Just a note...............

I bought this stamp in the £1 bin at The Range last week - what a bargain:

And then I spotted this week's Less Is More Challenge, which is to use a touch of silver somewhere. My initial card had just the silver of the nib, but then I added the silver nail heads for a little bit of 'pop'.

I used:

- 6" x 6" square white card stock

- a  Spellbinders Flourished Label die, which wasn't going to be long enough so I partly cut it and then turned it round in the Cuttlebug moving the die along a bit and cut the other end to add more length. For a first attempt I'm reasonably happy with the result and it's certainly one to try with other dies as well

- the stamp I was itching to use is an Anita's stamp, appropriately called 'Just a note', stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink pad and the nib coloured with a silver gel pen and the barrel was coloured with a Burgundy Pro Marker and then tickled with Anita's glaze - which doesn't show up on the photo - sigh :(

- just a couple of embossed lines above and below the flourish and three Josy Rose nail heads in each corner

Things went totally upside down here yesterday, some family stuff, tricky issues also being kicked around in a flurry of emails after the school association committee meeting plus a friend arrived rather upset after one of her oldest friends passed away and I spent time with her, as any of us would have I know. I must say, she went home thinking this place is a mad house - Hank and Marvin, my two monkeys, were tucked under a throw on a sofa still from when I 'put them to bed' last night!

So my day flew by without any time yet to do last week's snippets roll call. It's top of my 'to-do' list for today though!

Di
x

A Carol of the Holly

Used one of my favourite images here and new papers and ribbon from Hobby Lobby in New Mexico. Sigh, that took some bravery I can tell you, me not too good at chopping into new goodies :(

Bit of a wobble on the bottom loop of the bow I see, but it's late on Sunday now and I took this photo the other day, I just tweaked it and it's fine so I blame the rather hasty and not very good photographer :)

I used:

- 6" x 6" square Kraft card stock

- the image is one of my Christmas favourites, called 'Carolling Duck' by Penny Black, cut using a Sizzix die and coloured with Pro Markers. The background was too white so I coloured that with 'Ivory' and then whisked the edges with TH DI 'Old Paper'

- plain red backing card, holly paper by Paper Studio from their 'Cozy Little Christmas' pad (on offer at Hobby Lobby with a piece of Paper Studio's 'Christmas Music Collage' paper tucked behind

- you might not be able to see but the gingham ribbon (also from Hobby Lobby) matches the berries in the holly paper so well I almost cried when I found it

And this card is for Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge 93, which is 'Carol Singing' this week. I think this fits the bill.......quack, quack, geddit?!

And thanks to Brenda B for letting me know that this also fits the Penny Black @ Allsorts Challenge this month which is 'Animal Magic'. 

Di
x

Pixies Crafty Snippets Challenge - week 41

Following on from a card I posted on here on Friday............here's what I did in a HUGE rush with the left over piece of mustardy yellow patterned SU card - it already had an image on which was too good to waste:

So, you could say I used big snippets this week :)

I used:

- DL white card stock

- SU patterned card

- snippet of red backing card

- Craftwork Cards sentiment layered onto a snippet of red card, punched with SU's oval punch - a perfect size for these sentiments

- two small black gems for the birdies eyes - the shadow thrown when I took the photo makes them look eerily large :)

BUT, for now no roll call - this grieves me so much as there are so many lovely makes to talk about this week. So, I propose to open the Playground as usual and then to do a roll call later which should be posted on this coming Tuesday for last week. I was out most of yesterday and will be out most of today (school reunion meeting). But, I'm still watching the antics girls!!

As a little token, here's a cute little thing I found on my travels to Reading  this week:

It's nothing that special, but I LURVE my Bowmaker, and you can do double bows with it too. Just leave me a comment if you're a snippets playmate and like to make bows - even if you have no snippets card or whatever this time round saying 'YES PLEASE' if you'd like to be a winner, and you will be in the draw - I'll post to anywhere as usual. I do know everyone who calls in here though:)

If you wanna join in the Playground and keep using up those snippets - the Playground is open most of this coming week but it will close Friday 12th October at noon, UK time and I'll also do the Bowmaker draw then. I hope to be partying with a few WOYWW friends all day Saturday  13th - sorry !:) But the roll call should appear, with a new Mr Linky on Saturday morning 13th October with another roll call as I trot off to hug lots of bloggers on your behalf ....... confused, yup, me too!!!

Mr Linky is below as usual. 

Di
x 

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 :)

A card for Lyn

A lot of us know Lyn (aka Spyder), who creates some fab digi images, has a great blog and is also very humorous. Sadly her Dad passed away during the week so I sent this card to her yesterday:

I used:

- A6 white card stock

- green card from the snippets folder

 

- white layer embossed used a Sizzix 'Corner, Flower vine' embossing folder

- sentiment stamped using Whispers pens then die cut with Labels 8 Nestie - the stamp (and the embossing folder) came from hols. The stamp is made by American Art Stamp - looks like the code is GRS20.G

- vine leaves die cut using a mini vines leaves die

It's been a really tough year for Lyn and family - and no doubt lots of us are thinking of her and hoping that the sun will shine again soon for them all. 

Di
x

It's been too long

.........since I made a card using my favourite GorJuss Girls - these are about the only images without mouths that don't give me the 'heebie jeebies':

I used:

- 6" x 6" square white card stock

- marine blue backing card from the snippets folder, am sure this is SU's

- mustardy yellow backing card by SU

- decoupaged and layered GorJuss Girl image - ha, the pile by her feet is meant to be fallen leaves, I think

- sentiment by Craftwork Cards, layered onto punched piece of marine blue card

- flowers punched and topped with white card candi

- ribbon from the ribbon box - this is luscious stuff, double sided thick satin with one side marine blue and the other brown (but an absolute devil to tie a bow with!)

The rest of the mustardy yellow backing card is to one side for now - I have an idea for the image that's already printed on it :)

Sigh, now having to resort to taking photos using the daylight lamp here, which means almost lying horizontally across the desk - still, it gives Len a laugh seeing my b*m waving in the air!

Di
x

But you'll look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle made for two - tra, laa

As soon as I realised that SU were retiring their 'Wedding Wheels' stamp of course I just had to have it didn't I - greedy little pig :(

This week's challenge over at Less Is More is a Lucky Dip and it's 'Love and Marriage' so out came the stamp for its first airing of what I think will be many:

I used:

- 5" x 5" square white card stock

- SU's 'Wedding Wheels' stamp and Tuxedo Black Memento ink pad, image cut using an oval Nestie

- a snippet of purple mirri card cut using the same Nestie but by drawing round the outside of it and cutting by hand

- sentiment stamped in Tuxedo Black and using a stamp from SU's 'Congrats' set

- two Josy Rose 'hot fix' purple hearts

A small and simple card - and as a lot of people are choosing shades of purple for their wedding 'colour scheme' I think it could be deemed as 'on trend' - truth be known I selected the hearts first and then rootled through the snippets folder for matching card :)

And the ovals are lined up OK, I just wasn't crouching low enough when I took the photo - if I get right down I just mightn't get back up again!

Len pitched in today to help sort out the logo business - what a star :)

Di
x

WOYWW - still missing in action :(

I just spent a whole day yesterday working on stuff for our school association and at about 5pm realised that all the work was for nothing :( The logo I'd been using is to be replaced by a special 20th Anniversary one for this next reunion in 2013 - and it isn't a case of dropping a new one into place, I just know that - plus I'd made up all the samples ready for an association committee meeting this weekend too. There's still steam rising from Hampshire right now!

So that scuppered Wednesday for me as I'll just have to start again - no chance of hopping about on WOYWW and it ain't fair to link so I'll be missing in action once again.

But, after hurling stuff round the craft room in a right little tantrum, I whipped this little card up instead:

I used:

- card cut to DL size, strip of silver edged card and layered up (already done!) image, all by Kan Ban from their 'Special Moments' collection  - this one is called 'Sunday Best'

- the label is also from the kit, I stamped a little sentiment using Memento 'London Fog' - the sentiment stamp is by SU from the 'Pocket Silhouettes' set - good old SU to the rescue again

- little snippet of white organza ribbon and three card candies - coloured with a Pro Marker as all the pinks I had weren't 'blue toned' enough. To be honest, a big bag of white card candi is a great route as you can always colour those to suit

You can see what a rush I was in, it was getting dark outside so I plonked the card down and pressed the shutter on the camera! Nowt fancy, after the day I'd had!!!

Di
x

A Tuesday Tale - 'The last word'

Yesterday's card, and me wondering just what the Oriental/ Japanese wording on the stamp I used might be, reminded me of this tale I heard ages ago:

Towards the end of WWII we had quite a few German POWs over here - but, us being 'jolly fair Brits', a lot of them were allowed to have a fair amount of freedom and to work outside of the camps for pocket money.

One very nice young German was employed by a lady seeking someone to tend to her gardens. She took quite a liking to the young chap and gave him pretty much free rein so, when he suggested that it would be really nice to plant crocus bulbs in the rather large front lawn, she readily agreed thinking 'How jolly to have naturalised crocuses popping up in the Spring'.

The end of the war meant that he was repatriated before Spring came and she was quite sad to see him go as he'd worked diligently and been no trouble at all. Sure enough, little green shoots began to appear in the front lawn once the snow began to clear. After a while, a few days of sunshine meant they began to bloom and they were quite a sight to behold.

That is, until she glanced out of an upstairs bedroom window to admire them from above and realised that he'd left her a message - they spelt out 'HEIL HITLER'.

Di
x

Geisha girl

About four years ago I came across the free instructions for 'geisha girls' in a link from the lovely Kirsty Wiseman's blog - I started by making the costumes and a few cards and then the box of half done stuff got buried. Doing some sorting out here yesterday I came across the box again and made this:

 I used:

- DL white card stock

- The geisha girl was made as per Kirsty's instructions using some Japanese style origami paper that was also hidden away in the box (brilliant way to use up snippets too). The flower tucked in the geisha's hair, just behind her 'bun' which shows up in real life but I think not in the photo is just a silver rose peel off, stuck onto pearlescent pink paper and trimmed round

-  The grasses and sentiment were stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and the

stamps are from The English Stamp Company called 'Oriental Clear Stamps' - had them for donkey's years and this is their first outing, slap wrists! Yeah right, but there's no indication of what the wording means - for all I know it could say 'Sweet and sour prawns, chicken and beansprout stir-fry, fried rice and prawn crackers for two please'.....or the equivalent in Japanese :(

Totally rubbish lighting here means the 'writing' side of the card look as if it isn't evenly stamped - how weird is that? Also,hindsight being 20/20 vision, I now think that the grasses could have been 'grounded' at the bottom right with the sentiment at the top of the left hand side - oops, too late :(Sigh.

Edit: I just whipped up another one, with the grasses and sentiment moved a bit:

Have also worked out that it's light coming in from a window to the left that's sort of fading the writing - Autumn is on the way, might have to begin using the daylight lamp for piccies :(

That translation business reminds me of a Tuesday Tale - will be back later with it.

Di
x

'All wrapped up for Christmas'

Ha, bet that made you wonder if preparations were finished here - no way, apart from card making I haven't even really thought about it! It's the theme of this week's challenge over at Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge :)

So, I turned to last year's leftover cards (not a lot left to cannibalise now) and made this quickie:

I used:

- 7" x 5" card stock, trimmed by just a quarter of an inch to fit the backing card which is 6.5" x 4.5" 

- backing card from Dovecraft's 'Noel' paper pad. Despite a slightly awkward size (in my eyes anyhow) these papers are fabulous (in fact they're really more like quite thick card), a lot are glittered like the patterned one I used and a lot are double sided so lots of plain toning colours to choose from

- image chopped from a card from last Christmas and mounted onto deep red 'Noel' paper

- strip of deep red 'Noel' paper

- sentiment by Craftwork Cards

- Josy Rose nail heads

I resisted adding any ribbon, which is unusual for me. It just didn't need it - in my humble opinion anyhow.

And how lovely, I won some digi images in last week's challenge over at Hazel's - yippee :)

Hope you had a great weekend folks!

Di
x

Pixies Crafty Snippets Challenge 40 & roll call

Quite a busy week in the Playground I see, despite the need for wellies, waterproofs and such - rain didn't stop play here then!

This is my snippets card:

I had such fun making this, using ideas from September's Quick Cards Made Easy magazine. The teabag folding was very therapeutic, a great way to use up snippets and also easy once you got going. I was at a friend's on Friday afternoon doing my 'IT support' bit (I fixed it but don't know how, which is disconcerting to say the least) and, despite her initial scepticism, after showing her how to make a rosette she was fired with enthusiasm as well :) 

I used:

- 6" x 6" square cream card stock, in a tent fold

- Wild Rose Studio's 'Butterfly Garden' paper pack for the backing paper

- dress form stamp from Lawn Fawn's 'Sew Lovely' stamp set

- sentiment from LOTV's 'General Greetings - small' set, stamped in Memento black ink

- snippets of more Wild Rose Studio's 'Butterfly Garden' papers (left over from previous makes) to paper piece the dress bodice and then make the skirt and rosette. I used a one and three eighths size SU circular punch, smaller than the two inches punch used in the QCME projects but more in balance with the smaller dress form - snigger, and I don't think I have a two inch punch anyhow :) A bit more fiddly perhaps, but as I said, such good fun. Ideal for taking a whole load of punched circles, some brads and a glue pen in a small poly box when travelling maybe?

- a Fizzy Moon brad from the 'flowers' pack

So, that's my snippets offering, onto the roll call now.

I laughed at our first playmate this week, it was Jules and she was missing anyone to play on the see saw with her. Now, that brought back a memory, as an only child I often had to make my own entertainment - and believe me there's nothing much sadder than a little girl perched on one end of a see saw hopping up and down like a demented frog trying to play on her own :( Anyhow, Jules brought a brilliant Penny Black make to show - gotta love that duck perched on the top of all those parcels - and of course the lovely backing papers, bunting and stitching. So pleased you still find time to come and play Jules and I love the tale about you almost saying 'Dun you worry about nuffin'' to a client!

It's true, sometimes this Playground really gets to me too - I read on one blog yesterday about having a little bonfire in the Playground and leapt straight in and commented back 'NOT under the tree house' - the lines between the Playground and 'real' life are becoming blurred at times :)

Next was Elizabeth, with a total of four visits this week. On one of them she said she was waiting for some paint to dry and Dumber here asked her to send hubby down here when he'd finished the decorating. How silly of me - it was paint splattering techniques on paper that Elizabeth was trying out :( For her first card, Elizabeth brought a really pretty pink teacup card, made by recycling a birthday card and isn't it gorgeous? Love the satin bow as a finishing touch too. Then, there was this utterly stunning 'fishy themed' card - which blew me away with all the gorgeous detail. It isn't entered into any other challenges but I bet it would have been a winner Elizabeth, every time I look at it there's more to see. Next was a delightful card, in pinks and mauves mostly, so pretty - and I do agree with the idea of rounding the corners of the main backing paper to those lovely rosebuds to link into the scalloped card. Hark at me, what would I know anyhow :( And finally, a card featuring a cat in a bag - how adorable :) I think the image is so cute, the double bow is brilliant (despite your misgivings Elizabeth) and the tassel is a super finishing touch. I have a few of these somewhere too - thanks for a great idea!

Kate M was next to come and play, and it was her very first time in the Playground. Welcome Kate, I see that a few of you already hopped over to say Hello. If not, then this is the super Kraft Christmas bag that Kate made. Isn't it fabulous? I love the Christmas Tree so cleverly made out of scalloped circles topped with little punched shapes - it's brilliant Kate. Hope you come back to play regularly with us with more fabulous makes.

Our Sam has been busy this week - we had four visits from her too. First was to show a totally gorgeous Birthday Card, which I know is absolutely beautiful in real life 'cos it was waiting here when we arrived back from holiday. Of course I love the pink and so many super touches - the fibre instead of ribbon is great and a card I'll treasure! Then, Sam brought a Rudolph Day card to show - and what a fun image too. Sam won the stamp last month and made a brilliant card using it! This was followed by what I'm pretty sure is a card using a Kenny K image for a young lady - and I already commented that Sam has such a great ability to go from one style of crafting to another. Love it Sam! Finally, we had a super Christmas card featuring a pair of lovely plump robins - gorgeous colours there Sam and perfect embellishments.

Mary Mac paid us two visits this week, firstly with two cards, using a Spellbinders 'Cut and Tuck' die and  Martha Stewart punch to brilliant effect. One card is yellow and the other blue - and how different they look Mary. Gorgeous! On her second visit to play, Mary brought a truly lovely Christmas Card - I love the traditional Father Christmas image Mary, and the stamp, glue and glitter technique works brilliantly. To check out how it's done, go and see what Mary made and then follow her link to another blog which shows you how. I agree it would mean a lot of cleaning of stamps as you go Mary, but so, so worth it!

Next was Mags, with an adorable LOTV image on a card for a chap, young or older - it's perfect! It's been some while since you came to play Mags and it's great to see you venturing back again. I love the card you brought - beautifully coloured image and the layout/backing papers and twine are lovely together. The gems look like bubbles :) Hope to see you more often, I see a few playmates already called by to say Hello.

Maureen (aka ScrappyMo) came by this week - bringing a poinsettia card with a difference - think pearlescent shades of ivory, taupe and Kraft card! The sparkle just adds that extra something I agree - although I love both the before and after :) Right girlies. Maureen (Mo) is heading into hospital for an op. on her back this week - so I hope you'll all join in sending our love and get well soon wishes. Hope the op. does the trick and that once recovered you'll be pain free and able to fly round on the carousel without a care in the world!

We had a visit from Shaz in Oz too this week, again after a little absence. I think news of the tree house is spreading :) Shaz brought us such a beautiful 'scenic Christmas card' - using brayering (ack, that's my Achilles heel), delightful shades of purple and blue, with the moon shining through conifers - a truly perfect winter scene. I love it Shaz and so good to see you playing along, come back soon - and please bring some sunshine with you :)

Sandra H was next, also with a Christmas Card (there's no hiding I'm afraid, even the shops are getting their Christmas goodies out already) - it's so cute Sandra, such a happy teddy image and the monochrome is just perfect too. A bit of sparkle and the lovely leafy swirl plus the corner flourish are beautiful finishing touches - a card anyone would love to receive!

Next was Lindsey, with this elegant, clean and simple card - just some lovely yellow backing papers, carefully positioned and a single butterfly. A perfect Less is More design Lindsey and really eye catching too. The addition of two diamantes just adds that finishing touch - really beautiful result!

Jackie hopped by, after a little absence, and she brought two Christmas cards and a brilliant 'Rule Britannia' notebook to show. Fabulous use of snippets Jackie - love them all but the notebook is my favourite. How lucky to have so many super Britannia scraps to use up. Err, correction here - as I write the roll call I'm hopping to and fro when I write about each entry and in fact now I can't choose between those lovely Kan Ban Christmas cards and the notebook! Len always says that I'm someone who used to be indecisive but am now not so sure :(

Hazel has been having a tough time lately, both in herself not feeling well and also concerns over her Mum. I hope things are settling down for you now Hazel. We had three cards this week - the first one is here, the next one is here and the third one is here. The style of all three is very similar - but the end results just have to be seen. They're all 'concertina cards' but so different - birdhouses in pink,  dressmaking forms in shades of pink and raspberry and blue butterflies. Lots of lovely detail and definitely some food for thought as a card design to try out Hazel. Thank you for showing us these beauties!

Next to play was Lynn A with a super Christmas card. Gorgeous colours Lynn and I love the colours you used, along with stitching round the edge as well! Do please go and see if you haven't done so already - a few of you make cards with a sentiment/wording as a focus and this works so well. I need to get away from thinking I always need an image maybe :(

Bonnie was next, bringing the most breathtaking Autumn tree on a card. It's fabulous and those of us who've called by have raved about the main image of the tree and how beautifully its been coloured in the richest shades of reds, oranges and browns. The addition of just two strips of toning paper and a 'thinking of you' sentiment are the perfect finishing touches Bonnie - it's gorgeous!

Then Mary H hopped by to play - now I don't think she literally hopped in as I think the op. was a total success and she's well on the way to recovery now from what I can gather. Great news! Mary brought us this little beauty - it really made me smile as I love this 'guitar playing hedgy' image (once used it on a Birthday or Valentines Day card for Len as he plays guitar) - Mary coloured it beautifully and I love the darker papers used! Gorgeous Mary :)

Laura was next - with news that she's on the final run to buying her first home with Sean. It's a nerve-wracking time, and all our fingers are crossed for you Laura. Laura brought this delightful Birthday Card to show - pink (yay!) and a Forever Friends image too. It's great Laura and good luck with selling cards at work - I'm sure you'll sell loads of your lovely creations. Be sure to keep the money to one side to feed you craft supplies :)

And last, but never least, was Sarn - and what a busy week it's been for her. Rudolph Day this month has gone ballistic - loads of entries and there's still time for you to join in as the challenge doesn't close until 7pm GMT on Tuesday 2nd October. You know it makes sense, plus there's a super stamp set to be won :) Enough of the plug - send your cheque to me at the usual address Sarn ;) So, this is Sarn's fabulous snippets card for this week - it's a fabby z-fold card. I know, it was sort of new to me, particularly with the wonderful band to hold it closed. Just love the colours you used Sarn, papers are fab - and I neeeeeeed to know what colour the plain rich purpley blue is please. I bet it's SU - I love it!

Tell you what girls, you could make some fabulous Christmas cards in this style! My guess is that the starting point is a card base made from a 12" sheet cut into four 12" x 3" strips for the main cards and then the bottom 12" x 3" strip used to die cut the scalloped circles Sarn? That's the extent of my butterfly brain here - sitting sketching how to cut to make the most of a 12 " square sheet of card - no wonder my Saturday roll call takes so long :)

Edit: In case you don't spot it, Sarn has kindly commented about the z-fold card measurements : The Z-Fold card is 3" x 9" scored from the left at 1.5", 3", 6" and 7.5". Wrap was 1.5" x 7". The wrap is 7" long so you can overlap it to stick. Used Nesties for the circles on the wrap. Thanks Sarn!!

So, that's the roll call for this week girlies - I hope I covered everything - if not please let me know. I'm gonna get my trimmer out and have a play with Z cards here - err, no I'm not. There's another pile of ironing leering at me from the utility room :(

If you wanna join in the Playground and keep using up those snippets - the Playground is open all week and will close on Saturday 6th October at noon, UK time. See you there - I'll try my best to do a roll call but am out a lot next weekend so can't promise.

Mr Linky is below as usual. 

Di
x 

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 :)
 

And a third one for Rudolph Day

A super-fast card, Saturday is a busy day with the Playground roll call so I try to keep Fridays a bit clear here:

Once again, I got patterned papers and Stickeroos out to see what would go together - like I've said before, it still amazes me, almost as if Penny Black are in cahoots with paper manufacturers :)

I used:

- A6 white card stock

- another Stickeroo from the Penny Black 'Together in Christmas' sheet

- backing paper from Echo Park's 'Season's Greetings' paper pack

- a snippet of SU's 'Certainly Celery' card

- sentiment by Craftwork Cards, backed with a little oval of 'Certainly Celery' card

- ribbon from the Christmas ribbon box, rescued from a gift last year then lovingly ironed and tucked away - waste not want not :)

This is my this third and final entry for this month into Sarn's wonderful Rudolph Day challenge - why not join in if you haven't done so already, you still have until Tuesday evening (7pm GMT).

That's my offering for today - it's the Snippets Playground roll call tomorrow, and I had such fun making my snippets card for this week, I'm now hooked but you'll have to wait and see what I'm jabbering on about :) 

Have a super weekend, whatever you have planned!

Di
x

Friday Feast - Beef and spinach calzones

I can almost hear some folk running away with cries of 'Ack!' at the thought of spinach - bit like Marmite, you love it or you hate it :( I reckon you could just leave the spinach out though.

Annie reminded me today that it's a while since I posted a recipe on here - I blame holiday and other things getting in the way - but this recipe has been waiting to be written up for a few weeks now. To see Annie's yummy risotto recipe for today - hop over here.

I happen to know that someone very close to this blog is lucky enough to have her lovely hubby make home made pizza most Friday evenings as a start to the weekend - how fab. is that then?! I adore pizza too, although, given a choice when we go to a Pizzeria I often plump for calzone. Think I must be a pasty girl at heart :) This is the first time I've tried making these at home - and they were a great success with my 'in-house food critic'.

Beef and spinach calzones:

Without kneeling on the floor it was hard to photograph the filling, sorry :)

Serves 4 (with leftovers)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
500g pack beef lean steak mince
250g sweet potato, peeled and cubed
50g toasted pine nuts (a quick toasting in a small dry frying pan works fine if they aren't already toasted)
250ml passata
1 tablespoon tomato purée
100g bag young leaf spinach
150g Italian mozzarella ball
2 x 145g packs pizza base mix
1 medium egg, beaten, for brushing
40g bag wild rocket, tossed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, to serve

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion for 1 minute, then add the mince and cook for a further 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the sweet potato and cook for 5 minutes, adding the pine nuts for the final 2 minutes. Add the passata and tomato purée and simmer for 15 minutes, until reduced to a thick sauce. Season with freshly ground black pepper, then stir through the spinach and set aside to cool. Drain the mozzarella ball, tear into pieces and stir into the cooled mince.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC, fan 180ºC, gas 6. Lightly oil a baking tray. Make up the pizza base mix according to pack instructions. Divide the dough into 4 pieces, then knead each into a ball on a lightly floured surface. Roll out into circles, each measuring about 18cm in diameter.

Using just half of the mince mixture (see tip on what to do with the rest), spoon a quarter of it into the middle of each circle. Brush the edges of the dough with a little water, fold over to form a crescent and crimp the edges together with your fingers to seal.

Brush the tops of the calzones with the beaten egg, then bake for 20 minutes, until golden and heated through. Serve with the rocket salad on the side.

  You only need half the mince filling for this recipe. Let the rest cool completely and keep in the fridge to have as a pasta sauce for lunch the next day. Or, buy an extra 2 packs of pizza dough mix and make another 4 calzones. Freeze uncooked. Cook from frozen at 200ºC, fan 180ºC, gas 6 for 30-40 minutes, until piping hot.

I made two large calzones - which disappeared in the blink of an eye. Mind you, we couldn't move afterwards! The other half of the filling is frozen on its own for another time.

Things I would do: I think the filling could have done with an extra bit of passata adding towards the end of cooking time, it's a balance between it not running all over the place when you make up the calzones and being moist enough. But, they were truly delicious.

Enjoy!

Di
x

Playing with bargains

I picked up quite a few bargains whilst on hols, and amongst them were some Kay and Co, patterned and slightly sparkled acetate sheets and some sparkled and stitched adornments:

Man, what fun and games here to attach the acetate, the prospect of a bargain overruled common sense and I forgot how tricky fixing acetate can be - ha, hence the bargain perhaps!

In the end I opted for using some of an A4 double sided sticky sheet to fix the acetate to a piece of cream card - but even that took a couple of goes - waaaaay too easy to get air bubbles between the acetate and the sticky unless you go very slowly and smooth it as you work from one end. So one wrecked acetate sheet right away :(

However, I think the result is quite cheerful - sort of Summer flowers in Autumn colours.

I used

- 7" x 5" cream card stock

- Kay and Co. acetate sheet mounted onto cream card from the snippets folder and a couple of embellishments - I do like the teeny bee, buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz :)

- terracotta-ish Core'dinations card as a backing, with one end punched using a lacy Martha Stewart punch

- a snippet of green grosgrain ribbon

I would say 'simples' if it hadn't taken so long to sort the acetate out!

Di

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Would a piece of holly suffice as my Christmas gift to you darling?

That's what flew through my mind when I'd finished making this card:

It's the thought that counts after all :)

I used:

- 6" x 6" square white card stock

- Penny Black Stickeroo from the 'Together In Christmas' set

- backing paper from a ''Tis The Season' pack, free with Quick Cards Made Easy magazine

- a snippet of Certainly Celery SU card to back the image, and sticky pads to adhere it to the card itself

- ribbons from the ribbon box

One thing that constantly surprises me, and it isn't as if I have as many patterned backing papers as most, there's always one to go with a Stickeroo - so long as I have the time to rootle through.

This is my second entry for Sarn's Rudolph Day challenge - a lovely set of stamps to be won and I'm trying hard!

I'd also like to enter this into Winter Wonderland's current challenge which is 'To The One I Love'.

And, St. Luke's current challenge which is 'Couples'.

I do hope Mrs Penguin is grateful and doesn't tell Mr Penguin to stick it where the sun don't shine - ouch! Wash my mouth out with soap - bad, bad girl saying things like that :(

Di
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A Tuesday Tale - never trust paper knickers

I was reminded of this incident when some wag suggested that I ought to have taken disposable paper knickers/panties etc. on holiday to leave more room for crafting goodies on the way home:

Many years ago, along with another couple, a boyfriend and I went on our first holiday abroad together, to the exotic climes of Majorca :) As you did back then, I shared with Doris and he shared with his pal.

Doris was born middle aged I'm sure and was sooooo organised it was unbelievable. Her meticulous packing was a sight to behold, although she did make me laugh when she ran out of the bathroom exclaiming there was a 'foot bath' (aka bidet) in there!

She had taken a load of paper knickers with her to last the duration of the holiday - they were very new-fangled way back then. All was well until the day we went off on a boat trip in the height of the July heat. I could tell she was a bit non-plussed as the day wore on but 'nuffin'' was said until we all arrived back at the hotel - hot, tired and sweaty.

Back in our room she shot into the bathroom - this was followed by a shriek and she reappeared  waving three bits of circular elastic. The paper part of the knickers had totally dissolved in the sweaty heat leaving her with just elastic round her waist and the tops of her legs - goodness knows where the dissolved paper went to though. All we could imagine, in between rolling on the floor screaming with laughter, was that she been walking round at the end of the trip leaving trails of white confetti behind her :)

My Rudolph Day card is below - all six of them.

Di
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Rudolph Day - September 25th 2012

Yikes, only three months to Christmas - so this month's Rudolph Day over at Sarn's panicked galvanised me into a swift batch card making session - made six of these, all the same:

I used:

- A6 white card stock

-  dark blue backing card

- image stamp called 'Travelling Far' by Stampendous and sentiment stamp by Personal Impressions from the 'Many Greetings' set - both stamped using Memento 'Paris Dusk'

These cards will be ideal for friends and family who will appreciate the real message of Christmas, which often gets lost in the Christmas commercialism and general frenzy. I kept them simple, partly to whip up some quickly, and also not to detract from what I think is a lovely image.

Why not join in? You know it makes sense, and Sarn has a lovely stamp set as this month's prize.

I'm also entering this into Craft Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge as well where the theme this week is 'Nativity' - to use an image or words which reflect the real meaning of Christmas.

And also this month's Going Buggy challenge, run by the very amusing Enfys, where the theme is non-traditional Christmas colours ie. not red and green.

Di

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Made in double quick time

On Thursday I worked through quite a few household chores and then late afternoon sat down to have a little play in the craft room. For some reason, my hand strayed to the 'birthday book' and yikes - it was Len's great-nephew's Birthday the following day! Talk about a flurry of activity - a card made in double quick time so I could race out and post it:

I used:

- 6" x 6" square Kraft card stock

- LOTV 'Cute Square', layered onto a snippet of red paper with all corners rounded

- 'denim' backing card by Joanna Sheen, from the 'Haberdashery' pack, which also included the pocket, sentiment and 'buttons'

- the number 7 from a little batch of die cuts sent to me a while back by Sarn - these are lifesavers!

Then I jumped into my little car and managed to catch the last post in time - close call though!

Di
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Pixies Crafty Snippets Challenge 39 & roll call

At last, time to write a roll call this week after being 'missing in action' for a while. But first, my snippets card for the week:

Believe me, this sort of scene does actually happen in Albuquerque, New Mexico - sadly it's not until October so we missed it this time around:

Here's the real thing - I just bet it's an amazing sight:

Hundreds of hot air balloons all ascending into the beautiful blue skies of NM - fabulous!

Anyhow, back to the card.

I used:

- white DL card stock

- image stamped onto a white snippet of card and coloured using Pro Markers. The stamp is by Stamp A Mania and called 'Balloons Framed', the very first stamp I pounced on in Guadalupe Stamps in Santa Fe. I stamped twice and layered up the yellows and purples balloon with sticky pads for 'some perspective', grin

- a snippet of orange Core'dinations card, punched using MS PATP set called 'Double Loops' - I thought they looked a little like balloons :)  - and I also punched the front corners of the card, 'just because'

- sentiment printed directly onto the card by computer

And onto this week's roll call now.

First in this week was Sandra H, with a really elegant black and white card - also for Less Is More. And what a perfect example of LIM it is too Sandra. Love the image you stamped, onto white crackle card (I just found a pack of that here and it's fabulous in real life I know) - the touch of sparkle in the black ribbon compliments it beautifully too. A real example of LIM at its best.

Then Linby followed bringing cupcakes to the playground, and using a super MFT stamp set, beautifully coloured  - with a baking theme. I could almost see the little noses in the playground wrinkling at the smell of cooking :) I do love a lot of the MFT stamp sets Linby, they're simple and yet so effective. I love those like you used, no heads to worry over and perfect for colouring or paper piecing. For anyone interested, this is where I generally buy mine from: Dies to Die for

Laura was next with an adorable card for a baby boy, all in lovely blues.  Those of you who hopped over all loved it - the paper piecing of the 'all-in-one' using the same paper as the background works perfectly Laura :) And, why wasn't I surprised to learn that Laura's Mum is also a nursing professional - hence the number of gorgeous baby cards that Laura makes.

Amanda came to play twice this week - the first time was to bring this wonderful card dubbed 'Monkey DIY'. And it's really great - I did get a cold shiver 'cos it reminded me that there was mayhem going on in the playground as the tree house was being built :( But, how clever is the choice of backing papers? Brilliant! And next was an equally clever card for a new driver. Lovely backing papers again Amanda and an adorable digital image - plus the car is pink, sigh :)

Next to play was Sarn, on a real roll in her drive to 'use it up' and I suspect there's a lot more to come too Sarn? Fabulous 'Warren' image with such perfectly made to match papers, card candi and the final touch of a gorgeous Memory Box die cut. Just perfick indeed. Err, now, about that chikkin' coop you're leading the team on? Do we sell the eggs at the Playground gate along with the veggies we'll be growing?

Humpfhh, I happen to know that Sarn was at Ally Pally (craft event) yesterday so I suspect that the chikkin' coop might have to wait as she 'clucks' over her new purchases :) Hope you had fun!

Bless her, Jules still tries to make time to join in each week unless she's totally swamped with wedding orders and such. Have you seen this month's Quick Cards Made Easy magazine girls, Jules seems to be a regular contributor now, yay! So, Jules brought us a wonderfully cheerful 'flower card' using snippets this week. Wow, I love it Jules - and the stitching is brilliant, even round the flower stem too - I'm skulking away here, that's really so inspired!

I was going to say that if I see Jules in a corner of the Playground signing autographs then I hope she isn't charging :) That's due to a little scheming Fagin entrepreneur at boarding school in the Beatles early days of fame. She'd been at an airport in Germany, spotted them and scampered over to get their autographs on the back of an envelope. The little monkey then charged us about one Deutschmark a time to actually hold the autographed envelope that they'd also touched! What was so dumb was that we queued up to take our turn as well - plus our weekly pocket money was only about a couple of DMs at most!!

Tammy came to play three times this week - as always her cards are absolutely beautiful with daring, yet so right, colour combinations. This is the first one, just LOVE the bright pinks and greens and it's so pretty Tammy. The next card is  another fabulous mix of colours and papers, with a very modern take on an acorn as the centre image, a lovely double bow and bunting - go and see if you haven't already done so girls. And finally, we have a perfect Autumn/Fall card using orange, red and cream - love those pumpkins and all the other fabulous detail Tammy!

Then Bernie hopped in with something totally different - never seen these little beauties before. I do have lots of those little flickering tea lights around the house (since I almost set the lounge on fire someone here is very wary of me and naked flames) - but would never in a million years have thought to make them into the most adorable little cakes, with the flickering flame as the centre piece. Do go and take a look if you haven't already - and I so hope they sell well at your craft fayre(s) Bernie. If they don't, I'd be amazed!

Next was Victoria, getting back into the swing of work and school routines - we miss you honey but it's great that you came to the Playground to show us this brilliant card. I love the simplicity of the trees on a hill and the fresh greens too. Such a shame that SU have retired a few sets lately, thankfully I didn't totally miss out although Up, Up and Away was still on my Wish List :( Perhaps that's what drove me to buy the stamp I used on today's snippets card!? Hope you find time to come and play again soon Victoria!

Bonnie came to play twice this week, and the first time was to bring this 'not too scarey spider' card to show. I think she's rather sweet Bonnie, and a perfect take on the 'use an oval' Less Is More Challenge too. Love the way the web is embossed and the green paper snippets are just perfect! Next was a fabulous row of bright and cheerful banners on this card - isn't it lovely? Super colours Bonnie and perfect for the Paper Players challenge, as well as using up some snippets. I did laugh, Bonnie referred to 'the ladies in the playground' so I just had to comment like this: D'you really think the playmates are ladies though?! Hmmm, I reserve judgement having seen them waving hammers and saws lately. Am sure I even heard one of them wolf whistling at the boy next door!!

Next to play was Rach,  with a great 'starry card' - super SU stamps used plus hand cut stars, some made out of coffee cup holders (grin, I brought a load of those back from hols). Great card Rach, the glitter is a great finishing touch and your Dan really is a star for having his table to raise funds for the RNLI. As we all said, he mustn't be downhearted - every little bit does help and here's to better sales next time!

Darnell arrived next, with a fabulously elegant 'white on white' Christmas card. It works so well, using different embossing folders and an adorable white organza bow as a finishing touch - simply beautiful Darnell! Darnell's post was also as interesting as usual, with some very true observations about crafting bloggers being a great bunch of people. I think we're all blessed to 'know one another' through blogging and long may it continue :)

Maureen (aka ScrappyMo) was our next visitor - with this fantastic 'card for a guy'. Wow, it really sums up a sea scene perfectly Mo and there's a lot of detail to be checked out too - it's just great, love the netting and the little anchor as finishing touches. You must go and see girls, you'll smell the sea air I'm sure - be sure to take your egg sandwiches and bottles of pop ready for the seaside :)

Then last, but by no means least, Mary Mac came to play - and what a stunner of a card she brought too. It totally sums up Fall, or Autumn as we call it in the UK - such  glorious Autumn colours do make you want to put your wellies on and go out kicking through the leaves :) Super papers, lettering, leaves and even a hand made charm - just perfect Mary!

Our Hazel hasn't been to play at all this week, she's not been feeling 100% so we hope you feel better really soon Hazel!

So, that's this week's roll call - thank you for being so patient while I was off on 'Teacher Training'. Now all that remains is for me to say if you wanna join in the Playground and keep using up those snippets - the Playground is open all week and will close on Saturday 29th September at noon, UK time. See you there - I'll be waving a paint chart and fabric samples for the interior 'decor' of the tree house :)

Oh, and remember that from the 25th of this week it's also Rudolph Day over at Sarn's, there's a lovely stamp set to be won and if you're clever then you can always use some snippets on a Christmas card and combine the two!
  
Mr Linky is below as usual.

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 :)

A little bit of pink - yay!

A quick and easy card - as always on a Saturday 'cos I plan to be writing up the Playground roll call this weekend:

I used:

- 6" x 6" square Kraft card stock

- backing paper from My Mind's Eye 'Blush' paper pack, lugged back from hols

- Penny Black Stickeroos from the 'April In Paris' sheet

- lovely bright pink organza ribbon, also lugged back from hols, snort, which I just spotted was made in Taiwan err, me loves big bows :)

Done and dusted, now let me at that roll call!

Di
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RIP Scooter

A lovely friend, Helena, has just lost her cat - Scooter by name and he was heading for 20 years old. Like all of us would be, she's pretty devastated and I made this to send:

I used:

- A6 white linen card stock

- SU's 'Simply Soft' stamp set - coloured onto the stamps with Whispers pens

- SU's sentiment stamp from the 'Sincere Salutations' set - again using a Whispers pen. I might be wrong but have a feeling this set is being retired, yet it's one I turn to time and again and am sure it will be missed :(

- teeny little punched butterflies, from a snippet, topped with peach coloured pearls

It's true what they say, our pets take a little piece of our hearts with them when they go to the Rainbow Bridge :(  RIP Scooter.

Di

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Christmas stockings

When I got back from holiday, there was a little packet of either punched or die cut cuties to play with waiting here for me from Sam. Thank you honey!

Some were darling little Christmas stockings, so I had a quick play:

Just a slight difference between the two cards, I dropped one of the tiny contrasting 'spots' on the floor here and no way could I find it again so had to assemble the second four stockings and use little peel off gold stars instead.

I used:

- 7.25" x 2.75" white card stock

- pink backing paper the Marianne Design 'Merry Little Christmas' paper pack

- fine gold cord - dragged all the way back from Hobby Lobby in Santa Fe

- those cute little stockings, love the curly toes :) popped on with sticky pads

- greetings strip from my goodies, am almost sure it came from Hobbycraft

Another two for the box. Not long until September's Rudolph Day now girls!

Di
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WOYWW - 172

A load of new goodies from holidays this week that I promised to show, littering the desk but kinda sorted into boxes so they can be kept handy for a first use rather than being put away:

A selection of individual A4 papers, an A4 Christmas paper pad by The Paper Studio, two MME 6 x 6 paper packs - oh, and a New Mexico 'Peel and Stick decal - to be used on a layout. Aaah, and my WOYWW badge still waiting to be pinned back onto my doggie screen duster:)

All sorts of goodies - ribbons, buttons, some yummy baby coloured braid with little pom poms, lace butterflies, embellishments etc. Ha, and I became a kleptomaniac picking up coffee cup wraps to die cut :)

Err, 15 wooden stamps (a lot are specific to New Mexico), a cling stamp and I think three (or is it four) clear sets of stamps.

My mostest, cheapest bargain - found for me by Kay in a bargain bin in Hobby Lobby - yup, a seriously cute House Mouse stamp at $3.59, which is about £2.20, whoopee! I can live with the wrinkle across the coloured image on the back of the stamp for sure :)

Possibly my most favourite purchase - from Guadalupe Fun Stamps in Santa Fe - love these birdies. I lay awake for ages one night worrying there might be none left before we trotted back the following day, greedy little pig that I am! We even raced back again on our last day for a final look/buy!

To my disgust I found I still had a few kilos of luggage weight to spare, but in truth there wasn't a square inch of space to put anything else in - mental note, bigger case next time! 

We had a fabulous time, as I went on posted about last week, meeting with Kay of Whimsy Girl's Blog on three different days and having such fun. Our last meeting a week ago today was also my birthday and we went out for a lovely meal. And someone (thank you Kay!) had arranged for a dessert with a candle in plus a serenade for the Birthday Girl - who also had to wear a mahoosive Mexican hat during the ceremony :) Trust me, those hats are really heavy too - I felt a bit like a baby before it has learned to hold its head up properly:

Back down to earth now though with a bump - but it was all huge fun! Of course there were teary eyes when we had to finally say goodbye - although I'm sure we'll meet again pretty soon.

For more fun and frolics, do hop over to Julia's where you can see what she's been up to and then onwards to see a wide variety of desks, floors, dining tables and such where folk do their crafting and allow you to snoop (or, as Victoria would say, be a sticky beak) each Wednesday.

Di
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A Tuesday Tale - an innocent at work

I've written before about things that happened when I worked on Saturday afternoons in our local charity shop (aka thrift store). But, this one probably totally takes the biscuit!

I really enjoyed working on the till and truly thought I was 'Little Miss Helpful', you got to know regular customers really well - or so I thought :(

I'd imagine just why they were buying stuff from us, older ladies buying wool then sitting comfortably knitting in the evenings, children playing with pre-loved toys, folk enjoying a jigsaw, young girls showing off their clothing bargains......and so it went on.

One guy, quiet and very innocuous, used to nip in quite often late on a Saturday afternoon to look for bargains. 'Ah, how sweet' I thought, 'buying clothes for his housebound Mum'. Then he began asking Little Miss Helpful's advice. Would this top go with that skirt and so on - and I realised that it was in fact a housebound partner/wife he was buying for. After all, I couldn't see his elderly Mum wearing a chiffon top and a mini-skirt. I even advised him on some makeup for her - we were allowed to sell sealed and unused toiletries and makeup BTW.

Then, one Saturday he whizzed in just before closing time and quietly asked if he could buy a wedding dress, reduced to £25. 'Fine' said Little Miss Helpful here and scurried off to get Rita, our manageress, as the rail was very high and we needed steps to reach up to remove wedding and evening gowns. Rita grabbed the steps and when I pointed out who the customer was whispered something to me about him working with radios before going to the front of the shop to lift down said wedding dress.

I took a few steps to follow her and a big light bulb suddenly went on in this stooopid little head.What she'd actually said was 'He's our local tranny' - and in my day a 'tranny' was short for transistor radio. Ha, not so at all - it's now short for transvestite innit :(

Rita, seeing the light finally dawn on Little Miss Helpful, said 'Can you tidy up the bric-a-brac Di, while I serve'. She could see the bright red face and bulging eyes on yours truly, who was likely to burst into hysterics at any moment. So, I hopped around behind the tall bric-a-brac shelves - tidying and peeking at the same time - whilst a huge pair of donkey's ears grew outta the top of my head :( And when Rita threw in a veil for free I almost wet myself on the spot!

Thankfully, Mr Tranny paid up sharpish then disappeared and the shop was closed for the day. At that point, the girls in the back of the shop all raced out hooting with laughter at 'Donkey' here - they'd been watching over the previous months (yup, it had been months) and marvelling at the innocence. One of them howled 'You didn't even flicker or begin to twig the other week when he came in and bought those ladies size 8 patent leather red high heels,  you Dumbo!'

The embarrassment at my own stupidity was a source of much amusement for some time afterwards I can tell you.

That evening, when I was relating the tale to Len over a much-needed glass of vino in the garden he quietly observed that I really shouldn't be let out to play without supervision :(

Let me also say, it's each to their own, I have no problems with what folk do (so long as it isn't hurtful or criminal) some of my best friends are either gay or transsexual....... my only problem is that I truly had absolutely no idea so for long!

Di
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