Sneaky Peeky folks!

There will soon be a lovely new batch of rubber released by Lili Of The Valley, and you don't have too long to wait - just long enough to put some pennies to one side because, believe me, you are going to want ALL of these.

As a member of the Design Collective I was asked to showcase this beauty:

Oh my, so love this stamp!

This one is called Summer Bunches - there will be other delicious flowers in the release too

It screamed sunflowers at me, but those blooms could be any colour scheme you wanted

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers are First Edition: Boho Chic

Sentiment: LOTV Vintage Labels - Just To Say Set 27

Memory Box bamboo die, and Cheery Lynn butterfly die

Pebbles Inc yellow Candy Dots, and small pearls from my stash

Keep an eye out for other sneaky peeks from my very talented teamies, there is going to be so much to make you drool and covet!

Hugs to all for a sunshine day

Squirrel xx

Flat As A Pancake

Just for once, just once, I'd like to wake up in the morning and find that nothing is running, dripping, rasping, aching, creaking, groaning or falling off.   I am truly feeling every one of my 153 years right now.  What do you mean, I'm not that old?  Are you sure?

Feeling as flat as a pancake today and as low as these miserable grey clouds overhead.  Could do with a good dose of sunshine and some warmth I think.  Mind you, there has been some sun this week - we had one glorious, bright day - but I was shackled to my desk at work so didn't actually get to experience much of it.  Oh I am a right old grumpy pants so just ignore me and come and have a look at my cards.

I've got two for you today, and a few challenges to go with them:

And the challenges for this are:

ALLSORTS - Male/Boy

CARDS FOR MEN - Let's Party

CRAFTY CATZ - Forgotten Stamp

CREATIVE CARD CREW - For Men

STAMPING FOR THE WEEKEND - Get Warmed Up (colours)

CUTE CARD THURSDAY - 3, 2, 1  (stretching this one a bit, 3 papers, 2 of each candy dot, 1 handwritten sentiment)

The papers are a Papermania masculine collection from a year or two ago, the teddy in his brightest, bestest, party jumper is a Sugar Nellie Little Cotton Rabbits bear who has been sadly neglected of late, cardstock from stash, candy dots from stash and I did the sentiment myself (you can probably see the smudge).  Image coloured with ProMarkers.

And card number two:

Is for these challenges:

LILI OF THE VALLEY - Dawny's Sketch

STAMP SOMETHING - Something Cute

TRULY SCRUMPTIOUS - Colour Combo - Brown/Pink/Green

CREATIVE INSPIRATIONS - Patchwork

I love this LOTV image, it was one of the first stamps I bought from them, and it has had a lot of use.  Papers are a mix of Dovecraft and Little Sizzlets.  The very bad faux stitching done with the ProMarker line pen and the image is painted with distress inks.

Thanks for popping over, and I'm sorry for being such an old misery.  If you haven't got your name down for my JANUARY CANDY (Ice Skating Henry from Whiff Of Joy) then you still have until 31 January to enter the draw.

Hugs, Sxx

Oh Baby!

Don't you just love it when a plan comes together?!  My boss discovered that she has become an auntie again this week, a baby brother (as yet unnamed) has arrived for her niece, Isabella, so she asked if I would make a card for her to send to her brother and his partner (like I needed to be asked twice!).

And the card I have created fits perfectly with three of this week's challenges:

Creative Card Crew - New Beginnings

Dutch Dare Card Challenge - New Beginnings

Cute Card Thursday - Out With The Old

I simply adore this LOTV Baby Blanket stamp, I have used it soooo many times in the last year.  Image is stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink onto Bristol Board and then watercolour painted in Tim Holtz Distress Inks.  To qualify for Cute Card Thursday you have to use old papers etc, and these papers definitely fit the bill - they are from a DCWV Stack that I must have had for about four years.  The card stock is Coordinations and of course I used my trusted Nestabilities on the Cuttlebug for those perfect circles.  The sentiment is also LOTV.  Buttons and DMC embroidery thread from stash and finished off with Pebbles Inc Candy Dots.

Here's a close up of the little fella:

Thanks for popping over.  Just about to put the kettle on - anyone fancy a cuppa?
Hugs, Sxx

You might also like:

Lili Of The Valley - Lena's Sketch

Penny Black at Allsorts - Autumn Colours

Afternoon all - I see Blogger has been at it again, first the photo upload thingie and now the reading list has gone all weird.  If it ain't broke, don't fix it!!!

Right, that's off my chest, now to the card for a challenge or two:

PENNY BLACK AT ALLSORTS have an Autumn Colours theme and as autumn is my favourite season I could not resist

I've used Penny Black's Message From Above, coloured with Distress Inks.  Papers are a mixture of Papermania Henbury Lane, Dovecraft Eastern Promise and My Mind's Eye (not sure which pack as I've muddled them up - oops).  Nestabilities die for the pretty matting, Personal Impressions Paula Pascal sentiment stamps, Woodware daisy punch, Pebbles Inc Candy Dots, Colorbox Qs chalk inks.

I'd also like to enter this at CHARISMA CARDS Autumn Colours and PAPER ROMANCE Halloween or Fall.

Thanks for popping over to see me, I'm now going to attempt to upload some more zoo pictures for you!

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Totally Gorjuss Challenge # 42 - A Sketch

It feels like flippin' months since I sat down and made a card, but it's really only just over two weeks.  Thank goodness for some normality lol!

So, here we are again - time for a new challenge from TOTALLY GORJUSS, and as it is the first Saturday of the month our leader, Net, has created one of her sketches for us to play with.

Now, what I had in my head for this was simply stunning.  I really must learn how to get thoughts onto paper.  Anyway, here is my DT for this week

I love these City Girls from Whiff of Joy don't you?  Coloured with Copics and a dash of Glossy Accents on her glasses.  Papers are all from a DCWV Black & White collection that I'm not brave enough to use very often.  Woodware medium daisy punch and Pebbles Inc Candy Dots for the flowers.  Black card is DCWV Neutral Stack and red card from stash.

Hope you all have a super weekend lined up and that the school holidays aren't sending you daft already.

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Cute Card Thursday - Happy Anniversary

Next weekend my slightly bonkers but much loved parents celebrate their 51st Wedding Anniversary. So what a perfect week for me for Cute Card Thursday to be offering this great challenge

Now they say that necessity is the mother of invention - I didn't have a piece of card long enough to make a traditional easel, so I stuck two pre-scored cards together to form a sort of tented easel - no measuring and no folding. And I'm patenting that idea!  It will be known as the Squirrel-Easy-Easel LOL!!

Lili of The Valley image, rough colouring with Copics to keep that sketchy feel, papers are PaperMania Regency Collection, deep red pearl paper for mats and hearts is from stash, Martha Stewart Heart punch, Flora Doodles flower, Pebbles Inc Candy Dots for stoppers, sentiment done on pc.

Three posts in one day, I need a lay down now - might just do that, in front of a rugby match!

Earlier posts today were:

Totally Gorjuss # 22 Ribbon and
Boing!

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Two For Fun

It's the nephew's birthday in a couple of weeks and he's reached that awkward age of 23 (come to think of it, aren't they are all awkward ages for men?) when he's gone beyond cute but not reached serious.  So I went for funny.  The clue is in what he's up to these days - he's studying for a degree in motorsport engineering .....

I don't know a student who doesn't play computer games do you?  I've used Lili Of The Valley stamp that I like to call "Boy Racer", papers are leftovers, candy dots are Pebbles Inc and peel-offs from stash.  Image coloured with Copics and ProMarkers.

And then I cried.  I cried because I wanted to use another couple of sheets of Basic Grey "Origins" and the black floral sheet is just so beautiful and you only get two sheets in a pad and it hurrrrrrrrrrrrt so much!  Sob! Anyhoo, this card sort of evolved around the stamp really, it's High Hopes "Roasting Marshmallows" and I want to send it to a very kind and supportive blogging buddy who has more faith in me than I do in myself.

Text on the front says "A friend doesn't mind if you're a bit odd" and inside simply says "Thank you for not minding".

Hugs

Squirrel xx

Today's earlier post: A Gem Of A Passion

A Gem Of A Passion

Yes, it's me! Mid-week (almost)!  Yippee - using up the last two days of my banked holiday from last year (use it or lose it scenario) and I just fancied a four day weekend.  How marvellous is that.

I've been in such a tizz lately that I've missed out on entering a lot of challenges but this morning I was determined to squeeze a couple in. 

Have been wanting to enter Pink Gem's A Gem Of A Challenge since its launch on 8 February.  So pleased Janet got bullied (sorry, persuaded) into this as her stamps are gorgeous.  I'm combining this with a colour combo of Baby Pink and Tulip Yellow from Passion For ProMarkers but I've just realised I've missed the additional theme of stitching! Perhaps the buttons on her coat will count LOL!

Fabulous sketch from Pink Gem which was lovely to work with.

I've used Kaya with Daffodils and she's coloured with ProMarkers (naturally), papers are Papermania (yellow) and DoveCraft (pink), flowers are Woodware punched, leaves are Sizzix dies, both using DCWV cardstock, candy dots are Pebbles Incs, pearls are from stash, pink brad is Woodware, spacer from Bunny-Zoe's Crafts, and peel-off text from stash.

Lovely to see you today - I hope your Thursday is going well, whatever you are up to.  Off to have another little play, you never know, I might be back again later!

Hugs, Squirrel xx

One Plus One

Afternoon all! Hope you are having a gorgeous Saturday - it's been lovely here, the sun came out this morning and it's mild but not too hot. A perfect autumn day. Been off to a food tasting at a local farm shop this afternoon, oh so many yummy things - everytime I turned my back Mr Toad had disappeared, but I needn't worry, I knew he'd be at the sausage stand (have to admit, those little chipolatas were amazing).

Anyhoo, on returning home I thought I ought to pull my socks up and get on with a couple of challenges - ended up combining two in one card so I hope you don't mind. This card is for Sketch Saturday Challenge No 69 and here is their brilliant sketch.



And the other challenge is this weekend's Penny Black Saturday Challenge Lace & Pearls



For this card the ingredients are:
Penny Black stamp "Looking At You" which I've watercoloured
My Minds Eye Wild Asparagus papers (broke my heart to use them)
Chocolate brown card from stash
Woodware self-adhesive paper lace
Crystal Stickers Pearls
Woodware medium and small flower punches
Pebble Inc I-kan-dee Pearlescent Chalks
Nestabilities Classic Ovals

I know it looks as if I was a bit tipsy when I took the photo but you can blame the cat for that one! I was trying to get it done quickly before I got his tail in the picture and fur all over the card. Honest!

Thanks for dropping by today, hope to see you again soon.
Hugs
Squirrel xx

Penny Black Saturday Challenge No 66

This week's Penny Black Saturday Challenge No 66 is Domi's Sketch.



And what a challenge this turned out to be! My first attempt failed because my colour choice was terrible, the second failed because I was totally distracted by my beloved playing Raving Rabbids on the Wii (don't even ask) so hopefully this one is third time lucky!



Ingredients:
Penny Black snowman from "Holly Jolly" clear set (coloured with ProMarkers)
Papermania A Wonderful Christmas Time papers
Pebbles Inc Candy Dots
Cuttlebug Snowflake die
Ribbon from The Range (can't find a brand name) - and I tied the bow myself!
Self-adhesive lace borders by Woodware (I think)

Thanks for coming by to have a look, lovely to see you.
Squirrel xx

Altered Paper Bag

Hi All,

A very dear friend in a crafting group I belong to set a challenge to alter a brown paper bag. When it arrived in the post I thought it was to stop me hyperventilating at the thought of the amount of work to be done!

Anyway, I've been putting it off for long enough so today I thought I'd sit down and give it a go. It's been an interesting experience and I'm not sure it's one I would rush into again unless it was for someone very special but it's been fun and I am quite pleased with the final result. I apologise for the number of photos but there are 4 sides and a bottom to the paper bag!

The Front


Inside 1


Inside 2


The Back


The Bottom


Front and Back


Inside 1 and Inside 2


Ingredients:
1 brown paper bag!
Loads of Bazzil spring colours cardstock (pink, yellow, lilac and green)
Various Nestabilities
Buzzcraft Fairy Doodles stamps
Basic Grey Magnetic Snaps (for the closure)
Pebbles Inc Candy Dots (for some flower centres)
Peel-offs borders and corners from stash

Thanks for taking the time to drop by and have a look.

Hugs
Squirrel xx

Sketch And Stash No 18

I came across this challenge by accident and I am so pleased that I did - the idea is that they provide the sketch and you use your stash to make the card! It's a great motivator to rummage about in the old bits to rediscover hidden treasures.

Anyway, as some of you know, my darlin' hubby is known, affectionately I assure you, as Mr Toad and he would be disappointed if his birthday card did not feature some sort of frog/toad image.

Sketch And Stash Challenge No 18


From the stash I have used:
Papers: 7Gypsies 5th Avenue Journey Collection, miscellaneous bit from stash
Stamp: Hero Arts Sparkles Clear Froggy
Gems: Pebbles Inc Candy Dots
Green card (circles and frame cut with Nestabilities)and little worms are from stash
Woodware small text peel-offs

Thanks for taking time to pop by and have a look. See you soon!
Squirrel xx