For one of our Snippets Playmates

Today is Gilly's Wedding Day! We've been following the preparations - so I made this card from all of us in the Snippets Playground:

Yeah, right, another one of my clangers - I raced to make it in double quick time ready to post off on Thursday then realised I can't find or don't have Gilly's address :( How dumb was that?! Of course, responding to email will be waaaay down her list of priorities at the moment so let's just hope the day goes really well.

I used:

- 6" x 6" square white petal edged card stock

- peel off Wedding dress, looks as if it's made by Stampendous

- doves and rings embellishment by Artoz Artwork

- sentiment by Craftwork Cards

- strip of pink edging card from snippets folder

- pink pearls from Hobbycraft

- white organza ribbon with silver hearts on from the ribbon box, bought in Germany but am sure I've since seen it in Hobbycraft

The addition of some pink is because I checked Gilly's Wedding invitations on her blog and saw that they had pink, albeit a deeper rose pink, ribbon on them. Any excuse to use pink is just fine and dandy by me.

Many congratulations and love to you Gilly, and of course Jamie, from all of your Snippets Playmates. Just watch out for rustling bushes and whispering - we could be watching the proceedings with trimmers for a guard of honour and buckets of snippet confetti at the ready!

Di
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Friday Feast - Sausage and Mushroom Pot Pie(s)

Trying this recipe came about from having bought a load of Cumberland sausages from Costco, which turned out to have really tough skins. So, rather than waste those left in the freezer, I searched my 'clippings file' for a suitable recipe:

Sausage and Mushroom Pot Pie(s)

Serves 2

2 tsp olive oil - what? Not enough, I upped it to nearer 2 tablespoons in total
1 small onion , chopped
6 pork sausages (Cumberland ones worked great)
250g chestnut mushrooms , halved
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
4 tbsp low-fat crème fraîche
small bunch parsley , chopped
85g ciabatta , torn into small chunks 

Heat half the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and cook for 5 mins until softened, then push to one side. Squeeze the meat from the sausages and roll into balls. Add to the pan and fry for 5 mins until golden. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 mins more until softened.

Season, then stir in the mustard, crème fraîche and 4 tbsp water. Bubble for 2 mins, then remove from the heat and scatter in the parsley.

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Transfer sausage mixture to 2 small pie dishes or 1 large baking dish. Toss the ciabatta in the remaining oil, scatter over the top of the pies and bake for 20 mins until golden and bubbling.

Things I do: As you can see, I opted to bake it all in one dish but you can use individual dishes. I followed the recipe but next time I make it, it was delicious so worth another whirl, I'd increase the amount of crème fraîche by another 2-4 tablespoons. I also increased the amount of olive oil - see ingredients. If you don't like mustard you can leave it out I guess. 

Today's card, for cat lovers, is below by the way :)

Enjoy!

Di
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Just Purrfect

This is en route to Jan, a cat lover, who hosted the 'WOYWW Golden Day' last week:

Hopefully I was sneaky enough for this stamp not to be seen when I bought it at Shopkeeper Gal's that same day :)

I used:

- 4.75" x4.75" white square card stock

- stamp made by Funstamps, called appropriately 'Just Purrfect', stamped in SU 'Bashful Blue'

- SU 'Bashful Blue' backing card

- paper from Papermania's Capsule Collection, all pretty blues by Jesse Edwards

The stamped image didn't cry out to be coloured, so I tucked my paws in my pockets and left it well alone :)

I humped parcels and packages to the Post Office yesterday, one of them is a HUGE one stuffed full of crafting goodies for the Care Home where my step-mum now lives. But, you know what, she doesn't even go to the card making sessions :(

Friday Feast will follow, see you later.

Di
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Six cards for Rudolph Day

I almost lay down on the floor here and threw a tantrum when I realised that Sarn wanted SIX cards for this month's Rudolph Day challenge. In the end I caved in, wouldn't wanna miss the fun, but did take the option of making six almost the same, only the sentiments vary slightly:

I promise those cards at the back aren't just blanks, didn't feel up to climbing up on a chair or stepladders to take a photo. 

I used:

- 4.75" x 4.75" square white card stock

- Hobby Art's 'Flower Wreath' stamp, stamped using a Dew Drop ink pad in 'Mediterranean Blue'

- double sided clear sticky film and a coating of Art of Craft's own iridescent glitter'

- blue and silver card as backings

- Craftwork Cards Christmas sentiments

Another six for the box Sarn - what's coming next month then?

I'm also entering this into this week's Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge which is to 'Get Inky'. Wonder if getting covered in glitter along the way gets extra brownie points? :)

And also, 52{Christmas} Card Throwdown - add some glitter.

I waited all day yesterday for my new laptop to arrive, it turned up at about 4pm and I swear the driver was grumpier than Shrek - he also looked a bit like Shrek. He practically threw the box at me but I did thank him nicely, in between jumping up and down like a kid at Christmas, and he just thrust the electronic signature machine at me and barked 'Sign 'ere', sigh, how unpleasant. He grabbed it back and off he marched, something had obviously gone wrong with his day :(

But I just bet it got even worse if, when he got back to the depot, anyone noticed that I'd signed his flipping signature pad doo-dah like so ..................Minnie Mouse xx :)

Di
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WOYWW 160 - what a messy pup!

Hangs head in shame here, I did a bit of a tidy last week and now it's back to this:

No more crafting for me until this lot is sorted out - that's my pledge for today. It's just piles of made, used, waiting to be put away, newly bought and waiting to be played with stuff. Just dumped and it's driving me totally nuts.

But, the prettily set out bit looks like this in close up:

From the left, top to bottom: a tag and ATC from Kyla (my WOYWW ATC link), then ATCs from Sarn, Judy, Jo, Annie, Sam, Judy, Judy, Judy and last but not least Rach. Snort, Judy ain't a gal to do things by halves is she? All amazing ATCs ladies and I'll treasure them - they look so lovely all laid out that I feel the need for a board of some sort to display them on :)

I also know I have a lovely ATC from Kay - I was emailing her about it, and had been showing it to Len so I just know it's tucked away somewhere safely, possible protected by the load of cr*p stuff piled up on my desk!

Plus, more photos:

Such a pretty 'bits tub' from Jan last week when we had our WOYWW lunch - love all the sparkly 'jewels' and:

From Elizabeth, what a work of art! Loads of fabulous detail and enough to make me give up card making altogether :(

The lovely Julia's goodies are already in use, I don't suppose you'd also like a trip round my dressing table while you're here?

Now, run away over to Julia's to see what she's up to today - and then onwards for a good snoop at what everyone else is playing with this week. Do let me know if there's a desk in a bigger mess than mine is right now - I'd feel loads better :)


Di
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Less Is More - Take 2

After yesterday's debacle with paper piecing for the current Less Is More challenge, I followed up with another card and this time used proper designer/patterned paper:

I used:

- 7" x 5" white card stock

- green backing card, found lurking in a drawer here

-  Milton & Co. 'Milton with Lily' image stamped , stem and flower paper pieced with snippets and a 'tickle' of Pro Marker on the flower itself

- sentiment by Hero Arts from the 'Good Friends' set, stamped in Certainly Celery

Update/sit. rep from here. Back is still iffy, thank you for such sweet comments yesterday, but it's improving, with the aid of Nurofen just now and then. By now and then, I'm daft really but if I know the pain level I can check if there's any improvement. Another treatment is, as my pal says, regular 'rub downs with The Sporting Life' :) Snigger, I'd never heard this expression before and had a mahoosive fit of the giggles when she suggested it.

Trip out yesterday was fun, albeit not a great success at The Range - some days I find loads of things and others not much. Yesterday was a 'not much' day, one Michael Powell stamp and a pack of cello bags, but good for the purse. Oh, and a Regatta body warmer/gilet - I know, it's June for goodness sakes - but it was a bargain and bright pink :)

Tuesday's Tale, if you're looking for it, is below.

Another sunny day seems to be looming, surely not - it's Wimbledon Fortnight for goodness sakes!

Di
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A Tuesday Tale - CK's demise

Many years ago, I was a junior computer programmer in a very old fashioned world. The men and women's pay scales were different (honestly), even when you were doing exactly the same work. And there were many other differences - presided over by our rather pompous IT Director Mr Charles Kenneth Powell (just call me CKP he used to say!) - not least his very own executive loo/rest room, just along the corridor from his office.

So, off trots CK on his annual holiday and, whilst he was away, building management set to and did some alterations didn't they. Back comes CK and mid-morning nips into his executive loo, noting that the door was unlocked and no doubt making a mental note to berate the cleaners lest any of the 'commoners' should be tempted to use his hallowed place.

Ahem, then he noticed that said loo had been updated considerably, lots of mirrors, extra basins and more cubicles added so he nipped into one whilst sort of wondering why the walls had been painted pink. You already know where this one is going don't you?!

Next thing the main door to the loos burst open and in poured a crowd of girls from the punch room - trust me, you did NOT mess with girls from the punch room. Salt of the earth but they certainly didn't take prisoners. Suddenly, while
CK cowered in the cubicle not knowing what on earth was going on, one spotted his feet under the door and shouted ''Ere, there's a fella in that cubicle!'

Apparently, at that point CK made a run for it - pursued down the corridor by a pack of screaming punch room girls.

Yup, in his absence, said 'executive loo' had been converted into a ladies loo - a sort of fait accompli as he'd have raised the roof at any attempts to do it with his knowledge. I do seem to remember that the building manager was transferred elsewhere soon afterwards.

But, I never did find out if he was hopping along being chased whilst trying to pull his trousers up or what :)

Di
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Read the instructions properly

.......something I don't think I did properly on this week's Less Is More Challenge, which is Paper Piecing. I totally love paper piecing and got really quite excited, rootling through stamps here. This is the result:

When I'd almost finished the paper piecing it struck me that it could just have easily been done with Pro Markers so I took this photo to prove it was paper pieced:

Once finished, the card looked too stark even for LIM which is why I added the raspberry surround - but it was still bugging me. I blame 24 hours of agony here - something has been gripping my upper back like a vice, to the point that I almost keeled over at the village fayre yesterday. Snort, that would have been just great - despite a huge turnout, and it was raining too, there was absolutely no sign of any medical facilities. I had visions of being carted off on Farmer Giles' tractor!

Anyhow, enough whining, it's marginally better now - all the more for me being wrapped up like it's the middle of Winter, am sure it was just the cold and rain.

Back to the card though, I went and had a good old nosey round LIM and spotted that the girls had mentioned it being a good way to use up designer paper - 'DING', on went a light bulb here. Of course, whatever made me go for plain papers - probably the distinctive pattern on the stamp which I didn't want to be swamped :( What a stoopid, stoopid girl!

Anyhow, I'm entering it just to give Chrissie and Mandi a laugh at my lack of thought processes - and am working on another entry already.

I used:

- 6" x 6" square white card stock

- Stampendous 'Heart Stack' stamp

- pink and raspberry papers from the snippets folder

- sentiment stamped in SU 'Melon Mambo' using a Stampendous ' Best Wishes' stamp which goes back to 1994, crumbs!

Being a glutton for punishment, plus it's no good hanging round here feeling sorry for myself, I'm off out again today with my crafty pal - first stop is The Range in Reading - dosed up with Nurofen I expect. She needs some silicone glue - and of course that is absolutely all we'll be buying, phew a little pig just flew past the window here :) It could be cheaper just to give her one of my spare tubes of the stuff!

Have a nice day - and do keep warm and dry!

Di

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Pixies Crafty Snippets Challenge - 26

Snippets card first - using some leftover snippets from the stepper card I totally wrecked yesterday:

My in-house critic says the background is like wallpaper, generally a polite way of saying he's not keen :(

I used:

- 6" x 6" square white card stock

- image stamped using Penny Black 'Pin striped' stamp and London Fog ink (softer than black), then paper pieced with leftover snippets from said wrecked stepper card. I just tickled the stamens with a Mustard Pro Marker, and also coloured the stems with a green Pro Marker - don't ask which one, I tried about five out on scrap card before finding one I was happy with

- backing paper (a whole sheet!) from the Wild Rose Studio 'Butterfly Garden' paper pack - plus a snippet lurking in the snippets folder. This pack is just gorgeous and, as I said yesterday, a limited version of it is free with the current edition of Quick Cards Made Easy

- plain lemon card from the snippets folder

- butterfly punched from another snippet, topped with a little row of pearls

- Josy Rose nail heads

- not a scrap of ribbon or lace was used/hurt in the making of this card :)

OK, roll call time now - please bear with me as it's gonna be a slow process working on the baby laptop so I might not be as wordy as usual. Did I just hear a collective sigh of relief there?!

Jules was first into the playground, with such a pretty birthday card. Do go here to see it, as always just perfectly composed and I love the pale pinks and blues. Butterflies add the finishing touch to gingham, lovely borders, lots of stitching and (of course) hearts!

Then, Bernie arrived with this lovely card for her sister Donna. As always it's a delightful card, red contrasting with white, gorgeous flowers and such a supportive message. Donna is going through a tough time right now, and that plus other things is having an impact on Bernie too. I  know that a few of you have hopped over to add your supportive thoughts already as Bernie is taking a little break from blogging. Sending all our love and positive thoughts to you Bernie!

Irene was next, bringing a lovely inchie card. So well put together Irene and a great way to use up snippets. I'm wondering about having a try myself at one of these but I don't think it's easy to pull together different papers and embellishments so I might leave it to you instead :) Love the definition the distress ink brings to the edges of the inchies.

Then Gilly arrived, with a little beauty of a card. White and lilac looking so fresh - you can see it here. The focal point is a flower, made using a technique found on Splitcoast Stampers - but Gilly can't remember where :( It's stunning Gilly, so go back, have a snoop and let us know where you found it please. Err, in between last minute preparations for a wedding in under a week's time - I thought that response would be a resounding 'Get lost'!! Good luck from all of us for your big day Gilly - whatever the weather I'm sure it'll be fabulous. Watch out for little playmates lurking in the bushes :)

Sandra H arrived next, bringing a really great card for a Man. U fan - aged just four :) It's a perfect card for a footie fan Sandra, a lot of work went into this when you read about all the elements used. Snigger, I wonder how many of us will be hiding in our craft rooms this evening when England get beaten by play Italy in the World Cup? I confess I'll probably be drawn to watch - even if only with horrible fascination.

Next to nip in was Mags B - with both a card and a new game. On wellies day you have to see who can splash the most in the puddles :( Well, we certainly have had the rain over here in the UK for plenty of puddles, my heart goes out to those suffering the effects of flooding further North and I hope you're all safe and dry. Mags' card is here - and it's lovely. Pretty paper, butterflies and gorgeous flowers - along with a link to a video on how to make the flowers.
Thanks for that Mags :)

Despite being in a rush - in fact my fingers are flying along on this little laptop/notebook right now - there's a tale that just popped into my mind. When I was working, one of our offices was based in Carlisle and 'copped it' in their floods a few years back. Needless to say their file server room was on the lower ground floor - despite our pleas for them to move it - and I was back and forwards a bit whilst it was sorted out. Some colleagues up there had suffered in their homes as well in the floods - losing such a lot. But, good ole Northern humour and grit still shone through. Apparently the insurance companies were so inundated with claims they hadn't the resources to send insurance assessors out and just asked for photos of damaged goods to speed up the settlements. Supposedly, the same very expensive and water damaged leather sofa and mahoosive flat screen TV was ceremoniously carted from house to house to be photographed in their front garden for insurance claim purposes. I don't know if this is a true story or not BTW - but I can just picture it happening!

Hazel came to play a few times this week - back with raging mojo fever from her holiday. This was Hazel's first offering, such a lovely ATC with the cutest image of a little girl. Then, we had an Oriental ATC, lovely cherry blossom - some brilliant paper piecing and also pieRcing on this sunny card, a terrific graduation card - love the image Hazel,  and then a card you really just want to lick. It's here, don't you just love the colours - and the papers and colours set the main image off perfectly Hazel!

Next to play was Laura, and do go and see her new profile photo - it's super Laura! What a great card too - pink and white so it ticked lots of boxes right off for me, with a fabulous flower (made using Tim's Tattered Florals dies out of such gorgeous paper) - beautifully designed and made Laura. I think that some partying might be due as (I'm almost sure) Laura has finished her course now, yay!! Well done honey - congratulations from all of us in the playground. And another lovely card from Laura is here, Forever Friends at their best - made for a friend on the same course who may have to re-do part of it. Fingers crossed the appeal goes well for her Laura!

Mary H came to play next, with the cutest image of a koala bear on this card. Hard to believe they are fiesty little critters who can give you a nasty clawing. Wonderful colouring and just look at the great backing paper Mary found in her snippets - just perfectly setting off the image - I love it Mary and hope the friend you made it for has happier days ahead. How thoughtful you crafters are - a card when things aren't going well can be such an uplift.

Next to play was Darnell, back for a return visit so we can't have been too bad after all :) This was the eye catching Thank You card in Melon Mambo and Black, the melon is such a happy colour and a perfect contrast to the black Darnell. Now, do go over and see the really funny image Darnell has in her very witty post - made me laugh out loud! Back to the card, it's just perfect! |And, on a second visit, Darnell brought another of her very amusing cards along to show - made for her sister after she'd had a nasty fall. Do go and see, another witty post despite the accident - do any others of you lie with your legs up in the air after a fall, just like a dead cow then? I couldn't stop laughing - my first thought is to try to get up and run away in shame :)

Tammy brought a great card along, called Sweet Summertime. Terrific colours Tammy and the image you used is just brilliant - if this card was made whilst flying by the seat of your pants I might as well give up right now :). I doubt if any of us can remember wearing swim attire like that although I do remember a semi-woollen swimsuit when I was a kid that stretched almost down to my knees when wet. No wonder I didn't venture into the water much until I grew out of it!

Next to come and play was Shaz in Oz. and this is a really pretty card in mauves, white and black Shaz! I was intrigued to see that Shaz has mastered brayering backgrounds so beautifully - love the background and the stamping is just perfect. Good to see you playing Shaz - take your pick of the toys, the swings are dry as I type this! Back to brayering, I just struggle so much with this - and Elizabeth once said something that I now think of each time I look at my brayer - she says that she approaches hers as if it's a live grenade!

On the subject of Elizabeth, we finally met up on Wednesday and had such a fun time at Jan's along with Julia. Hopefully she'll be back to play with us soon - I must remember to show you the stunning piece she made as a gift. Just fabulous! In fact, the other girls also brought gifts to exchange - my two bowls of raspberry tiramisu made me feel totally inadequate!! Sigh, so much running round meant I just didn't cut the mustard in the end :(

Linby was next, with a card also made for last week's LIM challenge. And wow, what an elegant creation - white and silver for starters, great embossing, lovely butterflies and such a beautiful sentiment Linby! A lovely card and thanks so much for the link to the embossing folder you used as well - do go and look girls, I reckon it's such a useful folder to have - as well as being just gorgeous!

Than Tara arrived, with a totally mind-boggling sketch she'd followed to make her card with. To see her great interpretation, featuring the cutest retro donkey, do hop over to here. I think it's the trickiest sketch I've ever seen (needed to lie down in a darkened room just thinking about tackling it) - but you certainly nailed it Tara. And, the sentiment is just perfect! Well done.

Sarn was next with such a funny card - I truly almost spat tea over the keyboard the other morning when I saw it :) Do go here for a good laugh,  it's such a clever take on Chicken in a Basket - love the cow (on a bicycle for goodness sakes) along with the chooks who do look as if they're having such a fun time whizzing along. Fabby colouring and really pretty flourishes too Sarn - great card!

BTW, remember it's Rudolph Day this coming week girls - Sarn has threatened us with a challenge when making our Rudolph Day cards. So long as it doesn't involve head stands I'm up for it - I think, depending on what gets revealed on 25th June over at Sarn's blog. If it involves head stands or using a brayer I'm OUT!! :)

Hettie (Sam) was next with such a pretty pop-up card for her Mum - it has Hunca Munca (Beatrix Potter) as the main image. Beautifully coloured Sam and a great card all round. Bet your Mum will love it. I love the way Sam tries so many different styles out - this card is so very different to Tim Holtz and Sam just took it in her stride. Beatrix Potter is a great favourite of mine, her old farmhouse in the Lake District is so worth a visit if you're ever in the area BTW.

And last, but certainly not least, was Amanda with these terrific invitations. Both so fresh and the retro phones are super - I love their cheeky smiling faces :) Great combination of colours Amanda, red, orange and turquoise work so well together. Hope the coffee catch-up is a success - the invitations certainly are!

Phew, that was more of a marathon than I realised - my flying fingers are a bit too fast for the baby laptop and it's been really weird waiting for it to play chase with the fingers! But, it's done at last - yay!

Mr Linky is below as usual and the playground will close at noon on Saturday 30th June. Hope you have a great week and please remember to follow the conditions below.

Di
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The only conditions to playing nicely in the Snippet Playground are that your card (or anything else you wish to bring here to show) must be made by using up snippets (card, paper, lace and ribbon are all fine), and a link back to here in your own blog posting will mean that you'll be included in the Weekly Roll Call. Oh, and no nipping or hair pulling of course :)

When is a stepper card not a stepper card?

Answer - when the result just looks a flipping mess :) I hated the result, it didn't want to stand to attention either. This doubt was confirmed by a shudder from the 'in-house critic' who, bless him, suggested chopping off the stepper bit from the right hand side rather than waste the image. Which I did, then added some Josy Rose nail heads and a flower:

Still not sure about that mahoosive flower so it might be changed for a fourth Josy Rose nail head - perhaps not, I tried to remove said flower and was in danger of totally wrecking the 'retrieved wrecked' version!

I used:

- a lot of wasted paper, card candi, sentiment - all of which went in the waste bin

- the card ended up approx. 6" x 5"

- backing paper from Wild Rose Studio's 'Butterfly Garden' paper pack (some of this luscious paper is in this coming month's Quick Cards Made Easy as a freebie, but only 6 of the 12 original designs are included, and this isn't one of them - still worth it though)

- plain green card from snippets folder

- decoupaged dress from the Docrafts 'Garden Party' set

- layered flower and glittery brad from my goodies

- arnica and bandage, for the head I was banging here on the desk, both from Boots the Chemist 

Have a great weekend everyone, whatever fun and frolics you have planned.

I'll be frantically doing the playground roll call this morning before trotting out this afternoon with a pal to a local village fayre, car boot sale there too (I love a good rummage!), plus dog show (happiest dog etc.), BBQ and other such fun things. And, the forecast is for decent weather :) Snort, my little pink (but of course) pac a mac will be coming along too though.

Edit - this is soooo funny, some of you saw (and commented on) a just begun post here which looked as if a demented octopus at the brandy bottle had been writing it. Truth is, my main laptop's screen died this afternoon and I've been trying to work using the base/keyboard and the craft room TV monitor. Totally impossible - I truly felt like the baby in 'Son of the Mask' with eyes hanging out on stalks revolving this way and that. In fact it was making me feel sick and dizzy so I'd just started a post, realised it was Mission Impossible, given up and run away to order a takeaway meal (most unlike us) and the garbage published itself when the whole caboodle decided to crash. Right now I'm working on the pink baby laptop/notebook instead and hoping it's gonna be OK to do the roll call on today. Only sayin' :) No need to send 'the men in little white coats' just yet! 

I'll try to do the roll call on this much more friendly and healthy little cutie this morning before heading out this afternoon. But it's a much slower process, it's not as nippy as the main laptop and the screen is small so it's harder to have a good nose at your snippets makes. Sigh, why does it always happen to me. Of course, when my in-house IT support pronounced the screen totally defunct and said I should outline my criteria for a new one, he was less than impressed when I asked which full sized laptops come in the colour pink! Men just don't understand :(

Di

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Friday Feast - Raspberry Tiramisu

I made this recipe to take to Jan's on Wednesday just gone. So that there was no rushing round trying to either finish eating it or sorting out putting the remainder into a different dish after the frivolities at Jan's, I used disposable clear plastic picnic salad bowls from Sainsburys. The amount divided into two dishes but I really felt that the shallow dish I normally use is much better in terms of evenly spreading everything out:

Raspberry Tiramisu:

4oz/110g mascarpone
425ml/3.75 pint good quality raspberry yoghurt
Icing sugar, sifted
2 x 150g punnets raspberries
20 sponge fingers
Muscat wine (optional)

Beat the mascarpone until soft, Stir in the raspberry yoghurt. Taste and if necessary sweeten with a little icing sugar. Stir in half the raspberries.

Place 10 of the sponge fingers in a shallow dish, and sprinkle over a little of the Muscat wine, if it's being used. Spread over half the yoghurt, mascarpone and raspberry mixture.

Layer up another 10 sponge fingers and sprinkle over a little more Muscat wine. Spread over the remaining yoghurt mixture. Cover with clingfilm and place in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours.

To serve, put the rest of the raspberries on top and dust lightly with icing sugar.

Things I do: I did whack up the amount of raspberries in the yoghurt mixture a bit, plus was perhaps a little liberal with the Muscat. No-one got breathalysed though :) As I said earlier, a shallow dish works much better.

Right, I always use Muscat wine (a medium sherry would be similar), and without it I think the sponge fingers would be a bit dry. One option could be to sprinkle a small amount of fruit juice over the sponge fingers - peach/mango would probably work well.

It's important to use a good quality raspberry yoghurt such as Onken or an organic variety.

It's a fast version of a fruit tiramisu - there are tons of other recipes out there using different fruits, eggs and goodness knows what else but I've made this Prue Leith recipe for a long time now and it works for me, without too much fiddling on.

Enjoy!

Di
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You've been framed

My crafting pal who lives nearby doesn't really go for ribbons and such, but she tends to keep me in mind when she's in our local charity shop. The other day she produced a packet of pretty little oblong cardboard frames in lovely soft greens, already embellished with organza ribbon and thread. They screamed 'Penny Black Stickeroos' at me and I made this with one of them:

  I used:

- A6 cream linen card stock

- Penny Black Stickeroo from the 'Collage Flowers' set

-  already embellished frame, no idea who made them as there was no label at all on the packet

Such a quick and easy card to make. It has crossed my mind that it's an idea to try with Nestabilities, just cut frames and then embellish with little ties of organza ribbon and thread or cord.

Friday Feast will follow ASAP, just as soon as I write up the recipe. It's really quick and easy this week.

Di

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A Golden Day! 'WOYWWers United'.

Len and I have an expression if a day has been really special - we call it a 'Golden Day'. And yesterday was certainly one of those:

From start to finish, it was fun all the way! Left to right are fellow WOYWWers: Elizabeth, Jan, Julia - the start of it all and yours truly.

What a great time we had and were welcomed with open arms by the lovely Jan our hostess and her husband Gordon (not forgetting G3 of course)! Julia was as mad as ever, she makes me laugh so much, along with Jan they are a perfect duo. And then, our Elizabeth down from Ayr on holiday, the gentlest lady you could wish to meet and her EM, Alan - who I think might even be a closet crafter, he knew what Distress Inks were for goodness sakes! Impressed we were. :) And not forgetting Julia's husband Barry who was so patient waiting to be fed after a long hard day whilst we were gabbing and trotting around Shopkeeper Gal's craft shop.

Oooer, I almost forgot, I've seeeeeeen Queen Julia's craft room for myself, you would love to be let loose in there! I did remark, whilst sitting in Jan's garden later in the afternoon, that 'I'd love to do a supermarket streak round Julia's craft room'. Oops, of course I meant a 'supermarket sweep' to gather up all the lovely goodies she plays with - but hey, ho - as always, I got it a bit wrong!

Phew, what a fabulous day - I was totally whacked, not from real tiredness but just the excitement of it all.

I took Friday Feast with me for dessert - recipe will appear later today., what was I thinking, today is only Thursday and tomorrow is Friday. Told you it was an exciting day :)

Thank you ladies (and gents) for my truly Golden Day!

Di
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WOYWW - 159

Ha, almost got caught out yesterday. Just about to start on something in here and suddenly remembered that I needed to make a dessert for today. So, in usual fashion, things were just left like this and I ran away into the kitchen.

A week or two back, a few folk mentioned the HUGE 'butterfly stamps' on the desk on WOYWW:

Here they are again - but they're not stamps at all in fact. We have an uncoloured panel in the front door which is beautifully patterned, but there are two clear spots where anyone of a 'nosy nature' can see right down the hallway.

'Mr Security' here already raided my finished 'sun catchers' but now wants two newly made matching ones. Hence the box of glass paints all ready for action.

So, the eye can deceive, not stamps after all :)

A couple of new stamps at the back and the tailors chalk borrowed by Len for some DIY still waiting to be put away with the sewing stuff - don't ask!

And today I'm off on my travels for lunch with some lovely bloggers, bearing said dessert :) Stand by - I'm on my waaaaaaaaay.

Do hop over to Julia's to see the state of her desk that she'll be leaping onto a chair and photographing - and of course there's loads of fun to be had by hopping round to see everyone who linked in as well. Guess I'll be playing catch up after my little adventure :)

Have a great day, I'm sure I will!

Di
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I almost stood on my head

....to take a photo of this card so that the score lines top and bottom showed up :)

It's for Less Is More's Weekly Challenge - Week 72, and this week the girls want us to show 'Something Shiny'. A bit spoilt for choice as I love all things sparkly and shiny:

Due to the acrobatics here, the card looks a bit distorted but I promise it's a true oblong :)

I used:

- 5" x 7" cream card stock - much more creamy in real life than in the photo

- a little silver 'teddy with red gem heart' topper, found during my sort out of goodies here

- scalloped Nestie cut from red sort of 'muted' mirri card behind the topper

- red KanBan gems from the gems store here

- score lines top and bottom

Taking the photo whilst doing handstands was a lot more tricky than making the card I can assure you!

Di
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A Tuesday Tale

Quick one today. Many years ago, whilst I was a very short term office junior at the electricity board in my local area, the TV programme 'Dr Who' was all the rage. We had a dishy electrical engineer called Bill working there, married with a young son - sigh, off limits :(

One Monday Bill came into the office very sheepishly with a huge round red blotch on his forehead. When we asked (we were a nosey lot and not much missed us) this is what had happened:

Bill's little boy had been entranced by Dr Who on the Saturday and at bedtime Bill decided to play games with him. Silly man found the kitchen sink plunger and stuck it onto his own forehead whilst chasing little boy round the bedroom.

Ha, ha - when the time came to remove said plunger, it was firmly stuck to Bill's forehead :) Instead of easing one edge away, his wife grabbed the handle and put her foot against his chest and heaved like mad! Hence the broken blood vessels and one very dishy but silly looking office heartthrob :) Snigger!

Di
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Rose perfume

I used to love an eau de toilette which smelled of damask roses - could have been made by Penhaligan. Not very wise in the Summer with wasps and bees around though :)

I bought a lovely sparkly decoupage set at Art of Craft the other week and had a play yesterday. The set comes with some gorgeous 50's dresses, a row of flowers in vases and this perfume bottle:

Ahem, perhaps the colour pink drew me to the set in the first place :)

I used:

- 6" x 6" square white card stock5

- decoupaged perfume bottle from the Docrafts 'Garden Party' set

- pink mirri card

- backing paper from 'Annabelle's Meadow' paper pack by Wild Rose Studios

- some of the bright pink organza ribbon I also got at Art of Craft

- Josy Rose nail heads

No sentiment as it's one for St Luke's Hospice.

This place is overflowing right now, so my next mission is to have a big sort out and I've found a really deserving home for the goodies I'll be disposing of. The care home where my step-mum lives run a crafting session once a week. I asked some careful questions and discovered that the staff buy all the goodies out of their own pocket. I can't think of a better and more deserving place to send it all :) This isn't a hint for any goodies by the way, trust me, I have more than enough to keep them going for quite some time :)

Di
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Pixies Crafty Snippets Challenge - 25

Phew, what a week it's been. Dashing about here and there, trying to dodge the rain and keep an eye on the playground whenever possible.

I truly thought there would be no snippets card this week but a rummage in the freezer revealed that I didn't need to go to the supermarket after all yesterday so that was a bit of unexpected time gained - which was used to make this:

It's also for Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge, this week the theme is 'Things with Wings'. You know, I'm not too sure if penguins have wings or flippers now I've made the card :) ............... Yay, I just Googled and they are wings - albeit used for swimming - oh dear, laughing here, someone asked why penguins have wings like flippers, the reply 'So they can swim, idiot!'. A much needed bit of hilarity as I launch into the roll call after a bit about the card.

I used:

- 6" x 6" white square card stock

- rub-ons from an ancient set by E-Z called 'Penguin Snow Angels'

- backing card and papers from snippets folder

- border strip, tag and sentiment from HOTP's Forever Christmas Cards paper stack

- Josy Rose nail heads

Len said I was 'Weird' when he saw this card and what I said about to him about it :( My view is that the melted snowman was called El and the sentiment just reflects what the bemused little penguin (with his wings) is thinking - 'No El' :)

Roll call time now:

Bernie raced in first this week with a real beauty of a card using some fabulous stamping and embossing. Brown, greens and some white to make it 'pop'. I just love the fern stamp Bernie - a gorgeous card beautifully finished with the raffia - as always a fabulous make.

I then laughed out loud at the next card, brought by a new playmate called Darnell. It's such a cute card, with some brilliant paper piecing too - do go here to see, and have a bottle of calamine lotion handy at the same time. I don't want to spoil it by saying too much but it's hilarious! And, whilst there - look at the right of Darnell's blog for a trip round the most fabulous playhouse ever!! How about one of these in the playground for rainy days huh? Hope you join us again Darnell :)

We had a few visits from Hazel this week, back from holidays and into the swing of card making again. Firstly, this was another Christmas card to make me smile, go Rudolph on those skates! A reminder girls - Rudolph Day is approaching in just over a week! And, this was followed by a skating robin, which you can see here - fantastic images Hazel! And both card are lovely too. Then, Hazel popped back with another Christmas card - featuring a snowman wrestling with Christmas lights (I kid you not!) - all in lovely shades of blue. This was then followed by the most elegant, and perfectly made 'all white' wedding card. It's absolutely stunning Hazel - I love the lace and pearls, such a complement to the beautiful image! Next was a 'Let's Celebrate' card in red, yellow and orange - just so bright and cheerful , you can see it here. Lastly, yesterday morning, Hazel nipped back in for a play on the swings bringing a card made for her own Christmas Card Challenge (the one that Mr Penguin and El the snowman, my snippets make, are entered in). It's lovely Hazel - such a gorgeous image and a perfect card for a monochrome challenge too.

Next to arrive was Sam, with the first of three visits this week - yay! First with two adorable House Mouse cards, using the same image but just see what a difference changing the colourways makes - absolutely great Sam! Then Sam brought this brilliant card for her brother (cheeky minx had waited until someone had dried the slide with a towel) - it's just great Sam, must be a Penny Black? I love it - those chooks are so funny :) And finally, something really different - an altered fob watch! Yup, you read that correctly - to see just hop over here.  So much clever detail, and it'll be interesting to know whether you do wear it at Christmas Sam (I certainly would!) or use your other option of putting it on the Christmas tree.

Linby arrived next, bringing a lovely 'Thinking of You' card, with a great sentiment. Super image of a chair (by the lovely Kirsty Wiseman) and fabulous Kate Knight backing papers - a delight in shades of purple and red (yup, red) Linby! The poppies go so well with your great blog background too :)

Jules is back in town, after a couple of weeks break to play catch up on Wedding stuff etc., folks! And it was Jules who hopped in next with one of her beautifully designed and made cards (and the sewing machine had been out to play as well) - do go and see here. The papers sewing (of course) and sentiment are brilliant - as always a really lovely card and I adore the lavender shades. Grin, as you might already know, every one of Jules' cards has a heart on it somewhere - I wonder if you all found this sneaky one? Great to see you back Jules!

Mary Mac came to play three times this week - before setting off on a three week holiday. Hope you have a great time Mary! Firstly, Mary brought us these cards to show - beautifully made and the colour combination of oranges and green works brilliantly. Next was a pink and white card, so elegant and made using a Martha Stewart Punch All Over the Page punch - just fabulous Mary! And, the inside is beautifully decorated as well, sigh. And finally for now, another card sort of dedicated to me which you can see here - in pink and white again and using that brilliant MS punch. Ooops, it just hopped onto my wish list here :) Gorgeous cards this week Mary - goodness knows where you found time but great that you did!

Next was Sandra H, who never misses a week, with this adorable Christmas card - you've just gotta love the tummy on that Teddy :) Great decoupage and the mix of red, greens and silver works so well Sandra. Such a cute card yet perfect for a husband - or are they cute as well?

Tammy came to play three times this week - firstly with a fantastic 'man card', and no struggles for Tammy here. I just love the kraft card with red polka dot paper and some great stamping. And even some ribbon, which looks absolutely right! The next card is here, and it's so bright and cheerful - just what we need in this miserable Summer we're having in the UK. And, the crochet circle is a perfect finishing touch to a great card Tammy. And then, flushed with her previous success, Tammy came back to play bringing another 'man card' , this time for Father's Day and with some great paper piecing as well as a great colour combination. I do love the way you used the library cards Tammy! Three really great cards this week.

Next to play was Andria, after a little break from crafting, bringing a card and a bookmark made using snippets, as a gift set. What a great idea and the beads on the bookmark are a great finishing touch Andria! Super idea to use old jewellery - grin, it sent me scurrying into the bedroom to do some checking out :) Hope you manage to come back and play soon!

A non-crafting tip here: no good if you have sliding wardrobe doors though. I hang my non-precious jewellery such as beads and chunky pendants from self-adhesive plastic little hooks inside my wardrobe doors. A great way to keep them tidy and easily accessible - cup hooks are the best size to look for.

Lynn arrived next - having played 'hooky' last week. Yup, I did notice Lynn :) Lynn's card is here, and what a lovely combination of colours - turquoise, tan/kraft and brown - just super. Great design too Lynn, taken from a Tui Nathan design but can I please say I like yours better - or isn't that allowed? Mind you, I just had a peek at Tui's blog and she does make some lovely cards.

Next was Rach with a beautiful card, made for Sarn (who played hooky this week, bad girl) and what a stunner. I love the snippets you used Rach - the papers all go together so well too. Perfectly co-ordinated - that's SU for you. But, it still takes an eye to pick and put them together on a card as well as you have - and the candi is a lovely finishing touch, along with the ribbon of course!

Heidi trotted in next, with such a cute 'chimps' easel shaped Anniversary card - another smile here :) Love the image Heidi and very clever to use blues as it's a Sapphire Wedding Anniversary card. Brilliant layout, ribbons and lace - plus very brave to bite the bullet and use a big brad which you'd rather be stroking in your pile of goodies :) I'm sure we all feel there are things we'd love to hang onto but I just bet this card was totally loved by your parents, so it was a good sacrifice on your part Heidi :)

Next was Laura, on the homeward stretch of her studies, with a really great Father's Day card. Another one to make you smile - why do men love to be in charge of a BBQ?! At the time I commented that all Laura needed was to add the smell of singed sausages and burgers to it! Some super paper piecing there too - brilliant way to use up snippets Laura.

Colleen was our next new playmate to visit - and the first thing that hit me when I hopped over to say hello was the fabulous blog header, such vibrant colours on those hydrangeas! Do go and say hi to Colleen - and these are the great cards she brought to show - wonderful colours and great use of snippets Colleen. I do agree that the flowers and pearls you added are a super finishing touch!

Victoria was next, so we haven't frightened her off with the playground antics after all, and what a lovely card too. I just love the peachy pink and grey together, they work perfectly. And, I have the Simply Soft SU set here. I admit I struggled a bit with the over stamping so it was great to see the stamped image being coloured as a change, plus the little pot is adorable Victoria!

Next was Brenda, bringing a great pair of 'man cards' - both are here. They feature the same super stamp of a Mini, and the designs are similar but the different embossing folders and strips of paper snippets used by Brenda make them quite different really. I did snigger at the passing idea of 'Mini Happy Returns' which Brenda abandoned in the end :) Super cards!

Mags was next to come and play, with a totally brilliant 'pirate' card - perfect for a young, or even older, chap. Crumbs, what's going on - quite a few male cards this week now I think about it! Anyhow, do go and peek at all the 'piratey elements' that Mags included - along with the inside being decorated of course. Great work Mags - love the skulls and the big button is reminiscent of a compass!

Then Mary H hopped in with one of those cards to produce a gasp - it's fabulous. Go here to see - well, isn't it gorgeous? Especially when you read the detail of all the work and techniques Mary used when making it - I won't repeat it here but I promise there's one heck of a lot of work there. Love the lime green and aubergine combination Mary!

Next was Karen T, with a sweet 'cats' card which you can see here. Pretty pinks and lime green, a lovely colour combination - along with some really sweet embellishments such as glittered flowers and a butterfly. Everything goes together so well - nice one Karen.

Right, that's the roll call done. Now for something else - the Pro Marker draw - I almost forgot that. Wait here while I check the comments and do some slips of paper.

Right, I'm back having folded pieces of paper and got a bemused Len to pick one out of my trusty sun hat (ha, not that it's getting much other use this Summer!). I'd included those who were hesitant such as Kath and Andria BTW - but there could only be one winner this time and it's Sam aka Hettie. Well done Sam, do drop me an email saying which one of the sets you'd like chick (or should that be 'chook'). Snort, snort! :)

Mr Linky is below as usual and the playground will close at noon on Saturday 23rd June. Hope you have a great week and please remember to follow the conditions below.

Di
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The only conditions to playing nicely in the Snippet Playground are that your card (or anything else you wish to bring here to show) must be made by using up snippets (card, paper, lace and ribbon are all fine), and a link back to here in your own blog posting will mean that you'll be included in the Weekly Roll Call. Oh, and no nipping or hair pulling of course :)
  

Love is like a butterfly

Quick card from me today. Yesterday was spent trying to relax a bit after all the dashing about so I went and spent time with a crafty friend in the afternoon, we played with her craft stuff and just chatted. Came home feeling refreshed and raring to go again with batteries on the way to being recharged.

Anyhow, this is the card I whipped up in the morning before trotting out:

Simples! The shaped topper thingy was in my haul at Art of Craft last weekend. Next time I use one am going to cut the front of the card to the same shape (that should make a right pig's ear of things!) - but it was just a quick play :)

I used:

- A6 white linen card stock, with corners rounded

- shaped topper by 'Joy! Crafts' - 18 in an A6 sized pad, in different shapes, the designs I bought are 'Butterflies and Flowers'

- sentiment is from SU's 'Butterfly Prints' set, stamped using SU's 'Perfect Plum'

- I also added a couple of little butterflies at the top - punched from a snippet and then glittered with 'Grape Ice' Stickles

Aw, and here's a photo of the Birthday Girl I took on Thursday. Considering Pearl hates having her photo taken I had to be really quick and just whip my camera out - but there's a happy smile there:

Hey ho, it's the roll call to write up today and a snippets card to make (maybeeeeee, but you might just see my snippets folder instead), and of course the Pro Marker draw - if you left a comment here specifically saying you'd like to be included.

And yet another reminder that any entries into the snippets playground without a link to here will be excluded from the roll call.

Have a great weekend - whatever you have planned!

Di
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Less is More - use a flourish

Another card whipped up super quick in between dashing about. It's for the current Less is More Challenge, which is one-layer and to use a flourish:

I used:

- 6" x 6" square white card stock

- swirl from Inkadinkado's 'Gem Stone Flourishes' set, stamped using SU Daffodil Delight

- sentiment by SU from the 'Sincere Salutations' set, stamped using SU Pumpkin Pie

- a few pumpkin coloured pearls just to liven it up a bit

And then, later on I trimmed it down (look away Mandi and Chrissie - this is no longer one layer):

I just added a backing of pumpkin coloured Core'dinations card - and think it gives it more 'oomph'. However, no way was I going to miss LIM if I could help it so the top version is my entry for this week.

No Friday Feast this week - there just hasn't been time I'm afraid. Unless you'd like me to take a photo of the bacon stottie cake sarnies? :)

Snigger, see below!

Quick edit as am on my knees with tiredness here - the trip 'oop North' was great. Apart from a delayed return flight, ain't that always the way though. Oh, and I actually headed off towards Edinburgh in the hire car when I wanted Newcastle Airport on the way home - who put a couple of extra roundabouts in huh, huh?!

OK, you want the dirt - I wore a longish floaty skirt and managed to get 'hooked' on the little steps down from the plane at Newcastle, a nice man rescued me whilst trying to stifle his laughter, especially as I was at the point of being one of those dancers who whip their skirts off with a flourish.  But worse was to come. OK, OK - laugh as you wish - when we landed back at Southampton this evening, having been so conscious and flipping careful about said skirt all day each time I went to the loo - whilst washing my paws a young lady (grinning) told me the back was tucked into my knickers! So that skirt is due for the bin if it doesn't behave in future! I just don't get on with longish floaty skirts!!

My step-mum had a good day, sense of humour still there although some memories are dimming - and she still can't get to grips with it being her 80th. But, I sat and did a few little quizzes with her in the afternoon and she was sharp as anything on those! I took some photos of her, I think there's a nice smiling one but it's time for my bed so might post that another time. But hey, what a stroke of luck - the flipping Olympic Torch passes right in front of the Care Home (fabby place BTW if you really have to live there) on Friday 15th!! Yikes, that really could have scuppered plans as roads will be closed tomorrow (or today depending when you read this) - with all the darlings from the home lined up along the road using their zimmer frames.

Also, just for Brenda, it's gone 11pm now on Thursday but at about 10pm when we got home after Len picked me up in the downpour at Southampton Airport, I made us a fried bacon and egg stottie each - yay!! :)) Sorry B, we gobbled them too quickly for me to take a photo :) Lots of them in the freezer though, squashing bags into the plane's overhead lockers on the way back I almost threatened a man with violence if he damaged them :) I think he must have been from the North as he held his hands up in surrender!

Di
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Hoping Christmas is a hoot

Quick post from me, dashing here and there isn't conducive to crafting :(

I've arranged to collect some 'Stottie Cakes' from Gregg's the Bakers shop at Newcastle Airport on my way home this evening - yummy. They're Northern flat bread cakes, just found a recipe on the net for future use - whoop, whoop! My little order will be waiting for me and no doubt Len will think I'm totally barking (as ever) when I get back home and produce one to make bacon sarnies with one on Friday morning - plus the others will freeze brilliantly :) Haven't had a real Gregg's stottie cake for years!

Anyhow, this card is for Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge, which is to 'Feature a Creature':

I used:

- 7" x 1.75" oblong white card stock

- Penny Black 'greetings from the wise' stamps, coloured with Pro Markers. I resisted the urge to add some glitter to his hat - like him just as he is

- sentiment stamped using a Woodware Francois Collection 'Merry Christmas' stamp (FRH003) from Handy Hippo

Yikes, without really thinking about it, I made a one layer card - how very brave.

Snort, of course as Pro Markers bleed through he did have to be backed with another layer of white card behind :)

Di
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WOYWW - 158 - It's a tip

Wednesday again and time for the weekly snoop hosted by Queen Julia. Shame on me - whilst unpacking yesterday afternoon (after a brilliant School Reunion Weekend with little sleep of course) THIS was the total tip constituting my desk. I think there's probably a desk there somewhere underneath the cr*palanche (thanks for that expression Debs!) just waiting to happen:(

Oh dear, talk about 'warts and all'! There's some post to deal with to the right (home insurance renewal - do they think I wanna pay for their annual Company Christmas Party or something?!), fabby ATCs towards the back but I'll set those out nicely for next week's WOYWW - thank you my lovely friends for those that have arrived so far. Then, my haul from the weekend, here's a close-up for a better snoop:

The School Reunion was held with really easy walking distance of Art of Craft, North Camp,Farnborough so it would have been just plain rude not to pay them a visit. And even ruder not to have bought anything :)

The orange and black packets were bought elsewhere - we had a trip out to the nearest 'town' and the most 'exciting place' there was Wilkinson's (sheesh!) where I did stock up on some of their double sided foam pads at 70p per packet of 40 (size is approx. one inch by half an inch each). They're quite thin and brilliant for cutting up for decoupage and other things.

Other goodies are ribbons - pink of course, Annabelle's Meadow toppers as the papers are already in residence here, Craftwork Cards Warren the Rabbit toppers to colour (great ones for men in there), rainbow card, gold Glamour Dust for Christmas cards, their own iridescent version glitter dust and other bits and bobs. The newest fad here to try is gilding flakes, they had some terrific samples in Art of Craft (it's truly an Aladdin's Cave) and the staff are really helpful as well, if ever you get a chance to go, DO!!!

It was a great weekend, lovely to meet with my buddies Moira and Angie, and also 'Hi' to Glenis a card maker who I met there for the first time, and I suspect she's a very accomplished one, sigh :(

For less, or much more. mess - just go here to Julia's. I'll do my best to hop about but need to catch up with Pixies Snippets Workshop Challenge to check no-one has been playing with go-karts and also to get ready to fly off to the North of England for the day on Thursday. Wow, the life of a jet-setter :(

Di
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