Summer or Autumn (DT) As You Like It

Here we are again, another alternate Thursday which brings a challenge from AS YOU LIKE IT.

This time our theme is Summer or Autumn (your choice, but please explain)

I'm not a huge fan of summer (surprising really as I was born slap bang in the middle of it, today in fact) as I struggle with the intense heat.  I much prefer the more mellow days of autumn, the warmth is kinder, the light is softer, and I love the rich tones of the foliage changing from green to gold.  I don't even mind the evenings getting shorter, it's nice to be able to close the curtains on the world and be safe and snug indoors.

I have used Playful Henry from CC Designs.  The stamp is no longer available but you can get him as a digi.

I stamped Henry and his leaves onto kraft card and coloured the leaves with Polychromos pencils.  I stamped Henry again onto watercolour paper, colouring him with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and Zig Clean Colour Pens, fussy cut him, and laid him over the previously stamped outline.

For the leaves, I got messily inky with some Distress Inks and then die-cut with some Lawn Fawn stitched dies.

The sentiment stamps are a Whimsy set.

Finally, some matting and layering with autumn tones of plain papers.

Our sponsor for this challenge is

CRAFTY RIBBONS

I do hope you will find time to come and join us.

Hugs

Holiday Fun (SNSRC) Reminder

Hi all, just popping by with a reminder for the Squirrel's Not So Random Challenge that is currently running until the end of October with the theme of Holiday Fun.  Even though the kiddies are back in school, there are still people taking holidays!

I have used a CC Designs stamp from Roberto's Rascals

featuring Henry

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

A Copic edged matting layer

and a Hero Arts sentiment

Reminder delivered.

Hugs, Squirrel xx

AYLI (DT) Favourite Stamp Brand

Hello all, hope you are ok - there is a new challenge over at AS YOU LIKE IT starting today and it is (for me) a stinker!

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to tell us about your FAVOURITE STAMP BRAND.

Our Team Leader might as well have said "Oh, just choose your favourite pet"!

Good grief, favourite stamp brand?  Impossible.

OK, so I did the thing of "what do I have most of?" - erm, yeah, that went well, the answer is rubber.

So, next "what have I used most in the last twelve months?" - erm, ok, getting warmer.

This could go on for some time so I am going to plump for CC Designs because I adore the Roberto's Rascals range, especially Twila, Nancy, Sue and Henry, they are cheeky, funny, and just that little bit sassy.

So, when I eventually chose a stamp it was CC Designs Roberto's Rascals Chicky Henry

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) with a smidge of Polychromos

Papers are Echo Park - Sunny Days Ahead

Matting layers are just white card edged with an orange marker

Sentiment from Clearly Besotted

Our sponsor for this challenge is

Crafts U Love

£10 voucher

OK, get your thinking caps on, and let's be seeing your favourite (and the reason!)

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

DTDF - the debut!

Morning all, thanks for calling by today, and a huge thank you for all your good wishes!

It's all happened rather quickly, but I have had over a week of grinning and itching to tell you all.

So, today is my debut appearance for the design team at

DIES TO DIE FOR BLOG

and I cannot thank Tracy and the girls enough for the opportunity

So, here we go with my first make

So, I bought this cheeky little chap last year as I thought he could be used for so much more than Valentine's but in the end he didn't get inked until this year - and it's still not for Valentine's

Stamp - CC Designs - Roberto's Rascals Valentine Henry

Sentiment - Whimsy Stamps - Bold Statements
Design paper - Echo Park - For The Record 2

I have painted Henry with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

The only extra ingredient is the black card for the matting layer to make him

pop out from the flowery background (which I absolutely lurrrve)

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

DIES TO DIE FOR online store

SNSRC #2 (DT)

Hello chaps, well, here I am again with another Design Team make and this one is for Squirrel's Not So Random Challenge #2 that went live today at 8.00am.  It's the post before this one if you want to scroll back, or I shall add the link to the sidebar shortly.

So this is my One Colour make

I have used Roberto's Rascals Super Hero Henry from CC Designs

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) with Polychromos Pencils for his hair

Papers are from an old Nitwits collection called, I think, Father Knows Best

Impression Obsessions word edge die

and the stars are the waste from a Martha Stewart border punch

Wonky stitched rectangle die from MFT Die-Namics

Custom sized card base

Quite a list of ingredients for a simple card!

Sorry the photo isn't the best quality, it's that time of year again - no daylight!

Hugs to all

SQUIRREL XX

Don't Worry, Bee Happy

Morning all, how are you today?  It's a bit damp over here, and chilly, and we are having to have a new exhaust fitted on the car this morning.  I hate it when the car needs something done, why can't they make the parts of something stronger?!

Anyhoo, I have a happy little card for you today:

You know by now that I am a sucker for Roberto's Rascals stamps

This little chap is Bee Henry from CC Designs

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Orange paper is a scrap of Basic Grey, that I edged with a Martha Stewart border punch

Matting layer and lettering cut from a sheet of chocolate brown Bazzil Bling card

The happy die is from a Paper Smooches Christmas set

The bee was cut using Memory Box Alphabet Soup dies

Sweet and simple but I hope he makes you smile as much as he does me.

Yesterday was my last day in my job of 11 years.  Crumbs.  It still feels surreal, like it has been happening to someone else, but today I am unemployed.  Don't panic, I start my new job on the 18th, but it means I have a week of "me" time to craft and relax.  Hurrah.  My beloved boss, the lady I have worked with all those years, has also left, and we are going to be starting a whole new adventure together!

Well, that's me for today, have a happy weekend.

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Making A Stand

Hello chaps, I hope this finds you well and a little bit warmer than frosty yesterday!

Today the time has come, I am making a stand!  Facebook has become a menace to Blogland with all the immediate and instant gratification, along with the one click Like without the need to make an effort to leave a comment.  However, many of us have been forced into using it as a way to get our work seen and, like it or loathe it, it seems to be the place to be.  However, Facebook has done untold damage to Bloggers and this is where I make my stand.

I used to post here, and add a link with a photo to Facebook.  In my naive little world, I had thought that this might bring more traffic to my blog but, in the one-click world, it has had the opposite effect.  So, from now on:

• I shall be seriously reducing my Facebook time 
• I shall only post a link back to the blog post for that day with a partial photograph
• Yes, I shall probably continue to post Rosie updates if anyone is interested enough but otherwise they will be here, on my blog

How many hours do I waste trawling through posts about who had what for dinner and where they have been shopping?  Is it really funny to have the F and C words used so much?  What does that really add to anything?

One voice in millions won't change the way Facebook works, but if more of you are brave enough to take the same stand, we might make Blogger the thriving community it once was, without all the dross.

Anyone out there prepared to join me to try and make 2016 a Blog Year?

When I was rummaging for stamps last week, I found poor old neglected Henry and thought it was about time that he came out to play again.

This is Skating Henry from Whiff of Joy (retired I think)

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers are from a pad of BoBunny that is at least a couple of years old

Sentiment die from Clearly Besotted

Starry Night Edger from Joanna Sheen Signature Dies

Hugs to all, and solidarity to Bloggers!

Squirrel xx

Sketch & Stash # 50 (DT)

Another Monday nearer to Christmas - less than three weeks to go now (eeeeek - headless chicken impression) but this should cheer you up - it's SKETCH & STASH CHALLENGE day!

Thanks to all of you who took part in Challenge 49 - wasn't that a brilliant sketch from Sue?  As you have been good, she has done another one for you!

Now, you might be thinking this is a simple sketch - well, let me tell you, it was a tricky little devil, so there is still some serious challenge going on!

We are thrilled to be sponsored by the wonderful Simon Says Stamp so surely you're tempted now?

So, that's the business end of it done, so here's the bit to make you laugh, yep, my card:

As you can see, I've swapped the tag over to the right side but that was because Whiff of Joy's Henry was skating the wrong way, silly mouse!  Henry is coloured with Distress Inks.  Sticky ribbon for trim with glitter gems as I can't tie bows even with a bowmaker.  Good job I'm not entering the challenge as I'd be booted out in disgrace LOL!  Henry is my new stash (actually he is my second Henry, I manage to lose the first one, sigh).  Papers are Dovecraft (I think - so old they've lost their ID card).  Peel-off twinkling lettering, gems and cardstock from stash.  Martha Stewart snowflake punch is last years but the Basic Grey brad is new.

Looking forward to seeing all your wonderful entries.  Wouldn't it be nice to win a Simon Says Stamp voucher in time for that crafting Christmas present to yourself?!

Hugs, Squirrel xx