Sunday, December 12, 2010

Gingerloft Challenge #8 Distress

Another fortnight passes and I have to say a huge thank you to all that played along with us in our last challenge bows at Gingerloft Challenges ! There were so many entries and each and every one of them were all beautiful! I am glad I do not have to pick the pick the winner or the top 3 or I would pick them all!

Onto this weeks challenge and it is .... Drum Roll .... Distress!

And, this challenge will be open till the 8th of January 2011 as we are taking a break over the festive period, so I am sure you can all find time to make one entry with the time extension!

I love this technique and there is so many ways you can show distress on your creations.  This week I was fortunate again to make two items. 

Firstly I have a gorgeous vintage scroll for Christmas on the Yule Legend of The Silver Pine Cone.  It is a beautiful story and you can find more details by clicking here.

My second creation is a Christmas gift for Aunty Ree.  I took an old photo frame that the glass had broken in, added a dash of paint and some crackle glaze and embellished with some handmade distressed flowers, butterflies, ribbon and pearls.  The star of the shot is still the too cute Little Miss Emilie.  You can find more details about this project if you click here.


 





Being the last challenge before Christmas I would also like to wish you all a Happy and Safe Christmas  and a Happy New Year, and I hope to see you all back playing along with us after the new year.

Fair winds and following seas.
The Navy Wife

The Yule Legend of the Silver Pine Cone

**Note this is one of my DT creations for this weeks challenge #8 DISTRESS over at the Gingerloft Challenge.  *** I have made 2 separate posts for my creations as they are both fall into entries for some challenge blogs and both posts are rather long (especially this one) ***  If you would like to see my DT post, please click here.

Going back a few weekends when the kids and I ventured out to the farm for a weekend holiday we went collecting pinecones from down at the dam.  At the time I had no idea what I was going to do with them ... I just knew I would think of something crafty to use them with.

It was that night around the dinner table that Poppy told us about the Yule Legend of The Silver Pine Cone and after hearing the story I knew right away that a story that beautiful and with such meaning had to find a place in my home.   I google-ed the story and found the close to original version and decided I was going to make it into an old vintage scroll wall decoration. 

I love how this turned out and I love that when visitors come and visit throughout this festive season they all stop and read it and it shows us all the true meaning of Christmas and how alive it still is in our home.

There are many shorter versions of this legend available on the net but I really did like the full version so I used that.  Here is the story for you. (might want to grab that coffee as it's a little long *sorry*)


The Yule Legend of the
Silver Pine Cone

The troll sat quietly, as he always did, looking out over the room in wooden silence.  Below him the embers of the fire were fading giving the room a gentle warm aura that would soon be made to crackle back to life as the light from the hidden sun brought morning to the remote home and woke the mother who was always the first one up.
       
Although made of wood, the troll did not fear the fire even when it crackled at its merriest below him; in fact it gave him a sense of peace knowing that the family with whom he lived could control such a vicious force.   And so he sat quietly watching and in all the months that had passed since he had been brought into the house by the father, no one had seen him move except the family dog.  On that occasion he had risen to retrieve a taste of creamy butter left for the families ‘imaginary’ house troll. The ever alert dog had sniffed suspiciously and started to growl only to be ‘shushed’ by a groggy voice from within the family sleeping area.  Obediently the animal had relaxed and returned to its corner near the fire where it took up its caretaker pose only to fall fast asleep within moments.    Little did the family suspect that the  figure sitting on their mantle was indeed their ‘real’ guardian troll and, of course, no one thought to question what happened to the butter, cream  or bits of ‘sweets’ left out from time to time for him.

       Earlier this past month the little Troll, who if he stood up would stand just under a foot tall, was given a new chair upon which he could sit.  It was made of small sticks and twigs bent and shaped into a rustic rocker roughly proportioned to fit his squared off knees and hips.  His slightly forward curved back just barely reached the back of the chair and although coarsely made with the bark still on in most places it felt like the noblest of all thrones.   The family had placed the chair under a trellis like arch also of long woven sticks interlaced with mistletoe to give it a festive look.  With a ceremony full of smiles and giggles they had placed him on the mantle on the corner opposite the main door.  From his vantage point he could gaze across the room to the left into the sleeping room whenever the heavy door was open.  He could not, however, see much of the kitchen area except for the door that when propped open, hung against the outer wall.  The little troll did not mind the lack of visualization as long as the wonderful aromas from that room were allowed to waft into the living area.

        If anyone had noticed he seemed to sit a little taller that day as the family took turns rubbing his furry hair for luck and occasionally ‘beeping’ his bulbous nose.  The mother had even called him her ‘handsome’ third child.  The Troll could not have picked a nicer home.  It was not, of course, perfect but it was a happy home full of love and laughter but tonight things had changed.  He remembered that just after they had presented him with his wonderful new chair the father had been injured in an accident.  The father had been on his way home with a load of cut logs when something had spooked the horse and the wagon had overturned.  The woodman’s back had been severely strained and two ribs were also broken.  The doctor, after doing all he could, explained that it would take several weeks for the father to heal completely.  This was a crushing blow because with the onset of winter the chances for work grew.  The need for fire wood, Yule logs and for trees to decorate for the season would provide opportunity for earnings that would get the family through the entire winter and into spring.  If the father did not work now, he would be behind for the entire year and already things were wearing out and needing replacement at an alarming rate.  Even his axe had been broken in the accident. 
      
They had fought the inevitable as hard as they could, saving what mother earned and making what they had stretch but now as Yule approached the  harshness of their situation began to set in.  As he sat absorbed in the peace of the home, the little Troll listened to the muffled words of the parents.  They were out of money and they had nothing with which to buy the things they wanted to celebrate with.  Oh, they would not starve, nor would they freeze and papa could always make something for each child.  They also fully expected the Julenissen to make his rounds and this made each of the children almost giddy with anticipation but it was going to be sparse.  Gone was the money to do things for their neighbours.  Gone was the money the father needed for a new coat.  Gone was the money to fit the boy in new clothes because he had shot up several centimetres in the last few months, even his shoes were getting tight.  As they counselled into the late night the mother had insisted that she was fine and that she would use up things, repair them or if they had to they would do without until things got better.  But the troll knew differently.  He knew that she needed a new dress because she had whispered her deepest longing to him just the other day.

        Days passed.  The father grew healthier but the time for him to earn money was gone and after tonight it was Yule eve.  Still, the family did their best to make it fun.  Father made little gifts for each child and some to give away to friends and neighbours.   Mother made a batch of the poor man’s cookies and dad killed and readied the tom turkey for Yule dinner.  The children took great care to decorate the trees outside with things the various small animals that lived nearby would enjoy.  Nothing was said out loud to dampen the spirit of the day.  That night the little troll thought long and hard after the house fell silent except for the gentle sounds from the sleeping room and the occasional popping snaps of the wooden house as it was buffeted by the cold Norwegian winter.  He could not sew nor could he buy things but he could use some Troll magic.

        The next morning the family awoke to find a note penned neatly with charcoal sitting on the mother’s rocking chair.  The note read simply; “Gather a basket full of pine cones as big as you can find.  Leave them on the table and tomorrow give them all away secretly.”  It was signed; “Your Guardian Troll.” Of course the family eyed him suspiciously but he did not move nor blink.  After all he was made of wood.

        As soon as chores were done, the children were each given a basket and off they ran to the woods.  Within a half hour they returned and each had their basket full of pine cones a couple were more than five inches long but  most were three or four inches.  They carefully placed the twenty-one cones into their mother’s bread basket and placed it full but not overflowing on the table in the main room.  All day long they speculated about what had happened and what they should do for the troll who had given them these unusual instructions.  Was the troll hungry?  Should they get more pine cones?  Why hadn’t the dog barked?   Should they put out milk or cream?

        It took a long time for the children to settle down and several times the children had to be called back to bed but even after the children were asleep the parents fidgeted and whispered until well after midnight.  The next morning the children were up at the first rustle of dawn.  They gasped and squealed as they gazed at the pine cones each of which had been turned into pure silver.  When the parents had finally been dragged into the room cries of “We’re rich!” echoed about the room.  Each cone was perfect in its detail and each was heavy and beautifully polished.  ‘Thank yous’ were shouted to the air and toward the little troll as he sat in mute witness to the spectacle.
       
“But daddy, what about the letter?” It was the little boy speaking. The room became thick with silence.  “Whom can we give them too?”  Asked the mother.  “We don’t have that many neighbours.” “Unless we go to the village.”  Said the father softly.  The mother frowned.  “But that is over a half-day’s journey just to get to town. If we stop by our neighbours, it will be almost dark when we get to town and it will be almost Yule day morning before we get home.”  “I know but we must do as we were instructed.  I will get the coats and hitch the sleigh.  You get the food and children ready.  We must dress in our finest clothes!”  With a sigh the mother nodded.  The home was a flurry of activity for the next several minutes as everyone made ready for the unexpected trip.  Food was carefully put in two baskets.  Warm blankets were carried out to the sleigh and within the hour the family was almost ready to go.  The mother handed the father the baskets of food and he joined the children in the wagon.  The Troll watched sadly as the mother took two of the pine cones and placed them in her sewing basket before taking the rest outside.  “They’re for the Julenissen.” she whispered to the Troll.  He smiled broadly as the door shut solidly behind her.
       
 The first few ‘cones’ went to their neighbours.  Father planned a circuitous route to hit each of the nine neighbours within a six-kilometre radius.  The children were given the task of sneaking the ‘presents’ up to the house.  It was exciting as they used tire or runner ruts to get close then used footsteps from animals and people to get to a door or porch where they left the gift as quietly as they could.  Each time they returned giggling.  It was almost magical; they reported that even the dogs and sheep were quiet.  By late afternoon they were on their way almost to town. 

        Mother counted the cones sadly.  “I wish we had brought more.”  The children agreed.  They had to pick between friends and they did not want to do it.  “Maybe we can break the cones and give each family some of the parts.” suggested the father. Mother shook her head.  “We will just have to pick the most deserving.” she said finally. Father sighed.  “Let’s wait until it is dark and then we probably won’t get caught.  It won’t be long.”

        The family huddled close putting on every blanket they had after finding a sheltered place out of the weather.  Father wanted to nap but the kids began to ask questions about the Guardian Troll and Troll magic.   Did father think the wooden troll was their Guardian Troll?  Did the Troll make the Pine Cones by hand or did it magically create them?  Why doesn’t every family have a Guardian Troll?    Why don’t people believe in Trolls?  Mother and Father did their best to answer.  Father did not think the wooden poppet was a real troll.  Mother believed that the troll used magic to create the pine cones.  Families did not have Guardian Trolls because they stopped believing in the magic of life.  And that is why people do not believe in Trolls too.

The final question was a bit tougher.  “Do you think that if we gathered a few more pine cones we would have enough to go around?”  Father did not know but mother thought it would not hurt to try so Father guided the horse back into the woods where they children gathered as many pine cones small and large as they could find.  Soon they had enough for every family in the small village.  They put them in the bag and started toward the village as the last of the suns feeble efforts vanished.  Father lit a match as the children opened the bag.  Inside were the remaining silver pine cones among the gathered new ones, all of which were still brown and beautiful.  Mother sighed and the children sniffed back tears.  “We will need to be very careful who we choose.” said father closing the bag.  “We will choose the poorest and most needy.”

        In a few minutes the family had a plan and were moving quietly into the village which was dark as families began their own celebration of the Yule.   Carefully he dumped the pine cones onto the floor of the sleigh.  Each person was to pick up three or so and carry them to the homes selected then meet back at the sleigh as fast as possible.  As the pine cones hit the sleigh there was the familiar sound of metal on metal but not a whisper of dry cone on cone.  Father lit a second match and gasped.  Every cone was made of silver. 

With a whisper and a chuckle the family began to distribute the cones in secret just as the Troll had instructed.  Again the report was magical.  The mother had almost been caught by one of her friends who came out but even though she looked right at her she did not seem to see her.  The son too had been missed when he was caught on the porch by the family carrying in the Spruce tree for the Yule.  They had been so intent on getting it through the door that they did not even notice him less than two meters away.  In less time then they believed possible they were on their way home.  Once they were out of town they began to sing their favourite songs.
       
Upon their arrival home they could see a figure moving by the front door.  As they pulled up, they recognized the Julenissen.  “Are there any good children here?” he asked politely.  “Yes we are good children.” responded the two in unison.  “But this time we have something for you.”  The two rushed into the house and grabbed the two silver pine cones from where their mother had placed them.  Smiling broadly the two handed the silver pine cones to the gnome like visitor who looked very much like a miniature Father Christmas.  The ‘elf’ was speechless for several seconds.  “We felt that since we had been given so much that you should have something for someone you know especially deserving of the kind of good fortune we have been blessed with.” said the mother softly as the father came around the sleigh.  With the reigns still in hand the Father told the old visitor what had happened. 

With a gentle tear in his eye the Julenissen opened the door of the house and walked in.  After a moment he walked to the little wooden troll.  “Stand my friend.” said the gentle figure.  To everyone’s surprise the wooden troll stood and leaped off the mantle and stood before the ancient legend of Norse history.  The old one reached out his hand and rubbed the troll’s hair.  “Because of what you and this family did, I will bless the pine cone now and forever.  It will be a symbol of good fortune and luck from now on and forever.  It can be real silver or simply coloured silver and if a person or family keeps it on their hearth or somewhere that shows respect it will contribute to the well being and luck of that home as long as they have it.” 
       
With those words the Julenissen smiled broadly and winked at the little Troll.  “And now I think this fine fellow needs a big bowl of porridge.”   The Julenissen then rubbed the Troll’s head again and turned to the children.  Handing them each a fine toy, he winked.  “Thank you.” he said softly.  He then glanced up at the hearth and sitting in the middle of it, on an ornate stand, was a beautiful silver pine cone.  Sitting next to it was the little wooden troll.   With a bow the Jolly Old Elf opened the door and disappeared into the dark starting on his rounds to visit all the good boys and girls of the countryside

        From that day on the family never lacked for what they needed and they always kept their silver pine cone in a prominent place.  But perhaps more importantly from that day on every time they looked at the beautiful silver pine cone on their mantle they remembered the joy they felt in adding to the happiness of others during the Yule Season.  

So every time you see a Silver Pine Cone remember:
“There is no greater joy in the Yule Season then the joy found
in giving a little bit of happiness to those you love and care for.”

 




Scroll rolled up with a button to hold it in place and one silver pine cone to hang with the scroll.
Silver pine cone garland over my desk
(Don't mind the mess lol)
 Another garland hanging over the TV cabinet


Scroll Rolled up.

I love how beautiful this looks hanging up and I love how easy it is to roll away and place in the cupboard for another year.  I also have a bowl of silver spray painted pinecones in a bowl on the breakfast bar and all visitors to the house are given one as they leave.  It was so simple to put together that I had to make two of these and am giving one to Poppy as a Christmas gift for him, seeing as he is the one that told us all the story.


The paper is plain white A4 card stock that I teabag stained (love this technique) the image Gingerlofts Tree With Border I printed and allowed to semi dry before heat embossing it with silver to give an aged effect.  The wooden scroll thingy it is attached to at the top and bottom (sorry do not know the technical name) is two (one at the top and one at bottom) old chopsticks and the pinecone(s) are the ones we collected at the dam that weekend that I baked in the oven to remove any little nasties and then spray painted with silver, added a ribbon to be able to hang and a red ribbon bow.


Challenges-
Craft Your Passion – Anything goes (Mondays)
Incy Wincy Designs – IWD#71 Decoration or ornament (Mondays)
Simon Says Stamp and Show – A holiday greeting (Mondays)
The Shabby Tea Room - #39 Tis the season (Mondays)
The Creative Card Crew – Anything goes – (Tuesdays)
Flourishes Timeless Tuesdays – FTTC96 3D Holiday Gifts (Tuesdays)
Project Tuesday – Pennant Banner & DT Call – This is a Christmas banner, it is hanging on the wall as you enter our house and it’s theme continues through the house with more silver pine cone banners. (Tuesday)
Top Tip Tuesday - #13 Use Ribbon – I have used ribbon to hang the pine cone(s) along with ribbon to hang the scroll. (Tuesday)
Tuesday Taggers – Deck The Halls – I am decking the halls and the house with Christmas decorations. (Tuesday)
 Belli Challenge - #106 Christmas Embellishments / Papers – There is red ribbon and the scroll actually encourages the silver silver pine cones hanging and scattered all around the house. (Wednesday)
 Digistamps 4 Joy - #8 Anything but a card – It is an wall decoration. (Wednesday)
Penny’s Papper Crafty Challenge – #44 Merry Christmas – It is a Christmas Decoration (Wednesday)
 Your Next Stamp – YNS #31 Its a CAS Christmas – It is clean and simple and Christmassy (Wednesday)
Charisma Cardz - #49 A Christmas Gift – I made two of these and am giving one to Poppy for a gift as he told us the story and the silver pines are also a gift to all visitors that visit the house throughout the Festive season. (Thursday)
Delightful Challenges – Embossing Challenge -  I have heat embossed the image in silver (Wednesdays)
 Dutch Dare – DDCC #92 – Christmas Card /Tag or Ornament – This is a Christmas decoration (Thursdays)
Shelly’s Images – TTT 12/9/10 Celebrate – This is celebrating Christmas. (Thursdays)
 Blog-A-Doodle – Christmas NO cards – This is a Christmas decoration (Thursdays)
Just Cute Bears – #41 Anything but a card – It’s a Christmas wall decoration (Sundays Monthly)

Fair winds and following seas.
The Navy Wife


Little Miss Emilie in Distress - Recycled Picture Frame

**Note this is one of my DT creations for this weeks challenge #8 DISTREE over at Gingerloft Challenges. *** I have made 2 separate posts for my creations as they both fall into enteries for some challenge blogs.  If you would like to read my DT post please click here.  

This is my Christmas gift I made for my dearest sister, Aunty Ree.  The frame is recycled from an old photo frame that the glass broke in.  It was an ugly colour blue so I painted it with purple, gave it a coat of crackle finish and then went over the top in white to give the beautiful crackled, distressed finish.

I used a staple gun to adhere the chicken wire mess to the back of the frame, added some paper flowers and the butterfly that I handmade and distressed, along with the sentiment.  I added some scrap lace around the border and tied a string of beads on fishing line to make the pearl swirl.  The image is Gingerloft Fairy with wand that I have embossed several times with clear emboss powder and then when dry I twisted it to give a shattered glass look to to keep the distress look flowing.  And I added the gorgeous purple bow to finish the piece.







Challenges-
Craft Your Passion – Anything goes (Mondays)
 Incy Wincy Designs – IWD#71 Decoration or ornament - This is a picture frame / decoration (Mondays)
The Shabby Tea Room - #39 Tis the season - This is a Christmas gift(Mondays)
The Creative Card Crew – Anything goes – (Tuesdays)
Flourishes Timeless Tuesdays – FTTC96 3D Holiday Gifts - This is a Chrsitmas gift (Tuesdays)
Top Tip Tuesday - #13 Use Ribbon – I have used ribbon to hang the frame and have the purple bow made from ribbon (Tuesday)
There She Goes – TSG84 – Bring on the bling – It has the pearl swirls, and in the flower centres and on the butterfly tail is glitter beads. (Tuesdays)
Freshly Brewed - #26 Sparkle & Shine - It has the pearl swirls, and in the flower centres and on the butterfly tail is glitter beads. (Tuesdays)
Little Red Wagon - #58 Use a Die Cut – The small white butterfly on the butterfly and lace and flower beside image are all die cut.  (Wednesday)
The Paper Variety - #13 The Little Ones – The star of this is Little Miss Emilie and we call Aunty Ree her ‘other mummy’ witch is why this picture was specially chosen. (Wednesdays)
The Pixie Cottage - #48 Sparkle & Shine - It has the pearl swirls, and in the flower centres and on the butterfly tail is glitter beads. (Wednesdays)
Digistamps 4 Joy - #8 Anything but a card – It’s a picture frame. (Wednesday)
Penny’s Papper Crafty Challenge – #44 Merry Christmas – It is a Christmas gift for Aunty Ree. (Wednesday)
Delightful Challenges – Embossing Challenge – The image has been clear embossed several times and then twisted to give a shattered glass look. (Wednesdays)
Charisma Cardz - #49 A Christmas Gift – It is a Christmas gift for Aunty Ree. (Thursday)
Cute Card Thursday - #142 Floral frenzy – I have flowers! Lots of them :) (Thursdays)
Some Odd Girl – Make it Uber-Girlie – This is Girly down to the picture, the colors and the image (Thursdays)
If The Shoe Fits – FF#58 Texture – I have used the crackle paint, the chicken wire and all the embellishments to add texture. (Thursdays)
Blog-A-Doodle – Christmas NO cards – This is a Christmas gift for Aunty Ree and it is a picture frame. (Thursdays)
Lots to Do Challenges – Glitz - It has the pearl swirls, and in the flower centres and on the butterfly tail is glitter beads. (Fridays)
Sew Many Challenges – #35 Flower Power – I have flowers (Fridays)
Stamp Something – December Digi Day Challenge – The image is a digital image (Fridays)
Just Cute Bears – #41 Anything but a card – It is a Christmas gift for aunty Ree and it is a picture frame. (Sundays Monthly)
*Stamping Vacation – Family Holiday month – This is a family gift, the image is also my daughter and the gift is for her Aunty who we also call her ‘other mummy’.  (monthly)

Fair winds and following seas.
The Navy Wife

Friday, December 10, 2010

Mother may you always have a light to guide you.

It is amazing the roll on effect that one persons actions can have on so many others around.  How one simple choice can change the lives of so many, not always for the better, not always for the worst.   Those actions often leave wounds, and those wounds can take many years before they heal.  And once that action has been made, they, and you can never go back, you can never go back, and no one can ever go back to that moment in time when the whole world crashed around you into pieces.

You can pick up the shatters and tape and glue them back together, but they will never fit as perfectly as they once did.  A trust, a bridge is broken and the only person that can heal you; is time and yourself.

I have watched my mother go on an emotional rollercoaster for the past two weeks.  Her life changed in the matter of seconds when her husband of 24 years walked in the door on a Sunday afternoon and told her ‘I’m leaving you and there is nothing left to discuss’.   This was unexpected, there were no problems as far as she knew or anyone else in the family knew, I included.  Things were normal, as they ordinarily always were, and had / has been for as long as I can remember.

I see courage, strength and beauty in my mother; that she is yet to discover in herself.  I can and I will stand by her and continue to hold the shatters of her once life for her until she is ready to find and begin placing each one back into her new life.  And I believe and have faith that a better person will emerge from this.  A stronger woman, a woman who will have a voice and an opinion, a thought, an idea that will be counted, and she will have courage to speak not only her mind but her heart. 

I believe in her, and to me, unlike her, I believe that being a wife is not what defined her.  She is beautiful, inside and out, she has strength, courage and dreams, she is the best mother, sister, daughter, grandmother and best friend that anyone could ask for, she is a success in her career and still has many more achievements in her and her future, she is wise and full of wisdom, she is loving, caring and generous, she is unique and she is one of kind and irreplaceable. And while she is lost now and doesn’t believe these qualities are inside her or capable of her, with the help of me and the ones who love her around her, she will see what I, what we see in her, and that is, that she is truly beautiful.

I started making this inspirational candle plaque for her the night she rang and told me. Since then I actually feel that she needs it more now and am thinking about giving it to her early.  I hope that each night as she lights the candle and reads the poem, that she too will start believing, and start seeing the beauty that I and everyone else sees in her.



The glass tea light candle holder is permantly
glued into place. And my camera does no justice for the fuchsia pink bow :(

The poem is by Bonnie Lynn Morris and has been computer generated.
And has been silver heat embossed around the edges.

Image is a Desiree Markus free image and you can find it here.
I have colored the image with water colour pencils and on the flowers to make them stand out I enhanced them with dimensional magic.  There is also baby pink jewels as the spots on the hat ribbon band and clear ones on the spots on the patch on the pants.

Side view, laying flat.

Top view laying flat.

The design for this was taken from an easel card, but I did not want to give her a card that would be eventually placed in the cupboard and out of site.  I wanted it and her to have a candle with an uplifting inspirational poem and I wanted this piece to find a place in her home that it will always sit and be at, that she can go to at any time and re-read, look at and for it to be a constant reminder to her that she is ...
Beautiful!

Challenges -
Craft Your Passion - #35 Anything goes (Mondays)
The Shabby Tea Room - #39 Tis The Season - It is a gift (Monday)
There She Goes - TSG84  Bring on the Bling - It has baby pink jewels on the hat for spots in the image along with clear jewels as the spots on the patch on the pants.  There is pearls as centres on the flowers on the flower ribbon along the right top and side, and also continued around the candle holder and it has glitter die cut flowers. (Mondays)
* Creative Card Crew - Anything goes (Tuesdays)
Flourishes Timeless Tuesdays - FTTC96 3d Holiday gifts - It's a inspirational plaque and candle holder (home deco item) (Tuesdays)
Papertake Weekly - Red and green must not be seen - This was intentionally a gift for Christmas and its focus colors are pink / fuchsia. (Tuesday)
Scrap Creations - Make a gift or warp - This is a gift. (Tuesdays)
Top Tip Tuesday - #13 Use ribbon - I have the fuchsia ribbon bow and the hot pink flower ribbon with the added pearls as flower centers. (Tuesday)
* Digistamps 4 Joy - #8 Anything but a card - It's a inspirational plaque and candle holder (home deco item). (Wednesday)
 Freshly Brewed Designs - #26 Sparkle and shine - I have the glitter die cut flowers and the pearls in the flower centres on the flower ribbon, the jewels in the image hat and patch on pants. (Tuesdays)
Little Red Wagon - #58 Use a die cut - The glitter flowers are die cuts.(Wednesdays)
The Pixie Cottage - #48  Sparkle and shine - I have the glitter die cut flowers and the pearls in the flower centres on the flower ribbon, the jewels in the image hat and patch on pants. (Wednesdays)
 The Crafty Purple Frog - #4 Easel Card - This is taken from an easel card design and then I have added the glass candle holder.  I have also made it more so an inspiration plaque than a card. (Thursdays)
Cute Card Thursday - #142 Floral Frenzy - I have flowers in the image and also as embellies on the piece. (Thursdays)
Delightful Challenges - Embossing - I have silver heat embossing around the poem edges. (Wednesdays)
Some Odd Girl - Make it UBER-GIRLIE - Telling a woman she is beautiful and needing her to beleive that she is so is GIRLIE! (Thursdays)
Character Cafe - Glitter glitter glitter - I have the glitter paper die cut flowers. (Fridays)
 The Crafty Pad - #100 Anything goes (Sundays)

Fair winds and following seas.
The Navy Wife

Six sleep countdown!

It is only six more sleeps till the Navy sailor will be home! (Yes I have started to countdown) and I’m so excited! Excited that he is coming home, excited for Christmas, the New Year and especially excited as Christmas Eve is our Wedding Anniversary. 

And then there is the most favourite thing I love, and that is having our anniversary on Christmas Eve is like having two days of Christmas.  The family gets together and we all celebrate!  After all ... There is nothing better than when hearts come home and are all together.  And really... Isn’t the true meaning of Christmas hearts, family, hope, Christ and thanks.


Sentiment was computer generated.
The image I found here at clker.com and I have not used it in breach of any copyrights. 


 Red glitter highlights added to the hair bow on the girl and the bow tie on the boy. 
Along with jewels added as the buttons on both their shirts.

Close up of the flowers with the jewel centres and the gold embossed then glossed leaves cut with a diecut and embossed by freestyle hand.

Close up of the DP Leather embossed paper and the metalic red and silver papers.



The card insert.

I am really happy with how this card finished.  I only wish my camera picked up the beautiful shimmer and shine on the red and silver metalic papers like in RL.

Challenges I am entering-
* Craft Your Passion - #35 Anything goes (Mondays)
* There She Goes - TSG84 Bring on the bling - I have jewls as buttons on the shirts and I have added red glitter to the bow in the girl hair tie and the boys bow tie.  There is also jewels in the centre of the flowers and I have also used plain metalic red and silver papers to add a little more shine on the leather embossed DP white. (Mondays)
* Creative Card Crew - Anything goes (Tuesday)
* Top Tip Tuesday - #13 Use Ribbon - I have the ribbon bow and the ribbon stripes across the top and down the side. (Tuesday)
* Creative Inspiration - #90 White designer paper only - I have used a white leather embossed DP and the red and silver are plain metalic papers. (Wednesdays)
* Freshly Brewed Designs - #26 Sparkle and Shine - I have jewls as buttons on the shirts and I have added red glitter to the bow in the girl hair tie and the boys bow tie.  There is also jewels in the centre of the flowers and I have also used plain metalic red and silver papers to add a little more shine on the leather embossed DP white. (Wednesdays)
* Little Red Wagon - #58 Use a Die-cut - The leaves are diecuts that have been embossed in gold and then coated in a clear varnish to shine. (Wednesdays)
* The Pixie Cottage - #48 Spakle and Shine -  I have jewls as buttons on the shirts and I have added red glitter to the bow in the girl hair tie and the boys bow tie.  There is also jewels in the centre of the flowers and I have also used plain metalic red and silver papers to add a little more shine on the leather embossed DP white. (Wednesdays)
Delightful Sketches - Embossing Challenge- The 3 gold leaves are embossed and the white DP is an embossed leather. (Thursdays)
* Shelly's Images - TTT 12/9/10 Let's Celebrate - Wedding aniversary is a celebration. (Thursdays)
* Character Cafe - Glitter glitter glitter - I have added red glitter to the bow in the girl hair tie and the boys bow tie. There is also jewels in the centre of the flowers and sometimes, less is more, especially with this image. ((Fridays)
* One Stitch At A Time - #42 Old stash and new stash - The black flowers I have had since forever and never really found a card for them to suit and the red ribbon is new from my Christmas supplies this year.
* Corrosive Challenges - #93 Red and white - It has red and white. (Sundays)
* The Crafty Pad - #100 Anything goes (Sundays)
* Stamping vacation - Family Holiday Month - This is the one month that the family try to come together and my husband and I do all we can to make it possible for him to be home for our wedding aniversary and Christmas.

Fair winds and following seas.
The Navy Wife