Thursday, December 18, 2025

O Christmas Tree


Hi y'all!  

On any given Thursday morning I'm usually Zooming with my friend Callie, but this morning I'm participating in one of my favorite annual activities.  I'm with a group of my ukulele friends, ringing and singing for the Salvation Army.  We have a fun repertoire of songs that include secular and religious songs for Christmas as well as a few for Hanukkah and of course, a few Hawaiian melodies and Hapa Haole songs as well (referring to a genre of Hawaiian music with English lyrics).  I wish you could see the joy on shoppers' faces as they exit the grocery store and find us there with our happy instruments and silly Christmas garb!  I'd like to think that our exuberant performance inspires them to drop a little extra into the red bucket!  

If you've been visiting my blog for a while, you might remember how my love affair with Hawaiian culture, especially music, dance and my beloved ukulele, got its start.  My husband and I lived in Hawaii for the first four years of our marriage when he was stationed on Oahu at VQ-3 Barbers Point.  I took hula on Monday evenings at Halau Hula O Maiki the entire time we lived there and loved every minute of it.    


We were back on the mainland for quite a while before I seriously started playing the uke.  One of the first "real" songs I learned to play was Iz's version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow, so it's a bit tongue in cheek to say that my card for today, with its pink and green Over the Rainbow designer paper, was thus inspired.  I really do love this bright, happy retro color combo!  

For the Christmas tree, I used the tree die cut to cut a negative space into that gorgeous green designer paper, then adhered it to a white mat and stamped the tree into the negative space.  I used Copic markers, a clear sparkly Wink of Stella glitter marker to color it in, with some strategically placed tiny dots of white paint to make the tree's ornaments look like 3-D rhinestones.  


But there really is only one rhinestone on the card front, the pink one on the white snowflake above the banner, so if you're after a flat card for easy mailing, this would be a good image to use.  Just leave the gems and ribbon off and there you go.   


Here's the inside, with more of that beautiful bold green, a little pink and a couple of die cut embellishments.  And...this greeting is from another Christmas song!  

I hope you leave here today with a song in your heart!  And please give a little extra when you see the Salvation Army bellringer wherever you shop!  Happy Holidays to each and every one of you!  

xo

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Thursday, December 11, 2025

JOY of the Season


The beautiful white fluffy stuff is making an appearance across a lot of the US this week, and here in Florida we are enjoying "sweater weather" even though snow and ice rarely make it this far South.  A family member sent us some photos of his property with the deer out in the snow and so I have been thinking about how God sustains of all of the beautiful wild things through the Winter, with or without our help, just as he so faithfully provides for each of us.  


One sheet of beautiful designer paper inspired the colors for this project.  The red cardinal and berries stand out so brightly in all of those lovely blues with just a hint of lavender.  


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Thursday, December 4, 2025

Gift Card Holders


Welcome back!  How's your week been?  For my American friends, how was your Thanksgiving?  Ours was peaceful and our turkey dinner was delicious (if I do say so myself)!  


Each December I usually make a couple of gift card holders to have on hand.  They make a great back-up plan in case you've left someone off your Christmas list, so it is a good idea to stash at least one just in case!   

I have two cards for today.  One is stamped, and the other is made only with printed paper cut-outs (also flat for mailing). Both use the Carta Bella Winter Time 6x6 designer paper. 


Over the years I have made lots of different styles of gift card holders.  These two have a special "W fold" inside (a 4.5 x 11 inch piece of card stock scored at 5.5 and also 2.75 from each end), the very back of which forms a pocket for money or a gift card.

A few "words of wisdom" regarding construction:  
  • plan and decorate the various pages of your W fold element before adhering it to the decorated card base!  Once adhered, it will not lay flat for stamping.  
  • remember NOT to glue the entire back panel of the W fold in place!  Leave one side open for the money/gift card pocket!  
    • decorate the card base, then adhere the pocket to the inside back, leaving one side and the interior open so the gift card will slide in (yes, it is worth repeating!)
    • then fold the W fold mechanism, add adhesive to the front of it, then simply close the front of the card base and it will line up just right!

My second card has no stamping at all.  It was made entirely with the Winter Time designer paper pad and various printed paper cutouts.  Easy peasy and so cute!  


See that red cording?!  I decided to add it after constructing my card and had to use a stylus and a crochet hook to get it through!  So yeah, planning your entire layout before-hand is so much simpler!  


My first card has a notch in the middle of the pocket opening, whereas for this one the pocket opening is cut on the diagonal.  It's kinda fun to change things up a little.  


I hope you like them both!

Supplies:

Spirit of Christmas
SNOW!
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