Sunday Snippets - Fractured Christmas card

Reminded by Carol L's 'pick' last week. I revisited the Fractured Card 'technique' the other day:

I used:

- 5.5" x 4.25" white card blank, side opening

- a snippet of white card covered with a piece of patterned paper from the really lovely Honey Bee 'Make It Merry' paper pad

- trimmed the panel to measure an eighth of an inch less than the card blank on all four sides as the base and set it to one side

- die cut a snippet of the same white card using a 2" Heffy Doodles 'Stitched Squares' die ready for the sentiment

- I die cut a 4" square 'jig' with a scrap of card and die cut the centre portion out using the same 2" stitched square die turned to sit with the points facing top. bottom and the two sides 

- stamped 'MERRY and BRIGHT' using a sentiment from Penny Black's 'Yuletide Wishes' set of stamps and a VersaFine Clair 'Shady Lane' ink pad - and the mini Misti

- glued the sentiment die cut onto the front panel of patterned paper

- cut four quarter inch wide strips of a snippet of plain green paper from the same pad as the patterned paper came from - always a good way to match colours

- then, one at a time I used a glue pen to glue them from a corner of each side of the sentiment panel, right down to the edge patterned layer

- flipped the paper covered panel over and trimmed off the 'overhanging bits'

- adhered the completed panel onto the card blank using narrow foam strips - finished! Sorry, no photo of the white and green snippets I used 

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

- Christmas Kickstart #88 - 'Festive Frames' (I hope the Fractured technique counts as forming a frame around the sentiment panel) 

- Allsorts Challenge Week 788 - under the 'Anything goes' option.

Dudley Pupdate: Dudley has been a proper little pickle this past week! We had a guy here doing some regular maintenance work and the little scamp decided that he would make a good Mum to his puppies if you get my drift. Oh the shame of it - so determined was Dudley that he even skipped away from a treat as I was trying to close him in the craft room with me! Luckily the chap could see the funny side of it. 

Then, I went to have my hair chopped and there was a sweet little dog in the salon so of course I made a fuss of him.  When I got home Dudley was very excited as always - practically breaking the front door down. But not long after my arrival he 'really' sniffed my leg and he probably picked up Teddy's whiff, froze, glared and stalked off to bury his head under Len's pillow .... showing his bottom to us - purely to demonstrate that he was in a 'strop'!!  I tell you - it's like having Kevin The Teenager living here!!

Remember, I've just kicked off a new challenge over in the Snippets Playground HERE. 

Hope to see you on the swings, the weather is up and down at the moment - so perhaps the seesaw would be a better choice? Corny, I know. 

Love as always, Dudley Dog and me

Sunday Snippets - Nativity Bauble

Well, that's been quite a heatwave here - all of three days or so but it was truly scorching! 30.9 degrees at one point in my craft room with no air-con in a UK house - even with a fan blowing as much as I dared for fear of blowing die cuts about the place - absolutely not fun! It's cooler on Friday, as I write this post, and to be honest (even though it might seem ungrateful) we're very glad to have some respite.

I recently picked up a set of dies to continue with my plan to make more of our Christmas cards this year to reflect the true message of Christmas:

I used:

- 5.5" x 4.25" white card blank, tent style

- a sheet of green shaded paper from the Honey Bee 'Make It Merry' paper pad from which I die cut the base layer of the bauble 

- then cut the gold top layer of the bauble - using a snippet of Stick It backed 'Inca Gold' mirror card and a die from Sweet Dixie's 'Nativity Bauble' set of dies - I also cut the little hanging string and the holly leaf embellishment at the same time

- took a sheet of shades of red paper from the Honey Bee paper pad and trimmed it to fit onto the card front with a quarter inch border all round

- before going any further I added the gold bauble, string and top embellishment to the red panel, to easily position it and also to be able to accurately snip off the top of the overhanging gold 'string'

- glued the red paper onto a piece of 'Inca Gold' card measuring an eighth of an inch bigger all round for a narrow border

- added the pre-assembled double layered 'Inca Gold' sentiment from my little pot of ones I make up when I just want to craft for a short time with the TV or You Tube on - the die is one of my favourites of course - Tonic's Mini 'Merry Christmas' 

- adhered the front panel to the card front, using very narrow sticky foam strips and the usual glue stick trick

- finished!

And of course, I made two the same whilst I was at it! I'm still not hitting my monthly Christmas card progress target for various reasons but have plans up my sleeve ........... never fear!

I'd like to enter this card into Darnell's NBUS Challenge #63 HERE - the 'Nativity Bauble' die set was having a first outing, as was the lovely Honey Bee double sided 'Make it Merry' paper pad - some really fresh looking designs along with plenty of toning plain/shaded sheets, I love it - watch out for a few 'Fractured' cards for Christmas appearing here before long! 

The Rudolph Days Challenge for June 2024 HERE

And, into the current Allsorts Challenge, under the 'Anything Goes' rule.

I've finally finished the 6 week long eye drops regime, due to having back to back ops and have now made an appointment for an eye test in two or three weeks time. Watch this space folks. 👁👁

Dudley Pupdate: When we saw our vet in early Spring she suggested trying Dudley with the one gap in his 'meds' ....... the dreaded and so hard to administer every three months 'additional' worming pill. I won't go into the details of the extra worm that the pill protects against but from my Biology days at school it's gruesome - and who wants to risk that for their beloved pet.

So, the different brand recommended pills were bought even though we suspected there might be fun and games ahead. At this point I should say that for over a year, Dudley has had a daily multi-vitamin pill popped into his little breakfast dish. Granted he does sometimes try to skip out of it but he does always eat it without any problems when reminded. Soooo, we did hope we might be ahead of the game and popped a worming pill in with his brekkies in place of the multi-vitamin and just carried on as normal. One lick and a crunch ......... and it was quickly rejected by Dudley! As luck would have it, I still had some breakfast toast with jam on in my hand, so I popped the crunched pieces onto teeny little bits of the jammy toast - and down they went! Relief!

BUT, whilst sitting on the edge of our bed later on I spotted about quarter of the pill that had escaped our notice in his initial 'quick, spit it out' session! Ho hum! I gently called Dudley, dozing nearby on the bed with his beloved 'Honks' beside him, to come for a cuddle. Poor little guy sleepily as well as innocently came into my open arms and with one swift movement I gently grasped his muzzle as his jaws instinctively clamped shut. 

However, there is that little 'side opening' in dog's teeth/gums so I lifted his side lip and popped the quarter pill right in. Dudley was so shocked that he swallowed it straight down. Then - he sat and looked accusingly at me as if to say 'You conned me Mama! I was hoping for a treat, at the very least'. Naturally, I felt so bad but it had to be done - I doubt if it can be repeated so easily but I'll try again in September - three months down the line. PS - of course he was given a little treat and all was forgiven. Doubtful about the 'forget' part of that phrase though!!

Very importantly, the results of Challenge #482 are now published HERE. 

Do please come and play in Sarn's current challenge over in the Snippets Playground! Just scroll down from my results post - over in the Playground.

Love from myself and Dudley, xxx

Sunday Snippets - Especially For You

I initially made this snippets card with Christmas in mind but I don't have a small enough long Christmas sentiment die that would look right - so it's now for a Birthday, a Thank You or similar:

I remembered to take a photo of the leftover pieces of snippet for once!

I used:

- 5.75" x 5.75" square white card blank, side opening

- a snippet of white card for the background

- a snippet of Tonic 'Inca Gold' mirror card, backed with a snippet of Stick It adhesive sheet then die cut using a Gummiapan die called 'Doodled Gifts'

- peeled off the backing paper and popped it straight onto the snippet of white card for the background

- then covered a piece of white card with Altenew 'Gold Splatter - Blush' washi tape - it's 4.25" wide, very pretty and has been unopened for ages

- die cut a 4" x 4" square from the washi tape covered card, using a die from Heffy Doodle's 'Stitched Squares' set of dies and set it to one side

- used a piece of leftover washi tape covered card to die cut the little pile of gifts - after covering the back with Stick It sheet

- popped the pink washi pieces into the apertures in the pile of gifts - some of them were teeny tiny!

- die cut the white image panel using a smaller Heffy Doodle 2.5" x 2.5" 'Stitched Squares' die

- trimmed a piece of Tonic 'Inca Gold' to just leave a narrow margin around the pink panel and glued them together

- glued the image panel onto the pink washi covered panel

- added the whole panel to the front of the card using thin sticky foam strips and the 'glue stick' trick

- finally, covered the back of another snippet of Tonic 'inca Gold' mirror card with 'Stick It' adhesive sheet and die cut it using a die from Tattered Lace's 'Sentiment Borders' set of dies

- snipped the sentiment down to the three words 'Especially For You', which are repeated along the die several times, peeled off the Stick It backing and stuck it in place - finished!

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

- Darnell's NBUS Challenge #63 HERE, the Altenew pink washi tape, Gummiapan 'Doodled Gifts' die, Tattered Lace set of 'Sentiment Borders' dies and also the Heffy Doodle 'Stitched Squares' dies set were all having a first outing! Four NBUS items in one go - whoopie!

- Creations in Pink - Challenge #71 HERE

Dudley Pupdate: Just in time for some hot weather here, Len trimmed Dudley this past week. He's like a little newborn lamb right now - looks so small with delicate little feet and legs now that his 'Ugg boots' have been shorn off. His hair grows back really fast so it's only a couple of weeks before he's all fluffed up again.

Sarn has just kicked off challenge #483 over in the Snippets Playground HERE  Hope to see you there - the paddling pool has a very slow puncture so I'm afraid there's a 'rota' for us all do a stint on topping the air up! Dudley is 'excused boots' as he would take forever to add even the slightest bit of air! 

Love as always, Dudley Dog and me,

Sunday Snippets - 'smile'

A fairly pink card from me:

I used:

- 5.5" x 4.25" white card blank - side opening

- used an Altenew 'Bold Floral' stamp and Clair VersaFine 'Morning Mist' inkpad to stamp the flower onto a snippet of the same white card as the card blank (I have a 'thing' about whites being the same shade)

- then coloured the flower using Arteza Watercolour pencils and a fine brush

- die cut the flower using a matching die and set it to one side

- die cut a lattice panel from a snippet of Tonic pearlised 'Luna Silver', using a lovely unbranded die gifted to me by a kind friend and also set that to one side

- die cut the pink frame from a 5.25" x 4" snippet of pink linen effect card, using a die from Penny Black's 'stitched frames' set of dies - which left me with the centre as a further snippet for future use

- backed the pink frame with a 5" x 3.75" snippet of the same white card using very narrow red line tape

- at that point I could pop the frame with the white centre panel into the Misti and juggle the silver lattice die cut and the flower about to position the 'smile' sentiment, before removing the lattice and flower then stamping the sentiment using 'Morning Mist' again. The sentiment is from the Funky Fossil 'Making Memories' set of stamps that were part of the prize in Challenge #480 

- then stuck the lattice panel onto the front panel using Stix2 micro dots

- adhered the flower using thin sticky pads

- finally, stuck the front panel onto the card front using very narrow foam tape - and the glue stick trick of course

And, whilst everything was out on the desk I made a second card almost the same, just changing the colours:

I'd like to enter the pink card into the following challenges:

- Darnell's NBUS challenge #63 - HERE- the lattice die was having its first outing

- Allsorts Challenge #785 HERE - under the 'Anything goes' option

- Creations in Pink - Challenge #71 HERE

Dudley Pupdate: The other day, Len spotted a new bit of cooperation between Dudley and myself that I'd been keeping quiet until we both perfected it. Honka Duck is a pretty big thing for such a small chap to carry at the same time as he uses a strategically placed footstool to hop up onto our bed. So, if I'm sitting either in or on the side of our bed he brings Honka to me and holds him up in the air. That's my signal to take Honka from him and put him onto our bed so that Dudley can then skip around to the foot of the bed and hop up. It worked so seamlessly and Len's jaw did drop. 'How did he learn that one? was his question, at which I just shrugged as if it was the simplest thing in the world! Little does he know how long we've been working on it!

It was my turn for a little surprise on Thursday when I couldn't find Dudley anywhere - suddenly I spotted him and had to grab my camera to take this photo:

Len was sitting at his desk playing the guitar and Dudley was on his 'lookout' fleece covered table beside him .......... with his head resting on Len's arm as he dreamily absorbed some Spanish melodies! Apparently he was like that for around 20 minutes, I wonder it it's in his DNA? Havanese are descended from dogs of the Bichon variety that were originally taken to Cuba (hence the Havana link) by Spanish Traders many years ago. Len says my theory is 'barking' mad - ha, ha!

Remember, the results from Challenge #481  are now published in the Snippets Playground HERE 

Hope to see you on the swings for the current challenge as that runs for almost another week.

Love as always, Dudley and yours truly,

Sunday Snippets - a triptych card

I decided to play with a new die set and made a triptych card - I've been admiring a few of these made by Playmates lately, notably Sarn, Brenda and Pauline:

I know - when I finally remember to take a photo of the leftover snippets - they're pitiful!

I used:

- a piece of pale ivory linen effect card from a FULL sheet, die cut using the main die from Studio Light's 'STENCILSL253' set of dies *** - I then used an embossing board to draw a line down the faint fold lines for easier folding 

- snippets of Tonic's fabulous pearlescent 'Majestic Gold' card - I keep every single scrap tucked into the currently open packets of each colour and the width of most of them is perfect for the set of dies I was using for this card

- used the larger Studio Lights single panel die to cut three gold panels and set them aside

- then, due to current limitations on lifting and bending (sigh) I pulled outa DCWV pa per pad from the bookshelf behind where I sit. I've had it for many years simply to gaze at and gently stroke much of the time! Yup, it's that super 'Mariposa' 8" x 8" butterfly themed paper pad that many of us totally loved a long time ago - so beautifully gilded on many of the sheets. I think I've only ever used two sheets before making this card

- spent some time browsing through the pad and finally settled on one single sheet to use - which I die cut using the smaller of the Studio Lights single panel dies

- glued the die cuts one on top of the other (Majestic Gold outer frames) and then onto the card front so that the card, when folded for posting, has the more colourful panel showing as the front

- all that was left to do was to add the words to the centre panel - taken from the Clarity Stamp 'Words Sticker' Collection - one longish sentiment trimmed into two parts worked a treat

- finished! The card will fit into a small slimline envelope with room to spare

***The Studio Light set of dies was nowhere to be found in the UK. I eventually tracked it down in the USA - paid a very reasonable price and only £2.01 postage. Sent via courier by air to the UK and got here in five or six days - wow! It's the genuine article ..... I did wonder if it would prove to be too good to be true but happily was proved wrong. If you're interested in 'being enabled' - just drop me an email and I'll send you the direct link as it took me ages to track down such an amazing deal! And I'm not on commission BTW!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

- Darnell's NBUS challenge #63. The set of 'Studio Light' dies I used for the triptych are NBUS. 

- Allsorts Challenge Week 784 - under the 'Anything goes' option.

Dudley Pupdate: Dudley's been enjoying lots of pleasant relaxed walks now that the rain has eased here - as well as making lots of new friends en route! Whilst he is reluctant (only initially) to have his harness on 'ready to go' - once out he's a real little trouper and just gets on with it! I have to say, if I've been left Home Alone - he launches himself at me for welcome home cuddles! Whoever knew we'd actually been apart for a whole week ......... or so it seems in his eyes. Mine too to be truthful! The house is far too quiet!

Remember, I've just kicked off a new challenge over in the Snippets Playground HERE.

Hope to see you on the swings, the weather really is warming up at last and no doubt Sarn will be enlisting help to inflate the paddling pool in readiness! 

Love as always, Dudley Dog and me

Sunday Snippets - Sticking together

We had typical UK Bank Holiday weather here in our neck of the woods, Very little sunshine, a good bit of rain and also dropped temperatures. Always the same!

Rootling through a basket of NBUS goodies, I came across a couple of unused sets of stamps needing a first airing. This is how I used them for my snippets card today:

I used:

- 5.25" x 4" white linen card blank, side opening

- snippets of coloured card which were easily to hand in orange and green - trimmed down to form a 'frame' for the image panel then glued together and set to one side awaiting the image panel

- then trimmed a snippet of white linen card down to sit nicely inside the 'frame' - flipping it over to use the plain reverse

- stamped a funky bird and sun using VersaFine Clair 'Morning Mist' ink and stamps from the AALL & Create 'Free Bird' stamp set

- used the same VersaFine Clair 'Morning Mist' ink pad to stamp the sentiment, in two parts. The sentiment(s) came from Altenew's little 'Crafty Add-On' set of stamps. Very appropriate and such fun!

- so, the image panel was already trimmed to size and all that was left was to colour it - using Zig Brush Markers. I like them but always feel the results looks somewhat childish - fine for this card but IMHO not for more delicate and subtle work. Horses for courses as they say.

- then added the image panel to the already adhered orange and green layer to form a framed panel 

- adhered the whole framed image panel to the card front, using very narrow sticky foam strips and the usual glue stick trick

- finished!

I'd like to enter this card into Darnell's NBUS Challenge #63 HERE - the stamp sets were both having their first outing.

And, into the current Allsorts Challenge, under the 'Anything Goes' rule.

On Friday I had cataract surgery on the second eye. So far all is going well and here's hoping it continues that way.

Dudley Pupdate: Hmm, Dudley wasn't totally quiet on the Friday trips to and from the clinic - even though we'd popped Honka Duck into his doggie booster seat with him. Perhaps he was yelling at him to get out ............... or pay the fare for his ride in treats?! Who knows what goes through the mind of Dudley Dog..

Len always pops Dudley's harness on him once it's obvious we're getting ready to go out as it lets him know that he's riding shotgun and is along for the ride. And, the past few trips he has actually jumped up wanting to get into his doggie booster box on the back seat of Len's car. That's a decent step forward, rather than him almost gluing his paws to the driveway in resistance! We'll just keep working on the rest!

Very importantly, the results of Challenge #480 are now published HERE . 

Do please come and play in Sarn's current challenge over in the Snippets Playground! Just scroll down from my results post - over in the Playground.

Love from myself and Dudley, xxx

Sunday Snippets - Kitty Claws card

I made this snippets card from literally bits and pieces found easily to hand on my desk, no scrabbling around lifting heavy stuff just yet:

 

I used:

- 5.25" x 4" pale ivory linen card blank, side opening

- a snippet of pale ivory linen card, flipped to the flat reverse and stamped using a Stampendous 'Kitty Claws' stamp and a VersaFine Clair 'Morning Mist' ink pad

- the coloured snippets were already selected so I coloured the image using Polychromos pencils to perfectly match the green and rust coloured snippets - not that the camera confirms that of course!

- a snippet of sparkly rust coloured card was trimmed to form a narrow border and glued behind the trimmed image panel

- then a snippet of Tonic 'Inca Gold' iridescent mirror card was trimmed to add a narrow border behind the rust sparkly card layer, and glued in place (I favour Tonic 'Inca Gold' iridescent mirror card these days as it's such a pure colour and not at all garish as some gold mirror card can be) 

- trimmed a snippet of slightly corrugated green card (sent by a lovely blogger from The Netherlands) to just quarter of an inch smaller than the card front, ran a matching green 'Whispers' brush pen around the white edges and put it to one side the dry

- next trimmed another snippet of Tonic 'Inca Gold' card to just a tiny bit bigger than the green layer

- glued the green panel onto the gold one and then glued them onto the card front

- finally, added the small ;framed' image panel onto the card front, using thin sticky foam tape and a glue stick

- didn't add a sentiment - finished!

Apologies, I did use a lot of snippets but the leftovers were generally so tiny I didn't take a photo of them. I did add a touch of clear 'Wink of Stella' to Kitty's pompom after the photo was taken BTW.

I'd like to enter this card into:

May's 'Rudolph Days' Challenge HERE. 

The current 'Show Us Your Pussycats Challenge' HERE  is celebrating the 100th Challenge and remembering dear Ike, founder of the challenge, who left us in 2022.

Darnell's NBUS Challenge #62 HERE, the 'Kitty Claws' stamp was having its first outing

Dudley Pupdate: I've often said what a pickle Dudley is on car journeys - hollering for England non-stop. Earlier on in the week I had a post-op check-up on the first eye, which is progressing well. That exercise entails Len dropping me off, going back home and then doing it in reverse once I phone to let him know I'm ready to leave. Luckily, we don't live too far from the Clinic. So that's four car trips for Dudley per appointment - 24 trips in total by the end of this, if all goes as planned. 

Miracle of miracles, on the final two trips on Wednesday - there was hardly a peep out of Dudley. In fact, once he'd greeted me with his tail wagging like a windmill for the final drive home he curled up in his doggie booster box and went to sleep! We think that Sarn's theory that he's finally learning that whenever we go out in the car he always comes back home is spot-on! 

Sarn has just kicked off a new challenge over in the Snippets Playground HERE  Hope to see you on the swings - we have mixed weather so bring your shorts .......... as well as your wellies!

Love as always, Dudley Dog and me,

Sunday Snippets - all I see is magic

A fairly quick card from me, using a couple of NBUS items: 

Just a couple of snippets left, the outline from the stamp die (close call there!) and a piece of the green backing card

I used:

- 5.5" x 4" pale ivory linen card blank - tent style

- first step was to use a snippet of pale ivory linen card to die cut the stamp outline - using a die from Penny Black's 'posted cut out' set of dies

- then trimmed the Penny Black 'Masterpieces Made Easy' panel, from the 'take me away' set down to 3.25" x 2.25" to fit neatly inside the stamp serrations outline, and glued it in place

- stamped the post mark onto the image panel using a stamp from the matching Penny Black 'posted' set of stamps and a VersaFine Clair 'Morning Mist' ink pad

- at that point I could work out where to stamp the sentiment, using a VersaFine Clair 'Morning Mist' ink and a stamp from the Funky Fossil 'Making Memories' set of stamps (part of the current Snippets Challenge prize)

- then mounted the 'stamp' panel onto a rectangle snippet of toning green card, measuring 4" x 3", using thin foam strips and the 'glue stick trick'

- finally, glued the front panel onto the card front - and called it done!

I used a few snippets. The pale ivory linen card base is not strictly a recognised size, but it works for me as it's left over after cutting a tent style A2 sized card AND saves on A4 card wastage too. The pale ivory linen card for the stamp shaped outline was a snippet - as was the green backing card.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

- Darnell's NBUS challenge #62 - HERE - the Penny Black die set and the matching stamp set were having their first outing.

- Allsorts Challenge # 781 .... see more below!

The Allsorts Challenge are celebrating their 15th Birthday this week! Lots of lovely prizes to be won as well - do please join in with the fun. Brenda and her team are amazing and your support would be lovely! 

Dudley Pupdate: Dudley forgot himself and did a little puddle on Friday when Len returned after a short trip out. Basically over excitement at seeing that his Dad hadn't run away ..... for all of 30 minutes! He wasn't chastised at all - but he sure knew he'd broken a house rule and sat to one side as Len cleaned up, with his head bowed in shame, whilst I had to resist picking him up to comfort him, not allowed anyhow for the time being.

It's been a stressful week for him with me having my first cataract surgery 10 days or so ago (hence the sentiment I used on today's card) as he still hates travelling in the car to and from the Hampshire Clinic treating me.

Me? Doing really great - one down and the other one to be replaced at the end of May! What a fantastic difference already! Who turned on the bright light and opened the yellow net curtain? Happy Bunny so far. 

Remember, the results from Challenge #479 are now published in the Snippets Playground HERE. 

Hope to see you on the swings for the current challenge too as that runs for almost another week.

AND, my card today used another one of the Funky Fossil sentiment stamps in the current Challenge #480 prize bundle. I really love this sentiment, obviously! 

Love as always, Dudley and yours truly,

Sunday Snippets - every picture tells a story

I pulled out a snippet of navy blue pearlescent card and a few snippets of 'Pale Ivory' linen effect card to make my snippets card for today:

Very sorry, no photo of the snippets this time - they were rather unexciting and had been disposed of before I thought to take a photo!

I used:

- 5.5" x 4" pale ivory linen effect card blank, tent style

- snippets of the same pale ivory card as well as snippets of Tonic's 'Navy Dazzle' card stock for the remainder of the card

- used a NBUS set of Waffle Flower dies called 'Wooden Frame' to die cut and emboss the main rectangle as well as the oval frame from navy blue card snippets - set those aside for now

- dry embossed a snippet of pale ivory linen effect card using Cuttlebug's 'Script' folder, trimmed it to fit to the back of the navy rectangular frame and adhered it in place, before setting it to one side again

- out came the Misti and I stamped the flower and the bee, using VersaFine Clair 'Morning Mist' ink - on the reverse side of the pale ivory card (no linen effect on the reverse, which is handy). The stamps are from a NBUS set of stamps by Hobby Art, called 'Happiness Blooms'

- then stamped the sentiment in readiness, using the same 'Morning Mist' ink pad and a stamp from the fabulous Funky Fossil 'Making Memories' set of stamps - NBUS and set to be a favourite here - on the reverse side of the pale ivory card again

- die cut the sentiment using the oval frame die from the 'Wooden Frame' set of dies - so that the piece would sit perfectly in the oval frame aperture. I did need to cut a smaller oval by hand to back the piece, for adhesion and stability

- coloured the stamped flower and bee using Polychromos pencils and Sansodor blending solution. The bees wings are the palest blue, winked with clear Stella, pretty!

- trimmed the flower and the bee images using tiny Fiskars scissors to leave a narrow white outline 

- at that point I added the rectangular frame to the card front, using thin strips of foam tape and the glue stick trick

- next popped the flower in place, using mini glue dots, to cope with the embossing -  then the bee using a small piece of thin foam pad

- then came the stamped sentiment oval - added using thin strips of foam tape below the rectangular frame and a glue pen for the top portion to keep it all level

- final touch - some tiny Memory Box clear Fairy Drops! I love these!

The card is slightly under USA A2 size as I decided, before assembling it, to trim the A2 card by one quarter inch from one side - glad I did that for better balance!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenge:

- Darnell's NBUS challenge #62 - HERE . The two stamp sets and the set of frame dies are all NBUS. 

Dudley Pupdate: Arnie is still his doggie bestie! They met up on Wednesday as Arnie was on his way home and Dudley was just setting off for a walk. The non-stop hugging and dancing was such a delight to watch. It went on until they both flopped down on our driveway, totally worn out!  

Mind you, Dudley ended up in Len's bad books on Saturday - little scamp managed to find a hedgie 'calling card' in the back garden and was in ecstasy, rubbing all over it right down one side! Len was pretty cross, didn't take any prisoners and just cut away the offending patch of hair! From a recently shorn Dudley as well! I daren't even take a look. I suspect he (Dudley of course) is headed for a bath ............ anytime now!

Remember, I've just kicked off a new challenge over in the Snippets Playground HERE. Hope to see you on the swings, goodness knows what Sarn has in her satchel this week! If it chinks and sounds like a bottle of hooch - I'm confiscating it! 

Love as always, Dudley Dog and me

Sunday Snippets - Christmas wine anyone?

Hooray, we've had a few sunny days here - and not before time either.

Whilst idly browsing online around unbranded dies, I came across such a fun wine glass die set. This is how I used it for my snippets card today:

Left over snippets, fished out of the waste bin! Amazing how the light above the top of the pile washed out the red of the rich Tonic card to almost pink!

I used:

- 5.5" x 4.25" white card blank, side opening

- for the main outside frame I used Tonic's mirror 'Inca Gold' card, trimmed to 5.25" x 4" - and set it to one side for now. Resist the temptation to always build up a card directly, layer by layer, onto a card front - far better to build up most or all of the front panel and then glue it together in the proper order - simple advice I was given when first card making and, for me, it always works best! 

- then trimmed a Kaisercraft 'Blue Bay' wooden planks effect piece of 6" x 6" paper to 5" x 3.75" - and set it to one side 

- obviously, I already had the snippets I wanted to use out on the desk before selecting the two layers to form the backing frame so out came the Altenew Blossom Mini die cutter and off I went!

- first of all used a snippet of Tonic's iridescent  'Firestone Red' to die cut the wine glass. The die set is unbranded but I've never seen it before under licence - fingers crossed! The wine glass die is actually shaped slightly 'on the wonk' so it isn't anyone's eyes - perhaps Santa already had a tipple!

- then spent a quiet hour or so half watching You Tube whilst cutting out the belt and buttons (Tonic Black Velvet), buckle (Tonic Mirror 'Inca Gold') - and what I assume is Santa's beard from plain white card - ALL of them were snippets. In fact, I double layered them all for dimension - being a bit soft in the head!

- fully assembled the Santa wine glass and put it to one side

- glued the gold and wooden planks backing layers together using Collall All Purpose glue, then added the made up Santa wine glass, for that I used a glue pen

- adhered the panel onto the card blank using  thin foam stripe and the glue stick trick

- die cut the sentiment using a Creative Expressions die set - 'Lisa Horton's Borderline Ho Ho Ho'. I like this little die set but it IS tricky to line up and cut properly IMHO. Sadly I find that with a few of Lisa's designs

- for the sentiment I used snippets of Tonic 'Inca Gold' and also parchment paper

 - gluing them together as I went

- glued the 'Ho Ho Ho' sentiment across the stem of the glass using a mix of glue pen as well as mini glue dots at either end of the sentiment strip to both raise it and also beI invisible

- finished!

I'd like to enter this card into Darnell's NBUS Challenge #62 HERE- the die sets were both having their first outing.

And, into the current Allsorts Challenge, under the 'Anything Goes' rule.  Allsorts are celebrating their 15th Birthday on 18th May - with lots of lovely prizes too!

Dudley Pupdate: During the week, I was sitting on our bed, folding some laundry, ably assisted by Dudley of course. Suddenly there was a little scuffle against the bedroom window and there sat a rather pretty little pigeon on the outside window ledge. Dudley immediately woofed 'Go away you interloper' at the bird. It blinked and settled down. Nonplussed at his lack of 'authority' - Dudley trotted over to the window. popped his paws up on the wall and stretched as high as he could - to give a few more 'Go away' woofs. The bird stayed settled down. 😂 So Dudley shrugged then decided to join it, curled up at my feet and had forty winks!

Since then, Len has given Dudley a really good trim - he looks like a newborn lamb! But. he took it all in his stride, if you ignore the few 'Dudley doing the Egyptian sand dance' moves around the grooming table. 

Very importantly, the results of Challenge #478 are now published HERE . 

Do please come and play in Sarn's current challenge over in the Snippets Playground! Just scroll down.

Love from myself and Dudley, xxx