Handmade Christmas Cards

Each year I make my own Christmas cards. It is something I really enjoy creating and know that my family and friends love to receive them. I guess quite a few people thought that once our little man was born, I would not have time to make Christmas cards for everyone. Although I don’t have hours to spend crafting, I still get my little craft fix as much as I can! Craft if definitely my therapy, as I have spoken about before (post here) and my time out from our busy lives. This is how I go about making my Christmas Cards.

Once I’ve written out the Christmas Card list, I create a little Christmas card making station by using a tray or box I have and I fill it with all the bits and pieces I need to create cards. It usually it goes a little like this:

glitter, stamps, ink, scrapbook paper, stickers, washi tape, ribbon, twine, buttons and anything else that takes my eye.

I  try to keep things simple and only create one or two designs. Then I make one of each card as an example. Normally after I’ve done that I have run out of time and come back to it later. It’s always a work in progress and gets done over a week or two. This is where the box comes in handy. When I have a spare hour in the evening, I am able to pick up where I left off.

This year I decided to take advantage of our little man and use his artwork on our Christmas cards.He was given some lovely children’s watercolour paints for his birthday by a friend, so I found a few pieces of cardboard and set him to work painting. This year I went for one simple design – a background of Christmas paper, a cutout of his painting and added some Christmas stamps on top. Most of the stamps are from the 1950/60s and were my Dad’s and Aunty and Uncles when they were kids, which makes them extra special to me and I love using them.

christmas cards

Oh and the last thing is get someone else to write on them! I make the cards, Pappa Duck writes on them (he does have lovely handwriting so it only seems fitting)

An update…

Birthday celebrations are long gone and I am getting stuck into life as a 30 year old. I’m excited to be in my 30s, I feel like this decade will bring exciting times for my little family, beginning with Pappa Duck and I getting married! After being engaged for 6 years, buying a house, creating the most beautiful little baby (who is now 3 and a half – how did that happen!?!) and dating for a total of about 13 years we’ve decided March 2014 is the time to celebrate with our family and friends.

Being the slightly crazy organiser and crafty lady that I am, I have been busy searching the net for ideas. I’ve spent countless hours on Pinterest, swooning over pretty things which I’ve pinned to my page and you can check it out  here. We have found some wonderful local suppliers and Pappa Duck and I have been getting things booked before Christmas is upon us.

love

{Image via Pinterest}  and original source here

Christmas! My favourite time of year! I’ve updated the blackboard on the wall of our kitchen with November and December, the first step in Christmas preparations! I organise the family from this board – if it’s not on the board then I don’t do it! And yes, I will admit that I have already started initial crafting for the advent calendar and Christmas cards! I really do love the time of year and enjoy the spirit of giving at Christmas and being surrounded by the ones I love. So why not stretch it out and enjoy it for two months? I will be!

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Sweet Dreams,

Duck Egg Blue Mamma xx