Au Revoir, Christmas

My Christmas tree

It’s been over a week since I last posted. But I had reasons. First I had my pre-op doctor’s appointment (of which I have a story to tell). Then there has been general life organizing going on and lastly, I’ve been grieving that Christmas is over.

It’s always so sad. Taking down the decorations, packing them away, thinking how you have 11 months before you can take them out again.

No presents in pretty papers for 11 months either. This is terrible. I can’t handle this. Maybe a picture of a puppy would help?

It does. Feeling better already! Meet Ava, 7-months old French bulldog. No one can do a stare down quite like Ava. Also, for a small dog, you wouldn’t expect her to be the Master of Space Hogging but she is. Funny story: one day I caught her licking my sister’s Moistmaker Sandwich while my sis was in the kitchen getting a drink. I didn’t tell my sister until the next day. I’m very proud of myself for keeping a straight face when she kept commenting how delicious the said sandwich was. Hey, one more thing to be proud of in 2012!

Seriously speaking, I should start taking the decorations down. But I don’t want to! Okay, I’m taking the decorations down but leaving the lights. And the tree. And the Christmas star in my window is such a hassle to remove so might as well leave that one in too.

Greetings from Thrifty “The Master of Rationalisation” Finn

Recipe Challenge! Or How You Can Find Inspiration In Everything.

Yes, it’s time for the weekly challenge card! The theme is a recipe: 3 designer papers, ribbon or twine, something circle shaped and we were asked to use an image from Delicious Doodle.

I requested the Robin Redbreast (who is a distant relative of me, Niina Itchynipple) and had some (a lot) trouble with the colouring. As you have seen in the past, my colouring skills leave a lot to be desired. I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface on what I could do with my ProMarkers. However, this time I couldn’t even decide what colours to use! I tried realistic colours. Nope. I tried leaving the image black and white. No, that didn’t work out either. I was getting frustrated. I stared and stared at the image until I suddenly got a feeling of familiarity. I’ve seen something like this before!

I did some creative Googleing and found it! A fabric print by Maija Louekari for Marimekko called Pakkanen:

See where I am going with this? After seeing the image, my card came together very quickly and here it is:

  My patterned papers are: the one on the background, the black paper is actually brown chevron I stained black and the blue circles were white but I coloured them blue with my ProMarker True Blue. The heart on the ribbon (twill tape) is also drawn with a ProMarker, colour Poppy.

I love the graphic style of this card and it’s already on its way to someone. Don’t forget to take part in this week’s challenge on Craft Your Passion where you can win 4 digi’s by Delicious Doodles. I’m also sharing this card in following challenges:

Crafty Sentiments Designs Challenge Blog: Snowflakes!
Creative Inspirations: Challenge #193- Contemporary Christmas Colours!
Simon Says Stamp Challenge: What’s Your Favourite? (ProMarkers, stitching, ribbon)
Divas By Design: Challenge #65- Use Some Red
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge: #185- Winter
Dutch Dare Card Challenges: #195- Snowflakes
Pin And Tack: Spark Your Creativity Now! Challenge #4-Anything Goes!
Paper Crafting Journey: Christmas Projects
Stamptacular Sunday Challenge: #194- Christmas Time!
The Squirrel and The Fox: Challenge #33- Christmas
Challenges 4 Everybody: Challenge #9- Anything Goes

It literally has taken me nearly an hour to link these babies up. I think I need to replenish my strength with some chocolate.

Related articles

• doodlin’ (givemeadaisy.com)
• Oh Deer! (thriftyfinn.wordpress.com)
• Deconstruction: Marimekko – Art of Printmaking Since 1951 (design-milk.com)
• A Conversation with Marimekko CEO Mika Ihamuotila (apartmenttherapy.com)

Christmas Planning a la Thrifty Sisters

 My sister just called asking about my Christmas plans. She wanted to know if I was going up north. When I said I won’t be going because I thought I’d have my knee operation so I didn’t book any tickets, she then proceeded to suggest that we could have a Singleton Christmas in Helsinki.

Before I had time to consider and give any kind of response, she continued: “Obviously this has to happen at my place since I have a bigger TV.”

Thrifty Finn. Over and out with a picture of thrifty finds she can’t find anymore but at least have a picture to prove she’s not crazy and did indeed find some vintage ornaments.

 

Oh Deer!

Challenge time! I forgot to post my previous DT-card but I’m double excited about this week’s one. I think I’ve mentioned several times about my digi stamp, vintage image hoarding habit? If I haven’t…Well. My name is Niina and I am an image addict.

This week were asked to use stitching, faux or real and we didn’t get a sponsored image to use so we could run wild! I decided to dive in my extensive vintage catalogue and found this gem. I’m so sorry but when I downloaded it, I forgot to re-name it according to where I got it so I can’t share the source. Totally embarrassed about it.

Anyway, here is my overly cute deer card:

 Once again I’m amazed by my obvious talent for everything visual. The pink! The chevron! The pom pom trim! Techniques used: doodle stitching, slight distressing on the edge of the chevron and the deer image is printed on heavy Canson watercolour paper. No ink and no stamping! I feel like I’ve started to move towards more design-y style, rather than entirely crafty. Something for me to ponder about. What do you think? Have you seen a shift in my style?

Don’t forget to join Craft Your Passion this week and I’m also sharing my card on these challenges:

Fab’n Funky Challenges: #150- Not a Traditional Christmas
Whimsy Stamps Inspirations: Challenge #54- Anything Goes As Long As It’s Festive
Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog: Anything Goes
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge: #184- Christmas
Crafts And Me Challenges: Challenge #113- Anything Goes
PaperPlay Challenges: Week 49- Christmas Is Coming
Little Scrap Pieces: It’s Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas
Stamping With Dragon: Anything Goes
Fussy And Fancy Friday Challenge: #77- I Love Christmas
On Stop Craft Challenge: #208- Christmas Friends
Crafty Mess Challenge: #23- Vintage Christmas
My Time To Craft: Challenge #200- None Traditional Christmas Colours
Cupcake Craft Challenges: Cupcake #222- Merry Christmas
Craft Us Crazy: Challenge #32- Christmas/Winter (favourite embellishment: ribbon)
Card Crafter’s Circle: Challenge #52- December Celebrations

Related articles

• Commissioned Card! Yes. Really! (thriftyfinn.wordpress.com)
• This Little Santa Went To… (thriftyfinn.wordpress.com)
• Clean And Simple (thriftyfinn.wordpress.com)
• Mr and Mrs Claus- Simply B Stamps (jazzydoodledesigns.com)
• In the Meadow… (scrapbookgirl.typepad.com)
• Merry Christmas, Deer… (cindymajor.typepad.com)

Christmas Shopping

Fun fact. There is a Christmas decoration factory in Helsinki. Been functioning since 1924 and is still owned by the same family.

I bought some tinsel made by them. There’s never enough tinsel. I want to tinsel my entire apartment now.

Sorry about the short post. I’m all exhausted from commenting Sew Mama Sew’s Giveaway blogs.