Birthday card for Mia - 2021

Mia, the eldest 'not so little', grand daughter over in Germany just celebrated her 14th Birthday. It only seems like yesterday when she was a little tot!

Mia is still very much into dancing and I used a 'pre-loved' stamp set, bought from a de-cluttering FB group, for her card - I just love the pure joy of the dancing figure:

 I used:

- 5.5" x 4.25" white card blank

- snippet of white card onto which I stamped the dancing figure from SU's fabulous 'Beautiful You' set of stamps - using the Misti and Memento 'Tuxedo Black' ink pad

- dotty patterned paper from Dovecraft's 'Back to Basics 11' paper pack in lilac and soft green, the green was snippets and also cut into a whole sheet of lilac

- next stamped the dancing figure onto a snippet of the dotty green using the Misti and Memento 'Tuxedo Black', fussy cut it and edged right round the cut edge, sideways on, with a black Whisper pen

- used a glue pen to adhere the fussy cut dress and hat portion of the figure onto the white panel

- then, and only then, did I die cut the image panel using a Creative Dies 'square 'Wonky Stitches' die

- used SU's 'Certainly Celery' for all the plain green 'frames', again - one snippet and then cut into a whole sheet

- first layer onto the card was a slightly smaller piece of 'Certainly Celery' as the main 'frame'

- then backed the image panel with a slightly bigger frame of 'Certainly Celery' and set it aside

- trimmed a piece of the lilac dotty paper to just a bit smaller than the green frame and popped a strip of green dotty paper over the lower area to 'pull' the image and rest of the card together. I glued it in place and then trimmed off the excess from the back

- then I took the second try at a stamped sentiment, from the same set - which in truth had stamped way to heavily at first attempt, just below the dancing figure, sob - thankfully before I actually decided on the die cutting size and shape

- die cut the sentiment, using a very useful 'flag' shaped die from the MFT 'Mini Mail' set of dies

- then used the waste from the die cut 'flag' to draw around the inside edge onto green card and trim/fussy cut to just a bit bigger than the sentiment - making sure I didn't chop the longer end too short

- glued the image panel in place followed by the layered sentiment 'flag'

- mused for ages and just couldn't find a lilac gem to match so settled for a Lucy's Little Things 'Bubbles' domed embellishment as a change from a white pearl, glued in place using Glossy Accents, as a finishing touch

I do so love this stamp set of SU's and will certainly use it more frequently. It has three 'figures' in total and each one lends itself to paper piecing. Plus lots of lovely sentiments.

I'm linking into Darnell's current NBUS challenge #31 - it was a first outing for me using my 'Beautiful You' stamp set, and possibly only its second ever outing (the previous owner had only used it once). 

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #414 - Ruby's Memory

Hello again - thanks for calling by! It's time for another snippets challenge dedicated to sweet Ruby's Memory, in aid of the centre who originally rescued her, and this is our seventh one.

The prize for this challenge has been kindly offered by Kathy Asper - who is also in the spotlight as a guest designer for this fortnight as well. First. lets take a peek at the three lovely cards Kathy made:

 

I love all three of these cards - each one showing how well snippets work on die cuts for Christmas cards. To find out how Kathy made them, do hop over to her blog HERE.

 

And, Kathy has generously donated two sets of dies - both make up a single prize which won't be split. The prize will also be posted directly to the winner by Kathy:

 

The prize is an Echo Park 'Candy Cane Christmas' set of dies plus a Neat & Tangled 'Medallion Flower Builder' set of dies. Just perfect to play with before Christmas!

As always, the Snippets Challenge will run for two weeks and the Playground gates will close at 11am UK time on Saturday 30th October. The gates will open again at midnight UK time on the same day.

It's a maximum of ONE entry, please say in a comment if you wish to play and be a possible winner of the prize. Please also link back to the Playground in your blog post to be eligible for the draw.

Remember, if you link into the Playground and don't say clearly that you want to be in the draw in a comment on here, then you will be bypassed if your name comes out of Mr Linky. I'm sure you all know I ask for a positive 'yes' on the blog post itself - just in case you're only playing for fun - otherwise I don't add you to my little list. And I won't be splitting the prize of course.

 

Please also remember that I only allow a total of nine other challenges, which makes 10 in total, when you enter a snippets make into the Playground.

 

Dudley has been in disgrace here, for only as long as it took for his sweet little face to melt our hearts. So, all of one minute probably. Len was cutting the grass in the back garden and Dudley spotted a neighbouring cat lurking underneath a bush on Dudley's patch no less! He made one frantic dash, the cat soared over the tall fence like a rocket and Dudley returned with his head hung low absolutely covered in sticky seed heads, bits of grass cuttings and also muddy paws.

 

'I only wanted to introduce myself' he moaned - as he was brushed to within an inch of his life and then had his paws and tummy given a good wash. 

 

A few of you will have already seen this as I posted it on Facebook - once we stopped laughing (discretely of course). One of our neighbours commented and asked was it one of theirs (it was). She saw the funny side when I said that Dudley only really saw the tail end properly. ☺ 

However, Dudley redeemed himself in the early hours of Friday morning when he was out in the garden for a final toilet trip before bedtime. He suddenly stopped mooching around and alerted Len to this little creature underneath the arbour:

A baby hedgehog, being held in Len's cupped 'gardening gloved' hands and probably the size of an orange. Light as a feather as well, so we need to watch out for it and, if it returns to feed again, weigh it in case it needs to be taken to a local hedgehog rescue place. I know it seems a shame to take a hedgehog away from its Mum and possibly its siblings. However, it's already fairly independent and without expert help it just wouldn't survive hibernation if it weighs under 500 grammes. Watch this space and let's all hope for the best.

Thank you from Len for all your Birthday wishes! And yup, he did love his Birthday card I made for him, posted on her on Friday 15th October.

Lots of love from Dudley Dog and of course me,

Len's Birthday - 2021

Today is Len's Birthday and boy was I stumped for a card idea! I have a few in the 'everyday' box of cards and one of those was perfect from Dudley - but I wanted something he hadn't seen before from me.

Eventually, Vicky's brilliant card that she made HERE popped into my mind and that was the starting point. She used a die set, won in the Snippets Playground, so I took it from there as I've had the same set of dies waiting since May to be used. I would have loved to do a total CASE of her card but that seemed like a step too far, so I came up with this:

 I used:

- 5.5" x 4.25" white card blank, side opening

- a snippet of Tonic 'Red Vellum' pearlescent card, trimmed to leave just a narrow border

- a snippet of Neenah 'Desert Storm' card, die cut using Poppy Stamps 'Fading Dot Border' die the trimmed to create a sort of 'tool peg holder board' along the top and bottom

- adhered that strip to a strip of the 'Red Vellum' card (which I'd cut in one swoop to the same width as the backing panel) and then trimmed it top and bottom to leave just a small margin. I did this step to allow me to move stuff around rather than adhere the 'peg' board straight onto the red panel

- then die cut a selection of woodworking tools from a snippet of silver mirri card, using the Sweet Dixie 'DIY Tools' set of dies and the Altenew 'Mini Blossom' baby die cutting machine - ready to work out the positioning of the whole card front

- checked the positioning and glued the 'tool peg board' to the Red Vellum' front panel and trimmed off both sides (from the back)

- die cut the sentiment from another snippet of silver mirri card using the Altenew 'baby' die cutting machine and an IO die from the 'Birthday Top Edgers' set Impressions and trimmed the bottom off to just leave a narrow border

- glued the whole front panel to the card front

- glued the sentiment just above the 'peg board' , using a glue pen

- added the die cut tools to hang down from the 'peg board'

- added a hot fix silver Josy Rose nail head to each corner

It's a super-appropriate card really as one of 'Handyman Len's' Birthday presents is yet another type of electric saw to play with.

I'd like to add this card into Darnell's NBUS Challenge #31 as it was a first outing for the set of DIY Tool dies.

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #412 - results

Time for the prize draw and of course the fortnightly 'picks'. Autumn is still hovering with variable weather from day to day. Today (Saturday) is lovely and sunny, with a turn for the worse forecast for this coming week. Wish it would make its mind up!

First of all, the picks:

This is one of my all time favourite dies and Lynne has used it so beautifully. Very CAS and so pleasing to look at - and that could be snippets from a LOTV paper pad I reckon!

I absolutely love this card, made by Janice! So many pretty snippets used for the flowers and foliage - all echoing the patterned paper used for the welly - really clever.

 

 

And April raced into the Playground waving this delightful card featuring a polar bear in a jar! It's gorgeous and lots of lovely snippets used! Beautiful shading on the snippety foliage too.

One new Playmate this time:

I've seen Cara's name a lot around Blogland, she's a very talented card maker and I'm delighted to welcome her to the Snippets Playground. What a gorgeous card - do come back and play again soon Cara!

That's my picks from Challenge 412 in the Playground and I've stuck to the three picks limit, plus our new Playmate. My list of potential picks was so long that I had real difficulty whittling it down to three - some really fabulous snippets makes to choose from! Can I please remind you to give an indication of what snippets you used - I don't need the 'full works' but if there isn't any indication then I have to exclude your entry as a possible pick as well as from the prize draw. I even had to do that with a couple of really lovely potential picks. We had a bumper 53 entries in total. When you think about it, that's all the more impressive as I limit the number of entries per person to just one per challenge.

Now for the prize draw which is an Altenew 'Poured Acrylic' paper pack and a Lawn Fawn 'Giant Happy Birthday to You' die - and here's the winner:

SaRn

I just couldn't believe my eyes when Sarn's name popped out as I ran the Random number generator! The first person whose name came out wasn't playing for the prize so I ran it for a second time and I can't think of a more deserving winner. Sarn, who is our current Guest Designer, has been such a stalwart in the Snippets Playground, especially whenever I've got myself into a pickle and she's stepped in to help out - and she doesn't usually play for a prize so I think this truly was serendipity! And, we also have another reason to celebrate Sarn's luck as she is now on the Allsorts Design team over HERE. Quick - get thee hence Sarn and purchase a Lottery ticket - good things run in threes!!

Congratulations Sarn! Please send me your address, even if you know that I know it already, with your full name at the top as well so it can be can be copied and pasted for speed and ease. It's also confirmation that you still would like the prize of course.  Please put Playground Winner or similar in the subject line of your email in case it drops into my junk mail. Email address is on RH sidebar as always.

As soon as I have your address I'll pop your prize in the post. I have a trip planned to the post box on Tuesday morning if you get back to me quickly!

I think this is one of the most popular prizes I've offered for some time and 45 of you actually played for the prize!

Remember folks, there's still almost one more week to run on the current Challenge 413 which you can find HERE. The prize is a really great set of Stampin' Up stamps featuring topiary and vertical greetings - kindly donated by Sarn our much loved 'Head Prefect' who is also our Guest Designer for Challenge # 413. I happen to know that Sarn has posted another card using the same set of stamps - which you can see HERE.

One of Dudley's favourite treats is to be given the 'inner tube' from either a kitchen roll or a toilet roll. He doesn't really rip them to shreds as he would have done as a puppy but still gets some fun out of tearing a few pieces off - leaving one of us 'pawrents' to clear them up of course. I gave him one the other day then once he lost interest I popped it into the craft room waste bin ready to go into the main recyling bin. A good while later, there was Dudley having another chew at it - having slipped past me to underneath my desk whilst I was sitting there, and then quietly rootled around in the waste bin to help himself before sneaking back out with it! His middle name ought to be 'Stealth' - silent and very subtle with it.

Love from Parsnip, myself and the usual happy 'high-five' and woof from Dudley.

Because

Literally months ago, I started making some cards to use as notelets, to send with prizes or 'just because'. I recently finished making the last ones, 10 all the same:

I used:

- 5" x 5" square white card blank

- piece of white card covered with Altenew 'Painted Fantasy' washi tape, then trimmed to 4" x 4"

- wrapped a strip of plain vellum across the lower part of the panel, using red line tape to adhere it to the back

- die cut the word 'because' out of gold mirri card - using a 'because' die by Lil'Inker Designs (bought in a sale when they announced they were closing down) 

- added the die cut 'because' to the vellum using a glue pen

- mounted the panel onto a marginally bigger square of SU's 'Certainly Celery' card, using Collall All Purpose glue

- mounted those panels onto a marginally bigger square of gold mirri card

- and finally added the completed panel to the card front - finito!

The light here was dreadful when I took this photo - but, I suddenly remembered that the desk lamp I bought about a year ago not only dims but the 'warmth' adjusts in steps as, well from crisp daylight white to a cosy warm setting. I keep meaning to ask Len how that works - but it's jolly useful. I generally like a warm light if I'm not taking a photo, colouring or matching stuff and it's great to have the option.

I've seen folk using vellum on top of bold patterns and wanted to have a go for ages. And right now am crackers (who just said 'we know you are'?) over so many of the lovely wide washi tapes on the market.

I'd like to add this card into Darnell's current NBUS challenge #31 HERE. The washi tape and the sentiment were having their first outing - and my card was inspired by a card Darnell sent to me for my Birthday, last September! See, I don't rush into things very often.

Speaking of rushing, my comments are lagging, even for Challenge #412 and I do so apologise, but with good reason in some ways. I was given a super (hinted at, I cannot lie) Gemini Junior die cutting/embossing machine for my Birthday by Len a few weeks ago. I think the agonised moans and groans using the Cuttlebug from in here helped! So, have been clearing out bookcase shelves to make space for either the machine as a die cutting dedicated space and/or some reorganising in the craft room.

Today, Monday, I posted several books onto a local Facebook free 'give or need' (they call it a 'whisking' site) - and they went just like that, clicks fingers in a snappy fashion! I now have a direct link with the lady concerned and she will take all the books we wish to give and she will either keep, re-offer for free on a whisking site or take them to local charity shops. She never resorts to recycling or landfill so it's a win, win for us - even IF she does sell some of them on, and I do know that some are slightly more rare/valuable ones. I'm getting more SPACE to play, and that's worth a lot of money in my 'book'! Snigger - that pun just popped out, I promise!! So, if I'm a bit quiet - that's the bombshell that just landed in my lap and I really can't let the chance pass.

 

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #413

Welcome to a new Snippets Playground Challenge.  Oh boy, it seems like temperatures dropped quite rapidly in the space of just one day last week. With the nights drawing in as well we do seem to be heading for Winter before too many weeks go past. Let's hope for one final burst of Summer before then.

And for this challenge we have another lovely Guest Designer. This time it's our super Head Prefect - SaRn!!

 

And, Sarn has made not one but three fabulous 'topiary' snippets cards! They're absolutely gorgeous and to find out how 'Little Miss Mischief' made them and what snippets she used, just hop over to her blog - the link is shown above the photo of the three cards.

And, the prize this fortnight, kindly donated by Sarn is:

 

- a brand new set of stamps made by Stampin' Up called 'Vertical Greetings'. Needless to say, I just love these stamps, both for the images as well as the great selection of vertical greetings. Sadly they're now discontinued so this is a great chance to win yourself the set!

As always, the Snippets Challenge will run for two weeks and the Playground gates will close at 11am UK time on Saturday 16th October. The gates will open again at midnight UK time on the same day.

It's a maximum of ONE entry, please say in a comment if you wish to play and be a possible winner of the prize. Please also link back to the Playground in your blog post to be eligible for the draw.

Remember, if you link into the Playground and don't say clearly that you want to be in the draw in a comment on here, then you will be bypassed if your name comes out of Mr Linky. I'm sure you all know I ask for a positive 'yes' on the blog post itself - just in case you're only playing for fun - otherwise I don't add you to my little list.

 

Please also remember that I only allow a total of nine other challenges, which makes 10 in total, when you enter a snippets make into the Playground.

 

Dudley has given up using our downstairs toilet as his 'cooling down' space since temperatures dropped. In fact, on Friday night he spent most of the time whilst we were sleeping, snuggled up on the bed in between us. And when he does that, he generally surrounds himself with two or three of his most loved toys, so it can get a little bit crowded! ☺ 

 

Stay safe and be kind.

 

Lots of love from us all - Parsnip, Dudley and of course me, 

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #411 - results

As I said last week, Autumn is certainly on the way here and temperatures are dropping slowly, but steadily. And more Christmas cards are appearing in the Playground as well. I'm just so pleased I resolved not to kill myself by making dozens of them this year. However, I will still be sending hand made cards to my crafting friends, close family and a few other close friends.

We had some really beautiful floral entries into Challenge #411 and Sarn (my brilliant Head Prefect and also Head Mischief Maker) and I picked several mutual favourites which happened to have a floral theme, I've stayed with that for all of our picks. Several of your cards were also entered into the Allsorts Challenge blog in memory of our much missed friend Kath - so it seems extra fitting for some of them to feature here. I know that Brenda of Allsorts was delighted at the love and care people put into their entries. Kath certainly was, and always will be, a much loved lady.

Sarn and I both absolutely agreed that one entry in particular was worthy of a 'Gold Star':

We both think that Vinita's card is absolutely glorious! Such vibrant colours, all individually water coloured so perfectly - using lots of scraps of white card, and then colouring them. Just stunning. Do feel free to collect a *Gold Star* badge from the RH sidebar Vinita for your own blog, if you so wish of course.

 

 

This card really is so lovely, made by Lynne and beautifully paper pieced. Such wonderful colours and really a stunning card. The gorgeous 'frame' uses a set of dies by Clearly Besotted - such a clever idea. Hint, watch this space girls!

 

Vicky always makes her wonderful cards look almost effortlessly elegant, but it's a real skill - and this card is a perfect illustration of that. Just a little detail such as adding a blue centre to the flower to pull the card together is a perfect finishing touch. 

 

Now, this image might look like a flower - but just peek a bit closer. It's a 'lion flower'! The sweet little guy has the face of a teddy with the tail and the mane of a lion.☺ The mane reminds me so much of a multi-coloured flower and I was fooled at first - what an adorable card!  Made by Lynne in NI (Ruby's Mum) - who always produces such gorgeous cards.

And here's one I kept up my sleeve when SaRn and I were discussing our mutual picks:

Yay! It's a snippets card, made for Kath's Allsorts Challenge, by our own Head Prefect - SaRn of Stamping for Pleasure! It's absolutely gorgeous and Kath would have loved it so, so much Sarn. Perfection!

 

I've already thanked Sarn last week on here, but you have no idea how much she helped out after my 'tumbling act'. It was a huge relief to have her immediately phone me as soon as she knew and then step in and take over the reins whilst I got over the whole event. Mind you, I did follow on behind her commenting, later on so I could see all the entries properly, and make up my own list of picks - and some of the mischief plotting that was going on did make me chortle at times! Many thanks once again Sarn, that was a real lesson in life!

 

And finally, we had one new Playmate joining us for the first time:

Let's welcome Denise (Bryant) - with this fabulous Halloween card. You totally 'get' what the snippets challenge is all about Denise, lovely work!

That's our picks from Challenge #411 and we had 44 entries (going back up again - hooray!) in total.

Now for the prize draw, which is a bumper selection of Halloween goodies - jointly donated by Heather Mills and myself. Many thanks once again Heather! And the winner is:

Greta

 

Congratulations Greta! It seems like ages since you last won a prize - and I'll do my best to make sure this arrives in time for you to have a little play before Halloween. ☺

Please send me your address, even if you know that I know it already, with your full name at the top as well so it can be can be copied and pasted for speed and ease. It's a good prompt for me and also confirmation that you still would like the prize of course.  Please put Playground Winner or similar in the subject line of your email in case it drops into my junk mail. Email address is on RH sidebar as always.

Remember folks, there's still almost one more week to run on the current Challenge #412 which you can find HERE. The prize is an Altenew 'Poured Acrylic' paper pack and a Lawn Fawn 'Giant Happy Birthday to You' die.

Challenge #411 was in aid of Ruby's Memory and I just sent off a further donation to USPCA, the rescue charity who saved Ruby and gave her the chance of the wonderful life she had with Lynne and Greg. That means, thanks to your generous prize donations, and the addition of Gift Aid tax relief onto my donations in lieu of buying prizes, we've raised £150 for USPCA so far - and still plenty more prizes to go as well! 

The September Rudolph Days challenge started on 25th and runs until the end of the month - over at ScrappyMo's HERE.

We had our flu vaccinations on Thursday - I won't bore you with details of the queuing fiasco but let's say the organisation left a lot to be desired. Next year, if the organisation looks to be basically inviting folk to 'join in a scrum' then we'll book into a local pharmacy (in the UK for example, Boots and Lloyds offer the service) with properly timed 20 minute appointments. Not everyone knows you can do this and that all the NHS conditions still apply (such as free jabs for certain age group and conditions) and they also notify your GP after you have your jab.

 

And, drum roll - tomorrow is 27th September, exactly three years from the day we collected Dudley and our lives changed forever. Happy 'Gotcha Day' sweet boy and thank you for all the love and joy you brought with you - gosh, you look so very tiny there:

 

Photo was taken very soon after we got Dudley back home on his 'gotcha day' - not a very long journey but he was bewildered, stressed and exhausted. So he did what puppies do best, curled up in his new bed with a blanket 'scented with his Mum and siblings aroma' that the breeder thoughtfully gave to all the puppies .................. and had a 'snoozelet', before even thinking about exploring his new home! We both remember it so well, Len ended up sleeping most of the night downstairs on a sofa - with a very homesick little puppy on his chest, covered in the soothing blanket - listening to his 'new Dad's' heart beating.

Love from Parsnip, myself and the usual happy 'high-five' and woof from Dudley.