Sunday 24 April 2016

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Week 226

Hi there - another new week in the Snippets Playground! Without any further waffle, let's get straight on.

My snippets card today is THE most unashamed CASE ever - and it's a Christmas card so look away now if you're faint hearted and just think it's too soon for Christmas cards!

The story of this card: back in Week 204 in the Playground, Kim made THIS card, which I had as a weekly pick. Kim got the idea from elsewhere - but what really struck me besides the snowman as seen from above was her totally brilliant use of the swirling embossing folder, not seen that anywhere else for sure! It bugged me for ages and in the end I just had to make it (three the same in fact!) although I did also use a round swirling sentiment 'cos I already had that stamp and then made the arms a little differently (die cut them) and added a hat - but other than that it's a very obvious copy - made with much admiration of Kim's original card. And, at the back of my mind I just know that one of you girlies also did similar as well - please say if you did a 'viewed from above snowman' card and I'll add a link here:
I used:

- 4" x 5.5" white card blank (I almost used white Centura Pearlescent card stock to make the card blank but opted for plain 300gsm white - in the interests of economy :)

- piece of baby blue pearlescent card stock, embossed using a 4.25" x 5.75" folder from the Cuttlebug 'Coolio' set of four folders (an unusually modern set of folders) and trimmed to just slightly smaller than the card front before being glued in place

- white Centura Pearl card snippets, die cut into three circles using dies from the Tonic Studios 'Circle Layering' die set and edged with 'Crystal Ice' Stickles

- layered the bottom two circles onto the card front using Collall All Purpose glue

- next added the arms using ultra sticky tape underneath where the snowman's head would sit, die cut then trimmed from a snippet of brown card using a Memory Box 'Woodland Branch' die

- two little snippet strips of royal blue card had the ends fringes and were then added directly onto the underneath of the snowman's head - which was then backed with a thin sticky pad and added to the snowman's body

- used small and a couple of larger black self-adhesive gems for the mouth, eyes and buttons

- then added an orange carrot nose and black hat - hand cut from teeny little snippets

- the sentiment was stamped onto a snippet of white Centura Pearlescent card stock using 'Jet Black' Ranger Archival ink and a (sadly discontinued) sentiment from Elzybells

- die cut the sentiment using a circle die and glued it onto the card front before adding three small aurora borealis gems - look closely, they are there!

The reason I used black gems instead of my intended punched black dots was 'cos even without those this card is large letter rate. Plus, for posting it'll need a small piece of bubble wrap or similar to protect the snowman if it's posted rather than hand-delivered.

Thanks so much once again for the inspiration Kim!

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

Lots of you have already hopped over and commented on this terrific card, made by Liz - who so often comes up with brilliant ideas. I especially love the 'Pin Art' effect of the threading in opposite corners - took me back a few decades to when I used to sit hammering 'pin head tacks' into material covered board with a paper pattern taped over the material (you tore it away after the pins were in place) to create crochet thread wall art. I made a gold and silver Penny Farthing bicycle on a black velvet background once - what a dust trap but it was a real talking point (the threading, not the dust!).

Next I moved onto making macramé hanging plant pot holders, and hung them all over the place! Added to the cork tiled feature walls (remember those anyone?) it really was a bit of a 70's time capsule. I've often wondered how much the next owners of that house (they still live there all these years later) cursed us when they came to remove them - don't let's go down that road! That's why sticking anything at all to walls apart from kitchen and bathroom tiles is so off my list! We made the mistake of having some decorative wallpaper borders here about 20 years ago now - very much the fashion then but now we're trying to get the very last of the flipping things off it's a total nightmare!

Enough of the rabbiting already - let's move on:

Love these darling Babushka dolls, made by Carole J. Great use of snippets and such a clever idea to have a smaller one tucked inside the other one - really ingenious and lovely paper piecing Carole!

Laurie always comes up with new and innovative ideas for using dies - then shows them here and forces encourages some of us to run off and buy even more dies than we already have or need. Love this card, and what great paper piecing too! A perfect New Home card.

I totally love this Fathers Day card, made by Jackie T. A wonderful nautical design (clever porthole!) and lots of lovely die cutting using up plenty of snippets as well. Brilliant!

I totally went 'Wow' when I saw this beautiful card, made by Glennis. Glennis makes me smile, she make such gorgeous cards and is also a lady of few words. Right now she hasn't got the follower numbers she deserves (IMHO) so I'm asking that perhaps you hop over and add yourself. She will most probably do a (very quiet I'm sure) Happy Dance! This card is so beautiful, perfectly stamped in luscious colours and I just love the sentiment.

White on black is so 'in' right now and always reminds me of those Dymo labelling machines we had years ago. I know they've made a comeback but these days it's all electronics, back then you twiddled a dial round to set one letter in place at a time before squeezing the sides together to make the impression. I used to sit for literally hours (in a kaftan or flared trousers of course) labeling music cassettes, copied from my ex-OH's vast collection of vinyl (he copied and taped, I labeled as instructed, so we could play them in the car or caravan cassette players. Gosh, I do so sound like my Granny!

And here's another example of a really gorgeous card, made by Greta and also using the white embossing on black technique for the sentiment strip - love it! So bright and a real splash of Spring as well.

I could go on for hours here - but there's washing on the line calling to be ironed. I love that smell which seems to permeate the house when the iron is being used on linens and clothes freshly dried outdoors.

Do remember that previous Mr Linkies are always there in previous weekly posts if you get time to go and have a browse, or want to check out an idea you spotted - as always, there are so many fabulous ideas from you all that it's a real headache getting the number of picks down to something manageable.

We had one new Playmate this week:
Lesia entered this gorgeous April Showers card over at Cuttlebug Mania, I spotted that she'd used scraps/snippets and encouraged her to come and join in the fun over here. Such a sweet image and a perfect design.

Sending a huge and a happy 'Hello' to you Lesia - hope to see you back again!

Time now for the prize draw for the Uniko 'Pure Florals: Gerbera' stamp set, and the winner is:
Well done Andrea, it's almost six months since your last win and I do still have your address. In fact, I've just had a walkabout break and have packaged your prize already.Will post it this week - hope you have fun using it. It was a popular prize, not surprisingly really - and I did wish I had a few more to offer of course! Uniko's prices are creeping up so please - if you want a stamp set - order it ASAP. Bev keeps her prices as low as possible I know so just be aware that general costs are rising.

Now for this coming week's prize - a couple of (always new and unused) items, the same as I used for my snippets card:
 It's a four piece set of Cuttlebug embossing folders, called 'Coolio' in  (very modern and different with two dies sized 5" x 7" and the other two at 4.25" x 4.75", it also includes the design I used for my snippets card above of course) - plus, a Memory Box 'Woodland Branch' die.

Now, you don't need to make a snowman card of course - the folders are pretty funky and would be especially good for male cards I think - I can see robots for example! Plus, the 'Woodland Branch' die has umpteen uses besides snowmans' arms :) I've seen birds perched on it, baubles dangled from it, a cluster in a die cut vase with just a few small flowers (very Oriental!) - and many other ways of course. The vase can be cut from a bauble die BTW :) Sold you on them?

The Snippets Challenge will run for one week and the Playground gates will close at 11am UK time on Saturday 30th April. 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 either the embossing folders or the branch die, just say so in your comment and if you win then I'll do a further draw for the other item. 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 :)

Hope you have a lovely week and I look forward to seeing you in the Playground.

Parsnip is was strutting round here - like a flipping peacock. Whilst on line browsing for something altogether different I found a really sweet little teddy bear die and of course had to have it for the little cards I make to enclose with Playground prizes. It's Parsnip to a tee - and he went all silly when he saw it on the desk here. As I always do, it was then popped into one of the files holding magnetic sheets in sturdy pouches and a note kept of the name at the front of the file before being put into my sliding wall of shelves.

During the early hours of Wednesday morning I heard scrabbling round in the craft room and a lot of huffing and puffing. I crept out of bed and tip-toed to take a peek and there was Parsnip, in his light blue stripy PJs, up to no good as usual! He was struggling to lift the Cuttlebug across the desk and start die cutting 'multiple Parsnips'! Ambition - to make an army and rule the craft world apparently! Goodness knows how he didn't kill himself - which he might well have if he'd got to the stage of heaving the relevant file of dies down from a shelf. I recited Elf and Safety Regs to him then tucked him firmly back in bed - threatening to tie him down with a rope through his PJ sleeves. He snivelled, wiped his little button nose on his sleeve, gross -  and said he's gonna tell you all how mean I am! If he does then I'll be posting a photo of him in his PJs on here in retaliation!

Good grief, my life is now ruled by a small white fluffy bear? 

Di and, of course, Parsnip
x

64 comments:

  1. I can't believe I'm the first to comment here....Such a fun snowman card I made one like that quite a while ago - who knows, maybe I inspired Kim - it would make me proud!
    http://fun-stamping.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-holiday-card-for-4-challenges.html

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    1. I think you were ahead of us all there Cornelia! Lovely card :) Di xx

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  2. Oh my goodness! I am sitting here blushing at the lovely comments Di, thank you so much.
    Your card today is super cute, and well done on making a dent in the Christmas list

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  3. That snowman card is so fun and so adorable! I had never even seen that swirly embossing folder but now I need it so I can make one of these too. So yes please to the prize, and maybe I'll get one of those folders for myself. I had to laugh at the thought of Parsnip lugging the Cuttlebug to die cut more Parsnips...especially in his pjs. Congrats to the winners this week!!

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  4. What a fun little snowman card! I love how you added the little "twigs" to the card! Cute! Oh my goodness, the spotlighted cards are amazing this week, and congrats to Andrea for her win! I'm playing just for fun this week, but thanks for the fun challenge. I'm looking forward to that picture of Parsnip in his widdle pj's :)

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  5. Your snowman card is darling, Di! What a brilliant use of the branch die--not sure I've used mine--maybe once. If I remember right, Darnell made a "looking from the top" snowman at some point. Beautiful picks--I'm so honored you included my card! I'll play just for fun this week.

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  6. Hi Di (& Parsnip too) a gorgeous card, the embossing folder is stunning and your snowman so very cute, playing just for fun this week, many thanks for the inspiration and gorgeous selection of playmates entries off to visit, must make another Christmas card this week... Megan

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  7. I do love reading your weekly Snippets post and this time it rung so many bells with me - nostalgic and very smile making!! Love the snowman card, such a clever idea. I'll be back later with my offering.

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  8. Morning and happy snippet day! Just uploaded my entry, just playing for fun this week. Fab make, selection and prize!

    Kathyk

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  9. Back again with my card and a yes please to the opportunity of maybe winning a prize. Thanks

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  10. Soo cute Di is your snowman card the added arms are a brilliant idea and the embossed folder used is gorgeous lovely show too and many congratulations Kanda enjoy your prize ....hope you have a lovely day Di weather here a little overcast but otherwise dry take care xx

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  11. We demand to see a piccy of Parsnip in his pj's. Please sign the petition going the rounds. Hugs Mrs A.

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  12. Oh Di you did make me laugh this morning with your reminisces! I still have wallpaper borders in the bedroom and craft room😳 Never had cork on the walls but know a few who did! Fab picks as always and great snippet card.

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  13. Fab snowman card, Di!! Your CASeing of Kim's card is wonderful! Love the very interesting look!
    All the picks of the week are so pretty, congrats to the crafters and to the winner!
    I hope to have a bit of free time for playing again, love your challenge and always have a lot of boxes full of scraps to make something!... o_O ...Much more scraps than paper pads LOL :D
    Have a great Sunday to all

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  14. A fabulous card and a great snowman. Love your picks this week too. I'll be in the playground later in the week and would love a chance of winning your prize.
    Kath x

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  15. Hi Di

    Bright and early for me .. . and bright and early for you for Christmas! I am very envious and need to pull my finger out in that department!! :-(

    Love the design very much. Such a fun finished card and I can remember loving it when I saw Kim's version.

    Just playing for fun as always Di .. .. using up a few snippets is reward enough for me! LOL!!

    Have a good week.

    Love Jules xx

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  16. Love your card, Di. Great design and the embossing folder is just perfect.

    Thanks for choosing my card as one of your picks this week. Reading your memories of crafting several decades ago really made me smile. I remember getting into making corn dollies around that time too. My daughter's baby bath was a perfect size for soaking the corn. :-)

    Love the prizes this week, so I'll be a Yes Please to go into the draw. xx

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  17. Love your card, Di. The others are so inspiring too. I'll enter later this week xxx

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  18. It IS a great CASE card though Di. Love it.
    Brilliant showcased projects, as ever, and HELLO to the newbie!

    Congrats to Andrea on her win too!

    Playing just for fun this week thanks.

    Hugs, Sarn xxx

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  19. Great case-ing Di, it's a lovely design. Gorgeous picks as always, very inspiring all of them.

    Love and hugs
    Maarit

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  20. Brrrrr. Cute snowman card, but I am looking forward to warm for a bit! Playing just for fun this week. Thanks for making it fun!

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    1. BTW, congrats to all the lovely cards in the playground spotlights! Fabulous work.

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  21. Yippee I won.... I'm doing a happy dance here, thank you.

    Love your snowman card, such a great idea and I remember the other that you showed us. Super showcased cards and a great trip down memory lane.

    Hope Parsnip got over his little tantrum and you've let him assemble his army.... maybe they could all be dressed in PJs !!

    Back in a tick with my snippet make but just playing for fun xx

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    1. I popped your prize in the post box earlier today, 1st Class, will be collected tomorrow so it should reach you on Tuesday :)

      xx

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  22. I love the snowman with that swirling EF Di and a great CASE of Kim's lovely card. I love your highlights for this week, great cards and of course congratulations to Andrea for winning the fab stamps. Please may I be entered for just the MB Woodland Branch this week. x

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  23. Your cards are really lovely. I love the spiralling snowman. Great.x

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  24. Ohhh Di...thanks for choosing my make as one of your picks this week. It really made my day! LOVE you snowman card. I'll be back later in the week with my new snippet offering. x

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  25. Hi Di....I have to close my eyes when I see Christmas cards bur for your lovely one I'll gaze admiringly. Great pics and I smiled at your hanging baskets memories. I hope Parsnip is off the naughty step now. Have a lovely week. Yes please to the prize and I'll be back soon to link up. Hugs xx

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  26. Well it is Rudolph Day tomorrow so no worries for me.
    Great card and love that EF.
    Great picks and some lovely entries already.

    Kath x

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  27. I entered with my card and yes, please, to go in the draw :)

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  28. Very lovely creation and that snowman is soooooo cute! I'll be publishing my card later today and funny that it is in the same color scheme as yours...and also Christmas related.

    YES PLEASE for both of the prizes. Thank you for your generosity for spoiling us with all the goodies you give every week. Lucky to be a snippets kinda gal so almost every time my card has something from stashes (so I can participate the fun here :)

    Hugs from Finland,
    Eemeli

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  29. This is a great card Di, a very clever view of a snowman created from the embossing folder. Super picks this week as always, with some great inspiration for us all. I would like to play along this week please.
    Thank you, Janice x

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  30. Yes loved the snowman card unusual and just playing for fun.
    Sorry to hear that you have to do all the cleaning up of the playground. You should have some playground monitors. No good asking Parsnip he would only end up making more mess I guess.
    Hugs
    Margaret M

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  31. ah great card, Miss so agree and wodnerful picks by our playmates chuckled rather at your reminiscences... being of similar vintage..
    Will say no thanks for embossing folders but yes please to branch die and think it would be useful.
    Oh and you will see that your card last week sent me looking for my stamp of same flower and so my offering this week..
    Thanks so much for the inspiration.
    Shaz in Oz.x

    {Shaz in Oz – Calligraphy Cards}

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  32. love the snowman emerging from the embossing folder Di, great picks and inspiration would love to play along this week please

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  33. Love your gorgeous card and I love that cool embossing folder! Yes Please! I would love to be in the draw for the gorgeous prizes! Wonderful picks too. Parsnip is a little pickle again! Bless him! xxx

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  34. Love your snowman, Di! And the swirly embossing and sentiment are so perfect with him!

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  35. Oooh...your snowman card is fab - I can see why you needed to CASE it! Awesome picks too - I love how there's always so many different styles!
    I'm a 'yes please' for the lovely prize :0)
    Helen x

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  36. That is such a fun card Miss Pixie and all the picks are gorgeous too. No thank you for the prize this week. I hope you and Mr L are keeping well Karen x

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  37. Your snowman card is so fun and brings a huge smile to my face. Even though you have CASED it, you put your own spin on the design...which makes it your own. Yes please to this fabulous prize....as I am itching to give this card design a try as well!

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  38. I enjoyed the trip down memory lane. My father made string pictures, in between pottery classes, but we had our cork tiles on the floor. Polystyrene on the ceiling, aah!
    Your snowman looks fab and the circular sentiment fits perfectly.

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    1. Ha! I was also taking pottery classes at the same time :) xx

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  39. Love your card and the DT cards - they are all inspiring. I would love the prize - those embossing folders look intriguing, and the die would be so useful
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  40. Love your card. I remember those string pics but never did any myselft.
    I'm just playing for the branch die this time please Lx

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  41. Your card is super cute Di and I think we'll all be making them this year. Congratulations to Andrea on her win and to your top picks which are as always a lovely selection of beautiful and creative work.

    Thank you for offering great prizes again. Please put me in the hat. Barbxx

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  42. Di, you did it again: a very cute and lovely card!!
    Lia xx

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  43. Great card Di and as always lovely picks. Yes please to the prize.

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  44. Hello Di and Parsnip,
    I've entered to play this week and would love the chance to win the embossing folder and die.
    PS. your snowman would not look out of place here in the north west today - we've had snow and hail x

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  45. Hi I have not played for a while, and would love to be considered for the prize xx

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  46. Morning, another week of stunning entries. Love your snowman. Think I needed him yesterday as we had snow.

    Love to be added to your list of hopeful winners.

    crafty hugs Pen x

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  47. Hope my linking up has worked, I've never tried to do it from my ipad before but I've been rather poorly and still haven't fired up the computer after our weekend away. I'd scheduled my post before we went away, thinking I'd be able to link it on Monday afternoon, but best laid plans and all that......
    Yes please to the draw, I can't believe I still don't possess a branch die
    Jane

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  48. This card is so fun!! I've seen other versions of it running around on the interweb, but haven't seen one with the embossed circles; it really adds a unique touch. Would love to play for only the branch die this week. Thanks for the fun!

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  49. Hi Di thank you for choosing my card. I love your Christmas card the snowman is so cute. I am here just for fun this week. Hugs Jackie

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  50. Hello Di, that snowman is so cute, and I think the weather has been cold enough for him today! Lovely picks, and I should not have looked at Laurie's card. Lynn x

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  51. I love this site and I love that all you gals are friends! I just posted my very first challenge ever and I chose to do it here. Check out my card and visit my blog about crafting and one about raising bunnies!

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  52. Made it this week! Only one snippet of card but at least I used it up! xx

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  53. Hello Di,
    I am back here again after a very "down" period. Made a baby card with some snippets on it, and I thought I would show it here, play together with you and perhaps be able to be a winner of your wonderful prizes.
    Your snowman card is just gorgeous! And the EF fits fantastic!
    I also find the other cards just wonderful.
    Hugs,
    Liv Xxx

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  54. Its me again. I linked and commented already but forgot to mention I would like the prize if I win. I have wanted a die with branches and I love the embossing folders! Thanks again for your friendship.

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  55. Such a cool card Di, CASEd or not : )
    Count me in for the prize draw.

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  56. Here is my weekly contribution to your lovely playground! But I am "only" playing for fun :)

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  57. Wonderful and cute snowman card! Looks so fabulous with that swirly embossing folder. I can see why you CASEd!!

    Lovely picks this week, as always! Welcome to Leisa and congratulations to Andrea.

    Well, I am plumb tuckered out from the Blog Blitz at my blog this week, so I will just link up one of those 11 scrap cards that I made. Yes, please, to the prizes in the drawing this week. Many thanks for the fun all of us have at your playground.
    <3 J

    jwoolbright at gmail dot com
    HerPeacefulGarden.blogspot.com

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  58. I'm not sure why Dio is getting credit for my card but that is what the Linky says. I do want to play for a prize. I really like that snowman card but I'm not ready for winter.... like can't we at least do summer first?!?!?!!!

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  59. o, your snowman card is so pretty and I love top picks.
    yes for the prize, please.
    have a great weekend,
    tina

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  60. It's never too early for Christmas cards, Di, and I love your little layered snowman. Amazing picks this week. I am playing for fun this week.

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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.