Going freestyle

Morning all.  Hope this finds you well now that we are on the downward slope towards another super Bank Holiday weekend.  I may start a campaign to get one a month!

Anyhoo, I have been lucky with my entries for this challenge in the past, but am not sure that luck will hold out for this one.

IN THE PINK - Stitching - Real or Faux

I have loads of "stitched" effect dies now, so heaven knows why I decided to go freestyle

Image stamp is Sugar Nellie: Best Day Ever (minus the mouse)

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment from Clearly Besotted - it's a straight line one so I did it half at a time

Papers are Dovecraft: Pretty In Pink

Tiny Woodware retro flower punch, and office hole punch

Custom sized card base

Note to self: use a ruler next time!

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

It's Still August

Afternoon everybody, how are you?  We are having a quiet Sunday - I've been faffing about with a couple of cards and Toad has been building a station for his model railway layout.  It struck me as very funny that you could buy flat-pack buildings.  You should see how tiny the pieces are - iddy-biddy - and it even comes with tiny sets of curtains for the windows!

With all the Christmas cards I've been making lately I've had to remind myself that it is still August and have made a summery feel CAS friendship card today that I would like to enter in the CRAFT Challenge of Fairies.

This is another stamp that I'd been hankering after for a little while and it finally plopped onto the doormat last week.  It's "Faye & Freddie" from Sugar Nellie.  I've painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and used some Prima papers to frame it and for the corners that are Cheery Lynn dies.  The sentiment is Hero Arts.

I've also been playing around with a Less is More challenge card but I think I might have to bin it and start again - it's just not floating my boat at the moment!

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

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

ABC Christmas Challenge - S is for Santa

Welcome to another ABC CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE! Wow, how quickly the weeks whizz past - another two have gone in the blink of an eye.  Hugh apologies to those of you who entered our R for Rudolph challenge that I wasn't able to comment on; I'm having broadband/Blogger issues at the moment that are slowing things down to a crawl.  Thank you to everyone who entered and don't forget to check back to the main blog to see who the Top 3 and winner are.

And so to S for Santa.  The extra this time (chosen by me) is for you not to use red!  The Teamies have come up trumps yet again and produced some amazing work to inspire you.

Our sponsor for this challenge is Simon Says Stamp, and there is also a GDT spot up for grabs, so if you fancy joining us for the next couple of challenges please make sure you mark your entry with GD after your name.

Here is my DT card

This Santa is from Sugar Nellie and I think he has to be one of my all-time favourites, he's just how I would want my Santa to be.  I've coloured him with ProMarkers.  Good old Nestabilities for the shapes, papers are Basic Grey from the Kraft and Manilla collections, and the sentiment is Lili Of The Valley.  Martha Stewart star border punch.

Anyhoo, hope to see you over at the challenge (you have two weeks) with lots of fabulous colours for Santa!

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Sketch & Stash, and oh the shame of it

Lovely little sketch this time over on Sketch & Stash Challenge and as this is another challenge that I've not taken part in for what feels like months, I thought I'd have a go

Here is the sketch

And here is my card

From the stash, I have used this lovely litttle Sugar Nellie with her birthday cake - I really am embarrassed to think how long she has been neglected.  Coloured with Copics.  The marble background paper is also from an ancient stash, so ancient I have no idea where it came from, and the DP is from a free pack of paper that came with a magazine this summer that I've never used.  Sentiment is Craftwork Cards and Papermania shimmer dots have been languishing in the "pile" for months.

Do you know that feeling - the one you have when you just know you have forgotten something really important but you simply can't put your finger on it?  Then, suddenly, it hits you like a brick wrapped in a wet towel and your stomach drops to the floor in horror?  Yep, I have managed to forget one of my best friend's birthdays.  Nine days ago!  This is going to take some serious grovelling to get over ........ oooh dear.

Hanging my head in shame

Squirrel xxx

Oh Baby! - Totally Gorjuss # 41

Am I here?  Am I not?  Post has been scheduled just in case so you may never know LOL!!!

Saturday!  TOTALLY GORJUSS day!  I hope that you flooded the team with your entries for last week's challenge, they need to be kept busy to keep them out of mischief. 

And so to this week's theme - Baby!  No, that's the theme,  Baby, not me calling you Baby.  I might be a child of the 60's but that's too way out there, even for me!  Oh shut up Squirrel and get on with it, here's my card -

Sweeeeeeeet little baby girl called Bubbles from Sugar Nellie and a right old mix of papers, PDA Card & Craft, Wild Rose Studio, Papermania and stash.  Teddies were in a crafting gift parcel sometime ago and this is their first outing.

Come on then, now you are all feeling broody, let's be seeing those adorable little rugrat cards!

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Congratulations - Totally Gorjuss # 40

Keep your fingers crossed - I've scheduled this post so ....... if you are reading it, then it worked, and I'm heading towards the Lake District for a certain lady's wedding tomorrow (Samantha of Penrith Crafts) and a few days pootling about in our glorious English countryside.  And yes, I have packed rain jacket, storm-proof umbrella and wellies as well as t-shirts, bug spray and flip-flops!  I understand now why we don't go away very often - it's just so darned stressful!  Next year it will definitely be days out from home.

Here we are, the weekend again and the weekend means TOTALLY GORJUSS - and our challenge this week is a simple one - CONGRATULATIONS.  The big question is, who are you congratulating, and what for?  Passing their driving test, new job, wedding, baby?  The choice is endless so I can't wait to see what you create.

Here is my DT for this challenge

I love this Cheerleader from Sugar Nellie - she's just that little bit sassy, and I think she'd work for a male (you know how they like long legs!) or female congrats card.  Papers are Basic Grey and stars and mats done with Nestabilities.  A little Rhinestone Stickles glitterglue around the edges of the pink stars.

I won't be available to comment on the challenge cards this week so I hope you will make sure that you keep my other teamies busy and provide them with loads of fabulous entries to look at!

Hugs, Squirrel xx

LOTV Challenge # 56 - Dawny's Sketch

Hello Crafters! Yes, it is me, and yes, it is Friday - you are not imagining things.  Me and the Toadster are taking another long weekend.  Yay!

And to start my weekend off nicely, what better way than a little bit of crafting?!  Mind you, it is like a bread oven in my conservatory/craft space so am feeling a little wilted now.  My once fluffy tail is a tad droopy, but the less said about that the better.  I shall go and stick my head in the fridge shortly, that'll make me feel better.

Anyho, I digress - here is my card for this week's super LILI OF THE VALLEY challenge which features a fab sketch from Dawny

I turned the sketch upside down so that the text was on the right side of the image I wanted to use.

I used the sweetest baby stamp from LOTV's recent release and it just felt like it needed to be a vintage feel.  Papers are Dovecraft and K & Co with the red matting (actually the reverse of a deep pink) from Bazzil Bling.  The sentiment is from Sugar Nellie, it came with my Little Cotton Rabbits, and I think it works ok.  Craftwork Cards Card Candy to finish off - thanks Kath, these will last me a lifetime hun!

Aargh! Missing Challenge

Now I know I saw a challenge earlier in the week to use your "golden oldies" Sugar Nellie stamp, but do you think I can find it now?  No!  So if anyone can point me in the right direction it would be appreciated.

I have used Maggie with Flowers, my very first ever Sugar Nellie stamp, and I own up, I had forgotten how cute she is!  Backing paper is PaperMania, Martha Stewart heart border punch, Craftwork Cards sentiment.  Offset ovals cut with Nestabilities - they weren't mean to be offset, it's a "happy accident", accented with Gellyroll Stardust pens.

Thank you Lorraine, Lisa, Paula and you other kind bloggers for finding Sugar Nellie Blogspot for me!

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Totally Gorjuss Challenge # 25 - Texture

Happy Saturday everyone!  And Saturday means it is time for another challenge from TOTALLY GORJUSS - but first a big thanks to everyone who joined us last week, you all did an amazing job with Net's fabbie sketch.

This week's theme is TEXTURE so we'd like to see lots of touchy feely stuff please!  Once again the DT have come up with some stunning examples so please do pop over to their blogs for a peek.

Here is my offering

As you can tell, I went a bit OTT with the Cuttlebug embossing folders this week!  Image is a Gorjuss Girl from Sugar Nellie, coloured with Copics/ProMarkers and I've paper pieced her dress.  Ribbon from Fantastic Ribbons, Flower put together from my goody bag received from Marcea ages so (so much in it that I'm still discovering things!), gems and sentiment from stash.  Brad is a Basic Grey one.

So what's stopping you? Get texturing!

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Cute Card Thursday - Mono-Mania

Made a little die-cut shaped card for this week's Cute Card Thursday whose theme is Mono-Mania

Sorry for pants photo, it was taken on my phone.  Stamp is Daisy from Sugar Nellie and she's coloured with Copics.

Hugs, Squirrel xx

On a much happier note!

Morning all, it's been snowing again here in the east of England and is truly chillsome - just returned home from having my tail trimmed and it is decidedly brrrrrrrr around the ear department now!

After yesterday's sad card, I am pleased to be able to bring you one that is so much happier ....

One of our young solicitors at work has become a daddy for the first time so this is to welcome the new and, as yet, unnamed baby boy.

I'm entering this for the following challenges:  The Sugar Bowl Challenge 26 Creative Card Crew Anything Goes Our Creative Corner Clean & Simple and Stamp Something New Somethings 

I've used Little Cotton Rabbit Baby Rabbit from Sugar Nellie, Papercellar Tartan Papers, DCWV Neutrals MatStack, Ribbon and peel-offs from stash.  Coloured with Copics.

New Year Hugs

Squirrel xxx

Totally Gorjuss Free & Easy

Now I have been a bad blogger lately and not taken part in as many challenges as I would like - mostly that is down to time of year I think, I don't seem to have a second to turn around at the moment - and yesterday I got a little nudge from my mate Sarah about it so this morning I sat down to have a go at this week's Totally Gorjuss Challenge and the theme is Free & Easy, so a nice relaxing challenge pre-Christmas ......

I had no clear ideas when I sat down, except what stamp I wanted to use, so this card sort of evolved as I went along - which could explain the end result!

I've used Sugar Nellie's oh-so-cute Manga Fairy, coloured with Copics, the papers are from Papermania Spring Burst collection, peel-off borders and gems from stash.  And that's it, really simple and let's the image do the talking I think.

Hope you are having a good Sunday, we're off to a Carols By Candlelight service this afternoon and then it'll be a dash round to get sorted for going back to work tomorrow. 

Hugs, Squirrel xx

ABC + Creative + Catz

Afternoon All!
Only one card from me today - Himself has the day off as well and wants to be "doing things". These things include taking the car to garage for service and MOT and collecting his bike from the repair shop. They just don't understand do they?

Anyway, one card, three challenges:
ABC Challenge G is for Green
Creative Card Crew Ribbons & Gems and
Crafty Catz Challenge 6 Sketch

I've used a Sugar Nellie Santa and coloured him with ProMarkers. I love Santa in his traditional green rather than the caramalised fizzy drink red, he looks so woodlandy, if that makes sense. Papers are a mixture of Joanna Sheen and Papermania. Ribbons, gems and peel-offs are from stash.

Hope the rest of your Friday is a happy one.
Hugs
Squirrel xx

Passion For ProMarkers Plus One

I'm on a roll today .........

This one is for the Passion For ProMarkers Challenge and this week it is Grass and Canary colours. Have to admit, that for an Ipswich Town supporter, Norwich City colours are rarely allowed in this house!

This little cutie is a Sugar Nellie called "Baubles" and she is, of course, coloured with ProMarkers. Backing papers are a freebie from Making Cards plus cardstock from stash. I used Labels Six from Nestabilities for the shape, ribbon from stash and Candy Dots for the corners.

Then I suddenly realised the date and that I hadn't posted a friend's birthday card - actually, I hadn't even made it so out came "Painting Rainbows" from Sugar Nellie and some rather stunning Doodlebug Design papers.

She's coloured with ProMarkers and the sentiment is a Personal Impressions one. I didn't realise until too late that the white card I used has a blue speckle but maybe it adds something?

Off to Tesco now to get something for dinner tonight.
Hugs
Squirrel xx

Sugar Nellie Fragile Beauty

Ingredients: Sugar Nellie stamp "Fragile Beauty", ProMarkers, Making Memories papers, bow and gems from stash, Sentiments both Hero Arts

Close-up


Poor biscuit selection in cupboards, will get some shortbread for tomorrow!
Squirrel xx

Sugar Bowl Challenge 18

Loving the sketch from Sugar Bowl Challenge No 18 this week so thought I'd have a go and combine it with my frantic effort to get some Christmas Cards done. Don't know if the image really works but she's dead cute anyway and too irrestiable not to use.



Ingredients:
Sugar Nellie Gorjuss Girls "Little Goth Girl"
Papermania Ribbon Collection - Spots & Flowers Citrus
Anita's Classic Christmas Blue (papers)
Hero Arts Buttons For Cards
Holographic card, peel-offs, silver thread and text from stash

I had fun making this, hope you think it was worth it!
Squirrel xx

Just Because It's Friday

Hi All, and a Happy Friday to you!

I had a bad day yesterday but feel more energised today. Had a little bit of a play with Tilda .....



I stamped and masked Tilda and then stamped the books and coloured with ProMarkers. Then using Tim Holtz Distress Inks "Shabby Shutters" and a cosmetic sponge I went round the edges. The plan green backing paper I stamped with Penny Black "Sunny Days" in Versafine Spanish Moss ink. The patterned paper is from Papermania Spring Burst and the gems and flowers are from stash.

Not satisfied with this, I then used the same Papermania Spring Burst papers for the inside and created a pocket on the left and, with a Nestabiities die cut the scalloped oval window for the right side.



And in a flush of enthusiasm I then made a bookmark to go in the pocket, again colouring Tilda with ProMarkers. The lilac patterned paper is from DCWV Floral Stack. Fuzzy fibres for the tassel came from stash, as did the card stock. Punched at the bottom with Martha Stewart Floral Lace.



And then .... had to do at least one Christmas card today. Sugar Nellie santa stamp, coloured with ProMarkers. Backing papers from Daisy & Dandelion "A Winter's Tale" collection. Corner gems from stash to look like holly and berries (I hope).



That's me done for today. If you have not already put your name down for the candy, please do!

Squirrel xx