F4A41...the Nutcracker Suite (12/3/10)

[dawnmercedes]

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Christmas time has come again...and along with it are the songs of Christmas. I think that if you start thinking of those melodies, you are going to start humming the March of the Nutcracker Suite. Once it's in your head, it's hard to get it out again! I remember my parents scraping up the money to take us to see the ballet when I was a young girl. We sat in the very last row of the theater. But that didn't bother us. We dressed up and enjoyed the performance. So, get inspired by the Nutcracker Suite/song/story/melody today.

Keyword: F4A41

March of the Nutcracker example


Sugarplum Fairy example

F4A41 Gallery

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[markie's mom]

OOOOOOOOO! LOVE this challenge!!!!!

Here's my submission

[Wendybell]

Great idea, Dawn!! I'm gonna hafta play, as my darling daughter will be appearing for the SEVENTH year in a row in Ballet West's Nutcracker this year!! It is sooo much a part of our family's Christmas tradition ... we LOVE it!!

[n5stamper]

Oh NO Dawn. I want to play along today but am at a severe handicap as I have NEVER seen this play and of all the images I have not 1 nutcracker image. gggrrr Have to sit this one out.

[bfinlay]

I found it fun to go on line and refresh my memory about this - thanks! Here's my Christmas Tea

[Vicky Gould]

Thanks, Dawn - another Christmas card down!

The Nutcracker

[DawnL]

thanks Dawn!!

[jdmommy]

here's mine:F4A41 Nutcracker in Green by jdmommy - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

[hobbydujour]

GREAT challenge, Dawn. The Nutcracker Suite is one of my FAVORITE holiday happenings...whether live or on PBS. I chose the "Waltz of the Snowflakes" when Clara first enters the magical kingdom. I used Beate's Retiform technique for my bg...with a little alteration of method. Thanks for a fun way to start Friday!

WALTZ OF THE SNOWFLAKES

[yo sam]

Fantastic challenge, Dawn! Here's mine F4A41, SC309 Happy Christmas by yo sam - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

[splicedcenterstamp]

What a treasured memory you have shared! I didn't see my first live performance of the Nutcracker until I was well into my th.... well, never mind.

Hmmm, no nutcracker stamps--what will I do? Looking forward to everyone's creations here.

[ejkeaton]

Thanks for a fun challenge, Dawn! Here's mine:

Clara's Magical Sleigh

[Cards_By_America]

I LOVE NUTCRAKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here is my take:
NUTCRACKER, FA41 by Cards_By_America - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

[Wendybell]

As an ode to my DD who is a red soldier in this year's Nutcracker ...

Red Soldiers

[Cook22]

Christmas Harlequin
No nutcrackers here, neither stamps nor real. I currently have DH's vice-grips sitting in the kitchen. Great challenge.

[justwritedesigns]

Fab challenge, Dawn! Here's my Christmas Ornament. Thanks so much for looking! I'm off to see if I can finish another!

[k dunbrook]

how fun...thanks
here is my card:

Sweet Dreams

[sleepyinseattle]

I'm bringing another nutcracker to the ballet today:
F4A41 Nutcracker Sweet by sleepyinseattle - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

[Princessheather]

Thanks for this fun challenge Dawn, here's MY CARD.

[Rox71]

Thanks for the challenge Dawn, I got one done and here's my

Silver Bell

[Luv Flowers]

Thanks Dawn for the Nutcracker challenge. Here's mine, F4A41,FLLC, Nutcracker... by Luv Flowers - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

[Luv Flowers]

My nutcrackers and my Nutcracker CDs are always a fun part of Christmas. I enjoyed this challenge. Thanks for your challenge today, and the work you do all year through. :>)

[mamaxsix]

Here is my punch art Nutcracker; I'm excited at how my first attempt at making up my own punch art design went. Ticket to Joy by mamaxsix - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

[daisynook]

What a great challenge. I thought of this paper and rub ons right away. Quick and easy...no stamping. TFL
Nutcracker by daisynook - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

[sewflake]

Wow, I didn't think I was ever going to get finished......... too many interuptions today. But it was fun playing along. Thanks for the challenge.

Drummer

[MaryR917]

this was a fun challenge-I have wanted to ink this nutcracker for awhile-so thanks for a great pick today
this is my card

[Brat Cards]

Bears watching the snow fairy dance...

[Clownmom]

I'm a little late to the party, Dawn; but my card for this week's Stampin'B's challenge fits yours too. Here it is -- Purple and Turquoise Nutcracker_lb by Clownmom - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

[RDey]

Here's mine: Spanish Chocolates by RDey - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers.

[CAKath]

Here is my late entry for the challenge. I fell asleep last night before I could upload. Thanks!

Wintery Nutcracker by CAKath - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

[froglady]

Here is my card for this challenge...

Nutcracker Christmas by froglady - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

[mybearybest]

Thanks for the inspiration, Dawn!

Claire with Nutcracker

[stephaniez]

Great challenge Dawn! Here's mine:

Embrace

[Smoatsmom]

What a great theme, and so many ways to interpret the Nutcracker...

Inspired by a Stack of Gifts by Smoatsmom - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

[luvtostampstampstamp]

Here's mine:

Main Street holiday music & festivity

[Paper Junky]

For those who have not seen the Nutcracker Suite ballet, below is a short overview of the Nutcracker Suite performance as found on Wikipedia Here. As you read it, there are certainly other ideas in the story that you can use besides just the nutcracker. Hope this helps.

On a sidenote, My daughter also dances in the Nutcracker, and this year's first performance was a little hairy. At the end of the first act, the "falling snow" was actually soap flakes. Unfortunately, it was slippery and most of the dancers ended up falling. There was a point where I thought there was actually going to be a pileup. Fortunately noone was hurt. They decided not to use the "falling" snow in the second performance, and noone fell!

Act I - Scene 1: The Silberhaus Home

It is Christmas Eve at the house of Herr and Frau Silberhaus and their children. Family and friends have gathered in the parlor to decorate the beautiful Christmas tree in preparation for the night's festivities. Once the tree is finished, the younger children are sent for; among them are Clara, the Silberhaus' daughter, and her brother Fritz. The children stand in awe of the tree, sparkling with candles and decorations.

The festivities begin. A march is played on the piano. Presents are given out to the children. Suddenly, as the owl-topped clock strikes eight, a mysterious figure enters the room. It is Herr Drosselmeyer, a local councilman and Clara and Fritz's godfather. He is also a talented toymaker who has brought with him gifts for the children, including four lifelike dolls -- a Harlequin and Columbine, and a Vivandière and Soldier -- who dance to the delight of all. Herr Silberhaus has the precious dolls put away for safekeeping.

Clara and Fritz are sad to see the dolls taken away, but Herr Drosselmeyer has yet another toy for them: a wooden nutcracker carved in the shape of a little man, used for cracking hazelnuts. The children are delighted. Clara immediately takes a liking to it. Fritz, however, tries to use the nutcracker to crack a walnut (too large and hard for the its wooden jaw) and inadvertently breaks it. Clara is heartbroken.

Clara takes the wounded toy to her doll's bed, lulling it to sleep. The boys interrupt with their toy trumpets and horns. Herr and Frau Silberhaus announce it is time to finish off the evening with a traditional Grandfather dance. After the dance, the guests depart, and the children are sent off to bed.

During the night, after everyone else has gone to bed, Clara returns to the parlor to check on her beloved nutcracker. As she reaches the little bed, the clock strikes midnight and she looks up to see her Godfather Drosselmeyer perched atop the clock in place of the owl. Suddenly, six-foot tall mice begin to fill the room and the Christmas tree begins to grow to dizzying heights. The Nutcracker also grows to life-size. Clara finds herself in the midst of a battle between an army of gingerbread soldiers and the mice, led by the Mouse King. The mice begin to eat the gingerbread soldiers.

The Nutcracker appears to lead the gingerbread soldiers, who are joined by tin soldiers and dolls (who serve as doctors to carry away the wounded). As the Mouse King advances on the still-wounded Nutcracker, Clara throws her slipper at him, distracting him long enough for the Nutcracker to stab him.
Konstantin Ivanov's original sketch for the set of The Nutcracker, Act II (1892)

Scene 2: A Pine Forest

The mice retreat and the Nutcracker is transformed into a handsome Prince. He leads Clara through the moonlit night to a pine forest in which the snowflakes dance around them.

Act II - Scene 1: The Land of Sweets (Confiturembourg)

Clara and the Prince travel in a nutshell boat pulled by dolphins to the beautiful Land of Sweets in Confiturembourg, ruled by the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Prince's place until his return. The Prince recounts for the Sugar Plum Fairy how he had been saved by Clara from the Mouse King and had been transformed back into a Prince.

In honor of the young heroine, a celebration of sweets from around the world is produced: Chocolate from Spain, Coffee from Arabia, and Tea from China all dance for their amusement; Candy Canes from Russia perform an intricate hoop dance; Danish Marzipan Shepherdesses perform on their flutes; Mother Gigogne has her Polichinelle children emerge from under her enormous skirt to dance; a string of beautiful flowers perform a waltz. To conclude the night, the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier perform a Pas de Deux.

A final waltz is performed by all the sweets after which Clara and the Prince are crowned rulers of Confiturembourg forever and are shown the riches of their kingdom domed with an enormous beehive.

[Paper Junky]

Wow! I didn't realize that was going to be so long. Sorry about that!

[bon2stamp]

Finally got a chance to play.

Here's mine.

[saffivort]

Here's my Sugar Plum Fairy Thank You for this challenge.

TFL, Vannessa