Moody? (DTDF DT)

OK, so I couldn't wait to start playing with my new stash purchased from DIES TO DIE FOR  from last weekend - it was just a question of what to play with first.  In the end, it was an easy choice - who could resist this smile?!

Sorry, it's making me grin just looking at him

So, the ingredients I have used for this cheesy little chap are

Gerda Steiner - Moody Unicorns

My Favorite Things - Sweet Celebration 6x6 paper pack

MFT Die-Namics - Pierced Heart Stax

I've coloured him with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

and highlighted his pink hair with a Polychromos pencil

The sentiment (which I think I may be using a lot) came with the unicorns

and a layer of black card just to pop the colour from the white

There is a matching die set for the Moody Unicorns but I fussy cut this one

as I don't yet have the dies

Thanks everyone for coming by today

I hope your weekend turns out to be a magical one

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Dies To Die For on-line store

In The Pink (DT) With Love

Yes, we know it's coming up - so over at IN THE PINK we are helping you get ready for the Day of Lurrrrve - our theme is, naturally, With Love.

Of course you don't HAVE to make it for your partner, it could be for a friend, your mum, your dad, whoever you want to say "I love you" too, and actually, in this strange ol' world we live in, I think it needs to be said a lot more often.

Here's my With Love themed card

(warning: it's quite pink)

Pink enough?!

So, I have used

CC Designs - Meoples Meowy (stamps and dies)

Die-Namics Inside-Out Stitched Rounded Corner Square

Echo Park papers

Hobbycraft heart punch

Distress Inks (ReInkers)

The sponsor for this challenge is DI'S DIGI STAMPS

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

So much love in the room ......

..... I am exhausted, emotionally and physically.  Yesterday was the Sincerely Yours Papercraft Show in Thetford so off we went, having set Wayne, the SatNav, with the postcode.  Now, Wayne is a bit thick.  He gets it into his tiny little chip which direction he wants you to go, even if it isn't the route you want, and he is determined to get you that way.  We experienced that on the way to the Lake District.  We wanted the M6, he wanted us on the A1.  We were nearly to Manchester before he actually gave in.

Yesterday was no better.  He wanted us on the A14, we wanted the A140/A1066.  If he said "recalculating" once, he must have said it about twenty times as I confidently ignored his instructions (well, you do when you are on local roads don't you).  It was a very pretty drive up through Suffolk and into Norfolk - a route I hadn't been on for several years.  However, as much as it pains me, for a shorter journey (not by much mind) and a quicker route, the blasted SatNav was actually right!  But if we had followed him we would have had a journey of HGVs and a boring duel carriageway.  Swings and roundabouts I guess.

Anyhoo, we got there safely, and within two minutes of entering the hall, I was swamped in Dies To Die For hugs!  Finally, I get to meet my precious girls - Annette, Sue, Tracy, Faye, Kat, Debbie, and of course Tracy's amazing man, Andy!  

Lots of squeals and giggles.  At which point, Toad is a bit outnumbered and overwhelmed so he took himself off for a nice swim in the pool next door, bless him.

I did some shopping (cough), a lot of chattering, some more shopping (sorry Andy) and cemented some already longstanding friendships.  I didn't want to leave.

But leave we had to, and actually listened to Wayne on the way home.  He didn't have to shout at me once.

So, today I am off work (holiday) and recovering.  I know how I feel so dread to think how tired and aching the others must be who had far longer journeys.  Yes, bits of me ache that I had forgotten could ache, but it was soooooooooooooo worth it to be able to meet my gorgeous teamies.

So, after all that ramble, I do actually have a little card for you - and this sums up yesterday.

When one heart isn't enough, make a string of them!

This little lass is Twila from CC Designs - Roberto's Rascals String of Hearts

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) with Polychromos Pencil for hair detail

A real pick n mix of paper and card, I can't even remember which pad the heart paper came from

Spellbinders dies - I've lost the label but they are probably large scallop something

Thank you girls, it was a blast!

What goes on tour, stays on tour (and Debbie, I am sorry about Toad and your camera!)

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Beary Special at DTDF

Happy Saturday everyone!  I'm pacing the floor a bit today as tomorrow is the Sincerely Yours Papercraft Show in Thetford and if all goes well, I'm hoping to visit.  Not only will the fabulous Tracy with her Dies To Die For be there, but I am hoping to be able to meet some of my new teamies AND my BBFF (that's Best Blogging Friend Forever)!  I have butterflies!

Anyhoo, down to business, it's my day for the Dies To Die For Design Team and here is my make:

So, I have used

MFT Beary Special Birthday
Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)
Sentiment from the Beary set - embossed in white

Echo Park Birthday Wishes Girl

Die-Versions Express Edges
I used the Birthday word but the Celebrate one would work equally well
Custom sized card base

Right then, I'm off to run around like a headless chicken - catch up with you soon
with a post Show report!

Hugs to all
Squirrel xx

Dies To Die For On-line Store

AYLI (DT) Favourite Flower

Hello chaps, and welcome to another Thursday challenge with the girls at AS YOU LIKE IT

This time the theme is FAVOURITE FLOWER

For me, flowers are seasonal, I love daisies all year round, but there are certain flowers that fit the Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter slots too.  For Spring, when the air is full of hope and promises, there is nothing like the splash of colour from the nodding heads of tulips to make you think everything is going to be just fine

For this card I have used

Wild Rose Studio - Milton with Tulips

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

The word die is from W Plus 9 Design Studio "Sending Hoping Wishing" set and I have made a stack using two layers of kraft card for depth before adding the top layer

The gingham and polka dot papers are from My Favourite Things

and the matting layer is a sheet of First Edition

Die shape is Spellbinders Labels 18

The sponsor of this challenge is

Wild Orchid Crafts
£12 gift voucher

I'm "hoping" that on this chilly January day, this has helped you feel a little more Springy!

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

DTDF - the debut!

Morning all, thanks for calling by today, and a huge thank you for all your good wishes!

It's all happened rather quickly, but I have had over a week of grinning and itching to tell you all.

So, today is my debut appearance for the design team at

DIES TO DIE FOR BLOG

and I cannot thank Tracy and the girls enough for the opportunity

So, here we go with my first make

So, I bought this cheeky little chap last year as I thought he could be used for so much more than Valentine's but in the end he didn't get inked until this year - and it's still not for Valentine's

Stamp - CC Designs - Roberto's Rascals Valentine Henry

Sentiment - Whimsy Stamps - Bold Statements
Design paper - Echo Park - For The Record 2

I have painted Henry with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

The only extra ingredient is the black card for the matting layer to make him

pop out from the flowery background (which I absolutely lurrrve)

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

DIES TO DIE FOR online store

OMG! It's Official - Squeeeeeeeeeeeeal !

OK, I can share it with you - it's official!

I am a very lucky little Squirrel - I have been invited to join the incredible Design Team

for the lovely Tracy at DIES TO DIE FOR - Wow Wow Wow!

If things work to plan this evening, you will be able to see my first post for them tomorrow

Giving shelter....

Hi all, hope Tuesday finds you fine and dandy!

I have a wee spring in my step this morning but you will have to wait a bit longer to find out what that's all about (oh I can be such a terrible tease, lol).

Anyhoo, I have been stocking up my emergency supplies and realised that I was out of sympathy cards.  I wanted to make something that was a bit different from the normal flowers so when I saw the stamps with Creative Stamper magazine, I think I had a light-bulb moment - judge for yourselves....

Ok, I didn't say it was 100 watt did I?!

So, the umbrella, clouds and heart shaped raindrops all came from Creative Stamper

The "with sympathy" was also a magazine freebie

Papers are MFT Tiny Check Brights

And a tiny smidge of Distress Ink (ReInkers) on the clouds and brolly handle

I just hope that it's not needed for a very long time to come.

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

As You Like It (DT) Favourite Hair!!

Now then, when Auntie Annette chooses a challenge theme, she does choose some crackers, but please don't be as scared of this one as I was when I first saw it!  It's much easier than it sounds, honest.

It's AS YOU LIKE IT challenge day and our theme is FAVOURITE HAIR COMBO

(basically, your favourite way to colour hair, and the colours you use)

Here is my DT card

When I do brown hair (a favourite because it always feels so warm), I use a light wash of Frayed Burlap Distress Ink (ReInker) and then get busy with the Polychromos Pencils (Brown Ochre, Nougat, Bistre, Van-Dyke Brown, Walnut Brown)

Which means that of course I have used Distress Inks (ReInkers) and Polychromos Pencils

Tiddly Inks: Wryn - Smart Cookie

Raspberry Road papers Pressed In Time

MFT Die-Namics double stitched rectangle die

and of course you want to know who the sponsor is, and it's

Paper Nest Dolls

Prize is 3 images of winners choice.

The Paper Nest Dolls Blog

So, assuming you are not too freaked out, we look forward to seeing

all your hairy creations!

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Puff!

Showing my age here this morning (and certainly feeling it) with a trip down memory lane to Junior Choice!

One of the songs that was regularly played was Puff The Magic Dragon ....

 I have used

My Favorite Things - Magical Dragons stamp set

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

"Charming" sentiment from the MFT set

"Thank You" from Clearly Besotted

Green matting layer is a scrap of Dovecraft Back To Basics paper

6x4 card base - custom cut to landscape format

Hope you have a magical Monday

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

In The Pink (DT) Anything Goes

Happy Pink New Year to you!  Yep, it's January, it's Thursday and it's the start of a new

IN THE PINK year, and to ease you in gently our first theme is Anything Goes.

Here's my DT card

OK, so the ingredients for this one are

MFT Pure Innocence Bookworm stamp

MFT Our Story stamp set

MFT Die-Namics Window die

MFT Die-Namics Stitched Sentiment Strips

Clouds paper is from Nitwits

Pink card is Hunkydory Adorable Scorable

Images painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

and our sponsor of this challenge is ALL DRESSED UP

So, what's stopping you, go and get PINK!

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Thank You

As we have had a really quiet Christmas, and neither of us have had to go into work, I have managed quite a bit of play time since Boxing Day - which is good, in many ways, but especially as I had rather a lot of thank you cards to get made!  You may spot a theme over the next week or so, lol.

This first one is for my boss, Emma.  Regular readers will know that Emma is not only my boss, and I went with her when we changed firms in April, but she is also a good friend.  There is a story behind this card, but unfortunately it is not one I can share with you here.

I wish I could remember the name of the stamp, but I can't - 

it's from Lili of The Valley from a few years ago.

Sentiment stamp is a magazine freebie.

Snowflake is an X-Cut small palm punch

Pink card stock from Rymans

and a custom made 6x4 card base

What little colouring there is has been done with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

I shall be entering this in the LOTV Facebook Challenge - Anything Goes

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

(Some) Favourite Makes of 2016

OK, so, I have been "encouraged" to share again a few of my favourite makes from 2016.

When I say "encouraged", I think you know what I really mean.  Anyhoo, here's a whistle-stop tour of what happened in the last year with a baker's dozen:

January

February

March

April

May

June

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Blimey, that was a year wasn't it?!  Thanks for sharing it with me.

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Penguin in Paradise

Hello to anyone who might be out there in blogland!  It's that bit between Christmas and New Year when no one knows what day it is.  I hope you were all able to enjoy the festivities.

I have something a little warmer than Christmas for you today:

I made this for the MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge # 313

Here's the sketch

I have used

MFT Penguins In Paradise stamp set

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

MFT Die-Namics pierced fishtail flags stax

MFT Die-Namics stitched rounded rectangle stax

MFT Die-Namics stitched sentiment strips

Papers are from BoBunny

Keep warm, even if you are not on a tropical beach!

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

'Elf and 'Appiness

Well, here we are, the penultimate working day for me before we break up for Christmas tomorrow.  I'm not sure what time we are finishing yet, in theory we're in for the whole day, but we are all secretly crossing our fingers that the senior partner gets fed up of the tinsel around 3.30!

I said on Monday that I had been playing with elves at the weekend and this is the second of them.  Part of my morning routine (and it's very decadent) if the bus doesn't get held up anywhere is to head for the local coffee shop for my favourite coffee and some toast for my breakfast.  I'm one of these people who can't face food immediately, so by the time I get into town I am feeling hungry.  When I called in last week, one of the barristas slipped something onto my tray - it was a Christmas card, addressed to "the lovely flat-white lady" - how sweet is that?!  So this one has been made for them, they are a great crew and always ready for a smile, as well as making great coffee and toast.

Another elf from the CC Designs Roberto's Rascals Elves set

Again painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Star corner die is MFT Die-Versions

Papers are all Dovecraft

The tag is from MFT Die-Namics Stitched Sentiment Strips

and the sentiment is Whimsy Stamps Holiday Mini Wishes

This will be my last post before Christmas, so I would just like to take the opportunity

of wishing all my faithful Followers

a very Merry Christmas and a happy and crafty New Year

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Your good 'Elf.....

Saturday was full on here, I'd like to say dashing through the snow, but it was just fog, and that doesn't have quite the same ring to it.  However, it meant that the nearest I got to craft was being in the middle of a mountain of wrapping paper, ribbons, sticky tape and tags.  I was missing my paintbrush!

So, yesterday afternoon I sat myself down in between the domestic stuff (yawn) and got inky with some elves.

Here's the first one:

This happy little chap is from CC Designs - Roberto's Rascals Elves set

Love all three of the elves - they are so cheeky

Painted as usual with Distress Inks (ReInkers) used as watercolours, with some Polychromos Pencil for hair definition

Papers are an older set of Dovecraft Back to Basics - Modern Christmas

Martha Stewart border punch

Sentiment from the Whimsy Stamps Holiday Mini Sentiments

Custom sized card base

It's our office Christmas dinner today - looking forward to it, it's my first one with

this firm.  Eight months and it feels like home already.

Happy Monday to you all

Hugs

Squirrel xx

AYLI (DT) Favourite Christmas Carol/Song

Hello peeps, how are your festive preparations going?  Mine are in their usual state of chaos I'm afraid.  I'm never sure how Christmas manages to sneak up on me every year like this.

Anyhoo, it's a new challenge from AS YOU LIKE IT today and the theme is Favourite Christmas Carol or Song.

For me it's a song rather than a carol, and it is a bittersweet one this year as Greg Lake has just passed away.  "I Believe In Father Christmas".  I have loved this ever since it was released, and the first hearing of it always reminds me of how close to Christmas we are.  The words are quite thought provoking.

High Hopes large Stackable Santa stamp

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

MFT stitched hexagonal dies

MFT Holiday Subway Art sentiments

MFT chevron die

Papers from Helz Cuppleditch - Dear Santa

Our sponsor for this challenge is

Crafty Ribbons
£10 voucher

This is our last challenge for 2016 but we'll be back bright eyed and bushy tailed in January.

Hugs to all
Squirrel xx

SNSRC #3 - Then And Now (Part II)

Hi, all, for those of you who missed the start of Squirrel's Not So Random Challenge #3, you can find it here.

The theme is Then and Now, so we would like you to look back through your old stuff and remake one of your earlier creations.  It doesn't have to be an exact replica, but we would like you to use the same image as before.

On the original post, Annette, Jayne and myself shared our makes, so this time around it is Becky with hers.

NUTTY BECKY

Then

and now

We have found this challenge fascinating to see how we have all progressed and styles have changed, in one way or another, over the years, and we are looking forward to seeing who will be brave enough to share theirs with us.

The challenge link is on the original post, and you have until 30 January to enter.

Hugs to all

The Little Acorns xx

AYLI (DT) Gold or Silver

Yes, it's me again, twice in one day - this post is my DT for As You Like It Challenge

The theme set for this time is your favourite of

GOLD or SILVER

(and you must tell us why)

I've always been more of a gold girl myself, it suits my skin tone better

and I love the warmth and richness of its mellow tones.

Apart from that, it was one of the gifts brought by the Three Wise Men to the birth of

Our Lord Jesus Christ

so, if it's good enough for that kind of event, it's good enough for me!

Here's my DT make (steady yourselves)

Look at that, not a stamp in sight!

So, for this goldfest I have used

MFT Die-Namics Rectangle stitched scalloped frames

MFT Die-Namics Merry Christmas

Wild Rose Studio snowflake corner

Kraft card, and custom sized card base

The sponsor of this challenge is

Sweet n Sassy Stamps

$10.00

It is the time of year for all things sparkly and shiny, so off you go

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

SNSRC #3 Then And Now

OK, so not only is it December already (eeeek) it is also time for

Squirrel's Not-So-Random Challenge No 3

and our theme is

THEN and NOW

Oooh, be afraid, be very afraid.  We want you to trawl back through the achieves and find one of your early creations, and then we want you to make it again!  

NUTTY ANNETTE

The first inking, dated October 2010!  

and here's Annette's new version.....

NUTTY JAYNE

From 2012

and Jayne's new version

NUTTY SQUIRREL

Waaaaay back in 2009

and the 2016 version

NUTTY SUE

Nutty Sue is on the poorly step but she'll be here next week

NUTTY BECKY

Nutty Becky is on incredibly busy step, but will be back soon

I think we have all been surprised at the comparisons, it has been a big reminder of how much our styles have changed and our skills improved.

OK then, so that's the new challenge, what about the last one and our winner?

We didn't have many entries, it would seem the theme scared you all away,. The entries we did receive were superb, but there can only be one winner and that one is....

Marianne's Craftroom

Congratulations, your little owl looks superb in that pretty blue!

Please email me, Squirrel 

We really hope you are brave enough to join in the fun.  You have until 30 January, so once Christmas is over you can all get busy - unless of course you want to choose a Christmas card to remake!

Hugs to all

The Acorns

xx

An InLinkz Link-up