Deep and crisp and even

There are just 5 more sleeps until the man in the red suit pops down our chimneys. The weather has been very wintry and so dark and tomorrow is officially the first day of winter. 

We have to make the most of these crisp frosty days as it's all change again and the forecast for Christmas day is quite mild.

There was ice on the ponds as I walked down to Dotty's with some new cards  yesterday.

The leaves were frozen within.

 Mr Heron was keeping out of the freezing water and watched me from a tree.

Back at home my violas were still smiling at me despite their frozen petals.

My card today is a very unusual Christmas card I was commissioned to make. It was for a window cleaner who is an avid fisherman!

Now at first I didn't know where to start  but I then remembered that I had a fab Designs by Ryn fish stamp which I won a few months back.

 I stamped my fish and then

 used some frosty distress ink colours to create the icy water. I also used the bubbles and pond weed from my Visible Image stamps to create a winter wonderland under water scene.

Here is my card.

I coloured the fish with silver pen and added a LOTV sentiment and some Tim Holtz die cut snowflakes.

Here's a close up. It was great fun in the end making it as I really had to think "outside the box" for such an unusual Christmas card request. 

I heard that the young man this was made for was delighted with it.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges;

Designs by Ryn December customer challenge

Allsorts 1/3 cold and frosty colours

A vintage journey winter wonderland (mine is an underwater winter wonderland!)

Winter wonderland anything goes

Happy little stampers anything goes with dies

I am taking a day off from my Christmas preps today to have lunch with my Hb in a lovely local tea rooms in nearby Woodcote. I hope you are nearly ready for the big day but are still able to take some time out to enjoy the excitement and festive spirit of my favourite time of the year. I have 2 last posts to share before Christmas day. Billy has busy typing up his post and will be here on Friday.

Thanks as always for stopping by and leaving your kind comments particularly at such a busy time.

Bye for now,

Jane x