More Inspiration for Challenge #27 - Snowflakes and Stars

Hi everyone, it's Jo on the blog today. Hey, we're just one sleep away from the big day! I'm not sure anyone is cardmaking right now, but if you are here's a little gentle encouragement to join our final challenge of 2022.

For all of December we've been playing Snowflakes and Stars...

Gail and I have been in excellent company this month with our GD, Linda, who created this gorgeous card to get our creative wheels turning.

For my card, I grabbed a little pinch of inspiration from Linda's card and created a colour-washed background, which I embossed with Sizzix /Tim Holtz Folder Simple Snowflakes.

You can find further details on this quick and simple make over on my blog.

Thanks for dropping by, and a very merry Christmas from Gail and me AKA Team Squash It! We'll be back in the New Year to announce the winners of this challenge, so until then we hope you have a loving and joyful festive season.  

Inspiration for Challenge #27 - Snowflakes and Stars

 

Hello Squashettes!   I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.   Gail here to share a card for the current and final challenge here as Let's Squash It!   We want to see snowflakes and/or stars but in the spirit of more is more I have gone with both.

 

 

For my background I used some copper ribbled paper and embossed with a snowflake and star embossing folder I got with a magazine.  Then I cut and embossed sizzix primative star which comes with a matching embossing folder.  A little dandelion ink to highlight the star textured and everything mounted on a black card base.   

I hope you find some crafty time and come and join us here at Let's Squash It!

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Inspiration for Challenge #26 - Let's make a Christmas Card

 

Hi there, Squashettes, it's Jo on the blog today to share a little inspiration for our current challenge! We've gone super-easy this month and would just like to see you use an EF to create a gorgeous Christmas card.

Our guest this month is the lovely Cat from Cat Luvs Paper. 

Cat's beautifully CAS card blew us away and you can see it by clicking here. I bet you go 'wow' when it appears on the screen - I know I did. 

For some reason I decided to de-boss the inky, water-coloured background on my card. I used watercolour card, which takes embossing beautifully. I wanted to fill the little 'wells' made by the Christmas Trees with plenty of ink so they were a good, strong colour. Seems to have worked ok and was a quick and simple make.

Embossing Folder - Darice Trees

The cards in the Squashy Gallery for this theme look fabulous. I really think that including embossing seems to especially suit cards made for the festive season. You have until the end of November to play along with this challenge and Cat, Gail and I all hope you'll come and join the festive fun! 

More Inspiration for Challenge #25 - Trees and Leaves

 

This month we're all about Trees and Leaves here at Let's Squash It!

We have the very talented Joanne with us as our guest, so here's a quick reminder of her adorable card:

Isn't that EF a beauty? I think I need to add it to my wish list... and the dainty leaves too... and the gnome!

Here's what I made for this inspiration post:

Trust me, but this looks so much better IRL. The EF is a Sizzix 3-D Texture Fades folder by Tim Holtz called Acorns. The depth of the embossing is amazing and so tactile.

You still have until the end of the month to play along with this challenge and it would be great to see more cards in the gallery. I think this theme would work well for Halloween and Christmas cards, so why not come and join the fun?

More Inspiration for Let's Squash It! Cuz 2 Out of 3 Ain't Bad.....

Hello Squashettes!  Gail here.  I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.  There is only a week left to join our current challenge of Cuz 2 Out of Three Ain't Bad.... where we want you to emboss 2/3rds of your card and leave 1/3rd smooth.  

We are loving the different ways you are solving this challenge and the linky gallery is filling up with lots of beautiful creations.  But there is plenty of room for more!!  So grab your folders and get squashing.  

I went all red and kraft for my inspiration card today and I've used part of Cuttlebug Little Monsters Vegetable embossing folder on my ex-pizza box kraft card panel.

Love those crazy veg and it seemed to go perfectly with this Carmen's Veranda sentiment and this rather straight looking lady Cressida from North Star stamps.  I smeared the deboss side of the folder with Festive Berries distress ink before embossing the top part of the kraft panel.  

Your turn!!   Grab those folders and join the fun.  Hope to see you in the linky.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz
 

Inspiration for Challenge #24

Hi folks, it's Jo on the blog today to share some inspiration to get Mr Mojo engaged for our current challenge...

We have a lovely guest with us for September: Jenny M from My Paper Epiphany. 

Take a look at what Jenny created for our launch post.

I just love Jenny's Holiday card and that EF is a stunner. I think embossing can bring extra 'wow' factor to any card, but there's something about using your EFs on Christmas and Holiday cards that just seems so right! 

I always like to keep a small stock of thank you cards and so I made this simple little card to add to my stash.

The embossing was created by alternating two Cuttlebug border folders on the central portion of the card. The two squiggly lines are debossed for a little added interest.

This was such a quick and easy card to make with the border folders, yet I hope you'll agree the end result is very pretty and effective. I really enjoyed the challenge of finding a way to emboss just a portion of my card and was so pleased to find yet another way of stretching my existing embossing folders rather than just rushing to buy more.

This fun challenge runs until the end of September and Gail, Jenny and I all hope that you'll come and play along! 

More Inspiration for Challenge #23 - Don't Be So Square

Hello Squashettes!!!   Gail here today with some more inspiration for our awesome Shaped Card challenge Don't Be So Square.  

Where you all is?????   Grab those shape dies or lob off some corners and join the fun.  I've made a rocking gravestone bwahaahhahhahaaaaaaaa. Ha ha ha........

I used a Spellbinder die for the card base and panel and an oval die to cut the bottom in a curve shape.  I used patterned paper for the panel and embossed with Sizzix Halloween Night embossing folder.  I highlighted the skeleton with white dye ink and the raven with archival black and edged with promarker brown and black.  The cat is Cheery Lynn Whimsical Halloween Cat with some neon paper eyes and a little white gel pen to accentuate the spider.  It rocks!!!!!

Grab your embossing folders and your not square/rectangle cards and join the fun!

Inspiration for Challenge #23 - Don't Be So Square

 

It's Jo here today to share a little bit more inspiration for our current challenge here at Let's Squash It! 

Gail and I are delighted to be joined this month by Emma from Trenouths Crafty Creations. She made this lovely hexagonal card to get us started for this challenge...

Isn't it gorgeous! I love the sweet, feminine look Emma's achieved and that white embossing is a perfect background for the hollyhock die cuts.

I decided to channel the femininity of Emma's card for my card. It really is a card... it's a tag-shaped card and actually larger than it looks on the photograph. 

The EFs are Kirsty Allsop/Cuttlebug Swiggles and a lovely, little Sizzix number that doesn't have a name on it. Just like Emma, I used plenty of white in the background to really make the main image 'pop'.

We currently have a grand total of 2 beautiful cards in the gallery thus far. Well done Joanne and Robyn! Here's hoping we'll have a few more appear to join them before the end of the month. Come on guys, shaped cards are so much fun!

Inspiration for the July Challenge - Keep It CAS

Hello Squashettes!  Gail here today.  It was going to be Jo, but Corona has grabbed her and her hubby, so you get me instead!!  Hope you both feel better soon Jo.  

Our theme this month is Keep It CAS.  Any embossing folder and a Clean and Simple creation.  I am a big fan of clean and simple and embossing folders can add a real wow to a simple design.  Today I decided to combine nature and technology.   I've used part of Cuttlebug's Bird Call embossing folder and gone slimline. 

I've used a cream DL card base and cut a white panel with Mama Elephant Scallop Stitch Slimline die.  US slimline and A4 sizes are different from european ones, but this die is easy to line up and shorten the panel to make it fit my base.   I stamped Stamplorations plane and sentiment from the Born to Roam set with black archival.  Then I embossed the top part of the Bird Call folder.   Remember, it's easier to stamp first and then emboss......

I hope you get a chance to join our Keep It Simple challenge.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

Challenge #21 Make it Manly - Final Call

 

We're Making it Manly here at Let's Squash It! until 30th June and we'd love you to come play along!

We've been joined by our Empress of Squash from last month Joanne from Ambrosia and Iron and she made this stylish card to inspire us all. 

And inspire me she did as I made this card...

The embossing folder and stamp are from a magazine freebie I've had tucked away for years. Unfortunately, the packaging doesn't appear to give the magazine details so I can't share them.

There's still six whole days to join the challenge and Joanne, Gail and I really hope you'll decide to Make it Manly and join the fun! 

Inspiration for The June Challenge - Make it Manly

Hello Squashettes.  I hope you are having a fabulous June.
Gail here today with a little more inspiration for the Let's Squash It! Make It Manly Challenge.

There are already some gorgeous makes in the linky gallery and lots of interesting techniques being shared so do have a look, visit and leave some comments.  I've made a manly christmas card today.

This was pretty quick and simple, but I really like it.

I started with a panel of starry patterned paper and embossed it with Hunkydory magazine Snowflake and Star embossing folder.  The paper cracked a bit to show some white core through the black pattern, which worked perfectly for me!

I stuck a piece of silver glitter tape along the base of the embossed panel and added a Simon Says Stamp stamped and die cut bear.  I used Sky Blue archival on white card to make sure my bear showed up against the dark background.  

Thanks for dropping by.  Hope you get time to get squashy with us.  Hugz

Let's Squash It! Challenge #20 - Final Call

Welcome back, Squashettes! We've been squashing scraps this month and using our EFs to take things up a notch.

I had a few pieces of this pretty paper in my stash and decided to bring two scraps together with this lovely dotty, spotty EF and a gorgeous floral from Stamplorations.

I love how using an EF in this way really pulls together the two papers to make a cohesive, pleasing card.

There's still a few days left until the end of the month, so why not come play along?

Inspiration for the May Challenge

 Hello Squashettes.  Gail here today with a little inspiration for the current challenge.   This month we want you to grab some of those scraps and combine them with your embossing folders.

I decided to combine this card with Jo's Christmas Kickstart theme of mini-slimline.  I found a blue panel and trimmed it to size slightly smaller than my same colour base.  Then I found a strip of blue pearlescent card with a matt core, tore it, added it to the panel and embossed the whole thing with a snowflake folder from a magazine.  A Lost Coast Designs Santa gnome in Chimney, simply stamped and fussy cut, and then I put the three pieces together.  Done!!

I hope you find time to grab your scraps and embossing folders and join the fun here at Let's Squash It!

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugz

More Inspiration for Challenge #18 Emboss/Deboss

 

Hi, it's Jo here again. Welcome back to the final post for our current challenge here at Let's Squash It! where we're playing Emboss/Deboss. 

I've really enjoyed this challenge and have loved trying different ways of combining both sides of my EFs on the same card. It appears that this technique has captured the imaginations of our participants as we've got some beautiful, really inspirational cards in the gallery.

During this challenge I've been especially interested in trying to use the small EFs that I seem to have acquired along the way. I was messing about with a piece of watercolour card and a small EF from Sizzix; just flipping the folder backwards and forwards and running it through my Cuttlebug. I came up with this panel and thought it was perfect as a background.

Here's the folder in comparison with the card.

I'm so pleased with the texture and the pattern.

For all the details about the products I used, please drop by at my blog.

I hope this challenge is inspiring you to break out your EFs and see them in a new light. As I said earlier, the gallery looks fab plus Gail has created a gorgeous card using a technique that I'm excited to try. I really do love her card for this challenge which you can see on the challenge launch post here.  

You've still got until March 31st to come and play along, so why not break out those EFs and come join the fun! 

Inspiration for Challenge #18 - Emboss/Deboss

Hello Squashettes!  Happy St Patrick's Day!!!   Hope you have lots of luck today.  Gail here with a little reminder for Let's Squash It! Emboss Deboss challenge.  There are some lovely entries in the linky already so keep em coming.  We are really enjoying seeing how you are tackling this challenge.

We want you to use any embossing folder and use both sides of the same folder on the same card.  

I have gone all green and top of the morning in respect of St Paddy.

I embossed white card using Do-crafts Oak Leaf folder and smeared the embossed texture with dark green ink.  I stamped the Pink and Main sentiment on a strip of white card and debossed with the same oak leaf folder.  Then I stamped the Pink and Main leprechaun on another scrap of white card, coloured him, fussy cut and added him to the card.

I hope you have a great day and maybe get some time to grab your embossing folders and join the fun.   You have until the end of the month.

Carpe Diem!

 

HUGZ

More Inspiration for Challenge #17 - Grasshopper Green

 Hello Squashettes!  Gail here today with a little reminder for Let's Squash It! Grasshopper Green challenge.

 

We want you to use lots of green, include an insect, or any bug of your choice cos we won't be consulting entomologists, and at least one embossing folder of course.  I've used Sheena Douglas Twisted Vines folder and a beautiful dragonfly stamp from Rubber Dance stamps

I embossed mid-green card and smeared the embossed texture with dark green ink.  Then I cut the panel, gave it a self-coloured mount and stuck it on a dark green base card.  I stamped and fussy cut the dragonfly, added some colour with blue and green Promarkers and blitzed it with glitter, cos dragonflies are sparkly.  Maybe a bit over the top with the bling, but it does sparkle LOL.  Sentiment to be decided!

I hope you get some time to grab your embossing folders, your greens and your bugs and join the fun.   You have until the end of the month, which is a short one don't forget!!!  

Carpe Diem!

 

HUGZ

Reminder Post for Challenge #17 - Grasshopper Green

 Hi there Squashettes, it's reminder time here at Let's Squash It! as we continue to play with the colour green, an insect of your choice AND those all important embossing folders!

We're thrilled to be joined by the lovely Marianne as our Empress this month. If you take a peek here you'll see her gorgeous card, plus the little bit of fabulousness that Gail created too.

Here's what I made as my second card for this challenge.

To be honest, I followed a very similar formula to my first card, and let this beautiful EF from Altenew do all the work. My insect is a tiny Hero Arts ladybird from a set I bought very early on in my cardmaking career. I don't think I've ever used this little stamp before! I stamped the ladybird on the stalk of the daisy, and then stamped and fussy cut another for the body. This looks quite effective IRL as I added some Glossy Accents to the ladybird for a little shine.

We've got three beautiful cards in the gallery for this challenge, but to be honest, Marianne, Gail and I would love to see a few more and very much hope you'll come and join the fun. Don't forget, there's always a random prize from our fabulous Prize Vault on offer for one lucky player! 

More inspiration for Challenge #16 - Under The Sea

Hello Squashettes!  Gail here today with a little reminder for Let's Squash It! Under The Sea Challenge.  

 

 When I thought this one up I really didn't imagine it would be anything but fun, but it seems I was wrong.  Come on gals!!  Any embossing folder and a sea theme.  We do have some very very lovely entries so far, but we want to see more.  We miss you!!  Is it a mojo thing??  I know Mr Mojo was sluggish after the xmas excesses, and these bleak winter days don't really help, but maybe my yellow submarine will put a smile on your face and a spark of inspiration in your crafty heart.

For my sea I sprinkled blue brushos on white card and spritzed with water.  I let it dry and ran it through the bigshot with Sizzix Damask embossing folder.  Then I die cut the letters and Sizzix Wacky Transport Submarine.  I used ginger Promarker to add some shadows to my submarine and gold mirror card to back the windows, periscope and add the propeller.  

I hope you get some time to grab your embossing folders and your fish, mermaids, octopi, submarines or sunken vessels and join us.  You have until the end of the month.  Carpe Diem!

HUGZ