About To Turn Into A Pumpkin

Evening all - well, it is way past my bedtime and I am in danger of turning into a pumpkin if I don't get a wriggle on, so here's a quickie for you.

Stamped Image  Craftwork Cards Alfie Bear  Medium  Distress Inks (ReInkers)  Papers  All from First Editions "Love Letters" pad  Sentiment  Lili of the Valley  Extras  Medium retro flower punch, Card Candi and Woodware heart brad


Right, I'm off to my bed with Sharpe (why can I not get the image of Sean Bean out of my head - oh who cares, he'll do for me, lol!!)

Hugs Sxx

I'm Sooooo Dead!

The challenge over at Allsorts, who are celebrating their third birthday (Happy Birthday guys!) is Happy Birthday To Someone Special - perfect motivation for the card that I needed to get made.

My dear friend Jacquie will be 60 in four weeks time.  I'm safe to post this because she's on an aeroplane with her hubby on their way to the holiday of a lifetime in the USA, celebrating her birthday and their 40th Wedding Anniversary later in the year.

Now, hopefully Jacquie will have a sense of humour about this or I am soooo dead, and that will be the end of my lifts home from work!

Ingredients:  8x8 base card, Stamped Image  Mo Manning from Penny Black - Never Stop Dancing  Papers  Raspberry Road and First Editions  Medium  Distress Inks (ReInkers)  Extras  Cheery Lynn Small Flourish die, medium retro flower punch, Card Candi, Sentiments  Never Stop Dancing came with image, Happy Birthday is Hero Arts

I had terrible trouble with the DIs this afternoon, it's so hot in my craft space they were drying the second they hit the paper so it was really difficult to move them around and get them blended!  I'm not particularly happy with the end result and may, if the weather cools down between now and then, try and do it again.

Hugs, Sxx

Today I Have Learned A Few Lessons

The lessons that I have learned today are:

1.  Never craft in temperatures reaching 36C (96.8F)

2.  Never craft when you have a streaming cold (yes, another one)

3.  I have forgotten every single rule of geometry

Challenges for this "quirky" card are:

Sweet Stampin' Challenge - Moon and/or Stars

Lili's Little Fairies - Anything But A Square

Ingredients for this are:

Cardbase  Handcut wonky star from a 6x6 card  Image  LOTV Little Sleepyhead  Medium  Distress Inks (ReInkers)  Papers  Free with a magazne, Me to You Tatty Ted  Extras  Anita's Sparkly Borders, stars punched from self-adhesive holographic foil 

Off to start another box of tissues.

Hugs Sxx

Winter Wonderland (DT) Sing A Song

Good grief, can you believe I nearly forgot that it was my DT week at Winter Wonderland - I'll be getting sacked at this rate.  Talk about skin of the teeth! 

Anyhoo, after all your wonderful entries for last week's embossing challenge, we have another great theme for you this week.  We'd like you to Sing A Song - please make us a card featuring carol singers.  The DT have made some brilliant inspiration for you.

And our sponsor this week is SIMON SAYS STAMP - what a great store that is..

Here is my card:

Ingredients:  Stamped Image  Mo Manning/Stampiing Bella  Medium:  Distress Inks (ReInkers), Papers:  Dovecraft (I think) and DCWV matting card, scrap of gold from stash

Sentiment:  Woodware peel-off greeting

Thanks so much for popping over, and I do hope we will see you at the challenge this week.

Hugs, Sxx

Hitch 'em up!

Thursday evening is normally reserved for Lili cards but I've not got my head round this week's challenge yet, so as I was itching to play with my new Mo Manning/Stamping Bella stamp this is what you've got instead.

Stamped Image:  Stamping Bella/Mo Manning - Big Girls Pants, Medium: Distress Inks (ReInkers), Papers: First Editions - Boho Chic, Sentiment: Came with stamp, Extras: flower punch and gems

Sorry (again) that I have not been visiting much this week.  Strangely this hot weather has caused my arthritis to flare up, and for those of you that suffer, I know I don't need to describe the pain.  Hoping things will settle down again soon.

Hugs. Sxx

In The Garden

This is the second card that I tried to post yesterday but couldn't upload the photos for - it is for this week's SECRET CRAFTER SATURDAY CHALLENGE who have the fab theme of In The Garden which has been set by the very talented Helen.

Stamped Image  Penny Black - Mo Manning "Sweet Day" 

Medium  Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Matting Layer  White cardstock edged in Cadmium Red Copic

Extras  Scallop edging scissors

Sentiment  Hero Arts

I don't know what the issue is with Blogger uploading photos but it seems to be connected to Google Chrome, so if anyone else has the issue, try Internet Explorer, it worked for me this morning!

Hugs, Sxx
Hugs. Sxx

Should Have Been A Sunday Double

Afternoon all - hope you are all ok.  Contrary to the forecast, we've had a dry day, so far, and now have some wonderful Spring sunshine - and about time too!

I had two cards for you this afternoon and this should have been a double post but Blogger is not letting me upload the second picture - I'm just getting a square of brown lines!  So, I'll post the other one tomorrow.  Not to worry, here is the one I could upload.

Fairy Sparkle

Two challenges for this one

Cute Card Thursday - Touch of Sparkle

Sweet Stampin Challenge - Fairies and Angels

Ingredients for this card are:  Stamped Image  Lili Of The Valley - Never Too Old For A Hug  Medium  Distress Inks (ReInkers) and Crystal Glamour Dust  Paper Scrap of K&Co  Extra  Cheery Lynn Circle Lattice (which I used as a mask to make the dotty background)  Sentiment  Came with the stamp

Hugs, Sxx

It Just Goes To Show

Me again.  Now, I know there are an awful lot of my wonderful Followers who appreciate the clean and simple cards that I make, but I know that in blogland there is a train of thought that says clean and simple equals quick and easy.  Well, yes, sometimes it can, but I'm back to show that it doesn't have to be and that a lot of work can go into a simple card.

Thank goodness for Eclipse Masking Tape is all I can say!  I stamped this adorable Alfie Bear from Craftwork Cards onto a piece of Bristol Board and then restamped him onto the Eclipse.  I cut the masks and applied.  I then cut the cloud masks and using an X-Cut heart die I made a frame.  Once I was content that all the masks were in the right place, I sponge inked the inside of the heart mask with Tumbled Glass and Shaded Lilac Distress Inks.  Then, having removed all the masks, I painted the image, again in Distress Inks but using ReInkers.  Once dried, I carefully lined up the Hero Arts sentiment, and made the matting layer by edging white cardstock with a Blue Pearl ProMarker.  For once, I am thrilled with the end result!  Even if it did take nearly two hours.

Hugs, Sxx

Other recent posts that you might like

Less is More - For Baby or Child

Lili's Little Fairies - Bear Essentials

Oh Baby!

Morning all, hope you are well.  I'm having a feeling-like-I've-been-run-over day.  How is it possible to be this tired and still be breathing?

Anyhoo, determined to crack on with things, I've made a little card for this weeks LESS IS MORE challenge and the theme is a card for a baby or a child.  And this is where my beloved cuties really shine!

I've used sweet baby Humphrey from Crafters Companion, coloured with Distress Inks (ReInkers) (oh, and I have got my mitts on the seasonal colours in bottle form now, yaay), Weathered Wood for Humphrey, Seeded Lemonade and Scattered Straw for his blanket, and Tattered Rose for his adorable little ear.  Paper is from an old pad of K&Co and the washing label sentiment is Hero Arts.

Hugs, Sxx

The Bear Essentials

It's Friiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiday!  Well, here I am, back to reality as a non-Fairy, but in a way that is ok because it means I can join in the challenges again!  This week at LILI'S LITTLE FAIRIES the theme is Bear Essentials (chosen by Fairy Jayne - nice one sweetie) and I love my LOTV bears to pieces.

And what could be more essential than a good bear, with a chocolate cake, and a cute kitty.  That would certainly ensure you had a lovely day wouldn't it?

Ingredients for this little card are:  Stamped Image  Lili of the Valley I Baked A Cake  Medium Distress Inks (ReInkers) Sentiment  Lili Of The Valley Vintage Labels Just To Say Papers Scraps of First Editions  Extra Martha Stewart border punch

And while I was playing with bears, I made this little thank you card to send to the wonderful crafty Kath and Buddy who generously sent me a set of the Craftwork Cards Alfie Bear stamps.  I was so thrilled as they went perfectly with the ones I have already acquired!

I've kept this one as a CAS card, painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers), with a matting layer also coloured in Distress Inks, and added Hero Arts sentiments.  Isn't he the most huggable bear?!

That's it from me for now.  Another day at work and then it's the weekend - in about eight and a half hours, not that I am counting, lol.  See you tomorrow.

Hugs Sxx

Simon Says Clean And Simple

Oh how I love these CAS challenges!  This one is SIMON SAYS STAMP and I could not wait to join in.

There is just something so liberating about lots of white space showing off an image to it's best without hiding it behind loads of fancy fluff.  To start with, I found it took a lot of courage to leave a card this bare, but now I absolutely adore it and enjoy every one I make.

Ingredients:  Stamped Image  Lili of the Valley - Basket of Roses  Medium  Distress Inks (ReInkers)  Sentiment  Hero Arts  Papers  First Editions Spring Drop (matting layer)

And that's it, clean and simple.

Hugs Sxx

DT Call For Winter Wonderland

Would you like to be more prepared at Christmas?

Do you love making Christmas cards?

Would you like to join an easy going, fun loving, friendly Design Team?

If you have answered yes to all three question then you could be just the person we are looking for.

We are looking for 1 new DT member.

You do not need to have previous experience of DT membership, just be enthusiastic and a regular blogger. We have 2 teams so your commitment would be to produce something once a fortnight, comment weekly on 1 in 10 entries, host the challenge every 12 weeks and be part of the rota for choosing the winners.
The DT Co-ordinators are responsible for dealing with the sponsors.

If this sounds like the challenge for you the please link to your blog below.

Please link to your blog address not a specific post so we can stop by to visit you.

Applications will be open until 24 May.

WINTER WONDERLAND

I Know We've Had Some Rain but .......

..... I certainly didn't expect to see this under my office window in the carpark (in the middle of town) yesterday afternoon!

A Gorjuss Girl

Monday morning already!  Ugh.

Just a quick one for you today, two challenges:

Cupcake Craft Challenges - No Designer Paper Birthday

Bunny Zoe's Challenge - Anything Goes

This little lass from Gorjuss Girls has been sat unloved for far too long, so I gave her a lick of Distress Inks and teamed her with a super sentiment from Hero Arts.

Hugs, Sxx

A Double Post

It's Sunday, the sun is shining, it is 28.6C in the conservatory where I craft (it was only 10C last week), and Vince is roasting slowly in the armchair out there.  After all the rain, now we have some warmth and light, you can virtually see the plants growing - they will take over the world by tomorrow.  What?  Rain again tomorrow?  Oh, right, well, we wouldn't want to get used to summer would we!

House Mouse & Friend Monday Challenge - Humour

Basic Grey Challenge - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly Challenge - Cute Cute Cute

Ingredients:  Stamped Images  Mudpie Tells and Lip Smackin' Relaxin', Medium  Distress Inks (ReInkers), Papers  Basic Grey PB&J, Sentiment Hero Arts

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - In The Garden

Ingredients:  Stamped Image  Penny Black With Journal,  Medium  Distress Inks (ReInkers), Papers  First Editions Family Ties and White card edged in True Blue ProMarker, Extras  X-Cut Postage Stamp die, Memory Box cloud dies

Hugs, Sxx

One Layer, Three Stamps

This week's Less Is More challenge is a One Layer Card, which is normally one of my favourites, but my mojo has gone for a wander and nothing is going right today.  Anyway, one layer, but using three stamps.  I've had a few attempts and these are the best two so far.

House Mouse "Cuddlebug" stamp, light wash in Distress Inks, two Hero Arts sentiments

Hero Arts Wildflower Garden stamps, left hand panel heat embossed in Winter Wonderland opaque powder and over-inked, Hero Arts sentiment, all in Shaded Lilac Distress Ink

Hugs, Sxx

A Fluffy Wee (or a Wee Fluffy?)

It's Friday, and I've missed Crackerjack time!  Oh well, it is the WEEKEND, whoop whoop!  I've only been at work three days this week but it feels more like a month, shattered.

Anyhoo, I thought it was about time I cheered my office desk up a bit with some squirrelly things, so I got out my totally adorable Fluffy On A Lily from Wee Stamps by Sylvia Zet, had a furtle about in my box of ancient cross stitch "accessories" and came up with these

Glass Coaster for my coffee

Glass paperweight

I'm getting obsessed now and am looking around for other things to Wee on to add to my corner at work!  I have a noteblock holder somewhere so that might be the next one for the treatment.

Hugs, Sxx

Winter Wonderland - Frosty The Snowman

Welcome to another week with WINTER WONDERLAND and a brand new challenge for you!  

This week we are asking for cards featuring Frosty The Snowman - and doesn't everyone just love a newly built snowman?

Our sponsors for this week are:  DELICIOUS DOODLES and SASSY STUDIO DESIGNS (how lucky are you?!)

As usual, the Design Team have some up with their usual stunning inspiration - and then there is mine, lol.  Here it is:

Not sure what was going on in my head with this colour scheme, but hey ho, you know me, not quite all there at times!

Ingredients:  Stamped Image Sugar Nellie Medium FlexMarkers Papers From stash Die Memory Box Extras Epiphany Rounds Sentiment Personal Impressions

Hope you all get a chance to join us this week, I do love to have a nose around your fabulous creations.

Hugs, Sxx

Lili's Little Fairies (GDT4) Favourite Craft Tool

Well, it is week four of my GDT slot with LILI'S LITTLE FAIRIES and my final outing as an Extra Fairy.  Sob.

This week's challenge is "Favourite Craft Tool" - blimey, a toughie - what do I use the most? My guillotine?  My Bug? Oh yes, all of those, but my current Favourite Craft Tool is my Ranger Inkssentials Blending Tool (as you may have noticed recently).  I am inking everything in sight, and for this GDT card, there is no change to that!

I would like to take this chance to say a big thank you to Jacqui and the Fairies for having me on board for the past four weeks. I have had a blast, and it has been such a privilege and, in all probability, a once in a lifetime opportunity.

I would also like to say a very special thank you to Fairy Jayne for taking me under her wing and sprinkling me with fairy dust, and to say thank you to her for her tireless support and kindness.  Jayne, you are a poppet and one heck of a clever crafter!

Here is my card:

Ingredients:

Stamped Image  Lili Of The Valley - Twice As Nice

Medium  Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers  Melissa Frances Attic Treasures

Sentiment  Lili Of The Valley (came with stamp)

Extras  Three gallons of Distress Ink around the edges, plus Craftwork Cards Card Candi

So, that's me signing off, a Fairy no longer
Hugs
Sxx

House Mouse & Friends - Humour

House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge are asking for Humour this time around.  How appropriate, considering we are overrun with meece!

One day, when I grow up, I'll learn how to take a photo that's not squint!

Ingredients for this card

Stamped Image  House Mouse - Walking In The Rain

Medium  Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment  Hero Arts (part of message)

Papers  First Editions Spring Drop and blue card from stash

Extras  Papermania sparkly droplet gems

Hugs, Sxx

Kicking Back - Cards For Men

Morning all.  Well, that's two mice caught!  They are the sweetest little things, not house mice - they look more like wood or field mice, and so cute.  I think they are coming into the garage for shelter, having been tempted this close by the guinea pig food next door as the girls have the hutch up against our garage wall.  I don't want to have to ask them to move it, but if this continues I might have to mention it delicately ........

Anyhoo, today is the last day of my extended weekend so it is back to work for me tomorrow.  Sigh.

CARDS FOR MEN have a theme of Kicking Back - what men do to relax.  Well, apart from a pint in the pub I guess most of them have a hobby of some sort!

Ingredients for this card:

Stamped Image  Nellie Snellen

Medium  Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers  Basic Grey What's Up

Sentiment  Cut from a free sheet of NitWits papers

Treasure Hunts at the weekend used to be so common around here, but you don't see them happening quite so often now, must be the price of petrol!

We're off to The Range in a bit as I need to restock on Bristol Board but who knows what other goodies might find their way home too....

Hugs, Sxx

Pest Control

Hi all, Pest Control Officer Squirrel here, how are you today?  We've got mice in the garage.  Again.  We were getting ready to go out this morning and Toad went to the garage to get a rain coat.  Next thing I hear is him squealing like a girl.  Apparently he was "attacked" by a mouse.  Right.

Anyway, after a very nice trip out to a garden centre I had a rummage about in the garage and found the little meeces had made a very cozy nest in an old handbag.  Unfortunately, two escaped before I could get the bag outside, and number three is going to emerge to find a new home in the greenhouse.  I have baited a couple of no-kill traps with honey roast peanut butter so we'll wait and see what happens.

No use putting Vince out there, he's scared of mice ..........!

I made a quick CAS card this morning, and here it is:

Say hello to Aviator by Sugar Nellie.  Isn't he adorable?  And he was a joy to colour.  Sentiment is from a Hero Arts clear set.  Simple DCWV matting and done.  Painting with Distress Inks (ReInkers).

Hugs, Sxx

CCT One For The Boys

Brrrrrrrrrrrrr, what a  chillsome day it is.  Did you say it's May?  Really?  You sure?  Feels colder than it did at Christmas!

CUTE CARD THURSDAY are this week asking for One For The Boys.  I quite like making male cards, odd perhaps, but I do.

Ingredients for this card:

Stamped Image  Crafters Companion - Strawberry Kisses "My Boy"

Medium  Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment  Lili of the Valley

Papers  From scraps box but mostly Papermania

Hugs, Sxx

Sweet Stampin' - Four Legged Friends

Me again, and we're still connected, whooo!  While Toad has been on the Wii Fit, watching Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (makes a change from rain) I've had a play with this weeks challenge from SWEET STAMPIN' and their theme of Four Legged Friends.

Ingredients for this card:

Stamped Image  Penny Black - Water Lily Skiing

Medium  Distress Inks (pads and ReInkers)

Papers  Basic Grey "What's Up"

Sentiment  Personal Impressions

Hugs, Sxx

YOU CAN FIND TODAY'S EARLIER POST FOR LESS IS MORE CHALLENGE BY SCROLLING DOWN OR CLICKING HERE

Less Is More Colour Challenge - Yellow

Morning all, just a quick post while we still have broadband connected!  This week's LESS IS MORE challenge is a colour one, and the colour is YELLOW.  Eeeek.  Now I know yellow works perfectly well for flowers etc but I am on a campaign to have a character stamp showcased ......... it may take some time, lol!

I started off with a white base card but the whole thing looked too insipid so I swapped it for a yellow pearlised base card.  The image is Lili of the Valley Baby With Bunny and lightly washed with Distress Inks in three colours, Squeezed Lemonade, Scattered Straw and Tattered Rose.  The matting layer and sentiment strip were lightly inked with Squeezed Lemonade too.  Sentiment is Hero Arts.

And just before I go, and to get you laughing, here is my first attempt at the Yellow challenge, which has since been filed under R.

Hugs, Sxx

Crafty Catz - April Showers Bring May Flowers

Happy Friday everyone - are you ready for the weekend?  Mine has started a day early, wheeeee!  We've had a little trek out today, first to the home brew shop in Colchester for Toad to get his next kit, then on the way back we visited a garden centre where we had the yummiest cheesie scone and a mug of latte, a mooch around the garden centre found the perfect Father's Day present, and then a quick whizz around the craft section.

Unfortunately, the craft section was a bit disappointing but at least I got the cellophane bags I needed, and I treated myself to a Michael Powell design stamp.  It's a big'un, with lots of colourwork, so that will be a challenge to look forward to.

Anyhoo, I'm here with a very simple card for this week's CRAFTY CATZ WEEKLY CHALLENGE who have the superb theme of April Showers Bring Forth May Flowers, and, oh sister, have we had some April Showers!  The garden has gone rampant with all the rain, and the grass is threatening to take over the world but it is still too wet to cut.  Never mind, good for the wildlife.

On the subject of wildlife, I had a bit of an upset this morning.  The BBC Planet Earth Live starts on Sunday and I am really looking forward to it.  Part of the show is featuring black bears from Minnesota.  Some of you will remember the most delightful three part film called The Bear Family & Me that was filmed by Gordon Buchanan, a Scottish wildlife photographer/camera man.  The films focused on a little bear cub called Hope, and her mother, Lily.  I had hoped that Planet Earth Live would give us a chance to catch up with Hope and see how she is doing but I learned this morning that it is thought she has been killed by hunters.  A year old.  And shot for sport.  I am not ashamed to say that I had a good cry.  Godammit, it makes me so angry.

OK, I'll climb off my soapbox now before I cry again, and here is my card for the challenge:

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image  Sylvia Zet "Rosie's Bike Ride" Whimsy Stamps

Medium  Tim Holtz Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment  Hero Arts

Punch Border  Martha Stewart

I am still way behind with blogging, thanks to dodgy broadband, so thank you for your patience and hanging on it there.  I hope to be caught up soon.

Hugs, Sxx

Lili's Little Fairies (GDT3) Anything Goes

I cannot believe how quickly the weeks are passing - this is my third and penultimate week with the Fairies and it seems to have gone by in the flutter of a fairy's wing.

Anyhoo, this week LILI'S LITTLE FAIRIES have one of your favourites - Anything Goes!  This actually gave me more problems than I thought it would - too much creative freedom and my brain shuts down, lol.  Here is what I made:

Ingredients for this box:

Stamped Image  Lili of The Valley - Little Girls Swing Time

Medium  Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers  First Editions - all from the   collection

Punch used on box lid  Martha Stewart

Flowers  Wild Orchid Crafts

Lace  Woodware Paper Lace

Not seen but essential!  Martha Stewart score board, Classic Circle Nestabilities

So I hope you can join Lili's Little Fairies this week, it is lovely to nose through all the fabulous entries!  And so, next week is my last,  after which I shall no longer be Fairy Squirrel but just plain old Squirrel again.

Hugs, Sxx

Hope

I wasn't sure if I was going to make it back this week as we have had a total broadband failure at home.  I hate it when computers crash - at least with a car or a lawnmower there is something tangible and mechanical to get your hands on and real parts to tinker with, but with computers it is all so vague and ethereal and there is nothing you can really hit with a hammer.

Anyhoo, between me and the IT Expert (Toad - ha ha ha) we managed to get it up and running again but I am not sure for how long!

Just popping in today to show you a card that I have made for a special friend who has been so supportive to me recently, and she truly is a treasure and I am proud to have her as mate.

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image  Sylvia Zet (SCACD) "Hope"

Medium  Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers  Prima - Meadowlark

Sentiment  Hero Arts

Corner Die  Cheery Lynn

I am way behind again with visits and commenting so thank you all for your patience - I've got a five day weekend coming up so hope to be able to pop round and see you all then and have a catch up.

Hugs, Squirrel xx