Just to say 'Hello'

A really 'simples' card today:

I used:

- 4.5" x 4.5" square white card stock

- Penny Black Stickerooo and sentiment from the 'Flower Festival' sheet

- green 'crackle backing paper design' from Pink Paisley's 'Butterfly Garden Collection'

- a snippet of SU's 'Old Olive' card

Told you it was simple - job done, and not easy whilst crawling round on the floor wiv me back in spasm - I neeeeeed a reeeeally strong corset up to me armpits as it's a muscle problem, which is helped when I clutch the area whilst getting up and sitting down. Ha, wouldn't you know, an idiot a van driver parked really close to me at the supermarket today when I ran hobbled out to post letters :( And I'd picked a spot away from other idiots parkers. It was a bit like getting a winkle back into its shell! Am shouting for England right now!! 

 
Di
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Belated Birthday wishes

Sigh, with so much going on here, a little chap's Birthday totally passed me by - this is the card I made, then ran out to post:

I used:

- 6" x 6" square white card stock

- another discontinued 'Cute Squares' pre-coloured image by LOTV, die cut using a Nestie and backed with a larger sized one die cut from one of the last snippets of the icy blue card I love so much

- backing paper is from LOTV's 'Country Gent' paper pad. Wow, I adore this pad, and it goes brilliantly with LOTV's 'Vintage Boys' Art Pad (thank you so much Mary H!! xx)

- sentiment stamp by Elzybells, stamped with Memento 'Peanut Brittle' onto more icy blue card then trimmed into a little banner

- three white Card Candi dots, coloured with blue Pro Marker - a perfect match in real life but looking a bit washed out in the photo, harrumph :(

But, the good news is that the pipework is fixed and in the end (I hope it's the end!) the work was done from upstairs - negating the need to rip huge chunks of ceiling out. Happy bunny hops here right now :)

Di
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Using up little free die cuts

Whenever Tracy from 'Dies to Die For' sends out an order, she encloses a few little die cuts. These were so lovely (the bird cage and leaves) I used them almost straight away:

I used:

- 5" x 7" white card stock

- SU 'Always Artichoke' card stock - a pretty close match to the leafy spray

- white card, embossed using Crafts-Too's 'Scrollwork Frame' folder

- pretty pink cage sent by Tracy, and I added a strip of tiny pearls across

- pearlescent green leaf spray, also from Tracy

- flower and a pale pink pearl from my own goodies

I love the little cage, it's really petite and very pretty.  It reminds me of a birdcage I had in a previous existence when I had a budgie - the cage hung from the ceiling on a chain and was 'tres smart' - and, as Perky just came and went in and out of his cage as he fancied (he flew free most of the time), we could get away with a round cage rather like this one. He was the only budgie I've ever met who would hop into his cage and pull the door to behind him with his beak when he wanted to be covered up for the night! A real little character :)

Di
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Less is More - a touch of the Orient

Whilst waiting for 'Houdini the disappearing plumber' to arrive yesterday, I put my thinking cap on for the current Challenge over at 'Less is More' - which is to base your card on a film, and it's one layer as well this week. See if you can guess the film:

I used:

- A5 white card stock

- image printed directly onto the card from Clipart, I thought the shadow was hauntingly beautiful

- the sun was made by making a mask using a SU circular punch, Adirondack 'Mountain Rose' ink pad and a makeup sponge (a duster brush would have worked fine but I wanted to try a wedge shaped sponge as shown on Barbara Gray's demonstrations)

- the grasses are second generation stamping using Memento 'Tuxedo Black' - I tried every grey ink pad I have and this came the closest to what I wanted. The stamp came from The English Stamp Company's 'Oriental Clear Stamps - Set 3'

- the Japanese script came from the same stamp set, and I used Memento 'Tuxedo Black'

- final touch, a line drawn using a Whispers pen to pick up the peach colour of the sun

Ha, the place was like a bombsite with sample stampings, post-its and goodness knows what when I'd finished. There was a lot of pre-planning going on.

And the film? One of my very favourites .....'Memoirs of a Geisha' ..... based on the book (which I also love) by Arthur Golden.

I thought the Japanese script on the finished card was a subtle - or not so subtle - link to the 'memoires part' of the film title, but for all I know it could really read 'Sushi and chips all round please'!

'Houdini' is now due to be here first thing on Thursday morning - British Gas and their so-called 'Full Homecare Cover' are so not impressing me right now. Mind you, I think the supervisor I eventually insisted on speaking to might just have had a secret smile when I threatened to 'get up the ladders with the blow torch myself - after divesting myself of wellies and water wings'! Thankfully we're not at that stage just YET, it's still a manageable drip through a 3" square hole cut in the ceiling by Len - well over a week ago now :) Don't hold your breath!

Di
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Fluffy little robins

I adore robins, they're perky, bright little birds - but the dark side is that they will fight to the death over territory. These two seem happy together though:

I used:

- 5" x 7" red card stock, already embossed in gold round the edge with 'Seasons Greetings' (bought from Craft Creations centuries ago) and chosen as I didn't want to spoil the image with a sentiment

- an upcycled Christmas card from 2012, just cut down to suit

- gold mirri card

All done, and I used one of my purchases from Ally Pally, a new XCut guillotine. Got it from Crafty Devils and am super-delighted with it :) OK, so the Woodware trimmer has been spared as the interchangeable blades are great for fancy edges - but I could weep at waiting so long before buying a decent guillotine for such straight edges with no wobbles or slight curves! I put off for so long as I feared for my fingers if the truth be known :(

Oh, and earlier today Len spotted the photo of the Playground outing on yesterday's snippets post. His comment? 'Crumbs, looks like the St. Trinian's Mob on an outing'. I grabbed me lacrosse stick and chased him round the garden three times threatening exactly where it would end up what could happen if I caught him - man, he can really run too!! :)

This card is for the current challenge over at Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge where the theme is 'Wonderful Wings'. It's also for Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra, for April, where the theme is always 'Anything Goes'.

I suspect I might have two entries this week for 'Wonderful Wings' as am likely to be stuck in the craft room most of today while the leak is sorted out in the kitchen. Sigh, unless I bring the ironing board up here - am not suggesting that one, me not totally stupid!

Di
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Pixies Crafty Snippets Playground - Week 68

I did sit chuckling yesterday whilst making this card - as five of us were missing from the Playground on Saturday, this could well have been the scene if you called in to play, one lonesome little soul with her dog:

 I used:

- 5" x 7" white card stock

- a pre-coloured LOTV image - it came from a pack of 'Cute Squares', which I see they don't make any longer - although they do now sell what they call 'Art Pads', with pre-coloured images that are on postcard sized card

- snippets of SU 'Wisteria Wonder' card stock, and patterned paper from the snippets folder

- Martha Stewart 'Traditional Scallop' punch

- snippet of mauve organza ribbon

- small white pearls

- sentiment by Penny Black, called 'Friends Matter', stamped in Brilliance 'Pearlescent Lavender'.........a very appropriate sentiment too

- two silk hydrangea flowers, held together with a little dragonfly brad

And this is us at Alexandra Palace, having a break after lunch :

Left to right, Rach, Sarn, yours truly like a thorn between the roses, and Sam with Fergus - who travels everywhere with Sam! And Sarn's lovely step-mum, Julie, was behind the camera.

We had a great time and walked our feet off! 

And the tenacity of crafters amazes me no end - I last saw Rach and Sam lugging fabulous large  absolutely HUGE and heavy Tonic glass work mats and Sarn with two enormous and very heavy packs of super-bargain white card (the bargain of the show I agree) for stamping......along with all their other purchases........in the direction of bus, Tube and rail transportation. Never let it be said that your playmates aren't a tough little bunch!

OK, so what's to show from the Playground last week then:

 

This snippets card, made by Maureen, is beautiful. And I thought you'd like to see how taking a flower and really giving it a good makeover has totally transformed it into such a fabulous bloom.

I totally love this card, made by Carol, I think we're all into using up snippets and hexagons right now and it's lovely!

Sigh, I can't get this delightful and very intricate card by Mary H to enlarge, it looks blurred here so to see the real thing, with all the detail of how Mary made it, do hop over to her blog.

And to totally blow your socks off:

THE most exquisite fan, made by Bubbles - this is only the front, if you haven't already been to see you've missed a treat!

That's just a few I've picked, each and every make you brought was gorgeous, as always.

Now it's time for the draw for the dragonflies embossing folder and the stamps:

And the winner this week is:

ELIZABETH

  

That's quite funny as Elizabeth's comment referred to froggy's swim shorts as 'dookers' - a Scottish term, which is a perfect description!!

And, this next week's prize is:

It's a gorgeous La Blanche stamp, measuring approx. 4" x 5.5". They come mounted on half inch thick foam and the detail is quite amazing. I searched for some information on this lovely stamp and it's called 'Good Friends' - and one of the best cards I found had the image just stamped in sepia with a little touch of red on the flower - a real impact!

The Playground is open all of this coming week, will close on Saturday 20th April  at noon UK time and Mr Linky is below as usual. Just enter a snippets make into the Playground this week and I'll do a draw after the Playground closes next Saturday. 

 

As usual I am asking for a snippets make please, maximum of three entries and please say 'No thank you' in a comment if you wish to still play but not be a winner of  the stamp.

Enjoy the rest of the week! I'm still in recovery :)

Di
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A question for the Snippets Playground

Does anyone know what was going on here? Some of you witnessed it, those of you who didn't - any thoughts? Tune in tomorrow to find out :)

No wonder I needed the yellow duster panties hat and sunglasses as a disguise.

Di
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A message from Maggie and a card for her

Maggie emailed me with this message on Friday evening  (the flowers were sent with love and sympathy from all of us in the Snippets Playground after the sudden and sad loss of her husband, Geoff ):

Thank you so much for those beautiful flowers which have just arrived.  It is such a comfort to know that so many people have taken the time to show their support, and it is a comfort.  I am going to print out all the messages we have had and put them, together with all the cards, in a special book that I can take out and read when I need help.
Our two children have been fantastic, and so far, have not let me be alone.  They have come with me to all the arrangement making appointments, reorganised my house so that I can reach everything, and just been there.  They have contacted everyone for me, by phone, email, Facebook.  Everyone has brought their children for the light relief that only children can supply at times like this. 
Please thank everyone for me and tell them how much their messages have given me support.
Maggie xx

This card is for Maggie and her family, and was also sent from all of us in the Snippets Playground:

I used:

- A6 white card stock

- Couture Creations 'Tied Together' embossing folder and pearls

- stamped sentiment by American Art Stamp, number GRS20.G, stamped using SU 'Perfect Plum' and die cut using Labels 8 Nestie

- SU 'Perfect Plum' card stock

- butterfly die cut using SU's 'Beautiful Wings' Embosslit, and a little strip of pearls added

I made this card with such a heavy heart, barely able to comprehend how Maggie must be feeling right now - I know we all feel so truly saddened.

Then I thought more about the sentiment and realised that Geoff already was a real treasure, during all the happy years he and Maggie had together - and, strangely enough, at that very moment the sun broke through the clouds here as if to say 'Too right'!

Di
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Alfonse Mucha style - take 3

I truly loved using the decoupage 'Alfonse Mucha style' ladies I bought in The Range a while ago. This is the last card:

I used:

- 6" x 6" square white card stock

-the decoupage sheet that was bought, nameless, from The Range

- patterned card from a Teresa Collins designer pad called 'Sweet Afternoon' , sent to me by Mary Mac. I'd never come across this brand before and the papers are divine - thank you once again Mary!

- plain card is SU's 'Bashful Blue', and I punched the bottom border using Martha Stewart's fabulous punch 'Traditional Scallop' - oh how I love this punch, just bought it this week and am 'pickled tink' with it :)

- the little added corners were die cut in 'Bashful Blue' using a Whimsy Corner die

- ribbon from the ribbon box, right across and then an additional piece folded to make a flat 'bow', with a pale blue pearlescent gemstone popped on top

Then I stood back and left it well alone, no sentiment or anything :)

OK, so today is the day - a group of us from the Snippets Playground are heading for Alexandra Palace (just North of London)  to meet up at the 'Big Scrapbooking and Stamping Show'. 

A full report will be posted - once I recover! Wish us luck :)

Di
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Strut your stuff boy - it's your Birthday!

The current challenge over at Seize the Birthday is to make a card for a male following their current sketch. As I almost lost the will to live following the same sketch for a girlie card, I'd thought about skipping this one. However, that's what challenges are all about - pushing the boundaries innit?

This is the sketch, which I bravely turned on its side - brave 'cos I've only done a handful of sketch based cards:)

By a stroke of luck, whilst tidying up a few things here, I found a ready stamped image which I'd been sent by a lovely bloggy friend and away I went!

I used:

- A5 white card stock

- pre-stamped and already die cut image, which I coloured with Pro Markers. I don't know who the image is by and can't say who sent it (for fear of the copyright police) - but I know, and they know, who they are - thank you!

- main backing card is plain burgundy, topped with striped paper from MME's 'Sunshine' paper pad

- the 'banner' was made using paper from the 'Sunshine' pad again, this time picking a matching plain reverse and embossing it using a brilliant folder that another friend, Mary H, sent me a while back - it's by Darice and is called 'Argyle', perfect for both male and female cards as well as great for snipping the ends into points by following the embossed pattern

- the scalloped border was also tucked in by my anonymous friend with the 'rooster' image so I just coloured it using a 'Burgundy' Pro Marker

- then finally a plain strip of turquoise card from the snippets folder to match the plumage on Mr Rooster's tail - well, in truth I coloured the plumage to match the snippet of card I'd found :)

Slowly am beginning to really find sketches such fun to play with - wahoo!

Di
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As Kanban sails into the distance

...........I nipped over to Foilplay and bought a few goodies, before they become rare as hen's teeth:

I used:

- 6" x 6" square white card stock

- pale blue backing card from the snippets folder - I love this pale icy blue and just wish that SU would bring out the same shade, all of theirs have a slightly turquoise tinge compared to this one

- the 'wavy sea' is from Kanban's 'Coastline Borders' A4 sheet, love the fact you get four long borders already printed and foiled to go with their 'Beach Huts and Boats' toppers

- image is also Kanban from their 'Beach Huts and Boats' A4 toppers sheet

- the label came from the same toppers sheet, tied on with bakers twine and a little bronze coloured anchor charm 

- white Josy Rose nail heads

A quick and easy card, Kanban did most of the work :)

Sorry I've been missing in action a bit - if I just say the following words - kitchen, ceiling, leak, pipe, water, you should get my drift. Sigh :( Will play catch up today with luck!

Di
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Sad news for our friend Maggie

I know that lots of you who hop in here know Maggie - aka SilverCrafter. Maggie is a regular on both WOYWW and in the Snippets Playground.

I just found this, posted by Maggie on Facebook in the early hours of this morning:

Take time throughout your life to laugh and make good memories. In the end, they are what hold you together in the bad times. My wonderful husband died suddenly on Sunday, and my happy memories and all the wonderful tributes and memories are a great comfort. I am lucky to have incredible children and friends and we will get through. Do all you can to fill your lives with joy from the simple things of life. If anyone tries to put you down or upset you, remember that they are not as lucky as you. xx

 

Sending sympathy and thoughts to Maggie and her family. Geoff was a much loved husband, father and Grandad - he'll be sorely missed.

Maggie is always so generous with her time and advice - I know that crafting and blogging will be far from her mind right now but if you do happen to read this Maggie, we'll still all be here waiting to welcome you back with open arms our dear blogging friend and snippets playmate.

Love

Di

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WOYWW 201- with a note from me Mum

After missing a few WOYWWs here's the note from me Mum:

'Dear Miss Julia and Co., my apologies for Diane having missed WOYWW playtime over recent weeks, her appearances have been sporadic to say the least. So, I've hidden the dusters (but can't find the yellow one with lace edging made by Annie and Jo as she refuses to be parted from it). Have also removed the plugs from the vacuum cleaners and hidden her mop and bucket. Yours sincerely, Diane's Mum.'

So, this was my desk late yesterday:

Not toooo messy I guess. Usual cup of coffee, remains of a card I'd just finished making, big basket of cards waiting for inserts (sigh), Pro Markers to be returned to their rightful home, snippets to be filed, and an embossing folder I'd been playing with. Oh, and some scraps of ribbon to remind me to buy more of the same or similar.

And this is a bad photo of my laptop screen as it's much more orange in real life but you can get the drift, it's my background on the laptop:

 

Sunset, taken by Len on the beach in Koh Samui, Thailand, looking across at offshore islands. It cheers me up no end during the dull days we're still having here in the UK - and also makes me yearn to return before too long.

Off you go, over to our lovely hostess Queen Julia's to see what everyone else is up to this week.

Happy WOYWW!

Di

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Lime and black at Less Is More

The current challenge over at Less Is More is a colour theme - lime and black. Yikes - if I hadn't just had a SU order here with lime card in that could have been a real struggle:

I used:

- 5.75" x 5.75" square card, made using SU's 'Lucky Limeade' card stock

- a snippet of white card, stamped with Memento 'Tuxedo Black' and three handbags from a Personal Impressions set by Kirsty Wiseman called 'Bags of Fun'. I tickled the butterflies on the left bag, the flower centre and handle on the right bag with a 'Lime Green' Pro Marker then punched two tiny flowers from paper, also coloured with the same Pro Marker. They were layered onto the centre bag and a little black gem popped onto the centre of the flower. 

- the white card was then layered onto a snippet of black card

- sentiment is from the same set, stamped with Memento 'Tuxedo Black'

I'd also like to enter this into the current challenge over at Addicted to Stamps and More, where your entry must be Clean and Simple.

Di
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Feeding time at the bird table

Len is an avid feeder of the bird life in our garden and this little LOTV image could well be him on Christmas morning:

It's for the following challenges:

- Winter Wonderland - lots of spots - even the parcels have spots on :)

- Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge - must have the word Christmas on - I opted for a simple sentiment

- Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra for April - anything goes

I used:

- 6" x 6" square Kraft card stock

- image by LOTV, called 'Christmas Bears Bird Table', coloured with Pro Markers and twinkled up with Glamour Dust and some Gold Stickles (for the star)

- backing papers from the Bo Bunny 'Father Christmas' collection

- sentiment - Craftwork cards, mounted onto an oval of green card, punched using SU's plain oval punch

- Josy Rose nail heads

- the corners were decorated with die cuts made by using a Whimsy Corner die and a snippet of card

- Christmas poinsettia which is one I had already made by taking it apart, removing the bright yellow centre, added glue to the petals, sprinkled with Glamour Dust and then reassembled using a topaz coloured jewelled brad. It's much easier to sit and make a batch of these of course, me not totally daft! Len would probably think it akin to sitting peeling grapes though :)

Di
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Pixies Crafty Snippets Playground - Week 67

Another busy week in the Playground. Thank you to all who were sweet enough to comment on my 'crazy sheep' snippets card last week - my step-mum loved it!

My snippets card for this week is bright and zingy - and, it cracks me up - tell you why later:

I used:

- 5" x 7" white card stock

- image is Docrafts Country Companions 'Frog' from the 'Sunshine Meadows' range, stamped in Memento 'London Fog' and coloured with Pro Markers. I might add some Glossy Accents to the splashes of water coming out of his wellies but this card was made in a real rush as it is

- snippet of green Core-dinations card, embossed using Craft Concepts' 'Dragonfly' folder and sanded to reveal the 'core' using SU's sanding block

- patterned backing paper is also snippets, from the Echo Park 'Hello Summer' paper pad' - I try to slip snippets from patterned pads inside the front cover until it becomes tricky and then the whole thing is popped into a cello bag. Our Jules is even more organised and apparently pops her 6" x 6" paper pads into poly zipped bags straight away

- plain orange card is all snippets - I drew round the oval Nestie I'd used for the image and (badly) hand cut round it. The orange snippets dividing up the oblongs of patterned paper are literally little strips, waste not want not!

- sentiment was printed from the PC, the end snipped into a banner and a couple of Josy Rose nail heads added

The sentiment combined with the image is what I'm still giggling at - can just imagine the eager little frog hopping out of a pond waiting to be turned into a Prince. Not really the best of starts with that outfit - poor little chap! There again, a quick peck and he could turn into Richard Gere or whoever floats your boat :))

OK, 'show and tell picks' now - and it gets harder as the weeks go by :(

Sam made this delightful fold out card, using resist stamping.

Lynn was playing with the silhouette stamp set she won (no hanging around there Lynn) and made a really beautiful shadow card.

Hazel made this super elegant card - I love the combination of elegance and a soft look, beautiful!

And almost at the last minute, Maureen raced in with this card - brilliant use of snippets and a gorgeous result. This really is a design to CASE dontcha think?

That's just a few I've picked, each and every make you brought was gorgeous, as always.

So, it's time for the draw for the duster brushes and TH ink pad:

First out was Linby, who generously declined in a comment as she already has duster brushes, so I ran the Random Number thingy again and the winner is:

x

This coming week's prize is based around my snippets card:

A dragonfly folder, a little frog stamp.......plus another stamp from the same range called 'Rabbit', kindly donated by Rach!  That was really quite spooky as I already had the folder and frog stamp tucked away in my 'snippets prizes box' so the cute rabbit added perfectly to them - thank you Rach!

The Playground is open all of this coming week but it will close on Sunday 14th April at noon, UK time and Mr Linky is below as usual. Just enter a snippets make into the Playground this week and I'll do a draw after the Playground closes next Sunday.

 

Do please note that the Playground is open for a day longer than usual this week - I'm out all day on both Friday and Saturday so rather than curtail it I decided to let you have an extra day to play. We'll return to normal (whatever that is!) the following week though. As usual I am asking for a snippets make please, maximum of three entries and please say 'No thank you' in a comment if you wish to still play but not be a winner of the embossing folder and those cute little stamps.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend, stay warm, safe and have a lovely week!

Di
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A splash of Spring

Wahoo, the sun shone for all of a couple of hours yesterday - and, with Spring, in mind I made this:

It's for the current challenge over at Seize the Birthday, a feminine card this week following this sketch:

One of the trickiest sketches I've ever followed 'cos sketches are new to me, but it was fun working out the elements and colours :)

I used:

- A5 white card stock

- backing paper from a pack called 'Emma's Garden' by Jennifer Ellory, which came free with Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine

- pink card from the snippets folder for the scallop (used my Woodware scallop blade again) and for the scalloped Nesties circle behind the pale green Craftwork Cards sentiment

- blue card for the plain scalloped oval and strip of card across the card (belly band as Elizabeth calls it)

- lemony-yellow card for the scalloped oval and the banner strip, which was embossed using Cuttlebug's 'Birds and Swirls' folder

- the green leaf sprig was enclosed with some other complimentary ready cut dies with a recent order from Dies to Die For - such a sweet touch by Tracy

- the flower was stamped onto the pink card using a stamp from SU's 'Secret Garden' set and 'Melon Mambo' ink pad and die cut with the matching SU die - then just gently curled and popped on with a sticky pad

Remember, the Snippets Playground closes at noon today - and re-opens at midnight UK time.

Di
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A Christmas Carol or song

........that's the theme of this week's challenge over at Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge. After gawping for ages at my stamps and other goodies the final choice came down to 'speed and a Stickeroo':

I used:

- DL white card stock

- Penny Black Stickeroo from the 'Together in Christmas' sheet, mounted onto SU 'Gumball Green' card and fixed right at the end to the card with sticky pads

- patterned green paper, with the cross stitch border and sentiment already printed, from The Paper Studio's 'Cozy Little Christmas' paper pack - bought in New Mexico

- from the same pack, very finely striped red backing paper, with one edge punched using Martha Stewart 'Cherish' border punch

And the song? Why - 'Deck the halls with boughs of holly' of course :) With a bauble thrown in for good measure!

This is also going into Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra for April, where it's always 'Anything Goes'.

Di
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Less Is More - scallops

I truly thought I'd be skipping the current challenge over at Less is More, which is to use scallops. Not that I don't have a selection scalloped dies and punches - the 'muse' just wasn't upon me. However, on Tuesday I had a little play and came up with this - if nothing else, it gets points for me being dumb stupid patient enough to sit and stick all those little dots on :)

I used:

- 4.5" x 4.5" square white card stock

- snippets of card, punched using an ancient Fiskars scalloped edge punch, one of the first I ever bought

- a lorra the punched out 'dots' - thank goodness for a Quickie Glue pen and tweezers

- sentiment is from an Elzybells 'Mini Tag' set, stamped with SU 'Rose Red'

I quite liked the look of those dots all swept to one side and tumbling down - but my in-house critic is back in hospital for shaking his head and walking away whilst muttering 'she really needs to get out more'!

Di
x

Free to a good home

EDIT: Sorry, these have now been re-homed!

During my tidying the craft room session I opened a drawer and found some new, unused, and never to be used Ikea Ratjan spice jars. I bought them ages ago, in readiness for my craft room to be finished, to sit prettily filled with flowers, buttons etc. on open shelves or the desk. Well, that's not how the final design worked out so I have some jars looking for a new home:

Those are large fabric flowers in one of them by the way. On their sides the jars are about 3" high and 3" from front to back - too big for spices in my opinion but just right for little pretties we love to craft with.

I have eight of these and am happy to post them, within the UK only though I'm afraid, for nothing whatsoever - I hate waste-  although otherwise, it's off to the bottle bank for them! They're not expensive to buy but not everyone has an Ikea within reach and you can't get them online. Well, you can from eBay if you wanna shell out almost £10 - extortion!!

Just leave a comment if you'd like them - I can't see a flurry but if need be I'll just draw a name out of me sunhat - that's the only use for it right now :)

Di
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Twinkle, twinkle, Christmas Star and no WOYWW

Skipping WOYWW once again :( Keeping up with other things, like housework (sob), is my priority right now.

The current challenge over at Winter Wonderland is 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Christmas Star':

I used:

- 5" x 7" white card stock

- Nellie Snellon image called 'Hokey-pokey', (I always thought it was the Hokey-cokey?) stamped in Memento 'Tuxedo Black', coloured with Pro Markers and tickled with Glamour Dust here and there

- SU glittery silver card, scallop die cut for behind the image and cut with the 'scallop' blade on my rather wonky-doodle (as opposed to hokey-pokey) Woodware trimmer for behind the patterned card and sentiment

- Kanban's 'Merry Mistletoe' patterned card - I love the soft blue of this card for a change (by the way, FoilPlay have quite a bit of Kanban stuff in stock)

- sentiment is by Hero Arts called 'Twinkle Border', bought for a 'snip' and then bravely embossed with Stampendous 'Sterling Silver' without any mishaps. I thought the sentiment just right for the challenge and this image :)

- iridescent ribbon wrapped round the patterned card and topped with a 'looped bow thingy' then an iridescent sparkly snowflake button, threaded with doubled iridescent cord tied in a bow - that's a lorra iridescent :)

Partway through making this card I spotted that Christmas at Sweet Stampin' are asking for colours other than red or green - wahoo! And, it's a new month over at Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra. Three challenges with one card, almost a record for me :) Off to bed, this is scheduled and will link to the challenges when my Prince kisses me 'Good Morning my darling Princess'..........I might be some time waiting though :(

Edit: And Hazel said I can enter this into her current challenge over at Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - the theme is a Christmas Carol or song - I had wondered because although it's a song I wasn't sure if Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star qualified 'cos it's not strictly Christmas based but now that Miss Hazel has said it's fine here I go :)

Di
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Gilding flakes and an apology

Apology first - to those who were, ahem, misinformed about Poliflora and the shortage affecting sticky products on my post of yesterday - which was of course April Fools Day. I washed my mouth out with soap then went and stood on the naughty step for a couple of minutes hours. But, thank you for taking it in good part :) And here's how justice comes back and bites you - the Crafters Companion sticky tape runner I was using whilst making today's card only went and broke on me - wasting half the contents. That'll larn me!

OK, gilding flakes - I've had a couple of pots of these for absolutely ages, over 18 months now. Frankly, I opened one pot when I got them, took a quick peek and before I could close the pot they were jumping everywhere - so that idea got put on the back burner.

But, I've been watching a Barbara Gray DVD and yesterday felt compelled to have a try. I'd forgotten that Elizabeth used this technique way back in 2011 - plus by coincidence Maggie used gilding flakes the other day. There was a great tip from Maggie as well - rub a little bit of talcum powder into your hands before working with the flakes! And the very first thing to do is to empty the pot into a much larger container before even starting to play I found :)

This is the result of my first attempt - even though the photo makes it look a bit like a barrel :)

I used:

- 5" x 7" white card stock

- image was stamped using black StaZon ink onto a piece of double sided adhesive sheet. I think, by its very nature, stamping onto sticky sheet doesn't give as crisp an outline as card - but, hey, I was playing, OK? The stamp is a Hobby Art stamp, called 'Tree Scene'

- then, the stamped image was covered with a piece of acetate - over the already exposed sticky

- the backing was peeled off the self adhesive sheet on the reverse side of the image, and then the fun really began

- I covered all that sticky sheet behind the image with 'Variegated Red' gilding flakes,  by Crafty Notions (in truth they're gorgeous shades of gold and copper) and rubbed 'em in first wiv me finger and then with an Indigo Blue scoochy sponge

- next, the flakes were covered with more sticky sheet and stuck onto card then trimmed to size and sliced into three before being mounted onto black card (and that's the point at which my glue runner jumped up and bit me in the b*m for being a bad girl earlier in the day)

- the sentiment is from SU's now discontinued stamp set called 'Sincere Salutations', stamped with Memento 'Tuxedo Black'

And wahoo - I'm just in time for this week's male card 'Seize the Birthday' challenge, following this sketch:

Hope you all had a lovely Easter break, and also that I'm forgiven.

Di
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The ugliest card I ever made

There's a fun blog hop going on today - for the ugliest card you (ie me, not you) ever made.

Oh boy - did I have a shed load to choose from! This is the one I picked:

I posted it on here in September 2010, and today am wondering what drugs I must have been on at the time!

OK, so I was doing a happy dance due to mastering making a 'diamond fold top' card - but then all reason went out of the window and I happily slapped some really gross, cheap and nasty 3-D stickers all over the thing along with peel offs. The worst bit is, I didn't account for the fact that one monkey was almost hidden by the diamond fold - absolutely no forward planning whatsoever :(

And, bless her, Bernie even called by and left a sweet comment :)

Di
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Glue and sticky stuff alert

Until the other day I'd never even heard of 'Poliflora' - but whilst browsing the web I picked up that it's a plant derivative which is widely used in the production of adhesive. In simple terms I think it's a natural form of cellulose or similar which in turn provides the 'elasticity' in glue. And, due to the dreadful weather everywhere round the World seems to been having, crops are bad and there's a predicted shortage. Even that didn't faze me, until I delved even deeper - due to the shortage, adhesive is set to double or even treble in price. Mama mia!

Poliflora is used in adhesives used by us crafters! Take a look - I just grabbed a few glue based items I use regularly and all of these are dependant on Poliflora:

DST, glues, tape runners, ATG gun tapes, double sided adhesive sheets, sticky pads - and even Stickeroos are reliant on adhesives which have poliflora as an additive in the glue making process.

Sheesh! I'm gonna stock up for sure - you might well want to do the same if prices are set to double or treble. I've found a long list of adhesives and brands which use Poliflora - just go HERE to check it out and make your own mind up.

Sigh - I thought it was bad enough with Kanban going to the wall, but this is much more serious :(

Di
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