Polka Dotted Apothicary Elephants

Just in case you are thinking I don't get ANYTHING done except make cards...you will be happy to know that I did manage to get the Christmas decorations put away. Oh, that reminds me...I still have to get the circular wooden ornament from the front porch. How many years ago did sista Judy give me that?

I know the appliqued quilted tree skirt she made me is from 1984 - because she wrote the date on the back. Of course it looks like new being used only once a year - and as you can see I don't leave Christmas 'stuff' up for very long. I think it's genetic. I remember my mother and her brother calling each other every year around the holidays. The first phone call would be to claim dibs on cooking the first batch of peanut brittle, divinity, and fudge. The second annual phone call would be to claim the honor of being first to take down the Christmas tree. I also remember a year my mother won resoundingly. It was the year the Christmas tree got knocked down (can't seem to remember who or what knocked it down but I think it had to do with a dog or cat) late Christmas eve. Luckily all the gifts were already opened. So as you can see I come from a family of 'put all the stuff away' kind of folks.

Don't get me wrong - it's not that I don't like Christmas and all the trimmings...it's not having my usual 'stuff' sitting out that puts me on edge. I like my usual 'stuff' (decor). Plus working in higher education with the week off between Christmas and New Years - it only makes sense to put that down time to good use. I even switched to snowmen instead of the 'traditional' Christmas decorations thinking I would/could leave things up longer. What was I thinking...we are SURROUNDED by snow - all I have to do is look out the window!

Even with my burst of packing energy I was able to log some Bubble time.

Over at The Pink Elephant there was a choice of layouts to choose from. I chose the second sketch because I found this blue/white print rectangle with the green ribbon/bow already on it. It came in the ToT (Transfer of Treasures) from Amy and Jennie. {Transfer of Treasures is NOT to be confused with ToC Transfer of Crap} Crap vs Treasure has nothing to do with the transferer - it's just that Amy and Jennie sent me all their card making stuff... now really how could I possibly lump all those wonderful goodies in with everyday 'transfer of crap'?

Back to the The Pink Elephant sketch. Here is the down-low:


Blue Elephant
~Base card - PTI white - edges smudged with Stampabilities Lime Green
~Layer of lime green cardstock
~Layer of print paper from Miss Elizabeth - edges smudged with Stampabilities Baby Blue
~Narrower layer of same lime green cardstock and print paper - blue polka dot brad added on right
~Layers of blue, white, green cardstock topped with the 'found treasure' of blue/white floral and polka dot ribbon
~Two green corner brads added
~Sentiment - Stampin' Up Warm Words - stamped using Baby Blue then embossed with clear powder - edgles smudged with Lime Green and layered on blues and green cardstock - attached using dimensionals

One of the first places I clicked into today was the Crazy 4 Challenges blog. The challenge was to use polka dots! I LOVE polka dots! Since I had so much fun with the "Joy-folded card"yesterday I decided to make another one. Plus - using the fold card I could use lots and lots of polka dots!




Fold Out the Polka
~Base card - PTI white
~All the polka dot cardstocks from DCWV Nana's Kids~Three brads upper left flap
~Bottom left corner - ribbon slit circle brad - with a variety of polka dot ribbons threaded through










Inside Sentiment: Stampin' Up Very Punny "Like No Udder"
I just HAD to use my friend the spotted (or in this case) the polka dotted cow.







Clean and Simple was the Saturday challenge at Our Creative Corner. The simple part was cutting up an adorable get-well card that niece Linda sent to her Aunt Gail. This is where the REAL ToC gets a little dicey...while it is traditionally called Transfer of Crap - HOW CUTE IS THIS CARD and aren't I glad that Gail 'transferred' it to me. Maybe we should rename the tradition "Repurposing Transfer".... I doubt that name would stick as ToC is ingrained in us all. I think someone needs to make a jar shaped punch...hmmm...maybe there is one and I don't know about it. As daughter Amy would say to me, "Get on the Google Mama!"




Simply Linda
~Base card - PTI Vintage Cream
~Layer of grey - embossed using Cuttlebug and embossing folder - metallic ink rubbed over the top using Brilliance Starlite Silver
~Horizontal strip of silver grey/white grosgrain ribbon





And...To quote my very dear friend Sharon Loo, "That's it and that's all!" Gail, I'm sure, will be very happy I'm finished as she is the proof-reader of all this nonsense. If you find a gaff....tell her not me!

You can get up close with the card by clicking on the image.
All good wishes,
Nancy