Sunday Snippets - 31st Aug

Hi Playmates!

There's a new challenge to play along with over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND hosted by Miss Di for the next fortnight. Di is feeling better than last week, but still has some healing to do. 

I was asked to make 6 gift boxes for a friend to use at Christmas. Below is one of the decorated boxes (details on how to make it are HERE - just scroll down to Chocolate Bar Box).

I decorated 2 of the boxes using the same 12" x 12" piece of designer paper, then used the left over snippets of that paper to make the birthday card shown below (with a matching envelope). 

5" square card & envelope with matching snippets used
from the scraps of paper left over from making the box.

The buff coloured card mount and sentiment were die cut
from cereal packaging.

Card Details: 

• Snippets of DSP (unknown brand).
• Poppy Stamps die: "Happy Birthday Poe Script" (cut from snippets of the Bran Flakes packaging).
• Snippets of packaging for the mount.

Frog Yoga!

Now THAT'S a blog post title to conjure with isn't it? LOL! 

I recently purchased these Stampendous "Frog Yoga" stamps from a local charity shop for the princely sum of £1.50! HAD to buy them because (a) they made me laugh, and (b) they were CHEAP!

There are 5 frogs doing yoga poses in the set, along with a variety of amusing sentiments. Below are just 2 of them, made into ATCs.

Getting a last minute entry into the TAG ALONG & ATCs CHALLENGE (under the anything goes option) using the first ATC in this post. The August challenge ends tomorrow!

ATC

ATC

Details:

• All stamps are from the Frog Yoga set by Stampendous.
• Coloured with watercolour pencils and a waterbrush. 
• All pieces of card used for the ATCs are snippets.

Sunday Snippets - 24th August

Hi Playmates!

Di has published RESULTS from the previous challenge, so please hop over to the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND to admire her top picks and discover which lucky playmate won the prize. There's still nearly a week left to play in the current challenge if you haven't already done so.

Di has hurt herself by tripping on the Treehouse ladder, so please wander over and give her some sympathy.

Sorry about the crumpled snippet - it was rescued
from the paper bin on my desk, just for the photo!

Details:

• Uniko sentiment and gerbera. The sentiment is discontinued, but the gerbera flower stamp set is still current. The gerbera was cut with matching dies, but it would be easy to cut it out by hand. I used foam pads to adhere it to the card front.
• Sentiment stamped with SU colours Lucky Limeade and Calypso Coral. The same colours were dabbed onto an acrylic block and picked up with a waterbrush, plus a yellow Distress Ink pad.

Floral One Layer Birthday Card

Hi there!

I was browsing my floral stamps and came across this three-step stamp set by Stampin' Up! which is part of the Avant Garden set (long discontinued).

Card measures 3.5" x 4.5"

Details:

• Simply stamped using SU Avant Garden flowers and leaves with SU Rich Razzleberry and Lucky Limeade ink. Plus a bit of black ink for the stamens.
• SU Birthday sentiment stamped in black ink. 

I am entering this card to the current ALLSORTS CHALLENGE 830 where the theme is: "I spy with my little eye - something beginning with B". My B's are for BIRTHDAY and BLOOMS!

Sunday Snippets - 17th August

Hi Playmates!

I'm hosting a new challenge over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND for the next fortnight. This is your opportunity to use up some snippets (scraps/leftovers), then skip over to the Playground for a 'show and tell' via Mr Linky.

For my homework this week I created the card below, having been inspired to play with my wooden stamps by Lesley G:

A6 sized card

Remains of snippets used.

Details:

• Wooden Penny Black stamp "Whispers" (3377K from 2006) stamped with SU Rich Razzleberry ink and coloured with a waterbrush using Rich Razzleberry & Lucky Limeade inks.
• Torn snippet of patterned paper glued to bottom of card front.
• Happy Birthday sentiment (possibly by Uniko) stamped onto a white snippet of card and then cut with the smallest Heffy Doodle Stitched Rectangle die.
• Pink Sakura metallic gelly roll pen used around the edges of the petals.

Two-part swing tag

I wanted to add a tag to the current TAG ALONG & ATCs CHALLENGE where the theme is TRAVEL (or Anything Goes). 

I was going through my papers looking for something else, when I happened across some papers with hot air balloons printed on them. "AHA! That will comply with the challenge theme," I thought! So I grabbed a sheet and made a two-part swing tag ready to adorn a birthday present at some point! 

The finished swing tag.

The pieces I used for the tag.

Details:

• Hot air balloon tag, cut from a sheet of paper "extras" from the Craft O'Clock "Warm Breeze" paper pad.
• Snippet of white card cut to same dimensions as hot air balloon tag and stamped with a PaperArtsy birthday message.
• Both tags were then tied together with a snippet of raffia.

Crossing Bridges!

I've made an ATC using a much-loved and very old (2005) wooden Penny Black stamp.

My wooden stamps now live in a drawer out of sight and out of mind(!), whereas they used to be proudly displayed on shelving and were more accessible! However, Lesley G has been playing with her wooden stamps and she inspired me to play with mine - cheers Lesley!

ATC (2.5" x 3.5")

Details:

• "Crossing Bridges" stamp by Penny Black (3206J)
• Sentiment made up from two different stamp sets, masked with Washi tape & then inked up. The "Amazing" word is by Aall & Create and the other part possibly comes from a Studio Light set, but it has been cut off from a larger stamp and I can't remember the details.
• Everything was stamped with SU Chocolate Chip ink and coloured in with watercolour pencils and a waterbrush.
• A gold Sakura Pen Touch Calligraphy pen was added around the outside edges of the ATC (yes Di, that pen is still going strong!).

I would like to enter this ATC into the following challenges:

1. Allsorts - Challenge 829 where the theme is ANIMALS (or AG). (Ends 29th August)
2. Tag-Along & ATCs - August challenge, where the theme is TRAVEL (or AG). I don't have many travel stamps, so I had to think outside the box - bear with me - the stamp is called "Crossing Bridges" and I thought that might count(?) . . . plus the little mouse is travelling across the branch . . . so that might count? Anyway, if that's too obscure, it can always be entered under the Anything Goes option! (Ends 28th August)
3. We Love Stamping - August challenge, where the theme is FLOWERS (or AG). The mouse is holding a flower and there are blooms either end of the branch "tightrope!". (Ends 3rd Sept)

Sunday Snippets - 3rd August

Hi Playmates!

There's a new challenge to play along with over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND hosted by Miss Di for the next fortnight.

The weather has cooled down somewhat, so we’ve cleaned and put away the paddling pool for the time being, and the water slide has reverted to it its normal mode of just being a plain old slide!

Here's my homework:

A6 sized card

Snippet of white card swiped with 
with Villainous Potion ink pad & die cut.

Details:

• Bird die (from The Works) used on a white snippet that had been swiped with a DI Villainous Potion ink pad.
• Snippet of SU Misty Moonlight card, cut with the smallest Heffy Doodle Stitched Rectangle die and glued to card front to "ground" the bird.
• Visible Image sentiment from the Birthday Wishes set, stamped in SU Misty Moonlight ink.

Now, why not go and play with your snippets, then come and join us over at the Snippets Playground. There’s a lovely prize on offer for one lucky winner.

Sarn's Sunday Snippets - 27-07-25

Hi Playmates!

After messing around sliding into the paddling pool and splashing about, I managed to get some homework done!

A6 Sized card

Details:

• Main panel features an ancient Rubber Romance wooden stamp - I think it was called Julia (stamped in VFC Pine Cone ink). She was coloured using a water brush and SU Rich Razzleberry ink. The book was coloured with Vintage Photo DI.  I added a small Happy Birthday sentiment (details lost in the mists of time!). Die cut using Heffy Doodle Stitched Rectangles.
• Main panel mounted onto a snippet of brown card at a jaunty angle!
• Snippet of torn burgundy patterned paper added across card front.
• Ancient SU floral stamp stamped three times across the bottom of the card using SU Rich Razzleberry ink.

Di has published RESULTS from the previous challenge, so please hop over to the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND to admire her top picks and discover which lucky playmate won the prize. There's still nearly a week left to play in the current challenge if you haven't already done so.

Snippets on Sunday - an ATC

Hi there!

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. There's still nearly a week left to play in the current challenge if you haven't already done so.

ATC 2.5" x 3.5"

DETAILS:

• 2.25" x 3.25" Snippet of paper from the 13Arts "End of Summer" paper pad, glued to a black snippet of card measuring standard ATC size of 2.5" x 3.5"
• I used a sentiment stamp from That's Crafty's "Nature's Gatherings" set. It's one long line in reality, but I used Washi Tape to mask off and ink separate parts of the sentiment in order to make it two lines which better fitted the small space available. 
• The sentiment was stamped with VFC Nocturne ink, then heat embossed using clear embossing powder.

I'm also entering this ATC into the current challenge for Tag-Along & ATCs where the theme is "In the Garden" (or anything goes) - with a lovely prize on offer.

Sunday Snippets - another bird card!

Hi Playmates!

Miss Di is in charge of the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND for the next fortnight - so why not skip over there to find out what lovely prize she is offering, as well as all the details on how to enter. 

My homework uses up just two snippets, but they make a big impact on the card front along with a larger birthday sentiment. I thought this would make a good masculine birthday card - which I always find harder to make.

A6 Card

Details:

• Unbranded bird die from Temu, cut from a masterboard snippet.
• Spellbinders Wonky Rectangles die used to cut a navy blue snippet.
• Birthday sentiment from a Visible Image "Birthday Wishes" stamp set.

Sunday Snippets - ATC Wallets

Hi Playmates!

I'm hosting a new challenge over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND for the next fortnight, so why not drag out some snippets, make something with them and come over to play with me, Di and Dudley - plus all the "usual suspects"! The paddling pool is in full use at the bottom of the slide and there are plenty of ice creams and lollies in the Treehouse Tuck Shop to keep you cool. 

Now then . . . have you ever wondered what to do with your pile of gelli prints, or those A4 sheets of paper that are sitting there staring at you? Well, wonder no more . . . 

Inspired by Suzanne Rose's You Tube video, I set about making some ATC wallets from double sided A4 gelli prints. Had a lovely time making the gelli prints before I got folding and scoring!

You can easily fit 4 ATCs inside the pockets that are visible, plus you could add 2 more ATCs in the "secret" pocketed area behind the front and back covers. Freddo Frogs also fit inside (just sayin'!). The wallets could also be made without the ribbon closure and stuck to a junk journal page! Or you could make a few wallets and glue them together by their covers for additional ATC storage. They make a pretty case for UK postage stamp books too! Endless possibilities!

All four wallets

Close-up pictures of the insides of each wallet are shown below:

For the blue corners of the pockets, I used snippets of another
gelli print and glued them to the triangles for contrast.

Materials:

1. Double-sided A4 gelli prints folded, cut and punched as per the video link at the beginning of this post. (Any sheet of double sided A4 paper would work.)
2. Embellished with die cut flowers, butterflies and Washi tape - most of which are snippets.
3. On the front cover of the top left wallet, I stamped a Wildflower image in VFC Twilight ink, then sprinkled it with clear embossing powder and heat set it. Stamped the sentiment onto a snippet of white printer paper in VFC Warm Breeze ink and glued over the top.
4. On each wallet, I taped ribbons in place behind the triangle flaps. If you're not a fan of using ribbon, you could always make a paper band to slip over the top and keep the wallet closed.

My pile of leftover snippets!

If you made it to the end of this post - CONGRATULATIONS! Thanks for staying with me - I hope you enjoyed your visit. The wallets are easy to make with any A4 double sided sheet of paper, so I hope you watch the video and give it a go! I had loads of fun!

Something a little different . . .

Hi there!

Today I have a couple of things to share with you.

First, I made an art journal page having watched THIS VIDEO:

Double page spread in my Dylusions A4 sized art journal.

Then I used the same method to make a card, by shortening the length of the figure so it would fit!

5 x 7 card

Card Details:

• Various acrylic paints were randomly applied to the 300gsm white card in different layers and some were wiped off through stencils.
• Once the paints were dry, I stamped all sorts of grungy stamps over the pages using VFC Nocturne ink.
• While the ink was drying, I drew a figure on a piece of cardboard packaging and cut it out. Once the ink was dry, the mask was placed on the painted & stamped surface facing to the left while I added white paint around it. The mask was flipped over to face the other way while I added more white paint around it!
• Once the white paint was dry, I outlined the figures with a white gel pen, just to tidy them up.
• I ran a gold calligraphy pen around the edges of the main panel before gluing it to the card front.

Both card making AND art journaling make me happy, not to mention all that stamping and getting messy with acrylic paints in the process . . . so, I'm running along to the current ALLSORTS CHALLENGE 825 to join in with their WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY theme (entering just the journal spread).

Sunday Snippets - Smooshing!

Hi Playmates!

There's a new challenge to play along with over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND hosted by Miss Di for the next fortnight so please come and join in the fun and games!

Mixed week of weather IRL - but ALWAYS sunny in the Playground where we've been having fun SMOOSHING and stamping during art class!

Here's my smooshed homework:

A6 sized card

Started with a 2.75" x 4.25" snippet - smooshed with ink.

Same snippet - with the Aall & Create stamp added.

Details:

• Started with a white snippet measuring 2.75" x 4.25" 
• Vintage Photo Distress Ink was tapped onto non-stick sheet, spritzed with water and smooshed onto the white snippet using a small piece of acetate.
• I used one of the stamps from the Aall & Create stamp set #905 set to stamp over the top of the ink.
• The smooshed & stamped snippet was mounted onto a black snippet measuring 3" x 4.5", then adhered to the card front.
• Finally, a Sizzix butterfly (created from snippets) was glued in place as the focal point.

Snippets Playground - Floral Cards

Hi Playmates!

It was a mixed bag of weather down South this week, and VERY windy to boot. However, the sun ALWAYS shines in the Snippets Playground, so that's where I've skipped off to.

I have two floral cards to share as my homework this week:

Cards measure 5" x 7"

All that's left of the green and
black snippets!

Details:

• Crafty Roo floral stamps (kindly stamped and sent to me by my sister)
• Snippets of green & black card.
• Aall & Create "Florastella" stencil used on the left hand card.
• Heffy Doodle Stitched Squares and Stitched Rectangle dies used on the right hand card. 

Di has published RESULTS from the previous challenge, so please hop over to the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND to admire her top picks and discover which lucky playmate won the prize. There's still nearly a week left to play in the current challenge if you haven't already done so.

Snippets Playground - Challenge 507

Hi Playmates!

I'm hosting a new challenge over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND for the next fortnight. This is your opportunity to use up some snippets (scraps/leftovers), then come over and join us for a 'show and tell' via Mr Linky.

Plenty of coffee, tea and hot chocolate available during Sunday Morning Breakfast Club. Up in the Treehouse, Di and I are putting the microwave to good use heating up croissants and pain au chocolates for you. (Psst - you know where to find me if you want something stronger later in the day!!!!)

My homework this week:

A6 sized card

Details:

• A6 card blank, with snippets of black and green card.
• Stamped using one of the stamps on the Paper Artsy Hot pick 1005 set HERE
• Tim Holtz tool used to distress the edges of the green card. 

Happy crafting everyone.  

Let's Celebrate Allsorts' 16th Birthday!

Woot Woot!

Today is Allsorts' 16th Birthday. Quite the achievement. 

Many congratulations to Brenda and her DT. 

Talking of the DT - I'm honoured to join them as a Guest Designer this fortnight - and therefore made a suitable birthday card . . . 

6" x 6" card

MATERIALS:

• STAMPS: Altenew's Layered Cupcake set for the cupcake and sentiment. It is quite fiddly to get the stamp layering done accurately, so, after a few abortive attempts I stamped the outline and coloured the rest in with distress inks and a water brush!
• STENCIL: Funky Fossil's Brushed Roses - used at opposing corners with Picked Raspberry DI.
• GLITTERY CARD (kindly gifted to me by lovely blog friend): Used for the numbers and the main image mount.
• DIES: Heffy Doodle Stitched Square dies used to cut both the main image and the mount. Sizzix Thinlits Stylised Alphabet set (665488) used for the numbers. 

In order to celebrate this amazing achievement, there are lots of prizes and the theme is ANYTHING GOES. Come and join in the fun HERE. 

Aall & Create are offering prizes to UK/European winners and for USA entrants Lawn Fawn and Gina K have offered a $25 voucher each and the Colorado Craft Company is offering 3 stamps - so there's something for everyone.

Another Sarntangled ATC

Hi there!

This is my fourth and final entry to the new TAG ALONG & ATCs CHALLENGE. Yes, I know it's another Sarntangled ATC, but . . . I enjoy tangling . . . what can I say?

ATC 2.5" x 3.5"

Details:

• Snippets of white and black card to make the ATC.
• Sakura Pigma Micron 01 pen to Sarntangle with.
• Pencil and a paper stump to add shading.
  

You've still got a week to join in the fun with a tag or an Artist Trading Card/Coin and there's a lovely prize on offer for one lucky winner.

While you're reading . . . remember that Allsorts' Big Birthday Challenge starts on Saturday and there will be lots of prizes.

Snippets Playground - Inky ATCs.

Hi Playmates!

A mixed week of weather, but for the hot days - you can still find me plying my "lemonade" (with a kick to it) behind the bike sheds . . . and there are lots of ice creams available - especially Magnums - from the Tuck Shop.

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. There's still nearly a week left to enter the current challenge if you haven't already done so.

Here's a pair of inky ATCs I had lots of fun making:

ATC = 2.5" x 3.5" white snippet

ATC = 2.5" x 3.5" white snippet

Both ATCs have the same materials:

• STAMPS: The lines are a Uniko stamp; grungy circles are from the Funky Fossil "Tall Grass" set; square postmark is from the Rubber Dance Mix It Up #3 set.
• DIES (used on snippets of white card): White butterflies = SU "Beautiful Wings" Embosslit (retired); white torn notebook edges were gifted to me so I don't have the full details but understand they were purchased from Temu.
• DISTRESS OXIDES: Spiced Marmalade and Iced Spruce, added over the top of the Distress Inks once the Distress Inks were dry. 
• DISTRESS INKS: Wild Honey and Peeled Paint.
• VERSAFINE CLAIR: Warm Breeze (for the grungy circles); Pinecone (for the lines); Spruce (for the square postmark).

The method:

• I stamped the images with VFC ink first and left to dry.
• Next I squidged Distress Ink pads onto my non-stick craft sheet and spritzed with water, then randomly swiped the ATC through them. 
• After allowing the Distress Ink layer to dry, I did the same with Distress Oxides and left to dry.
• Finally, I die cut some white snippets and glued the results onto the ATCs.

I'd also like to enter these into the new TAG ALONG & ATCs CHALLENGE which started on 1st May and runs until 28th May. This month, it's ANYTHING GOES! This will be my third entry - and you're allowed up to four per month.

Snippets Playground - Another Bird Card!

Hi Playmates!

There's a new and fun challenge to play along with over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND hosted by Miss Di for the next fortnight.

Here's my homework:

Card measures 4.75" square

The bird snippet was selected from here.

Details:

• I used cardboard packaging, along with a snippet of SU card, to cut the twigs with a die.
• Aall & Create Washi Tape #16 was added across the bottom edge of the card for grounding purposes.
• Unbranded Temu bird die snippet glued onto the Washi Tape grounding. (I used scissors to round off some of the angles on the original die-cut bird.)

Sunday Snippets - Sarntangled ATC

Hi Playmates!

It's been a lovely mini-heatwave here in the UK. Hasn't it been fun splashing about in the paddling pool that Miss Di pulled out and filled up? Plus Dudley has been keeping us supplied with ice creams and lollies. While Di was kept busy blowing her whistle trying to keep order at the pool, I retreated to the shade of the bike sheds where I diligently set up my *AHEM* Lemonade Stand! Nuff said!

Di has published RESULTS from the previous challenge, so please hop over to the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND to admire her top picks and discover which lucky playmate won the prize. There's still nearly a week left to play in the current challenge if you haven't already done so.

For my homework, I Sarntangled an ATC:

2.5" x 3.5" ATC

Details:

• Sakura Pigma Micron .01 pen to Sarntangle with.
• Zentangle® patterns used are: Poke Root; Mooka; Fescue.
• Snippets = the white and black pieces of card used to create the ATC.

I'm also entering my ATC into the BRAND SPANKING NEW Tag-Along & ATCs challenge run by Brenda, Lynn & Pinky. As it's the first challenge it's ANYTHING GOES on your tag or ATC. Why not check out their rules and play along?

I was honoured to be picked as a Tag Along & ATCs favourite 

Tag Along & ATC Challenge

Today sees the start of a NEW MONTHLY BLOG CHALLENGE for ATCs and tags, called TAG ALONG & ATCs run by Brenda, Lynn and Pinky. Each challenge starts on the 1st of the month, with a mid-month inspiration post from the DT on the 14th.

I'm quite excited about it as I make and swap a fair few ATCs and although I don't make many tags until Christmas time, I'm hoping it will encourage me to make them more often.

You can enter up to 4 times per challenge - here's my first entry:

ATC 2.5" x 3.5"

The photo below shows what it looked like with just the outlining done, before I added the doodling & shading:

Details:

• Snippet of white card to create the ATC.
• Pink Distress Ink added in patches and splatters with an acetate sheet.
• Pink areas outlined with black fineliner pen, then doodling added.
• Pencil and paper stump used for shading.

Wishing Brenda, Lynn and Pinky all the best for their new challenge. I'm sure it will be a great success.

Sunday Snippets

Hi Playmates!

After all that chocklit last weekend, I've got some good old-fashioned jelly babies and wine gums in my satchel to keep your sugar high going this week! I also have a little flask of something to spice up your coffee too!

For my homework this week I made a DL sized card from an A4 sheet of 300gsm white card. Then I grabbed some foliage dies and set about die cutting some snippets of card. I added brown and burgundy splatters to the card front before taking time to arrange the foliage in the vase. The "vase" is simply a bit I chopped off the larger burgundy square of card shown in my snippets picture. 

Snippets used

I'm hosting a new challenge over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND for the next fortnight. So why not take the opportunity to use up some of your snippets (scraps/leftovers), then come over to the Playground for a 'show and tell' via Mr Linky.

HAPPY CRAFTING.

Sunday Snippets - beautiful day wishes

Hi Playmates!

There's a fresh new challenge to play along with over at the SNIPPETS PLAYGROUND hosted by Miss Di for the next fortnight. Please make sure you read the red paragraphs at the bottom of her post for some important information about the areas we will post prizes to from now on. 

For my Playground homework, I made this square card and added only snippets to the card front, along with a stamped sentiment in a grungy typewriter font.

Card measures 5.75" square

Details:

• Everything on the card front is a snippet.
• Stitched circle die from The Works (retired) - cut from SU So Saffron (yellow) snippet and glued to card front.
• Dotty concentric rings cut with an unbranded die from Amazon & glued to the yellow circle.
• Bird die - unbranded from Temu - cut from SU Basic Grey snippet, glued on top of rings. There are 9 birds in the set (which is a copy of Silhouette Birds by Sizzix).
• Sentiment from Aall & Create stamp set #531 Textured Florals stamped in Basic Grey ink.

New Blog Challenge - Woot Woot!

Hi there!

Did you hear? There's a new monthly blog challenge to play along with starting 1st May. It's called Tag Along & ATCs and it's run by Brenda, Lynn and Pinky, who want to see your Tags and ATCs (as the name suggests!).

I will definitely be playing along next month, but in the meantime, I thought I'd share an ATC that I drew some "stacks" on - just for fun!

ATC

Details:

• Snippets of white and black card.
• Sakura Pigma Micron 01 pen to doodle with.
• Pencil and a paper stump to add shading.