One Layer or Many (DT) As You Like It Challenge

Morning all, well, it is another Thursday, and I'm guessing you will know what that means?

Yups, time for a new challenge over with the AS YOU LIKE IT CHALLENGE

Our theme for this fortnight is

One Layer or Many (and please tell us why)

I'm more of a middle ground kind of girl, two or three layers at most, but this time I

chose to challenge myself with a one layer make, mainly because I really wanted

to use some of my new kraft cardstock

So this cute is

Wild Rose Studio - Birthday Llama

The sentiment is an old one by Kaisercraft

Llama coloured by Polychromos Pencils

Cardstock from PDA Card & Craft

The sponsor of this challenge is

Prizes: - 3 digi stamps voucher worth £6.75

Hugs to all

For The Birthday Girl (DT) Dies To Die For

Morning all, a very weary Squirrel today, but on the up side, I have a four day weekend!

Did the FaceBookers of you see that my mousy make for DTDF last week was "Whimsy Stamps Sunday Spotlight"?  (cheesy grin)

Anyhoo, today's make isn't mousy or cheesy, but it's still pretty darned cute.

So, ingredients

MFT Pure Innocence - For The Birthday Girl stamp

MFT Die-Namics For The Birthday Girl die

MFT Die-Namics Happy Birthday Circle Frame

Sunny Studio 6x6 Gingham Pastels

Lawn Fawn 6x6 Perfectly Plaid Spring Petite

Lawn Fawn 6x6 Knit Picky Fall

MFT Die-Namics Stitched Scallop Basic Edges 2

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Hugs

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

Lee Holland Mouse On Flower (DT) Dies To Die For

Morning all, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease tell me that this is actually the weekend!

I didn't receive any flowers for Valentine's this week - vegetation in this house either gets nibbled by the cat, or quickly shrivels.  I'm not good with indoor florals.  However, this little chap seems to have developed better green paws than I have!

Whimsy Stamps: Lee Holland Collection - Mouse On Flower

MFT Die-Namics Stitched Sentiment Strips

MFT Safari Friends (sentiment)

Sunny Studio 6x6 Spring Sunburst

Sunny Studio 6x6 Flirty Flowers

As usual, the image has been painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and I just used a simple single hole punch to add coordinating dots of colour.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Hugs

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

As You Like It (DT) Birthday or Christmas

So, whilst ever other challenge in the world has probably gone for a Love or Valentine theme, the team at AS YOU LIKE IT have gone a little bit different!

Our theme for this fortnight is Birthday or Christmas (your favourite and why)

I am actually still twitching from the volume of Christmas cards that I made last year, so before I dive in and start the process all over again, I am really enjoying having some time to make fun and happy birthday cards.

Love this CC Designs stamp - Nancy With Cupcake

Teamed up with some gorgeous papers from Sunny Studio

a text die from Simon Says Stamp

and a frilly border from Crafters Companion

Nancy has been painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and some brown drawing ink pens for her hair

The sponsor of this challenge is

Lawn Fawn

Looking forward to seeing your wonderful makes.

Hugs

Saddle Up (DT) Dies To Die For

Morning all, hope this finds you well.

I'm probably going to be spending the day trying to sort out my increasingly frail but frustratingly stubborn Oldies and attempting to persuade them that they need some additional help in their lives.

Sigh.

Anyhoo, before I go off to tear my hair out, here is a birthday celebration

So for this birthday celebration I have used

MFT BB 61 Saddle Up & Celebrate stamps

MFT Die-Namics MFT1359 Saddle Up & Celebrate dies

MFT 6x6 Itsy Bitsy Polka Dots Pastels

MFT 6x6 Proper Pinstripes Pastels

MFT 6x6 Fresh Squeezed Chevron

The corner dies are Whimsy Shapeology and it looks as if they have finally retired.

All images painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Hugs to all

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

Happy Hippos (DT) Dies To Die For

Hello peeps, it's been a funny old week (more about that another time) so I am popping by with a very simple but, hope you will agree, sweet make for you

So I have used

MFT BB-47 Happy Hippos

MFT Mini Cloud Edges Stencil

Sunny Studio 6x6 Gingham Pastels

Image painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) as watercolours, and I used a smidge of Distress Oxide for the clouds.

Those must be super strength helium balloons!

Hugs

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

As You Like It Challenge (DT) Shape or Fold

Hello everyone, a new Thursday, a new challenge from AS YOU LIKE IT

For this fortnight our theme is going to be

Your Favourite Shape or Fold

I've gone simple with this one, and it is a variation on the square theme

made much easier with the dies I used for the base and layers

MFT You Gnome Me

MFT Die-Namics Stitched Tag Corner Square Stax

MFT 6x6 Proper Pinstripes Pastels

MFT Mini Cloud Edges Stencil

 Entire scene painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

The sponsor of this challenge is

£10 Voucher from 

Fantastic Ribbons

I do hope you will be able to join in this challenge

Hugs

Sunday Surprise

It's not often that I get to blog on a Sunday these days, there always seem to be things that steal my time, but today, somehow, not only have I made a large batch of pasta sauces to go in the freezer, but I have also had enough time to have a go at a challenge!  Whoooo, get me!

The Wednesday Sketch Challenge at My Favorite Things is a favourite of mine, I just don't get to join in as much as I would like to, but today's the day that I do it.

The sketch is, as always, deceptively simple.

MFT WSC 421

And as always, I have gone my own way - I followed the general layout but changed up the proportions.

I've used the MFT Birdie Brown set - Beary Special Birthday

Painted him with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and then fussy cut (don't look too closely)

Papers are all MFT - Itsy Bitsy Polka Dots Pastels and Proper Pinstripes Pastels

I can't remember the name of the stitched circle frame, but that is MFT Die-Namics too

and so is the  Essential Slanted Sentiment Strip

So, it is absolutely chuffy freezing cold over here in the east, so you will have to excuse me while I dash off for a thicker cardigan and some warmer socks.  I see that the Met Office has issued us with a Yellow Snow Warning for midweek, so I may have to hunt out my thermals as well.

Whatever you are up to, keep warm!

Sweet Pea (DT) Dies To Die For

Good morning chaps!  Thank chuff today is not quite as nippy as the last week has been - I'm off for a tail trim this morning and I'm wondering whether or not to take a woolly hat with me!

So, for today's DT make I am making myself smile with some horticultural happiness.

So for this little lovely I have used

Stamping Bella Tiny Townie Garden Girls Sweet Pea

and the matching Cut It Out Sweet Pea die

Sunny Studios Frilly Frame Lattice die

Sunny Studio 6x6 Flirty Flowers

Sunny Studio 6x6 Spring Sunburst

Stamping Bella Smile Large Sentiment Dies

MFT Die-Namics Tag Builder Blueprints 6

MFT Clear Stamps From The Heart

The Frilly Frames Lattice comes in two sections, so I put them together to create the purple lattice frame, and then cut it again with just the frame die in black so that I could layer them together.  They are not perfectly aligned, but I won't tell anyone if you don't.

Image is painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) on watercolour paper.  I found the Polychromos Pencils don't work so well for hair on this surface, because it is much softer than Bristol Board, so I have been brave and done the hair highlights with WH Smith Artists Drawing Pens, 0.1 and 0.3 nibs.

OK, that's me done for now, have a fab weekend.

Hugs to all

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

Celebrating Squidgy (DT) Dies To Die For

Morning all, just popping by with my DT for today before we get togged up and head over to the Oldies where we have a little job waiting for us of shifting half a trailer (and I mean tractor trailer) load of firewood into the shed in the dry!

Something a bit busier for you than usual today, I got a bit carried away with pretty colours.

So for this cheekycreation I have used:

Stamping Bella - Celebrating Squidgy

Stamping Bella Cut It Out die Celebrating Squidgy

Die-Versions Express Edges - Celebrate

MFT Pure Innocence - Birthday Cutie

Whimsy Shapeology - Stitched Tag Dies

MFT Die-Namics Stitched Flowers

MFT Die-Namics Stitched A2 Rectangle Stax

MFT 6x6 paper Graphic Grid Pastels

MFT 6x6 paper Itsy Bitsy Polka Dots Pastels

MFT 6x6 paper Lucky Prints

MFT 6x6 paper Dots and Stripes Sorbet

The Squidy is painted with Distress Inks ReInkers and I used some fineliner pens to add colour to the champagne bottle labels .  After she was die-cut, I popped her onto to some foam pads to lift her away from all those papers and give a tiny bit of dimension.

OK, time for me to strap my knee up and put my big girl boots on ready to go lumberjacking!

Have a super weekend everyone

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

Buttons or Pearls (DT) As You Like It Challenge

Well hellooo there Thursday!  Morning all, hope you are feelin' fine and dandy.

So, off we go with another challenge from AS YOU LIKE IT

and our theme for this one is

Buttons or Pearls (your favourite and why)

I like using both, buttons particularly for "younger" cards, but for a little bit of sophistication I think pearls just take the edge, particularly for feminine cards.

A simple card

Wild Rose Studio - Milton With Tulips which I have

watercolour painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Clearly Besotted - Laugh Out Loud

MFT leftovers from scraps box

and a good old fashioned sprinkling of pearls

The sponsor of this challenge is: 

Crafts U Love

Hugs to all

Squirrel

Teddy Birthday Message (DT) Dies To Die For

Morning all, I'm here today with a (cough) birthday message from Teddy, the sort that I am sending more and more often these days.  Whoops.

Ingredients for this make are:

Whimsy Stamps - Lee Holland Collection : Teddy Birthday Message

Whimsy Stamps : Cheeky Sentiments

MFT Die-Namics MFT-969 Stitched Flowers

MFT Die-Namics Stitched Basic Edges 2

MFT Die-Namics Stitched Scallop Basic Edges 2

MFT Dots & Stripes Sorbet

I used kraft card for the base - can anyone recommend a good quality one?  This one is a bit wibbly so I've had to strengthen it, nothing annoys me more than a card that bends/curls/sags when you stand it up!

Teddy painted with, of course, Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Happy weekend to all

Hugs

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

Friends At First Sip (DT) Dies To Die For

Well, here we are chaps, the first Saturday of the New Year!  You will be pleased to know that the Dies To Die For online store is now fully operational again after the Christmas break.

Today, I have a dose of Birdie Brown to share

So the lovely things used for this one are:

MFT BB-66 Friends At First Sip

MFT Die-Namics MFT-1434 Friends At First Sip

MFT Die-Namics MFT-1014 Stitched Basic Edges 2

MFT Die-Namics MFT-1015 Stitched Scallop Basic Edges 2

Whimsy Stamps WS-DDB0006 Spring Flowers Background stamp

MFT 6x6 MFT-EP41 Dots and Stripes Bright

All the images I have painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and I used (sorry Faye) a Copic

marker to colour up white card for the matting layer and the central border.

That's made me fancy a coffee, so I'm off to put the kettle on.

Whatever you are up to, have a wonderful weekend everyone.

Hugs

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

Anything Goes (DT) As You Like It Challenge

Morning peeps, Happy January to you all!

Well, it is the first AS YOU LIKE IT CHALLENGE of the New Year and

we are starting you with an easy one with Anything Goes

I have been busily making a lot of thank you cards after Christmas and this is the

one that I am sending to my Oldies, not just for Christmas but for being such

wonderful (if worrisome) parents

So for this one I have used

Clearly Besotted Perfect Peonies stamp

with the matching die

Personal Impressions sentiment by Paula Pascaul

MFT 6x6 Proper Pinstripes Pastels

MFT Die-Namics Stitched Hexagon Stax

MFT Die-Namics Stepped Up Chevron

Image was coloured, as always, with Distress Inks (ReInkers) used as watercolours

We have a fabulous sponsor for this challenge, and one of our leader's favourite stores:

Lili of the Valley Digis

(prize is 3 digis from the Digi Shop)

 

Now all the fuss is over and the kids are back at school, you should have some time

on your hands to be able to join in - looking forward to seeing you there!

Hugs to all

Make Yourself At Home (DT) Dies To Die For

I don't know about you, but this bit between Christmas and New Year always leaves me scratching my head as to what day of the week it actually is, but the calendar says Saturday so it must be time for my DT post for Dies To Die For!

We are heading fast towards the New Year -  wow, January, won't that feel strange?

Anyhoo, after the frantic rush of Christmas makes, what comes next but thanks you's.

So, this sweet (or not so sweet as modelled on Rosie) little kitty was made with a whole lot of My Favorite Things ingredients

MFT BB-33 : Cool Cat

MFT CS-128 Grateful For You

MFT LJD-59 Make Yourself At Home (stamps)

MFT-892 Make Yourself At Home (dies)

MFT-930 Die-Namics Split Chevron Cover Up

MFT EP-7 6x6 Fresh Squeezed Chevron

I used the Split Chevron die to make a stencil - as the lines between the blocks are quite fine, I wanted to use something sturdy that would withstand me daubing about with ink, so I used one of the MFT backing sheets that comes in the packets, the one with the logo on, because it is thickish and has a nice shiny finish.  I taped it over the card and gently sponged on Antique Linen and Walnut Stain Distress Inks to give that soft but worn look.

I stamped the kitty, masked him, and over stamped the sofa, and both are watercolour painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers).  The rug was simply die-cut from patterned paper.

And that's it really, quite a simple looking card, but it did take me some time!

Whatever you are up to for your New Year celebrations, I hope you have fun

(just not too many fireworks please - Rosie is terrified)

Hugs to all

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE