As You Like It Challenge (DT) Fur Feathers or Scales

 I wasn't going to mention this week's weather, but by crikey it has been exceptional - on Monday it was dear old Suffolk that broke the UK high temperature record (obviously exceeded on Tuesday), and I have to say I HAVE HATED EVERY SECOND OF IT!  The forecast for tomorrow is 19C and I cannot wait to be able to breathe again.

Anyhoo, it is time for a new theme at AS YOU LIKE IT CHALLENGE and this time

it is Your Favourite - Fur, Feathers, or Scales (and why)

Soft and fluffy fur!  I quite like feathers themselves, but am nervous of birds, they are so delicate, except for chickens, chickens are sneaky and evil.  Scales are attached to things that freak me out (sorry to the tortoises), so fur it is, it's soft, it's strokeable, it's warm, it's usually wrapped around something I'd like to cuddle.

For this one I have used the Bears set from CC Designs

painted her with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

teamed her with some papers from Lawn Fawn and Sunny Studio Designs

and a die from Crealies

Corner punch is unlabelled so can't tell you what that is

The sponsor for this challenge is the ever popular and talented

Lee Holland

Hugs

As You Like It Challenge (DT) Favourite Food

 Hellooooo (waving), how are we all then in the sunny month of May?

It's a Thursday, so it's time for a new challenge theme with the

AS YOU LIKE IT CHALLENGE

and our theme this time around is Your Favourite Food

(please explain why it inspired your make)

If I'm not well, or if I can't be bothered to cook, or if I want something quick ..... soup!

There is something so comforting about a bowl of soup and thick bread or a roll (buttered).

My favourites, in order, are cream of chicken, oxtail, vegetable, and tomato.  Nothing fancy, but oh so delicious.

I really ought to make my own soup more often, but I couldn't bear to see this in my stock pot!

Whimsy Stamps - Get Well (DP1033)

Honey Bee 6x6 papers - Gingham Galore: Fall and Playful Pastels

MFT DieNamics Single Stitch Line Rounded Square Frame (MFT-1056)

Crealies XXL Double Dot Squares XXL50

Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Our sponsor for this challenge is

LAWN FAWN

I do hope you will find time to come over and make us salivate!

Hugs

Dracula

 So, I'm sat here swearing at the laptop (situation normal) as I'm trying to transfer a chunk of photos from my phone to the hard-drive, and I have spotted a few cards that I haven't posted yet, mainly because they were for customer orders rather than DT posts, so I thought I'd drip feed them to you.

You will notice that they will appear to be out of season!

This one was an order from a friend who wanted a card for her brother who had his birthday at Halloween, and she wanted to make something of that.

So we have a real mash-up of products used here

Dracula is from CC Designs

painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Oval dies are Crealies

Happy is half of a Impression Obsession Happy Easter die

40 is MFT Die-Namics stitched numbers

Papers are whatever was to hand in the right colours

Goo border is a Martha Stewart punch

Apparently he was thrilled with it and, rumour has it, it is still on display even now.

Hope you have a fab weekend.

Hugs

As You Like It Challenge (DT) Favourite Colouring Medium

Hey everyone, it's time for another challenge from the
AS YOU LIKE IT CHALLENGE
and this time our theme is (my personal favourite) Your Favourite Colouring Medium (tell us why!)

Like all my teamies, I've played with so many different colouring medium over the years.  My first love was watercolours, then I veered off course for a short affairs with Copics and ProMarkers, and then came the discovery of Distress Inks (ReInkers).  All the full of watercolour painting but with inks - I was like a pig in s....... very happy indeed.  I have lost count of the number of years I have been inking now but it is a lot.

I've raided my old Lili of The Valley stash and used this fabulous rubber stamp (remember those?) and collection of NitWit papers.

Oval dies are from Crealies XXL range

Sentiment is from Clearly Besotted

and corner die is an old unlabelled one

I do hope you will pop over and share with us your happiest way to colour.

Hugs

As You Like It Challenge (DT) Favourite Decorative Gift Wrapping

 Happy New Year peeps!  I hope you managed to have a wonderful

Christmas and New Year break.

So, the AYLI team are back in harness for the first of this year's challenges and this

fortnight's theme is

Your Favourite Decorative Gift Wrapping

(box/bag/pouch etc, but please tell us why)

I really like making and decorating gift boxes, but being the disorganised little Squirrel that I am, I usually don't leave myself enough time to create a quality box, so my safety net is a gift bag, ideal for the smaller gifts like jewellery.

For this I have used

Whimsy Stamps Burfday Dragons

Crealies XXL oval dies

Hobbycraft papers

L'il Inkers small bow die

and a tiny Hobbycraft flower punch

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

Hugs

As You Like It Challenge (DT) Autumn or Winter

 Hello folks, it's time for another new challenge over as AS YOU LIKE IT and the theme for this fortnight is Autumn or Winter (please explain your choice).

Autumn is my most favourite season of the whole year, although I don't mind winter that much.  There is so much loveliness about autumn, the cooler mornings, the temperate days, the cooler nights.  I love the warmth of the light, the rich colours, the smells, I don't even mind it getting dark early, I just close the curtains and snuggle up indoors with himself and the cat.  I love being able to get out and about without having heatstroke, and on the cooler days I am happy to pull on a woolly pully.  I am definitely an autumnal squirrel.

Stamping Bella - Curvy Girl Loves Autumn (no die available, she was fussy cut) sb-eb989

Newton's Nook Designs - Shades of Autumn (background leaves, fabulous linen effect on these) NN1709S04

Lawn Fawn 6x6 papers - Watercolor Wishes LF-1355

MFT 6x6 papers - Keep Me In Stitches MFT-EP82

Spellbinders (Nestabilities) Tall Scallop Oval die

Crealies - Open Scallop Square die CLNestXXL70

Distress Inks (ReInkers) and pads

With Love sentiment die might be Tonic, but I have no packaging for it now

Our sponsor for this challenge is the ever adorable LAWN FAWN

Come on over and share your favourite (autumn or winter) season with us.

Hugs

As You Like It Challenge (DT) Stitching

 Hello all (and especially to Faith, waving) I hope you are all ok.

It's time for another As You Like It Challenge and the theme this time is

Stitching (real, doodles, or dies)

I used to doodle my stitches onto cards, but then came the advent of stitched dies and I have never looked back.  I love that this tiny piece of detail can add so much to your layers without being intrusive, it is the perfect finishing touch.

Stamping Bella - Flowery Gnome

Lawn Fawn 6x6 papers - Watercolor Wishes

MFT Stitched Hexagon Stax

Crealies XXL Stitched Squares

Gnome painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers)

And our sponsor of this theme is

LAWN FAWN

Looking forward to seeing you there and hearing about your favourite way to add stitching to your makes,

Hugs

Christmas Cheer (DT) Dies To Die For

Morning all.  How are we today?  I spent all week in the office for work, and I am absolutely pooped now.  Not being allowed to use the bus means having to drive into town every day, and traffic levels are definitely increasing.  There was a time when I wouldn't have cared, I'd drive anywhere, but these days I am less confident and really hate being stuck in jams.  Don't laugh, but it is hard on the knees too with all the gear changing, the other night I caught 14 red traffic lights (yes, 14 of the damn things) and my clutch knee was exhausted by the end of it all!

Anyhoo, enough of my ramblings, here is today's little dose of festive:

So for this one we have:

MFT SY Christmas Cheer stamps MFT-SY-24

MFT Die-Namics Christmas Cheer MFT-1820

MFT Die-Namics Stacked Merry die MFT-1832

MFT 6x6 paper - Party Plaid MFT-EP-67

I can't remember where the red edging paper came from but suspect it is an older MFT pad.

The snowflake die is one I treated myself to from Simon Says Stamp, it is one of their own brand dies.

Oval dies used are from Crealies.

Image painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Twinkly gem from stash - I bought loads from W H Smith when they were on Sale.

Hugs

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

Bird or Beast (DT) As You Like It Challenge

Hello chaps, I hope your week is going well.  As it is a Thursday, it means a new theme over at

AS YOU LIKE IT CHALLENGE

This time we would like you to choose your favourite (and tell us why)

BIRD or BEAST

Don't get me wrong, I like birds - out in the garden.  The song of a blackbird absolutely fills my heart with joy, and I love the antics of sparrows and starlings, and of course a cheeky robin.  With no offence to pigeons, they are a blinkin' nuisance though!  However, as much delight as our feathered friends bring, I'm afraid that the furry critters will always win in my affections.

How cute is that smile?!!

Lili Of The Valley Digi Stamp : Little Friends - Rabbit With Daisy

although I used the rubber version (retired now, boo hiss)
Lawn Fawn 6x6 Knit Picky - Fall
Crealies XXL No 70 Open Scallop Square
Poppystamps Bubble Daisy Border
MFT Stencil - Mini Cloud Edges
Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

For this furry and feathery challenge, our sponsor is
CRAFTS U LOVE

Hugs to all

Favourite Stamp Brand (DT) As You Like It Challenge

Another fortnight has whizzed past, and here we are with a new challenge from the

AS YOU LIKE IT team

This time, for your delight and delectation our theme is

Your Favourite Stamp Brand

When I first started stamping, I fell in love with Margaret Sherry's cute animal designs that Penny Black Inc turned into stamps, and I built up a rather large collection, so based purely on numbers, I have to say Penny Black are my favourite, especially as I still have them all!

This is only of my first PBs - Bubble of Joy

Dotty edged die is by Crealies

Papers are MFT Hearts & Stripes and Lawn Fawn Really Rainbow Scallops

The sentiment die was a magazine freebie

Image painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

I do hope you will be able to pop over to the challenge and join in the fun!

Hugs

Favourite Celebration (DT) As You Like It Challenge

Morning all, it's a new theme from the AS YOU LIKE IT team (I'm in charge on the challenge blog today!) and it is Your Favourite Celebration (birthday, Christmas, wedding, etc) but please do remember to tell us about it.

It was a tough choice and I do like making special occasion cards, and my favourite makes are for birthdays and, believe it or not, for Christmas (that is unless I am still racing around with snowflakes mid December).  I am being uber organised this year, well actually no, that's a big fib, I managed to get mum to place her order early, lol, so I have made a start on those.

CC Designs : Carollers stamp

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and Polychromos Pencils

Papers are Dovecraft, I think the pack is called North Pole

Crealies loopy circle die

Die-Namics double stitched circle die

and I will check on the word dies - it's a set new to me but I have used it a fair bit already, shame I didn't write the name down!

Our sponsor for this challenge is

PolkaDoodles

Come and celebrate with us

Hugs

AYLI (DT) Favourite Way To Add A Sentiment

Hello peeps, is it warm enough for you?  Over here in the east the wind has been so bitter that I have had to resort to my Savage Squirrel pink bobble hat, which has caused one or two raised eyebrows at work!

Right then, it's Thursday so that means the start of new challenge with the AS YOU LIKE IT team.   This fortnight the theme is Your Favourite Way To Add A Sentiment (and why).

My most often way to add a sentiment is to stamp it direct to the image panel.  Unlike some of my teamies, this has never scared me and with the aid of an acrylic block I can usually get it straight!  I have an enormous library of sentiment stamps now, but there is always room for more.  I do love a sentiment with a good pun in it too.

As a bonus, I have added a stacked word die to this card, simply because it worked so well with the stamped words

For this little one I have used:

CC Designs "Fawned" stamp set

(sentiment came with the fawns)

Friend word die from Whimsy, cut three times from 300gsm card, and once from the Dovecraft paper so it's a nice deep stack and really stands off the card

Crealies XXL No 70 - Square With Open Scallop

Image is painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Our sponsor for this theme is 

CraftsULove

Hope you will find a way to have fun with your words and share them with us

Hugs to all

Squirrel x

AYLI (DT) Faux or Real Stitching?

1 February, thank goodness, that means miserable January is out of the way!  Let's get on with the rest of the year and another challenge from the AS YOU LIKE IT team.

This time the theme is FAUX OR REAL STITCHING - you will need to use either on your make, and tell us about your preference.

I love the look of real stitching on a card, it seems to add that little bit of extra, but I just can't do it.  I have tried, unpicked, tried, unpicked ...... binned the card.  You get the picture.  So, when the advent of faux stitched dies came along, I thought all my prayers had been answered.  Why have all the stress when the fiddle has been done for you!  The faux stitching adds interest, without being overpowering, and finishes layers off beautifully.

I have used for this little one

MFT stamp set - Lions and Tigers

and the matching die set

MFT dies - Grassy Edges

MFT Die-Namics Stitched Clouds

MFT Die-Namics Stitched Square Stax

Crealies XXL No 22 Squares With Stitchline

and the little Leo is painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) with some

Polychromos Pencil help for his mane

The sponsor of this challenge is Kinda Cute by Patricia Alvarez 

who is providing a prize of 3 images from her store:

So, you can either dash off and haul that sewing machine out of the cupboard, get a needle threaded, or find your favourite faux stitch die, the choice is yours.

Hugs to all

Happy Birth Day

No, it's not a typing mistake, I really did mean Happy Birth Day.  My mate at work has become a second time grandma and I made this to celebrate the birth of baby Jack and his safe arrival.

I have entered it as a twist on the Happy Birthday theme on the Lili of The Valley FB Challenge (1-14 May)

I think the stamp is perhaps called Special Delivery but it is one that I forgot to write the name of on the packet when it arrived.  It is most definitely LOTV though!  (EDIT: "Just Arrived")

I have painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers are from an el-cheap-o pad that I bought from The Works, but they

seem to be ok and certainly cope with wet glue so I may well get some more

Die-Namics Double Stitched Circle Stax die

Die-Namics Stitched Sentiment Strips die

Crealies Double Dots Squares die

Tonic Scalloped Squares dies

Clearly Besotted sentiments from their baby stamp set

Stars done with a shaped hole punch

For a simple card it seems to have a lot of ingredients!

Anyway, my mate was thrilled and she has had it on display on our reception desk

all week for everyone to see, even our clients, bless her

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

In The Pink (DT) Cute and Cuddly

When we went Christmas shopping last week, there were four penguins.  Real, fishy smelling, penguins.  Now, I love penguins, they are seriously cute, but I am not sure I would want to cuddle one, unless it has been bathed, in Chanel No 5.

Where is this leading I hear you ask, well, it is leading nicely to my DT make for IN THE PINK and our challenge is CUTE & CUDDLY.

So, I have used:

Mo Manning's Snow Pals from Stamping Bella

A lot of pink Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers from Nitwits

Crealies scalloped square dies

MFT Die-Namics Goo border die

Martha Stewart snowflake punch

and our fabbie sponsor for this challenge is

DIES TO DIE FOR

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

😻

Going Crackers (Christmas, of course)

Afternoon all, hope this finds you well.  It finds me sneezing and snuffling, but what else would you expect now that I am on holiday from work.  Grrrrrrr.

Anyhoo, I haven't used many of my Lili of the Valley stamps since I stepped down from the Design Collective but now that I have started making my C cards I am back on track, and here I am today with a James which I am going to enter into their Facebook challenge, even though my CAS style doesn't suit the Lili look apparently.  My stamps, I'll use them how I want!

So, this is James with Christmas Cracker

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Clearly Besotted sentiment

Crealies stitched rectangle die

MFT Die-Namics chevron die

Moss green Bazzil cardstock

Custome sized card base

and that's it, sweet and simple.

Feeling much happier now I have seen the Malaysian GP and Rosberg has stretched his lead over Hamilton by 23 points.  Good result for Jenson too on his 300th race start!

Hugs to all

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

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

AYLI (DT) Favourite Die

Hello everyone, hope this finds you well and itching to get crafty.  So, it is a new challenge day over at AS YOU LIKE IT and the theme this time is rather tricky......... we would like you to use your FAVOURITE DIE.

I think they should have renamed this challenge as Mission Impossible.  I started off with a huge pile of "favourite" dies on my desk, and gradually whittled them down by the number of times they have been used, and practicality.  They I got some back from the discarded pile, threw out (not literally) some others, started all over again, and I still couldn't narrow it down to just one favourite.  So, this is what you are getting

So, for this I have used

CC Designs Nancy With Sunflowers stamp

painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) with a few Polychromos for her hair

I have used two Crealies stitched rectangle dies

I believe the word die is an Impression Obsession word edger die

and as for the top border .......... hmmmmm (missing packaging)

Matting layer is First Edition cardstock

I made this for a very special friend who has been having a tough time lately

but she has received it so it is now safe to post here.

Our sponsor for this challenge is

Bunny Zoe

£10.00

So now you can go and give yourselves the same kind of headache I had, but don't forget to enter the challenge to show us what you made!

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx