Winter love

Crumbs, I almost missed joining in over at Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge this week. A quick rummage through some Christmas images and I found a GorJuss girls twisted pyramage topper I'd assembled ages ago, still not sure about 'mouthless' images though:

I used:

- 5" x 5" square white card blank

- plain SU 'Crumb Cake' backing card from the snippets folder

- patterned 'plaid' backing paper from LOTV's 'Winter Wishes' paper pad

- the assembled topper plus sentiment, from a GorJuss Girls kit

- a couple of sparkly 'crystal' snowflakes on either end of the sentiment just to 'bling' it up a bit

This week's theme at Hazel's is 'make it square or include a square on your creation'. I went for broke, square card, squares in the patterned paper - and of course the image is made up of pyramaged squares :)

This is also for Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra for April, where it's always anything goes.

I know I've shown this tip before, but for those who wonder how I often know the SU name of a card stock snippet:

It's a swatch of 2" squares of card stock with descriptive labels on the back which is really helpful when picking plain colours to go with patterned papers - the main reason I made it in the first place. Me not totally daft :)

Di 
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Spring is sprung

Gosh we've had some lovely weather here! Lots of Spring flowers are blooming and I made a little batch of Easter cards:

I used:

- SU's 'Always Artichoke' card stock to make A6 sized cards

- pre-coloured images from LOTV's fabulous 'Wildflowers' Art Pad, die cut using a Nesties Labels Eight die

Yup, they were made in next to no time, but with love and the images really didn't need anything more than a good strong background colour for the cards plus 'Always Artichoke' is a huge favourite of mine.

There are some colours I do like to keep a decent stock of, 'Always Artichoke', 'Certainly Celery', 'Real Red', 'Wisteria Wonder' and 'Smoky Slate' in particular. They seem to go with so many images and patterned papers I have here. Snigger, I'd like tons of them all really :)

Di 
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Spring Bunny

Phew, I managed to combine an Easter card for my step-mum with Mrs A's Butterfly Challenge, where you have to use a charm (and at least one butterfly of course). And, purely by luck rather than good management, this card is also for the latest Cuttlebug Mania Challenge where you have to use one or more eggs on your entry and I cut round the image with a frame die and my Cuttlebug:

I used:

- 6" x 6" square white card blank

- backing papers from a mix of Bubbles 'Born to Shop' paper pack (the plain reverse sides of a couple of different papers) and a patterned sheet from Daisy and Dandelion's 'Picnic Patch' paper collection

- the image is LOTV's 'Spring Bunny with Eggs', coloured with Pro Markers, and a little tickle of Clear Wink of Stella on the little purple butterfly and the spots on one egg. Then the image was die cut and layered onto a fussy cut layer of lilac paper - using the old trick of drawing round the outside of the die used for the image

- the lacy 'belly band' (tee, hee Elizabeth, that still makes me giggle) was punched using Martha Stewart's 'Vintage Lace' punch and topped with a band of lilac spotty ribbon and a bow

- the charm is just a simple heart saying 'Made with Love', tied through the bow using a snippet of iridescent cord

- sentiment is from LOTV's 'General Greetings - Small' set, stamped using Memento 'Peanut Brittle ink pad then punched with a SU circle punch before being layered onto a lilac backing, punched with SU 'Scalloped Circle'

- the Easter message is stamped inside the card, I only have a couple of suitable Easter sentiments and they're too big for the front of this particular card, but I think the bunny and the eggs are pretty much right for Easter :)

I'm tickled pink here, two recent wins - Cuttlebug Mania's previous challenge which was to 'go dotty' and also Technique Tuesday's 'Captured in Crystal'. Thank you so much ladies, it's lovely to be picked out by the DTs! Gonna buy me a Lottery ticket this weekend! :)

Di
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Little Easter money wallets

I whipped these up very quickly to send to two little girls who we won't see at Easter:

 

An inside view showing the folded over little pocket and sentiment. When you cut the paper just make sure you leave enough extra to fold a little flap over, cut it down across the card (about halfway is fine), round one corner of the flap and then stick along the bottom with sticky tape.

I used:

- two thirds of a sheet of 12" x 12" SU patterned paper to make the 4" x 4" when folded wallets

- Penny Black 'Easter Bonnet' stamped images, coloured with Pro Markers then die cut using a Spellbinders 'Floral Ovals' die

- the stamped sentiment is Penny Black from the 'Easter March' set

I just checked the date on this cute little stamp and it's 10 years ago when it was released, could have been one of the first stamps I ever bought :)

Things are busy here right now so I'm a little bit behind on commenting and I do apologise, especially to those of you who already came to play in the Snippets Playground. I'll catch up ASAP!

Di
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Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 120

Time for another weekly snippets roll call, and we had 67 snippets entries this week, yippee! But, someone tell that Puggle/baby Platypus to behave please :) It's been tapping on the door asking to be fed from dawn to dusk each day!

This is my snippets card:

I used:

- A6 white linen card blank

- plain purple backing paper

- white linen card, embossed using the Darice 'Argyle' folder

- snippets of plain pink and spotty purple card from the snippets folder, die cut using Marianne Craftables ' Scandinavian Hearts - CR1228' dies

- once assembled I just popped them onto the card front and added a little saved heart from the die cutting in the centre of each assembled heart

This is a great 'snippets buster' die and such fun to play with.

As always, each snippets entry was fabulous this last week - here are my picks:

 

I picked this Anniversary card, made by Liz, as it's a lovely example of how to use up even little snippets - and a great design!

Laura found time to come and play, and what a fabulous pop up/box card she brought! These are so popular right now and I really do love this!

And so I thought I'd show you another lovely box card, made by Sandra H - what a burst of Spring! Sandra has also added a link to some really clear tutorials in her post, thanks for that honey.

Sarn used a stamp the same as one which was on offer last week to make this gorgeous card. It's absolutely beautiful and I adore the layered wings - another little tip girls :)

This gorgeous vintage card was made by Jean - it's so beautiful I'm sure you'll agree. And, the lace border is actually a self adhesive strip - works so well!

I just love this card, made by Carol L. Amazing paper piecing on those hearts and the turned back corner is such a lovely touch.

Mo made us all do a real 'Wow' with this lovely colourful card. Many of us think it looks like the World viewed from space :) Mo brought three cards to show this week, and you may already know that as the week progresses I keep a note of possible picks - all three of Mo's cards were on my list so do go and take a peek.

I totally adore this beautiful vintage tag, made by Viv! Absolutely beautiful.

And Tammy came back to play after a little while, and what a fantastic Easter card she brought! So fresh - and also a good final pick for this week I think as the Easter Bunny will have been this time next week.

And, we have three new playmates to welcome - it would be lovely if you can hop over to say 'Hello':

Sandy J brought this lovely card, great how the paper pieced puppy is picked up by the background.

Gerrina made this fabulous Birthday card.

And Ileana (Sparkling Pink) entered twice, the first time was with this card - see those teeny little flowers?! Such patience.

Welcome ladies, hope you come back to play really soon.

OK, so onto the draw for the four LOTV stamps and the Wink of Stella brush pen - drum  roll please:

Pippa

 

It took four runs of the Random number generator to select a winner who hadn't said no to the prize :) I totally roared with laughter when Kath's name came out, followed by Mrs A and then Darnell :) Fourth time lucky Pippa! I have your address and will post the goodies to you ASAP.

Speaking of Kath, yesterday was her 45th Wedding Anniversary - congratulations to you and your husband from all of us. Kath reckons she ought to be known as Saint Kath from now on :)

And onto this coming week's prize, bet you already guessed?

Yup, it's a set of those Marianne Craftables ' Scandinavian Hearts - CR1228' dies :) Something a bit different to play with maybe?

As usual, the snippets challenge will run for one week and the Playground gates will close at 11am UK time on Saturday 19th April and will open again at midnight UK time on the same day. Maximum of three entries and please say 'No thank you' in a comment if you wish to still play but not be the winner of the prize. 

Mr Linky is below - please let me know if you have any problems linking, I can sort it out for you quite quickly and am always happy to do so.

Have a great week - keep those snippets coming :)

Di (and a wave from Parsnip)
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Upcycled Christmas card - 'Use red'

The current challenge over at Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge is to 'Use red - a little or a lot'. I went for quite a lot:

.

I used:

- a creamy white DL hammered card blank

- backing paper by LOTV from their 'Classic Christmas' paper pad (I chose one with Merry Christmas on, as I didn't want to add a sentiment)

- plain green card stock behind the backing paper

- the front of a Christmas card, trimmed round the door, which came with the wreath, bow and little gold envelope already added - I KNOW, big, big cheat

- the gold doorstep was also part of the image but I wanted to use the trimmer rather than cut freehand round the door (which would have been a surefire wibble wobble route to disaster). So, I trimmed the doorstep off, which meant I could use the trimmer right round the door itself, then I re-rounded the top corners of the step with a corner punch and popped the doorstep onto the card with sticky pads

- did think about adding some gems to the wreath but had the sense to pop it into an envelope and check the thickness with my postal gauge. As I suspected, the sticky pads already used to 'lift' the wreath and the diddy envelope made it just a gnats whisker inside the thickness gauge - so no gems after all!

That brings the total made for Christmas 2014 to 40, eight more to make in April to stay on target for 12 per month :)

And of course this is also for Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra for April, where it's always 'anything goes'.

Di
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Adverts on blogs

Is it only me who has noticed more 'personalised' advertisements coming up on blogs we visit lately? This has bugged me for a few weeks now. I think, but am not sure, that Wordpress have taken the decision to add adverts to help to cover costs unless you (as the blog owner) opt out. That isn't quite so bad but it still makes me a bit cross about Wordpress practices.

BUT, a few Bloggers that I already follow have, apparently on the back of frequent hit rates, deliberately signed up to AdSense etc. and that I really DO object to. I don't want to see a repeat of what piece of plumbing equipment (no kidding) I might have looked at online suddenly pop up in my face at the end of a blogger post.

I also don't feel comfortable with supposed 'craft bloggers', suddenly being drawn into totally unrelated 'product reviews' either.

If I find something worth sharing in the craft line then I'll happily tell you so (free and for nothing). I'd also be happy if folk are upfront and honest about any craft affiliations they might have - but I hope I never end up allowing general advertising on my little blog.

Rant over, I'll just vote with my feet! Sorry but that's how it is folks! Sigh, I think I need my bedtime painkillers :(

Di
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