Celebrating Friendship (inc.PBSC January Sales Challenge)

Afternoon all, how ya doing?  It's been another grey cloud day here in the east of England - more of a day for curling up on the sofa with a mug of hot chocolate and good book than doing anything energetic.  We had planned to pop over and see my Oldies today but when I phoned, mum advised not to go over as poor old dad has a streaming cold.  I know you won't read this dad but I hope you are better soon, love ya.

So, as there was no parental visit to do, I've had a little play.  Both these cards are for very dear friends, one for a birthday and one for a "just because".

PENNY BLACK SATURDAY CHALLENGE have "January Sales" as the theme this week and I managed to purchase this Flutter Bye cutie in the sales from The Glitter Pot (satisfied grin).

I've watercolour painted Flutter Bye in distress inks.  The layout is borrowed from a Dawny P sketch for another challenge that I have already entered with a different card but the sketch was too fab not to use again!  Papers are Basic Grey from the very first pad of their papers I ever bought, the cover has long since been lost so can't tell you what they are called.  The sentiment is LOTV and the silver peel-off diamond borders are from stash.

My second card today isn't for a challenge, I just thought I'd share it with you.  There was a lot of hair-pulling over this one but it's my own fault for using such a colourful dp!

The image is Painting Rainbows from Sugar Nellie, distress ink painted.  DPs are, I think, Craftwork Cards but from an old collection called Tutti Fruity.  Matting card and corners is Little Sizzlets, the corners done with a Sizzlets photo corner die.  LOTV sentiment, Martha Stewart borders (thought the goo one looked like dripping paint) and EK Success retro flower punch with Card Candy and Martha Stewart frond punch to finish off.  This took an age - firstly with the painting and then getting the colours together.  But I'm happy with the end result - I think she looks as if she is painting the flowers (hopefully!).

Here's a close up:

Right then, that's me done for today.  I'm off to do something menacing to some mushrooms and then sort out work clothes for the morning.  Catch up with you all soon.

Hugs, Sxx

Flat As A Pancake

Just for once, just once, I'd like to wake up in the morning and find that nothing is running, dripping, rasping, aching, creaking, groaning or falling off.   I am truly feeling every one of my 153 years right now.  What do you mean, I'm not that old?  Are you sure?

Feeling as flat as a pancake today and as low as these miserable grey clouds overhead.  Could do with a good dose of sunshine and some warmth I think.  Mind you, there has been some sun this week - we had one glorious, bright day - but I was shackled to my desk at work so didn't actually get to experience much of it.  Oh I am a right old grumpy pants so just ignore me and come and have a look at my cards.

I've got two for you today, and a few challenges to go with them:

And the challenges for this are:

ALLSORTS - Male/Boy

CARDS FOR MEN - Let's Party

CRAFTY CATZ - Forgotten Stamp

CREATIVE CARD CREW - For Men

STAMPING FOR THE WEEKEND - Get Warmed Up (colours)

CUTE CARD THURSDAY - 3, 2, 1  (stretching this one a bit, 3 papers, 2 of each candy dot, 1 handwritten sentiment)

The papers are a Papermania masculine collection from a year or two ago, the teddy in his brightest, bestest, party jumper is a Sugar Nellie Little Cotton Rabbits bear who has been sadly neglected of late, cardstock from stash, candy dots from stash and I did the sentiment myself (you can probably see the smudge).  Image coloured with ProMarkers.

And card number two:

Is for these challenges:

LILI OF THE VALLEY - Dawny's Sketch

STAMP SOMETHING - Something Cute

TRULY SCRUMPTIOUS - Colour Combo - Brown/Pink/Green

CREATIVE INSPIRATIONS - Patchwork

I love this LOTV image, it was one of the first stamps I bought from them, and it has had a lot of use.  Papers are a mix of Dovecraft and Little Sizzlets.  The very bad faux stitching done with the ProMarker line pen and the image is painted with distress inks.

Thanks for popping over, and I'm sorry for being such an old misery.  If you haven't got your name down for my JANUARY CANDY (Ice Skating Henry from Whiff Of Joy) then you still have until 31 January to enter the draw.

Hugs, Sxx

Totally Gorjuss # 54 - Spooky (DT)

It's Saturday, it's TOTALLY GORJUSS day and I'm back!  So many thanks to Net and my fellow Gorjussettes for allowing me a little break from DTing but I'm back now and raring to go!

Now it is that time of year when the ghosts and ghouls all come out to play so we have a theme of SPOOKY for you to play with - it doesn't have to be a Halloween card, just something a bit creepy (eeeek).  And to counteract all this scariness, we have a bunch of loveliness by way of our sponsor WILD ORCHID CRAFTS.

Here is my DT card:

I've had this Tilda a while now but not really used her much.  I think she is meant to be a winter one but that hat just screamed Halloween at me!  Coloured with ProMarkers and a touch of pencil for shading.  The cobweb is a Cuttlebug embossing folder, on Coordinations cardstock and I swiped over the web with white VersaColor to lift it from the page.  Papers are a mixture of Making Memories and Little Sizzlets.  Sentiment is Paula Pascaul from Personal Impressions.

So, now I have scared you silly, I reckon you ought to be getting on with some crafting and show us all your spooky creations!

Hugs, Squirrel xx