Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #384

I've ventured out twice this week - dentist on Monday for a regular (albeit delayed by a few months due to COVID) hygienist appointment and then back out on Tuesday to collect a repeat prescription for strong painkillers. They'll last me for ages I hope but it's good to have them handy just in case.

 

It's still extremely hot and humid here - we had a sprinkling of rain during the night on Wednesday but not enough to write home about. In fact, it's so hot that Dudley is sleeping downstairs a lot during the night where it's generally cooler and there are plenty of tiled floors to choose from. Now and then he scampers upstairs to check on us and have a quick cuddle - before trotting off again. He has a full grooming session booked for next Saturday and will no doubt be glad to be rid of some of his coat.

Let's get straight on - here's my snippets card for this fortnight:

I used:

- 5.5" x 4.25" white card blank, side opening on the short side

- piece of white card, onto which I stencilled a trellis background using soft cosmetic brushes, Tim Holtz 'Broken China' Distress ink pad and Joanna Sheen's 'Diamond Lattice' stencil

- die cut the trellis piece using a die from Lil' Inkers 'Stitched Rectangles' set of dies and put it to one side

- then I took a dive into the snippets folder for little pieces of green, two shades of pink and also a snippet of black card

- used my much loved Altenew mini die cutting machine to cut a selection of leaves, fronds and flowers - using every die in Sweet Dixie's 'Daisies' set of dies

- glued the foliage and flowers, with black stamen centres, onto the lattice piece of card - using a Zig glue pen

- then glued the panel to the card front, using Colall All Purpose glue

- added a black and white sentiment  sticker from the super-useful Clarity set of sentiment stickers called 'Christmas and Celebrations'

- final touch, a medium sized diamanté gem in the centre of each 'daisy' - finished!

I went to town making this card and double layered the daisies, not really necessary but it was my first play with the set of dies. I later spotted an example of a really elegant card on the 'net which used black and shiny gold for the die cutting - very dramatic.

Our lovely Viv included a set of these dies in a package she sent for the Playground toy box absolutely ages ago - so of course I bought myself a set to make this card! A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do after all. This is the last offering from that lovely package - thanks Viv! I still have a lovely die that Jackie T sent, waiting it's turn - I keep a little notebook and do know it's ages since Jackie sent it. It will appear ASAP I promise Jackie!

And of course, here's the prize for this fortnight:

It's a Sweet Dixie set of 'Daisies' die from Viv - and a Joanna Sheen 'Diamond Lattice' stencil plus a set of Clarity Stamps 'Christmas and Congratulations' sentiment stickers from me. And, as usual - I don't split Playground prizes up although you're welcome to play and give anything you might not want to another crafter where you live.

As always, the Snippets Challenge will run for two weeks and the Playground gates will close at 11am UK time on Saturday 22nd August. 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.

As I used the dies and stencil for the first time, it means I can join in with Darnell's NBUS #17 challenge HERE!

All prizes were posted on Monday - so I'm totally up to date.

Stay safe my lovely friends.

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

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #382 - results

 

Oh boy, on Friday we had the third hottest day down here since UK weather records began. The three of us were almost steaming, despite fans etc. going full belt. Little Dudley slept most of Friday night downstairs in the tiled hall where it's probably the coolest place in the house. We almost joined him! He happily lies on a damp towel on his lookout table beside Len's desk during the day time with a small fan blowing on him - but at night he likes to do his own thing.

As you will no doubt know, we're at a bit of a tipping point with COVID numbers rising back up - and some places back in lockdown. Judging from the gatherings we've been seeing around this area - it's not really surprising. No such thing as social distancing on a few people's radar any longer, if it was ever really there in the first place. It seems there's no cure for stupid in many cases.

Let's move straight into this fortnight's picks:

Jenny H brought this lovely card to share with us - I adore the use of so many snippets to create a vintage looking stitched patchwork background - and also on the tailor's dummy. Brilliant!

This beautiful card, made by Val, immediately jumped out at me! A good few snippets used and also what fabulous, almost 'no-line'  colouring - I love it so much. It reminded me very much of a pretty blue party dress I had as a child ☺

What a stunning card this is - such a pretty underwater scene, created by Jackie T, using absolutely loads of snippets! It's so pretty and I adore the Brushos background. When we first went to Thailand, well over 20+ years ago now, the coral was amazing and this card really reminds me of those times.

And, here's a fourth one for you as I can't whittle my list of possibles down to three. Alice (Scrapamondo) made this wonderful card - and just look at how many teeny, tiny snippets she used for those flowers! I think that Alice keeps a stash of ready punched flowers and such on standby, made from little snippets. I know others of you do and it's such a great tip.

So, that's my picks and I do hope they've given you some inspiration for ways in which you can use up some of your own snippets. 

We had 43 entries in total, and no new Playmates this time.

Now for the prize draw, which is for a Spellbinders 'Optical Illusion Kaleidoscope' set of dies - and the winner is:

Vicky H

Congratulations Vicky - I'm delighted for you and look forward to seeing what you make using your prize!  Please send me your address, even if you know that I know it already, with your full name at the top as well so I can copy and paste for speed and ease. It's also confirmation that you still would like the prize of course and I'll do my best to post your prize ASAP this coming week. 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 another week to run on Challenge #383 - you can find it HERE. Bit of a bumper prize -  a 'Lawn Fawn Say 'What? Pets' set of stamps and matching dies as well as a Lawn Fawn 'Critter Chatter: Pets' set of stamps.

I did manage to package up prizes from Challenge #381, then we got hit by the heatwave and to be honest I was really fighting to keep cool - so the thought of venturing out in the car got put to one side!

I have to go out on Monday - routine dental appointment and a couple of other things - so I'll post off the Woodware stamp sets to Em, Jane and Mrs A whilst I'm out and about.

Finally, we went out for our late afternoon sit in the garden earlier than usual today. A WW11 Spitfire did a flyover in honour of our NHS hospitals - delighted we saw it but not quick enough with the camera! Here's a photo taken by someone else nearby, quicker on the button than yours truly - 'Thank U NHS' is painted on the underside of the wings, and yes, I did well up with tears!

Our 'sit out' generally culminates in cuddles for Dudley from Len - and here they are, with Len well covered up against the pesky mossies that love him so much!

Are you sure there's no treats left on the garden table Dad?

OK, no treats left - so I'll just watch to see if the Spitfire flies over again!

Love from Parsnip, a happy wave and woof from Dudley - and of course hugs as always from me. Stay safe, wear those masks - and keep on crafting.

Rudolph Days Challenge - July 2020 and NBUS #16 Challenge

At long last, I managed to finish off the batch of 10 very Christmas similar cards I've been working on intermittently for a few weeks. I knew from the outset what I was aiming for - but soon learned that there were umpteen steps (times 10 of course) to get there!

Here are three of the resulting cards:

For each card I used:

- 5.5" x 4.25" white card blank

- a piece of white card approximately the same size as the card front, which I covered with double sided adhesive sheet and then covered that with paper from Crafters Delight pads called 'Starry Night' and also 'Watercolour Galaxy', by Leska Hamaty. Bought from Amazon UK HERE - and there's a huge selection to choose from including plaid and many, many other designs.

- I needed to back the papers with card as they are fairly thin and I also wanted to die cut them using a 'Stitched Rectangle' die by Lil' Inkers

- then cut some strips of white card, approximately 2" x 5.5" - which were then die cut along one long edge using a Lawn Fawn 'Stitched Hillside Borders' die

- die cut the sides and bottom using the same stitched rectangle die I'd used for the main panel. Two reasons, to get a perfect match in width and also to continue the stitched edge right around the finished panel

- next stamped the sentiment plus a little heart, using stamps from Lawn Fawn's 'Winter Skies' set of stamps, Memento 'Tuxedo Black' ink and a mini Misti

- glued the 'hillside' onto the bottom of the main panel, then glued it to the card front and put it one side for now

- stamped the flying Santa and his reindeer plus an assortment of trees and 'critters' onto white card

- coloured the trees and 'critters' using Pro markers (carefully selected to pick out elements of the sky background where possible) before then die cutting them, and the flying Santa(s), using dies to match the 'Winter Skies' set of stamps

- however, the fun part was coming - I sat and played for ages arranging the little scenes onto the card fronts - then glued them all into place - and went to lie down in a darkened room to recover

What a marathon and I did almost lost the will to live along the way - it seemed endless! But, I'm quietly pleased with the results and didn't drop any major 'boo boo's' along the way. Finding those backing papers was a dream, they're gorgeous!

I'm entering into July's Rudolph Days challenge over at Scrappy Mo's.

And entering into Darnell's NBUS challenge #16 as the papers, stamps & dies plus the hillside dies were having a first outing.

Phew, just squeaked into both challenges at the last minute!

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #383

Hot and humid week here - and Dudley has spent a lot of time in front of various fans - looking like he was going to take off!

It was his Birthday on Wednesday - low-key as he's generally a laid back kinda guy, but still a fun day. He had some cards, as many zoomies as the heat would allow and lots of cuddles - doesn't take much to keep our pup happy!

Many thanks to all you lovely people who left good wishes on his Birthday post HERE.

Anyhow, here's my snippets card for this fortnight - and it's young Dudley's Birthday card, from Len and myself:

I used:

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

- a background piece of paper from Whimsy's 'Rainbows' paper pack. I wanted this pack so much for another reason that I ended up recently having it sent from the Simon Says Stamp in the USA. My current passion is rainbows and it's a super pack of double sided paper!

- then, before  I matched the background if I'm honest, I chose a couple of  matching plainish yellow snippets from Lawn Fawn's 'Really Rainbow' paper pack, another paper pack that I love

- next I broke out the pack of sentiments stamps and there was almost enough to overwhelm me - but I had a plan

- took one piece of yellow snippet and used  stamps from Lawn Fawn's 'Critter Chatter Pets' set of sentiment stamps to stamp rows of words, using Memento 'Tuxedo Black' ink across the piece. To be fair, it wasn't as easy as I hoped but got there in the end

- now I had a black words on yellow stamped background (remember, I'm often in a hurry here so my horizontal spacing could have been better IMHO) - but the words butt nicely against one another across where you're stamping thanks to the straight and equally spaced side  edges to each stamp

- then trimmed the full sheet of Whimsy 'Rainbows' paper down to 5.25" x 4" so it would sit nicely on the white card blank

- I wanted a large 'speech bubble' die to create an aperture but didn't have one and suddenly thought I could create my own without shelling out for a die I would rarely use by die cutting an oval using a Spellbinders die into the 'rainbow' sheet and then just snipping a 'v shaped notch' - easy peasy and works a treat!

- adhered the backing to the speech bubble aperture using a glue pen

- then stamped the little dog, coloured and die cut him using a die from the adorable Lawn Fawn 'Say What? Pets' set of stamps - using Pro markers for the very soft colouring

- stamped the sentiment strip onto a snippet strip of the same plainish yellow paper from the Lawn Fawn 'Really Rainbow' pack, trimmed it top and bottom then adhered to the patterned 'speech bubble' rectangle, with some overhang

- trimmed either side of the strip to fit and then added the whole panel to the card front

 - added the little die cut dog, just sitting on the sentiment strip

- final touch - added a peel off in silver and gold holographic design for Dudley's age - 2!

Bit washed out looking in the photo but in real life it's very vibrant and the black stamping is a real solid black, this bright sunshine is so unforgiving. A fun card to make and to be honest I was spoilt for choice with all the sentiments plus a dog, cat and birdie just in the 'Say What? Pets' set - let alone the other sentiments set of stamps!

And needless to say, here's the prize for this fortnight:

It's a little bit special to celebrate Dudley's Birthday and a nice prize to use for pet owner cards. It's the 'Lawn Fawn Say 'What? Pets' set of stamps and matching dies as well as the Lawn Fawn 'Critter Chatter: Pets' set of stamps - same as the ones I used for Dudley's card. The sets are suitable for dogs, cats and birds - and there are even a few fish sentiments in the 'Critter Chatter' set of stamps.

As always, the Snippets Challenge will run for two weeks and the Playground gates will close at 11am UK time on Saturday 8th August. 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.

As I used two sets of stamps, a set of dies - and also the Whimsy 'Rainbows' paper pack for the first time, it means I can join in with Darnell's NBUS #16 challenge HERE!

It's July's Rudolph Days challenge over at ScrappyMo's don't forget - runs from 25th to the end of the month.

Apologies, I haven't posted off the winners 'Art Deco stamps' prizes yet from challenge #381. I forgot I needed to order A5 hard backed envelopes from Amazon - they're here now but still in quarantine. I'll post early next week! 

And, we have a photo from Dudley's 2nd Birthday! It was taken by one of the CCTV cameras, so the quality isn't brilliant - but here's the little guy anyhow - just lying on the frizzled grass, sniffing the fresh air - having had a good poke around the garden, hence the mucky mouth ☺:

Stay safe my lovely friends.

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

Dudley is two years old today!

Happy Birthday to our darling boy!

Taken the day we first met him aged about 6 weeks, with his Mum, Dad and siblings. Our lives have never been the same since we fell in love with this precious little bundle.

Hope & Chances Charity kit - July 2020

I managed to get hold of July's charity paper craft kit from Hope & Chances. Apparently they flew out of the door so you do have to be quick! The easiest route is via the link above, which is Christine's blog - and her card kit posts goes live at 6:30 am UK time on the first Sunday of the month.

This is the finished card:

The kit came with everything (ready prepared), apart from the white pearls, glue and and sticky pads.

Oh, and I coloured the leaves and flowers using Tim Holtz Distress Ink pads (Peeled Paint and Fossilised Amber) - as a first real outing for my lovely blending brushes. I bought the brushes back in January and, they're really for cosmetics (loads of you had them so I followed suit needless to say) but up until now had just tinkered with them to see how they work - which I'm sure means I can link this card into Darnell's NBUS Challenge #16.

This is the link to the brushes I bought, although there are some very similar sets available at decent prices.

Christine always writes really clear instructions for her kits and I love how this kit had additional gold die cuts included to add as 'drop shadows' behind the white die cuts. The backing paper is by Anna Griffin and is absolutely gorgeous!

I showed the end result to Len and he immediately said 'how professional' - followed by 'ha, it's one of the charity kits isn't it'. No fooling him then!

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #381 - results

 

Still having a good deal of hot, sunny and often humid weather here. And it was a bit of a step forward for me the other day - I went to a nearby chemist to collect a repeat prescription, rather than ask for one of our wonderful local volunteers to collect it! Yay ☺  All the people I saw in or near the shops were wearing masks, including yours truly needless to say - which was rather reassuring as it isn't compulsory until later this week here in England. And the protective measures taken in the pharmacy itself were certainly quite impressive.

Let's move straight into this fortnight's picks:

I love this card, made by 'Janis - the skunk hunter' - named by me due to her close call with a young skunk recently. Wonderful colours, pink and grey always go so well together, and I love the circles around the image - great use of snippets!

I was delighted to see Diane H playing along with us once again, I always miss folk when they stop joining in with the Playground. This card is so fresh and very pretty - perfect use of snippets of course. And yes, I did go on a hunt to try and buy that set of stitched flowers and leaves dies for a Playground prize. With no luck, sigh.

Donna T made a whole set of super bookmarks, using snippets. I do love to see when people lay out their snippets and take a photo before getting to work - something I forget to do myself. This is such a different style of bookmark - and a great idea!

And, as so often happens, I really couldn't cut my list of picks down to just three - so here's a fourth one which was made by Susan S. I love so much about this card. First of all, the snippets paper and card colours are gorgeous and pick up the very cute image colours perfectly. I love that the plaid of the parcel picks up a snippet design so cleverly - and how about hand cutting the image and frame in a wonky fashion? Clever and very eye catching!

We also had two new Playmates:

Linda W

Angel Koch (Instagram)

So, that's my picks and I do hope they've given you some inspiration for ways in which you can use up some of your own snippets. 

We had 51 entries in total, and two new Playmates this time.

Now for the prize draw, which is for a 'Deco Roses' image stamp and a set of 'Deco Sentiments' - both by Woodware. The prize was  pretty popular, with lots of you saying 'yes please' and I managed to get my hands on more of the same stamp sets so in fact there are three winners:

Em

Jane W

Mrs A

Congratulations ladies! Oh this did make me smile - I finally mastered the knack of using Royal Mail's Click and Drop service for overseas prizes - and you're all based in the UK! To be honest, that doesn't happen very often when there's more than one prize on offer - I think someone's having a quiet smile at my expense! Please send me your addresses, even if you know that I know it already, with your full name at the top as well so I can copy and paste for speed and ease. It's also confirmation that you still would like the prize of course and I'll do my best to post your prizes later this coming week. 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. The sooner you let me have your addresses the sooner I can post all three prizes in one go.

Remember folks, there's still almost another week to run on Challenge #381 - you can find it HERE. The prize is a a Spellbinders 'Optical Illusion Kaleidoscope' set of dies. Not a load of entries so far, normally by the end of week one about two thirds of the entries are in and linked up.

This coming week - it's our darling Dudley's 2nd Birthday, on Wednesday 22nd. Hard to believe it's two years in September since he came to join us - he's giving us so much joy and plenty of laughter with his antics - with the odd fright as you know. One of his most spectacular was when he decided to squeeze through the partly open barrier at the top of the stairs as a small puppy - and tumbled all the way down, hitting each tread as he went. Standing at the top and unable to stop him in time I screamed - as you do - and Len, who had just gone down the stairs and left the barrier partly open, whipped round and did the most incredible rugby save, literally catching one furry little ball in mid flight before he hit the tiled hallway floor! Not sure whose heart was beating the fastest out of the three of us to be honest.

I'll have to be sure to take a photo or two of him - not that we're having a cake of course, nor does he need any new toys! I think that a card and some extra cuddles will do him fine. And perhaps a small steak for dinner - along with a teeny glass of Prosecco (joke!).

Don't forget that it's the July Rudolph Days challenge over at ScrappyMo's - beginning on Saturday 25th. I'm battling on with a big 'batch bake' of 10 almost identical Christmas cards here and hope to have them finished to enter one. Been making them for at least three weeks now!

Been suffering with shooting neuralgia across the top of my head for a few days now, making sitting crafting quite uncomfortable. And brushing my hair ain't much fun either! I finally gave in yesterday (Saturday, the day I'm typing this) and took a couple of co-codamol and the relief was incredible.

Love from Parsnip, a happy wave and woof from Dudley - and of course hugs as always from me. Stay safe - and keep on crafting.