Christmas

I know most of you will be tired of the word by now. Me too. The holidays are a time of joyful stress and semi fulfilled expectations. For me personally it's even more bittersweet as my birthday is on Christmas day. Being born on that day is rather special, there is something rather magical about it, but it has it's down sides. The obvious that most people think of first is the presents. Growing up the birthday presents are a highlight of any child's year, and so are Christmas gifts. If you have them both on the same day, well, let's just say it is a long year without presents! My parents were pretty good at making sure that I had two separate presents and most of my family did (and do still) too, so I can't really complain about that. Since I have been married, some years have been great, others rather disappointing, due completely to my extreme like/dislike feature.
No, the birthday presents was not that big of an issue. The big one was not to be free to do what I want(ed). Christmas is a family time. Everyone has plans with their families so even if I was free to do whatever I pleased, growing up I would very rarely have anyone to share it with.
This year we were home for Christmas in the uk. We had plans to go to Canada but we didn't at the end because of the flight prices. Maybe next year!
Yes, Christmas is bittersweet for me. I love what it is and sometimes I find myself happier at the prospect that during the actual holidays. But the food, specially when we are at my mums house, never disappoints me.


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Happy Christmas

Receiving Christmas Cards

I love receiving Christmas. Yesterday I got one from one of my favourite people, Lindsay Mason, that just left me in awe of her talent. Such a beautiful artwork. Of course, another of my favorite, Julie Hickey, was the first card that I got, as Julie is probably the most organized person I know. She may disagree with me, but in truth she is!


This little lot of Christmas cards can be done fairly fast and without too much expense, a perfect combination for me when it comes to Christmas cards. The beauty of the embossing folders captivates me. A simple card just looks so much better with some embossed plain card.

More variations on a theme

This time the main card is formed of two pieces of card, a green and a red one.
I used a Ek Success edge punch for the green piece.
The message, once again, is Large Christmas and Filled With Flowers.

Simplicity. Enjoying the snow, indoors as much as outdoors. It is cozy in our living room, Omar has the main couch, Wasabi is lounging on the armchair and I am seating on the floor ( on top of a thin futon though!). Good times.

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Someone enjoys the fire

With the snow outside, it is a perfect day to have some fire and enjoy each others company.

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Pantone Colour of the Year

This is Pantone's Colour of the Year 2011. I rather like it. As soon as i saw it -Fabrizio told me that it was out- it looked familiar. Oh, yes, my website colours are a subdued version of the colour on the picture above.
I rather like that.

More indecision

Another portrait/ landscape card, although being a square card it is not really a question of either rather than being a tent card like bellow (with the score line on the top) or a regular card (with the score line on the left side). At the end I decided to go with the traditional way, the above one.

Bits and pieces

I think you can see a common thread through most of my years Christmas cards, that thread is actually double thread. The obvious one being using the same message as a focal point, the large circle from Large Christmas and the flowers and leaves from Filled with flowers (Versafine ink pads: Crimson Red, Spanish Moss, Vintage Sepia).
The second common thread, less obvious, it is the fact that I am using left over pieces of patterned paper, cards and using any of my large cardstock stash, meaning that I haven't bought any card specifically to make the cards. The patterned papers are this years, so strictly speaking they are not left overs, but I bought them and used them for some projects -articles mainly- so what I am using now are left overs.


By the way, if you are looking for Christmas crafty presents or for craft bargains, check out the offers from Dawn Bibby's shop here.

Different

This one is a bit different from the ones before. I used two tags (using Tim Holtz Sizzix Tag die) and joined them on the back, emboss the front and decorated it with images from the Large Christmas, Joyful Bubbles and Christmas Messages (inside). I used Deep Lagoon Versafine for the darker ink and Summer sky Memento for the softer blue.

Portrait or Landscape

Well, I really like this little Christmas card, but I am not sure which orientation is the right one. You tell me!

Making my Christmas cards

Making the cards for my Christmas list is one of the highlights of my paper crafting year. That is what I first started doing so many years ago in Spain, that is what is a non negational thing: I don't send any Christmas card that I haven't done myself. However I tend to wait for the last minute before I make them because I always wait to see all the new products out there.


On Saturday I started to make the bulk of them. I apply to myself few rules, the most important one use whatever cardstock I already have. I allow myself to buy stamps and dies, but I safe the money on the cardstock department.


This is one of the cards I did. Using leftovers in papers (Jovial, from Basic Grey) and card, doing some patchwork and then the message from Large Christmas and Filled with Flowers.

Die cutting and stamps

One of my favorite card dies from Sizzix (Ornate card) plus my stamps makes a really great combination for me. 
We are still snowbound, still about 13" or 14" of snow in the back garden, but funily enough I don't feel like doing much. Omar has been working from home, so he interrupts my routine a lot, and Wasabi is a bit bored at home as he does not like too much the snow.

Crescent Tag Card

The snow keeps falling outside so it is the perfect time to crack on my Christmas cards, but truth be told, I really just want to play in the snow. There is about 13" last time I measure it. Not bad!


Anyway, this card I made a couple of months ago for Crafts Beautiful magazine, I think it was the November issue that went on sale in October. Anyway, features my following stamps sets: Joyful Bubbles, Christmas Messages, Filled With flowers (the little dots). The die I used is the Super crescent Sizzix Tag.