Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #350

Easter is almost here! The local kiddies have already been off school for a week now. Mixed weather for them so far but the past couple of days have been gloriously sunny and quite warm.

Dudley didn't have his trim as planned on Thursday (although I finally had my own hair trimmed etc. on Tuesday - at last!). But, Dudley's 'Auntie Steph' has moved to another branch and that leaves the local groomers without anyone qualified to do a scissor trim at the moment - so we're off down to Winchester on Thursday with 'a no doubt yodeling his head off' Dudley to see Auntie Steph for a trim. Recently the little chap has started to develop mats of hair where his harness rubs. We're doing out best to keep on top of them but it's a lot of extra work and probably not all that comfortable for Dudley - although we're both very gentle when working on him. So he might come home with a puppy cut of sorts - but certainly not shaved which is the only option at the local branch right now! Watch this space for more news after the visit :)

And here's my snippets card for this fortnight:

I used:

- 5.5" x 4.25" white card blank, tent style to make a step further on that bit easier

- a snippet of Kate Knight's 'Totally Tropical' paper, which was free with a magazine ages ago. I was reminded that I still had some snippets of this gorgeous paper when Sandra H entered a card into the Playground just recently

- a snippet of blue card to add to the strip of patterned paper - later on

- snippets of bright pink, blue and green card - which do match the patterned paper better than in the photo needless to say

- onto those snippets I stamped a selection of nine sweet little pandas from the Clearly Besotted 'Panda Planner' set of stamps. Three pandas for each colour, stamped using the Misti and a Memento 'Tuxedo Black' ink pad

- then used my SU 1" square punch to punch out the little images into squares

- gently did some pencil lines on the card front and adhered the nine squares using a tape runner - then rubbed out the pencil lines

- at that point I could see just how much room I had left at top and bottom of the card and trimmed down the patterned paper into two strips, leaving overhangs at either side

- popped them onto strips of the blue card using the tape runner

- final touch was to flip the card front over and, from the back, trim off the excess from the strips at the sides of the card

I do so love this sweet little set of panda stamps, some very clever touches in the designs if you look closely (eg. the panda holding the heart has hearts in his eyes) - and there are actually 12 stamps in the set to choose from. So, you could make a lovely little planner with a different panda for each month! I didn't add a sentiment as my box of 'ready finished cards' is sadly very low on general cards.

And of course, the prize this fortnight is this:

It's a set of stamps, same as the ones I used, made by Clearly Besotted called 'Panda Planner'. AND, there's more as well!! I bought these stamps whilst laid up and scouting round for nice bargains for the Playground toy box. There was a little hiccup with one of the Clearly Besotted orders and they were so quick to put things right. During our email exchanges I mentioned that the reason I buy two of so many of their products is for the Playground - purely as it can trip sellers up when I order two of things. And guess what - ping - back came another email with a gift card code for £15 worth of Clearly Besotted goodies to offer to you girls as a prize. So - rather than adding something else to this little stamp set from the toy box - the prize now is the stamp set AND £15 worth of Clearly Besotted goodies for you to choose for yourself! I might even enter as well this time, snigger :)

How great was that then, such a lovely gesture. I would like to offer both parts of the prize as one complete prize - betcha all love those dear little pandas anyhow! So you would receive the panda stamps directly from me and I would also forward the Clearly Besotted email onto you for you to use at your leisure - I've checked and there's no time limit on the validity of the gift card code.

As always, the Snippets Challenge will run for two weeks and the Playground gates will close at 11am UK time on Saturday 27th April. The gates will open again at midnight UK time on the same day.

It's a maximum of ONE entry and 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're wanting 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 playing only for fun - otherwise I don't add you to my little list.

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 ☺

I'm still having a few leftover aches and pains after the dreaded gout - but nothing like it was and each day generally brings a step forward - so to speak, basically it's probably the long term arthritis having a moan!

And, as Dudley is having what might be more of a trim than usual - I took a few photos on Thursday late afternoon when we were in the garden with him:

This is the routine - which I look forward to each evening. First of all, a couple of treats from Mama. It's the big brown eyes they can't resist :)

And then, doing my impression of a baby polar bear - and dancing as well - for treats from Daddy too. I can dance on my two back legs perfectly - a throw back to the days of my ancestors being street entertainers

No harm in lying here looking soulful in the hope of more treats is there? What? You're gonna wash my face when I get back indoors? I'll have you know, I worked hard to get it this grubby!

OK, point taken. Not too many treats at once - so now I'll just curl up and have forty winks. BTW, I know it looks just like a fluffy rug but it really is me - head with peachy ears nearest the camera and tail at the far end. It's my 'isn't he tiny and doesn't he look cute' look!

 

It's true, Dudley does look tiny when he's curled up asleep - on the other hand he looks just the opposite when splayed out on a cool tiled floor like a starfash! And yes, he really does feel as soft and silky as he looks. Len says he's a great accessory for a chap out walking with him - all the ladies stop to coo and make a fuss, of Dudley of course!

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