As You Like It Challenge (DT) Your Favourite Person To Make For

 Hello chaps, hope you are all keeping your toes toasty warm in this

little cold snap, anyone would think tomorrow was December!

So, before I tell you about the theme for this challenge, I have a little bit of news for you.  This is my penultimate post as a DT member for AS YOU LIKE IT CHALLENGE.  After several years of putting up with my scatterbrainedness, insanity, and hysteria, the team have finally sacked me.

KIDDING!  But I am stepping down, it wasn't an easy decision, and I'm sure I will regret it by January, but I need some time to recharge some creative batteries.  I have had a blast with the team, will miss all my teamies, and I should say that I will miss Red Leader, but she doesn't get rid of me, mwahahahahaaaaa.

ANYWAY - the theme for this challenge is

Your Favourite Person To Make For (and please tell us why)

For me, it's my darlin' mum, she loves receiving something unique that she knows has been

hand crafted just for her, and I know she stashes all her cards in a drawer in the dining room (she thinks I don't know about that)

What could I use for Mummy Bear other than the adorable James Bear from LOTV

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment is from a set of rubber stamps (ancient now) from C C Designs

Papers are from two different Christmas sets from Dovecraft

Star punch from Hobbycraft

Red cardstock from somewhere random on Amazon

The sponsor of this challenge is

Lee Holland

I do hope you will be able to pop over and join the fun, after all, everyone has someone to make for

Hugs

As You Like It Challenge (DT) Favourite Decorative Gift Wrapping

 Happy New Year peeps!  I hope you managed to have a wonderful

Christmas and New Year break.

So, the AYLI team are back in harness for the first of this year's challenges and this

fortnight's theme is

Your Favourite Decorative Gift Wrapping

(box/bag/pouch etc, but please tell us why)

I really like making and decorating gift boxes, but being the disorganised little Squirrel that I am, I usually don't leave myself enough time to create a quality box, so my safety net is a gift bag, ideal for the smaller gifts like jewellery.

For this I have used

Whimsy Stamps Burfday Dragons

Crealies XXL oval dies

Hobbycraft papers

L'il Inkers small bow die

and a tiny Hobbycraft flower punch

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

Hugs

Curvy Girl Baker (DT) Dies To Die For

Hello peeps, a very slow Squirrel here, everything is on a go slow today, but maybe that is what Saturdays were made for.  I'd intended to have a bit of a lay-in this morning, but woke up early, then cat-napped until the alarm (with Rosie on my pillow, snoring) and then got up feeling grot.  Should have got up when I first woke!

Oh well, never mind eh.  So, snow and blizzards forecast for us in the east tomorrow and Monday.  I'm a little bit excited about it, I love to see fresh snow, but also dreading it.  Thankfully I am working from home until Wednesday so maybe the roads will have cleared by then!

Anyhoo, here is what you came over for:

I adore these Curvy Girl stamps from Stamping Bella, although they are still enviably tall, at least their legs are not like matchsticks!

Stamping Bella - Curvy Girl Baker : sb-EB856

MFT 6x6 papers selection

Curvy Girl has been painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and I just used a little Hobbycraft heart punch to take the bareness off that section of the card.

As you can tell from the lack of ingredients, this is definitely a CAS card.

Hugs

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE  (lots of new goodies have arrived this week)

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

True Love or Fabulous Friends (DT) As You Like It Challenge

 Hello peeps, Thursday again, and that means another new challenge from the

AS YOU LIKE IT CHALLENGE

This time our theme is True Love or Fabulous Friends.

Rather oddly, although family never make a comment on the cards they receive, I soon hear about it if I miss an occasion with one, go figure.  However, friends on the other hand always appreciate the time and effort a handcrafted card takes, and have been known to say "I am getting one of your cards aren't I?" which always feels like a veiled threat somehow, so I really do make more for friends because I know they will be going to a good home!

Bits and bobs on this one are

Stamping Bella - Bundle Girl With Snowdrop

and the matching Cut It Out die

Whimsy 6x6 papers - Pretty Pastels

Tonic top fold pop up border die

Not sure about the sentiment, or even where I got it from, but it's lovely

Heart punch from Hobbycraft

Image painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Our sponsor for this challenge is LILI OF THE VALLEY

Hope you can join us!

Hugs

Harvest Mouse (DT) Dies To Die For

Mouses?  Meeces?  Mices?

Hello peeps, a furry little critter here this morning with some other, smaller, very furry little critters to share with you

Although the dies are labelled as tags, they make fabulous bookmarks

MFT Clear Stamps Harvest Mouse

MFT Die-Namics Harvest Mouse

MFT Die-Namics Tall Tag Duo

I've painted the meeces and the incidentals all with Distress Inks (ReInkers) used as watercolours.

The ombre paper was a pad I snaffled from Hobbycraft.

So that's it from me today.

Squeek!

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

DTDF (DT) More Than Pie

Morning all, I'm here today with my post for the

DIES TO DIE FOR inspiration blog

OK, so I am known to be partial to a nice slice of cake, but hey, I'm up for being

all inclusive and I kinda like a slice of pie too!

Gerda Steiner:  More Than Pie

MFT 6x6 Farm Fresh Gingham

Die-Namics Stitched Basic Edges

Die-Namics Stitched Scallop Basic Edges

Image painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Heart punches from Hobbycraft

and I embossed the base card into a chequerboard to match the

gingham paper

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Dies To Die For online store

(where there are many more Gerda sets also available)

AYLI (DT) Mainly One Colour

Hello.  I am glad today is Thursday, and that it is AS YOU LIKE IT challenge day, because

it's the first day this week that actually feels like the day it is!

The AYLI theme for this challenge is your

Favourite One Colour (you may use others but your make should be predominantly one colour)

and yes, you need to tell us about your choice please

Here's my make

Like my other team-mates, I do like all colours to a degree, so the choice for this one was determined more by the image than by any particular preference, although I am getting very fond of oranges and yellows lately

I have used:

Stamping Bella Tiny Townie Garden Girls - Carnation

Spellbinders Long Rectangle dies

Spellbinders Long Scalloped Rectangle dies

Lili of The Valley circular sentiment stamp

Tonic scalloped circle die

Hobbycraft flower punch

Image painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) as watercolours

Our sponsor for this challenge is

Wild Orchid Crafts
£12 gift voucher

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Anabelle Needs Your Address

Hello chaps, a bit of a surprise for me to be here on a Sunday evening, but I made a card that I wasn't going to blog and then a bloggy friend pointed out that it would fit with a challenge and I didn't have many hours left to squeak it in, so here it is.

So this little one contains:

Stamping Bella - Anabelle Needs Your Address

Woodware Time To Go sentiment

MFT Die-Namics Blueprints 31

MFT Graphic Grid papers

Tim Holtz Distress Inks (ReInkers)

and a teeny flower punch from Hobbycraft

and the challenge that this card coincidentally fits is

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Make A Rainbow

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Mouse With Rose (DT) Dies To Die For

Hello chaps, it is the weekend (yay) and Spring really does seem to have sprung now, at last!  We have a busy weekend ahead, what with Mother's Day tomorrow, Church twice, the start of the 2017 Formula 1 season (yippee!) and I have some special design work to get on with.  So without more ado, here is my make for the DIES TO DIE FOR blog today.

Whimsy Stamps: Lee Holland Collection - Mouse With Rose

MFT Die-Namics Double Stitched Circle Stax

MFT Die-Namics Dainty Doily Die

MFT Watercolor Wash 6x6 pad

Your Next Stamp Hugs And Kisses 6x6 pad

All the linked ingredients are available from the

Dies To Die For on-line store - the links will take you to the right pages

Image painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and I used the off-the-page technique

with the rose.  It proved a little tricky with the double-stitched die but I got there

in the end

Heart punch from the bargain bin at Hobbycraft

I have made this for my Oldies' wedding anniversary for this coming Tuesday.

A little while ago I had a phone call from my dad, it isn't often he will make a call so I was a little concerned, but I had to have a chuckle.

Dad:  You know what this year is?

Me:  Yes dad, it's 2017.

Dad:  Me and your mum have been married 60 years.

Me:  No, you haven't.

Dad:  We have.

Me:  No dad, you really haven't.  It's 58.

Dad:  Are you sure?

Me:  Yes dad, you got married in 1959, that's 58 years.  You have 2 years to go.

Dad:  Oh bugger.

😕

Bless his little heart.  But it did give me the opportunity to remind him that it might not be an 0 anniversary, but it is an 0 birthday for my mum.  He was grateful that I had mentioned it, and asked me to remind him again nearer the time!

Hope you have a super weekend, whatever you are up to

Hugs, Squirrel xx

DIES TO DIE FOR

Friends Furever (DTDF DT)

Happy Saturday everyone, I hope you have a super weekend lined up!

It's my day to showcase over on the DIES TO DIE FOR blog
and I have been itching to share these cuties with you all week

MFT - Friends Furever

MFT Die-Namics Twice The Hugs

MFT - Lots Of Hugs

MFT Dots & Stripes Sorbet 6x6 Paper Pad
The bears are painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and fussy cut
There is a matching die set, which I have ordered, but I didn't have it to hand
Hearts are done with a Hobbycraft punch from their bargain bin

And while I was playing with the bears and the Hugs dies, this
little one sort of popped into being as well

and when you open it up

ta-dah!

Anyhoo, that's me for today, so I shall toodle off and
leave you to enjoy your weekend, whatever you are up to

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Dies To Die For online store

In The Pink (DT) With Love

Yes, we know it's coming up - so over at IN THE PINK we are helping you get ready for the Day of Lurrrrve - our theme is, naturally, With Love.

Of course you don't HAVE to make it for your partner, it could be for a friend, your mum, your dad, whoever you want to say "I love you" too, and actually, in this strange ol' world we live in, I think it needs to be said a lot more often.

Here's my With Love themed card

(warning: it's quite pink)

Pink enough?!

So, I have used

CC Designs - Meoples Meowy (stamps and dies)

Die-Namics Inside-Out Stitched Rounded Corner Square

Echo Park papers

Hobbycraft heart punch

Distress Inks (ReInkers)

The sponsor for this challenge is DI'S DIGI STAMPS

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

AYLI (DT) Favourite Christmas Colours

Hello peeps, happy Thursday, and of course that means it's As You Like It day.

For this new challenge our theme is

Favourite Christmas Colours (and why)

So, this was another challenge that had my scratching my head.  I love all sorts of colour combos for making Christmas cards, but for Christmas itself with all the decorations at home, I don't think you can beat the traditional red, green and gold for warmth and richness.  It just makes Christmas feel so cosy.

This little lass doesn't look too impressed with her Christmas jumper this year

Stroppy Girl - Christmas Jumper stamp from LOTV

Painted in red, green, and gold - Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment from Hobby Arts

Chevron die from MFT Die-Namics

Papers are magazine freebies from Making Cards

Red cardstock from Hobbycraft

The sponsor of this challenge is

Prize - £10.00 Voucher

digistampboutique.co.uk catalog

digistampboutique blogspot

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

AYLI (DT) Fairies or Teddies

Now, the choice that AS YOU LIKE IT are asking you to make this week is which is your favourite, Fairies or Teddies ......

Having had a run of challenges where I have really struggled to make a choice, this one has been an easy decision.  With apologies to the Fairies, but if it is furry and huggable, then I am there, a Teddies girl all the way!

So this happy hula bear is by Lee Holland from Whimsy Stamps

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Clouds are sponge inked with a homemade template

MFT Die-Namics double stitched circle die

Whimsy Dies double scallop doily die

Sentiment from Personal Impressions

Papers are Prima All About Me

Hobbycraft gold pearlised card

The sponsor of this challenge is

Dies to Die for

£15 voucher

I do hope you will be able to join us for this super theme!

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

It's Behind You!

Hello peeps.  I have been playing with dies, stamps and masking this afternoon.

This ended up being a bit of an MFT-fest

Stamped images from the MFT Merry Everything set, and masked together

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

MFT Stitched scalloped circle frame die

MFT Square grid cover up die

Sentiment from MFT Holiday Subway Art set

Papers and card are Dovecraft and Hobbycraft

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Autumn Harvest

As you may have seen from my previous post, I had an MFT afternoon on Sunday so I'm here to share my second make from that session.

When this particular set was released they seemed to be rarer than hen's teeth in the UK, so it was quite some while later that I managed to get my sticky mitts on them.

It's one of my trademark CAS cards but I had so much fun colouring these little chaps

My Favorite Things BB Harvest Mouse stamp set

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Personal Impressions sentiment

Hobbycraft chocolate brown card for matting layer

Custom sized card base

Love, love, love how this one turned out.

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Right then, big knickers on

Morning all.  Thank you for all your kind words during my wobble the other day.  I've pulled the big knickers on and here I am again.

This stamp is LOTV Telephone Ted

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers are from a Papermania Capsule Collection

Martha Stewart deep scallop punch for the top

Hobbycraft bow stamp

Penny Black sentiment

Everything looks squint in the photo, but really it wasn't.  I wish I could learn to take a straight picture!

If you haven't already heard the sad news, The Stamp Basket is closing down.

Janet has had a difficult decision to make but she's done it now and there is a big clearance sale with 50% reductions on hundreds of items.

Hugs Squirrel xx