Pixies Crafty Snippets Challenge - 26

Snippets card first - using some leftover snippets from the stepper card I totally wrecked yesterday:

My in-house critic says the background is like wallpaper, generally a polite way of saying he's not keen :(

I used:

- 6" x 6" square white card stock

- image stamped using Penny Black 'Pin striped' stamp and London Fog ink (softer than black), then paper pieced with leftover snippets from said wrecked stepper card. I just tickled the stamens with a Mustard Pro Marker, and also coloured the stems with a green Pro Marker - don't ask which one, I tried about five out on scrap card before finding one I was happy with

- backing paper (a whole sheet!) from the Wild Rose Studio 'Butterfly Garden' paper pack - plus a snippet lurking in the snippets folder. This pack is just gorgeous and, as I said yesterday, a limited version of it is free with the current edition of Quick Cards Made Easy

- plain lemon card from the snippets folder

- butterfly punched from another snippet, topped with a little row of pearls

- Josy Rose nail heads

- not a scrap of ribbon or lace was used/hurt in the making of this card :)

OK, roll call time now - please bear with me as it's gonna be a slow process working on the baby laptop so I might not be as wordy as usual. Did I just hear a collective sigh of relief there?!

Jules was first into the playground, with such a pretty birthday card. Do go here to see it, as always just perfectly composed and I love the pale pinks and blues. Butterflies add the finishing touch to gingham, lovely borders, lots of stitching and (of course) hearts!

Then, Bernie arrived with this lovely card for her sister Donna. As always it's a delightful card, red contrasting with white, gorgeous flowers and such a supportive message. Donna is going through a tough time right now, and that plus other things is having an impact on Bernie too. I  know that a few of you have hopped over to add your supportive thoughts already as Bernie is taking a little break from blogging. Sending all our love and positive thoughts to you Bernie!

Irene was next, bringing a lovely inchie card. So well put together Irene and a great way to use up snippets. I'm wondering about having a try myself at one of these but I don't think it's easy to pull together different papers and embellishments so I might leave it to you instead :) Love the definition the distress ink brings to the edges of the inchies.

Then Gilly arrived, with a little beauty of a card. White and lilac looking so fresh - you can see it here. The focal point is a flower, made using a technique found on Splitcoast Stampers - but Gilly can't remember where :( It's stunning Gilly, so go back, have a snoop and let us know where you found it please. Err, in between last minute preparations for a wedding in under a week's time - I thought that response would be a resounding 'Get lost'!! Good luck from all of us for your big day Gilly - whatever the weather I'm sure it'll be fabulous. Watch out for little playmates lurking in the bushes :)

Sandra H arrived next, bringing a really great card for a Man. U fan - aged just four :) It's a perfect card for a footie fan Sandra, a lot of work went into this when you read about all the elements used. Snigger, I wonder how many of us will be hiding in our craft rooms this evening when England get beaten by play Italy in the World Cup? I confess I'll probably be drawn to watch - even if only with horrible fascination.

Next to nip in was Mags B - with both a card and a new game. On wellies day you have to see who can splash the most in the puddles :( Well, we certainly have had the rain over here in the UK for plenty of puddles, my heart goes out to those suffering the effects of flooding further North and I hope you're all safe and dry. Mags' card is here - and it's lovely. Pretty paper, butterflies and gorgeous flowers - along with a link to a video on how to make the flowers.
Thanks for that Mags :)

Despite being in a rush - in fact my fingers are flying along on this little laptop/notebook right now - there's a tale that just popped into my mind. When I was working, one of our offices was based in Carlisle and 'copped it' in their floods a few years back. Needless to say their file server room was on the lower ground floor - despite our pleas for them to move it - and I was back and forwards a bit whilst it was sorted out. Some colleagues up there had suffered in their homes as well in the floods - losing such a lot. But, good ole Northern humour and grit still shone through. Apparently the insurance companies were so inundated with claims they hadn't the resources to send insurance assessors out and just asked for photos of damaged goods to speed up the settlements. Supposedly, the same very expensive and water damaged leather sofa and mahoosive flat screen TV was ceremoniously carted from house to house to be photographed in their front garden for insurance claim purposes. I don't know if this is a true story or not BTW - but I can just picture it happening!

Hazel came to play a few times this week - back with raging mojo fever from her holiday. This was Hazel's first offering, such a lovely ATC with the cutest image of a little girl. Then, we had an Oriental ATC, lovely cherry blossom - some brilliant paper piecing and also pieRcing on this sunny card, a terrific graduation card - love the image Hazel,  and then a card you really just want to lick. It's here, don't you just love the colours - and the papers and colours set the main image off perfectly Hazel!

Next to play was Laura, and do go and see her new profile photo - it's super Laura! What a great card too - pink and white so it ticked lots of boxes right off for me, with a fabulous flower (made using Tim's Tattered Florals dies out of such gorgeous paper) - beautifully designed and made Laura. I think that some partying might be due as (I'm almost sure) Laura has finished her course now, yay!! Well done honey - congratulations from all of us in the playground. And another lovely card from Laura is here, Forever Friends at their best - made for a friend on the same course who may have to re-do part of it. Fingers crossed the appeal goes well for her Laura!

Mary H came to play next, with the cutest image of a koala bear on this card. Hard to believe they are fiesty little critters who can give you a nasty clawing. Wonderful colouring and just look at the great backing paper Mary found in her snippets - just perfectly setting off the image - I love it Mary and hope the friend you made it for has happier days ahead. How thoughtful you crafters are - a card when things aren't going well can be such an uplift.

Next to play was Darnell, back for a return visit so we can't have been too bad after all :) This was the eye catching Thank You card in Melon Mambo and Black, the melon is such a happy colour and a perfect contrast to the black Darnell. Now, do go over and see the really funny image Darnell has in her very witty post - made me laugh out loud! Back to the card, it's just perfect! |And, on a second visit, Darnell brought another of her very amusing cards along to show - made for her sister after she'd had a nasty fall. Do go and see, another witty post despite the accident - do any others of you lie with your legs up in the air after a fall, just like a dead cow then? I couldn't stop laughing - my first thought is to try to get up and run away in shame :)

Tammy brought a great card along, called Sweet Summertime. Terrific colours Tammy and the image you used is just brilliant - if this card was made whilst flying by the seat of your pants I might as well give up right now :). I doubt if any of us can remember wearing swim attire like that although I do remember a semi-woollen swimsuit when I was a kid that stretched almost down to my knees when wet. No wonder I didn't venture into the water much until I grew out of it!

Next to come and play was Shaz in Oz. and this is a really pretty card in mauves, white and black Shaz! I was intrigued to see that Shaz has mastered brayering backgrounds so beautifully - love the background and the stamping is just perfect. Good to see you playing Shaz - take your pick of the toys, the swings are dry as I type this! Back to brayering, I just struggle so much with this - and Elizabeth once said something that I now think of each time I look at my brayer - she says that she approaches hers as if it's a live grenade!

On the subject of Elizabeth, we finally met up on Wednesday and had such a fun time at Jan's along with Julia. Hopefully she'll be back to play with us soon - I must remember to show you the stunning piece she made as a gift. Just fabulous! In fact, the other girls also brought gifts to exchange - my two bowls of raspberry tiramisu made me feel totally inadequate!! Sigh, so much running round meant I just didn't cut the mustard in the end :(

Linby was next, with a card also made for last week's LIM challenge. And wow, what an elegant creation - white and silver for starters, great embossing, lovely butterflies and such a beautiful sentiment Linby! A lovely card and thanks so much for the link to the embossing folder you used as well - do go and look girls, I reckon it's such a useful folder to have - as well as being just gorgeous!

Than Tara arrived, with a totally mind-boggling sketch she'd followed to make her card with. To see her great interpretation, featuring the cutest retro donkey, do hop over to here. I think it's the trickiest sketch I've ever seen (needed to lie down in a darkened room just thinking about tackling it) - but you certainly nailed it Tara. And, the sentiment is just perfect! Well done.

Sarn was next with such a funny card - I truly almost spat tea over the keyboard the other morning when I saw it :) Do go here for a good laugh,  it's such a clever take on Chicken in a Basket - love the cow (on a bicycle for goodness sakes) along with the chooks who do look as if they're having such a fun time whizzing along. Fabby colouring and really pretty flourishes too Sarn - great card!

BTW, remember it's Rudolph Day this coming week girls - Sarn has threatened us with a challenge when making our Rudolph Day cards. So long as it doesn't involve head stands I'm up for it - I think, depending on what gets revealed on 25th June over at Sarn's blog. If it involves head stands or using a brayer I'm OUT!! :)

Hettie (Sam) was next with such a pretty pop-up card for her Mum - it has Hunca Munca (Beatrix Potter) as the main image. Beautifully coloured Sam and a great card all round. Bet your Mum will love it. I love the way Sam tries so many different styles out - this card is so very different to Tim Holtz and Sam just took it in her stride. Beatrix Potter is a great favourite of mine, her old farmhouse in the Lake District is so worth a visit if you're ever in the area BTW.

And last, but certainly not least, was Amanda with these terrific invitations. Both so fresh and the retro phones are super - I love their cheeky smiling faces :) Great combination of colours Amanda, red, orange and turquoise work so well together. Hope the coffee catch-up is a success - the invitations certainly are!

Phew, that was more of a marathon than I realised - my flying fingers are a bit too fast for the baby laptop and it's been really weird waiting for it to play chase with the fingers! But, it's done at last - yay!

Mr Linky is below as usual and the playground will close at noon on Saturday 30th June. Hope you have a great week and please remember to follow the conditions below.

Di
x

The only conditions to playing nicely in the Snippet Playground are that your card (or anything else you wish to bring here to show) must be made by using up snippets (card, paper, lace and ribbon are all fine), and a link back to here in your own blog posting will mean that you'll be included in the Weekly Roll Call. Oh, and no nipping or hair pulling of course :)