News of Snooker Legends at the Crucible and here's the April chalks challenge at In Love With Stamping - take 2

Last night I went with my Mum to the Sheffield Crucible (home of the World Snooker Championship) to see "Snooker Legends". John Virgo hosted and playing we had:

• Alex (Hurricane) Higgins;
• Jimmy (Whirlwind) White;
• John (The Entertainer) Parrot; and
• Cliff (The Grinder) Thorburn

As someone who grew up watching Pot Black (showing my age) every Friday night with my Gran and Grandad it brought back a lot of happy memories and reminded me how much I enjoy watching the game. The snooker was spellbinding. Fast and furious frames between White and Parrot, slower with some tricky snookers between Higgins and Thorburn. It was rather sad to see Higgins looking so poorly. I understand that he's had pneumonia and from the looks of last night and his coughing, I don't think he's over it yet.

Some of the audience got a chance to try trick shots with John Virgo, a la Big Break. Another member of the audience was drawn from a paid raffle to play a game of doubles with the losers of the first match. The raffle winner didn't get much of a chance to play as his partner White cleaned up the table but Jimmy did kindly let him sink the last black.

The show is going on tour soon and if you're a fan of snooker then I can definitely recommend this.

On now to the crafting and here's my second card for the Chalks challenge over at In Love With Stamping:

Recipe

Stamp sets: Vintage Vogue, Oval All, Very Vintage

Cardstock: Perfect Plum, Pale Plum, Very Vanilla

Ink: Perfect Plum, Pale Plum, Versamark, Stampin' Pastels chalks

Punches: Eyelet Border, Scallop Oval, Large Oval

Other: Pretties Kit

The card base is Perfect Plum cut to a standard A6 landscape card. Using the Very Vintage wheel and Perfect Plum ink, the background was rolled top and bottom of the card. A strip of Pale Plum was punched along both long edges with the Scallop Edge punch. This was stamped randomly with the vine from the Vintage Vogue set in Pale Plum ink and the edges were chalked by rubbing Pale Plum chalk on a sponge dauber in a circular motion.

The large flowers and leaves from the Vintage Vogue set were stamped with Versamark on Very Vanilla card and then chalks pounced (tapped) on with sponge daubers (flowers in Pale Plum and Perfect Plum, leaves in Garden Green). The chalk "sticks" to the Versamark - be careful not to rub or you may smudge the image. Excess chalk was blown off and then the image brushed very lightly with a dry paintbrush. Flowers and leaves were cut out, shaped and stuck flat to the card except for the centre flower which was raised on two dimensionals stuck together for extra height. Medium cream halfback pearls were added to the centre of the flowers with glue dots.

For the sentiment the Best Wishes was stamped in Perfect Plum ink on Very Vanilla card and then punched with the Large Oval punch. The edges were chalked with Pale Plum. This was stuck flat to a punched Scallop Oval from Perfect Plum card and raised on dimensionals on the Pale Plum decorated strip. A small cream halfback pearl was added using a glue dot to finish.

All chalked images can be sprayed with a sealant (hairspray works) before adding to the card if needed.

Back again soon.

Sara xx