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Sunday 7 August 2022

Through the window snippets card

I recently bought a few Stampin' Up goodies and couldn't resist the 'Better Days' set of stamps. I loved the rather versatile and classic look, and to me it instantly shouted 'paper piecing!' (Hello Lesley!!) - even though it does come with some gorgeous stamps to create the stamped hills using inks, a background stamp and also a couple of sentiment stamps.This was my first play with the set - which is perfect for snippets of course!

 

The lovely ombre shaded Lawn Fawn coloured paper snippets, waiting to be 'fussy cut', main image is at top left and also my rough paper  'template for placing snippets' - is at the top right hand side

I used:

- 5.5" x 4.25 white card blank, tent style (for a change)

- the rustic brick/stone background was created using a Sizzix Tim Holts rustic brick wall die given to me some years ago, embossed onto white card and then rubbed over with a soft brush and Stampin' Up 'Smoky Slate' ink, just to tone down the white

- trimmed, then glued the brick work panel onto the card front

- the centrepiece 'window' was created by stamping the main image onto a snippet of white card using Memento 'Tuxedo Black' ink then fussy cut leaving a narrow border

- whilst the mini-Misti was out, I also selected a few snippets from my usual 'envelope inside the back cover of a pad storage' - from Lawn Fawn's 'Watercolor Wishes' pad, photo of them above, and stamped the relevant parts of the main stamp onto them

- this was made really easy to do by stamping the full image onto a snippet of white printer paper and nestling it into one corner of the Misti then used that to eyeball and position the snippets one after the other to stamp the most relevant parts that I wanted - it worked really well and a great way to save even MORE snippets! A photo is shown above of my pre-fussy-cut snippets. Top left it the main image and the other main image ws on spare paper to use a a guide

- fussy cut all the coloured paper snippets for the sky, sun and three layers of green fields and then ran a black Whispers brush pen around the edges to cover any white edges

- used a glue pen to adhere each piece onto the backing image, always adding the glue to the main image. All these years later I always think of that tip from Jules when paper crafting

- then fussy cut around the 'window' image outline, put that central panel aside and basically went off to bed to dream about the next steps i wanted to take!

- I'd stamped the sentiment whilst doing the other pieces so that was waiting

- before then, I ran a sumptuous gold calligraphy pen edgewise right around the main panel and set it to one side

- then hunted right through my dies and couldn't find a die, even with tweaking, to suit the sentiment - drat!

- so, I careful trimmed the stamped sentiment, also from the SU set, but left plenty of spare white card at either end

- a bit of measuring and some pencil marks and then punched the ends of the sentiment using a 1" SU punch to create the 'tails'

- then ran the same gold calligraphy pen around the whole sentiment strip and we were good to go!

- added the main panel to the card front using thin sticky pads

- then added the sentiment strip, at a jaunty angle, using the same brand of thin sticky pad

At first I hated the result as it just wasn't 'me', and the sentiment still doesn't 'do it and just seems a bit odd, or am I too old to understand?'. BUT, the scene is exactly what I wanted. The rolling fields and the shaded sky were all stamped onto and then fussy cut around pieces of Lawn Fawn's 'Watercolor Wishes' pad, utilising the differences in shade both for the fields and most of all for the sky - with no additional shading added! So, technique won over prettiness I suppose!

And now we come to Dudley's week. Fine - apart from me discovering he'd done a sneaky piddle indoors! I spotted the area with my beady eye and, having a 'nose like a bloodhound check' identified it right away! I doubt if Len is doing sly little piddles, so it had to be Dudders and I know the smell of his wee too! No chastising as he wasn't caught in the act. A dog does a little pee and then moves on, IMHO! Oh Dudley, you scamp! Luckily it was easily sorted out and the repellent de-odouriser spray to get rid of any odour after cleaning in case either of them Dudley makes a return visit, is a godsend! 

My Dad used to tell a tale, supposedly from his childhood, about a teacher in a class, constantly finding little puddles in the classroom, where a child had been 'caught short'. Eventually she addressed the whole class and told them that the culprit needed to own up, in secret, and they and the teacher would then work out how to deal with the problem. No punishment and no worries. So all the children dutifully closed their eyes after the teacher said that when their eyes were closed, the culprit for the puddles had to come and wrote their name of the back of the blackboard which sat on an easel, as they did in the olden days! Everyone closed their eyes - silence. Then after a short while a chair was scraped back from a desk and little feet pattered to the front of the classroom. The seemingly endless sound of chalk squeaking on the back side of the blackboard was heard - and then the little feet pattered back to their desk. Teacher said the kids could all open their eyes but she couldn't resist taking the look for the name that had been so laboriously written on the back of the blackboard. Whereupon she skidded in a fresh puddle and landed flat on her back. As she tried to raise herself up she saw the name of the 'culprit' scrawled on the back of the blackboard ........ 'THE PHANTOM PIDDLER STRIKES AGAIN'.  ☺ The end.

Sometimes this blog is a bit like my life history! Sorry if you only came for the 'how I made the card' bit!

Good grief - I almost forgot to tell you - we're back to any kind of snippets in the Snippets Playground, please tell us what you use and post your entry - over on our new challenge HERE! xx




20 comments:

  1. Love this card and your super paper piecing with snippets. Really pretty scene.

    Naughty Dudley! It amuses me no end that the initials of the Phantom Piddler are PP! (PeePee!!! Geddit? 😂) xxx

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  2. Oh my gosh ... love your Dudley story and then laughed out loud as your recounted one of your dad's stories. :) So hilarious!! :) Thanks for that. Also, your card is so beautifully done Di! Great idea to stamp and then sponge the areas to create your own paper pieces. It makes a lovely scene through a window. Lovely stamp ... can see why you had to have it. :) xx

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  3. Is it totally unacceptable to admit that I came over here to read about Dudley's latest (mis)adventures before I even read the challenge post?! Oh my...I am torn between shaking my head at his lapse in potty behavior, and laughing loud enough to wake up my sleeping husband as I imagine Dudley trying to pin the blame on Len. Let's just hope that this was a rare occurrence and doesn't turn into a new habit. Your father's story also had me in stitches and was so well told that I could practically hear the screech of the chalk on the chalkboard and the thump as the poor teacher took a spill.
    Before this comment goes too much off course, I have to say that your card is beautiful! I thought that you had used ink blending for the different colored areas and am amazed that it's paper pieced. The sky, especially, with absolute perfection! I would probably have used the ombre patterns as a plain background and never thought to paper piece sky and hills...but the results are just lovely. Lots of great tips here, such as lightly inking the brick background to soften the look.

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  4. What a lovely little scene you've created and all perfectly paper pieced. Maybe it is an 'age' thing but I find many of the SU sentiments really strange to say the least and rarely use them. Sorry to hear about Dudley's lapse and very amused to read the school story too. Here's hoping this week doesn't become unbearably hot, take care.

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  5. Wow! This card is just amazing!! Fabulous window scene with the blended effect and the paperpiecing, and love so much the wall embossing!! It's really a versatile stamp, I think you will use it more and more. I'm sure Dudley will not repeat the mischievous fact with your deodorise spry. I translated the story with an online translator and it made me laugh!!! :D As a teacher I am, hope that it never happens to me!!! LOL
    Hugs, have a lovely Sunday!

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  6. I really like what you've done with this stamp set and your paper piecing is great! The background embossing makes a nice backdrop too. As for Dudley he's a little stinker sometimes! LOL As far as your dad's story goes, I agree with what Sarn said! LOL That is just too funny!

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  7. Hehehe, I so enjoy reading about Dudley and his naughty deeds, and that story from your Dad is hilarious! Your card is gorgeous! For some reason I forget about paper-piecing so thank you for the reminder - I would not have guessed this was paper-pieced if you had not mentioned it. It looks like you ink-blended it. The sentiment is cool, and I think your friend who receives this card will feel very blessed! Love the embossed brick as well! I will be joining the snippets challenge shortly!

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  8. This is a very tranquil scene and so pretty Di, and the papers work beautifully. The TH brick wall embossed background looks great too. I laughed at the phantom piddler story. I wonder if the culprit ever owned up or was eventually found out. Hopefully this is a one off for Dudley and he won't become a phantom piddler..lol. x

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  9. A lovely paper pieced card Di and I love the 'Phantom Piddler' story too!
    Kath x

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  10. From reading the above comments, I see that Sarn and I have a similar sense of humor.... I suggested Dudley's nickname could be Mr. P.P. for the shortened version of Phantom Piddler....
    I love the scene for your card and the brick background!

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  11. super cute! Terrific story about the Phantom Piddler!

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  12. A lovely landscape and looks very stained glass to me Di and I can also see a snowy scene too. I have no idea what vibe is either!! I hope the phantom piddler has managed to keep his legs crossed since!! xx

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  13. Ooh Di what are you like l was laughing and nearly created a puddle myself just loved reading it and your right life stories are told on many a blog but l just love reading them ....your card is adorable l love the scenery the background is gorgeous and the window so perfectly done ...l read Dudley can relate to the phantom piddler lol xx

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  14. What a lovely set Di - hadn't spotted that one! - and I love the paper piecing treatment you gave it. That's a bit strange Dudley doing a wee indoors at his age... hopefully he just got caught short. Your dad's story about the Phantom Piddler made me laugh out loud!! Hugs, Vicky xx

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  15. Fabulous scene through your lovely window in the brick wall Diane..gorgeous card and such fun with Dudley, love his name..

    Luv CHRISSYxx

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  16. oh Dudley - I can only assume it was out of necessity you are usually such a good boy. Lovely card and a fab tale from your Dad too.

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  17. Oh dear - phantom piddlers and all, this is a fabulous post Di - love your sweet card.
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  18. Aww lovely card Di, that little window scene is so pretty and looks fab on your stone background.
    Lol poor Dudley, maybe he figured it was cooler indoors for a widdle - no fun for the dog-slave who gets to clean it up though!! My dad used to tell a story about a man at work who complained every day at lunch that he always had ham sandwiches, and then of course it turned out he made them himself. My dad laughed every time he told us that one ;)

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  19. I just love how you used this set Di! Great way to use snippets, and fabulous result, worth the effort :) Hope there's been no more PP's !! xxx

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  20. Oh that naughty Dudley! My goodness--your paper piecing is fabulous! Love the look!

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