Christmas

In Alberta, winter came early (and is sticking around) setting us up for a white Christmas! After the December 2nd blizzard we were left with deep, crusted, cement-like drifts ...   

The snowblower can't go up the steps!

While in the past I have come up with some pretty far fetched colour combinations, this year the colour scheme is very traditional. For me it's all about ascetically pleasing arrangements and design.  

Loving the frog!

Atop the china cabinet

The dining room table does not escape my attention

My relatively new hobby of hand making cards becomes accelerated at Christmastime. The fun begins with collecting pretty papers, ribbons, embellishments and all the toys required to create them with!

Some of the collection

Challenging good fun (and early on in the game, when I thought I had all the time in the world) I figured out how to mark, fold, cut, and tuck a paper "braid", seen in two of the cards below.  

Cards for Amira and her parents

Avery's card

One evening a week Lynda and I join Debbi in her exquisite, sunroom/crafting space. And yes, there is often wine involved! Toward the end of November we had an intense Sunday. An all day, twelve-hour, card making marathon! By mid December we amped up our sessions to two evenings a week. Here are the cards I made (at home) for my card-making pals ...

Thirty of my cards were one of a kind, original designs. Enamoured with the look of a card Lynda had made (fashioned after one she found on Pinterest) I went into mini production cutting two inch squares to emboss. Varied them a bit with three different colour combinations ...

This was perhaps my most creative endeavour

And this was likely my most traditional

As you appreciate everything you have in life, remember that your time and love are the best gifts you can give. 

Whoever you are with and wherever you are, Merry Christmas!