Thank You

As we have had a really quiet Christmas, and neither of us have had to go into work, I have managed quite a bit of play time since Boxing Day - which is good, in many ways, but especially as I had rather a lot of thank you cards to get made!  You may spot a theme over the next week or so, lol.

This first one is for my boss, Emma.  Regular readers will know that Emma is not only my boss, and I went with her when we changed firms in April, but she is also a good friend.  There is a story behind this card, but unfortunately it is not one I can share with you here.

I wish I could remember the name of the stamp, but I can't - 

it's from Lili of The Valley from a few years ago.

Sentiment stamp is a magazine freebie.

Snowflake is an X-Cut small palm punch

Pink card stock from Rymans

and a custom made 6x4 card base

What little colouring there is has been done with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

I shall be entering this in the LOTV Facebook Challenge - Anything Goes

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Everyone Should Have A Squirrel

Short and sweet, everyone should have a squirrel (or three), especially red ones!

I have used

CC Designs Rustic Sugar Snowman With Squirrels

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment is Whimsy Stamps holiday mini sentiments

Background snowflake from a Personal Impressions set

Papers are Nitwits/LOTV Frosty Christmas

Snowflake punches are Martha Stewart and X-Cut

and a single pearl from stash to finish

Hugs to all for a happy Monday

Love

Squirrel xx

Personally, I think everyone should have a Jenson Button too - F1 is going to be poorer without him

Can't wait to see what he gets up to next!

Mugs And Kisses

Afternoon crafty peeps, hope this finds you well, or certainly getting better!  When Toad suggested a casserole for the weekend, it was 20C and sunny, and I thought he was nuts.  However, this morning is cold, wet and yucky, so maybe he's not so daft at all.  There is now a HUGE chicken casserole simmering away in the oven, I've got Rosie curled up on the sofa beside me, and I've got the Japanese F1 quali highlights on.  Almost a perfect day (grin).

Anyhoo, this little make is a first reminder for the Squirrel's Not So Random Challenge where the theme is ONE COLOUR (plus skin/hair/fur).  I've spotted several cards in blogland this morning that would fit the theme so we know it's not that scaring you away - maybe it is just lack of awareness of the challenge.

This one started as a bit of an experiment, but me being me, I made it into a card anyway.  Just a shame that one of the dies moved going through the Calibur.  More sticky tape next time!!

This is Cocoa Nancy by Roberto's Rascals from CC Designs (love Nancy)

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and Polychromos Pencils

Papers are Crafts Too

Sentiment from My Favorite Things

Lawn Fawn stitched border die

Die-Namics stitched scalloped border die

X-Cut small square punch

Scalloped edged card base

So, the experiment was stamping the image in Memento London Fog (grey) rather than my usual Tuxedo Black.  The thing with the paler Memento colours is they absorb the colour of the Distress Ink painted over them, which is why the image has different coloured areas of outline.  Her hair was the hardest as the Scattered Straw base just went an icky green colour, so I went over those lines again with Brushed Corduroy,  Her features were also a challenge - the grey was too pale and she looked ill so I inked over those with a dilute Black Soot.

I would also like to enter Nancy into a couple of other challenges

Allsorts Challenge Blog - #384 Colours of Autumn

Sweet Stampin' Challenge - Autumn

So, there you have it, your first nudge that your one colour makes can be entered

at SNSRC!

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

New Trios - coming soon!

Morning everyone.  Those of you who use Facebook regularly or who receive the Lili of The Valley newsletter possibly know by now that there is a release coming of some new Trios stamps.  The date is to be confirmed, but possibly end of this month, so keep your eyes peeled for details.

I was asked to sample the Birthday Trios, there's a cake, flowers, balloons and three sentiments that make them usable for many more occasions than birthdays.

Here's my card:

I have painted the two images with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and the sentiment is one of the three that comes with them

Papers are LOTV/Nitwits Bonnets & Bowties (sadly retired)

Daisy border punch by Martha Stewart

Floral border punch (the bottom one) by X-Cut

Butterflies from Impression Obsession

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Can't build one from raindrops.....

It's the middle of December - where's the SNOW?  Do you want to build a snowman?  I do, but you can't build one of of raindrops, sigh.

This is the first of my December cards for the LILI OF THE VALLEY Design Collective:

Stamp is LOTV Snowman Serenade

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers are LOTV/Nitwits Snow Princess (now retired, sorry)

Oval stitched die from Lawn Fawn

Snowflake punch from X-Cut

Sentiment by Paper Smooches

Tiny snowflake stamp from Woodware

Lili are now on their Christmas break so if you placed an order after 11 December, it will be dealt with when everyone returns after the festivities.

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Three Is A Magic Number

Morning everyone - it's Friday at last, whooooooo!  Mind you, I suppose I ought to save the whoooo until the END of Friday (grin).

Right then, down to business.  We all know that Christmas is unavoidable and if you make your own cards you can never start on them soon enough.  Bored with the Christmas stamps you have? Wish they were more versatile? Well, this could be your answer!  Lili of the Valley will be releasing Part II of this year's Christmas images in a couple of weeks and you will be getting something special - they are all Trio stamps, which makes them adaptable, fun, and brilliant value.

I was asked to sample the Reindeer Trio and I admit it, I was a little bit excited.

How cute are these guys huh?!

So, LOTV Christmas Trios - Reindeer

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

I cut them out and matted them on circles of red card die cut with the double stitched circles from Die-Namics

The stripy paper is from Dovecraft and the packet is dated ....wait for this....2007 (eeek)

X-Cut palm punch and some DCWV yellow cardstock for the stars

Now then, I was so excited by this concept that I ordered the full set, so there will more sneaky peeks from me over the next two weeks, and also from my fellow Design Collective teamies.  Watch out for them, they are super.

Hug to all

Squirrel xx

Strum Along With Me

This is my third July posting for the Lili of The Valley Design Collective, and today I am showcasing a stamp and papers that have been around for a little while now, but are still absolutely adorable.

Stamp:  LOTV Annabel Music To My Ears

Papers: LOTV/Nitwits On A High Note

Sentiment: LOTV Set 27 Vintage Labels

Medium:  Distress Inks (ReInkers) and Polychromos Pencils

Extras:  X-Cut Postage Stamp die, MFT Music notes die set

Card Base: Custom sized Advocate 300gsm Brilliant White

What tune are you now humming?

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Sneak Peek 1

Guess what?!

There is another new stamp release from Lili of The Valley at the end of the month!  Whoop whoop!

You will be getting Part 1 of the Christmas release, AND a whole new batch of Fairies, in fact a whole year's worth, and I cannot begin to tell you how cute they all are.

As a member of the Design Collective, I was lucky enough to be assigned a Fairy to showcase for you, and here she is

This is November Fairy - isn't she just darling?

I have painted her with my beloved Distress Inks (ReInkers) with a smidge of Polychromos for her hair

Her wings have A Wink Of Stella which the camera hasn't picked up but which looks so pretty shimmering in sunlight so you will just have to trust me on that one

The papers, which made me think of fireworks, are all First Edition New Bloom

The sentiment is from LOTV Set 23 Girlie Banners, which I trimmed down to remove the curls

Stitched stars are from Memory Box, and the smaller stars are an X-Cut punch

My fellow DC pals have the other 11 Fairies to share with you, and some have the Christmas stamps, so there will be loads of sneak peeks for you to look out for over the next 10 days before the release.  Perfect amount of time for you to decide which ones to buy - it's going to be hard to choose, I promise.

Hugs to all

Squirrel (LOTV DC)

xx

Two Teeny Tiny Cards

Ooff, Wednesday already, hurrah!  Where has the time gone?  Sorry I've not been around much this week so far.  My boss is away on holiday and I am frazzled by the end of the day and just seem to be falling asleep after dinner!

Anyhoo, just popped on with a couple of tiny cards for you tonight.

Ingredients for cards are:

4x4 card base

Both Stamped Images - LOTV Furry Festive Friends

Medium - Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers - Dovecraft Back To Basics

Sentiments - LOTV Handwritten Christmas Phrases

Extras - Holly Punch, gems, golden heart peel-off border

Dies - Nestabilities and X-Cut

Hugs, Sxx