Results of Challenge #469

Hello Playmates - Sarn here - popping back in the middle of Di's challenge, to share my Top Picks and the prize winner for Challenge #469.

Here are my top picks (in entry order):

First of all, I loved the pretty birthday card made by Kath (below) which used one of her prize goodies. Love the pink and gold together.

Next is Gerrina's lovely scene with the fox snippet (below).

And last, but by no means least, is Tina Z's pretty presents card. So shiny and very appropriate for the festive season.

If you've been showcased, please feel free to collect your 'Top Pick' badge from HERE.

The randomly drawn prize winner of the bundle is:

ALICE K

Please claim your prize by 6th January 2024 by sending your name and address details via email using the Snippets Playground email address shown in the sidebar, with PLAYGROUND WINNER in the subject line.

HEADS UP: The next challenge starting 7th January 2024 will be celebrating Di's 12th Year of hosting the Snippets Playground Challenge. In honour of this auspicious occasion, there is another theme to comply with. The theme will be "CELEBRATION", which you can interpret any way you wish as long as the celebration element is obvious!

Remember there's still nearly a week of Di's challenge to go. If you haven't submitted a piece of homework yet, just scroll down to the previous post to find all the details.

Challenge #470 - Anything BUT Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Thank you for all your wonderful support throughout the year, Sarn and I really appreciate it.

Hello, it's Di here, on Christmas Eve, in between all the wrapping, cooking and everything else - it's time for our annual Snippets Playground Christmas/New Year challenge. This time, please use snippets as always AND use the theme of 'Anything BUT Christmas'. 

Here's my snippets make:

All the details, along with Dudley's latest Pupdate, are over on Pixies - HERE.

Last year, the prize was one £50 gift voucher. This year, we decided to split the prize in half so that TWO lucky Playmates will win a gift voucher worth £25 each (or overseas equivalent). There is no cash alternative.

The winners will need to choose their favourite craft store, which must offer gift vouchers, and I will arrange for them to receive a voucher - these days it's usually all done by email. 

In many places, an order over £20 qualifies for free postage, but in any case, any postage/mailing charges due for items ordered using the prize voucher must be paid for by the winner. 

Please do come and play, one entry only, for a lovely chance to win a pretty generous prize! Remember, neither Sarn nor I are affiliated to any craft shops or suppliers, and although a lot of prizes are donations from other very kind crafters - all the rest come out of our own piggy banks.

As always, the Snippets Challenge will run for two weeks and the Playground gates will close at 11am UK time on Saturday 6th January 2024. The gates will open again at midnight UK time on the same day. Mr Linky is below this post.

Just a few words about the Snippets Playground Fiasco Nativity/Pantomime. We had enough angels to start our own heavenly choir, plus Pat as our soloist; a full complement of Three Wise Men and half a donkey! Fortunately, Carrie Ann saved the play from being cancelled by putting herself forward for Mary's role. Unfortunately, the donkey's rear end had a last minute attack of stage fright, leaving Kathy K to go on stage dressed in the front half only, bravely joining in and doing side kicks, whilst dragging the empty rear end of the costume behind her! Dudley made a very passable sheep, and behaved himself pretty well until the Magi knocked on the stable door, whereupon he ran over to the crib and grabbed the Baby (a swaddled Honka Duck) - causing mayhem. Luckily, being one of the shepherds, I managed to grapple with him, saving the day by putting Honka Duck safely back in the crib . . . and the show went on! Val was a great wardrobe mistress and also took on the role of waving the star through a slit in the stage backdrop. Sarn determinedly wielded Joseph's crook to hook people into place when they forgot their cues. And finally - Liz was a stunning lobster, even though she did look aghast at the huge bowl of Thermidor sauce we had ready for the feast at the after-show party up in the Treehouse - where more than a few satchels' worth of grog was consumed. Well done to everyone - don't call us for parts next year, we'll call you! 😅 (Note from Sarn . . . Whatttt? You want to go through all that again next year??? Methinks NOT!😉) Sneaky extra note from Dudley - a year is a long time Auntie Sarn! See you at rehearsals - woof!

Love and hugs from Dudley, me . . . and  Sarn.

Results of Challenge #468

   

Here we go with the picks from Challenge #468, in numerical order:

Gorgeous Wedding Anniversary card from Carol L!  The shaker element works beautifully - and plenty of snippets used!

Such a beautiful Christmas Lantern card from Kate L - I love the impact of those glorious colours and shapes against the white background!

And finally we had this beautiful card made by Kath for her husband Steve for Christmas. It oozes elegance and style!

As always, it was hard to choose the final three - but of course do remember that it's subjective. It does not reflect in any way on all of your wonderful entries. In the very beginning of this challenge I wrote about every single entry but basically that was so labour intensive I almost killed myself in the process. I then eased back and since then the subsequent partnering with my wonderful pal Sarn has allowed me to enjoy the Playground even more than before! 

Thanks Sarn - you're a star. BUT, you cannot be the Star of Bethlehem in the Playground Nativity Play and help to run the Nativity Pantomime Play at the same time! And nope, you can't wave a star on a stick from the wings whilst being 'chief prompter, usher/poker onto the stage, wiper of tears' and also providing fresh knickers for over-excited particiPANTS! Do you hear me? 

Trust me - I did a stint as a School Governor at an infants school and none of the above was made up - in fact in real life it was actually waaaay worse! I still recall the shepherd who waved and shouted 'Hello Nan!' into the audience in his excitement at seeing his Granny!!  AND, the sheep who discovered that if they pressed their rather fabulous costume's ears they could make them go 'Ba-a-a-a'. To this day I remember the Deputy Head (also named Diane) waving a pair of scissors and threatening to chop the costume ears off any miscreant. She scared me so probably terrified those kids - there certainly was no 'ear pressing' during the performances.

The randomly drawn winner of the prize bundle is:

Kathy K

Congratulations Kathy! To claim your prize, please send an email using the Snippets Playground email address shown on the RH sidebar, with PLAYGROUND WINNER (or similar) in the subject line. Please add your FULL NAME above your home ADDRESS so that I can copy and paste it for speed and ease.

Don't forget folks, Sarn is still running her current Challenge HERE! And my own snippets card for today, as well as a Dudley Pupdate can be found HERE.

NATIVITY PLAY CAST LIST SO FAR:

• Shepherds = Di & Alice
• Sheep = Dudley, Tina Z
• Jesus = swaddled Honka Duck
• Mary = Carrie Ann
• Joseph/Innkeeper = Sarn
• Wise men = Gail L; Gail T & Maxine
• Angels = Alison C; Linby and Lesley G
• Lobster = Liz C
• Donkey = Front End Kathy K, Rear End = Pauline C
• Heavenly Choir = Pat (soloist) and rest of the cast
• Wardrobe Mistress/Star waver = Val (Aquarius)
• In charge of party poppers and streamers = Carol G

We still NEED volunteers to play Mary; Joseph; the Star; 2 more Wise Men and may be one more shepherd for the flock? possibly 2 halves of a Donkey - or the play might have to be cancelled! Come along now, don’t be shy!

IMPORTANT NOTE: A little 'heads up' about our next fortnightly challenge which starts on Christmas Eve, 24th December 2023. There's a theme - which is 'Anything BUT Christmas'. Just to give you a little bit of advance warning ..... and a rest from Christmas card making perhaps!

Love from Di and Dudley,

Challenge #469

Hello Playmates!

It's the start of another fun challenge here in the Snippets Playground and you have until 23rd December to get your homework done.

Here's my homework, the details of which can be found on my personal blog (along with a bonus card) HERE:

The prize for this challenge consists of three stamp sets and two die sets. Contributors to this prize are: Darnell; Lesley G; Lynne Robson and Di - thank you so much everyone. 

So, now it's your turn. Please bring your snippets homework to the Playground and use Mr Linky (below) to submit it for marking! Remember to SAY WHAT SNIPPETS YOU USED (or include a photo of them) and leave a comment making it clear whether you're just playing for fun or wish to be included in the draw for the prize.

The Playground gates will clang shut on this challenge at 11am (UK time) on Saturday, 23rd December 2023. They'll reopen at midnight (UK time) the same day for the start of the next challenge. 

Winners outside the UK: Please remember that you may be charged fees and import duty on your prize - although Di and I always send them out clearly marked as "gifts". 

If you are having trouble commenting, please see HERE for a possible solution.

If you're up for a part in the Nativity Play please let me know in the comments! Dudley says he'll be one of the sheep. I need a friendly farmer to loan us a donkey and a manger! I've started to hide bottles of grog around the Treehouse as I think we'll need it afterwards!

Hugs from Sarn xxx 

Results of Challenge #467

Hello Playmates - Sarn here - popping back in the middle of Di's challenge, to share my Top Picks and the prize winner for Challenge 467.

Here are my top picks (in entry order):

For all you dog lovers out there, Jo brought this lovely card to the Playground. Clean and simple, but oh, so effective. Plus blue is my fave colour!

Barbara G brought this brilliantly shaped card to show us. Such a cute little House Mouse eating his Christmas candy cane.

And last, but not least, Laurie skipped into the Playground with this gorgeous Christmas card using up some pretty papers and that lovely snowflake. Really like the font used on the sentiment too!

If you've been showcased, please feel free to collect your 'Top Pick' badge from HERE.

Next up is the randomly drawn prize winner for Challenge 467 - who, this time around, is entry No 10:

Sandy J

Sandy: please claim your prize by 16th December 2023 by sending your name and address details via email using the Snippets Playground email address shown in the sidebar, with PLAYGROUND WINNER in the subject line.

If you are having trouble commenting, please see HERE for a possible solution.

Remember there's still nearly a week of Di's challenge to go. If you haven't submitted a piece of homework yet, just scroll down to the previous post to find all the details.

Hugs, Sarn xxx

Challenge #468

We're supposedly heading for 'minus' temperatures here shortly - time to stay warm and cosy I think!

My snippets card for today is a Christmas card with a twist:

All the details of how I made it are over on Pixie's HERE - as well as Dudley's latest 'Pupdate'. 

The prize for this fortnight is shown below:

The items making up the prize bundle for this challenge are all donated by Dudley me and you can tell that I've been loitering around in Aall & Create's online shop - oddly enough, I bumped into Sarn there as well! The stamp sets are called 'Anemone' and 'Elemental Notes' - the stencil is called 'Evergreen'.

As always, the Snippets Challenge will run for two weeks and the Playground gates will close at 11am UK time on Saturday 9th December. The gates will open again at midnight UK time on the same day. Mr Linky is below this post.

Please state what snippets you used on your entry, or add a photo of them, otherwise it won't count in the prize draw. 

Remember that we do reserve the right to delete non-compliant entries. It's very important to us to keep the Playground as a happy place to come and play - as well as making sure everyone plays nicely and fairly.

Winners outside the UK please remember that you may be charged fees and import duty on your prize - although Sarn and I always send them out clearly marked as "gifts".

Love and hugs from Di and Dudley, 

Results of Challenge #466

  

Here we go with the picks from Challenge #466, in numerical order:

How lovely to see Jules, who was the Playground's Founder, back with us after a break, bringing this fabulous card - and she certainly hasn't lost her wonderful touch with card making. Spot the heart folks! 

Not all snippets need to be teeny-tiny and Alison's card really caught my eye - it's gorgeous! I love how the addition of just some touches of white pencil on the berries instantly adds shine!

I absolutely could not resist including this wonderful Christmas card from Vicky - it's absolute perfection IMHO!

Basically, the weeks get tougher for doing the picks as so many of you do strive hard to stick to the Snippets ethos and come up with beautiful designs at the same time. Well done to the picks - and huge thanks to everyone who played along. You are all stars in my eyes!

The randomly drawn winner of the prize bundle is:

Inkami

Congratulations Inkami (Franka)! To claim your prize, please send an email using the Snippets Playground email address shown on the RH sidebar, with PLAYGROUND WINNER (or similar) in the subject line. Please add your FULL NAME above your home ADDRESS so that I can copy and paste it for speed and ease.

Don't forget folks, Sarn is still running her current Challenge HERE! And my own snippets card for today, as well as a Dudley Pupdate can be found HERE. 

Love from Di and Dudley, 

Challenge #467

Hello Playmates!

Well first, I must thank you all for making the Playground Bonfire such a success. You all enjoyed the pumpkin soup, bread rolls and jacket potatoes that were doled out from the school canteen. Plus Dudley did a good job of guarding everyone - making sure none of us got too close to the flames. Vicky's Bonfire Toffee went down a storm and Lesley's Guy was a triumph! Those of you who went off to find my flask to give yourselves a bit of extra warmth should know better!!!

It's the start of another fun challenge here in the Snippets Playground and you have until 25th November 2023 to get your homework done.

Here's my homework, the details of which can be found on my personal blog:

The prize for this challenge is shown below and consists of a lovely set of Lil'inker stitched leafy dies from Di; a pair of A6-sized Sizzix "Free Spirit Florals" embossing folders from Brenda; a set of My Favorite Things "Solid Birch Trees" dies from Sue Morris and a nice large Bee Crafty "Silhouette Tree - Perennial" clear stamp from me. Thanks so much to everyone who contributed to this prize.

A lovely autumnal collection of dies, stamps and embossing folders.

So now it's your turn. Bring your snippets homework to the Playground and use Mr Linky (below) to submit it for marking! Please remember to SAY WHAT SNIPPETS YOU USED (or include a photo of them) and leave a comment making it clear whether you're just playing for fun or wish to be included in the draw for the prize.

The Playground gates will clang shut on this challenge at 11am (UK time) on Saturday, 25th November 2023. They'll reopen at midnight (UK time) the same day for the start of the next challenge. Winners outside the UK: Please remember that you may be charged fees and import duty on your prize - although Di and I always send them out clearly marked as "gifts". 

Hugs from Sarn xxx

Results of Challenge #465

Hello Playmates - welcome to the results post. I'm here to share my Top 3 Picks and the name of the prize winner for Challenge 465.

Here are my top picks (in entry order):

This lovely card full of snippet squares was made by Anne in pretty pastel colours. A very feminine card and a bit quilt-like.

Next up is Pat's wonderful blue tit card with a dry embossed background. Very tweet(!)

And last, but certainly not least, is another tweet(!) card by Christa. Complete coincidence that I chose two cards with birds on them, honest!

If you've been showcased, please feel free to collect your 'Top Pick' badge from HERE.

The winner of Challenge 465 is No 33:

HILARY

Congratulations Hilary. Please claim your prize by sending your name and address details via email using the Snippets Playground email address shown in the sidebar, with PLAYGROUND WINNER in the subject line.

There's still nearly a week of Di's challenge to go. If you haven't submitted a piece of homework yet, just scroll down to the previous post to find all the details. 

And remember we're lighting the big bonfire, with a Guy Fawkes on top, this evening. Vicky has bought some Bonfire Toffee to share out, and you'll find Di and I in the school canteen dishing out soup & rolls, jacket potatoes and mugs of hot chocolate to keep us all warm. If you want your hot chocolate "spiced up", I've left a spare flask on a table behind the bike sheds. Help yourself!!! 😜

Hugs, Sarn xxx

Challenge #466

Hope that those of you who are affected have remembered to change your clocks  - Fall back remember! Here's to dark nights and short days for the Winter, shiver!

My snippets card for today was made for Grand daughter Mia's 16th Birthday - how did she grow up so fast?! 

All the details of how I made it are over on Pixie's HERE - as well as Dudley's latest 'adventures'. 

The prize for this fortnight is shown below:

Our lovely Val recently sent a very generous donation of items for the Toy Box and I've decided to offer some of them in groups purely from Val, otherwise she wouldn't be able to play for prizes for quite some time to come! Hugely appreciated Val, by both Sarn and myself. 

The items making up the prize bundle for this challenge are an Apple Blossom 'Rose Butterfly Floral Wrap' die set, a Sizzix set of two dies called 'Floral Festival' and two Polkadoodles stamp sets - 'Daisy Friends' and Small Beginnings'. So, a real floral theme this time girls! 

As always, the Snippets Challenge will run for two weeks and the Playground gates will close at 11am UK time on Saturday 11 November. The gates will open again at midnight UK time on the same day. Mr Linky is below this post. 

Please state what snippets you used on your entry, or add a photo of them, otherwise it won't count in the prize draw. Remember that we do reserve the right to delete non-compliant entries. It's very important to us to keep the Playground as a happy place to come and play - as well as making sure everyone plays nicely and fairly. 

Winners outside the UK: please remember that you may be charged fees and import duty on your prize - although Sarn and I always send them out clearly marked as "gifts". 

Love and hugs from Di and Dudley,

Results of Challenge 464

 

Here we go with the picks from Challenge 464, in numerical order:

I really love this splash of Autumn colours - beautifully thought out card Valeria - and endless patience too! That's a lot of little leaves to be playing with!

No apologies for choosing another gorgeous Autumn leaves card - this time made by Vicky. The leaves were die cut from white snippets and then coloured individually by Vicky - that really is dedication!

And last, but not least, Laurie nipped over to share this beautiful 'Spellbinders reindeer' card. Apparently Laurie has been on a real roll making loads of these adorable reindeer in various colour combinations - so sweet as well as a super way to use up snippets!! And yes, you know me so well - I simply had to treat myself to this adorable die set.

As always, we had some fabulous entries and I had a tough time choosing three picks - I had eight or so as possibles! And not only are we celebrating Fall/Autumn (there are a lot of leaves around in Blogland right now) - a good few Christmas cards are appearing as well. 

The randomly drawn winner of the prize bundle is:

Jeanne

Congratulations Jeanne! To claim your prize, please send an email using the Snippets Playground email address shown on the RH sidebar, with PLAYGROUND WINNER (or similar) in the subject line. Please add your FULL NAME above your home ADDRESS so that I can copy and paste it for speed and ease.

Don't forget folks, Sarn is still running her current Challenge HERE! And my own snippets card for today, as well as a Dudley Pupdate can be found HERE.

Love from Di and Dudley,