Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #364

First of all, hope you remembered to switch from British Summer Time to GMT! Or any other clock changes that take place this weekend where you live - an extra hour in bed, whoop, whoop! Darker evenings though, sigh. And Dudley won't know the difference so we could be up at the usual time anyhow, until he gets to know the routine.

Talk about weather for ducks here! Thursday was the worst rain I've seen or been out in for a very long time but we had to take Dudley to try out the new grooming place so no option but to head out with waterproofs and umbrellas at the ready. We dropped Dudley off and as it wasn't worth coming back home we whiled away the time in a nearby Sainsbury's - picking up some shopping then finished off in the supermarket's cafeteria, watching the torrential downpour with coffee and a snack, before almost swimming across the car park back to Len's car to return and collect Dudley. Certainly a day we'd have preferred to have spent at home!

My snippets card today features two dies, which are this fortnight's prize. The sentiment came from another set - one which I hardly ever use and (to me) apart from this sentiment it's very focused on the word 'pink' and works well with flamingos - but I didn't waste money by buying another set to offer when you might only use one of the sentiments. Anyhow, the sentiments set was a Playground prize ages ago.

So, here you go - and yes, I did almost need to lie down in a darkened room to recover after making this - although it really was huge fun, if I'm really honest:

I used:

- DL (4" x 8.25") white card blank

- a tree, die cut from a snippet of brown card using a Memory Box 'Budding Tree' die and kept to one side

- at that point I decided to stamp the sentiment, using the die cut tree to see how it would balance out - I used an MFT stamp from the 'Tickled Pink' set of stamps

- then glued the tree die cut in place using a glue pen

- next, the fun began! I take daily medication as you know, although some of it is now twice daily. Bear with me - this is an idea I promise! Always have problems with tiny die cuts and losing them or messing them about too much - so I dug out a 'once a day' pill organiser box with flip up lids that I no longer use

- and blow me down, there are seven colours in the rainbow so that box stepped in beautifully with seven days to a week

- a lot of weeks ago, I had the idea for this card but to be honest, making it always slightly scared me. I may have seen the idea elsewhere but to me it was just such a great way to use up snippets

- I had tootled into our local DIY store for some paint chips (aka colour samples in the UK) and at the same time picked out the colours of the rainbow - which have been on my desk literally for months whilst I procrastinated. I count them as snippets!

- so, I then die cut the butterflies using a Memory Box die called 'Mini Butterflies' - which I've also had for ages. The die is no more than an inch square and has six little butterflies on it

- that's when lunacy set in ............as it often does here. I cut each colour - six times, they were popped into their own little 'compartment in the pill box! Six times six is 36, times seven - which made 252 butterflies in total. Not that I used that many in the end so there's enough left for at least one, possibly two further cards

- and then, using a glue pen and a pair of tweezers I stuck a load of butterflies onto and slightly around the tree and finished off by adding a stream of them (coming into land on the tree) across the rest of the card, tapering off as I went. I found it easiest to only glue three at a time of each colour to get a more even 'spread' and overall, once I got into a rhythm, it didn't take as long as anticipated

- almost finished until I added a swipe of warm grey Pro marker to 'ground' the tree/cast a shadow and of course it bled through to the inside of the card front - just added a panel across the whole of the inside of the card front to hide it. Job done!

I do love the significance of the sentiment with the host of happy butterflies looking as if they getting ready for a little party in that tree, saying 'Life is better with friends'.

And, the 'Budding Tree' die will be used for lots of other cards here I hope. I had tried to get a Memory Box Arboscello tree die but couldn't track one down. In both cases, by snipping the buds or leaves off, you have a totally bare tree which would look lovely in white against a deep blue background. The tree could then dotted with sparkle for a Christmas card.

I also like that, with one pass through the Cuttlebug, I could cut six teeny butterflies in one go using the 'Mini Butterflies' die. And of course they can be just added individually to cards or perhaps arranged in a circle or similar - lots of possibilities and a great way to use up little snippets. Did find having a glue eraser/rubber was very handy by the way!

A few of us have issues with losing tiny die cuts as we're working. I usually use the upturned plastic top from a finished big tub of cotton buds - but did like the pill organiser to keep those tiny butterflies not only segregated into colours but also with flip up lids in case I accidentally knocked it over or, worse still, onto the floor.

And you already know what the prize is for this fortnight:

A Memory Box 'Budding Tree' die and a Memory Box 'Mini Butterflies' die. I'd prefer not to split the prize - you can always give part of it to another crafting friend of course.

As always, the Snippets Challenge will run for two weeks and the Playground gates will close at 11am UK time on Saturday 9th November. 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.

So, Dudley had a really close cut on Thursday. His ears had been too long and straggly so they've been cleverly trimmed, teensy bit trimmed off his tail - and a lot off the rest of him! To be honest, he's almost too short for the moment but we know it'll only be a week or two until his hair begins to show the benefit of his trim as it grows back. The new groomer is a lovely lady who absolutely loves Dudley. He even came home with a dear little flower (in blue for a boy) on his collar - and not a hint of a razer burn!!

The plan is to take Dudley to her for the full blown trims - and in between those to take him to our local grooming place for a bath, blow dry, nail trim and his paws and pads scissored so he doesn't look as if he's wearing Ugg boots.

He's slept quite a lot since the grooming session, he always does. So, for now, I don't didn't have any new photos of him. He's currently in his favourite position at the stop of the stairs, on his side, fast asleep - with his beloved toy 'Stinky Monkey' within reach of course! NB. Written on Friday - the little tinker is now full of beans on Saturday, eating like a horse and wants to play chase all the time. I think his dignity was just a bit injured to be honest :)

I had a further appointment with my GP during the week and hooray, the uric acid readings are now well below the danger line so, for now, no more blood tests and no more tinkering with the dosage of Allopurinol. 300mg all the way, unless (heaven forbid) it flares up again.

And I haven't mentioned our dear little garden hedgies for ages on here. They're doing great, still coming to feed each night although before long we think they'll hibernate of course. They all look to be a good weight to get them through Winter, which is a relief.

Edit: We just had a 'before and after collage' of Dudley emailed to us by his new groomer, how sweet is that for an idea. He wasn't quite finished in the second photo, his chest still needed more work and some straggly ends to be clipped but the groomer likes to allow the dogs little breaks. I did giggle, he almost looks in a state of shock in the 'after' photo - but in fact he was very relaxed, as well as very white and smelling of baby powder scented shampoo/conditioner, when we arrived to pick him up. He looks as if he's baring his bottom teeth like 'You truly mean you need to do MORE?'. Here he is - and perhaps you can see why I feel he needs a couple of weeks to regain some of his fluffiness and look more like our Dudley again! :)

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