Monday 24 September 2012

No poinsettias for me!

During the Christmas season, I can admire the poinsettias at the garden centers or in other peoples houses. I can appreciate their unique beauty and it is always interesting to look at the different colours and hybrids that are available.

But that is exactly where I like to see them...at places other than my own!

I don't like owning one. They look so warm and inviting and healthy when they arrive. Sometimes they have a shot of glimmer dust and are all sparkly and inviting. Well, at my house that first blush of beauty soon fades!  Mine start wrinkling up their leaves shortly after arriving...let me tell you it is not a pretty site.

Quite quickly, they begin dropping their leaves. It then becomes a fight to keep them alive and frankly, I enjoy all the beauty of Christmas too much to spend it nursing something sickly. Nursing is probably a poor choice of words...you see mine never revive...I am the Nurse Rachet of poinsettias!!!

I purchase them to give as gifts to those that love them, treasure and let them live...holding them for those few moments from the store until we deliver them, is enough for me.

Invariably, someone gives us one at Christmas, some years we have been given 3!  Usually the giver announces with a beaming smile "I got you a poinsettia, I know how you LOVE them".    ahahahahaha

I like to keep my poinsettias to cards and those found in silk flower arrangements. In that spirit, here is my lastest Christmas card creation.  My poinsettia is a new tricoloured hybrid, all glimmery in kraft, taupe and ivory. I used one of the shiny card bases that I mentioned in my last post. I don't mind this box of bases as the sheen is sort of embossed over the kraft and is not too offensive.

Here's the card assembled...
I decided that it was a bit too plain looking...it is for Christmas after all...so I pulled out the stickles and some pearl bling and gave it a little more pizzaz!
Card base - Michaels Recollections Kraft cards and envelopes
Ivory, taupe and kraft shimmery cardstock - Dollar Giant 6 inch paper packs (a couple of years ago)
Sentiment - TP Studio Christmas Greetings from Dollars and Sense ( I just used the word Peace from Peace On Earth) I turned the shimmery paper over as the sentiment would not stamp clearly on the textured shimmer side.

I am submitting this card to the following challenges:

1. Pixie's Crafty Workshop - use up your snippets http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.ca/
The snippets of shimmery cardstock were so small for this card that I had to cut each layer individually as the scraps of paper were only big enough for one of the layers each. Hence the tri-coloured flower. teehee
2. Rudolph Day http://stampingforpleasure.blogspot.co.uk/
3. Crafty Calender Challenge -  browns and creams http://craftycalendarchallenge.blogspot.ca/
4. Holly Jolly Christmas - Sentiment only  http://hollyjollychristmaschallenge.blogspot.ca/
5. Sparkles Christmas Challenge - sparkle and bling (I used stickles and pearl bling on this card)   http://sparklesforumchristmaschallenge.blogspot.ca/
6. Going Buggy - non traditional Christmas colours http://going-buggy.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/september-challenge.html

35 comments:

StasaLynn said...

Amen..... I love your poinsettia much much much better!

Thanks for showing us your beautiful card.

Lisa said...

Beautiful card. Love the poinsettia especially the stickles. Great job!

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Ah, what a smashing card Maureen, just love the bit of glitter to just finished it off!
I just popped over to say am s till praying too for next Monday for you.
And yes will make really cross if say I have poinsettias growing well in my garden as well as my pots. The cream one is the one is the garden and my sister gives them to me to mind for same reason as you said. Personally think you have to have right spot and inside is not it! they dont like heat or air conditioning or heating - fresh air any day! love Shaz in Oz.x

Anonymous said...

Lovely card, really like the colours you have used.

I also, have no luck with poinsettias or any other plants really. My fingers are definitely not green!

xxx

debby4000 said...

Love your gorgeous beautiful card, its so elegant.
luv
Debby

Sarn said...

WOW - that is just GORGEOUS. I love the colour shades you've used, and the card base is just lovely.

Thanks for joining in with my Rudolph Day challenge.
Good luck in the draw.

Hugs,
Sarn xxx

Erika said...

Oh Scrappingmo I LOVE this kraft and bling you can't go wrong and my favourite Christmas flower but I know what you mean. I have tried on more than one occasion to keep and get it to colour for the next year. Not a chance in hell and the one I got last year just curled up and died too.
Maybe this year.....a girl can hope!
Hugs Erika.

Mandalika said...

This is beautiful, I love the white and kraft combo for christmas.

Sarah said...

I share your poinsetta feelings!!! Lovely card - the bling finishes it off beautifully! x

Lisa Rukin Swift said...

You are not alone. I don't have luck with poinsettias either. :) You do a beautiful job using them on a card though. The sparkle is just the right touch!

Mary Pat Siehl said...

this is just beautiful

Hettie said...

Oo La Lah! Love this version of the poinsetta. I have the same issues with keeping them alive. MY MIL can keep them from one year to the next somehow! Couldn't you just hate her for that?
I saw them in Vietnam growing on the side of the road like a bush/weed. Massive and gorgeous! Never got to take a piccie though!
xx

Danielle said...

The card was lovely to begin, but once you added the stickles and pearls, Wow! Good luck with the challenges!

Elizabeth said...

You and me both when it comes to poinsettias - I love gardening but I'm death to indoor plants! Love your card - the base is lovely and the poinsettia is a beauty. Elizabeth xx

Kathleen said...

I am totally with you on pointsetters, but this card looks fabulous, especially with the added glitter. Brilliant card.

Kath x

Mary Jo said...

Such a pretty card! :)
I love the sparkle and the monochromatic colors!

MaryH said...

Lovely card, and I've found a kindred spirit! You were describing me to a T, in your story about being Nurse Ratchett. I love the beauties, but they die at my hand, very speedily. I'll stick to the silk ones, or as you did, in the beautiful card. Thanks for sharing a work of art, and a cute story.. Hugs

Sassy Raggedy said...

Your story was funny to read. But your card will live on forever. It is beautiful. joann sassy raggedy

Laura said...

Definitely love how you jazzed it uo

laura said...

definately love the jazzed up second card version.

Fleursbydesign said...

Pretty card, love how it sparkles :)

Anonymous said...

that is a gorgeous card!!!!

Tracy said...

Your card is beautiful, I really like that card base.
I used to say my mom had a black thumb when it came to plants. One year I got her a pointsetta and it survived until July. But all that was there were the green stems...it looked so pathetic, lol. I had to put it out of its missery

Pia S said...

You've made such a beautiful Christmas card - the design is so elegant! I love poinsettias, but I have no "green fingers", so I can't keep them alive. But I've found a solution to this - I've bought some really nice fake ones :)

Glenda Atkins said...

Beautiful, elegant card, love the shimmer ans shine and that is one gorgeous poinsettia.
hugs
glenda

Di said...

Absolutely gorgeous card and such a lovely poinsettia - snort, I'm with the 'fakes fans' I'm afraid :) Di xx

Mrs A. said...

Gorgeous card. Love the colours. I leave all the pot plants to
Hubby to water and nurse made. Hugs mrs .a.

Brenda said...

Wow this card is stunning!! Love all the shimmer and bling going on and your color combo is just perfect! Sorry you can't keep the real ones. I thought you were going to say that you were allergic to them and then when I got down to the part about them dying I had to laugh because I thinking it was a health issue to you. lol

Anonymous said...

gorgeous card! i love the added stickles and pearls to the shiny base. same here with poinsettias, although i somehow still nurse a christmas cactus and it actually bloomed last year. shocker. :)
linda

Debbie said...

A beautiful. elegant Christmas card. Thank you for joining in at Sparkles Christmas.
Hugs Debbie x

Sandra H said...

Totally stunning card and great for the Christmas Sparkle Challenge thank you for joining us and hopefully you will call back again Dt Member Sandra H X

Bernie said...

This is absolutely stunning! Fabulous colors and design.
My grandparents had gorgeous ten foot tall poinsettias growing along side the length of their home on Maui but they didn't pass on their talent for growing them to me. I swear they begin to die if I even think of buying one. I can't be that cruel so stick with silk and admire the live ones from afar.
Hugs
Bernie

Vicky Hayes said...

I love the subtlety of this card Scrappymo!

Looby said...

A beautiful card, lovely colour combination and I have to say I liked both the before and after. The base card is stunning.

Tamika said...

Oh wow that's gorgeous!