21 days til............................

In recent years there has been some debate about sending Christmas cards. At my work place for the last 3 years some people have decided to give to charity instead of giving cards. That is their personal choice and I do respect that. However I chose to do both because I so enjoy giving and receiving Christmas cards. I hang the cards we are sent on  foil strings from the banisters in my hallway. It is always such a cheerful display to greet  us when we come home.
I enjoy the hearing the sound of cards plopping through my letter box, delivered by my trusty postman. Even the stamps issued by the Royal Mail this year are cheerful.  They are the delightful Wallace and gromit. I am not sure if my overseas readers know of these fun characters? Cards also allow me to hear from friends who now live far away and sadly I rarely see. It gives me a great pleasure reading their messages. I have one friend, who is another Jane, and usually hers is the very first to arrive. However due to all the snow we have had our mail has been seriously disrupted and we have not had a delivery since Tuesday! I am sure Jane will not disappoint me. These have been the scenes around here this week, it's not really that surprising my post has not been delivered! You can click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

It's hard to believe this is Surrey not Lapland! Real picture postcard scenery...I still think it is quite stunning and just so appropriate to this time of the year.

I always enjoy making some of my Christmas cards. As I just don't have the time to make them for everyone I tend to give the handmade ones to my nearest and dearest. This year I tried starting early and I did manage to get some finished in October but as always time has run away and I must now buy a few to complete my list.
I showed a couple my handmade cards on my footsteps in the snow post recently and I just thought I would share a few more.

I bought these brilliant fimo snowmen at a craft fair last year, after I had finished making my cards. So I  put them away to use  this year. I love the snowman image and he is a favourite theme of mine at this time of the year.

I have used other colourways of these sweet snowmen to make some variations. It is always interesting how differently cards turn out even when the same theme is used. Just a change in backing paper or embellishments makes them look completely different.






One really fun card I wanted to share with you is the one I have just made for my dear Hb. You may already be aware that I love pigs. As I could never have the joy of keeping a real one, the nearest I have ever got to this is owning guinea pigs. When I was small, and then also when our children were young, we kept these wonderful feisty little creatures. Wilbur, Fern, Raisins, Roger and Dennis all spent many happy years with us. My husband also fell in love with these very dear creatures, we have such fond memories of keeping them.

When I spotted Zoe on Etsy, who paints the most true to character guinea pigs, I just knew I had to commission her to paint me this little fellow for Christmas to use for my Hb's card.

He very much resembles our Roger who was one of the cheekiest guineas we every owned!
I decided to use him as the centre piece for the card.
I used some green holly embossed card to make a "parcel" cross and added glitter snowflake stick ons. I cut out a matching green tag which I attached with snowy ribbon and here it is......

 Inside I used some fun peel offs and made a holly border with a green strip underneath to highlight the cut outs.





This shows the inside where I will write my Christmas greeting to him ♥

So as you can see I often have very random themes for my cards but I think it makes them even more special and after all ....just how many guinea pig Christmas cards can you find on the shelves of the shops at the moment........................................................??!! ;0)

I suppose I must crack on with finishing writing my Christmas cards now and get them all in the post so that they can be delivered in plenty of time.

As I cannot send all my blogging friends real cards I hope you have enjoyed looking at these and if I was to put a verse inside to send one to you all .....this would be my choice.

There's more, much more, to Christmas Than candlelight and cheer;

It's the spirit of sweet friendship That brightens all year.

It's thoughtfulness and kindness, It's hope reborn again,

 For peace, for understanding, And for goodwill to men!    (Anon)

.......and women of course ;0)

Bye for now,

Jane x