Sunday 11 February 2018

Pixies Snippets Playground - Weeks 317/318 - results

I'll be honest and tell you that this post took me FOUR goes to write. I kept getting rogue HTML scattered throughout. I'm no quitter - but this almost had me in tears of total frustration. I'm almost sure it came from 3rd party code such as the Flickr photo I loaded directly (never do that again!) or possibly the Random number gizmo - but oh boy, did it cause havoc! And, as I was juggling four versions at once trying to salvage what I could, we did have one rogue publishing happen - but it was minimal in any case - and if you're trying to juggle a barrel load of wet fish then am sure you know where I was. Hopefully it's all sorted out now though.

Onto happier things and this week we have a lovely lady as our Guest Designer - an immensely clever crafter and also such a lovely person. In fact, she's representative of all of you as each one of you is very special and also very talented. The Playground is such a source of great ideas - as well as lots of fun and frolics of course! Ha, but even little Parsnip went and hid when I was struggling trying to sort this post out - bless him. He sidled up with a little smile and said 'Don't cry Miss Di - I still love you to the moon and back'. Little perisher is probably wanting to share in any Valentine's Day choccies I might have this coming week :)

Jane, of Jane's Journal, has been on my list as a future Guest Designer for ages and I'm delighted we finally managed to find a mutually suitable date.

And, being Jane, we have not one but two fabulous cards - look below but do be sure to hop over to Jane's for the details of how she made them. Her blog is an absolute delight - HERE.


And now, here's Jane herself - brandishing what looks like one very refreshing (as well as large) G&T whilst on holiday last year. Crumbs, that's a very happy girlie!
And here's what Jane wrote when I asked for a bit about herself. There's a lot more to be found over on her blog if you'd like more details about the companies she designs for etc.:

"I have been crafting since I could hold a pencil and made scrapbooks with embellishments as a child before the term "scrap booking" was even heard of. My Mum introduced me to card making over 20 years ago and I also saw a stamped image being embossed using gold embossing powder around that time at a craft fair. I was hooked by the magic. I still own my very first stamps.

My paper crafting journey took a huge leap forward about 5 years ago when I discovered mixed media and leaving behind my patterned papers (I do occasionally pull them out) I found huge satisfaction in creating my own inky backgrounds. Not just for cards but for tags/journals etc. I often make my own journals/pages to record special events and holidays and I am known for making "Moments" for my physical Jane's Journals (yes they really do exist). 

I was also lucky enough to attend a workshop last year with none other than Tim Holtz who is my creative idol. I adore his work and I have learnt so much from him over the years. His distress inks and oxides are my go to products nearly every time I make anything. He really is as kind and lovely as he appears on his videos. He is the Professor of all things inky in my books.

2 years ago, after working for 34 years as an NHS specialist musculoskeletal physiotherapist, I decided to take early retirement to explore the possibility of a new challenge; a "career" in papercrafting. I first joined the Design team for Country View Challenges. At the same time a new vintage Tea Rooms called Dotty's opened in Carshalton High Street, walking distance to my home. I met the owner Rebecca to show her some of my cards and she signed me up on the spot to sell my cards there. I have since sold hundreds of my one of a kind handmade cards.

I'm also on two other design teams and am lucky enough to have had several pieces of my work published and also shown on Create and Craft TV.
Since I retired I have never been so busy and combined with all my crafting work I am blessed to have 2 gorgeous grandchildren, Daisy 4 and Jack nearly 1 who we try to see as much as possible despite the hour and half journey up and down the A3 to Southampton.

Thanks so much Di for inviting me to guest design for you, it is the very least I can do. You are such a kind, generous crafter and friend and I would like to thank you for everything you do here. You have made this such a friendly, kind challenge spot and I always love visiting here. I would like to take this chance to apologize to my fellow playmates that I often don't get time to comment on their blogs but I do visit and admire all your lovely work".

I happen to know from an email the other day that Jane has actually made over 600 cards for Dotty's Tea Rooms! Thanks so much for being our Guest Designer Jane - and also for your very kinds words about the Playground and (blush) yours truly - which you insisted I left in :)

Time now for the fortnightly picks and I want to start off with a very special Gold Star:
Some, but not all of you, will already know that our Playmate Andreas's wonderful Dad (Doug) recently passed away. I've featured some of Doug's knitting work here before and this is a pair of very snazzy leg warmers he made for Andrea (KandA) last Summer - using up snippets of yarn. Doug was 96 and an absolute treasure - so I thought it would be appropriate if, as this is his 'last hurrah' in the Snippets Playground, we gave him a Gold Star - with our love and thanks for being privileged to take peeks into his life and hobbies.

Please feel free to take the Gold Star for your blog Andrea (right hand side bar here). Hopefully it will be a reminder of happier times and also our affection for your lovely Dad.

We had some good giggles on her post over this brilliant card, made by Alison C. Alison was 'super-selfcritical' about this card - yet all we commenters loved it! Lots of really great paper piecing as well as the freestyle tree and presents. I just love it as a really great example of using snippets and coming up with a delightful result. And those little spindly legs with the boots totally crack me up! Alison was so critical of this adorable card that I bet she needs to lie down at being a weekly pick!

I'm a huge fan of card-in-a-box cards - and (CraftDee) Donna shared this real stunner with us. Do hop over to her blog for a closer look if you haven't already been for a 'sticky beak nosy'. Not only is the box card just so perfect - but that little BBQ was made by Donna as well. Great idea - and the BBQ lid even opens up! And Donna is not short of some clever ideas so I suggest you take a look around while you're visiting.

And last, but not least, Sindhu made this amazing calendar. It's just so very pretty, uses loads of snippets of course - and the detail is amazing. You really must pop over to see the close-up photos - absolutely beautiful. I just wish I could produce such a beautifully co-ordinated work of art.

Phew, that was so tough - my initial list of possible picks had 11 names on. And that was purely chosen from all of your entries as a route to having three picks! Your work is always gorgeous girls and it gets harder to choose at the end of each challenge! My list for the current challenge is already huge - but, for my own sanity and also this back (which has been playing up a bit in the cold, damp weather here) I do need to be sensible.

We had four new faces this time around!
Sharon H
Karen Finkle
Gill P
Suzanne H
Welcome to the Playground girls, and such fabulous entries too - it's always fun to see some new faces playing along with us. I hope you come back again soon and also that our Playmates will hop over the say 'Hello' and perhaps add themselves as followers. We're a happy little bunch as I'm sure you'll soon find out.

We had a total of 63 entries including our four new little Playmates. So, we're still climbing back up in numbers - slowly but surely! As I'm putting the finishing touches to this we have 43 entries for the current challenge - with almost a week left to run.

Prize draw time now and our winner of the MFT 'Sushi Date' stamp set, kindly donated by Tara of Seven Hills Crafts, is:
 
Well done April! I just looked back at your comment and see that you're a fan of sushi as well as pandas, so no doubt you'll be doing a Happy Dance. Would you believe that the first three names to come out of the Random Selector gizmo were people who were just playing for fun, which meant I had to run it again of course - so I reckon it really was serendipity!

This time I can post your prize straight off early this coming week as I know exactly where to find your address, it's obvious that you were really keen to win the prize and I know you haven't moved recently either.

But, I will usually ask for your addresses girls if you win - I just happen to have April's address very handy.

On the subject of sushi - what a surprise I had on Thursday when I nipped into our local Sainsbury's for a few bits and pieces (such as fresh fruit) that I just don't trust to our weekly delivery from them. Just guess what was in the process of being stocked ready for opening day - a very swish 'Sushi Gourmet' bar offering a takeaway service! All black, glass and shiny chrome/steel with a single chef just starting to prepare Shitake mushrooms so it seems that you may be able to watch them actually making the sushi. It seems to be a new enterprise opening up in various supermarkets with sushi made fresh in situ - good for them!

Keep those snippets entries coming, you still have a week left to play HERE for Challenge #319! The prize is the 'Lil Inkers 'Love You More Than Words' die plus a pack of XCut adhesive glitter paper in luscious colours.

Just to whet your appetite a bit, I have some really great (IMHO) prizes coming along. The Playground Toybox is looking so healthy and, as I try to do, we have some quite new and innovative products that I wanted to try out - and then of course bought the same for the Toybox! Other than that, my lips are sealed - and I'm off to search for some duct tape to cover 'blabbermouth Parsnip's' mouth!

Love from the little white peril Parsnip - and of course me,


30 comments:

  1. Congrats to the winners and the lovely tribute to Doug was heart warming and I shed a tear, it was lovely and I adore those socks. I love coming here and reading your blog, I read every word. Thanks for the lovely welcome. I'll be back to play with more snippets when I craft some more. Xx xxx

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  2. Sorry for your problem with the net, Di!
    Welcome to the super talented Jane as GD! I'm stunned by her first card,Wow! Such amazing work!
    Lovely pics and I'm impressed by the talent of Andreas's Dad. She can be very proud of him and for the Gold Star!
    Hugs to you and to the white cute bear named Parsnip :D

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  3. Despite your suffering juggling all those wet fish (ewww!), you have written another awesome post, full of laughter and tears, and again I enjoyed seeing the picks, and visiting Jane. Congrats to April, and what a lovely tribute to Doug xxx

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  4. Oh dear! This post was definitely a labour of love - poor you! Janes cards are wonderful, I can see why 600 have been needed at the coffee shop. Fab picks and so nice to see Doug featured with a gold star - a very fitting tribute. How cool to welcome four new playmates and congratulations to April! Take care of that back of yours my friend! Hugs xxxxx

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  5. What a bummer about the computer problems! Something happened so our desk top with the icons is now hidden & I've done everything but reinstall Windows 10--scars me it will make things worse! At least it's still perfectly usable. Don't know how you do the picks & I know it's a lot of work! Wonderful idea to give the gold Star for Doug's leg warmers. My dad lived to 93 & I miss him every day.
    Just because someone was old doesn't make it any easier to loose them. Hugs to you & Parsnip!

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  6. Oooh, congratulations to the winner, to Jane, and to your picks! There is so much talent out there and I never tire of admiring all of the creative projects that you share on the blog. From the peeks at Jane's beautiful cards it's no wonder the Tea Room has been able to sell so many of them. The description of your computer problems both horrifies and confuses me because, as you know, I have my own tangles with uploads and linkies and all those challenging issues. Eeek! Hoping the computer gremlins go easier on you next time Di, and thank you for struggling through for us every week.

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  7. Gosh what a marathon writing this post turned out to be - you should have a gold star for perseverance!! Your posts are always so interesting to read and lovely to see some of the playmates as guest designers. Great mixed media work this time from Jane. Hope you've found somewhere to hide your Valentine chocs so that Parsnip doesn't scoff them all.

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  8. Good morning dear Di. What a pain re your post writing problems but what a star you are persevering. Hello fellow playmates too and I am delighted to be assistant and crafting helper to Miss with my GD post today. Thanks for the lovely comments. Well done to the great pics of the week and congrats to April. A big hug to Andrea re her dear Dad, what a sweetie he was. The sunshine is back here after the most dire wet day yesterday so I walk with my camera beckons...have a fab creative week all and again my greatest thanks Di for everything you do here. Huge crafty hugs, Jane xxx

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  9. I do, I'm lying down and need a sip of that luscious looking G&T. (Though perhaps it's a bit early). Thank you and well done for persevering with the post, you probably need to lie down too. Beautiful cards from Jane, I look forward to a closer look. X

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  10. Great blog today and lovely cards and projects. Poor you Di with all the problems getting the blog done, but a big thank you from me for all your hard work.

    xxx

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  11. Fabulous pics this week and a well deserved Gold Star for Doug too.
    Kath x

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  12. It was worth all of your hard work Di, lovely cards from Jane and great picks too, especially the leg warmers (not seen any of those for a long time).

    Sue xx

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  13. Mm dear Di, so sorry you had so much messy blogger antics, trust it’s a one off.. and no more shenanigans for anyone!!!
    Love the creations by Jane, and Doug’s knitting very worthy of a gold star. Wonderful work... by all the playground buddies and congrats to April too!
    Hugs Shaz in Oz.x

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  14. Thank you so much Miss Di for the lovely tribute to my Dad Doug and I shall take the Gold Star and show it off with pride in his memory.
    Jane's cards are both wonderful and the sentiments are fabulous... no wonder she sells so many. Love the picks this week and the super use of snippets. A big Hi to all the new Playmates and congrats to April on her win xx

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  15. How lovely to have Jane as your GD this time Di with her two fabulous cards, and congratulations to all your delightful picks with wonderful use of those snippets, and such a super gold star award in memory of Andrea's dad Doug, to have been doing something so creative into his nineties. Finally, well done to April for winning that great prize. x

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  16. Goodness you have had it all going on. Great choice for the gold star and lovely cards by the GD. Well done to April too. I do have an idea for a snippets card, been meaning to do it for weeks now, just need time to get to it!

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  17. Congrats to April and the top picks and you for persevering and overcoming. Hugz

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  18. Thank you so much Di! What a wonderful surprise! I have been completely knocked sideways by flu over the last two weeks so have done nothing more creative than lie in bed. Such a lovely gold star win and gorgeous cards from Jane! Fab picks too. Sorry to hear about the pesky HTML!! Hugs, April xx

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  19. Love Jane's fab bird card, but the legwarmers really touched my heart. So glad you shared that with us, Di.
    Wonderful picks, too.

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  20. Great picks and awesome cards...love the legwarmers, what a wonderful story!

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  21. Wonderful picks, wonderful guest designer and a wonderful author, oh and Parsnip too!

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  22. Jane's cards are gorgeous! I loved seeing the picks too! So beautiful! Congrats to the winner and picks! I see my friend Suzanne has joined in the fun - Yay! It's so nice to see her kitty card!

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  23. Poor you, bet it was a nightmare, bad enough having to do a post once, let alone four times, turned out great in the end though.
    Super picks and a super set of cards from Jane.
    Have a good week.

    Kath x

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  24. Jane's cards are stunners - she's very talented.

    Congrats to everyone who got showcased and also to April on her win.

    Sorry to hear about Andrea's dad.

    Hugs, Sarn xxx

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  25. Good Evening Di... well it is here - both "good" and "evening" :-)) Thanks so much for picking my card-in-a-box this week, so glad you liked it - and talk about blushing, thanks for your kind compliments too!!
    What a lovely tribute to Doug, I'm glad you persevered with your post so we got to read the lovely story behind those leg warmers, heartfelt wishes for better days to come for Andrea too.
    It's lovely to see your "GD" at work, such a great talent - it's nice to get ideas from experts!
    Thanks again for all the work you (and Parsnip!) put in, Donna xx

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  26. I'm glad you got the HTML demons thrashed into line, and that must have been so frustrating! Hope you fixed whatever was the culprit so you needn't deal with it ever again. Some lovely entries, and I was entranced with the darling hemstitched penguins! Also the foldout bbq. So much imagination and then the skill to create what was imagined. Leaves my mind boggled. What a sweet idea to showcase the starred leg warmers, and what a fabulous person to still create at age 96. Condolences to Kanda. Hope the back doesn't get you down, and happy to be able to hop over quickly and say Hi to Parsnip and the Elves (and yourself of course!) Will try to get to the new Elves as it's always fun to make new Playground friends. TFS & have a great week.

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  27. Super cards from Jane...another talented lady! Great picks as always Di, glad you have to choose as it must get difficult for you each time!
    Janice x

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  28. Thanks for your comments Di, here a card for Parsnip! CarolG
    https://creationsnz.blogspot.co.nz/2018/02/fur-you.html

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  29. Congrats to April and to everyone else who took time to make cards and play along. Everyone always does such a wonderful job of keeping me inspired and I thank you!

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  30. Di, thank you so much for mentioning me as a newcomer and displaying my card. I really appreciate that!

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Thank you so much if you take the time to comment!

This is a public blog. Those leaving a comment on any post on this blog or entering a piece of artwork into a linky do so in the knowledge that their name and blog link are visible to all who visit this blog and in so doing have published their own personal details and consented to my use of that personal information should they be selected as a winner or to accredit work.