Favourite Pet Animal (DT) As You Like It Challenge

 The new challenge starting today from the AS YOU LIKE IT team is

Your Favourite Pet Animal

(and please do tell us why)

I'm a crazy cat lady I'm afraid.  There has always been a cat in my life right since I was a baby.  Even during a couple of years where I wasn't able to have my own, I still had the pleasure of the furry residents at my parents.  I have been owned by several hairy overlords over the years, and I am currently owned by Rosie who was adopted from the Blue Cross six years ago.  She is twelve now but shows no signs of relaxing her reign of terror.

For my card, I have used a stamp from Gerda Steiner Designs - Only For You

and teamed it with a die-cut from MFT DieNamics - Twice The Hugs

Papers are a mix of Lawn Fawn and MFT

Stamped sentiment is Lawn Fawn

Our sponsor for this challenge is

FANTASTIC RIBBONS

and we have a new DT member so please do pop over to say a warm hello to the fabulous Chrissy from Chrissy's Cardland

Hugs

Melon Friends (DT) Dies To Die For

  Hello everyone, eventually I'm here, still yawning - I cannot even begin to tell you how long I overslept!

So, one of the things that seems to crop up (pardon the pun) every summer

is watermelons.  I'm not a huge fan of them myself, they always taste like sweet cucumber to me, but I know a lot of people find them refreshing.

Gerda Steiner Designs - Melon Friends stamps GSD748

Sunny Studio 6x6 paper - Summer Splash SSPP-114

MFT A2 Circle Stax dies - MFT-1790

As soon as I saw this little bear, I knew I had to pair him with these papers, it was just meant to be.

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Whatever you are up to, have a good weekend.

Hugs

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Long Time No See (DT) Dies To Die For

Morning all, happy weekend to you.  Now that we are in to September, my crafty mind has gone into panic Christmas mode.  Why do I always leave it so late?!

I crocheted the husband a bobble hat earlier in the year.  Despite very careful and repeated measurements it came up rather large, it will certainly keep his ears warm, and probably his knees as well - a bit like this one.

Do penguins have knees?

Gerda Steiner - Long Time No See stamp

Lawn Fawn - Mini Snowflake dies

Taylored Expressions 6x6 - Playful Patterns - Holiday

MFT Sentiments - Bitty Holday Wishes MFT-CS-417

Penguin coloured up with Zig Clean Colour brush pens used as watercolours

All I can say is thank heaven for "Stick It" adhesive sheets, I would have got in a real mess with that delicate snowflake without it.  I discovered the joy of it some time ago and used to be really sparing in how often I used it, but I must be getting lazy in my old age as I find myself reaching for it time and time again these days.

Hugs

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

Birthday Bear (DT) Dies To Die For

Morning all (just)!  Today's lateness is easily explained, I had a surprise visit from a friend who was dropping off a birthday present, and as we haven't seen each other since March we had a socially distanced catch-up in the front garden.  It must have been entertaining for the neighbours as friend has quite a distinctive laugh, bless her.  It was certainly good to see her, and the urge for hugs was huge, but we were both very well behaved.

And on the theme of birthdays, Facebook asked me if I would like to do a fundraiser for my upcoming day - a bit eager I thought, as it was then still a week away, but what the heck.  I chose to raise funds for Cats Protection and I cannot say a big enough thank you to all who have donated so far, it's only been up for two days and I am already only £11 off target.  It would be lovely to burst that target into tiny pieces and benefit all those cats and kittens who so desperately need help.

Also on the theme of birthdays....

Lovely things used

Gerda Steiner - Birthday Bear stamp set

MFT Stencil - Mini Cloud Edges MFT-ST-100

MFT 6x6 paper - Summertime Polka Dots MFT-EP-65

The bear and the bird are separate stamps in the set (don't look too closely or you'll see the join) but they work so brilliantly well together!

All painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers).  The purple matting layer is just white card edged with a Copic - it was the closest match I could get to the Wilted Violet DI used on a couple of the bunting flags.

Anyhoo, that is me done for today so I am off to fry some sausages!

Hugs

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

As You Like It Challenge (DT) Spring Or Easter

Believe it or not from the recent weather but Spring is nearly here (officially I mean, not Met Office Spring) and with Spring comes Easter, which means a wonderful season full of joy.

The new As You Like It Challenge theme starting today is Spring or Easter (your favourite, and why)

I like Spring .... and I like Easter .... so it was a 50/50 choice for me on this one.

I chose Easter, because I am a sucker for a furry wabbit bringing me chocolate!

How cute?!!

Gerda Steiner - Peeking Easter Friends stamps

and matching dies

A leftover piece of LOTV/Raspberry Road paper plus a squeak of Lawn Fawn Dandy Day 6x6 LF2208, edged with Martha Stewart grass border punch

Bunnies and Eggs coloured with a mix of Distress Inks (ReInkers) and

Zig Clean Color Real Brush Pens

Our sponsor for this challenge is

LAWN FAWN

Time to brush off those newly hatched chicks and come and join us.

Hugs to all

Cupcake Frog

Hello all - how are you?  It has definitely taken a turn towards autumn this week, my hairy little paws are starting to feel the chill!

Anyhoo, it was HisNibs birthday last week.  Many regular readers know that his nickname is Mr Toad so when I saw this stamp set it kinda had his name on it.  Combined with something yummy it worked a treat.

and what I used from the Dies To Die For store

Gerda Steiner - Frogs

Whimsy Clear Stamps - Calories Schmalories

MFT Clear Stamps - Anything But Basic Birthday Wishes

MFT 6x6 - Tiny Check

MFT 6x6 - Dots and Stripes Sorbet

For those of you struggling with masking, you have to work front to back - I stamped the candle first, masked it, then stamped the cupcake, masked it, and finally the frog.

I use Post-It Notes for masking stamps, there is just enough adhesive for them to stick, but not so much that it leaves a residue of yick.

The photocorner dies used are, I believe, one of the first dies I bought for my Cuttlebug many years ago - not even sure what make they are, there are four of them on a black square with foam facing (like the Sizzix dies were)

The combined images were painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

That's me for today

Hugs

DIES TO DIE FOR INSPIRATION BLOG

DIES TO DIE FOR ONLINE STORE

Hugs

On The Bookshelf

"On the bookshelf" is a commonly heard phrase in this house, usually in response to "Have you seen my ......?"  Don't get me wrong, there a a LOT of books on the bookshelf, but somehow a certain someone always manages to find a space to put down his treasures!

What there isn't room for on any of our bookshelves is Rosie.  Bless her, she is rather rotund in her physic (it runs in the family) and the overhang plus gravitational pull would be too much for her.

Anyhoo, where is all this leading ...... a sweet friend bought me a stamp set for my birthday and this is its first inking.

Gerda Steiner - On The Bookshelf

Papers are from (I think) and old Bo Bunny collection

Clearly Besotted - Brushed Sentiments

I used seven of the stamps from the set, and all are coloured up with

Distress Inks (ReInkers)

It was fun to do, if a little nerve racking getting things lined up.

I had toyed with the idea of the Gerda Steiner Design Team Call but I just checked and I am two days too late, so it wasn't meant to be!

Hugs to all

AYLI (DT) Favourite Animal

Morning all, popping by today with my make for another AS YOU LIKE IT challenge!

The theme for this fortnight is Your Favourite Animal (and why).

OK, so, favourite animal....in terms of the one I share a house with, it has to be a kitty, but if it's that other animal then what else could it be but a cute, fluffy, frisky, and now quite rare, little red squirrel!

It's difficult to find cute red squirrel stamps (some of them look a little possessed)

but this set is just sooooooo adorable!

Stamps:  Gerda Steiner - Happy Fall

Die:  Die-Namics A2 Stitched Rectangle Stax Set 1

Stencil:  MFT Mini Cloud Edges

Colouring Medium:  Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Our sponsor for this challenge is

Hugs to all

DTDF (DT) More Than Pie

Morning all, I'm here today with my post for the

DIES TO DIE FOR inspiration blog

OK, so I am known to be partial to a nice slice of cake, but hey, I'm up for being

all inclusive and I kinda like a slice of pie too!

Gerda Steiner:  More Than Pie

MFT 6x6 Farm Fresh Gingham

Die-Namics Stitched Basic Edges

Die-Namics Stitched Scallop Basic Edges

Image painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Heart punches from Hobbycraft

and I embossed the base card into a chequerboard to match the

gingham paper

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Dies To Die For online store

(where there are many more Gerda sets also available)

In The Pink (DT) Fantasy

Hello Fans-of-Pink, welcome to a new challenge from IN THE PINK

This time, a little change - we are now 4-weekly so lots of time to enter!

A favourite theme I think for this one, and it is FANTASY

Just lurrrrve this cute little chap!

Gerda Steiner Monster Fun stamp set

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papercraft House A4 Watercolour Florals

Papercraft House A4 Backgrounds and Stripes

Sentiment comes with the stamp set

and our sponsor for this challenge is one very dear to my heart

£15 - Dies To Die For (you lucky things)

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Hang In There

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!  What happened this morning?  It's perishing!  We were supposed to be having a day out today, but heard the forecast and rapidly changed our minds.  It's like the middle of November instead of the beginning of May.

So, as we are mooching about I thought I would go through my card photos and I found a few that I haven't blogged yet.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought "hang" was a skateboarding term.  I have absolutely no idea what it means, so if I have used a totally inappropriate sentiment on this then I apologise!  

A simple card for the fellas.

CC Designs - Roberto's Rascals Sk8tr Henry

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment is from the Gerda Steiner Happy Fall squirrel stamp set

Not sure about the striped paper, it may have been a scrap

WH Smith black art card

Custom sized card base

and that's it

Hope you are having a happy Wednesday

Hugs, Squirrel xx

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

Belated Bunnies

I've been wondering which card to share with you today, and I realised that I've not shown you this one ... a little bit late, but better than never!

So, I made this using Gerda Steiner Happy Hoppy stamp set

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Cloud stencil and DI sponging for the sky

Sentiments are both from Whimsy

Harlequin and bunny face paper from stash

Well, it's a right gloomy day here, and I think it probably is over most of the country today.  I'm taking mum to the eye clinic at the hospital this morning and as she's not too quick on her feet these days I shall be going armed with a couple of large umbrellas, especially as you can't ever seem to park anywhere near the clinic you need to be at.  Which reminds me that I need to find some money for the parking machine.  I know hospitals have to raise funds these days, but paying to park when you are having treatment seems like the ultimate insult.

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Three Little Ducks

I was going to say morning all, but see that it is now afternoon.  I obviously spent more time than I thought ranting at Royal Mail about the non-delivery of my happy mail (which I had paid a customs charge on and they'd said would be delivered yesterday).  Still no answer as to where it is, and trust me, if they have lost it I shall be more than ranting at them!!

Anyhoo, on a happier note, I have been playing with a new-to-me Gerda Steiner stamp set.

I had recently been chatting with a friend about stepper card dies and realised that I hadn't used mine lately, so out it came.

Stamp set is Lucky Duck from Gerda Steiner

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Stepper die is from CC Designs

The Hello frame die is a Die-Versions Sweet Frames

Orange card by Papermania

Spotty paper from Dovecraft Back To Basics

Fussy cutting by me

Have yourselves a quacking weekend

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Many many layers

Morning peeps.  Today's post title refers not to my card but to me.  It is perishing cold and damp here today so I thought that I should layer-up as recommended by the survivalists.  Only problem is, I may have overdone it a bit, I have so many layers on now that I can hardly bend in the middle, and bits of me are still cold!

Anyhoo, from many layers to few.  I have been such a bad blogger over the last year that I can't even remember the last time I entered one of my favourite challenges so I shall put that straight today.

Sweet Stampin' Challenge are asking for CAS

So CAS it is!

Another fabulous stamp set from Gerda Steiner - this one is Howl Are You?

Yep, and the sentiments too.

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Matting layer is white card edged with a red ProMarker

Custom sized card base - 4x5

Absolutely love this little chap!

Sneaking him in right at the end of the GDT call too

Hope your weekend is a good one, and Happy Valentine's tomorrow for all of you who are still loved up.

Hugs

Squirrel xx

Bit of a Beast

Hello peeps.  Sorry that I haven't been around much lately, there's a lot going on in my life at the moment and my mojo is missing again, presumed dead this time.  Even new stash isn't really lighting my fire that much, which is always bad news, especially taking into account the volume that's been plopping onto the doormat lately.

Anyhoo, I managed to slap this little chap onto Facebook yesterday before work but didn't have time to blog him, so here he is.

I "may" have fallen in love with a new-to-me stamp designer

This critter and the cake sentiment are from the Monster Party stamp set by the lovely Gerda Steiner

If you haven't been over to her site, and you like cute, then you really should pay a visit.

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Wood effect paper from Craftwork Cards Potting Shed pad

Happy Birthday sentiment by Hero Arts

Green gingham candy from Craftwork Cards

Goopy border punch from Martha Stewart

Stitched edge die from My Favourite Things

Now that surprised me, quite a list of ingredients for such a simple card!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

PS.  I won't even begin to start ranting about Google blocking followers who don't have a Google account.  Remember, you can still keep up to date with me by Bloglovin' or signing up for emails

My first Gerda

Hello chaps!  Late in the day for me, I know, but having had the washing machine plumbed and plugged in for the first time in two weeks I have had a frantic morning loading and unloading it and the tumble dryer, desperately trying to reduce the size of Mount Dirtysocks.

We've got the builders in, turning part of our garage into a functional utility area, and the estimated two week job is now about to roll into week four.  So nearly there, but not quite.  It's becoming quite frustrating!

Anyhoo, I had some very happy mail this week - I placed my first order with Gerda Steiner and with ultra fast delivery I am now the proud owner of a set of her brilliantly cute stamps.  Thank you Gerda, it might have been my first order but it won't be my last.

How could I resist?

So this adorable little chap and the accessory stamps are all from the Gerda Steiner

Happy Fall Squirrel stamp set

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers are all Maja Designs - Walking In The Forest

Hello die from Mama Elephant

Leaf dies from Lawn Fawn

I used five of the stamps from the set, the squirrel, the stump, the acorn, and two leaves.

I had to mask the squirrel's feet for the placement of the stump, I think it looks ok

This happy little chap with his guilty look really makes me smile.

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx