As You Like It Challenge (DT) Favourite Love or Friendship

 So, here we are with another challenge from

AS YOU LIKE IT

and this time our theme is Love or Friendship

I love making for friends, there doesn't need to be a particular reason other than

letting you know you are thinking of them

I've used this super cute pre-coloured digi from Amanda Jayne Designs

called Friends Forever

I've used Crealies circle dies

A Lawn Fawn love die, which I have stacked to give depth

and loads of papers from the Papermania blue collection

The winner of this challenge will receive a digi prize from:

Amanda Jayne Designs

Hugs

Dies To Die For (DT) Furever Friends

Hello everyone, I'm here today with a double dose of some furriness to share with you.

Now, we all love our friends, but how may of us take the time to tell them we do?  I really enjoy making random friendship cards, those ones for no particular reason but just because, and this super cute stamp set is perfect for that.

So for this one I have used

MFT Clear Stamps - Furever Friends

Your Next Stamp - Smiley Happy Alphabet

MFT DieNamics - Mini Cloud Edges Stencil

MFT 6x6 - True Blue Houndstooth

Your Next Stamp 6x6 - Fabulous Fall

and because I was having so much fun

again the

MFT Clear Stamps - Furever Friends

MFT Clear Stamps - Sassy Pants Best Friends

Both cards are painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers) as watercolours but rather than use my

usual Bristol Board this time I have pushed the boat out and used proper watercolour paper.

I normally stamp with Memento Tuxedo Black, which dries really fast on the BB, but the trick with watercolour paper is to plan ahead and stamp one day and paint the next, it gives the ink a chance to dry properly and stops it bleeding into your colours when you get it wet.

I've been asked about the clouds using the Mini Cloud Edges Stencil - I do these with Distress Ink Oxide Broken China - I used to do it with my finger, but found it was too mucky and I was getting blue ink in places no squirrel ever wants to find it, so I experimented with a few things and, after some trial and error, I have found that for me the Tsukineko Finger Daubers are the best thing EVER!

The background paper on the second card is from an old Papermania pad that was purple and green themed.  This "sunburst" design is the last page of that pattern, which is a shame.

Hugs to all

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

(new releases from MFT and Stamping Bella now available guys!)

Tropical Penguins

Now, a rare thing has happened, I had time this weekend to make a card just for the fun of it.  I am up to date with DT work, even a weeny bit ahead, so I took the opportunity to grab a favourite set that always make me smile and got busy.

So, this is MFT Penguins In Paradise stamp set

I love that the tree is really bendy so can go either way

Coloured with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and Polychromos Pencils

Paper is from a very old Papermania Capsule Collection

Sentiment came with the Penguins

Hugs to all

AYLI (DT) Animal

Hello everyone, doing anything special for the last day of November?  Eeeeek, 

where did that month go?!

As well as that, it's time for another challenge over as AS YOU LIKE IT and the theme

for this fortnight is ANIMALS (your favourite, and why)

Regular readers of this blog will know that I am most definitely an animal lover, and

top of that list is cats (yes, even you Rosie), followed closely by dogs, rabbits, squirrels, donkeys, alpacas, oh let's face it, anything with fur on is good for me!

I could not resist this goofy chap

Isn't he fun!

Whimsy Stamps (Krista Heij-Barber) Merry Moose-mas

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Die-Namics Stitched Basic Edges and Stitched Scalloped Basic Edges

Papermania snowflake paper

Rymans pink and purple cardstock

Clearly Besotted sentiment Say It's Christmas

Our sponsor for this challenge is

Crafts U Love

£10 voucher

Looking forward to seeing all your favourite critters!

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

AYLI (DT) Ribbon or Lace

Morning everyone!  It's a new challenge from those lovely ladies over at AS YOU LIKE IT and this time your choice is RIBBON OR LACE.

Whichever is your favourite, please remember that you must tell us why, otherwise you may not be considered for the Top 3/Winner slots.

Most people know that I consider ribbon to be the frippery of the Devil, and if I am honest, lace isn't far behind - neither of them really suit my CAS style, but for this one a faux lace matting layer actually worked well enough for me to have a little smile.

This one was a card order from my mum, she wanted one for a friend of hers.  The friend, and the friend's husband, are greatly amused by me being called Squirrel, and often tell mum if they have heard me on the local BBC radio station.  So, when mum said "I want a Squirrel squirrel card" I wasn't sure what she meant - I didn't hear the capital letter, and then the penny dropped.

Lili of The Valley - Squirrel Presents Trio

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment from Clearly Besotted

Papers are all Papermania

Martha Stewart - Punch Around-The-Page - Eyelet Lace

Die-Namics stitched circle

Tonic scalloped circle

Our sponsor for this challenge is

Crafty Ribbons
£10 voucher

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

AYLI (DT) Favourite Flowers

Morning all!  Hope this finds you well on this beautiful autumnal Thursday.

I'm in charge over at AS YOU LIKE IT

with our new challenge that starts today

FAVOURITE FLOWERS - bought or die cut

(and remember you must tell us why)

Here's my make

Like many crafters, I have quite a stash of bought flowers, but if I am honest I rarely use them unless they are on special cards that don't need to be posted.

However, as most of my makes DO get posted, I favour die cut or punched flowers as

they are far less likely to get damaged or scare the postman.

So, for this card I have used

Wild Rose Studio stamp - Mouse With Flower

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papermania yellow paper with the delicate flower print

Orange cardstock from stash

MFT Die-Namics stitched scalloped border die

My ultimate favourite flower punches - Woodware retro flower, medium and small

Card Candy for flower centres

Mama Elephant "love" word die

and CC Cutters Leafy Branch die

The sponsor of this challenge is

All Dressed Up.

2 digital images of winners choice

from Wendy’s Etsy shop

All Dressed Up Challenge Blog.

So, time to get floral, see you there petals!

Hugs

Squirrel xx

English Rose

I seem to have gone a bit flowery lately, not sure what's got into me but, don't worry, there will be some more cute characters here soon!

When dad retired from work he had spent over 42 years with his employer, Notcutts Garden Centres (founded in 1897 and now the UK's largest family owned garden centre business).  Dad worked out on the plant fields, driving his tractor, lifting roses, cutting hedges, all the heavy stuff.  Before that he did a spell with the landscaping team, and before that on the HGVs until migraines meant he couldn't do that any more.

The boss of the firm, Charles Notcutt, later Sir Charles Notcutt, was a fabulous man.  In the days when there was just the Woodbridge centre, and latterly when they started to expand, he knew just about everyone by name who worked for him.  He certainly knew my dad very well.  Sadly, Sir Charles died this year.

This week mum and dad were invited to a Celebrating the Life Of garden party at the home of Sir Charles and Lady Notcutt, along with several of the "old" employees who were there, back in the day. They had a lovely time, catching up with old pals, and Lady Gill had done them proud with her generous hospitality.

Anyhoo, mum asked me to make her a "nice" thank you card.  I'm not sure what other sort she thought I would make!  And this fitted really well with a rather large package of happy mail that arrived this week.

Notcutts won many gold medals at Chelsea Flower Show for their roses so ........

I've used my new English Rose stamp set from Clearly Besotted

and the matching die set

Inks for the roses are Altenew

and I used Memento inks for the leaves

Crealies stitched rectangle die for the image plate

I inked a scrap of card with the midtone rose colour and cut the MFT Thanks word die

and a piece of grass green Papermania for the matting layer

Heading off to the Oldies to deliver to mum.  Hope she likes it!

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Colin The Chameleon

Morning all, hope this finds you well.  I had a super package of happy mail arrive last week and couldn't wait to get stuck in.

Oh my word, isn't he ADORABLE?!  I have named him Colin.

Clearly Besotted - Colour Chameleon

The word stamps are from the same set

Papers are from a Papermania Colossal set, probably one of the first paper pads I ever bought, and it never seems to run out

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Stamped with Memento inks (various colours)

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Summer Sunshine

Hello chaps!  I'm in holiday mode now (for this week anyway) and thought I would start my break with a dose of sunshine for you.

I had been patiently waiting (ok, maybe not so patiently) for the arrival of my CC Designs June release and they plopped onto the doormat this week.  Naturally I was straight into them.

So, what do we have?

Image from the CC Designs Roberto's Rascals "Splashies" set of clear stamps

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and Polychromos Pencils

Papers are all old Papermania Colossal collections, except the green which is Echo Park

Dies used are:  MFT double stitched circle, Crealies stitched squares, MFT Sunny Skies and Impression Obsession Sunshine word die

So that's a little dollop of summer sunshine for you - I'm off to watching the qualifying session for this weekend's British Grand Prix.  (Wave to mate, Karina, who is there)

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Man's Best Friend?

I hope I am never put in a position of having to choose between cats and dogs, it's not a choice I could probably ever make.  They both have their pro's and con's.  However, what is undisputed is that dogs are always considered to be man's best friend. Thankfully my best friend doesn't drool on my slippers, and she's not a dog either!!

Anyhoo, there is a Man's Best Friend challenge over at Fantasy Stampers so as I already had a suitable stamp out on my craft bench I shall take my chances and enter.

So, this is Harley from Whipper Snapper Designs

(available at My Mum's Craft Shop here)

Painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers)

with a Personal Impressions sentiment

and bright stripy paper from a Papermania collection

the yellow gingham is from the scraps box

Hope your Sunday is as sunny as Harley's seems to be.

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

In The Pink (DT) Pearls

Happy Pink Thursday everyone!  It's time for a new challenge from IN THE PINK and this time our theme is Pearls.

We have another super sponsor too, but more of that further down.  Firstly, here is my DT card.

So, what have I used then:

Stamped image is a clear set from Tiddly Inks featuring Ellie Says Be Happy

She's painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and Polychromos Pencils but I have

paper pieced her dress.

Papers are all from the Wild Rose Papermania Capsule Collection

That fabulous sentiment is by My Favourite Things

Pearls are from my stash

Ta-dah!

As if pink and pearls weren't enough to tempt you, there is a prize for the winner from

LIVE & LOVE CRAFTS

You know the rules by now, you have two weeks to enter, please use predominantly pink

and follow the theme.  Easy peasy!

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

AYLI (DT) Anything But A Card

Hello chaps.  It's Thursday, but not any ordinary Thursday, it's my last Thursday and penultimate day  in my current job.  Tonight, a gang of us are hitting the town .......I may have a sore head tomorrow, which considering I don't drink shows my current state of mind, lol!

Anyhoo, Thursday also brings us a new challenge from the AS YOU LIKE IT team and this time it's

 ANYTHING BUT A CARD (and why - you must explain why it's your favourite style).

I love the excitement of receiving interestingly wrapped gifts, so I always try to make the effort to give in the same way.  I am really into gift bags and boxes at the moment, bags for the awkward shapes of course!

By the time this post is read, this gift bag may be looking a little weary as I am filling it with yummy biscuits for my department colleagues!

I have used

Tiddly Inks - Cookie Wryn (she was perfect for this)

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and Polychromos Pencils

Tonic oval dies

Crealies stitched rectangle die

Papers from Nitwits and the gingham is from Create & Craft

Martha Stewart border and corner punches

L'il Inkers bow die

Purple gems/dots from Papermania

The sponsor of this challenge is
Lawn Fawn
A stamp set and 6x6 pad of the winner’s choice






Looking forward to seeing all your non-card makes!

Hugs to all
Squirrel xx

Three Little Ducks

I was going to say morning all, but see that it is now afternoon.  I obviously spent more time than I thought ranting at Royal Mail about the non-delivery of my happy mail (which I had paid a customs charge on and they'd said would be delivered yesterday).  Still no answer as to where it is, and trust me, if they have lost it I shall be more than ranting at them!!

Anyhoo, on a happier note, I have been playing with a new-to-me Gerda Steiner stamp set.

I had recently been chatting with a friend about stepper card dies and realised that I hadn't used mine lately, so out it came.

Stamp set is Lucky Duck from Gerda Steiner

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Stepper die is from CC Designs

The Hello frame die is a Die-Versions Sweet Frames

Orange card by Papermania

Spotty paper from Dovecraft Back To Basics

Fussy cutting by me

Have yourselves a quacking weekend

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

In The Pink (DT) So Cute

Morning all, it's PINK day - yes, get your Pink on, it's another challenge from those lovely ladies over at IN THE PINK

This time our challenge is SO CUTE - that leaves you a huge scope to craft with, but remember please, more pink than anything else!

Here's my DT make:

So, for this one I have used

Stamping Bella - Especially For You, Petunia

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Background flowery paper made by me!  I used a Tapestry stamp and two colours of Memento ink

Matting layer papers are old Papermania ones

Nestabilities dies for the scalloped die cuts

Wish I could remember where I got the word stamps from .....

Sparkling gems from Papermania

The sponsor for this challenge is PAPER NEST DOLLS

OK, you have two weeks to get pink - looking forward to seeing your cute makes!

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

I'm not Lion

Honestly, I'm not Lion.  Would I fib to you?

I've used the lion from the LOTV Faraway Friends mini stamps

The little tag is from LOTV Sentiment Tags - Set 24

(there's a nelliphant and a monkey too)

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Memory Box Corner Bow die

Martha Stewart leaf punch

My Favourite Things Wonky Windows die

Papers are an allsorts mixture of old Basic Grey and ancient Papermania

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Favourite Christmas Colours

Afternoon peeps!  I hope you managed to have a good Christmas - we did, it was so relaxing with it just being the two of us and Rosie on Christmas Day, and Rosie was so relaxed that she fell asleep in the middle of a Scrabble game, literally, right across the board!

Anyhoo, I'm here today with a late entry for the challenge over at As You Like It where you have to say what your favourite Christmas colours are and why.

Although I make a lot of traditional coloured projects at Christmas, I do really love being able to make non-traditional ones too, and my favourite colours are pink, purple and turquoise for these.  They still look festive but with extra pizazz!  Many of my makes are for girlfriends, so it's so nice to be able to feminise Christmas.

This little lady is Pollycraft's Snowflake

and she was just crying out for pink and purple

She's painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and I went over the snowflake with a white Polychromos pencil to stop contamination with ink

Papers are from an old Papermania collection, and the sentiment is from one of those pages

A bit of fussy cutting and a custom sized card base

and she's done

You know that saying "as one door closes......", I have some news!  Can't share it just yet but will let you know as soon as I can.

Anyhoo, that's me for today, I am busy with DT work and fighting to keep Rosie off my craft bench.

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

In The Pink (DT) Magical

Well helloooooo, how the devil are you all?  Lookie here, it's a new challenge from

IN THE PINK

and with Halloween so near, we would like to see some pink magic this time please

I've used a Tiddly Inks clear stamp - Wryn as a witch is so cute!

Painted with every pink Distress Ink (ReInkers) that I own

Woodware Latin Script stamp - thought it looked like she's casting a spell

Papers are a mish-mash of Papermania and Dovecraft

Rymans 250gsm brilliant white coated card

Sparkly pink dots from stash

Fussy cutting by me

This challenge is sponsored by LIVE & LOVE CRAFTS with a £10 voucher

Don't forget, you have two weeks to enter, and your make must have more pink than any other colour!

See you there

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Midway Reminder for Without Words

It's halfway through July so the perfect time to fly-by with a midway reminder for our challenge over at WITHOUT WORDS where the theme is BLUE & BROWN.

There have been some superb entries so far, but there is always room for more!

Oh yes, it is my most favourite Christmas bear EVER, it's James Snow Angel from LOTV

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers are LOTV Frosty Christmas

Papermania Kraft Card

Sentiment from Paper Smooches

Snowflake die from Noor Design

Some of you will no doubt mention the snowflakes.  Yes, they are embellishments, but minimal.

Don't forget that you have until the end of the month to enter, so even with the school holidays (bah) you should still have enough time, and there is a fabulous prize on offer from our new sponsor

CLEARLY BESOTTED

Hope to see you there

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Sorry Marianne!

A little while ago, my bloggy pal Marianne made a comment that made me smile - she said she wasn't very keen on pop-up boxes as they don't seem like real cards to her.  Little did she know that I had just made my first two of these cheeky little rascals!

I didn't have a template for this, I just winged it after reading the construction instructions in a recent magazine

I've used a ton of old Papermania Colossal Christmas papers

Stamp is CC Designs Snow Flake

Sentiment is Hero Arts

Various lengths and angles of acetate strips

A few punched snowflakes which I glued and Glamour Dust-ed

Sorry Marianne, but I had great fun making it!

Sweet Stampin - Let It Snow

Hugs to all for a super weekend.

Hugs

Squirrel xx