Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 199

Phew, thanks so much to Eve for taking the pressure off me this past week - both by commenting and also choosing the weekly picks. It's been a busy time here, from the beginning of the week and then Len had a special Birthday on Thursday and we've been celebrating :)

My snippets card was made to be given to the Birthday Boy from all the garden wildlife he so diligently looks after - and hedgies seemed to be a good choice for the image:

I used:

- A4 white card stock, cut to 6" width but left full length so it would go through the Cuttlebug

- Presscut die set called 'Step Card Cutting' - I first spotted this fabulous set over at Liz's blog, and in fact she sent me the card she'd shown too! Needless to say, my little feet didn't touch the ground - whoosh, I was off to order it!

- first I cut the main body of the card. I'd read someone in a review saying that you needed extended plates if you just had a small platform as I have on the Cuttlebug. Not so at all! I just taped the main cutting die in place on the card stock with removable sticky tape then after cutting one half just moved the uncut card and die (which was still in place) up between the plates and then cut that part - simples

- folded the card on the score lines and it was ready to decorate

- next die cut four scalloped panels using green snippets from the snippets folder (I suspect they could be Papermania paper) and added those to the stepper card

- the image is a Penny Black stamp - pre-loved and called 'For You'. Stamped using Memento 'Tuxedo Black' ink and coloured using Pro Markers

- then die cut the image using a die from the Spellbinders 'Distressed Rectangles' set

- added 'It's your birthday' to the image using Memento 'Tuxedo Black' ink and a stamp from SU's 'For the Birds' set then stuck the panel in place

- the 'Hope you have a perfect day' was stamped in Memento 'Tuxedo Black' and the stamp is an ancient Elzybells one (sadly discontinued)

- cut down the sentiment and popped it onto a backing frame of orange card (another snippet) and stuck it in place

This die cutting set is absolutely brilliant - I even used one final die once I'd printed off the greeting to go inside - it's actually shaped to sit beautifully inside the card. Thanks for pointing me to this great set Liz!!

Let's move straight onto Eve's picks from last week, and why she picked them:

39. Carol L.   Because that owl is just adorable. Her paper piecing is perfect and with the added colouring it brings it to life. Love the colours too!

40. Sparkling Pink (Ileana).  The Promarker colouring on this card is amazing and it looks like a bit of paper piecing too – stunning!

42. Jackie T.  This fabulous scene is magical. Everything is perfectly placed and the sky looks dreamlike with that flying Santa image.

43. Diane H.  Wow! A crisp, clean card which looks like a work of art.

56. Alison C.  When I first saw this card I thought that Alison had punched out patterned paper but she has actually stamped those squares – fabulous! It also looks like a real fabric quilt.

I did giggle, Eve hit my problem - absolutely unable to whittle down to a top three - and even then I'm sure there were many other entries she could have included above! Well done to everyone who entered, whether a pick or not.

We have two new Playmates this week:

 

Sara made a wonderful snippets card - and created the beautiful background by using real fallen maple leaves, inks and her brayer. Fascinating to read how she did it on her blog post - go see :)

Ellen came to play next, all the way from Norway, bringing us two fabulous cards to show - this is her first one.  Love all the vintage detail, so pretty!

Welcome to the Playground Sara and Ellen - we do hope to see you again.

And of course it's time for the draw for last week's two prizes of SU stamp sets, kindly donated by Eve. First out and the winner for Prize A, the 'Nature's Perfection' and 'Simply Wonderful' sets is:

Elizabeth

Elizabeth was happy to be in with a chance for any of the stamp sets and it's lovely to see her win as she doesn't often say 'Yes please'.

And the next winner, for Prize B, 'A Happy Thing' set is:

Linby (Lynn B)

And this was a happy choice too as Lynn was only playing for the 'A Happy Thing' set - apparently she doesn't have any bird stamps and also Eve's lovely 'lemons' card using the same set had inspired her!

So, we should have two happy bunnies :) I just checked and it's well over a year since either of you girlies had a win - plus I do still have your snail mail addresses so will pop your prizes in the post this coming week.

And for this coming week, I bet you already guessed what the prize is?!

Yup, it's your very own Presscut 'Step Card Cutting' set of dies - and as I already said, you can use this set perfectly well on something as small as a Cuttlebug too!

The Snippets Challenge will run for one week and the Playground gates will close at 11am UK time on Saturday 24th October. The gates will open again at midnight UK time on the same day, just before we turn our clocks back and then really step into shorter days.

Maximum of three entries and please also link back to the Playground in your blog post to be eligible for the draw. As always, I only include folk who say a positive 'yes' for the prize in a comment. In the past I sometimes had to do redraws after publishing winners so decided this was easier. Plus, some weeks the prize is made up of different items, some of which folk may or may not want.

Mr Linky is below - please let me know if you have any problems linking, it's easy for me to sort out so don't struggle on alone :)

Thank you so much again to Eve for all her help this past week - I do have a little list here of names of playmates who have offered to have a turn at being Prefect for a week and it's good to know that help is out there.

Have a great week, and thank you all for your wonderful comments and support to one another - and especially your support to Eve who worked so hard! This is what she wrote in her email when she sent her picks to me yesterday morning - and I fully endorse her words, it's you girls who make the Playground so very special:

'I would like to thank everyone again for their warm comments and for making me feel very welcome. The playground really is the best place in blog land.'

Di and of course, Parsnip!
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