Just Popping By...

So here's a bit of Tomi Ann trivia for you -- I lived in Denmark for a year and a half as a missionary for my church.  As a result, I have a bit of fetish for what Americans would only recognize as garden gnomes.  In Denmark, they're called nisser (elves), and you see them mostly at Christmas time, but they pop up at other times of year as well, always ready to get into mischief if you don't give them their porridge.  So when I saw the cute little nisser on Freshly Picked, I knew I had to have that cartridge.  (Hey, I know there are more of you out there who have bought a cartridge for just one shape; don't try to deny it...)  Thanks to ScrapbookPal.com, I get to share this adorable little nisse card with you today!

I thought it would be cute to have the nisse hiding in the grass, because they are sneaky little creatures, so I adhered the grass/kraft paper strips to only the bottom and sides of the card, creating a perfect pocket to slide my nisse into.  (I covered the seam between the two with a little scotch tape so that my nisse's boots wouldn't get caught when you pull him out.)  When you pull him out, you get to see him in all his adorableness, plus then you have a friendly little nisse to put on your scrapbook shelf to keep you company... (okay, maybe I'm the only one who would do that.  I may or may not have made an extra just to put on my shelf...)

ScrapbookPal.com also sent along a white gellyroll pen, and I was quite please with how well it worked and how opaque the ink was (and seriously, such a good price compared to the pricey pen I was using before).  It was perfect for accenting my punched label and adding a little sentiment.  (The inside is blank for now -- when I figure out the perfect occasion to use this card, I'll add something on the inside.  It could be just about anything!)

They also sent cat's eye chalk inkpads in Toffee and Berrylicious, two new colors for me.  I could not live without cat's eye chalk ink -- I use it on pretty much every project to add just the right amount of softness or distressing.  The Toffee is the perfect color complement for kraft paper, such a nice subtle touch.  And I used a q-tip with the Berrylicious to add a perfect rosy glow to my nisse's cheeks, which really makes him come alive.

Thanks for indulging me in my love for nisser today.  And while there are many other totally adorable shapes and phrases on this cartridge, I don't think you've seen the last of my little nisse this month!

Materials:   Die cut -- Freshly Picked Cricut Cartridge from ScrapbookPal.com; White pen -- Sakura Gelly Roll; Distressing Ink -- Cats Eye chalk ink in Toffee and Berrylicious; Patterned Paper -- Imaginisce; Label punch and scallop border punch -- Stampin Up; Flower punch -- EK Success

P.S.  I almost forgot to mention -- I used this week's CPS sketch.  It was perfect!