I know non-crafters will look at this and think ‘what the bleep?’ But card makers know that you have to start Christmas cards early. In fact, I am probably already cutting it a bit fine. Especially considering my production rate at the moment is about two or three cards a week. plus a bin-full of disasters of course.
So, hopefully, a slow trickle of Christmas cards to come. I don’t even have to produce hundreds, meaning there really is no excuse. I always make some for my mum to give first, but somehow despite my best intentions I am often finishing mum’s cards in December and have no time or inclination to then set about making more. This means I end up either buying them or, shamefully for a woman with a room crammed full of card making stuff, actually not sending any at all.
I had hoped writing a blog might have pushed me to plan better, but I cannot bring myself to think about Christmas in June, it just won’t happen. However today was windy and rainy and a bit ‘October’ so I didn’t feel quite so bah-humbug about tackling the festive theme.
I used the Tree Landscape die from Clearly Besotted. I like the clean lines, and the brilliant price of £3.00! The snow is a small Altenew stamp called, unsurprisingly, ‘Snowing’. It is only 4.5 x 7cm, but you can easily repeat stamp as I did here until you cover the required area. I stamped in Versamark and used a white embossing powder.
The sentiment is from The Ton Holiday Lyrics, embossed with Stamps by Chloe Wow silver embossing powder onto white vellum.
A bit of a mix and match of various products, but I am so bloomin’ happy to have produced something, anything really. I am aware the size of the snowflakes would concuss any individual daft enough to attempt walking in such a freak blizzard but y’know, in the spirit of Christmas I am hoping we can gloss over that!
Those are so cute!
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Thanks!
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I saw Christmas cards in “The Card Factory” yesterday, and I thought “what the…”
However, yours is really pretty and festive!
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I hate seeing Christmas stuff in the shops so early too. It is not right! If I were Prime Minister it would only be allowed from mid-end November.
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I’d vote for you…when do we start the campaign?
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Well, I have some ironing to do, but other than that…
Would you like a position in the Cabinet?
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Yes please..you know how there’s Chief Whip…perhaps Chief Duster?
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Sure. Whatever you want. I’m pretty certain you have earned it. How about some official regalia? A lovely nylon tabard??! A golden Swiffer? Name it.
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A nylon tabard with…POCKETS!!
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Go large. Your own, personal, customised utility belt, befitting your role as The Dustroyer.
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Speechless…just imagining it, a whole belt with special pockets for dusters, eco-friendly wipes, rubber gloves, of course, perhaps orange essential oil for stubborn grease. And a lemon. Always useful 🙂
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In case an emergency gin and tonic is called for?
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Absolutely! Or in case baked on food needs removing from the Cabinet…
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Aaaaah. I was hoping for a team that were able to present themselves for work without a slice of bacon stuck to their forehead or a chocolate chip masquerading as a mole…clearly I need you in the team.
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I will be more than happy to oblige. You have assissted me in my teaplomatic career, the very least I can do in return is ensure your ministers arrive egg yolk free and nicely scented to attend to the abolition of premature Christmas decoration…
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Theresa May, if you’re reading (why wouldn’t you? Mr IOC surely is…). These are the standards you need to set. No egg on faces, literally. Just saying.
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I second that! ( See, I can do this government language..)
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Prepare for government…
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Beautiful PP. So very elegant and stylish.
I love it. Truly.
~ Cobs. x
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Thank you! Happy Christmas!
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LOL … take that Santa suit off now! tut tut.
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Don’t you meant Ho Ho Ho?! Xx
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WHO YOU CALLING A HO???
[insert shocked face emoticon – which, if I were clever enough, I’d have inserted here for comedic effect]
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Proper laugh at that!! Cat scarpered in shock! I can’t do the face-things either. I have only learnt one and still have to double-check it before sending.
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There are a few things I can do with regard to computery stuff … all of these things I’ve learnt from my fabulous tech friend who has worked in computers all the working long day. I’m stunned about how much I know, but sadly, emoticons mean so little to me that I can’t be “bovvered” (only your UK readers will get that one lol). I know how to do the face, a heart, a mushroom, a leaf and a little bird. If you want any of those I’m y’ man. (woman) Failing that … I make it up as I go along – hence the reasons for the square brackets [] – they’re used in some websites for coding. But WordPress use angle brackets so I can’t use those. If I do I’ll break all of wordpress for ever more.
(no, I actually won’t – but it gives me such a gliff to imagine that I could. LOL) … So I use them for arrows instead <— Just like that!
I'm going to bed now. Sweet dreams my playground friend. Loves you oodles ~ me. xxx
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You have way more skills than me. I can’t even do the ‘open mouth laugh’ (I am guessing it is called something like that, but I have no real clue). Anyone got a teenager they can hire out to help a dinosaur?
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Ahh, no don’t do that. Teens don’t help you to do the things you want to do, they push you out of your chair and take over, then do the things themselves. Then they walk off nonchalantly, you say ‘thanks’, and you’re left none the wiser about how to do the things you wanted to do.
I know this ’cause I ‘ad two teens. One of them a REAL techy girl who was a wizzard on ‘puters.
What you need is a tech dinosaur wizard. I found one and keep it fed and watered with friendship, and it teaches me stuff. … like how to make italics on someone elses blog when I don’t have the ‘tools bar’ which the admin (you) of the site has. lol.
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My sister is my go-to person for all this stuff. Otherwise I just wing it and hope to not break the internet…
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Nah … you can’t break it.
I’ve tried. 🙂
Squidges ~ Cobs. x
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Gillain, this is BEAUTFUL! I think we must be related somehow – finishing up Mum’s cards in December before getting to ours! And a bin full of disasters!
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Oh, so nice to know I am not alone in this! Also, if you have any Irish in there anywhere, there is a chance you might be right!
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I do have some Irish, my paternal grandmother’s maiden name was Kelley. 😉
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Well there you go! I have definitely got some of those too!
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What a beautiful, elegant card! Love the blue and white and the embossed silver sentiment on the vellum 🙂 I have started my Christmas cards, but it’s really hard getting into it this year for some reason!
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I am with you on that one. I am hoping to shame myself into doing better by blogging. I really did love your festive alpacas though!
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This is just lovely!
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Thank you so much!
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Oh my what a beautiful card! You are sooo far ahead of me! I usually make between 60-70 cards to send out. I usually don’t get started on them until mid-November. I then spend about 2-3 days to come up with a card for this year that I can mass produce. And then, of course, I work every night and most weekends trying to get them all done in time to mail. I have tried cutting down, but with my large family this is about the fewest I can make. I agree too that they shouldn’t rush the holidays! Christmas things in October or September really turns me off. Our American holidays in October and November seem to be lost. Let’s take one month at a time please. LOL! 🙂
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I had an American friend who told me that Christmas wasn’t allowed in shops until after Thanksgiving? I thought that was a great idea, but it was also a long time ago so I guess even if it was true then commercialism has probably changed it since. I’m not way ahead, I have only made this one card, LOL!
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You have more done than me! LOL! Stores around here have been moving Christmas up sooner and sooner every year. They are now open on Thanksgiving Day! Terrible. Thanksgiving Day should be spent with families, and not in stores waiting on people who have many more shopping days before the holiday. The almighty dollar seems to be more important than families. I personally think this is terrible. Let’s celebrate each day as they come and not try to turn up the clock. Time goes fast enough as it is.
This year, I am hoping to take some supplies with me on our annual vacation we take in October so I can get started on my cards…..at least I can try! 🙂
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I completely agree. I like to keep things special and seasonal. I used to work for a big US investment banking firm and even they closed on Thanksgiving!
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Oh gosh…I still have cards I made last year and didn’t send them! Lovely effect the silver embossing on white card stock!
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I have the same situation! I made them, but they were quite 3d so would have needed boxes or hand delivering. I never got around to either!
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Lovely! I need more white embossing powder since leaving my last pot unattended in the presence of my 2 year old. I’m so glad I’m not the only one who doesn’t always get the cards sent, despite best intentions!
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Oh, heck, me too! I always think I am a shameful failure at such things so knowing it is not just me is pretty good!
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I’m also in awe of your sentiment embossing as I still don’t always get mine to come out clearly. 😊
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Mine doesn’t either! This one was the first attempt, but it is all down to the ink and powder. I have plenty of disasters!
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They’d make great blog posts. ‘Here’s the heap of 25 failed embossing attempts before I did one that I liked.’ 😆
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I’d be blogging every day…
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That is a beautiful card! I totally understand starting now….Every year my sister and I say we are going to get together to make our Christmas cards…..every year passes and we don’t :(. Then we say next year….(big sigh). Hope springs eternal.
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Thank you. I’d love to see your cards if you manage to do them this year!
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Fab’ card and it’s a start. Keep up the momentum.
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Thanks. I’ll try. I expect you’ll get to hear about it either way!
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Lovely card! The colours are so soft and pretty! I don’t think the snow looks too big – I just imagine it is far more in the foreground than the trees are 🙂
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Good call – I’ll go with that explanation!
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Glad I could help 😀 Honestly it made me think a bit of when I’ve taken photos in snow (with my point-and-click) and it always insists on focusing on the snow fall in the foreground making the snowflakes look huge.
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Invasion of the giant snowflakes!
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I think this card is really pretty, and very ‘Christmasy’, and much like you I really struggle to produce cards before September, but this year, for some unknown reason, I have managed to start in July! Might be because I bought Christmas Dies and felt guilty and made myself use them!! Good excuse I think. Well done you 🙂 x
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Thanks Kim! It’s true, purchase guilt is a great motivator!
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Lovely card. Clearly Besotted is fab site just cost me a fortune lol
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Thank you! Their stuff is lovely! Enjoy your new toys!
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Oh i am – keep checking their site throughout the day too …oops lol
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I am right there with you. I started on my Christmas cards last month. Even with the early start, I will be finishing them in mid-December.
I love the light blue, white, and silver you are using. Will you mass produce this style, or are you like me and wind up making many different styles?
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I get bored mass-producing. I usually only manage about five and then I want to do something else. So glad I am not the only one who struggles to get it done in time.
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I love the silver embossing. Really makes the sentiment pop.
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Thank you. Glitter is practically mandatory for Christmas I think!
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Beautiful and elegant. I do love your style of card making. I know I keep saying it but….
Have a great week.
Flo x
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Thanks Flo! I’m not going to complain…!
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Oooooh that is gorgeous! I love making cristmas cards, but I tend to leave it to late november. Maybe is should start a bit earlier! I too have more card making stuff than I can shake a stick at, so would really like to find a reason to make more cards!
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Thanks so much! It helps me relax, but then I am such a messy crafter I have loads of tidying to do afterwards! Still, nobody can see the devastation behind a closed door, right?
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Ha ha! I wish I had a room to hide it all in! I dont think my partner would appreciate it if i just left all my craft stuff all over the dining table!!
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I do love that wintry card; I’ve just started making a few myself and you’re right, it’s not too soon, we’ll need them before you know it!
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Thanks. I am struggling to keep up with the dates this year – I keep thinking I have an extra week to get something done and then realise that is not the case!
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Beautiful card. Never too soon to get started on Christmas items.
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Thank you. It does seem to be looming a bit now!
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I am in love with your card! It’s beautiful. I live in Florida and don’t see snow often (too cold but lovely to look at). I have never tried embossing powders or vellum. I’ll have to check that out!
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Snow is lovely when it is fresh and new, or stays untouched. In towns and cities it is horrid within about a day because it turns to dirty ice. Not so pretty. Florida wins I think. Embossing powders are great fun I think you’d like them!
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You’re definitely right! Lol- I will have to try them 🙂
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Beautiful! 🙂 It is never too early to do Christmas crafts. I am slowly preparing to work on Christmas baubles. 😉
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Thank you so much! I love your work. Am looking forward to seeing the Christmas projects.
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Thank you for your kind words. Every nice word from a stranger is a great encouragement to keep on crafting. 🙂
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This is so pretty! Would love to give it a try 😀
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Thanks! It is fun, but can be a bit addictive though!
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A bit? I have tried this before and its so fulfilling *_*
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I’m a big xmas fan and I recently have made a blog explaining that I am going to do Blogmas this year. I would appreciate it if you would comment a Christmassy question for a xmas q&a I’ll be doing during blogmas. Thanks!
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Hi. I have hopped over and left you a few questions. I hope it helps!
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Very cute and Christmassy!
https://busybeeblogweb.wordpress.com
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Thanks, and thanks for stopping by!
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Reblogged this on Sara Consigli's Blogs and commented:
I do not agree with Paperpuff’s blog, because I think celebrating Christmas with cards should start as soon as possible, to get people into the Christmas spirit. Putting Christmas cards on shelves in stores early makes buyers want it more, to purchase them. The writer’s cards are beautiful and should be out for people to see. It can be really great for business. Instead of giving it to her mother, give it to all her relatives and to customers. You never know, people would like to buy cards earlier.
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Thank you for the kind words about my cards!
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Nice post !
I Invite to see my Christmas post also f. ex. from Madrid 🙂
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Thank you. I did take at look at your post – lovely!
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I am welcome ! And if u like my blog I invite to follow it 😀
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I have!!
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So great ! Thank u !
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