Dancin’ Figgy Pudding for Time Out 293

Happy Monday.

Well, the challenge across at Time Out caused me to have an existential crisis.  The request:  Create a card based on your favorite song.  WHAT?  ONE SONG?  I mean… I have favorite songs for each genre that I listen to and that stretches from classical all the way thru to Hip Hop – skipping punk, hard rock and heavy metal!  I also have a favorite song from each decade.. nah scratch that.  I couldn’t pick only one song from each decade.  So, I spent hours thinking about what song would I pick.  Would it be Nessun Dorma?  MMM… couldn’t think of a die or stamp set I had to match that?  What about R.E.S.P.E.C.T?   No… nothing for that one either.  What about All By Myself?  Really wasn’t sure how I would depict that!  It’s Raining Men?  No… .no stamps for that either! But… that would be an epic stamp!!!!  Daydream Believer?  Nope.  Nothing for that either!  Chasing Pavements?  Mmmm… don’t think they made a stamp for that!!  I Feel Like a Woman?  Sugar, Sugar?   Right Round?  Beautiful Things? The Flower Duet? Bohemian Rhapsphody? The Way We Were? Georgia on My Mind?  The Prayer? Anyway, you get the idea.  It was impossible.

Eventually, I decided what about Christmas songs!  Ah…. now… I had something for that.  So, out came the Spellbinders Dancin’ Figgy Pudding dies.  I mean who doesn’t like We Wish You a Merry Christmas?

I decided to make a feminine figgy pudding – here’s a sneak peek – and yes, her legs do move from side to side.

I die cut the various elements using crumb, pink, green, white and espresso cardstock.  I used my blending brushes and some ink to add shading to the boots, mittens, scarf and the pudding herself.  For the frosting I used a piece of soft felt that I received as part of a card kit and that adds a layer of texture.  I added a round foam dot behind the pudding so that I could swing the legs from left to right.

For the base I used a stencil that I received from Scrapbook.com as part of a freebie for giving a donation to Creative Kindness.  It’s a fun stencil as it has these fabulous interlocking hearts.  I inked it up with a pale pink ink onto Linen cardstock.  All that was left was to add the sentiment, pop up the pudding and add three little enamel dots in place of the berries.

Here’s my full card:

Isn’t she cute???!!!  Seriously, this die makes me want to squeal!  And I am sorry if you have gotten this far and I have left you with the ear worm about bringing figgy pudding and wanting it now 🙂

I know the Time Out design team would love it if you played along – and you have until the 30th!

On a personal note:

Getting back to the existential crisis caused by the TO design team challenge :-). Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.  My Godmother played piano and wanted to teach me, but we moved away and it was too difficult to go back and forth for lessons.  My mother had a beautiful voice and would sing as often as I asked her to.  Danny Boy and Ave Maria were two favorites.  My beloved Uncle Jack bought me a portable radio for my 9th birthday and I would listen to Pirate Radio with the device under my pillow every night.  Then the Monkees came into my life.  Pammie and I would watch those 4 boys every week and we’d sing their songs for ages afterwards.  Oh and who can forget Top of the Pops!  Our favorite show every week.  We would dance along with the Pans People.  Well Pam could dance, I just looked a little silly!  When I was about 12 my parents took me down to London to visit with my uncle.  I needed to buy Pammie a present and what did I get her?  Yep, an LP!

My first real boyfriend was a musician.  He played several instruments and sang.  He had 3 brothers and each one of them had an entirely different favorite music genre.  John was into rythym and blues and Tamla Motown (thanks, John… still some of my favorite music), Stephen was into Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and all sorts of hard rock that made me want to thrown myself off their balcony.  Alan… well, Alan was into so many different music genres, but the one he introduced me to that has stayed with me forever was oldtime blues.  He had some recordings that had been taken in the deep south many, many, many decades ago.  They were scratchy and raw and made me see things in a totally different light.  Then I discovered Jazz.  Then I discovered classical music and opera.  Then I discovered that there are some Hip Hop songs that I just love.  Country… well, some of it – but not all of it.  My late husband (first husband – not current!) always said he knew what kind of day I had at work by the music I put on when I got home.  I have so many favorite artists and so many favorite songs that I know I would never be able to choose just 8 tracks if I was ever asked to appear on Desert Island Discs!!!   Anyway, enough wandering down musical memory lane.

I’ll be back tomorrow with another card.   In the meantime, warm hugs and prayers for those of you who need a little lift tonight.

Hugs

Jaydee

Card recipe:

• Dies:  Dancin’ Figgy Pudding – Spellbinders
• Sentiment: Dancin’ Christmas Sentiments – Spellbinders