Challenge #433 - Christmas in July

Hello Playmates!

Time for more fun, games and summer cocktails in the Playground over the next fortnight. 

Lots of you have been diligently helping me with my EXTRA homework - testing out quite a few cocktail recipes while sitting around the paddling pool. Miss Di has been head tester for the summertime Mai Tais which have been renamed Mai Dais in her honour!

The details of this card can be found on my personal blog HERE:

As promised, this challenge continues our Christmas in July theme, with a fabulous Christmas prize bundle to be won, as follows:

The following kind souls have donated prizes to this Christmas bundle:

• Creative Expressions Noel die from Jackie T;
• Blue Sizzix thinlits die and Two Red Robins Cardinal die from Brenda;
• Lili of the Valley Christmas garland stamp; Creative Expressions Poinsettia stamp and Little Claire 'Stocking Owls' stamp from Sue Morris.

Thank you very much everyone, Di and I are very grateful to you. 

All the pictured items make up a Christmas bundle for one lucky winner and won't be split.

PLAYGROUND COCKTAILS:

As mentioned above, I have it on good authority that a Mai Tai is one of Miss Di's favourite cocktails . . . and I've got a lovely one which I've renamed "Summery Mai Dai" (geddit?).

Summery Mai Dai Recipe: Pineapple juice; orange juice; dark rum; Amaretto and plenty of crushed ice to keep you cool in a heatwave.

For a Virgin version: substitute the dark rum and Amaretto for almond syrup, Grenadine and sparkling water.

Mouthwatering eh? Anyone wishing to enjoy a good cocktail is welcome at the Playground Treehouse Bar, or down by the paddling pool which we put at the foot of the slide  . . . so come and order one, then hold on to your cocktail while you whizz down the slide and into the paddling pool while not spilling a drop! Please form an orderly queue!

Remember there is a CHRISTMAS THEME to this snippets challenge which will run for two weeks. The Playground gates will close at 11am UK time on Saturday, 6th August 2022. The gates will reopen at midnight (UK time) on the same day. Mr Linky is below this post.

Results of Challenge #431

Hello Playmates - I'm just popping back in the middle of Di's challenge, to share my Top Picks from the previous challenge with you, and to let you know who won the prize.

My top picks - in entry order - are as follows:

I simply adored this pretty floral card by Linby. Very envious of her gorgeous dies and how she managed to create this beautiful arrangement!

Then Alice brought along this super seaside-themed card using up gelli prints and recycled materials too. Very creative Alice.

My final pick is by Susan B who entered a festive snippets card - again using some lovely dies. I thought this would keep you in the mood for our current CHRISTMAS IN JULY challenges!

It's always difficult to choose just three out of your wonderful entries! If you've been showcased, please feel free to collect your 'Top Picks' badge from the 'Badges' page HERE.

Challenge #431's winner is . . . 

Alice (ScrAPpamondo)

Congratulations Alice - you've been showcased AND you're the prize winner - go and buy a lottery ticket! LOL! Please claim your prize by sending me an email using the Snippets Playground address shown in the sidebar, with PLAYGROUND WINNER in the subject line. Please ensure you add your full name and address so that it can be copied and pasted for speed and ease.

Cocktails in the Playground:

As you know . . . Miss Di challenged me to get some extra homework done in the shape of finding a cocktail suitable for "Christmas in Summertime" . . . and I think I've found just the thing. Once the research was done, I roped in Lesley G to help with all that cocktail shaking . . . because she'd already mentioned she was a dab hand at making Eggnog!

The recipe:

In a cocktail shaker add Eggnog, Amaretto & Vodka PLUS a dollop of Vanilla Ice Cream (the ice cream is the secret to making this a SUMMER cocktail)! Lesley and I used caramel sauce to rim the glasses, then added cinnamon sticks and a little cinnamon and nutmeg sprinkled on top to garnish. If you fancy one of these beauties . . . just come on up to the Treehouse Bar and order one . . . calorie-free of course, being virtual 'n' all that! They will certainly help you get your homework done! Expect another summer cocktail next week - which might just be Miss Di's favourite (she's testing a few of them out first)!

Remember there's still nearly a week to go for the current Snippets Playground challenge - just scroll down to the previous post to find it.

Hugs from Sarn x

Challenge #432 - Christmas in July

As we forewarned, the next two challenges are designated 'Christmas in July' - each with a bundle of lovely Christmas goodies to be won - we're 'Summer cleaning' the toy box.☺

Ha! I dare NOT even TRY to venture in and clean up the tree house, but knowing Sarn, it will be pristine and ready for action.

I've got an additional challenge for Sarn - which is to make some 'Christmas in Summer' cocktails! I have visions of little feet scurrying to her cocktail recipe books and much flipping of pages! Got you, you little scamp!! ☺ Gotta be cold and refreshing, yet with the Christmas festivities and flavour in mind - snigger! I already have one in mind - let's see what you come up with.

All we ask of you, our playmates, is that your snippets entry reflects the Christmas theme AND that you tell us what snippets you used. How hard can that be?

Off my soap box and here is my snippets card for our first 'Christmas in July' challenge:

All the details of the above card can be found on my Pixies blog over HERE. The background is beige but now looks like a pretty spectacular bruise to me! 

The prize for this fortnight is a bundle of six different unused Christmas goodies:

Four of the six items are shown above. On the left is a 'Let it Snow' set of embossing folder, stamps and a die - perhaps a magazine gift . On top is a Lili of the Valley rubber stamp which I recognise as one of their sweet snowman images. To the right is a Little Claire 'Robin and Snowdrop' stamp and a Creative Expressions set of stamps called 'Pinstriped Poinsettias'. All items, apart from the 'Let it Snow' set were kindly donated by Sue Morris. The poinsettias would look fabulous stamped in gold onto red or white card and then fussy cut to layer up two sizes of poinsettia.
 

From the toy box this is a set of dies called 'Festive Foliage', possibly a magazine gift, but a very useful one.

And from Jackie T, a super sized sentiment die made by Paper Rose saying 'Merry & Bright'. I love the scroll work at the top and bottom - perfect to whip up a few very quick and easy Christmas cards.

All the pictured prizes make up a Christmas bundle for one lucky winner and won't be split.

As always, the Snippets Challenge will run for two weeks and the Playground gates will close at 11am UK time on Saturday 23rd July. The gates will open again at midnight UK time on the same day. Mr Linky is below this post.

The latest news of Dudley is also over on my own Pixie's blog post for today - HERE.

Love and hugs from Dudley and Di,

Results of Challenge #430

    

Mixed weather and generally a very mixed up World right now. Even Dudley is chasing his tail for fun!

Here are my top picks:

I picked this 'Birthday fishes' card by Carol L for a few reasons. Great design, super use of teeny snippets for paper piecing ..... and it made me really chuckle! What's not to love? 

Liz always comes up with clever ideas for ways to use up snippets - and this is no exception! I so love the circles just floating around the sentiment - just perfect!

I had to pick this card, made by Denise. Denise really never, ever disappoints and this Christmas card uses snippets and also stays close to CAS and elegant. Not easy!

I just couldn't stop at three, try as I might - so we have four picks this time - in numerical order. My final pick is this wonderful and so feminine card made by Lynne. Beautiful as always - pretty and elegant combined! So lovely.

As always, we had some really great entries. If you're a pick, please always feel free to collect your 'Top picks' badge from the 'Badges' page.

Onto the prize draw, for a stamp and a set of matching dies - kindly donated by Brenda.  And the winner is:

Susan Sudbery

 

To claim your prize, please send me 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.

The current snippets challenge, being allowed to run riot hosted by Sarn, still has almost a further week to run - just scroll down to the previous post to find it. 

IMPORTANT NEWS! From the next challenge (which begins in a week's time folks!) we will have two back-to-back 'Christmas in July' challenges (i.e. four weeks in total). Both Sarn and I each have a lovely bundle of Christmas craft goodies to offer as our prizes. And this time we ARE making a stipulation. You must make something Christmas themed or a Christmas card to come and join in with the chance to be a pick or in the prize draw. This is fair notice - it's a week until the new challenge begins - and surely you would like to play ............ as well as increase your stock of Christmas cards? We will revert to 'anything goes' again afterwards - but do please play nicely, according to the rules and also our 'Christmas in July' Christmas theme - else your entry might be deleted.

I've made a card using duplicate set of dies which are part of the Challenge #431 current prize. It's over on Pixies HERE - just to whet your appetite! Far out!

Love from Di and Dudley (Mister W-B)

Challenge #431

Hello Playmates!

Yes, it's me - Prefect Sarn - back in charge of the Snippets Playground for the next fortnight.

Due to the summery weather, the hammock has been hooked up below the Playground Treehouse and I have been making pitchers of SaRngria which are very healthy for you as I've added cucumber, orange, mint and strawberries. So, really, that's at least 3 of your 5-a-day requirement when you think about it! LOL! 

Here's my Snippets homework:

Two teeny tiny cards all made from snippets.

Up for grabs in this challenge is a set of summertime stamps by Stampin' Up! (kindly donated by Sue Morris) as well as a fabulous set of Hemstitch Rectangle Dies, from our Toy Box.

A summertime set of Stampin' Up! photopolymer stamps & Hemstitch Rectangle Dies

So why not use up some of your pesky snippets and come to play? We're a friendly bunch with plenty of virtual mischief going on - especially after a few SaRngrias!

A friendly reminder: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE remember to say what snippets you used (or add a photo of them if you prefer), as well as leaving a comment saying "YES PLEASE" (or similar) if you want to be in the draw for the above prize.

This Snippets Challenge ends at 11am (UK time) on Saturday, 9th July 2022. The next challenge will start at midnight (UK time) the same day. Mr Linky is below this post.

Hugs, Sarn xxx

Results of Challenge #429

 

Hello Playmates - I'm just popping back in the middle of Di's challenge, to share my Top Picks from the previous challenge with you, and let you know who won the prize of course!

I make no apologies for picking patriotic cards in honour of the Queen's Jubilee. I just thought that as we celebrated the Queen's Platinum Jubilee during that particular challenge, the following cards were appropriate!

I like Denise's red, white and blue celebratory card with the open jar spraying out swirls and stars.

Karen's patriotic card with the fab bunting and super Big Ben image really struck a chord!!!

And Kathy's happy little Corgi card got a woof from Dudley and a thumbs up from me! So sweet!

As always, we had some great entries and lots of fun celebrating the Jubilee (although it seems like a long time ago now!). 

If you've been showcased, please feel free to collect your 'Top Picks' badge from the 'Badges' page HERE.

And now . . . on to the winner for the Dinosaur stamps and matching dies, bought for the Toy Box by Di:

Katrina Bufton

Congratulations Katrina. Please claim your prize by sending me an email using the Snippets Playground address shown in the sidebar, with PLAYGROUND WINNER in the subject line. Please ensure you add your full name above your home address so that it can be copied and pasted for speed and ease.

There's still nearly a week to go for the current Snippets Playground challenge - just scroll down to the post below to find it.

Hugs, Sarn xxx

Challenge #430

What a great fortnight's challenge that was Sarn - thanks so much for running two prize draws, the usual one, plus one for the Jubilee. That already seems a while ago now - the Playground is all tidied up, the bunting is down and the empties have gone to recycling. ☺ No doubt there will be something new happening before long though. 

For me, the highlight of the weekend's official events was our Queen with Paddington Bear right at the start of the 'Platinum Jubilee Concert'. I will never hear the opening beats of Queen playing 'We Will Rock You' without thinking of our own dear Queen (and Paddington) tinkling their cups and saucers to the beat! Totally brilliant! And what a good sport HM is, as well as so human when you see her in a 'normal setting'. HERE is the full video of HM and Paddington on YouTube - in case you missed it. ☺  

Straight onto my snippets card:

All the 'how I made it' details are over on my own Pixie's blog, HERE, should you want to know more.

The prize for this fortnight is:

 

A Creative Expressions 'Indonesian Collection' stamp (Island Blooms) and a set of five co-ordinating dies (Sumatra). Very kindly donated by Jackie T who has sent loads of items for the toy box over the years - huge thanks from Sarn and myself. 

As always, the Snippets Challenge will run for two weeks and the Playground gates will close at 11am UK time on Saturday 25th June. The gates will open again at midnight UK time on the same day. Mr Linky is below this post.

The latest news of Dudley is also over on my own Pixie's blog post for today - HERE. He needs to go to school to learn good manners!

Love and hugs from Dudley and Di,

Results of Challenge #428

 

I know the results posts are normally headed with our Playground Results logo - but, here in the UK, and also in the Playground, it's quite a special weekend - so I've bent the rules a bit! This is another card from me for this Jubilee weekend's celebrations - you can find out more about it over on my own Pixies Blog HERE. 

AND, here's another Jubilee project from Sarn (if you wish to copy her homework nip over to see how the box was made HERE):

 

Straight onto the 'picks' now: 

Barbara G made this super set of four cards, all from snippets. So pretty and I love the 'funky flowers'!

The above card is one of a set of 15 different cards - made by Heather. Do hop over to her blog to check them out - great work Heather!

I chose this card, made by Stephanie, as it's CAS and so pretty! The wreath backing is the snippet (it's a really beautiful washi tape image) and reminds me that Summer is almost here!

As always, we had some great entries. If you're a pick, please always feel free to collect your 'Top picks' badge from the 'Badges' page.

Onto the prize draw, a bundle of Little Clair stamps, kindly donated by Sue of Zoave Cards. And the winner is:

Kath

To claim your prize, please send me 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.

AND, here's the result of the Jubilee Celebration Draw - which is a pair of 'tea party' stamp sets - kindly donated by Jo! The winner is:

Liz Cavill

Congratulations Liz - please see above for how to claim your prize.

The current snippets challenge still has almost a further week to run - just scroll down to the previous post to find it. 

For news of Dudley - go and peek at 'Pixie's' over HERE. And for news of all the partying in the Snippets Playground, just tune into any news channel on the TV!!

It's been wild up to now - Sarn is still going at great speed, whisking up a lethal selection of cocktails, Dudley is acting as wine waiter and has been trotting round wearing his bandana. His piggy bank is now groaning with tips for him to spend on treats - and I've been in the kitchen behind the scenes whipping up sandwiches, sausage rolls, cakes, scones, trifles and jellies . . . and goodness knows what else to keep the picnic party going. 

Love from Di and Dudley (Mister W-B) - and of course, your wonderful co-hostess (or should that be coCKTAIL hostess?) - Sarn!!!