A long post.....

..for me anyway. Still got the cold, though it's more of a hacking cough now. Just hope that it doesn't turn to a chest infection. Getting a doctor's appointment will be be practically impossible now until after the new year. I woke up late this afternoon to a heavy snowfall. Thankful that I decided to venture out yesterday to the bank instead of leaving it until today, no way was I going out today! Anyway...seeing as all my Christmas cards are done..and the ATC's for this year thought I'd show you some of what I've been doing.

3 of the cards I've done for the grandchildren and young family members. I don't usually "do" cute but these images are soooo cute I couldn't resist. Square easel cards, I'm loving this style. The base card is wheat colour, matted and layered with red card and pattern paper. The paper is a download from Mad about cards. The first two images are from Pollycraft. The first image is Milly Singing.... the second one is Bronson and Beaker (love the little Robin especially) and the third one is one of my favourite stamps at the moment..Bentley. All water coloured, then a sentiment circle from Funky Fairy's and a charm added. I went with the traditional red and green for the colouring to co-ordinate with the papers.

Now this one is definitely a first for me. Cross stitch. (A kit from Cross Stitcher magazine) I did embroidery when I was much, much younger, and I used to make my children's clothes when they were little. Never done cross stitch like this though. Enjoyed doing it and there are a few mistakes..but I'm quite pleased with it on the whole. The best thing about it for me are the eyes. They are done with french knots and these are something I could never get right no matter how hard I tried. Can do 'em now though......Yippee!!! Well I made it into a card and it's going to one of my great nieces..she's only 3, so I hope she likes it and wont mind the mistakes.

Some of the quick small cards...great for using up the smaller pieces of your papers and card. I've done them tent style and I really like them this way.

Now for the last few. Although it wasn't intentional on my part, a theme has emerged, traditional colours and poinsettias.

I made this for my best friend Anne. The inspiration came from a floral punch tutorial by Jane Gill in the October issue of Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine. I've had to adapt it slightly because I didn't have the punches and I made it slightly smaller. The bauble stamp is by Paper Artsy, gems Papermania, Stickles glitter glue (stamens), ribbon and charm from stash.

Two cards done in the same style as above. The poinsettia and the pricked frame is from Fred She Said, scalloped circle using nestibilities and the pale green paper from someone who's blog I read regularly and I've forgotten who! If you know where from please let me know then I can give credit where it's due. The poinsettia and branches come B&W which I coloured using pastels and baby oil

Another poinsettia...this time dufex and decoupaged.

This one is a pattern from CraftsUPrint. I've used 2 strands of metallic thread..gold and green. Mounted on to red then dark green card, then finished with gold peel-offs.

And finally.....not traditional colours this time....or Poinsettias.
A winter church scene kindly given by a member of the Imag-e-nation forum. It is a copy of a picture a friend painted and didn't like so she said it could be used. I glittered it up with Stickles, matted and layered onto dark blue, red and then wheat card. Added silver peel-offs.

Done!