Just Magnolia And Hanglar & Stanglar - Anything Goes

When my most recent ebay purchase plopped onto the doormat this morning, I could not wait to get it inked up and, as the challenge at JUST MAGNOLIA AND HANGLAR & STANGLAR is Anything Goes, I thought why not.........

........I got a bit carried away and forgot totally about the optional glitter, but hey, the word is optional, and I couldn't really think of anything that I could get away with glittering once the card was made!

I've painted the H&S image with distress inks, and I've 3d his little cart with two more layers, one for the cart and the next for the wheels.  The papers are all from the MME Fine & Dandy: True Blue collection.  These colours are just screaming to be used for male cards.  Sentiment is from a little Hero Arts set.

Might have known that it was going to be one of those days - the car battery is dead, again, poor old Toad's i-Touch crashed and burned, and I've just broken a tooth on a Galaxy Counter of all things.  That'll teach me for having sneaky chocolate before dinner.  Guess that'll be another ££££ appointment coming up.  Hmph.

Hugs, Squirrel xx

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

Just Magnolia - Mina's Sketch

Now, I wish I could say I was happy with my attempt at the Just Magnolia challenge this week, but I'm not.  The first effort ended up in the bin and this second try is bordering on heading that way too!  Sorry Mina for not doing justice to your sketch hun.

And Mr Blogger is driving me nuts with not being able to place photos in the right slot!  He keeps putting them at the top of the post - grrrrrrrr.  Anyway, here is my card....

My favourite sitting Tilda, coloured with Copics, MME papers, peel-off borders from stash, delicious raindrop gems found in stash but bought in Lakeland when they used to do craft stuff.

And I've received an award!  From Linda and from Sarah ...... thanks guys

I have to tell you six statements about me, only one of which is true, and you have to guess which one it is.  Then I pass this on to six blogging buddies.  Ok, here are the facts ma'am

1.  I have written a novel

2.  I show hubby every new craft item

3.  I have raced in saloon cars at Brands Hatch and won

4.  I love spinach

5.  My dream holiday would be extreme sports in New Zealand

6.  I support Norwich City Football Club

So, which one is true?  And the six blogging buddies I will pass this on to are Marcea, Uma, Mandy, Delphine, Cynthia and Sarah.

Now then, I don't know if it's that time of year or if I need to give myself a kick-up-the-crafty-bum but I have noticed that visitor/comment numbers have really dropped off over the last month (I have checked back to make sure I haven't said anything offensive).   I know I've not been able to comment as much as I feel I should do lately but I do try to keep up with you all as best as I can.  Well, as I'm now not that far short of 30,000 hits I shall be offering a little sweet stuff fairly soon as a thank you to my stalwart faithfuls who keep on hanging in there with me so do keep an eye out over the next couple of weeks for that.

Hugs, Squirrel xx 

Just Magnolia Challenge - Jane's Sketch

I was so cross with myself last week that I missed Just Magnolia's challenge One For The Girls and I was determined to squeeze in this week's.

The challenge is a sketch from Jane ....

And here is my take on it

I've used one of the older Tildas but I still think she is adorable.  I've coloured her with Copics and the papers are all MME.

Vince is stretched out on a chair in the conservatory - not in direct sunlight I hasten to add - and I didn't know a cat could get to be so long or so flat.  Have got all the windows open and a fan on and he is still like toast, and snoring his head off.  Might just join him for an hour!

Hugs. Squirrel xx

B Is For Bells

Morning all.  Hope you are ok.  Woke up feeling a bit unnecessary this morning, swimmy head and nuclear tum, and after two nasty moments I thought the best place for me was in the warm so I phoned work and here I am, at home feeling blergh.

Anyway, I made a card - this one is for the new challenge blog ABC Christmas Challenge and this one is B is for Bells (sorry guys, I totally missed the A one!)

I've used a Hero Arts cling-on stamp that I bought just before Christmas but this is its first inking (oh the shame) and I've coloured with ProMarkers.  Papers are PaperMania and MME, sentiment from computer.  There was an extra of glitter but I couldn't face the mess so you've got glitter borders instead!

Hope you like it.  I'm quite pleased with the shading on the bells, especially as I can't focus very well at the moment!

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Sketch Saturday GDT No 3 - last one, sob!

Ooooh, just under a week to go now chaps - are you all prepared?  I know I'm not!

If you are currently thinking "oh to heck with it all", why not take some time out and hop over to Sketch Saturday Challenge where there is another wonderful sketch for you just crying out to be played with.

Because I am Christmassed out, I could not bear to make yet another card so this one is a bit of a girlie birthday card for you

That cute little kitten at the letterbox is from a clear set of stamps by Buzzcraft (they also do teddies and puppies by the way, but you know me and cats!), papers are MME, flowers done with Woodware punches, gems and peel-offs from stash.  Image coloured with Copics and ProMarkers.

I'd like to take this opportunity to say a HUGE thank you to Jeanette and the crew at Sketch Saturday Challenge for giving me the wonderful opportunity of being their Guest Design Team Member for December.  I've thoroughly enjoyed it and just wish it could go on a bit longer - one day perhaps.  Thanks guys, you are such stars.

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Penny Black Sketch Challenge Plus One For Wishcraft!

And a very Happy Advent to you all, hope you are having super Sundays whatever you are up to.

I'm very behind with my challenges this week, in fact I may not get any more done but the reasons will be revealed before too much longer ..... but, I have done this week's Penny Black Saturday Challenge which is a fab sketch by Beth

For this one I have used My Mind's Eye Papers (aren't coordinated double sided sooooo useful?), a new Penny Black stamp calleed Brimming With Love and a Personal Impressions sentiment stamp (any spelling errors are due to Vince sat right in front of the screen - he is certainly testing my touch typing skills this morning).  Image is coloured with a mixture of Copics and ProMarkers

I love that little cat, looks like he's just scoffed all the marshmallows off the mug of hot chocolate!

My dear, sweet, blogging mate Lisa Wishcraft sent me a fabulous selection of images this week - thanks babe - so this is what I did with one of them

I have no idea of who/what the image is but I really do love him!  Have used Joanna Sheen tartan papers, Little Sizzles card for matting and a Woodware peel-off greeting.  Image coloured with ProMarkers.  Really simple, straightforward card but I think it works.  Thanks Lisa, you are a star.

Oh flip, now the cat's curled up on the mousemat - do you think he's trying to attract my attention by any chance?

Hugs 'n' stuff

Squirrel xxxx

One For Three!

Afternoon all! You can tell I'm short on crafting time when I'm trying to see how many challenges I can cram into one card - I think three is enough for this one. So, we have: Cute Card Thursday No 78 Hidden Treasure which is the one that started today's headaches, combined with
A Spoonful Of Sugar Challenge No 69 Fall Into Autumn and High Hopes Challenge No 45 Favourite Stamp

For the Hidden Treasure part of the challenge, I remembered seeing in an issue of Making Cards the instructions for a slider card. "Oh it can't be that hard" thought I "I'll do that". Ha! Anyway, won't bore you with the details but dearest Toad did ask me twice "Are you still making that same card?". For the Fall Into Autumn part of the challenge, I used some wonderfully rich papers from My Minds Eye Bloom & Grow and some autumn leaf stamps by Komodo, also autumn is kitten season which lead me beautifully into High Hopes Favourite Stamp of Andreas Kitties .....



And this is it with the slider open -


Ingredients:
High Hopes stamp Andreas Kitties
Komodo stamps Autumn Leaves
Hero Arts sentiment stamps (lost the packet so don't know which set)
My Minds Eye Bloom & Grow papers
Bazzil cardstock
ColorBox Fluid Chalk
Crystal Elements red and gold gems
ProMarkers

I'm off for a lay down now before I tackle anything else! Thanks for dropping by on this wonderfully sunny autumn Sunday.

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

Two For One!

Hi All, and a Happy Saturday to you!

Still high on winning last week's Sketch Saturday Challenge I'm at it again - cheating a little bit by combining two challenges this week in the one card.

Sketch Saturday Challenge No 65.
and
Penny Black Saturday Challenge Week 63 Stitching.



Ingredients for this card are:
Penny Black "Easter Wishes" bunny (how cute is he?) which I watercoloured and sponged the edges with ColorBox Chalk Chestnut Roan
Hero Arts "Happy Wishes" from their "Thinking Of You" clear set
Papers are My Mind's Eye "Wild Asparagus" and I nearly wept using them
Dark floral ribbon is Anita's Sticky Ribbons
Flowers punched with a Woodware punch, coloured with a ProMarker (still not quite dark enough) and the flower centres are Papermania Adhesive Shimmer Dots
The faux stitching is hand drawn with a permanent ink pen.

Many thanks for taking a look - your continued support means so much.
Squirrel xx