Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #418 - Christmas Draw - Prize W

Here's the 23rd prize in the 'Snippets Playground Celebration' prize draw:

I used:

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

- followed a video made by John Next Door, which you can see HERE rather than me type out all the many steps to make a rather special shaker card

- the supplies I used are: snippets of Tonic Pearlescent 'Majestic Gold' card stock, snippets of Tonic satin mirri card 'Scarlet Organza' (absolutely luscious!), snippets of acetate to make the shaker element, 'Champagne' sprinkles by Lucy's Little Things' (a gorgeous mixture of sequins and beads in shades of gold and also pearly see through), Kanban (really ancient) gold and red sparkly gems added to four of the snowflakes I added to the card front

- tools/adhesives are Collall All Purpose Glue, red line tape, foam tape (big tip about this below,) Glossy Accents, various square dies to make the red and gold frame element, and most importantly the fabulous Crafts-Too John Next Door 'Baroque Snowflake Plate' die

It most certainly isn't quick to make a card like mine and, on New Year's Eve afternoon, I actually thought I'd bitten off more than I could chew. Partly as the 'clearing space for my Gemini to be handy project' is a work in progress, mostly due to this final Grand Draw. and I did (to be totally honest) find that my old Cuttlebug struggled a bit. But we both got there in the end. Basically, despite the Gemini and my sweet little Altenew mini die cutting machine, I do need to bite the bullet and buy a new manual and foldable die cutting machine, Cuttlebug or very similar, purely for thick Sizzix dies and as a manual backup - these days my current Cuttlebug would fail its MOT (road safety for USA friends!) for sure. 

But, I'm not a quitter, so I kept going and tweaking until I had something pretty much like John's card (a talented man for sure who always makes it look so easy!) - within the limits of my square dies. It's a thick card when finished if you add all the layers of foam tape suggested by John. You can see that by the shadow cast on the photo I took. I do have some unassembled card boxes here (from the days when I made cards very layered and festooned with flowers, ribbons and charms - which I really loved making!). I'll need to ask my tame mountain goat to clamber up to the ceiling height shelves in my craft room and retrieve the boxes for me - or perhaps Dudley can stand on the mountain goat's shoulders?! ☺ I am SO bad!

The foam tape tip I mentioned above is one I discovered a lot of years ago and possibly a lifesaver for shaker cards. When I buy a new roll of foam tape (very rare - I've had my current roll a good few years) I gently rub some talcum powder onto both sides of the rolled up reel then brush any excess off. Then keep the roll of tape in a small poly bag. Just use the tape in the normal way when assembling your shaker cards and you'll find that the shaker elements don't stick to the sides at all! No need to fiddle on with talc when trying to assemble a shaker card - the tape is nicely 'non-stick' down each side. 

The prize is a John Next Door 'Baroque Snowflakes Plate'. This die is utterly gorgeous and I first spotted it when Linby raced in with a card to share fairly recently. HERE is her original blog post for you to check out a different way to use the die. You can use it as a plate as I did or just die cut loads of adorable snowflakes to keep on hand when you're making Christmas cards (I intend to make a little box of them using some lovely white pearlescent paper I found the other week) - or both!

All the rules can be found on the post for Sunday 12th December 2021, along with Mr Linky for your single entry. I do suggest that you read the rules thoroughly - particularly about the theme for this Grand Draw Challenge.

Just leave a comment on this post you're currently looking at, if you would like the chance to win today's prize.

Do please remember that the Grand Draw Mr Linky will close at 11am on Saturday morning, UK time. I've already begun to close comments for earlier prizes and will be closing them on a daily basis from now on as I think people have had ample time to check out the prize posts. It will be tight for you to play for the final prize which will appear on Thursday, so don't hang about as it's one I think a few people will be keen on. The complete Grand Draw will close at 11am on Saturday - and all commenting even for the final prize from Thursday will be included included - in readiness for the move across to the new blog which I wrote about on here yesterday.

The new Snippets Playground blog launches on Sunday 9th January, and the Grand Draw results will be published over there, not on here - but I will remind you on here of course. My current plan is for the results to appear on Sunday 16th January but that may change as it's quite a mammoth task sorting out who wants which prize(s) and - so far - I've been way too busy to do more than watch and respond to your entries, selecting possible picks as I go, whilst frantically writing new posts and also making sample cards where possible. Never fear, we will get there folks - we always do!   

Huge thanks for your lovely comments about the new Snippets Playground blog - not long to wait now!

Love from Dudley and of course me,