Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #325

Crumbs, time is really flying past in between challenges! I have absolutely no idea how I used to manage running a new one each week. Perhaps it's just me slowing down - like the Duracell batteries bunny advert?

Here's a couple of bits of shopping info. for UK Playmates.

I trotted into Hobbycraft last week as I do buy some of their white card blanks (branded as Craft UK Limited). Sometimes I make my own but their 6" square ones with envelopes are hard to beat for the price at £5 for 50. And I never feel too guilty at chopping them down to 5.5" x 4.25" cards - especially since I found the matching envelopes for that USA size on-line for sale here in the UK. Right at the front of the shop I spotted some of the same brand 5" x 7" card blanks, with envelopes, on sale for £2.50 for a pack of 50! Snatched those up and went to find the 6" square cards. Tootled back to the counter to pay and blow me - the 6" square card blanks are also on offer for £2.50! It seems that most, if not all, of the card sizes in that range are on half price offer right now. I didn't think to ask how long the offer runs for - sorry!

Also, I often use what I refer to as deep red satin/matt mirri card when making Christmas cards. I love that stuff as it's so rich and elegant but it's almost impossible to find. However, I stumbled across it on-line in Joanna Sheen's shop a week ago. It's called 'Red Velvet' - which is so appropriate - and comes in packs of three A4 sheets for £3. Not cheap, at £1 per sheet, but you certainly can 'eke' it out if you use it to die cut the likes of poinsettias/candles for example. I ordered some and it's really beautiful - and if you spend £9 the postage is free. I can't promise, but I have a feeling that orders over £9 in value might also be free to other countries. That seems too good to be true so please don't quote me!

Let's get straight on with my snippets card - it's bright and cheerful, just like the Spring we never really had:

I used:

- 6" x 6" square white card blank

- snippet of green card, trimmed to an eighth of an inch all round smaller than the card front and glued in place

- snippet of white card for the stamped panel - stamped using MFT's 'Marble background' stamp, the Misti of course and SU's 'Daffodil Delight' ink pad. I was really glad to have the Misti - it sure helps stamping when you have a dodgy back

- then I cut the marbled panel into three parts - the centre one is slightly taller than the others to accommodate the die cut word

- die cut the word 'WISH' from the centre panel using MFT's 'Wish' die - and backed the cut out portion with medium weight double sided adhesive sheet. That was also a snippet - I never throw away offcuts of adhesive sheet, they can be pieced together easily 'behind the scenes'

- then die cut the word 'WISH' three times from snippets of orange card before building them up (using a glue pen for the upper layers) into the cut out 'WISH' apertures - and topped a fourth layer just onto the candle/letter 'I' using a little snippet of green for the 'candle' itself and more of the same orange for the flame

- then glued the three panels onto the card front, which already had the green background 'frame' in place. Little hint, I glued the top and bottom panels in place first and the centre one last - that way it doesn't matter if you're a teensy bit out with the gaps at top and bottom of the card, so long as the centre panel is placed with even spacing above and below it then you're good to go!

I've had the MFT background stamp ever since it was released a while ago and this is its first outing. It would look very dramatic stamped in something like black - perfect for a chap! I stuck to one colour but reckon you could ring the changes by using more than one colour of ink pad or stamping onto coloured card rather than plain white. And, after I'd made this card, I also stumbled onto a great idea that our little friend Amanda showed on her blog very recently - she stamped and white heat embossed the marbled background and then rubbed over it with coloured inks. Very effective as well!

So, here's this week's Snippets Playground prize - pretty obvious what it is of course!

It's a MFT 'Marbled Background' stamp (6" x 6") and also the MFT 'Wish' die - just like I used on my card for today. The die is self-explanatory of course - and the stamp is red rubber on cling foam, which makes for a good impression. It works perfectly in the standard sized Misti - but, if you don't have a Misti or similar stamping press then do what I used to do - use one of your cutting machine plates as a stamp block :)

Both this prize stamp as well as mine arrived with tiny pieces of white on the red rubber - but it's just from where the stamps have been sliced up with their protective wax backing sheet on. They flick or wipe off easily - so if you either win or buy this stamp then don't worry. I used my Lawn Fawn stamp cleaning cloth to wipe over mine but haven't opened the prize stamp, that's up to the winner :)

I'm making this one single prize girls - they  work so well together and I think you will agree too, plus it saves me working out who wants what and possibly posting a split prize of course.

As always, the Snippets Challenge will run for two weeks and the Playground gates will close at 11am UK time on Saturday 12th May. The gates will open again at midnight UK time on the same day.

It's a maximum of ONE entry and please say in a comment if you wish to play and be a possible winner of the prize. Please also link back to the Playground in your blog post to be eligible for the draw.

Remember, if you link into the Playground and don't say clearly that you're wanting to be in the draw in a comment on here, then you will be bypassed if your name comes out of Mr Linky. I'm sure you all know I ask for a positive 'yes' - just in case you're playing only for fun.

Mr Linky is below - please let me know if you have any problems linking, it's easy for me to sort out so don't struggle on alone :)

Be sure to call back next week to see the winner(s) of last fortnight's Clarity 'You Hung The Moon' and Whimsy 'Fadoodles 2' stamp sets, plus (hopefully) a Guest Designer and fortnightly picks of course.

Parsnip has taken up baking! It's carrot and raisin cake on today's afternoon schedule apparently - the little perisher seems to do it just so he can lick the spoon and mixing bowl.Can't see him volunteering to do the ironing though!

And love of course from me,