Flower Power

I was going to say good morning, but it isn't any more!  Where has the day gone?  Anyhoo, it feels an age since I blogged (it isn't really) and I have something new to share with you 

Professor McSquinty is alive and well!

So, I have used a Whimsy stamp from the Lee Holland Collection and 

this one is called Flower Bouquet Bunny

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers are from LOTV pads

Flower corner punch is Martha Stewart

Butterflies are an Impression Obsession die

and the sentiment is from Lil'Inkers Read Between The Lines set

for the short-sighted of you the sentiment says

YOU'RE NOT

just

MY FRIEND

you are my best friend ever

As well as Prof McSquinty taking his usual squint photo, he seems to have done something whacky with the colours too - I swear the rabbit wasn't that orange when I put the card in the mail!

Anyhoo, that's me done for today.  I'm just about to take the roast chicken out of the oven and this afternoon we are going on a broad-bean raid in the Oldies garden.

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

AYLI (DT) Favourite Papers

Hello AYLIers, it's your favourite day chaps, time for a new challenge with the talented

AS YOU LIKE IT team

This time the challenge is a tough one, it's your Favourite Papers - and please remember that you need to tell us why they are your favourites.

What a silly thing to make us choose!  Favourite papers, favourite pet, same thing.  OK, if I am forced to make a decision based on what papers do I go to most often, then it's going to be Nitwits, which is what I used for this card.....or Dovecraft, which I didn't.

So for this I have used one of the Flower Fairies from Wee Stamps

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) to match with the

Country Lady paper pad from Nitwits (sold by LOTV)

Sentiment is by Kaisercraft

Top die is from Tonic, one of a set of three

and the one underneath that is a Joanna Sheen edger die I think

and of course we have a super sponsor for the challenge and it is

Crafts U Love

£10 voucher

It's your turn now, you have two weeks to rummage through that stash of papers and choose YOUR favourite!

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Happy Hugs

Hello peeps.  I meant to pop back in the week and a share something with you that I made using one of my birthday presents from the Toad, but I don't know what happened to the rest of the week, it passed in a sweltering blur.  Mind you, this morning isn't much better either.  Even Rosie has submitted to the fan and is sprawled on the floor in front of it.

So, the Toad, with some guidance, very sweetly bought me some stamps.  They arrived about 10 days before my birthday and it was soooooooooooo hard resisting a sneaky inking, but resist them I did.  Anyhoo, here is the first thing made with them.

Dammit, not sure why this is fuzzy - can't take another as the card has been posted

Squint a bit, that helps

So, I have used the Happy Hugs set from Clearly Besotted

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

MFT stitched scalloped circle frame die

Old papers from a Forever Friends set

Sentiment from the Happy Hugs set

That was the front, and here is the inside

I patiently lined everything up so that the placements are identical for front and inside

Hope your weekend is a super one

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

In The Pink (DT) Use a Rubber Stamp

Okay, okay, it's not my week on the IN THE PINK job share, but I am sneaking in as an extra because I couldn't resist the theme of Use A Rubber Stamp.

I have more rubber in my life than Ann Summers, rofl!

The stamp I have used is Lucy with Teddy from CC Designs

Papers are all Nitwits

Window-frame die from Die-Namics

Hugs die from Lil' Inkers

Image painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and Polychromos Pencils

Our sponsor (£10 voucher) for this rubbery challenge is

DIES TO DIE FOR

So, what's keeping you, go and get stamping!

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Shy Calum

Morning all!  Hope this finds you well and ready for your weekend.

Today I have the last of the chameleons to share with you (for a little while anyway).  I would like to introduce you to Calum.  Calum is quite shy and artistic, and his shyness is why he would not appear without his cousin, Charlie, for company.

Despite Toad's best plans of my having a Kindle reducing the number of books that find their way into the house, I cannot resist a real book!  Of course, reading a real book means needing a bookmark so I shall have Calum and Charlie to keep me company.

Colour Chameleon stamp set from Clearly Besotted

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Your Next Die bookmark dies

Sentiment stamps from the Chameleon set

Papers are BoBunny and Basic Grey

A lazy day ahead, when Toad gets back from his haircut we'll be toodling over to see the Oldies, and then back for some Tour de France and a Chinese takeaway this evening.  Perfick.

I'll be back tomorrow with a make created from my birthday presents!

That's all for now folks

Hugs

Squirrel xx

Camellia

And just where has this week gone?  Whoosh.  It only seems a moment since it was last Friday and I was looking forward to my holiday, and now here we are and it is almost over.  Sob!

Oh well, let's cheer things up a little bit.  You've had Colin and Charlie, now it's time to meet Camellia, the girl cousin.

Camellia loves her make-up and lots of bright colours - I think she's a bit of an 80's girl

Yep, it's that Colour Chameleon set again from Clearly Besotted

Lots of Memento colours for the paint swishes

Sentiments from the same set

Camellia pained with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and fussy cut

Only one more cousin from the set to go.....

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

AYLI (DT) Your Trademark

Good morning chaps, it's the start of a new challenge with As You Like It and this time around the team are asking you to tell us about your trademark.

Easier than it sounds ....... so my trademark - the simple answer is CAS.  I tend towards a feature image, watercolour painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers), and I try to match a sentiment to the image.  It has been said that my makes are readily identifiable ..... !

So, we have a House Mouse taking a dive into a sprinkle covered cupcake

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment is from MFT

Mattiing layer is a scrap of Basic Grey

Custom sized card base

and that's it, it certainly sums me up - simples.

Our sponsor for this super challenge is

The sponsor of this challenge is

Prize - £10.00 Voucher

digistampboutique.co.uk catalog

digistampboutique blogspot

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Colin's Cousin, Charlie

Hello peeps.  For those of you who fell in love with Colin the other day, I would like to introduce you to his slightly more flamboyant cousin Charlie.

Charlie also comes from the Colour Chameleon set by Clearly Besotted.

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and fussy cut

Colour streak from the stamp set, as are the sentiments

Memento inks used for the coloured stamping

Wonky stitched rectangle from MFT Die-Namics

Paper from scraps

There are two more cousins to introduce you to, so keep your eyes peeled for those!

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Just Keep Swimming....

Me again!  So far today, we have been to a local nursery and bought some bedding plants (50% off) and I have been to the dentist for a check-up (got the all clear).  This afternoon we are off into town for a naughty treat and a visit to the cinema to see The Secret Life Of Pets, can't wait!

Anyhoo, before we disappear for the afternoon I'm popping by with this cute quickie.

So this little fella is from the CC Designs Splashies set

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and Polychromos Pencils

Sentiment is from the same set

Stencil background is called Splash

Matting paper is from a freebie pad 

Stitched scallop square frame from MFT

Hope to see you all tomorrow!

Hugs

Squirrel xx

Little Acorn Announcement

Yoohoo!  Well, the Design Team Call for the Little Acorn position closed yesterday, and the vote was taken.

Before I make the announcement, we would like to express our thanks to everyone who took time to audition, every one of you is amazing.  As there was only one permanent place available, we would like to offer any of you interested a GDT place as the challenges progress.  If you entered, and would be interested in a GDT in the future, please email me to confirm.

So, drum roll please, and a huge welcome to the newest Little Acorn .....

Becky Hetherington!

Welcome aboard Becky.

Now to an important date for all your calendars, the first Squirrel's Not-So-Random Challenge will be on 1 August.  It's not that far away, so keep an eye out, it will be launching here, and there will be a post on each of the Acorns blogs, with a nudge on Facebook.

Thanks again to everyone who expressed interest.

Hugs

Squirrel & The Little Acorns

xx

Colin The Chameleon

Morning all, hope this finds you well.  I had a super package of happy mail arrive last week and couldn't wait to get stuck in.

Oh my word, isn't he ADORABLE?!  I have named him Colin.

Clearly Besotted - Colour Chameleon

The word stamps are from the same set

Papers are from a Papermania Colossal set, probably one of the first paper pads I ever bought, and it never seems to run out

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Stamped with Memento inks (various colours)

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Lilac Blossoms

I am exhausted.  So far today, I have done the Silverstone Grand Prix, a mountain stage of the Tour de France, and the Men's Singles Final at Wimbledon.  I'm pooped!!

Honestly, armchair sport is hard work!

Anyhoo, I did have time for some inky play

So, I have used a retired LOTV stamp of Lilac Blossoms

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Those delicious papers are Dovecraft: Berry Burst

and that's it, no die, no sentiment, just very simple layers

There is a LOTV challenge running on Facebook called Summer In The Garden.  I am entering this, although my style doesn't fit with Lili's.  I'm probably speaking out of turn, but do feel it is a shame when a company feels it can dictate how their images should be used by only promoting one look.

C'est la vie.

Right then, tomorrow is the last day for anyone interested in becoming a Little Acorn, so be quick if you would like to be considered.

Oh, and I draw the line at football as well ......!

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

Summer Sunshine

Hello chaps!  I'm in holiday mode now (for this week anyway) and thought I would start my break with a dose of sunshine for you.

I had been patiently waiting (ok, maybe not so patiently) for the arrival of my CC Designs June release and they plopped onto the doormat this week.  Naturally I was straight into them.

So, what do we have?

Image from the CC Designs Roberto's Rascals "Splashies" set of clear stamps

Painted with Distress Inks (ReInkers) and Polychromos Pencils

Papers are all old Papermania Colossal collections, except the green which is Echo Park

Dies used are:  MFT double stitched circle, Crealies stitched squares, MFT Sunny Skies and Impression Obsession Sunshine word die

So that's a little dollop of summer sunshine for you - I'm off to watching the qualifying session for this weekend's British Grand Prix.  (Wave to mate, Karina, who is there)

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

In The Pink (DT) All or Nothing

Happy Pinkday everyone!  Yep, it's time for the Pink Ladies to strut their stuff again and this week at IN THE PINK the challenge is ALL OR NOTHING (so CAS or FAF).

There was nothing for it, I've gone for FAF.

Shocked you?

Good, only kidding, it's CAS of course, rofl!

So, I have used Little Miss Muffet - Fancy Sunbonnet Birthday Cake

Painted, naturally, in Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment is from MFT

Border punch is Martha Stewart and papers Basic Grey

Our fabbie sponsor for this challenge is

LITTLE MISS MUFFET

Ok, you have two weeks to go and get (p)inky, on your marks.....

Hugs to all

Squirrel xx

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