Sunday, September 17, 2023

Snippets Playground Challenge: 17th - 30th September

Hi Playmates!

I'm hosting the new challenge over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND for the next fortnight, so why not reduce your mountain of snippets and make something so that you can play along?

Here are some snippety cards made with my favourite flower stamp set (Aall & Create set #986 called 'The Good' by Tracy Evans). I decided to use up some white strips left over from cutting my own card bases.

The card sizes vary a little, but all measure approx 3" x 6".
Main image mounted onto a snippet of SU Pool Party card stock (centre card),
with the cards either side using up packaging for the mats!

DL and A6 sized cards.
Snippets used: black and white pieces of card and an inked up piece using an embossing folder,
plus some green patterned SU papers - all trimmed to fit.

The focal points of the above 5 cards started out life like this:

9 white snippet strips - uninspiring or what?!
Here are the 9 strips all stamped up.
The top 4 strips will be used to fussy cut flowers
for later use (like those seen to the right of them).
The bottom 5 strips are the ones I used to make the 5 cards shown in this post.
    

Congrats if you made it to the end of this longer post! 

I wish you a very happy day.

Sunday, September 10, 2023

Sarn on Sunday!

Hi Playmates!

I have published RESULTS from the previous challenge, so please hop over to the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND to admire the top picks and discover which lucky playmate won the prize.

Meanwhile, here's a card full of collage for you to feast your eyes on!

Card measures 3¼" x 4¾"

The entire card is made from snippets of left over card and paper from other projects, all glued into place on the card front, including a leafy die-cut that was waiting to be used up.

The paddling pool has been a very popular hang out in the Snippets Playground during the UK heatwave this week, plus I've been adding extra ice to the Treehouse cocktails. It's all good!

Wishing you a very happy day. 

Wednesday, September 06, 2023

Flowery Thanks OLC

Hello lovely readers!

Today I have a One Layer Card (OLC) for you.

Card measures 5" x 5"

The pretty flower and surrounding foliage is from the multi-step stamp set 'Beautiful Day' by Altenew. 

The sentiment is from an Art Deco set by Woodware.

Sunday, September 03, 2023

Snippets Playground Challenge: 3rd - 16th September

Hi Playmates

It's Sunday morning and time for a new challenge over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND where Miss Di is in charge for the next fortnight - shiny whistle at the ready in her attempt to keep us all under control!!!

My homework is a very positive ATC:

ATC measuring 2½" x 3 ½" made entirely from snippets.

The white snippet was stamped, coloured and mounted onto a piece of packaging.

The fox is part of Aall & Create’s 'Up Up & Away' stamp (set #467) and I watercoloured him using Distress Oxide inks. I think the sentiment was part of a magazine cover gift. I distressed the white edges with a Tim Holtz tool.

That's all from me today folks! Keep on using up those pretty snippets of yours, then come and play in the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND.

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Flowery Thanks

Hi there!

Thanks for dropping by today. I have a one layer card to share, simply stencilled down the left hand side, then stamped with the flower and sentiment. I used Kitsch Flamingo Distress Oxide to paint the flower with, as well as for inking through the stencil.


Wishing you a very happy day - hope you find the time to do something you enjoy.

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Too Kind OLC

Hi Friends

I have a one layer card (OLC) for you today. 

My lovely blog friend Vicky often masks off her card fronts before inking and stamping, so I took a leaf out of her book and had a go at it myself! I was very pleased with the results (thanks Vicky!).

A6 size card

  1. As mentioned above, I used low tack masking tape all along the card front edges.
  2. I stamped a very large Carabelle stamp into the unmasked area in light brown ink.
  3. Using a make-up brush, I brushed light brown ink from the left hand corner upwards and outwards.
  4. Used a 3-step Stampin' Up! set of flowers called 'Too Kind', I stamped the green stems first, then the 2-step flower heads.

Sunday, August 20, 2023

New Snippets Playground Challenge 20th Aug to 2nd Sept

Hi Playmates

There's a new challenge to join in with over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND with yours truly in charge for the next fortnight. Why not use up some snippets and come over to play?

I've been playing with some jelly. Oops, no, I mean I've been playing with my gelli PLATE! (Not sure that sounds much better really!!!).

In any case, I made a gelli print which I stamped all over, intending to make it into a pocket! Unfortunately, I was a bit too enthusiastic with my scissors, which meant I couldn't fold the pocket up properly. So, I salvaged what I could of the print and (so far) I've made a few ATCs with it:

The 2¼" x 3¼" gelli print snippet has been stamped, then 
a leafy stencil was used with DOX inks for a focal point.
The Tim Holtz sticker was brushed with ink, then glued on.
All mounted onto a snippet of Alpen box packaging!
I stamped circles and a few splatters over the
Alpen box packaging "kraft" card, then added a
small snippet of the salvaged gelli print to the left and
some punched flowers to the right.
Flat back gems were glued to the flower centres.
A tiny snippet of the same salvaged gelli print is at the
bottom left of this ATC. The whole ATC front (from packaging) was covered
with a coloured book page snippet which had been gessoed first.
Writing and leaf sprig added freehand.
Just a couple of bits of the salvaged gelli print snippets.

That's all from me today folks! Keep on using up those pretty snippets of yours, then come and play in the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND.

Di has a snippets card to share with you HERE along with the latest Pupdate on Dudley's antics.

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Bunny's outing

Hi Gang!

I was lucky enough to be gifted this lovely bunny die by a wonderful friend of mine (thank you, you know who you are!).  The little bunny die hopped through my letterbox and onto my craft desk and I've been playing with him ever since.

I've two cards to share with you:

The first is a birthday card - with bunny sitting on top of the straight edged lettering (an idea from my crafty and kindhearted friend . . . although I misinterpreted her suggestion!).  

The bunny and brown matting layer are both from
Alpen Bar packaging. Stamped word background by Gummiapan.
Tip: before you lob your packets into the recycling bin, check
to see if there is a fab "kraft card" colour on the other side!

The second card has bunny sitting on a stamped tree branch sending you some bunny hugs and happy thoughts. 

Those of you who know me well, know that I love a bit of positivity, and I often send out happy and positive thoughts into the universe. As I'm not religious, it's my equivalent of a prayer I suppose!

Leaves are an old SU stamp & were watercoloured.
Bunny was cut from packaging (Alpen Bars box).
He's stuck to the card with foam pads, with ears & feet glued.
Sentiment is from Altenew "Beautiful Day" set.

Wishing you a wonderful day.

Happy crafting.

Wednesday, August 02, 2023

A new stamp set! Yippee!

Hi Friends

I already have so many lovely flower stamps, but I fell in love with this Aall & Create set by the talented Tracy Evans ('The Good' #986) and just had to have it!

It arrived yesterday and I IMMEDIATELY set to work! Made 4 cards in quick succession  and I'm sure I'll make many more with this lovely set.

5" square card base.

Orange dye ink was brushed through a small bubbles stencil first, then the flowers were stamped over the top with Versafine Onyx black. The flower petals and circles were painted with yellow and orange dye inks. I also stamped one of the small quotes from the set. Finishing touches were the Julie Hickey Glossies and a hand drawn wiggly line border.

Here's another version with purple bubbles stencilled on and flower petals painted pink and another stamp to ground the image.

5" square card. Sentiment to be added at later date!

ENJOY YOUR DAY!

Sunday, July 23, 2023

MORE Christmas in July at the Snippets Playground!

Hi Playmates

It's Sunday morning and time for a new challenge over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND with yours truly in charge for the next fortnight. Please remember there is a CHRISTMAS THEME for this particular Playground challenge.

Just to prove that bunnies aren't only for Easter - I have a card using the popular "bunny" die which was kindly gifted to me by a good friend (thanks, you know who you are). 

5½ square base card

The snippets I used. It didn't matter that
the kraft card (which is actually packaging)
wasn't quite big enough for the die as I only
wanted the insert bits!

The details:

  1. First, I added the grungy Christmas stamp direct to the base card, a little over to the right hand side. (The stamp is from Aall & Create set #371 'Deep Focus'. Nothing to do with Christmas really!)
  2. Next I die cut all the snippets and watercoloured the bunny with Distress Oxide inks.
  3. I glued the presents pile together on the card front (snipping off the top bow first along with the innards of the top box) then drew the top present stripes in then added colour by watercolouring them with Distress Inks. 
  4. The bunny was then seated on top of the pile! He has some foam pads under the main body and head, but his ears and feet have been glued down.
  5. Added grounding beneath the presents.
  6. Finally, I stamped the sentiment in Versafine Onyx Black. The sentiment is from Colorado Crafts Big & Bold Warmest Wishes set.

Saturday, July 22, 2023

Happy Birthday Dudley!

Hi there Playmates

I've a hand-drawn card for you today in honour of Playground Pup Dudley - whose birthday is today!

The little dog was drawn on a white snippet, then mounted onto other snippets of card and designer paper. The sentiment is a stamp by Uniko.

5½" x 5½" card base

Unfortunately, I can't say the little dog was my own design . . . I copied him from a card photo I found on Pinterest by Susan Raihala. The dog's name is Newton and he's a discontinued stamp by Hero Arts.

The card picture I copied from

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE DUDLEY DOG!

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Anyone for some cake?

Hi Gang

I decided to play along with the current ALLSORTS CHALLENGE 737 where Brenda has added a mood board for inspiration. I picked the colour pink and the cake stand from the mood board and made the card shown below:

An A6 sized card

Details:

  • Cake stand = wooden stamp by Stampendous called Tiers of Treats
  • Pink ink = Distress Oxide Kitsch Flamingo (heat embossed with clear EP)
  • Sentiment = a very old photopolymer stamps, possibly by Woodware!
  • Daisy die = Leane Creatief.
  • Daisy gem = by Julie Hickey
  • Main image mounted onto fake "kraft card" that is really packaging!

Monday, July 10, 2023

Week 736 at Allsorts - Embossing

I hadn't played with my embossing folders for quite some time, so when I saw that the optional theme at Allsorts this week was EMBOSSING . . . I thought I'd get my folders out and dust them off!

The one I most fancied playing with was a cute Sizzix bird folder. Take a look at the picture below to see what I made.

The card measures 4" x 4¾"

The materials I used to emboss a white snippet of card.

I had a go at inking the debossed side of the folder in green ink, then running it through my Big Shot with a snippet of white card inside. 

LOVED the result so I mounted it onto a larger white snippet then fixed that to some fake "Kraft card" (which is really recycled packaging) with foam pads. Trimmed an A6 card down to measure ¼" larger all round, which of course means the card is an odd size, so I'll have to custom-make an envelope to fit!

Sunday, June 25, 2023

New Snippets Playground Challenge: 25th June to 8th July

Hi Playmates

I simply adore this  cute little bunny from the Aall & Create stamp set "Up, Up & Away" (#467). You could easily miss him as the stamp set's artwork obscures his face!

He's quite tiny, so I was able to stamp him onto a couple of very small white snippets in order to colour then cut him out with scissors. Full disclosure . . . I used a black pen with a very fine nib to give him a smile as well as adding the inside ear bit that I've coloured pink!

ATC - made entirely with snippets of card and designer paper.
Added a sticker sentiment.

And now for a second piece of homework using the same bunny stamp with additional pen work as detailed above!

A6 card using the circle snippets shown in the following photo.
Finished off with an Aall & Create sentiment (can't remember which set!)

The snippets pile that the card & ATC came from.
No, your eyes do not deceive you . . . you may have already
seen this photo - because I made a few projects from the pile!

There's a new challenge to join in with over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND with yours truly in charge for the next fortnight. Why not use up some snippets and come over to play?

Wednesday, June 14, 2023

Anyone fancy some neurographic art?

Neuro what whaaaat????

I'd never heard of neurographic art until I stumbled across a drawing on Pinterest that intrigued me!

I promise that you don't need ANY artistic skills to create the drawing below. 

Don't believe me? I knew you wouldn't, so I'm going to break it down so you can see just how easy it is to do!

  1. I drew 3 (rough) circles on the page with a black fineliner pen and shaded each using a pencil and a paper stub (but you could use your fingers to smear the pencil lead instead of the paper stub). If you want perfect circles, you could use a circle die or stencil to create them.
  2. Next I SCRIBBLED all over the place with a black fineliner pen!
  3. Then it was just a case of rounding off the corners at every intersection and filling them in. Oh, and I added a few little dots along the lines, but that's just the doodler in me being fancy - it's not necessary!

After the first go (above) I decided to GO BIG! See below for a journal page I created in my larger Dylusions art journal:

I had already created the page background with Distress Oxide inks and was wondering what to do with it. Same process as before: drew spheres, coloured them in, scribbled over everything, then rounded the intersections off (and added a few dots along some of the lines).

I prefer the first monochrome one, but I'm happy enough with this coloured version. I'll definitely be doing some more and with different colour schemes.

Want to physically SEE how it's done? Well HERE is a 4 min You Tube video showing the process. It's EASY, it's RELAXING and I urge you to have a go - bet you surprise yourself with the results. I know I did!

Sunday, June 04, 2023

Sunday Snippets!

Hi Playmates

I've been tearing (around) again! 

The likely cause is that I have been learning about junk journaling over the last few months and have been ripping and tearing up all sorts of things to make ephemera. It's very satisfying!

What's more, I found I could apply some of my newly acquired junk journal knowledge to card making. Tearing up those last snippets of patterned paper is a GREAT way to add some interest and definition. As I've left the torn edges white on a white card blank, they're not so noticeable in the photo, but you can see them easily in real life! I could have inked the edges, but I preferred to keep them plain in this instance.

Torn patterned paper at the edge of the card front
and at the bottom of the topper.

Di has published her RESULTS from the previous challenge, so please hop over to the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND to admire the top picks and discover who won the prize.

Sunday, May 28, 2023

New Snippets Playground Challenge - 28th May to 10th June

Hi Playmates

I wanted to make a birthday card for a young-at-heart but newly-minted octogenarian! She loves her flowers, so it had to be a pretty flower on the card front!

  • To create the background I brushed Kitsch Flamingo Distress Ink through a stencil, then stamped and grounded the flower.
  • The flower was coloured using a waterbrush with Distress Inks. 
  • The numbers and hash sign were die-cut from snippets.
  • The stamp is DAISY by Ana Bondu for Carabelle Stamps.
  • The stencil is by Studio Light one of their BJ numbers, but I can't remember which one!

There's a new challenge to join in with over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND with yours truly in charge for the next fortnight. Why not use up some of your snippets on a project, then come over to play?

I would also like to enter this card into the current ALLSORTS Challenge #730 where they want to see you use a stencil (or choose the anything goes option!).

Thursday, May 25, 2023

Sending Hugs

Hi Friends 

Here’s a very CAS card made from snippets.

All the coloured snippets on the card were made by running a brayer over a few white snippets using Seedless Preserves and a little Walnut Stain DOX inks which gave a nice mottled look. Next I simply stamped a sentiment onto a white snippet and die cut it with a stitched rectangle die. This was mounted onto a larger stitched rectangle that was die cut from the brayered snippet. I punched out three flowers to embellish the sentiment and decided not add anything more. 

I’d like to enter this into the current Allsorts challenge (Week 729) where they are celebrating their 14th birthday. Congrats to Brenda and her DT for doing a great job week in week out. 

Sunday, April 30, 2023

Sunday Snippets!

Hi Playmates

It's Sunday morning and time for a new challenge over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND with yours truly in charge for the next fortnight.

Here's my homework:

A shaped card made for someone special. I cut and stamped all the panels to make a grungy background, then added a large silhouette flower stamp by Bee Crafty. I die-cut the circles, leaves and sentiment from SNIPPETS and added them to the card via a little hinge made from die-cut circles. This shaped card stands up easily but folds flat for posting.

Details on how to make this card shape are in my TUTORIAL page at the top of this blog HERE.

I'm running amok in the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND for the next fortnight - so grab your satchel and skip on over to find out what lovely prize is on offer, as well as all the details on how to enter. 

Sunday, April 16, 2023

Sarn on Sunday!

Hi Playmates

There's a new challenge ready and waiting for you over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND with Miss Di in charge for the next fortnight.

Here's my homework:

Dinky little gift cards measuring approx 2.5" square - made from long thin white snippets.

Some of the snippets used to decorate with.

After all the eggcitement(!) of Easter and the game of Tag . . . I think I'll have a little quiet time up in the Treehouse. There are still a few Hot Cross Buns left over . . . I'll toast them to make them seem fresher, then add lashings of butter! YUMMY! 

Sunday, April 09, 2023

Easter in the Snippets Playground.

Hi Playmates

HAPPY EASTER TO YOU ALL.

It's Sunday morning and we're halfway through the current challenge at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND. Last week's game of Tag was great fun, but I'm worn out now, chasing round after you all! Hope you have your best Easter bonnet on for the Parade later!

My latest homework is a friendship card, made for someone special who I thought needed a hug - so I sent her a paper one, as I couldn't give her one in person:

Card measures 4½" x 4½"

The snippets used to create the above card.

Card details:

  • Lawn Fawn GIANT "Friend" die - cut four times (once from patterned paper and thrice more from white card snippets). All four sentiments were glued together to create a dimensional stack, then added to the card front. I was careful to retain the "fall out" from the patterned paper die cut so that it could be stuck back in place. 
  • Ancient (but adored) flower punch for the 3 flowers.
  • Craftwork Cards "Card Candi" for the flower centres.

Di has published the RESULTS from her previous challenge, so please hop over to the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND to admire the top picks and discover who won the prize.

PS: Did you see that I'm having a little Easter giveaway HERE? Please feel free to enter.

Sunday, April 02, 2023

Sarn on Sunday!

Hi Gang!

I recently swapped some Happy Mail with a lovely blog buddy (thank you so much, you know who you are!).

The following ATC is the first thing I made, using just half of a pretty sunflower that was in the Happy Mail.

All I had to do was stamp a grungy background onto a snippet of white card for the ATC base, then add the sunflower (coloured with Promarkers). The Small Talk sticker finished it off. I also inked around the ATC edges with a black ink pad.

First sunflower ATC measuring 2.5" x 3.5"

I was so pleased with the first sunflower ATC that I made another, with a very similar background and the other half of the original flower - although they were made on different days! 

2nd Sunflower ATC measuring 2.5" x 3.5"

If you're curious to know what I received in the swap, here it is in all its glory! That little lot will keep me occupied for quite a while! 

All the wonderful items received from my blog buddy .

Over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND there's a new challenge to enter, with yours truly in charge for the next fortnight. Why not use up some of your snippets then come and play? You can even join in with the game of Tag that's going on!

Sunday, March 12, 2023

Sarn on Sunday!

Hi Playmates

I have a card full of hearts for today's homework (plus an extra piece of homework at the end of this post!).

5" x 5" card base
Showing the matching card and envelope
My white snippets - some liberally
applied with Paper Artsy Magenta Infusions.
  1. I cut an A4 piece of 300 gsm white card to measure 10" x 5", then scored and folded it in half to make a 5" x 5" card base.
  2. I had been messing about with Magenta PaperArtsy Infusions powder - testing it out on a few white snippets (see above photo). One of the experimental 4" square snippets was mounted onto a 4¼" square of black card, which was in turn stuck to the card front with double sided tape.
  3. Inspired by Asia Marquet's video, I had a go at doodling my own lovehearts, which I cut out and stuck to the card front with foam pads.
  4. I put a sentiment on the inside, leaving the card front to speak for itself!
  5. A matching envelope was made by adding another of the Infusions snippet strips and a heart to the envelope front.

And while I was at it, I made another anniversary card using up one of the other pink snippets shown in the picture above, along with a heart that was punched from a black snippet of card and another doodled heart. On this card, I added extra doodling around the border and a Clearly Besotted anniversary sentiment to the card front.

Miss Di has posted the Results of Challenge 448 HERE and there's still nearly a week to go for the current SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND CHALLENGE where the prize on offer is two sets of dies.

Wednesday, March 08, 2023

OLC Sympathy Card

Hi Friends

Today's make is a one layer sympathy card. Thankfully it wasn't required at the time I made it, but I have since had need of it! Sigh!

5" x 5" card.
The background stamp (from Stampin' Up!'s "Work of Art" set) was inked up with DOX Speckled Egg and stamped three times without re-inking in between. I used VFC Twilight ink for the Stampin' Up! flower and the Clearly Besotted sentiment.

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

A windy day!

Hi Friends

Today's card features a very windy day where the poor girl's umbrella has blown inside out! Been there, done that! LOL!


The card details:

  1. I dabbed "Peacock Feathers" DOX ink onto a "Petals" embossing folder and spritzed it with water, then laid my piece of card on top to pick up the inky goodness! Once removed from the folder, I dabbed at the card to remove some of the ink so it wasn't too heavy.
  2. The Windy Day image (by Katzelkraft) was stamped with VFC Twilight ink, as was the SU sentiment. 
  3. To colour the image, I used a waterbrush and the following DOX inks: Peacock Feathers (coat & umbrella); Uncharted Mariner (coat shading); Spiced Marmalade (stockings & scarf) and Iced Spruce (hair).

Sunday, February 19, 2023

Sarn on Sunday!

Hi Playmates

It's Sunday morning and time for new challenge over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND where Miss Di is in charge for the next fortnight.

Here's my homework:

A6 card

The pile of snippets I made the card from.
Some were added inside the card!

It's been a chilly week in the UK, so Di and I have been busy in the Playground Treehouse - making copious mugs of hot chocolate for everyone. Extra marshmallows ARE available, plus, if you "nod me the wink" I'll see what kind of moonshine is hiding in my satchel to give you an extra boost! LOL! x

Wednesday, February 01, 2023

Grumpy Penguin Christmas Cards

Hi Friends

Sorry, but I have a bit of a Christmas fest going on in this blog post, so you'd best grab a nice mug of hot chocolate and settle in!

These Christmas cards were made with the wonderful Katzelkraft "Grumpy Penguins" stamp set. 

I'm entering the single card (below) to the CHRISTMAS CRAFT CREATIONS challenge where they have a snippets theme going on this month. However, if you look further down this post, there are even MORE penguin cards using up those ever-increasing snippets!

A6 card for the CCC Challenge with the penguin snippet added,
together with snowflake snippets.

To create my cards, I first gathered together a few of my MANY white snippet strips (left over from cutting my own card bases). Then I stamped a load of penguins on them.

White snippets ready for colouring & fussy cutting

All coloured and cut out ready to go on cards.

Once that was done, I made a few inky backgrounds then glued the penguins and snowflakes on top.

Only the penguins are snippets on this trio of cards.


A6 card showing penguins & snowflake snippets.

Had LOADS of fun making these, and I still have a few penguins left to add to more cards when the mood is upon me!