals Sk8tr Henry

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment is from the Gerda Steiner Happy Fall squirrel stamp set

Not sure about the striped paper, it may have been a scrap

WH Smith black art card

Custom sized card base

and that's it

Hope you are having a happy Wednesday

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Happy Together

Morning (sorry, afternoon) all.  Well, what a morning!  I had prescription review with the doc at 8.40 in Woodbridge, Toad had dentist in totally the opposite direction on the far side of Ipswich at 9.45, and Rosie had her v.e.t. appointment five mins from home at 11.15.  We are all medic-ed out!

Apart from brief resistance to being bundled into the carrier head-first, and howling all the way to the v.e.t, Her Ladyship was the model of good behaviour today.  Mind you, she did get Dr Dreamy so I can't blame her for just sitting there and gazing at him!

Anyhoo, she is now sprawled out on the floor.  Her vaccinations always leave her a bit dopey for 24 hours so we will go out this afternoon and just leave her to be quiet.

Can someone please explain why I do this to myself?  I love the idea of a colour challenge, but by crikey I don't half have trouble with them!  Over at MFT Card Challenges the Color Challenge # 68 is:

Now, to me, that Lemon Chiffon looks pinkish, but it's name suggests yellow, so yellow I have used.  I've had to wing it and use the nearest colours I had to hand.

I have used

MFT Pure Innocence - Happy Together

Sentiment from the MFT Lots of Hugs set

Die-Namics Stitched Scallop Circle Frame

MFT Farm Fresh Gingham 6x6 pad

and a whole lot of Distress Inks for the stamped flowers

and watercolouring the image

All the linked MFT items were purchased from the Dies To Die For online store

Ok then, Rosie is sleepy and Toad is restless and, despite having a filling done, he wants

to go out for a cuppa and a cake.  Who am I to argue with that?!

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Garden gnomes ARE real!

Hello peeps, just popping by to share my make for Squirrel's Not-So-Random challenge in case you are interested in any of the details.

So, for this little chap I have used:

MFT You Gnome Me - stamp set and matching dies

Lawn Fawn - Puffy Cloud border dies

MFT Watercolor Wash 6x6 -pad

MFT County Fair Plaid 6x6 pad

Martha Stewart grass border punch
Sentiment is a magazine freebie

Images painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Hugs, Squirrel xx

SNSRC #5 - Fantasy

CLOSING DATE EXTENDED TO 30 JULY!

Hello everyone, and a very happy 1st of May to you all.  Thanks for visiting today for the next instalment of the Not-so-Random Challenges.

Before we get down to business, let's announce the Winner and Top 3 from the last challenge, which was Spring Fever

Winner - Katrina


Top 3
Lynne


Crafty


Jacky


Huge thanks to everyone who entered - fabulous entries from all of you

Right then - this time, the theme for the challenge is FANTASY
and those nutty little fruitcakes of mine have pulled out all the stops, as usual.  

Here is your amazing batch of inspirational makes from the team

Annette

Becky

Jayne

Squirrel

Sue

So, it's over to you - let's be seeing your fantastic fantasy makes!
You have until 28 June to enter.

Hugs

The Little Acorns

xx

An InLinkz Link-up

An InLinkz Link-up