Sunday Snippets - 'faux patchwork'

My snippets card for today is not new, far from it. It's the very first card I showed when taking the Snippets Playground over from Jules - way back in January 2012! 

I guess lots of you will know the patchwork trick Just cut a square of background paper and then a couple of strips of contrasting paper the same length as the background but only one third of the width of the background. Then stick them down in a cross centrally over the background square and cover with an image, sentiment or whatever. Thern I added some 'faux stitching'.

I used:

- 4" x 4" square white linen card

- all papers came from the snippets folder (the patterned ones are scraps of First Edition 'Sweet Owl' papers)

- sentiment from the Hero Arts 'Live Life' sentiments set - stamped in Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate

- flowers punched from snippets with Josy Rose nail heads in the centre

- faux stitching using a very fine Whispers brown marker

After a busy week with medical appointments it was already likely that I wouldn't have time to make a new snippets card. Just to make absolutely sure, I had a fall on Friday and whacked my right arm. It's badly bruised so crafting is out of the question right now - sigh.

Sunday Snippets - brilliant Eclipse technique

Happy Snippets Sunday, from a blisteringly hot Hampshire. I am SO excited about a 'new to me' technique for creating Eclipse cards using a stamping platform. I'll add some links below to tutorials and here's my 'first attempt' card:

Voila!

Slightly 'side on' shot to see the raised parts more clearly!

I used:

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

- a backing snippet of plain black card, cut to 5" x 4"

- the image layer of white card ended up at a whisker under the size of the back layer - I was juggling a bit as the card evolved

- stamped the image using Clair 'Nocturne' ink and the main stamp from SU's 'Postage Due' stamp set, a set I've never used despite having it since goodness knows when!

- at this point two things are absolutely vital - do not move the just stamped image from your platform of choice - and do not remove the stamp from its position on the lid of your stamping platform!  Put it out of harm's way for now!!

- next I cut 18 x quarter inch strips of card from a couple of the same card stock white snippets - they breed here!  BIG tip, decide the length you want them to be beforehand and trim your card to height before slicing into strips. My strips were quarter of an inch wide and 3" tall

- then sit................. idly watching the World Cup football or similar ..................whilst glueing those strips together - three strips at a time - leaving you with six 3-layer strips

- I also made a three layer 'spacing strip' about 4" in length and .5" wide. It might work for you but I ended up just eyeballing as it was very fiddly to manage. If you eyeball - work from both outside edges inwards - little tip there! 

- next step is to adhere those three layer strips as you wish across the stamped image, still sitting safely in the platform - unless you used a corner for positioning. I do that so could pop the image layer back into the exact same place later on - which always helps if you don't have a sticky mat in your platform

- once the layers are glued in place - it's 'Show Time!'

- however you get there, the base image with its white strips MUST be in exactly the same position as when the initial stamping was done

- then you ink up the original stamp which is still in situ on the platform lid and lower it back onto the image, press and BINGO! For me it was truly a 'Wow' moment as the image sprang into 3-D life! Obviously you ink as many times as you see fit

- finished! 

I truly think this is a real game changer! I used my strips offset, one placed up and one down across the base image - but you can use any shape you like - discs, squares - whatever! I've given the detailed measurements in my step by step above - but they're really for my own use as much as anything as I do plan to make more of the same card - perhaps using a different colour ink pad. Sepia, Green and Maroon are three that spring to mind. 

I first came across the technique the other day on 'Jenn's Crafty Makes' (Facebook) HERE.  Jenn found the technique HERE on YouTube, only posted a couple of weeks ago. It's a long video by 'Heidi - The Yorkshire Crafter' - 46 minutes or so. So, I suggest you watch Jenn's video first - that probably is enough to get you going. It's concise and straight to the point. Both crafters are worth keeping an eye on as they keep pushing the boundaries and coming up with fresh ideas.

I'd like to enter these cards into the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge #852 HERE under 'Anything Goes'

Darnell's NBUS Challenge # 87 HERE - the SU stamp set is out for a play for the very first time - shame on me!

Dudley Pupdate: We've been out and about in Len's car a fair bit recently - and it seems that, at last, Dudley is more resigned to his fate. Obviously the more frequent journeys are making it more 'normal' for him!

He stiill 'chunters and grumbles', but the yodelling has all but ceased. He'll be eight in July so it's taken us a while to get him this far! 

Sarn has opened up Challenge #534 in the Snippets Playground HERE. Another great prize too!

See you on the swings! The temperature is set to soar mid-week so bring your cossie!

Love as always, Dudley and yours truly,

Sunday Snippets - 'Pen and Ink' tag

I made a super-fast tag - using a Penny Black Stickeroo, paper and card snippets plus small snippets of ribbon:

I used:

- a snippet of pink SU paper (from many years ago) that I'd already topped with a Penny Black Stickeroo from the 'Pen and Ink' sticker sheet, leaving a decent sized outline

- a snippet of white card which I die cut using a die from the Sizzix Framelits 658784 set of label dies

- then used the waste from the white label to choose where to die cut the stickeroo panel. The PB Stickeroo was exactly the same width as the label die - what luck! 

- then glued both labels together - this was to add stability to the thin top image layer

- threaded snippets of pink and green ribbon through the tag hole and tied them together with another little snippet of very narrow black ribbon

- finished!

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

- Tag-along (and ATC's) June Challenge HERE - under 'Add some Text' 

- Darnell's NBUS Challenge #87 HERE - the Sizzix set of label dies is having a first outingl

The results from Sarn's Challenge #531 are now published in the Snippets Playground HERE. 

Dudley Pupdate: Yesterday lunchtime, Len came upstairs carrying a tray with hot drinks plus a few of Dudley's treats to replenish the little upstairs poly bag 'Dudley's pantry'. . 

Dudley was pre-occupied munching a chunk of diced carrot at the time - until one of the treats decided to make a bid for freedom! The chunk of carrot flew into the air - abandoned - as Dudley immediately pounced and quickly gobbled the 'escapee' straight down, practically before it hit the floor. Then, he returned to his carrot munching as if absolutely nothing had happened! Talk about being a little pocket rocket! 

There's still a week left in my current Snippets Challenge if you haven't already joined in!

Love as always, Dudley and yours truly,

Sunday Snippets - the hum of bees ....

I used a new stamp set I've had for absolutely ages for my snippets card below - and, you can win a duplicate of the same set over in The Snippets Playground HERE: 

I used:

- an A6 white card blank, side opening 

-  snippet of white card measuring 5.5" x 3.5" for the image

- stamped the image and sentiment using a Clair 'Nocturne' ink pad and two stamps from the 'Foxglove and Bees' stamp set by Creative Expressions

- coloured the foxglove using Polychromos pencils and tickled the bees' wings with clear 'Wink of Stella'

- snippet of 'Soft Amethyst' satin mirror card measuring 5.75" x 3.75", which I glued onto the white card blank front

- then just popped a few SU gems in the bottom right hand corner to finish off

I've hesitated to use this new stamp set for ages, yet it was a breeze to colour in the end!

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

- Allsorts Challenge #851 HERE - the theme is 'Anything Goes from the Garden, just perfect! 

- Darnell's NBUS Challenge #87 HERE - the foxglove and bees stamp set is my NBUS

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

Dudley Pupdate: Dudley is certainly happier now that temperatures have dropped here - but now we have rain so he's shooting out and back into the house as fast as his little paws will carry him!

Love as always, Dudley and yours truly,