Christmas

Hi and I hope wherever you may be in the world, that it's as lovely a day as it is here in Upstate SC. Yesterday I put away a few Fall decorations, put out a very few Christmas ones. Got the wreath on the front door, and put out these handmade placemats (see the motif?!) that were a gift a few years ago. Everybody knows I love Cardinals. The background is a bit busy against the card, but aren't these birds lovely? The reverse side of the placemat is a beautiful print as well, but it's floral - in the same colors. (Can you guess I don't let anybody actually use these placemats to eat off? LOL). To the card: The image is by Prickly Pear, very easy to color, and I used Chromatix alcohol markers. These markers have a brush nib on one end, but a small nib on the opposite end. I am not finding them as easy to blend with as the Copicse, but then ...I need to practice a bit more. I did like the results. Image was diecut with S/B Dahlia, sponged with Memento Love Letters (it was handy so I used it, rather than hunt up a Distress Ink pad). I handcut the mat, after tracing the outer edge of the same die that I used to cut the image. This paper is from a 6x6 pk, but I have many of them stacked around on the floor, and sorry...I didn't note the paper manufacturer. However, the background paper is from Authentique Festive Collection, also 6x6. This has been one of my favorite packs this season. (see the Cardinal in the lower corner? Hmmm...probably is why I like this paper!). The trim at the top was a snippet that I had diecut for another project, looked nice against the music score. HOWEVER, I adhered it, then noticed it was on a bit crooked, so I snipped off a bit of the music score paper, covered it, trying to cover up the boo-boo. The sentiment was cut from a snippet of white using a McGill label punch (the old style type of punch), sponged Memento Cottage Ivy around the edges, adhered rhinestones. Ah, one more Christmas card in my stash. One of these days I've got to get inserts made, address labels set up, envelopes done. Thanks for the visit, and have a wonderful afternoon.