adventure in perseverance

When I  saw the Saturday sketch at Stamping 411 I didn't think I was going to be able to work with that large space on the top layer.  I didn't even add it to the reminder list of challenges on my crafting table.  I was also somewhat discouraged by my lack of imagination for the Jingle Belles prompt celebrating food; the only idea I could come up with was candy canes, and I was just sure that would be the most popular choice.  I had to do something, though, since it's the LAST Jingle Belles challenge for 2011! 

I was pleasantly surprised when I browsed through the entries today and saw more gingerbread (which I never even thought of), so I persevered with my candy canes.  I knew that I wanted to used Red Glimmer paper on Whisper White, and since Real Red is a favorite Christmas color for me, I thought I could stay on track for the new SU-Only Challenge if I added Garden Green and maybe some designer series paper.  As I sifted through my Letters to Santa paper, I came across a piece that I originally thought of as really more of a scrapbook page, and that Stamping 411 sketch popped back into my head:

stamp set - Grateful Greetings; ink - Real Red classic and Stampin' Write marker; card stock - Whisper White, Early Espresso, Marina Mist; designer series paper - Letters to Santa; punches - Decorative Label, Modern Label; Stampin' Dimensionals

They were just made for each other, weren't they?  I did have to reposition the sentiment so it wouldn't cover Santa's face.

Returning to the candy canes, the designer series paper idea wasn't working, so I went browsing for layout ideas.  Nothing was really speaking to me, but somehow it occurred to me that the Scallop Oval Frame die for the Big Shot might set them off nicely.  I declared that "glitter" is another Christmas favorite, even if it's not really a color, and finally I had all the elements.  I glued it all together on plain card stock, and then realized it really needed a little more texture.  Yes, I did pull out my favorite "trick" - turned the heat gun on and peeled everything off so I could add the Netting background stamp on both the base and the oval:

stamp set - Teeny Tiny Wishes, Netting; ink - Real Red, Garden Green; Stampin' Write marker - Real Red; card stock - Real Red, Garden Green, Whisper White, Red Glimmer, Silver Glimmer; punch - Word Window; Big Shot with Scallop Oval Frame and Stocking Accents; Stamping Sponges, Stampin' Dimensionals

I think it was worth it.  To think, my family used to think I had no patience.  Well, I probably didn't, but where would I be today without good, old-fashioned perseverance?