Good morning sweet friends! Today is a Day of Giving Friday, and I thought that I might start you out with your first Christmas Card of the season. Let’s just say that if you haven’t already gotten started, perhaps this will be a jump start for you. This is one of my favorite cards that I couldn’t send out because it was reserved for photography and sat aside during the season it was made in. If you are a new reader, you can find out more information about winning this card and about Day of Giving, on the Features menu above select FAQ’s and scroll down to number 11.
I know it is still early for Christmas but I’m a Christmas all year kind of girl because it’s a reminder to share my faith, goodwill and hope the whole year round. I don’t go all out but try to breathe in all the good the season has to offer. That leads to my question for you today . . .
For today’s comment – Christmas is such a sentimental and joyful season, not to mention, a busy one for scrapbookers and cardmakers. What’s your favorite ritual in preparing for the season?
Rubber Stamps: Retired
Paper: Masters Touch 140lb Watercolor Paper, Bazzill
Ink: Amuse – Cranberry
Accessories: Spellbinders Gold Majesty Circles, Spellbinders Standard Circles SM, Spellbinders Gold Labels Four, Spellbinders Jewel Flowers and Flourishes, Spellbinders Twisted Metal Tags and Accents, Recollections Pearls, Button, organza ribbon,
.png)
Have a lovely weekend friends!! I’ll see you soon!
I think it would have to be baking, filling the home with all the glorious scents. It would be followed closely by decorating the house.
Carol b
Beautiful card Becca!!
I start my cardmaking for the season in September, and I love making cookies and fudge to hand out the two weeks prior to Christmas!
Absolute stunning, Becca! Of all the things that I do, I find that wrapping the presents and putting them under the tree is my most restful. I guess I just think about how everybody will be surprised and the look on their faces when they open them.
My favorite thing to do leading to Christmas is getting my Christmas cards ready. I’m not always able to see all my family at Christmas, so I remember them by making them cards. Thanks again for the chance to win one of your wonderful cards.
Beautiful! I would so love to win this card (or any card you create.) You have an amazing gift! I love to make Christmas cards. I will sometimes start coloring in July!
Another beauty, Becca. This card is gorgeous!
I usually start my Christmas holiday preparations the week of Thanksgiving. I take a week off work and start to shop, shop, shop! Sometimes I have the holiday dinner, so I also have to save time to prepare for that. As with any vacation days, I usually get some cardmaking time in.
I always start my decorating with putting out my nativity set. Then I go a bit overboard decorating my house! By putting out the nativity set first, I feel like it helps ground me as to what the season is, and should be, all about.
Baking all the cookies for Christmas. Every year I say I will bake some of these treats during the year, but I never do. I guess that is why they are so special at Christmas. I love this card! you are so very talented.
O, Becca, It is so lovely. Thanks.
My favorite Christmas ritual, aside from attending church and being with family, must be making the cards I send. At first I spend a lot of time on each one, but toward the end I have to simplify my design in order to get the 80-90 made that I want to mail. This year, I am doing better, though, as I already have 35 completed.
For me and my two girls it is the picking out and cutting down of the Christmas Tree and then decorating it. My girls look and look till they find the perfect tree, then once home they have to wait till it sits for a day or so in the holder before they can decorate it. We put on Christmas music and it just a wonderful time with me and my two. This has been our tradition from the beginning, even before they could help. It is my time with them.
Becca, your card is beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing.
Becca, this card is breath taking, elegant and beautiful ! To me it would have to be getting the Christmas tree ready.
This is a lovely card Becca – thank you for sharing. My favourite ritual is trimming the tree – and then sitting in the firelight and just the tree lights on and watching the lights reflecting in the baubles.
My favorite part of the holidays is decorating the house. It takes us about a week to get it all out, and then all the colors of the season grace our house. I can’t wait to start decorating and sharing our home with friends and family. It’s my favorite time of the year!
My fav ritual would be shopping for the grand kids. Beautiful card, Becca.
Hi Becca. What a beautiful card! I love the layered dies. My favorite paert of the holidays is wrapping presents while the Christmas music is on…thinking about each person as I try to wrap the package in a special way. I put an ornament or craft on the top of each wrapped gift.
Becca, This card is absolutely beautiful as all your cards are. My start to the Christmas Season actually starts in July with making and prepping cards. In November I really get pumped up and start with the tree and decorating. This is mainly for family members who come for Thanksgiving but can’t make it for Christmas. So we do some early celebration. God Bless you for inspiring me with all your designs. It is deeply appreciated.
For years I take a photo of my boys with santa hats – it is great to look back over those now they are adults – and a little more challenging getting that shot as one does not live locally. Beautiful card.
Beautiful stunning card! As we have gotten older I have cut back on a lot of the decorating but it is such a delightful time of year that it inspires me with thankfulness for the the birth of my Savior! With that joy my card making is launched for the Season.
Since the kids are grown & out of the house, unmarried & we have no grandchildren, we don’t have any real traditions. We now live in a warmer climate with friends of the same age group. Lots of them leave for the season to visit their grandchildren. Normally the son who lives closest comes to visit & we go to see a movie. But this year he is taking an extended trip to New Zealand over the holidays, so we will be alone. I couldn’t convince my hubby to book a trip, so we will see a movie. Maybe I can start my cards for next year! Lol
I start my Christmas card making in June, as I make cards for 2 nursing homes. There are 86 residents in each of the homes, so I need to get started early and finish off with my friends and family. Your card is gorgeous and elegant. I look forward everyday to see your post. Thank you for sharing.
OH BECCA! THIS looks SO VICTORIAN!!!!! And those swirls/dies up at the top on either side of the pearl….they look like ANGELS!!!! (Just MAYBE, this will give you an IDEA for a new die? ;) ) SOOOO BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;)
My favorite ritual for getting ready for Christmas or any Holiday, is decorating. I haven’t been too good at doing it in the past few years though. MAYBE, this year will be better? ;)
What a beautiful card. My favorite ritual for Christmas is baking a “half pound cake” for all the members of the family. Its a family recipe and one that I have always used.
Carfty hugs Pen
Hi Bekka,
your Christmas card is so beautiful. This time I’m a lucky girl, I’ve got nearly all of the dies needed here. But if I follow your links to your Spellbinders articles, I always end up only at their homepage and have to put the term again into the search button. I’ll never get the special piece, you’ve mentioned. Am I doing something wrong? Best wishes Lydia
Christmas is the time for Love ,
Festive meals when we make time to all be together and rejoice as a family in our Lord Jesus Christ.
On Boxing day i always invited my neighbor for dinner as she lived on her own, but alas she is no longer with us, i will miss her so, but i will remember the laughter we shared at these times , she will always be in my thoughts and prayers .
Your card is so beautiful Becca ,i so love the colors and style.
Gob Bless
Elaine H X
Fantastic card! Love it. Difficult to choose one favourite ritual. I have so many! It’s probably cooking Christmas eve supper as everything is done by then and its time to relax and enjoy the festivities. Funnily enough I’ve just started making my Christmas cards today. Happy weekend!
Oh what a gorgeous Christmas card Becca!!! I love everything about the holiday season from cardmaking and decorating to shopping and baking. I would have to say that my favorite ritual is after I decorate the tree, the grandchildren come over and add lots of candy canes to it. My granddaughter is only five and she’s a lefty so all of her candy canes are always facing the opposite direction of her two brothers. No, I don’t fix them them…that’s what makes the tree PERFECT!!!
Yes, it is beautiful !!!
I like it very much!
Absolutely stunning Christmas card Becca!!!, I love all the layers you made with those gorgeous dies!!
Now, I’ve been making Christmas cards practically all year long since I participate in a lot of Christmas challenges so, as of now, I have a lot of them.
But my favorite tradition to prepare for the Holidays is the decorating of my house, specially for Christmas. We have a lot of very old ornaments for the Tree as well as beautiful centerpieces for the table and for the living room and family room. I put lots of lights and I bake a lot too so the house is smelling like fresh bread, cookies, cakes and pies, no need for scented candles, LOL!!
Thank you for the chance to win this gorgeous card.
Hugs, hope your weekend is fabulous.
Maria.
My favorite activity of the Chrismas Season is setting up the Crèche in a prominent place tor remind us all of the reason for the season: the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ! Next I would have to say I love creating cards for friends and family. I would love to win this gorgeous card, Becca!
My favorite time preparing for the season is sharing memories of Christmas in the past. We laugh and sometimes we share a tear or two, but we continue to carry on our family traditions.
As we age and family thins away it is the memories that sustain me. Very good memories. Gorgeous card, Becca.
Beautiful card! I am part of a little online crafting club where we make Christmas cards all year round so that there is no desperate rush when Christmas is suddenly next week … lol! I love to wrap my Christmas gifts whilst listening to Christmas music (and maybe a glass of wine!!) and think of all teh special people the gifts are intended for. Hugs Christine xx
Beautiful Card!!! I LOVE decorating the week-end b-4 Thanksgiving, then when Thanksgiving is over I have a much more relaxing and enjoyable time for having people over, leading up to and during Christmas!!
My favorite ritual for the Christmas season is decorating our home. I am a Christmas all year kind of gal as well and we have a very large family so thought I would pass on a tip I came up with a few years ago that makes my life easier–I buy/ or make gifts for our family members during their birthday month. Helps my budget, my time management, and also lets me shop/craft without pressure. Also–keeps Christmas in my heart all year since we have birthdays that span each and every month of the year. It is a win/win for me. Love this card Becca, it is beautiful!
I would have to say all the preparations, the Tree, the traditional dishes that my Mom and I make. And now the joy of passing this on to my brand new grandbabies. hopefully the treadition and Faith in God will continue through my Son and grandchildren!
I keep piling up favorites and this one is another addition! Love Christmas and Christmas cards—my favorite holiday season. Can’t wait to see your holiday creations!
Beautiful as always, haven’t started yet on this years cards, but will next sat, a group of us get together and make some….my favorite for the holiday, is picking out ornament for each family remember…thanks for sharing…
Ps I still haven’t heard anything back from u on an email I sent 2 weeks ago? Know u r super busy….
What a beautiful card! Love the roses and well, everything about it. I’ve never seen a card of yours that wasn’t gorgeous!
Sorry; forgot to comment! My fav. tradition is getting/making the kids a special Christmas ornament each year, relating to something special that happened that year. When they move out, they’ll take them all with them and have lots of memories!
This is a gorgeous card Becca.
My favourite ritual is getting together with one of my sisters for a day and we do our Christmas baking together. We scan cookbooks in advance for the recipes we each want to make. Get our supplies, then pick a day put the Christmas music on and go to work! We have a great time, have lunch together and by the end of the day we divide it all up and take a nice care package to our parents and split the rest between us. A great way to make memories!
Another BEAUTY!! Love the pretty die cuts. My favorite ritual is setting up our Christmas tree and listen to Christmas music. I usually start listening to Christmas music in the car in October! It lifts my Spirit! Loves, RUTHIE
What a beautiful card! I don’t know how you can come up with so many beautiful cards. Thank you so much for sharing them with all of us. All of the things I do for Christmas I love doing. Hanging the stockings for my grown children which brings back fond memories of when they were young. I still love the look on their face as they open a package…always from Santa. This year my first grandson will be celebrating his 1st birthday. Christmas is going to be really fun this year.
Oh Becca! This is so lovely!! As usual you just make the most beautiful cards! Thank you again for sharing!!! I love it!
We always traveled to be with family at Christmas, so I never did much decoration. Not having to do that anymore, I’m looking forward to getting a little more into that. BTW, that is one beautiful card!!
Stunning card! You are so talented. I have to tell you, the first thing is setting my nativity set and my Christmas tree and little by little filling the house. It is my favorite holiday!
Hi Becca
A Gorgeous Card, and would love to win one of your Beautiful
cards to treasure.
I Love Christmas, the decorating of the tree, Shopping for all the gifts and then on Christmas Day having all our Family round.
Love Marion x
Hi Becca,
Beautiful card…
Currently, my favorite ritual leading up to Christmas is preparation of the personalized Christmas cards that I create for each and every person that I love.
Love your beautiful card and as always thank you for sharing your talent with all of us. I love the baking part of Christmas and then the decorating of the house.
Absolutely beautiful card Becca, I would be so honored to win this card … please, please, please!
My favorite ritual during the Christmas Season is making up an Advent Calendar for my grown daughter. She started several years ago making one for me and I had so much fun opening each day’s little gift that I thought that I should do it for her too. I never know how the Advent gifts are going to arrive, in a sled, in a basket, whatever she comes up with, and same goes for the gifts that I send across the country for her.
Hi Becca, A stunning Christmas card, beautiful colours and gorgeous die-cuts and I’m loving the tiny rosebuds !!
My favourite ritual for Christmas is putting up the outside fairy lights, I run them along the wisteria and over the kitchen window and over the lounge window, I also have a ‘growing’ Christmas tree outside in a large pot and love to string lights all around it, I go outside in the dark and marvel at the beautiful lights, it makes me so happy to see.
I seem to have missed your post yesterday, your elegant gifted ornament is stunning !!
Lots of love from Patricia xx
Love your Christmas card my favourite ritual for Christmas is putting up the nativity scene we bought it when we first go married 40 years and have added to it putting light behind it looks so nice at night. Christine Springman
Lovely card Becca!! My favorite ritual to prepare for the Christmas season is to decorate the house. I love having family and friends stop by and feel the warmth of the season in my house.
Once again such a beautifully elegant Christmas card. I love choosing the right gift for each person and wrapping it specially to put under the tree.
Decorating the house and baking cookies!
Gorgeous card.
This is a gorgeous Christmas card, Becca. The red and white are gorgeous together in this piece. Thank you for the inspiration – I am one of the procrastinators who has not begun my card making for the season yet. I’m still enjoying leaves and pumpkins and harvest themes.
But my favorite ritual in preparing for the holidays is either singing or hearing the singing of Handel’s Messiah. The whole thing, not just the Christmas bit. What a wonderful worship experience it always is for me to participate in that music.
Hi Becca. This is one of my all time favorite cards that you’ve made. It just says ‘You’re special to me’ this time of year.
We have an annual Christmas party the second Sat following Thanksgiving. It’s a time for friends old and new to gather and celebrate together, before the crush of the holiday.
Sending a hug, Diana
Another stunning card here Becca. I just love it in the traditional red and white colors, and just added a little bling to it.
My favorit tradition for the christmas preparation is, that we always use to get all together with my kids and grandkids on one of the first week-ends in December, and then we one of the days go to the forrest to gather everything we need for our decorations both inside and out, and when we get back we get new baked hot buns and hot chocolate, and it taste so good. And the other day we use to bake all our cookies toggether and make all our homemade confects together too, and everybody is involved from the youngest to the oldest, and it´s so cosy and sooo much fun for all of us. The kids have already begun to ask, when we´re gonna do it this year, so I know, they look forward to it too every year.
I would have to say listening to Christmas music as I craft….such a joyous time of the year and the music is my favorite!
Your card is STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL Becca and I would love to have it on my desk to inspire as I begin to make cards for those I love!
Paper Hugs,
Jan
Helping to decorate the inside of our church for Christmas plus practicing the special Christmas music the choir does during the month of December. This card is absolutely gorgeous, Becca, as all of yours are!!
I love Christmas and one of my favorite rituals is baking cookies. I have many recipes I make just for Christmas. Love how the house smells when they are baking .
Oh Becca what a beautiful card – love the touches of red over the white :-).
My favourite ritual of Christmas is dressing the tree and especially setting out the nativity. A close second is the Church service – either the Christmas Eve Carols/ midnight/ or Christmas morning service. Which ever is available, and to a point, which ‘fits’ with our plans around family.
Blessings
Maxine
I love preparing the house for the arrival of my children and grandchildren. Baking Spiced Pecans for gifts fills the house with a wonderful aroma. It is the most wonderful time of the year…remembering the birth of my Savior, Jesus Christ.
Beautiful card Becca! I think I enjoy making the Christmas cards that I’m going to send out, as well as the special orders I get from customers. Since I resumed teaching card classes, I’m having so much fun designing the Christmas cards we’re doing in the next few classes. Everyone is thrilled with the cards. Their enthusiasm and delight has such a positive effect on us all.
I love attending Christmas Eve mass, it really brings you back to the true meaning of the season.
Hi Becca, I just love Christmas, I love buying gifts and wrapping them especially for the grandchildren. Love your card.
Rene from OZ xx
Hello Becca,
This card is beautiful. I love the red and white.
I just love all of Christmas, it’s so hard to pick a specific thing, from decorating the tree with the grandchildren, the Advent services at church with the Advent Wreath and lighting a different candle every Sunday, to the Christmas Carols. It’s all a magical time. Then, at the Christmas Service, when the Priest comes in carrying the baby Jesus (a doll!) and placing him in the manger in front of the Altar, it is so moving.
Maureen xx
Another beauty, Becca. My husband and I started a new tradition as empty nesters. Sappy but true, we enjoy watching all of the Christmas movies, classics, premiers and repeats alike.
Since we are never home over the holidays, we rarely, if ever decorate the house, so I take joy in making my Christmas cards as well as making treats to pass out. Your cards (as always) is just stunning! I have already started on this year’s cards, but may need to make a few of these as well since I have all of the dies, but one set (and I know what other set I can substitute)!!! I think these cards will be passed out to my co-workers that way they won’t get smooshed in the mail. Thank you for sharing your beautiful card.
Hi, Becca,
Since red is like ‘eye candy’for me, I just love this traditional color scheme. It’s got all my favorites: red accents, roses, pearls and lots of flourish. I love, love, love it!
I sing in two choirs and we start working on Christmas music in September. Singing and hearing Christmas music is what prepares my heart for the holiday season. Your questions are always thought-provoking. Crafting is such a huge part of how I give of myself at Christmastime that I hadn’t realized how important music was in opening my heart to give.
Thank you, Becca, for bringing so much of who you are to what you do!
Love and blessings,
Sandy
It’s hard to believe that it is time to start thinking about Christmas cards.
Your card is so elegant. Anyone who receives it will feel cherished – to think you made them so a beautiful card.
thanks for sharing
Stunning, as always! I used to put on Christmas albums, then it changed to CDs, now I have a favorite Christmas play list…that I play while I sing along, decorate, card-make, and (if I feel confident) do some baking. :)
This is such a gorgeous Christmas card…you always amaze me with your creativity!!!
My favorite Christmas tradition was getting the tree decorated before my birthday…this started with my parents and continued with my own family. As empty nesters, we generally celebrate at the home of one of our children. I am not really motivated anymore to do much decorating because I don’t want to pack it up after Christmas, but the tree is essential!!!
Absolutely beautiful card! I could only wish to make such lovely cards!! You are so very talented!
I think pulling out all the decorations and remembering where they came from or who gave them to me is a special treat for me. Some of my tree ornaments are homemade from my children(now grown) and I love to see them on the tree.
Thanks for the beautiful card. The women of our church get together for an hour of meditation called Advent by Candlelight (google WELS Advent by Candlelight for programs). We do this the first Sunday evening in December to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas – the birth of our Savior. After that I start putting out my manger collection(125)all over the house. May all of your readers remember the reason for Christmas as they make their preparations.
Christmas is my favorite holiday, because I am a Christian but also because to me it is the best time of year. I love decorating my home, putting up tree and looking at the lights on all the houses. Every part of Christmas is my favorite!
What a beautiful Christmas Card you are sharing today. I so enjoy decorating my Victorian Tree with all my handmade ornaments. I don’t get to see them for a year and it is always a surprise when I pull one out of the storage box.
Would love to win this card! Thanks for sharing!
Barbara G
Beautiful card! My favorite ritual for preparing for Christmas is making cards. That’s what start my holiday season.
My favorite ritual is to start listening to Christmas music. Most of the time I start the day after Thanksgiving, but I have started as early as September! I am just filled with all the joy the season represents when I start hearing those beautiful carols.
Super gorgeous card, Becca! I think my favourite Christmas ritual is decorating the Christmas tree and putting out the decorations! Thank you for the chance to win!
Stunning! Love the colors and design of this card. You do such beautiful work.
This card is awesome, Becca! My favorite Christmas pleasure is decorating the house and putting up the tree. Baking cookies comes in a close second. Thanks for the opportunity to win this card!
beautiful card!!!!! I would have to say making the Christmas cards, lol
I love Christmas and one of my favorite activities is decorating the tree!
Beautiful card. My family and friends would love it if I sent them cards like this, however, mine are so much simpler. My favorite ritual for Christmas? I guess it’s getting all the gifts together and watching their eyes when they open them. Then, of course, is the food and cookies. My husband keeps telling me to cut back (we’re both senior citizens) but I just can’t get myself to do that.
Hi Becca, Your card is elegant and just classy. Love it.
What a beautiful Christmas card!!! Truly elegant. I don’t have any one specific ritual with Christmas preparations, always baking and making candy. We do have a ritual for Christmas brunch, though. Always the same exact food, a lovely breakfast pizza with hash brown crust, scrambled eggs, ham, sausage, bacon, and lots of cheese. It is so yummy and filling and doesn’t require hours of preparation or cleanup. It is a tradition that I hope will continue for many years.
Baking cookies and decorating them! You make the most beautiful cards!
Good morning Becca, Beautiful card as always!!! I really must make a start on my Christmas cards : ) what I love about Christmas is everything!!! Decorating the tree 12days before while listening to Christmas Carols : ) baking, wrapping presents and Christmas Day!!! Becca you really make one think!!! Bless you. You sweet angel!!!
Good luck everyone!!!
Have a good one!!!
Loopy Lynda xxx
Great card. Love the red. My favorite is either cooing for Christmas or putting up lots of lights. Not plain white ones, but lots of colors to offset the snow.
What a delightful card! Great inspiration. Thank you. My favorite ritual is updating my card giving list. There are always new colleagues, new neighbors, some friends and family that have gone to God, new family members and new addresses. It’s a reminder that they are all blessings.
As always, a beautiful card.
Christmas traditions have been hard to keep. Growing up, my dad and I usually decorated the tree. My siblings would throw an ornament or two on, but it was mostly just the two of us. After getting married, I found out that other families were different! At my in-law’s house, Mom decorated the tree…and she did it beautifully. I had hoped to make tree trimming a family event. 30 years now, and I am the only tree trimmer!! I am lucky to get the men to bring up the boxes of decorations! So, having lost that battle, my next ritual would be holiday baking. This one I can do by myself – although those guys have no problem eating the goodies!! I enjoy the time in the kitchen and the smells of yummy treats baking away.
You might not go all out at Christmas, as you say, Becca, but you certainly did go all out with this card. I guess my favorite tradition would have to be baking and preparing Christmas dinner. I like it all to be homemade.
I love to decorate for the holidays, to bake, and to give special hand-made gifts. Your card is lovely!
I think my favorite ritual is making fried almonds. . . It is something my dad did with his parents, passed down to me, and I taught my boys to do it too!!! To me Christams is about love, faith, family and traditions!
Lovely card!
WOW! This is just stunning.
My favorite thing to get me in the true spirit of Christmas is Advent services at my church to remind me what the true meaning of Christmas is about.
Oh my goodness! Becca that is the most beautiful Christmas card i have ever seen. You do some amazing work and everything you do is so elegant and stunning. I can’t even begin to compare my work to yours and I feel as if I do quite well. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful talent with us and for sharing some of your gorgeous cards. I pray that I can win this one. It is fantastic and a work of art!
Hello Becca my favourite ritual is making the port wine trifle a huge one with
an inch of custard under the cream topped with grated chocolate and mandarin oranges on top. Not to mention how much PORT lol?
Love your card good luck everyone XXX
Besides decorating every room making sweet treats especially loads of almond fudge.
Hello Because love the card just what I need to get me started making my Christmas card when I come home from craft demo day
Oh such a beautiful card, Becca!
Red and white – never wrong ;)
My favourite ritual for Christmas is baking and decorating the house, this really gives med the good Christmas feeling :))
This card might be the most beautiful Christmas card I’ve seen anyone create! It’s just stunning, Becca. The dies you used happen to be on my list of all time favorite Spellbinders dies and you have used them to create a one of a kind card. I really will be holding positive thoughts on this week’s giveaway. *smiling*
As much work as it can be, I actually love Christmas decorating. There is something so special about seeing our home transformed to celebrate the birthday of Jesus. Putting up our decorations with my husband is always filled with laughter so that’s another part of decorating that I love. Christmas is the most precious holiday of the year!
Wow this is fabulous and I have those dies. I will keep this in my favorites to use this season. Thanks so much for such wonderful inspiration.
Beautiful, love the layered dies and the roses with the ribbon is just lovely touch to it!
My favorite ritual in preparing for the Christmas season has been decorating the inside and outside of the house, baking, sending out cards with messages to all, and sharing time with family and friends. Now that the children, all grown now, are away, there is less to do during for the season. I now live in an area that can get, and has gotten, lots of wintery weather: extreme cold, snow, ice, and sixty mile an hour winds for days at a time. Most of my preparations now consist of readying my house and property for major extreme cold and possibly being stuck in the house from snow and ice. I learned, from the first year being in this area, to make sure I have my freezer and pantry full of food. My thoughts center around the gift of our Jesus Christ being born to us. Your first Christmas card today is gorgeous. Interesting that you used the watercolor paper even though you did no watercoloring. Using the watercolor paper does give a wonderful tecture layer to your card. I would not have thought about doing this, but I like it. The color, texture and placement of the ribbons are a pleasant touch. Thank you for sharing.
Oh Becca! Merry Christmas with all your beauty and elegance in this gorgeous and detailed card.
Thank you again and again for your inspiration!
Wanda
Long posts today and I can see why. On the road so will b brief and just say I hoe I win this one! Breathtaking!!!!
Hugs
Mstgane
Ann Robbins
Decorating the tree is the most important of the traditions around here. I love this card Becca. Gorgeoous.
Beautiful card love the dies the layering is Awesome. What I do every Christmas is take all my things down and put up all my Christmas decorations up its alot of work but in the end my house is full of the Christmas joy. We also put out the inflatables and lights it’s my favorite time. Thanks for sharing
Such a beautiful card! You are the queen of making a card that looks difficult, but after you explain it, it really isn’t. Our favorite ritual to get ready for Christmas is THE LIGHTS. As in hanging the outside Christmas lights. My husband has always hung lights on the outside of our house. It is a tradition, that no matter what the weather, they are hung the weekend right after Thanksgiving. When the girls were still at home we would be inside decorating the tree. Always keeping the watchful eye out that daddy was climbing safely on the ladder! Now that they are grown and away, we still decorate the outside and inside the same and treasure the times when the girls are free to come and help us out. How time flies……sigh.
Becca, I love the card – it is so beautiful! I love making Christmas cards each year! I have 12 of my 60 cards made already! One a day will accomplish my goal but I’m doing better than that so do anticipate getting them done in time to mail so everyone receives before Christmas. Regards, Donna
I was wondering if I could find a place where you tell had you made this card and what dies you used. It is beautiful.
Thank you
Joy
My favorite Christmas ritual is the shopping for special gifts for special people. The true reason for the season is of utmost importance, though first and foremost. This card is stunning. I can’t stop savoring all it’s nuances.
Your card is stunning, Becca! But then, they always are!
I love all the baking, decorating and planning, but my favourite ritual is Midnight Communion – especially if all the family are gathered together. It’s hard to beat that wonderful feeling.
Hugs
Anne (UK) x
Beautiful Christmas card.
I start Christmas music in September or October. Old traditional Christmas music.
I love Christmas and it gets me in the mood and makes the season last a long time for me.
My mother did the same thing and started her Christmas baking the day we started back to school. So we always knew we would come home from school that first day of school to Christmas music and a house that smelled of Christmas baking.
Great memories!!!!!……..A great Mom!!!!!