Jingle Belles - Dreaming of a Pink Christmas

If you follow along with the Jingle Belles and here you will know that this time of year is saved for a very special challenge - the Pink Challenge for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Pink holiday cards with a majority of pink on them are the criteria.  

Most of you that follow know that flying pigs are special to me and even though this pig doesn't have wings it can certainly fly down a hill on those skis.  I bought this skiing Santa pig stamp from Rabbit Hole Designs last winter and didn't get around to using it until now.  A pink pig would be perfect for this challenge - but how to stage her........

But first to color her I stamped it in fade out ink and used my decades-old Prismacolor pencils with a few gel pen accents where needed.  Choosing the right shades of pink to try to match the background papers was an afterthought - well, after I finished the first one.  I searched through my papers to find backgrounds to blend with and also the card backing.  This pig's complexion proved a little harder.  Which made me glad that I didn't color the few images that I had stamped in tandem.  

I chose a different combination of pinks for this card and trust me, those doilies are white IRL, they look a little dingy in the photo.  

When I bought the stamp I also bought the die so I didn't have to fussy cut it.  The sentiments "Merry Pigmas" and "Happy Hoglidays" came with the stamp and I should note that HWNSNBP doesn't care for either, but I thought they would be okay.  Thoughts?

So, the other special part of this challenge is the donation that goes to the Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation by our Jingle Belle hostesses.  They each donate $2 for each card = $4/card combined.  

Since my pink pig has a personal tie to breast cancer awareness I thought it would be a nice idea to make a donation of $2 for each comment I get on this post (1 per user).  If you can't figure out how to make a comment, send me an e-mail and I'll count you in.  If you post as anonymous I'll need an e-mail as there could be multiple anonymous posters.  Click on my profile for my e-mail info.

I'll be visiting all the other Pink Christmas participants soon and you can too by clicking here and leaving some love.

What Do You See?

What do you see?  There's a name for this.  Pareidolia.  Seeing faces or images in other things.  Woodgrain is one place to look for such things.  Like the door to the exam room in my cardiologist's office.  What do you see?

I see a face with large eyes and ears.  I also can see dancing aliens holding hands.

Below is the view of the entrance to the school I work in.  Do you see the man hanging out there?

At certain times of the day, when the light is just right I see the man.  Otherwise, I know what I think is his head is a flower pot, his shirt the dark mulch, and his arm is the downspout.

Traveling to visit Rachel a few weeks ago we got stuck in heavy, stop-and-go traffic and I happened to look up. 

What do you see?

I see the head of a pig from the side.  See, I always knew that pigs could fly!

And what might I find under this mushroom/toadstool?

A little gnome and his rabbit!  

Okay.  You know I put that there I'm sure.  

Pigs Fly and THE WRITTEN WORD

Pigs flew in from New Zealand last week.  They had a long flight but they made it.  The envelope they came in suffered a little mishap but all the contents were intact. My blogging friend Sunshine, one of my "Pig Ladies" send me this adorable package of flying pig seeds.  (I added the link to her blog but I think she's been having some computer issues lately.  But check her out anyway.  She's got some great projects.)

On the back were the handwritten directions............

And don't you just love the stamp on the bottom where she signed it!  I giggled when I saw it.

She always puts so much detail into her creations.  Just look at those sparkly wings and the shiny snouts and hooves.

Not only were there seeds, but she sent me this beautiful card too.  

I just love those silhouettes with that tiny butterfly.  And I'm going to have to remember to try that background on one of my next floral cards.  Thank YOU Sunshine for sharing your talent with me.

Today's photo prompt is THE WRITTEN WORD.  As I was moving things around in the stamp cave the other day - notice I did not say cleaning - I came across these newspapers that I picked up at a garage sale a few years back.  They were from 1969 - the day of the moon landing.  The pictures are not that great, but the papers are authentic.  

HWNSNBP still picks up two daily newspapers on his way to work and he has been complaining lately that the content is dwindling so much that it's almost not worth buying them when he still has to go on-line to find out things like the scores of the local sporting events.  Whether he's reading the paper in hand or on-line, he still relies on THE WRITTEN WORD.

Sharing Their Creativity

I had a visitor recently and during the course of our conversation I was telling her all about my interactions with friends that I have made through this blog.  It was when I was showing her my Shabby Charlotte from Clare that I realized that I never shared her here.  Clare makes these adorable little dolls that, as I mentioned she calls Shabby Charlottes.  Each doll is individually handcrafted sometimes with and sometimes without a special person in mind.  Clare names them all and gives them a little story card explaining all about them.

This is Beatrice

"Beatrice is a very special little doll with a wonderful sense of humor and a great smile.  She loves a good cup of tea - preferably in a pretty teacup...and even better if served with fancy little finger sandwiches and pastries...and shared with friends.  Beatrice loves to make things...and is always ready to turn a few simple pieces of paper into a work of art.  She loves nature and sees beauty all around her.  She likes to keep a little bird seed in her bag just in case the mood strikes her to stop and do a little bird watching.  Beatrice is kind, thoughtful, and believes nothing is impossible...why with determination and hope - she even believes pigs can fly."

In Beatrice's purse adorned with a teacup charm is a tiny little folded crane, a little colored pencil, and the tiniest little pouch of tea.

Around her neck is a necklace with a flying pig and around her waist - every at the ready - is a tiny heart stamp.  

She is so special to me.  I am only sorry that I did not share her sooner.  Thank you Clare, and thank you for the wonderful "orange" crane that you sent me to cheer me up during my recovery.  You are so very thoughtful and do know how to cheer me up!

And my blogging friend Sabrina sent me this wonderful card.  I absolutely love this quote.  It says so much about using the gifts that you have - something I feel very strongly about especially when someone questions me about why I spend so much of my time creating.  Don't you just love the sweet little birds!  Thank you Sabrina!

Sabrina had send me some crafting supplies for my birthday and I finally got around to using some of them.  Some little muslin pennants, tiny wood birds, and an assortment of nature printed ribbon.  Hmmm, what to do with these?

I lined the pennant pieces up in this order.....

added some snippets of ribbon to each pennant piece, and stained the little wooden birds with my SU markers to look like bluebirds, then I glued them onto each pennant.  

I tied it around a glass dish that has some plants in it and it looks great (but doesn't photograph well because of the glass).  I'm so pleased with the way this came out.  HWNSNBP even commented that he liked it.  

There Be Pigs!

Catch a flying pig and put it in your pocket, save it for a snowy day...........

Well it may not be snowing today, but it is time for pigs to fly!!!!!!

My Flying Pig card for this year - a tee-pee card with the message to Imagine the Possibilities.

Complete with a curly tail.

A little etsy purchase I treated myself to.  A pincushion that came in such a cute bag.

This card and beaded letter opener I received from my friend Dawn in North Carolina.  Dawn participated in "Pigs on Parade" a couple of years ago.  She makes such beautiful cards and I see that she has become quite a beader too!  Thank you Dawn!

Though not a flying pig - this slice-formed pig was something I picked up at Crate and Barrel after the holidays.  With the markdown I couldn't resist it.  Took me about an hour to assemble the other night.  I'm thinking it will be pretty easy to add wings.

And this last one for today was found at Home Goods.  I had a gift card from a student that I hadn't used and it was between this white one and a pudgier teal one.  Since I didn't know where I'd put the teal one, this one came home with me.  I just love it when I can get in the car with a bag and tell HWNSNBP that I didn't spend a dime!

I'm sure I'll find more pigs to share over the weekend - they seem to be magically multiplying.

I hope you are enjoying Pig Day and I hope that you will take the Flying Pig message and continue to  "Imagine the Possibilities".  I know it's not always easy.  But just think of how much freer you'll feel if you let the negative go and let the positive lift you!

Pigs on Parade

A little more than a month ago I celebrated my Blogoversary and posted a challenge of sorts involving some papier mache pigs that I had found while attempting to clean up my craft room.  I offered the pigs to those who would like to have one to decorate with the following stipulations:  1) they had to have them done by March 31st, and 2) they had to send me a picture or post it on their blog so I could share it.  I was thrilled to have 7 requests from far and wide - Sabrina in Ireland and Sunshine in New Zealand, Clare in California and Michelle in  Colorado, Lauri in Connecticut and Dawn in North Carolina, and Dorrie a fellow "Jersey Girl".  (The participant's individual blog posts will be highlighted below.  Please visit them to see the details up close and personal.)

And of course I kept one for myself to decorate too.  

So without further ado, let's get the Parade going!  Get your seats in the Grandstand.

Leading the parade we have Dorrie's Pig.  Dorrie, like me, is from New Jersey and we are both in agreement that there is a lot of talent here in this small state.  You'll see what I mean.  Dorrie's Pig comes complete with her own carrying case and she is holding a little purse in her mouth.  Now I'm quite certain that since this is not a silk purse, it was not made out of a sow's ear, so the rest of our parade participants should not be afraid.   Don't you just love her little headpiece!

Dorrie's pig has a wonderful little traveling home also.  The flowers on top match her wings and headpiece, each one lovingly rolled and placed so perfectly.  (And if you look closely at the left side by the handle you can see a beautiful array of charms that are so meaningful to me!  A lighthouse, a jingle bell, a flying pig, a teapot, and a bird.)

The sides of her home each have a picture and some even have a pig-related quote.

The inside is a wonder also.  Look how snug and cozy she is.

Thank you Dorrie, for your wonderful entrant into our parade today.  She is stunning and I love her.

Next, coming all the way from the "Fringe of Heaven" is Shona, aka Sunshine's Miss Piggy.  To quote Sunshine:  "Here she is, all the way from Titirangi! It is called "The Fringe of Heaven" because I live high up on a ridge on the edge of the Waitakere Ranges. Titirangi is the highest point around & I can see both the East Coast & West Coast of NZ from up the road. I live on a very narrow part of NZ & am surrounded by beaches, which I love."

Miss Piggy has quite a pig persona.  She's a star with those golden locks and sunglasses.  

And, she has a curl in her tail to die for peaking out from that too too cute tutu!

What pig wouldn't love a cute button nose and golden hooves?  

Thank you for your cute and clever little Miss Piggy, Sunshine.  She has made me smile and giggle and is so much fun.  (I just may take you up on that visit someday!)

Coming up next, from the State of Colorado is a figment of Michelle's imagination, and what a wonderful imagination she has.  This little piggy is ready to Take Flight all right.  She is beaded and sparkled and full of whimsy and fun.

Michelle chronicled her process of trial and error in decorating this little pig.  She is not afraid to take chances and certainly is not afraid to fail.  But what I think is that we have learned here that we can benefit from our failures.  

Afterall, the flying pig is a symbol of persistence and boy, did this persistence in creativity pay off.  From the nose to the tail and those beautiful complimentary wings, this is a sparkly spectacular pig.

Thank you Michelle, for your creative perseverance.  I love the way you've "tethered" the pig.  She'll let your imagination FLY for sure.

Next we have another international entrant.  

Sabrina sends us Papillon all the way from Ireland.  I've never seen a more beautifully landscaped pig!

And..... she comes complete with a nose ring and those beautiful butterfly wings.  (I heard from a very reliable source that Sabrina gave up one of her very own gold earrings for that nose ring!)  

Each time I look at these pictures I see a new detail.  It's like finding a little treasure.  How sweet is the tiny butterfly on the necklace!  

I imagine a wonderful field of flowers with butterflies galore  when I look at this beautiful pig.  What amazing camouflage that would be.  I can only think that Sabrina got some of her inspiration from the beautiful scenery around her and the superb photographs that she takes and shares.  I am so lucky to have virtually visited so many beautiful places with her.

Thank you for adding your amazing pig to the parade Sabrina.  It was a small canvas to work with, but you did wonders with it with your breathtaking vista.  (And the eyes are gorgeous!)

Our next entrant comes from one of our southern states, North Carolina, and the very talented Dawn.  Dawn has a special place in her heart for pigs and didn't want to miss out on this parade.  

Having grown up on a pig farm, taking care of the pigs taught Dawn the meaning of hard work and determination.  You can see the fruits of Dawn's determination to get this pig prettied up for the parade today.  What a lovely "coat" of flowers she is wearing along with that precious bow.

Thank you Dawn, for sharing your creativity and hard work.  I'm thrilled to hear that you will be passing this on to someone who needs a lift in their spirits.  That means a lot to me.

Our pigs are flying in from coast to coast and this one is from the west coast.  Specifically, California.  

This is Clare's pig in a pink party hat and she is so precious.  She comes complete with rhinestones, and sequins, and flowers, and glittery wings to compliment the penwork.  Clare, who also has a blog dedicated to folding paper cranes and her 1000 paper crane project, I did not know you were a zentangler too!  

And I didn't miss those bluebirds under-hoove either.

Here is an aerial view.  (Hey, I didn't realize the MetLife blimp was covering the parade on the west coast!)

But, didn't she get some great shots, and just look at that face!

She sure looks all puckered up and beautiful.  Thank you Clare for sharing such a sweet and delightful creation.  The pink touches are perfect with your black and white penwork.  I love it.

Our caboose pig from Connecticut will be by shortly.  Poor Lauri's dog has been sick and family definitely comes before fun, so we hope the dog will be well soon and Lauri will join in later.

To round things up, here's one more glimpse of my pig.  I promise I'll post how I made her soon.

Like most of the participants, I found that this was fun and challenging at the same time.  Our starting product was only about 6" long, so we were limited to using things that would fit that size and not overpower the shape of the pig.  And didn't all of these ladies rise to the occasion!  They are all uniquely beautiful and so, so, creative.  I couldn't have imagined anything better.

Thank you all for being part of the Pigs on Parade.  You have no idea how much I have enjoyed reading each of your blogs, e-mails, and letters regarding this event.  And to see the finished projects was just the icing on the cake!

Today, as it turns out, is not only my birthday, but also my 1000th post on this blog.  What a journey it has been and what remarkable friends I have made through it.  Thank you for making my day special and for sharing so much with me throughout the years.