Renewal of Vows

Afternoon all from a very soggy Suffolk - at least Toad is pleased because the lawn is getting a good watering!  We lifted some of our home grown salad potatoes today, not a bumper crop but certainly enough to keep us going for several meals.  These are the Pink Fir Apple ones, all knobbly shapes with a yummy nutty taste, really looking forward to them.

Anyhoo, I am here with the second of the commissioned wedding cards.  This one is for a renewal of vows event for a couple celebrating their 10th anniversary.  Again the customer chose the image and said the "bride" likes pastel colours.

For this one we have LOTV Love Birds image

Coloured with Polychromos pencils

Scalloped Labels One die from Spellbinders

Papers are a mixture of LOTV/Nitwits/Raspberry Road

Mr & Mrs from Papermania (which annoyingly now looks squint because I did it in sections)

Just Celebrate is a Tim Holtz Simple Sentiment

Corners are SCACD Classic Corners

Silver Hearts border from stash

Inside I have used the Congratulations stamp from the LOTV Statements Congratulations set

That's me done for today, off to do battle with a cabbage.

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Mr and Mrs

Hi everyone, I hope that you are all ok - I know there are some areas that have been flooded by the storms we have been having for the past day or two.  We had an intense thunder storm here this morning, but thankfully that has passed now but it is still fairly sticky!

I've been busy this morning with the first of the two commissioned wedding cards.  The request was for this one to be traditional and the customer chose the image.  But since when did I ever stick to a brief.  Here is traditional with a Squirrel twist.

So, what have I used -

Card base done with a Stepper Die bought from the lovely Sarah Wright

Cut from matt silver card

Panels cut from holographic silver heart card (purchased many years ago from Create & Craft)

Image panel and message panel cut from Bristol Board - the heart is an X-Cut die

Image is LOTV Mr and Mrs and coloured with Polychromos pencils

Always & Forever is a Tim Holtz sentiment

Flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts

Silver border around heart is from stash

The panel on the back has a large To Have And To Hold sentiment from LOTV with room for the customer to add her own words to the bride and groom

I've entered this in to Sarah's Facebook competition for her customers who bought the die from her

Now to make a start on wedding card number 2, but first - my order from Little Miss Muffet arrived this morning so I think it ought to be time for a "me" play

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Take Two

It's Friiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiday, and by the time you read this I shall be knee deep in packing boxes and papers.  Some people would cheekily say that "knee deep" isn't actually very deep at all where I am concerned........

On Tuesday I shared a monochrome card with you and right at the end of that post I said the next version would be in full technicolour, well here she is again!

So, yes, it is CC Designs - May Day Birgitta

Top to toe colouring with Polychromos pencils

I have used exactly the same layout as the monochrome card but the papers this time are

Dovecraft Forget Me Not and LOTV/Nitwits Bonnets & Bowties Solids

You lot are always telling me I should be prouder of what I do, well, let me tell you that I am

well chuffed with that tiny patch of grass by her feet, lol !

OK, that's it from me today.  If I don't end up wrapped in parcel tape and shoved into a cupboard, I shall catch up with you over the weekend.  If I am exceptionally quiet, could someone call my office please and ask them to check the boxes......

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Another commissioned card

Morning all.  How are we today?  I am all of a tizz this morning, have no idea why, but I was in a rush leaving home for work and forgot to bring a couple of important things with me - the day will be a struggle without them too, so I am cross at myself for being so stupid.  I just have so much going round in my head at the moment that other stuff in there is being pushed into dark and cobwebby corners.

 

Anyway, you didn't come to hear me whittering on about early-onset, so let's get on with today's card.  This is another commissioned card - best friend Pig's brother is 40 this year and his pride and joy is his motorbike, so Pig provided me with a couple of photographs and said "do what you can".  I was a bit restricted by the size and shape of the photo and the colours of the bike, but here it is.

 

 

So this is an 8x8 card base

Lots of layers of orange and black to match the bike

(assortment of paper manufacturers)

The amazingly useful Happy Birthday die from Memory Box

Balloon die and stamp from MFT

Varsity numbers dies from Memory Box

 

The inside (which I forgot to photograph) is also orange and black with a white central panel, and a huge Happy Birthday stamp from the MFT balloon stamps set, together with a couple more balloons down the sides.

 

I took it round to Pig at the weekend and she said she was so thrilled with it that she wants to keep it now - I did suggest she gives it to her brother and then asks for it back in a couple of months!

 

Hope you have a super Thursday.  Our whole department is on the move tomorrow so for the next two days we shall mostly be packing moving crates.  Deep joy.

 

Hugs all

Squirrel xx

 

 

 

Sunshine Tilly

Morning all - I am here with my DT card for The Stamp Basket blog and today I am bringing you a burst of sunshine!

Ingredients from The Stamp Basket store are:

Stamp - Wild Rose Studio: Tilly With Gift

Stamped with: Memento Tuxedo Black

Coloured with: Ranger/Tim  Holtz Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers:  Graphics 45 Secret Garden Patterns & Solids

and Dovecraft Back to Basics II Pink

Dies: Wild Rose Studio - Rose Corner and Wild Rose

Sentiment: Wild Rose Studio - Birthday Greetings

Card Base: Craftwork Cards - On The Edge

Hope you all have a sunshine day!

Hugs to you

Squirrel xx

A Grey Day

Well, not exactly grey, but definitely monochrome.

Before I start, there seems to be a Blogger problem with only being able to see one item in the Reading List - if you haven't already signed up for Bloglovin this might be the time to do - no such problems over there, and you can import all the blogs you are already following, as well as sign up for new ones.

Right, back to the monochrome.  I had a spare half an hour Sunday afternoon while I was waiting for dinner to cook and I started fiddling with the "cold grey" range of Polychromos pencils, and before I knew it I had coloured up my first true monochrome image.  It's a bit scruffy as I admit I was rushing it, but I rather like the end result so as very much a practice piece I am chuffed.  The next one I will take more time over.

This is May Day Birgitta - she is a Swiss Pixie from CC Designs

Polychromos pencils Cool Grey III, IV, V, VI and Black

Papers are the grey tones ones from the Dovecraft Back To Basics Monochrome collection

Hoping your day is filled with colour!

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Wee Daphne

Hi all.  Hoping your Sunday is a super sunny one!  I shouldn't be here really - I should be off being a domestic goddess instead.  But I don't do miracles so here I am, unable to resist the siren call of uninked rubber.

I know the daffodil season is over for this year but as they are such happy, smiley, cheerful flowers that really lift the soul, why not extend their season to all year round?

This little gem is Daphne from Whimsy/Wee Stamps

Mixed media of Distress Inks (ReInkers) and Polychromos pencils

I think the sentiment is Hero Arts

Martha Stewart border punch

A few tiny Papermania sparkling gems

and a matting layer from the Kaisercraft Summer Breeze pad

I have managed to avoid hearing the F1 race results so far, so please, no one tell me yet - I shall be watching the highlights of the race later this evening!

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Mabelline Love Mail

Don't we all love it when the postman brings us something?  No, not those nasty envelopes disguised as real mail which turn out to be a bill or just junk, but real, smiley, happy mail?  I know I do, there is something so special about a friend or family sending you a letter or a card.  

I had intended to post earlier today, but it was a lazy start, then I got caught up with DT stuff, and then spent an age on this one (although it is hard to believe) with the inks, and then I started dinner, and now I am sat in front of the Austrian F1 qualifying highlights.  So, anyway, yes, Mabelline likes getting mail too.

This is Uptown Girls Mabelline Love Mail from Stamping Bella

Mostly painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) with just her hair in Polychromos pencils

Papers are from Paper Craft 4 You and Basic Grey

Sentiment is Paper Smooches

And that's it - hard to understand how it could take so long to make!

Not sure if I shall be around tomorrow, so I hope you have a super Sunday

Hugs to all, Squirrel xx

Every Girl Should Have A Pair

Big Knickers that is.  There comes a time when we all need them - you know, those days that you really don't want to face.  That's when you need to hitch up those Bridgets and hope they work well.  I have had a week of Bridget days, which is probably why I was so drawn to this neglected little poppet last night.  

In fact, I could really do with a pair now to give me the strength to do this post while Blogger continues to play Silly Bs.  It has been a series of niggling issues for a fortnight, and tonight it is the formatting that is refusing to play ball.

Anyway, back to Big Knickers - the stamp is a Stamping Bella (a Mo Manning image) that I have had in rubber for a while.  I think she is so adorable.  Coloured with Polychromos pencils and Distress Inks (ReInkers).  The sentiment is Paper Smooches, and those totally delicious linen effect papers are Let It Bloom, from Black Market Paper Society (I have no recollection of buying these, which is a shame, coz I would like some more now!).

I hope your Friday wasn't a Big Knicker day.  Oh, but it does mean that it is now the weekend - whoooooo!

Hugs to all, Squirrel xx

Lost A Day

Morning all.  I've lost a day.  Yesterday I thought it was Thursday, only to wake up this morning and discover that I have to do it all over again.  I am just hoping that today is the better version!

I own up.  I am always first in the queue at Bunny Zoe's when I know there is a new Wee release pending, and it was no different with the last one, and I grabbed the two new gorgeous girls created by the lovely Sylvia.  However, because of one thing and another, it has taken me a few days to getting to colour the first one up.  Here she is in my now infamous CAS style:

This little beauty is Maya from Whimsy/Wee Stamps

Coloured in part with Distess Inks (ReInkers) and in part with Polychromos pencils

Those frilly corners are LOTV stamps

The sentiment is from Penny Black

and I am not sure about the paper, it might even have been a freebie, but I love it!

 

The good news is that Little Miss Muffet are now accepting Wee entries too so I am off to link this to their Anything Goes challenge.

Thanks for popping over to visit.  I am having struggles with Blogger at the moment so if I haven't been to see you lately, it is not for want of trying, believe me!  Hopefully someone will fix it soon.

Hugs to all, Squirrel xx

A Gift For You

Morning all - I bring you sweetness today from The Stamp Basket blog with my DT card.

Ingredients used that are available from The Stamp Basket store

Stamp: Wild Rose Studio - Bluebell With Hedgehog

Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black

Medium: Ranger/Tim Holtz Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers: Dovecraft - Curiosity Corner

Die: Wild Rose Studio - Leafy Branch

Die cut from Neenah Classic Crest

Coloured with Copics

And from my own stash, the base card and the sentiment

Don't forget there is still a super SPRING CLEARANCE SALE on with up to 40%

off many items - great opportunity to snaffle a bargain!

Happy Wednesday

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Sketch A Lou

This is my second post today and in the words of the Mark Williams character from The Fast Show, "you ain't seen me....right".  I'm supposed to be up to my elbows in DT work this afternoon but I really wanted to enter the Tiddly Inks Challenge this week using Lou's fabulous sketch.

Well, it was fabulous until I got hold of it.  I was merrily making my card, feeling pleased that I had thought to flip the sketch over, but there was something not quite right with it.  So I trotted back to the laptop only to realise I had the proportions all wrong - I've made a square but Lou's sketch is a rectangle.  Ooops.  That'll teach me to slow down a bit.

So, I have used the TI clear stamp set Skating By

Coloured with Polychromos

Papers are from a nautical themed Authentique pad but these pages work well for winter I think

Luggage label is handcut, as is the sentiment label

Sentiment comes with the stamp

Woodware snowflake punch and Card Candi to finish

Hope your Sunday is going well.  I had better get back to the inks now.....

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

A Little ALBC Reminder

Morning all.  It's the 15th and time for a midway reminder for A Little Bit Crafty - Child's Play Challenge

 

 

A very simple little card for you today

5x5 scalloped card base

Stamp is from Stamping Bella and he is called Snookums

Limited palette of Distress Inks (ReInkers)

X-Cut heart die

and that fab sentiment comes with Snookums

 

 

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

 

 

Wedding Season

We appear to be well and truly into the traditional wedding season - in fact one of my work colleagues ties the knot today.  The card I have to share with you is one I made for her, and I can show you as she has already opened it.

But I have two more to do.  On the back of the commissioned baby card, I have received two more orders from Toad's office but these are both for weddings in July.  I say weddings - one is a wedding and the other a renewal of vows, but the cards will be along similar lines.  But I have been told to be traditional for these, so that will be a challenge then!

Anyway, here is the one for my colleague:

I have used a Marianne Design stamp of Donny & Daisy

Lightly coloured with Polychromos pencils

Sentiment is from CC Designs

Those beautiful soft focus rose papers are LOTV

It's the larger of the Memory Box Precious Hearts dies

And a pearl to finish off

Good luck for today Laura and Mark, I hope the weather holds for you!

Now then, as much as I love my mum, there are times when she drops me right in it.  A little while ago she was talking to me about the village fete in August.  Usually, alongside the fete, the village church stages some sort of exhibition - last year it was teapots, a couple of years ago it was walking sticks - it's a little bit quirky and quite fun.  This year it is handicrafts so she asked me if I wanted to display some of my cards.  I hummed and harred for a while and said I would think about it, with every intention of saying I didn't think my cards were the sort of handicraft they wanted.  Anyway, last week, while we sat waiting for her cataract operation, she told me that she had put my name down as an exhibitor and reserved me a display space!  Flippin' heck.  Looks like I need to be getting organised and sort out some kind of way to display the pesky things then!  If anyone has any ideas I would be grateful - it is just a display, not a sale.

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Living In The Shed

There's been a bit of a joke going on, for quite a while now, between me and that amazingly talented and absolutely lovely crafter Faye (Stampin Fluffnstuff) and it all started when I said I wanted to live in her shed so I could be near and handy to pop in for daily colouring lessons (sorry but you really need to check out Faye's work ..... she is awesome pawsome!).

Anyway, I was sitting mooching through stamps last night, and a daft idea came to me - so.......

So, you have - Penny Black "Potting Shed" stamp (which I suspect is a Mo image)

A squitty little squirrel that Mr Toad surprised me with last weekend

A shed-load of Polychromos pencils and some Pebbles pearl chalks

Some LOTV rustic looking papers

And the perfect one word sentiment

Thank you Faye, for being such a star, and for having the patience to be so kind to me.

Hugs, Squirrel xx

(not in your shed ..... yet)

Commissioned Card

Last week I had an email from Toad - I was at work, he was at work, we don't normally communicate like that - asking me if I would make a baby card for one of the ladies he works with.

Eventually, after a couple of carefully worded messages, I discovered that it was actually a maternity leave card he wanted as the baby isn't due for another three weeks, and no, no idea whether it is to be a boy or a girl.

So I set to and got making.  It took quite some while as it needed to have pages for everyone to sign.  I did think about an 8x8 Z fold, but it would take a lot of room when it was standing, so I made a (no idea what the name of it is) full flap double fronted card (so when it is open and standing it is a C shape) - that gave four pages for everyone to sign on.

This is the front:

The colours are deceptive here - it is mint green and lilac really

Whimsy/Wee stamp called "Wee Baby"

Polychromos pencils and paper piecing

Lots of the new LOTV/Nitwits "Solids" papers

Memory Box Alphabet Soup letter dies (fiddly little suckers)

One of my ornate Grand Nesties circle dies

Memory Box Precious Hearts die

Little Inkers large bow die

Martha Stewart border and corner punches (can you tell it's not a proper Punch Around The Page set? - but I quite like the border effect)

And a few sparkling gems

Inside, every page is covered with more papers, and the page behind the image says "Babies are such a nice way to start people" which is an LOTV sentiment

On each of the other pages I stamped the characters from the LOTV Baby Companion set

And of course I forgot to take photos of those because he was in a rush to get it to work

I did ask if I was being paid by the hour or by the card - it took 5 hours in total, and by the end I wasn't sure I liked it any more, but it's growing on me again now!

Sweet Stamping Challenge - Ooh Baby Baby

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Happy Day

You know by now that if it is Wednesday then it is my day to DT for The Stamp Basket blog, so without any more fuss, this is what you have today:

The ingredients used for this card that are available at The Stamp Basket store are:

Stamp: Stampavie - Happy Day

Stamp Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Coloured with:  Ranger/Tim Holtz Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers:  Wild Rose Studio - Flight of Fancy

(the long tail tit is printed on that base sheet, but the swallow was cut from another page, as were the pink and blue stripes)

Base card: Craftwork Cards - On The Edge Elegant White

Other items used: Hero Arts sentiment and Polychromos pencils

Have a lovely Wednesday everyone

Hugs

Squirrel xx

Bedroom Colours

There are some challenges that I should stay well away from, but I never learn my lesson.  Well, I do, but after a while I end up there again, and I really ought to remember that I said I'd never do it again.  But I do.  Oh well, I guess there are some things I will never learn.  With any luck, as this is posting on a Monday, not many of you will see it.

Less Is More challenge theme this week is bedroom colours.  Well I admit it, my bedroom is mainly cream, but there is an interesting feature on one wall that inspired this card.

So, un-branded "window" shadow stamp

Rubber Stampede Teapot & Cup stamp

Watercoloured with Marvy le Plume II pens

Paper Smooches sentiment

4x4 card base

And the interesting feature?  There is one wall that is covered in test pot patches.  It was only meant to be there til we could choose a new colour, but it's kinda grown on me and has been there now for, erm, cough, over xxxx years!!  I did think about drawing stitches onto them to turn it into a patchwork quilt.

It looks as though many of you were out enjoying the sunshine yesterday and missed my post of Puddle Jumping Twila - you can find her here if you want a peek

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Jumping Puddles

Happy Sunday everyone.  This is a scheduled post so keeping my fingers crossed ..... I shall be on my way to Church this morning and as it is the First Communion Service is might be a bit later than usual before I can get my bacon sandwich breakfast!  It won't be the first time that my tummy has rumbled its way through Mass.

Just wanted to share this little sweetie with you today:

Doesn't she look so happy?

This is Puddle Jumping Twila from CC Designs by Roberto's Rascals

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and Polychromos pencils

Hurrah for pencils, could not have done her freckles with inks!

Papers are Lucy Cromwell from Papermania, and WH Smith black art card

Sentiment and border are both from Penny Black Special Wishes set

Silver hearts are from my stash

Sorry, but that cheeky little face just demanded to be a red-head

I would like to thank my fellow Word Bird Jane for getting the lesson through to me about watermarking my images so that they can't be reused by anyone.  I can't imagine for one moment that anyone would want to hijack my work but better to be safe than sorry.

Hope your day is an awesome one, whatever you are up to!

Hugs to all and thank you for your visits

Squirrel xx

Return of the Bear

Morning all.  Thank you for all your good wishes for mum's little op yesterday.  All went very well and she is feeling pretty good today - even managing to swat flies on the kitchen window!

We have woken up, like many of you in the UK today, to downpours and thunderstorms, which could explain the cracking headache I have.  Still, I don't have to cook dinner today as Mr Toad has promised me fish and chips, so I can have a moochy kind of day if I feel like it, although I am lurking by the letter box waiting for a couple of items of happy mail.

Right then, a little while ago, I did mention that you might be getting That Bear back again, and he has been long overdue in making an appearance.

So here he is - LOTV James Peeping

He's done with pencils, and I have left it a bit rough to give a sketchy furry feel, and as a contrast to the darker, smoother, background colour

Paper is a leftover from a piece of LOTV/Raspberry Road paper

And the sentiment is Paper Smooches

It's the F1 Canada Grand Prix this weekend, so I shall settle down later for the qualifying and (apologies to any Mr Hamilton fans out there, there must be one or two) I shall be willing Mr Rosberg to pole position.  Of course I dream of it being Mr Button, but got to keep it real.  His time will come.

Have a super Saturday everyone

Hugs

Squirrel xx

Monet's Butterfly

Morning all.  Hope this finds you well.  I have a funny old day ahead of me as I shall be taking mum to hospital later for a cataract operation.  At the moment, I am not sure who is the more nervous, her or me.

Anyway, I have a couple of hours play time before I need to start panicking so I thought, as I had posted every day this past week, that I ought to share something with you today.

This pretty little lady is CC Designs/A Random Fan (Sherry T Designs) stamp called Monet's Butterfly

Isn't she one of the sweetest you have seen?

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and Polychromos pencils

Papers are all LOTV/Nitwits "Solids" papers from the new pads

Sentiment is also LOTV

Butterfly die is Cheery Lynn

Sparkling gems are by Papermania

Thanks so much for your visit, each and every one of you is treasured.  I am slowly working my way round catching up on some very long overdue commenting so if I haven't reached you yet, I am on the way!

And I must offer a huge warm welcome to my most recent followers, Nicke, Desire and Gaby (who visits most days, bless your heart Gaby) - I hope you enjoy the journey with me!

Hugs to all for a super Friday

Squirrel xx

CLF June Challenge (DT) Spots And Stripes

Hello everyone, hope this finds you well on the first Thursday of June.  It is time for a new challenge with

CRAFTY LITTLE FAIRIES

What a cracking turn-out we had for the May challenge - don't forget to check the blog to see if you are one of the lucky winners.

This month we are asking you to make something featuring SPOTS AND STRIPES, which we know is always a favourite.

Lots of sponsors again this time around, so all to play for!

Here is my DT card

This cutie is an LOTV stamp, and I have searched all over their website but can no longer find him, so sorry about that

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment is Tim Holtz Simple Messages

Papers are BoBunny Autumn Song

The Tool brads (which I snipped the legs off) and sequins are from my pot of bits and pieces

Hope you are able to find time this month to join us!

Hugs

Squirrel xx

Heidi

Hello everyone, it is my day to DT for The Stamp Basket blog and I am taking the opportunity to get stuck into some of those dreaded festive cards.

The following ingredients are available from The Stamp Basket Store

Stamp: Whimsy/Wee - Heidi

Papers: Wild Rose Studio - A Robin's Christmas

Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black

Ranger/Tim Holtz Distress Inks ReInkers and Pads

Diecuts:  Shapeabilities Snowflake Pendant and Memory Box Wrought Iron Fence

and from my own stash are plain base card, gems and Polychromos pencils

Happy Christmas!

Hugs, Squirrel xx