Sunday 3 July 2016

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 236

Hi there! I hope your week was good and that you had better weather then we did down in Hampshire. Our central heating kicked in during the night on Friday, which shows how low temperatures can drop - despite it now being July!

Here's my snippets card for this week:
I used:

- 6" x 6" square white card blank


- 6" x 6" square piece of white card stock on which to assemble the front

- then I made a set of four flowers so that I could juggle them round with papers etc. to work out the final design and spacings on the card

- the flowers were great fun to make, I used snippets of lilac and pink felt that were tucked away in a sewing box and die cut them using a Joy! 6002/0024 set of three daisy dies. Two lots in pink felt and two lots in lilac felt

- then, alternating the layers I made up four 'daisies', held together with little brads, made by Diamante Crafts

- I chose to use diagonally striped paper from Wild Rose Studio's 'Wintry Christmas' paper pack - which I so rarely use for Christmas as it's great for other cards. Added a piece of the paper, cut on the diagonal, across the lower part of the card

- next I stamped the sentiment diagonally, using Brilliance 'Pearlescent Orchid' ink and a stamp from SU's 'Wonderful Words' set. I Googled the set just now and discovered that it dates back to 2005 and is long retired - I bought mine 'pre-loved' a while ago. Isn't it amazing how trends return, scrolled sentiments with 'tails' at either end are very popular at the moment

- at this point I dithered a bit, there was too much white space above the sentiment and the choice was to emboss some lines or add another triangle of the patterned paper - the paper won in the end

- finally, I could glue the felt 'daises' in place across the card - using my hot glue gun

I'd been wanting to use felt for die cutting since seeing all the fun things folk have been using it for ranging from flowers through to sentiments - and it was Tara who kicked me into action by sending some fabulous felt as part of this week's prize. I wouldn't open the pack she sent of course but, as already said, was lucky enough to find some snippets of felt in a box of sewing stuff here.

Here's the thing though, my felt isn't very good quality, whereas I know that Tara sources excellent quality felt. So, I did have problems initially as my own cheap and cheerful quality felt just wouldn't die cut cleanly. Then I did a quick Google search and what d'you know, the clue is to pop a piece of card between the felt and the cutting plate before adding your die to do the cutting! It works fantastically well, even cutting out the tiny centres in the daisies ready to poke the brads through. One of the best tips I've found on line for quite a while - and I now also have a handful of white card die cut daisies to play with too!

Let's move swiftly onto this week's peek at the picks:

I love the CAS design of this card, made by Brenda in IN. The MB 'Pietra Tile' is a die I have but have possibly only used once - it looks really great with the pretty butterfly doesn't it!

Valerija made this amazing exploding box, her very first one too, and brought it along to share with us. Every single detail is perfection - and I just can't get over the adorable little piano!

I love this card, made by Kath - it's so fresh and crisp. Of course, it's a wonderful Woodware stamp and such a clever idea to not only use card candi (which is what quite a few Woodware stamps are designed to feature) but also the nail heads too.

Maura always produces beautiful cards and this one really caught my eye this week. Wonderful colours, snippets and such pretty flowers too. That's a fabulous embossing folder Maura used, thankfully she didn't give the name of it on her post though :)

I'm a huge fan of paper piecing and really love how Sandy used it on the umbrella and tablecloth on this fun card. It totally pulls everything together - IMHO :)

This card, made by Alison, is a stunner - and such a clever idea as well. I have some sets of Christmas 'peg' stamps and always use them to create round wreaths. But this is a step out of the box (or should that be sand pit?) - the open semi-circular design is lovely and leaves some nice white space as well as room for a variety of sentiments. Love it!

I picked this 'last but not least' card, made by Margaret, partly as it's so pretty, it's pink (I do try not to favour pink too much, but sometimes ... ) - and it's also made totally from snippets. A lovely design and a card I'd be delighted to receive!

My back seized up on Friday afternoon, 24 hours after I felt it sort of 'twang' as I overstretched in the supermarket - so I'll move on swiftly to our new Playmates now. But, I do wanna know why supermarkets think we're all either seven foot tall and can reach right to the back of top shelves - or are limbo dancers and can lie flat on the floor to reach that elusive box of teabags that's hiding at the very back of the bottom shelf! I should learn to just walk away when that happens but hate to admit I'm beaten!

We had two new Playmates this week:
Zoe skipped in with this beautifully decorated coat hanger. It's not only very pretty but also practical as Zoe will be using it to suspend necklaces from :)

How cute is this then? Nina joined in the fun with this super card - what a lovely scene, and some very clever die cutting too. I can't see for sure but I think the palm trees are inlaid, which adds to the dimension.

Hope you both come back to play again soon!

Now for the prize draw, for the Crafts-Too 'Lattice' embossing folder, Inkylicious sentiment stamp called 'Wonderful Day' and Joanna Sheen 'Fuchsia' dies set.

The winner is:
Yay! Megan first came to play with us last November and I'm almost sure this is her first win - well done Megan and I hope it was worth the wait. I know you've been on my 'peek at the picks' a few times so Mr Random must have decided it was time you won. Can you please drop me an email with your address and I'll post your prize off to you ASAP. My email addy is on the RHS of the blog page.

Here's this coming week's prize:
As I already hinted, it consists of a fabulous selection of felt samples, kindly donated by Tara of Seven Hills Crafts, containing 40 x 10cm square  pieces of felt in every colour of the rainbow and more. That's one of every colour she stocks and wow, they really are luscious too.

Seven Hills Crafts Logo
To that I've added a set of the Joy! daisy dies plus a packet of small brads in assorted colours. Exactly the same as I used when making my snippets card for today.

The Snippets Challenge will run for one week and the Playground gates will close at 11am UK time on Saturday 9th July. The gates will open again at midnight UK time on the same day.

A maximum of ONE entry and please say in a comment if you wish to play and be a possible winner of the prize. If you only want to play for one or two of the items making up this week's prize, just say so in your comment and if you win then I'll do a further draw for the other item(s). Please also link back to the Playground in your blog post to be eligible for the draw.

Mr Linky is below - please let me know if you have any problems linking, it's easy for me to sort out so don't struggle on alone :) 

Di and, of course, Parsnip
x

60 comments:

  1. Such pretty makes and loving your own this morning. Just uploaded my entry for the playground, just playing for fun this week

    Kathyk

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  2. More great picks Di and love the jaunty angles of your paper and flowers on your card.

    In early this week and all geared up for sports day.

    Look after that back.

    B x

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  3. Beautiful snippets card, Di - love the flowers and thanks for the tip for die cutting felt - will have to try that as I have quite a bit of felt lurking somewhere at the bottom of a material box (and I haven't even looked in that box for ages). Hope to be in the playground soon. xx

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  4. Thanks for choosing my card as one of your picks this week. I love the stamp I used - my OH bought it as a surprise (bless him!) and it's one of my favourites and is used so often.

    Love your card and the great tip on how to die cut felt - it's not something I've had any success with in the past, but will try the card technique.

    Will be in the playground soon and would love a chance to win the fabulous prize.

    Kath x

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  5. Morning Di yeah the weather did change last week l heard of people putting the heating on not normal for July.....again Di your card is so cute l like how you have mounted the felt flowers and the brads add that finished touch also paper is a fan of mine from wild rose studio beautiful!! enjoy your day whatever your plans x

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  6. Beautiful card Di! How interesting to use felt for the flowers - I've not seen that done before. I'd love a chance at the prize so that I can try it out for myself! :) I shall be back with my entry, perhaps even later today..!

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  7. Hi Di

    Ouch!! on the back front! I hope it is starting to ease up a little.

    Bright and early for me today (for a change).

    Loving your felt flowers they look gorgeous.

    Fabulous inspiration again.

    Just playing for fun .. .. and to reduce my snippet mountain.

    Love Jules xx

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  8. Such a pretty card Miss Di and lovely felt flowers. Stunning picks again this week. A big hi to the new playmates and congrats to Megan.

    Ouch, I do hope your back gets better soon and I know what you mean about having to be a contortionist in the supermarket.

    I'm just playing for fun this week and to sneak up and see what's happening in the treehouse xx

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  9. Your CAS with the felt flowers and the stripes is so sweet and elegant! Love it! Fabulous pics of the week, too, and I'm so happy to see a fabulous piano box in an explosion box, it remember me the one I made for my nephew time ago :) but surely tgis is most elegant and accurate!
    Congrats to the winner!

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  10. Oh my gosh Di, I LOVE the card you shared this week with all the diagonals and felt flowers! It's a real beauty! Congrats to Megan on her win, and can I just say WOW to all the notable entries from last week? I'm blown away by the talent here in the Snippets Playground! I'm playing just for fun this week, but thanks for another fun challenge!

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  11. Thanks so much for the shout-out, Di!! Congrats to the other top picks, too. Love the sweet felt flowers on your card, and I hope your back heals pronto!!!!!

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  12. Well, I was quite surprised to see my little summery card among your picks. Thank you. I've just pinned Alison's lovely snowflake card for future reference.
    Your felt flowers are so fresh and pretty and I love the strong diagonal element in that card.
    So sorry to hear about your back. And as a petite person, I so agree with you about things being put up too high. I find this is especially true at certain women's clothing stores, where the racks of small sized items are always on top, even though I suspect most of the people who wear a size S are not terribly tall. (end of rant)

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  13. Afternoon Di and everyone, what a lovely day here it is. Just getting my card in now before I am off for a cream tea :) Would love a chance to win the goodies.

    Sorry to hear about your back take care of yourself

    x

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    1. ps should add - thanks for the tip on how to cut felt :)

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  14. Super card DI and i would love to be entered to win the prize!
    Hugs, Hazel xx

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  15. Beautiful card, Ms Di & how I hope your back recovers quickly this time! Always inspiration in the picks & today is no exception! I'll play just for the felt & may have to buy some of hers if I don't win as I'd love to have more colors!

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  16. Thanks so much, I am flattered to be picked out of such a line up. (Just for record I found stamping in the sand pit wasn't a sucess, sand stuck to everything!)
    Wonderful felt flowers, I must go and get creative so I can come back and enter. x

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  17. No we didn't have better weather, totally disgraceful for the time of year, I have been warmer in January than these past couple of months.
    Love your card, great design.
    Some great picks as always and I did smile at Brenda in NI's card and your comment. I have that die and used it once, but used it again this week for a future Allsorts challenge, how weird is that.
    Hope you back improves PDQ and have you thought about taking one of those fold up little step things with you to the supermarket, whip it out of your trolley and then you may reach those horrid top shelves.

    Kath xx

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  18. I always get such a charge out of your picks! Great choices! It's fun to see how people use their snippets! Valerija's project is AWESOME! Your card is so cute, Di! Loving the felt flowers! Thanks for a wonderful prize! Hoping to be back to play along and if so, I'm a yes for the prize! Congrats to this week's winner!

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  19. Hi Miss Di, another gorgeous card, the felt adds some lovely texture to the card, thank you, thank you, thank you for Lady Luck picking me as the winner of the prize for last week, my first prize from the Playground! Congratulations to all this weeks Playground Picks the cards are amazing... Have a wonderful week... Megan

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    1. Hi Di just linked up my card which is eerily like Brenda's card above. Playing just for fun this week... Megan

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  20. Good morning Di, I hope your back pain is settling..remember to keep it gently moving ;0) I do like felt in projects and yours look fab on your lovely card, thanks for the tip re cutting it...I agree it tends to get mashed in the die cuttter. Lovely pics and well done to Megan. I am linking up this morning as the sun is shining..so good. Yes please to the fab prize. Have a good week and tell Parsnip to do the shopping from now ;0)
    Hugs xx

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  21. Almost forgot to drop off my card!
    Love all your picks this week. That one with the snowflakes in the Letter C(made by Allison) caught my eye too!

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  22. Yes please Miss. I love a bit of felt. Thanks for the tip on die cutting it. Will try that. Love your card and of course the colour is perfecto. Hugs Mrs A.

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  23. I love your card Di and that background paper is great with the pretty felt flowers .. great tip sbout the paper to help cut it cleanly too. A wonderful collection of picks and congratulations to Megan. If I get my card in I would like to play just for the flower dies please. x

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  24. I gave up the struggle with die cutting felt, but I think you've shown me where I've been going wrong - the stuff I was experimenting on was some very cheap stuff that had been part of a magazine freebie. So yes please to going into the hat, to give me chance to have another go, this time with some decent stuff!
    Jane

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  25. Your sweet layered felt flowers are so pretty. Thanks for the great tip on die-cutting felt! Have a wonderful week Di! xx

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  26. Fun with felt. Thanks for sharing that time. I have some of that low quality felt lying around so now I know how to make it work. Thanks for sharing such nice picks. I always enjoy the "featured" artists.

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  27. Glad you got your felt cutting sorted. It'll be much easier for next time!
    Sweet design. X

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  28. Thank you for the shout out always special when someone gives you credit like this. XOXO

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  29. I entered in the challenge. Yes, please, for the lovely daisy dies. The felt is too much heavvy for sending in Italy... so if I win, you can redraw this item :)
    hugs

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  30. Love your felt flowers, Di! And great job on the picks! All are amazing!

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  31. I love anything felt and its always have fun to play with them! Your felt flowers are too gorgeous! Yes Please count me in! Anotther great snippets picks! Love them!

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  32. Your card is wonderful, Di, and all the picks too!
    And yes, please, I would like to have the opportunity to win the week's prize.
    Hugs, Liv

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  33. Terrific felt flower card Miss. Perfect picks of the week too.
    Congrats to Megan on her win.
    hugs, Sarn xxx

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  34. Love your card, thanks for sharing the felt tip (no not the pens!) great picks this week as ever. Cara x

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  35. Great CAS card, love those flowers. Fab picks as always, that piano is amazing. I'm just playing for fun this week.

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  36. Wonderful card Di. Thanks for choosing my card for one of your favourites.
    Yes please for the prize.
    Valerija xx

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  37. Such a pretty card Miss, and lovely picks as usual, such talented peeps. If I get chance I'll just play for fun thanks, and did you know it's not just supermarkets that give you a bad back? Sometimes it's a nice excuse to ask a young mans help when you're vertically challenged! Xxx

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  38. Beautiful card Di! Your felt flowers are realy gorgeous! Yes please for the prize.:) Majda xx

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  39. I'm a little late this week! Your card is gorgeous Di, I do love the felt flowers, something different to add to a card!
    Great picks as always, and I would love to be in the draw this week please.
    Janice x

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  40. Hi Di! Love the stitched angles you added to your card, and also the use of felt which has gotten so popular! The soft colors look so sweet. Congrats to all of this weeks picks and winner. I am so glad I get to join in the fun, this week. (yes please for the draw)

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  41. Thank you, Di, for picking my card this week. I love this card you made with felt. I'ved never used it to make flowers before and this is so pretty. I'm off to visit Megan since we both made a similar card! I hope your back is "back" in business. Grocery shopping can be hazardous to your health. Stick to cardmaking!

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  42. Really love this card. Thanks for the tip about die cutting with felt. I've never had much success before, but I'll have to give this a try.

    Sorry to hear about your back, I usually look round for a seven foot tall young man to reach the top shelves for me in the supermarket. 😉

    I'll be a Yes Please for the draw this week. xx

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  43. what a great card, Di - I like cards with felt. Your flowers look so soft, I love them. I have a lot of felt at home but use it twice, I think ...
    Yes for the prize, please.
    Hugs, Tina

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  44. Gorgeous card Di and congrats to all the awesome picks too! No thanks for the prize as I have those dies already Karen x

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  45. Hello, Thank you for the shout out from last week. I'm back this week with another little something, and yes please fingers crossed in the draw. XOXO

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  46. Fabulous card, Di, the felt flowers are so pretty! I hope your back is better, I quite agree about supermarkets' too-high and too-low shelves!

    No thanks for the prize draw!

    love, Mags B xxx

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  47. Hi Di your card is gorgeous I love the felt flowers. Yes please to the prize. Take care. Hugs Jackie

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  48. Heating was on here too! I love your cute flower card and the picks are amazing (the piano!!!) Yes please to prize and I hope your back is ok! Hugs xx

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  49. Beautiful card Di. Love the felt flowers.Yes please to the prize.
    Thanks for the challenge.
    Gr, Elly

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  50. Love all the artwork. Hope to visit more sights before contest is over. Please put me in drawing. Thanks. See you all on the playground!

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  51. How fun that you have used felt in your pretty card, because I also chose felt this week as an element in my cards. My mother was nice enough to loan me her dies and Big Shot so I took the opportunity to cut out a whole pile of shapes! Please add me to the prize list and thanks for inspiring us all!

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  52. Love your snippets card Di - those felt flowers are so pretty & give a lovely texture!
    As a recent winner, I'm laying just for fun this week...as well as to try to reduce my mountain of snippets! Ha ha!
    Helen x

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  53. Lovely pink and purple creation Di, those felt flowers are so yummy. I keep forgetting I can use other than paper for my flowers.
    Yes please to the prize draw, I would love to win that felt and who doesn't need more flower dies : )

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  54. Hi Di! Those felt flowers are SO pretty!So trendy too. Love it!

    Yes please!

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  55. Di....It's been so long since I've been to the playground, I almost lost my way!! So glad to see everyone again and get to enjoy all the wonderful creations. Wonderful top picks, as always!!

    I just so totally adore the sweet felt flowers on your very pretty card. Yes, please, to this week's prize pkg. How I would love to make some of those precious flowers myself!!
    <3 J

    jwoolbright at gmail dot com
    HerPeacefulGarden.blogspot.com

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  56. I was very inspired by the BBQ themed card that you made for the Cuttlebug Mania challenge...and took your idea for making your own BBQ out of circles! You always inspire me and make me smile. I'm playing just for fun this week!

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  57. Yes please to the prize - those felt colours are beautiful

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This is a public blog. Those leaving a comment on any post on this blog or entering a piece of artwork into a linky do so in the knowledge that their name and blog link are visible to all who visit this blog and in so doing have published their own personal details and consented to my use of that personal information should they be selected as a winner or to accredit work.