After sneaking in moments here and there since October, I managed to get my annual holiday cards made, stamped, and sent off to their recipients. I did a lot of different ones this year as each time I revisited the task my mood took me to different places.
Different moods yield equally different results
I’ve never been a very big fan of red and green together, so a lot of my designs end up in blues and silver for a wintery feel. I did of course do some more traditional color schemes using the red and green even though it goes against my comfort palette. I also did a few sketches in pencil before sprinkling them with glitter.
I loved this template from MarthaStewart.com!
I can’t ever decided which cards I like best, especially when they are all so different, but there were at least a few that I was especially pleased with this year. The hardest part of the whole process I have found is decided who gets what card. Believe it or not, these are not quick decisions. Some cards seem to have a certain recipient’s name written all over, while others leave me scratching my head as I attempt to make the perfect match.
Now that all is said and done the best part of all comes. I love that I’ve heard from some family and friends who received their card, but more enjoyable of course is receiving cards from them in the mail. I don’t normally expect any from other than maybe my immediate family, so anything beyond that is my cup of jolly!
Lacing ribbon is time consuming but lovely
Since switching to handmade cards these past few years, I’ve learned a lesson or two in what works and what doesn’t, what I like and what I don’t. I have even branched out further by starting to make some cards for other occasions for my snail mailings (I need something constructive to do with all of my papers and stickers!).
I was smart this year and cashed in on some last minute Christmas savings on papers and other supplies that were marked way down from their original price. I’m already looking forward to making next year’s batch just paging through the new scrapbook paper tablets and other goodies.
Mixing old designs with the new
As a final greeting to anybody whom I may have overlooked in the craziness of my year, I would like to wish you all safe travels and warm gatherings with your loved ones in the coming days, and of course a most Merry Christmas to All!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I spend lots of time choosing who gets which card too. I remember when I was in primary school (or elementary school, as it is over there), I used to rank the cards in order from favourite/cutest to least favourite, then my best friends would get the best cards, and the girls I didn’t like so much got the cards I didn’t like so much!! Now, as you say, I fit them more to personality, and struggle to match some people to a card too. I will admit, however, that I reserved my 8 Nut and Bee christmas pud labels for those who I knew would appreciate them the most
I don’t expect everyone who I sent a card to send one back, but I have received about a half dozen in the past week (many with compliments on my cards), it’s been nice to open the mailbox and get something other than a bill for a change! Merry Christmas 
you are so creative! thank you for our card!
love the chairs on the previous!