Joyeux Noel for Paper Players

Hi Everyone.  Happy Sunday.

I am unusually late for my Paper Players challenge this week.  I generally have my card ready to go and the post in place on Saturday.  This week, however, I found myself without a card and no time to make one yesterday.  This morning was the first time that I have gotten into my craft room all week. 

The fabulous Nance is hosting our last challenge of the year and she has a great challenge for us:

 
Isn't that fun?  Somehow a project that has sparkle and shine seems so appropriate for this time of year. 
 
I decided to go with a Christmas card and this isn't one that I would do very often unless I had fun foam to use underneath the diecut.  I can hear you asking "fun foam? fun foam? why does she need fun foam on a card?"  Well, that's a very good question and, if you check out this post from the oh, so talented Jennifer McGuire, you'll understand exactly what I mean.
 
Well, I decided to make a shaker card, but didn't have any fun foam, so I had to improvise using some SU Vanilla Coaster board, which I die cut twice and glued together.  It was a time consuming process, but I am pleased with the results.  It would have been a breeze with the fun foam though!
 
I used an old set from Papertrey Ink called Layered Postcards and die cut a Christmas tree.  I then stamped the scripted tree onto Mossy Meadow card stock and heat embossed it with white embossing powder.  I adhered about 3 or 4 silver and gold sequins to the stamped tree and then added some loose ones to float around in my shaker card. 
 
I stamped the sentiment in a WOW embossing powder that has glitter in it, which I thought added to the "fancy" theme.  Unfortunately, it is a dull grey day here, so I wasn't able to get a good photo – but here's my version of a fancy card.
Joyeux Noel
 
So, what do you think?  Is it fancy enough?  I was pleased with it and love the mixture of the gold and silver sequins in the shaker and I think it ties in the gold embossed sentiment.
 
I do hope you will play along with us in this, our final challenge for 2014.  It's a two week challenge, so you have even more time to play along with us.
 
This is also the week that we say goodbye to our amazing guest design team.  They really are a very talented group of ladies and I hope you will visit their blogs and leave them a little paper crafting love.
 

On a personal note:

This week has been even more busy than usual at work, which has resulted in some very long hours for me.  On top of that, Lou was in Costa Rica for the week and that just adds to the number of things that I have to get done and means no chance of getting into my craft room.

He got back late on Friday night and we rushed around yesterday doing shopping, etc., but we did manage to get to see the Moscow Ballet performing The Nutcracker yesterday.  It was glorious.  The costumes were beautiful and the dancing superb. 

As we went to a 4pm showing, there were so many little girls all dressed up in their pretties dresses with lots of pink and white and sequins.  It really made me smile.  So many of them were all dressed up so that they could have their photograph taken with a real life ballerina after the show.

Talking about little girls….. the Moscow Ballet uses children from local dance studios when they put on these performances around the country and I think it is such a great thing to do.  I just can't imagine what it felt like for these little girls to be able to perform on stage in front of so many people, with exceptionally talented dancers.  It truly was a magical two hours.  Then, it was back to reality, rushing around the food stores getting supplies for the week.

 A couple of weeks ago I had seen a news clipping on our local TV channel about a company in Wisconsin that was making winter food wreaths for birds.  Check out the video here – it really is a very special story.   Well, Lou was at Fleet Farm buying bird food yesterday and they were selling some of these wreaths.  They are so full of plump seeds and looked good enough for us to eat!  Of course, he had to buy a couple and this morning, I noticed 3 woodpeckers – 1 on the wreath and 2 lined up on the deck rail.   Not a good photograph, I'm afraid, but it sure does look pretty.

Woodpeckers seed wreath (1 of 1)

If you look closely, you can see one of the woodpeckers on the wreath and then, on the bottom left corner, just next to my jaydee flower, you can see another one waiting for his turn!

Oh… and these guys have become regular visitors to our deck.  They drink from the water bowl that we have placed on the deck railing.  When there is snow on the rail, they also eat the snow off it for water.  Really smart 🙂

Dovesdeck (1 of 1)

Well, I am off to do some housework, laundry and other fun chores!  I do hope to get back into my craft room some time today, so that I will have a couple of projects to share with you this week.

In the meantime, warm hugs and prayers for those of you who need a little lift today.

Hugs

Jaydee

Card recipe:

  • Card stock:  120# (Gina K.)  Mossy Meadow (SU)
  • Stamps:  Layered Postmark (Papertrey)
  • Tools:  Stitched Rectangles (Lil Inker).  Tree die (Papertrey Ink).  WOW Gold Glitter embossing powder.  Versamark.  White embossing powder.

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10 Responses

  1. I love this card, Jaydee! My biggest thrill lately has been this: after returning home from work, I let my little dachshund out the back door and to my surprise, two magnificent deer were drinking out of the creek behind my house. We startled each other, and the slam of the screen door scared them off, but not before we acknowledged each other’s presence. I’d never seen them so close to the house before!

  2. A shaker card! I would say that is fancy enough, yet CAS at the same time. Amazing! I love the embossed sentiment and background, too. So wonderful you had the opportunity to see The Nutcracker, by the Moscow Ballet no less. The Nutcracker is on my bucket list! Since I live less than an hour from NYC I have no excuse…

  4. I’d say this qualifies as fancy.:o) Sequins and glitter are fancy for sure! ;o)
    Speaking of fancy, those little girls at the ballet…I was one of those dressed-up girlies once, along with Jessie. I remember so clearly Lissie taking us to see the performance–they too had used local young talent–and was just speaking of it today with Brien as I mentioned wanting to take Lil and Bean at some point. I have such vivid and wonderful memories of that day. :o)
    Your wreath is delightful and now I’m thinking my birdies may need some sort of fun and festive treat. :o)
    Hugs! And, try to get some rest. What a trying week you’ve had!
    P.S. Welcome home, Lou! I’m sure you were THRILLED to get hone to the frigid MN winter after such a warm time in CR. ;oP

  5. Hi Jaydee!
    Lovely cards! . . . your wreaths are great for the birds!
    Back at home and getting ready for the arrival of our Little Jesus!
    Lots of blessings for you and your followers.
    Marina . . . from far Africa

  6. Beautiful festive looking shaker card.
    For some reason I just have no luck whatsoever with shaker cards. I’m never happy with the ones I make so basically have given up making them.
    Thanks for sharing you lovely nature photos. Sure looks like that woodpecker is having a great feast.
    I used to make those seed wreaths but then when we would get warm temperatures here in the winter time, the gelatin would melt and the wreath would come apart and fall to the ground.
    I now use cheap grapevine wreaths, lay wreath on baking sheet, smear with A lot of peanut butter and cover with birdseed packing it down really well into the peanut butter and then hang. No more problems of the wreath coming apart and falling to the ground. Have made mini ones to hang in our evergreen trees and hung on our fence.
    Save the fruit shells from your oranges, grapefruit, etc and stuff them with birdseed mixture. Can use almost anything to sue as a mold for the birdseed mixture, clay pots, cookie cutters, even empty and cleaned out cans that come from your canned veggies or canned fruit.
    Come on now folks, get your brain a working and use what you have around the house and feed our friendly feathered friends. Also, don’t forget to provide some sort of water source.

  7. A Christmas tree shaker card. How clever.
    I saw the Nutcracker in Boston when my daughter was in college in New Hampshire. Such a thrill. And she performed in our local dance company as a Bumble Bee when she was 6.
    I love all the wildlife in your backyard. So entertaining.

  8. Oh this is most definitely FANCY! Love the white and green embossed tree and the gorgeous silver and gold sequins pair beautifully with the embossed sentiment. What a fabulous tip on the fun foam–can’t wait to try it! Gorgeous card, Jaydee, and a great way to end the year! ((hugs))

  10. Fun and fancy at the same time! I love the shaker style with the tree and the stitched rectangles add a nice subtle detail. I’ve enjoyed being a guest designer at The Paper Players and getting to know you over the last six months. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

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10 Responses

  1. I love this card, Jaydee! My biggest thrill lately has been this: after returning home from work, I let my little dachshund out the back door and to my surprise, two magnificent deer were drinking out of the creek behind my house. We startled each other, and the slam of the screen door scared them off, but not before we acknowledged each other’s presence. I’d never seen them so close to the house before!

  2. A shaker card! I would say that is fancy enough, yet CAS at the same time. Amazing! I love the embossed sentiment and background, too. So wonderful you had the opportunity to see The Nutcracker, by the Moscow Ballet no less. The Nutcracker is on my bucket list! Since I live less than an hour from NYC I have no excuse…

  4. I’d say this qualifies as fancy.:o) Sequins and glitter are fancy for sure! ;o)
    Speaking of fancy, those little girls at the ballet…I was one of those dressed-up girlies once, along with Jessie. I remember so clearly Lissie taking us to see the performance–they too had used local young talent–and was just speaking of it today with Brien as I mentioned wanting to take Lil and Bean at some point. I have such vivid and wonderful memories of that day. :o)
    Your wreath is delightful and now I’m thinking my birdies may need some sort of fun and festive treat. :o)
    Hugs! And, try to get some rest. What a trying week you’ve had!
    P.S. Welcome home, Lou! I’m sure you were THRILLED to get hone to the frigid MN winter after such a warm time in CR. ;oP

  5. Hi Jaydee!
    Lovely cards! . . . your wreaths are great for the birds!
    Back at home and getting ready for the arrival of our Little Jesus!
    Lots of blessings for you and your followers.
    Marina . . . from far Africa

  6. Beautiful festive looking shaker card.
    For some reason I just have no luck whatsoever with shaker cards. I’m never happy with the ones I make so basically have given up making them.
    Thanks for sharing you lovely nature photos. Sure looks like that woodpecker is having a great feast.
    I used to make those seed wreaths but then when we would get warm temperatures here in the winter time, the gelatin would melt and the wreath would come apart and fall to the ground.
    I now use cheap grapevine wreaths, lay wreath on baking sheet, smear with A lot of peanut butter and cover with birdseed packing it down really well into the peanut butter and then hang. No more problems of the wreath coming apart and falling to the ground. Have made mini ones to hang in our evergreen trees and hung on our fence.
    Save the fruit shells from your oranges, grapefruit, etc and stuff them with birdseed mixture. Can use almost anything to sue as a mold for the birdseed mixture, clay pots, cookie cutters, even empty and cleaned out cans that come from your canned veggies or canned fruit.
    Come on now folks, get your brain a working and use what you have around the house and feed our friendly feathered friends. Also, don’t forget to provide some sort of water source.

  7. A Christmas tree shaker card. How clever.
    I saw the Nutcracker in Boston when my daughter was in college in New Hampshire. Such a thrill. And she performed in our local dance company as a Bumble Bee when she was 6.
    I love all the wildlife in your backyard. So entertaining.

  8. Oh this is most definitely FANCY! Love the white and green embossed tree and the gorgeous silver and gold sequins pair beautifully with the embossed sentiment. What a fabulous tip on the fun foam–can’t wait to try it! Gorgeous card, Jaydee, and a great way to end the year! ((hugs))

  10. Fun and fancy at the same time! I love the shaker style with the tree and the stitched rectangles add a nice subtle detail. I’ve enjoyed being a guest designer at The Paper Players and getting to know you over the last six months. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!