Tree Skirt Selfies

It is officially Christmas tree season! Bringing out the tree skirt that my sister, Judy, hand made with layers upon layers of applique always makes me feel a little melancholy. Each of the Twelve Days of Christmas have their own wedge of this skirt that looks practically new even though she make it (with love) in 1984. I love this tree skirt! I even pinned it together and wore it for a selfie! Okay Okay - so there was a SUBSTANTIAL gap in the back... Selfies are taken from the FRONT! I will spare all of you and won't post my tree skirt wearing, shades of Bernice Clifton on Designing Women.

I sent a picture of it on a group (family) text. Her grandkids (my great nieces) were bemoaning that they didn't have one, while one of the married one's bragged (or exclaimed) she "wasn't even born then". Was that a slam at my age? Hmmmm......

Handmade Christmas Tree - circa 1984.

 

Here is Stella posing in Judy's daughter's tree skirt down in Atlanta, GA.

 

I really need to ask her how many of these she made! On to the card....

 

Shiny Tree
~Layer of green American Crafts Foil card stock
~Die cuts - tree and star - Sizzix Jim Holtz - using same green Foil card stock
~Strip of gold glitter Washi
Challenges | Inspiration
Just Us Girls - word week - Christmas tree
Glittern N' Sparkle - Christmas colors
Fusion - Christmas

Here's to family, Christmas memories, and evidently VERY young nieces!

Thanks for clicking by,
Nancy in Iowa

Treasures and Mulligans

Today I put up the Christmas decorations. A couple of years ago I culled the herd to a manageable two totes (plus tree). It was time to put out the time honored treasures!

The tree skirt sissy Judy made in 1984. She made one for herself and one for me!
ALL THAT applique! YIKES!
No I haven't wrapped the gifts yet. That will come later.

It is usually delegated to my husband's to-do-list.

 

Here is HER skirt. I don't even like making
two identical cards because I get bored - can't
imagine making an entire quilted tree skirt twice! But I sure am glad she did!

My "seasonal table" made the switch from autumn to Christmas. I bought this table a couple years ago. It is my place for holiday/seasonal decorations. This way - all the decorations are located in one area - and I don't end up putting away stray holiday trinkets MONTHS later. Oh those orphaned ornaments and tchotchkes! No more finding a heart shaped ceramic in April. No more random snowmen sitting still grinning at me on a seldom dusted shelf in June! So the Seasonal Table is my answer to admitting I don't dust very often!

Autumnal look.

 

Ta-Da - TIME FOR CHRISTMAS!

Regarding the card...it was mulligan time! Ever notice how different cards look In-Real-Life vs. a photo? Sometimes IRL is SO much better than what the photo represents. Sometimes...as with this card...it wasn't until I looked at the card in the photo that I realized the IRL version was sadly lacking.

So last week's post (Ginny's card for her Wall, SD granny) gets a mulligan! I added some faux stitches. I'm not sure it is what it needed but now it doesn't look quite so "flat".

Original

Mulligan Dove

 

Now on to today's card...Christmas continues to be the theme. Serendipity played into this one. I was reaching for the embossing folder when a tin of colored paperclips fell onto the craft table. I noticed the teal one and decided the card NEEDED something clipped to it!

Merry Little Paperclip
~Base card Cryogenic White
~Layer of American Craft Foil embossed using Hero Arts Dots Embossing Folder
~Merry die cut using Foil teal
~Circle punch and snow flake punch
~Paperclip
Challenges | Inspirations
Southern Girls - use something you love (I love my Cuttlebug! It may not be high tech, the handle is broken, the plates are warped...but it is true love - warts and all!)
Fusion - color inspiration
Just Us Girls - word week - Merry
The Card Concept - let it snow
Gem of a Challenge - anything Christmas
Inkspirational - flake
Christmas Cards All Year Round - CAS

Thank you for clicking by.

Here's to serendipity, mulligans, and admitting to the finding better things to do than dust!

Nancy in Iowa