Sunday 11 February 2018

Using my snippets, guest designing in the playground

Good morning, it's been a chilly weekend but fortunately my garden is still making me smile from my kitchen window. Even on the dullest of days my winter flowering violas are smiling at me from their baskets and pots.

and under their leaves my bulbs are sending up shoots.

My title may seem a very strange for my blog post today,so unless you already join in with the challenge, Pixie's snippets playground, let me explain. A couple of year's ago I discovered Di's delightful blog Pixie's Crafty Workshop and her fun fortnightly Pixie's snippets playground challenge. Here is the link for this fortnight's challenge. In a nutshell Di like many of us likes to hoard use all those little snippets of card, ribbon etc which we all have in abundance. Her challenge allows us to use those snippets. Di makes such beautiful cards but recently has found that time has been her enemy, as it is for most of us, and asked for some guest designers to help out. 
Over the years I have got to know Di pretty well by email, she is such a kind and super generous lady and offers incredible prizes from every fortnight. Her postage bill must cost her a fortune. I contacted her last year to say that of course I would be delighted to offer my services as a guest designer. Di being Di waited until this year before taking up my offer as she knew I had a lot on my plate. I don't do deep personal stuff on my blog but there were some family health issues which really did knock us sideways last year. Thankfully though things are on the up now.

So back to snippets....I always have lots. As I do a lot of design work I regularly need to create an inky backgrounds and I often have snippets left over which are large enough to use for card bases. This means that I have a good supply of spare backgrounds. I also use lots of card to mop up my inks left on my craft. Here are a few of those snippets and I chose 2 to make my Guest design card with.
I also always have spare Visible Image sentiments stamped for making cards for Dotty's tea rooms. They are one of my most popular sellers. People love to send a card with a great inspirational quote on and these fit the bill perfectly.

 I went through my snippets backgrounds and found these 2 below...the left one was made with distress oxides and the right with sprays and acrylic gold ink. I chose 2 of my Visible Image sentiments which I thought went well with the backgrounds and then got down to designing my cards.
I decided to dig out a lovely Memory box trees die I have not used for ages for the "smiles" card and make a happy "bird" card. For the turn back time sentiment I decided to use my all time favourite Tim Holtz weathered clock die.
I had a snippet of faux metal, which I had made using aluminium tape and embossed on card for another project, which was big enough for my die.
I had enough left over to die cut some cogs too (another Bigz Tim Holz die)
Here is my bag of inky mop up snippets...just odd bits of card which I use to mop up the inks I use on my craft mat.
I found a perfect snippet for die cutting my birds.
So then it was just a case of putting my designs into reality, adding a few extra embellies and matting and layering them.  These are the 2 cards finished. First up is my "happy birdie" snippets card...pun intended! 


 and this is my turn back time love snippets card...finished off with some heart die cuts using even more snippets of card.
I would like to enter my turn back time card into these challenges;

Pixie's snippets playground #319 how could I not!
Frilly and Funkie 2/3 all you need is love
Simon says stamp Monday love is in the air
Let's craft and create 1/3 anything goes
Pile it on 2/3  3D embellishments
Deep Ocean love is all around
Try it on Tueday's 1/3 love is in the air
Allsorts 1/3 love is in the air
That's crafty 1/3 I heart you

They have both gone down to Dotty's Teahouse. I often get asked about Dotty's (people think she is a person not a shop...well actually she's a vintage caravan, but that's another story) and in case this is your first visit here (apologies to those of you who have seen these photos) this is a gorgeous vintage tea room in Carshalton High Street where I sell my cards. These are a couple of photos from the opening day May 2016

Below is the lovely Rebecca (the owner) in pink in the centre with the Mayor of Sutton and our MP having fun with the balloons.
and below was my view of the ponds as I walked down on Wednesday with my latest batch of "freshly baked!" cards. It was a real land mark too....I took card Number 600 (gulp) with me...now that is a lot of snippets baked  used.
I really hope that you might look at all your crafting snippets in a very different way now...no piece is ever too small in my books not to use again.

I would like to thank Di so much for inviting me to guest design for her and to thank her again for the incredible amount of time and effort she gives to running her delightful challenge single handed.  She would love to see you join the happy band of crafter's already playing in the "playground" and always gives a very warm welcome to all new crafters. Tell her that Jane sent you 😊 Here is the link again It really is such a kind, friendly place to share your snippets' makes.

For those of you who have popped over from the playground today to see what I got up to it is lovely to see you here and although I rarely have time to leave comments on everyone's lovely challenge work I do visit to admire your lovely projects shared there. There is lots of fab talent around.

Before I close I gave  a heads up in my Ovo post on Wednesday but just a little reminder again today that Visible Image Stamps are back on your TV screens this weekend (10/11 Feb). The shows are on Create and Craft TV (channels SKY 674, Freeview 23, Virgin 748 and others) Saturday at 4pm (UK time) and Sunday 10am (UK time) They are launching the Zodiac stamps with some fab demos by Mark and Pauline...

I will be waving at my samples.  Once aired the shows can still be viewed for the next 7 days on catch up on the Create and Craft website here  Enjoy your Sunday. I will be back in the morning bright and breezy with my weekly design team dose of inspiration for Visible Image.

Thanks so much for stopping by and for the kind comments that you take the time to leave me.

Bye for now,

Jane x


27 comments:

  1. Aw Jane, what a lovely post! It's a real delight to have you as our Guest Designer - and little Parsnip sends a special bear sized squishy hug as a thank you! LOVE your cards, as always and it's so good that things are so much better on the health front. Bless you my friend!

    Hugs

    Di xx

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  2. Oh how cute are your darling Violas! We call them Pansies here and I adore them. I think it's fabulous that you have such a neat tea shop to carry your cards, and in walking distance. Some might say you have a storybook job! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  3. Enjoyed your designs and your photos, you are clearly very talented Jane, and I shall look forward to seeing more xxx

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  4. Hi Jane, many thanks for the inspiration to use up my snippets, having just purchased a set of Distress oxides, it looks like I may be making more snippets rather than trying to take a slice or two from my large box of them... thank you for the inspiration... Have a wonderful week... Megan

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  5. Both gorgeous cards Jane. I do admire your work and love to visit your blog. Those viola's are a great inspiration.
    hugs
    Margaret M

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  6. Lovely to see you as guest designer and this is such an interesting and varied post - such pretty violas with happy faces! It is interesting that your mixed media/inspirational quotes style of cards is a best seller because it is a style I love and enjoy making. I don't sell a huge number of cards but it so happens that the people who do buy from me usually pass these by and go for more conventional style with traditional sentiments. I guess it wouldn't do for everyone to like the same thing would it but I still dabble with the 'messy stuff' and try to strike a happy medium.

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  7. It just shows, you should never throw any bit away....just look at those gorgeous cards!!!!
    Sun is shining here now but we've just had some more snow this morning....I'm truly fed up with it now!
    Enjoy your Sunday, loving the Olympics here. :)
    V x

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  8. Wonderful story Jane. My late husband lived in Carshalton for a time and always lived in Surrey until he moved to New Zealand. Stunning use of materials in your cards and inspiring designs. Thanks for joining us at LCC. Anne @ Let’s Craft and Create DT

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  9. How lovely to see you guesting for Di at the Playground, Jane! I have missed you calling round, but I didn't realize you had family health issues you were dealing with. I'm very sorry. I sure enjoyed your entire post today! It was so engaging and well written and the photos are fabulous! Your snippets makes are sensational and (soon) selling your 600th handmade card in the shop is a huge milestone!! My hat goes off to you, my friend!! Hugs and best wishes, Darnell

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  10. Jane, I can't believe your pansies are blooming! They were my Mom's favorite flowers. Love both your cards - the birds in the wood with the great saying and the metallic clock and gears with the perfect quote pairing! Thanks so much for sharing your LOVE with us at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge! xox Maura

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  11. Wonderful snippets cards, Jane, and it is interesting to see how you put them together. Dotty's looks like a lovely place to spend an hour. Thank you for sharing in the playground.

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  12. What a wonderful cards. Thank you for joining us at TioT.

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  13. Wonderful snippet card. Thanks for sharing your photos of Dotty’s. Thanks for joining us at ‘Lets Craft and Create’. Jonnece DT

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  14. Two wonderful cards with super backgrounds!...and wonderful sentiments. Beautiful photos as always Jane xx

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  15. Hi Jane . . . hopping over to see you from the Snippets Playground. Congrats on being this fortnight's Guest Designer. Sorry to hear about the health issues, but glad they are resolved, or at least getting better.

    Your work is always fantastic and these beauties are no exception.

    Hugs, Sarn xxx

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  16. A really gorgeous creation for our 'Love is in the Air' theme at Allsorts, many thanks for joining in.

    B x

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  17. Beautiful work Thank you for sharing at let's Craft and Create .......Lis

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  18. Wow Jane I wasn't expecting to see such fab cards at the end of the post. Your pictures certainly had me glued to see the end results. Love them both but my favourite has to be the birds. hugs Mrs A.

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  19. Fabulous Turn Back Time card and a very enjoyable post too

    Thanks for joining in at Try It On Tuesday Challenge

    Joan

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  20. I love the clever way you've used your mop up bits to create lovely cards! Thanks so much for joining the fun at the Frilly and Funkie All You Need is Love Challenge!

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  21. Beautiful cards! Love the metallic elements on your time and love card! Thank you for joining us in the Frilly and Funkie "All you Need is Love" challenge!

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  22. Fabulous work

    Thank you for joining us at TRY IT ON TUESDAY

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  23. Thanks for joining us at allsorts Tracyx

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  24. Wonderful cards Jane. I love them. Thanks for joining us for the "All you need is LOVE" challenge over at Frilly and Funkie.

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  25. Beautiful backgrounds Jane and I do adore that sentiment.. Heart warming words.
    Thank you for your continued support and joining in with the That's Crafty Blog Challenge.
    Creative wishes Tracey DT

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  26. So Pretty! Thank you for joining our Challenge at Pile It On!
    Marciava ~ Design Team Pile It On! Challenge Blog

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Jane x