As You Like It Challenge (DT) Harvest Colours

 So, here we are, just over halfway through September and into the

very beginning of autumn.  This time of year is always the time of harvest festivals

and that is why for this challenge at AS YOU LIKE IT

we're asking for your favourite Harvest Colours

I love the warmth of harvest colours, the golds, reds, and greens of ripe

fruit and vegetables, a season of plenty, a full table of tasty things,

Like this little chap with his golden beetroot, delicious!

Stamping Bella - Gnome Farmer

Honey Bee - Giddy For Gingham

MFT - Diagonal Gingham

Distress Inks (ReInkers) as watercolours

Polychromos Pencils

Sentiment by Penny Black

Our sponsor for this theme is the ever fabulous

DIES TO DIE FOR

Hugs

As You Like It Challenge (DT) Easter Critters

 Well, before you  ask "what are they playing at", it's actually not that far away!

The new theme from As You Like It Challenge is

Easter Critters (tell us about your favourite)

I know it is predictable, but I do love a bunny - they are soft, they are fluffy, and

they have the cutest twitchy noses and whiskers.  I have had bunnies, my last one used to chase the neighbour's cat around the garden, and not in a friendly way either!

So I have dusted off one of my first stamps from Penny Black (Margaret Sherry Collection)

and inked him up with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

The background stencil is a Gina K Mega Flowers done with DI Oxides

Backing paper is Lawn Fawn Spring Fling 6x6

MFT Sentiment 

The sponsor of this challenge is

Last Minute Manda

Go and get your critters on!

Hugs

AS You Like It Challenge (DT) Non-Traditional Christmas Animal (penguin free zone)

 Here we are again, for a new themed challenge from

AS YOU LIKE IT

This time it is Non-Traditional Christmas Animals

(and it is a penguin free zone - so no penguins at all please)

I'm sure there will be many arguments and discussions about what is "traditional" and how long does something have to be used before it becomes traditional.  For me, traditional Christmas animals are donkeys, robins, teddies, deer, but I am not sure that mice fall into that category so that is what I have used.

I've had this Penny Black stamp Carolling Trio for many years and absolutely

love it, it just feels sooooo cosy

Stormy night sky done with Distress Inks (Oxides) and the

mice watercolour painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Word die from Sue Wilson, and cut from glitter card

Matting layer from an ancient Dovecrafts Back To Basics Christmas pack

Our sponsor for this challenge is the lovely Tracy from

DIES TO DIE FOR

Can't wait to see what you all come up with!

Hugs

As You Like It Challenge - Inspired by Your Favourite Christmas Film

 Blimey, there aren't many Thursday left this year, and this is the penultimate

AS YOU LIKE IT CHALLENGE for 2020.

This time our theme is Inspired by Your Favourite Christmas Film

My favourite film, produced by Aardman Animations (creators of Wallace & Gromit) was released in 2011, so only 9 years ago, but I think I must have seen it a minimum of 15 times.  It has become a Christmas Eve tradition at Squirrel Towers that once work is over, we settle down with a cup of tea and a bun, and enjoy all over again the fun that is Arthur Christmas.

Things used

Penny Black stamp - Santa's Helper : 4359J

Impression Obsession - Merry Christmas : DIE330-R

Simple Stories 6x6 paper - Classic Christmas : #7322

Dovecraft 6x6 paper - Krafty Christmas

"Arthur" has been painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Our sponsor for this challenge theme is

CRAFTY RIBBONS

Hugs

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

Penny Black One Layer

Happy Saturday everyone.  We have just come back from a visit to the Oldies.  While we were sat indoors chatting I suddenly noticed it was raining hard, even though the sun was still shining.  "Oh my washing" squeals mum, so I dashed outside to rescue it.  Put it this way, I was a darned sight wetter and colder by the time I came back in, but the majority of the washing was saved!

Anyhoo, in between the showers, I thought I would do something that I haven't done for an age, and that is enter the Penny Black Saturday Challenge where the theme is one layer this month.

So, for this card, I cut a base card from Bristol Board

Embossed it (instead of cutting) with a MFT Die-Namics Square Stitched Scallop Frame

Stamped my cute bear from the Teddy And Company T for Transparent set

and the sentiment from the same set

Bear is painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Cloudy sky with home made template and Broken China Distress Ink

It sort of works, although embossing with the cutting die has slightly distorted the cardstock so it has a wave to it now.  I will leave it overnight under a stack of books, which should help.

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Oh, hello, long time no see!

So, it has been a long time, a verrrrrrrrrrrrrry long time, but I have, at last, managed to do it.  I had promised Sam (Whispers Cards) that I would, and I have.

Yay!  I started hauliing my beloved, but neglected, Penny Black stamps out again, whoop whoop!

So, in my excitement I forgot to check the name of this one but it's it just adorable?
Edited:  It's called Peek-A-Boo (thanks Sam)

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment is from a clear set that is unlabelled

Papers were a magazine freebie

Woodware medium retro flower punch

and pink gingham Card Candy to finish

I had forgotten how much I enjoy colouring up these fabulous images.  Rest assured, there will be more to come.

Penny Black And More - May Challenge: Anything Goes

Hope you have an awesome weekend

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Oh, you might want to pop back on Monday - there could be a Random Squirrel Challenge starting

In The Pink (DT) Happy Anything

Hi peeps!  I am on the Big Pink Naughty Step this time around - I should have posted this morning but unfortunately life has a habit of disrupting plans, so here I am now.  The right day, just running a tad late!

Anyhoo, a fabulous new challenge from the IN THE PINK team, and for this fortnight we would like you to celebrate HAPPY ANYTHING - your card can be for any occasion or event so long as it is happy!

Here is my DT card - it's different for me, and could be used for lots of occasions.  I do like to have versatile cards in my stash!

I have used the Penny Black "Petal Party" clear stamp set and two Memento inks

This really was easy peasy to make

Once the base card was stamped with the flower and leaf

I stamped the bigger flower onto the scrap of patterned paper and fussy cut, the leaf was stamped onto white card using the same green as the base leaves

I edged a strip of white card with the pink ink, and layered a white mat over.  

Finally I cut the Mama Elephant happy die from the same paper as the flower and added a Card Candy centre to the bloom

Our scrumdumptious sponsor for this challenge is the amazing Tracy from DIES TO DIE FOR

Two weeks to enter - go off and get happy, but don't forget to come back and enter!

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

SuperTed

You might have seen a rather dingy photo of this on Facebook the other night - I was too impatient to wait for daylight - and I'll be honest, this one isn't that much better, but at least you can see it a bit bigger!

Love this new set of Caped Cuties from Clearly Besotted

They are a bit wee though, so the Distress Ink (ReInkers) painting was a challenge

Background stamp is part of the Penny Black Skyline image

Papers are from my scraps box

Image is from the same Caped Cuties set

Doesn't he remind you a little bit of SuperTed?

Hope you are having a super weekend

Hugs to all

SuperSquirrel xx

AYLI (DT) Embossing

Hello chaps, time for another challenge with the super talented AS YOU LIKE IT team!

For this challenge we would like you to use EMBOSSING

either HEAT or DRY, and you must remember to tell us about your choice.

Here's my DT card

I used to heat emboss all the time when I first started card making but that was before there was the choice of so many inks to stamp with.  Since I've been using Memento I have hardly used the heat gun.  I've been experimenting recently with embossing cutting dies, some successful, some not so, but it is a fun technique and I am learning a lot about what will work and what won't.

So, the stamped image for this card is April from Penny Black

Fussy cut by me

The die that I embossed with is Die-Namics Chicken Wire

and the Hello die is from Hero Arts

Image painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

and I promise that the Hello is smothered in clear Wink of Stella

Our sponsor for this challenge is FRECKLED FAWN

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

James says Hello

Afternoon everyone.  Hope you are enjoying your weekend - it's "scorchio" here in the east, bright blue skies, sunny, and heading towards 30C.  You probably know that I am limp lettuce when it comes to hot weather, so it will come as no surprise that I have been taking refuge indoors and watching the qualifying for tomorrow's F1 Belgian Grand Prix!

The craft space is started to get back to normal after all the upheaval of the plumbing so I hope to be able to get inky again very soon, but in the meantime here is something I made a couple of weeks ago.

This is James Butterflies from LOTV

Painted, as usual, with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

The Hello die is by Penny Black - I had to cut the twirly tail off the O for it to fit the card - I cut it three times to make a word stack

Design papers are First Edition: Boho Chic

We were going to go and see the Oldies this afternoon, but mum was otherwise engaged so Toad is cutting the grass and I am going to experiment with my newly delivered Ground Espresso Distress Ink.  Rosie has her nose in the biscuit dish, some things don't change.

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Rudolph.....

Does anyone know why Rudolph has such a red nose?  Is it the North Pole chill, the high altitude, the fast speeds, or has he been punched by Dancer?

Whatever the reason, it sure does make him distinctive, so when I saw his hairy little face grinning at me from this adorable stamp there was no conscience wrestling argument, I just clicked Add To Basket immediately.

This is Santa and Rudolph from Wild Rose Studio

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and fussy cut

Papers are from Dovecraft

Jingle All The Way die from Penny Black

It looks like my camera might finally be on the way out, pictures are darker one end than the other, so I guess that means I need to start saving hard, which will seriously reduce the new rubber intake for a while, sob!

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Right then, big knickers on

Morning all.  Thank you for all your kind words during my wobble the other day.  I've pulled the big knickers on and here I am again.

This stamp is LOTV Telephone Ted

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers are from a Papermania Capsule Collection

Martha Stewart deep scallop punch for the top

Hobbycraft bow stamp

Penny Black sentiment

Everything looks squint in the photo, but really it wasn't.  I wish I could learn to take a straight picture!

If you haven't already heard the sad news, The Stamp Basket is closing down.

Janet has had a difficult decision to make but she's done it now and there is a big clearance sale with 50% reductions on hundreds of items.

Hugs Squirrel xx

Fight!!!

Morning all.  How are things in your world?  Good I hope.  It's a bit of a meh morning here.  I was late getting up after a much needed lie in, didn't get dressed until an hour ago, and now I'm at a bit of a loose end.  Toad has already been out and about collecting a parcel from the people who had tried to deliver it twice in the week and now he is upstairs furtling about with cables and plugs.  I can hear the odd bad word coming down the stairs so I shall be keeping a low profile before a fight breaks out.

And speaking of fights (see what I did there, clever huh, lol) here is a simple card I made in the week.

It's LOTV's Jack, Patch and Puss having a Snowball Fight

Painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment banners are Penny Black

Gorgeous stripy paper is LOTV/Nitwits from Twas The Night pad

and that's it.

At work last week, my boss picked up one of my card mags and was flicking through it when she came upon the entry for the Cardmaker Of The Year 2014 competition.  Somehow (and I am still not certain how this happened) she has talked me into entering this year.  I know that I don't stand a snowball's chance in hell as my stuff is so no-frills but if it keeps her happy, and kind of to prove my point, I shall have a go.  I must admit though, I am a little bit frit.

Hope you have a super weekend (+1 for the UK) and have fun in everything you do.

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Less Is More # 5 - Pastels

I'm afraid that my less is more mojo is on a no-go this week.  I've made three cards for the LESS IS MORE challenge with the theme of pastel colours, and I'm not happy with any of them!

Here is the least offensive of the three .......

It's a one-layer card so nerve wracking direct stamping required!  The flower stamp is a Penny Black called Aspire and I've inked direct onto the rubber with Marvy le Plume pens, a quick huff and then stamp.  I used the same method for the sentiment.  The colours have come out darker in the photo but I used sky blue, dusky pink and pale green.

It's that simple there's not much else I can say really!  Hope that Chrissie and Mandi are in a kind and caring mood this week.

Hugs, Squirrel xx

PBSC For The Men

So, how has your day been then?  Have had a pretty frantic time at work as we are very short staffed at the moment (and no change in sight) and I've still been trying to get the boiler man out with his first aid kit.

Anyhoo, a card for this week's PENNY BLACK SATURDAY CHALLENGE who are making men's cards this time, the wicked pixies!

Penny Black stamp, Joanna Sheen red and black ginghams, Dovecraft black and white papers, ProMarker edged matting card, Card Candy.

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Love Is ...........

Happy Saturday everyone!  Another grey cloud day but at least the strong winds have died down a bit now - it was a bit of a rough night outside, so glad that we had our eucalyptus tree felled last year otherwise I would have been awake waiting for the sound of breaking glass and crumpled greenhouse.  And these high winds play havoc with tail fur - you should have seen me by the time I got home from work last night - dragged through several hedges backwards!

Anyhoo, it is February and our minds and hearts turn to lurrrve, or to Valentine's day anyway, and squirrels do it too, especially when they are lucky enough to have the perfect Toad.  OK, so he's not exactly perfect....(what man is?) but he is a hunny and I adore him.  So, Love and Valentine themed challenges abound this weekend .....

PENNY BLACK SATURDAY CHALLENGE - Love Is (and finished the sentiment)

ALLSORTS - Love Love Love

CRAFTY CALENDAR  - Love

CRAZY 4 CHALLENGES - Valentines

ECP CHALLENGES - Love

SECRET CRAFTER - Valentines

CARDS FOR MEN - Love/Valentines
SIMON SAYS STAMP - Love Is In The Air
STAMPING FOR THE WEEKEND - Valentines

So what did I create.....well, it is for the Toad but it turned out a bit pinker than I had intended, but I know he won't mind that much......I hope:

And here is the inside:

I think this was one of the very first Penny Black stamps I bought and I have loved it ever since, so when it appeared on a clear set too but in smaller form I thought I was in heaven.  Can't for the life of me remember the name of it though.  Both are painted with distress inks and both have lost whiskers due to my wobbly craft knife skills (oops).  Papers are from a Papermania set that is cake themed but there's no cakes on these ones so what the heck, live dangerously I say.  Flourishes are done with Sizzix dies and the gold lettering is Anita's peel-offs.  Well, Anita made them, but they are mine now.

I ramble don't I?  It's the wine fumes you know, there is a beef casserole in the oven and I don't know how Toad acquired the bottle of Merlot that is in there but it is strong stuff for a small furry one to cope with.

Catch ya's later.

Hugs, Squirrel xx

A CAS Hedgehog

Well, I suppose he would be clean as he's sitting in a watering can!  A very CAS card from me today:

A Penny Black stamp (yes, I forgot to check the name of it, sigh), part distress ink painted, part paper-pieced.  The yellow and blue gingham papers are Papermania and the gorgeous pink spotty is Wild Rose Studio.  A quick Woodware peel-off and hey-presto, done.

Mind you, I am feeling the urge to go and stick some gems in the corners now .....

Hugs, Sxx

Celebrating Friendship (inc.PBSC January Sales Challenge)

Afternoon all, how ya doing?  It's been another grey cloud day here in the east of England - more of a day for curling up on the sofa with a mug of hot chocolate and good book than doing anything energetic.  We had planned to pop over and see my Oldies today but when I phoned, mum advised not to go over as poor old dad has a streaming cold.  I know you won't read this dad but I hope you are better soon, love ya.

So, as there was no parental visit to do, I've had a little play.  Both these cards are for very dear friends, one for a birthday and one for a "just because".

PENNY BLACK SATURDAY CHALLENGE have "January Sales" as the theme this week and I managed to purchase this Flutter Bye cutie in the sales from The Glitter Pot (satisfied grin).

I've watercolour painted Flutter Bye in distress inks.  The layout is borrowed from a Dawny P sketch for another challenge that I have already entered with a different card but the sketch was too fab not to use again!  Papers are Basic Grey from the very first pad of their papers I ever bought, the cover has long since been lost so can't tell you what they are called.  The sentiment is LOTV and the silver peel-off diamond borders are from stash.

My second card today isn't for a challenge, I just thought I'd share it with you.  There was a lot of hair-pulling over this one but it's my own fault for using such a colourful dp!

The image is Painting Rainbows from Sugar Nellie, distress ink painted.  DPs are, I think, Craftwork Cards but from an old collection called Tutti Fruity.  Matting card and corners is Little Sizzlets, the corners done with a Sizzlets photo corner die.  LOTV sentiment, Martha Stewart borders (thought the goo one looked like dripping paint) and EK Success retro flower punch with Card Candy and Martha Stewart frond punch to finish off.  This took an age - firstly with the painting and then getting the colours together.  But I'm happy with the end result - I think she looks as if she is painting the flowers (hopefully!).

Here's a close up:

Right then, that's me done for today.  I'm off to do something menacing to some mushrooms and then sort out work clothes for the morning.  Catch up with you all soon.

Hugs, Sxx

Little Old Ladies ..........

Monday again then......sigh....oh well, never mind, soon be the weekend again!  Now then....one of my mates, who is also one of my best customers for cards, made an interesting comment last week....she said "you don't have any old lady cards".....now, that made me think a bit.....did she mean cards picturing little old ladies....or cards for little old ladies.....the sort I would have given my nan.....lavender, lace and flowers...anyway.....here is a quick and very simple one.....any of you little old ladies like it?  (stop throwing things at me!)

Now they don't come much simpler do they.  Hero Arts Floral Wreath stamp, coloured with ProMarkers, a Penny Black sentiment stamp and a lovely Nestability shape.  I can see I need some practice with these L.O.L. cards.

Hugs, Squirrel xx