LOTV Christmas Trio

Oh my giddy aunt, 30 mins to upload three pictures.  Life is getting too short for this!  Three little Christmas cards for you that I've done today whilst the weather has been a bit suspect (i.e. rained, a lot).

Card 1
Stamp:  Lili Of The Valley Christmas Robins
Papers: Dovecraft Jolly Happy Christmas
Medium: Distress Inks
Other: Golden Rod Stickles and Woodware Peeloff Sentiment

Card 2
Stamp: Lili Of The Valley Mr Snowman
Papers: Dovecraft and Papercellar
Medium: Distress Inks
Other: Martha Stewart snowflake punches, hole punch (now deceased, sob) and Woodware Peeloff Sentiments

Card 3
Stamp: Lili Of The Valley Christmas Candle
Papers: Basic Grey Jovial
Medium: Distress Inks
Other: Christmas Red and Icicle Stickles

It's lovely to be able to make cards for me without any pressure, but it's even nicer not being at work this week!  Yahoo for late holidays!

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Samantha's Wedding Card

As many of you know, Samantha of Penrith Crafts Blog, got married yesterday to Efisio.  I was so thrilled to receive an invitation to the wedding as Samantha and I have been crafting buddies and good friends ever since we "met" way back when on the DoCrafts Forum.  I hope to have some wedding pics for you when I get back but in the meantime here is my wedding card

Front

Tilda and Edwin from the Magnolia Wedding Collection coloured with Copics and ProMarkers, papers are PaperCellar Wedding Collection, flowers are Wild Orchid Crafts and sentiment is Whiff of Joy.

Inside 1

Magnolia Rose Arch and Whiff of Joy Sentiment, again Copics and ProMarkers with Sakura glitterglaze pen.

Inside 2

And the rose arch again with the married couple.

And the whole Z shaped card

At the time of scheduling this post I have absolutely no idea what Samantha's reaction will be but I hope she likes it!

Editing to enter into this week's ABC CHALLENGE - Z for Zig-Zag Cards.

Totally Gorjuss # 24 - It's a Sketch

Morning my lovely crafting friends - how are we all today? All ready for Easter then?  I bet those of you who were brave enough to give up chocolate for Lent are starting to dribble a bit by now at the thought of all the goodies you will be let loose on tomorrow.  I gave up craft spending so I think our internet connection may be a bit warm by the end of the weekend LOL!

Anyhoo, it's Saturday so that means another wonderful challenge from the gang that are TOTALLY GORJUSS and, as it's the first weekend of the month, the ever delightful Net has come up with a sketch for you all to have a play with

This was so much fun to work with so thank you Net.  Here is my DT card for this week

As it is Easter weekend I could not resist the chance to use this fab image of Milly with Chickens from Pink Gem.  She is coloured with a mixture of Copics and ProMarkers.  Papers are Basic Grey and PaperCellar and a bit from stash.  Ribbon is from stash also.

Hope you have a wonderful, peaceful and joyful Easter but that you still can find the time to come and play with us this week!

A big sorry to all my wonderful blogging friends for not having been to visit you all as regularly as I should.  Not sure where my time is going these days - seem to be spending way too much of it on the hamster-wheel that is work and not getting enough playtime. 

See you all later

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Penny Black Saturday Challenge

Happy Sunday all, and a happy Mother's Day to all the mum's out there.  My present from Vince this morning was a pile of coughed up duck and lamb Felix on the landing carpet.  Cheers mate.

And today the sun is shining and it feels almost Spring like so a perfect day for Penny Black Saturday Challenge Spring Colours!

I've used the super cute Spring Joy stamp, coloured with Copics and ProMarkers.  Main papers are PaperMania, Basic Grey, Bazzil and PaperCellar and the flowers are punched from some pearl pearlescent I had in the stash.  Spacer from Bunny-Zoe's Crafts, brad and candy dots from stash.

Enjoy your day - for me it's the Bahrain Grand Prix, a late lunch and evening Church.  Let's hope this sunshine and slightly increased temperature is here to stay for a while - my daffodils haven't even shown themselves this year yet!

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Penny Black Saturday Challenge

Well, what happening to the sunshine then?  Lashing down with rain and our eucalyptus tree is trying to touch it's toes in the wind.

I've had a go at the Penny Black Saturday Challenge which is a sketch this week, but I've had a little bit of assistance

As you can tell from the ear position - he's a tiny bit catnipped!  That'll teach me for giving him a couple of extra treats.  And yes, that's the unflattering rear view of the Toad, Wii-ing in the corner!  Anyhoo, the sketch -

I've done a strict interpretation this week, no faff or frills, just straight from sketch to card

And yes, I know it's green, again!  Image is Buzz In The Air by Penny Black, coloured with Copics and ProMarkers, pink frame is Cuttlebug, cardstock is DCWV Neutral Stack, green papers are PaperCellar Wedding Collection, pink striped is 7Gyspies (I think) and the friendship definition text stamp is a Hero Arts Clings.

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Totally Gorjuss meets Sketch Saturday

It's Saturday and the sun is shining! Wheeeee! Hope you are getting some warmth were you are too.

Only the one card for you today as we've been out most of the morning and there is a rather interesting rugby match on later that I would particularly like to watch and I want to get dinner prepped before the match kicks off.  There could be blood on the carpet as Toad and I will be supporting opposing teams (thought he was going to explode last night because I cheered when Wales scored a try against France, but they were heavily down at the time so it seemed the sporting thing to do!).

Anyhoo, staying with my green theme of the moment, one card for two challenges
Totally Gorjuss It's For You Mum; and
Sketch Saturday Week 92

I wasn't too sure about this sketch until I started working with it and then I sort of fell in love with it a little bit.  I shall certainly use it again another time.

I've used Whiff of Joy Willow Shopping, what a darlin' she is, and coloured he with Copics and ProMarkers.  I have paper-pieced her shopping bags to tie in with the DPs, which are a selection of Basic Grey, Papercellar and Daisy & Dandelion.  Sentiment is Personal Impressions and green gems and greed cardstock are from stash.  Willow is such a babe - so here's a close up ....

Not in a million years would I see my beloved mother going out shopping like this, but I think she does in her dreams.  Love you mum.

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Two Quickies Just For Fun

Hope you are all having a great weekend - sorry to hear about more snow in parts of the country.  Thankfully, after a bit of an iffy start this morning, we have got away lightly this time.  Keeping my toes crossed that it doesn't sneak up on us overnight!  I need some sunshine - not too much heat, just the brightness will do me!

Normally we do our grocery shopping midweek after work, when it's quieter, but poor old Toad has been so late home this week that we postponed the inevitable until yesterday morning.  It was absolute bedlam (is is just me or do some folks treat it as a family outing?!) and I think in all the chaos my mojo fell into the freezer section with the sprouts - it's certainly nowhere else to be found at the moment LOL!  Anyway, had a little play, just for fun this afternoon and came up with a couple of very simple and quick birthday cards -

I love this Lili Of The Valley bunny with balloon, and thought he'd be perfect for my morning bus-buddy, James, as it has become compulsory now to count the bunnies on the golf course as the bus crawls past!  Paper/cardstock is PaperCellar and DCWV.  Image coloured with ProMarkers.

And the bunny's cupcake put me in mind of this fab image from High Hopes called Sweet Little Thing.  I had coloured him up before I thought about papers and sentiment but I think the colours in the PaperMania Sweet Nothings works pretty well and the Penny Black sentiment seemed perfect.  Well, it made me smile anyway!

Hope you are having wonderful weekends, whatever you are up to.  Thanks for popping over to see me.

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

Papertake Sketch + Stamp Something

Didn't think I'd be back this afternoon but whilst hopping around, I could not resist combining this weeks Papertake Weekly Sketch 26 with Stamp Somethings Hallowe'en Somethings

I've had this little Penny Black mouse stamp for years and confess that I think this is only his second outing! Backing paper is PaperCellar Tartan Collection and cardstock from DCWV MatStack, Cuttlebug embossing folders Cobweb and Swiss Dots, peel-offs and ribbon from stash.

Not really scary is he?!

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Secret Crafter "Dig Deep" Challenge

Hello Friends, hope you are having a great weekend.

I'm pleased to report that the Christening Card (Penny Black "Nap Time") was very well received and on the back of that I had another order ... this one for a friend's husband's 60th birthday. I had a stamp in mind for it so when I saw the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge No 54 theme was Dig Deep I rolled up my sleeves and went hunting. It wasn't a pretty sight I have to confess, with my bum in the air, head under the workbench and boxes all over, but persistence paid off and I found the stamp I wanted!

Ingredients:
Paper Nation "Senior Puzzler" stamp
PaperCellar "Celebrations" candle paper
Bazzil cardstock
Woodware "screw" brads
Candles and numbers from stash

If you are curious about the tag-line to the sentiment, the inside of the card says "dentures, incontinence, meals-on-wheels....". It's OK, we know him well, he can take it!

Hugs, Squirrel xx

Sunday Sketch & Stamp - Arianne's Sketch

This is my first encounter with Sunday Sketch & Stamp and after this week, I shall be going back! This is their No 11 Challenge using Arianne's Sketch.



And this is what I made



Ingredients for this card are:
Penny Black stamp Country Lady which I watercoloured
PaperCellar Black & White papers
Bazzil red card
Woodware small peel-off greeting
Nestabilities Classic Rectangles

Thanks for dropping by and taking a look, you are always welcome.

Squirrel xx

Thank Crunchie It's Friday!

Well, that's my first week back at work over with, and am I glad!

Anyhoo, had a little play this afternoon and came up with



Now, I had thought about the Just Magnolia Challenge but then, d'uh, I realised I had completely forgotten to check to see what the flippin' challenge is for this week! Oh well, gives me an excuse to get Tilda out again at the weekend.

Ingredients: Magnolia Tilda with Bee and Sweet Jars (masking used for stamping), watercoloured, DCWV Old World Matstack (the purple background card), PaperCellar Easter/Spring collection, Flora Doodles, Ribbon from stash.

Then conscience got the better of me and I did a Christmas card



I love this little guy - he's Woodland Santa from High Hopes stamps and he's so cheeky! Papers are Papermania and Bazzil card. Peel-off greeting coloured red to match. Santa coloured with ProMarkers.

Think I need to have a decent night's sleep before I think about any more challenges!

Thanks for dropping by this afternoon - wishing you all a wonderful weekend (it's our wedding anniversary tomorrow and I've been promised Chinese food, yum).

Squirrel xx

Christmas Trio

Getting into a little bit of a panic now, knowing that I am going back to work in 10 days - OMG, only 10 days! - and you know what it's like when you suddenly realise that time is short and you are slow and Christmas is advancing!

When I saw this little fella in the new releases from Penny Black I just knew I had to bring him home - it's a shame he will only come out to play for a few times each year, he is so adorable.



Ingredients: Penny Black stamp "An Eggnog", Plum Pudding papers, Elzybells Art Stamps sentiment, Nestabilities

These cheeky little chicks were chosen by my hubby because he said they just made him laugh - they certainly do raise a smile



Ingredients: Penny Black stamp "Par Avion", Anita's Classic Christmas Blue papers, Cuttlebug Snowflakes, Woodware Snowflake Punch, PaperCellar pearl blue card

And finally, Little Ted, I did wonder if the card came out too dark but Mr Toad assures me that the dark papers simply highlight the bear - he is learning to say the right things at last!



Ingredients: Penny Black stamp "Dear Santa", Papermania A Wonderful Christmas Time, red card is Bazzil from stash

Right, I'd better get on with making a few more - watch this space!
Squirrel xx

Ostrich Principle

Hi All

Working on the Ostrich Principle of if I don't think about Christmas it can't possibly be so close, I decided to make mum's birthday card today. While I've been off work mum has been an absolute godsend and I don't know how we would have managed without her so I wanted to make something that made a statement!

This is my first 8x8 card and I am reasonably pleased with how easy it was to put together, especially as my largest cardstock was only 12x12 so there was a lot of cutting and sticking. Anyway, I used Bazzil cardstock, Papermania papers and Papercellar card (pearlescent blue), and this Penny Black "Sun Dried" image reminded me so much of mum. Flowers, sticky ribbons and peel-offs are from stash and sentiment was done on the computer.



I watercoloured the image (Winsor & Newton pan paints) but was a little stumped about the sky - I wanted it fluffy - soooo, after a bit of thought, I cut a scalloped oval with my Nestabilties and used that as a mask and then gently chalked the sky in. I hope the photo shows it ok - I was thrilled by how subtly effective it is.



Finally the inside, Papermania papers, layered with printed sentiment. Miniature printed version of Sun Dried layered again with the Papercellar card.



This was a full morning's work, but mum is certainly worth it.

Squirrel xx