Christmas Time!

Oh, boy - it's that time of year!  But I suppose I should say it's *been* that time of year - Christmas Cardmaking Time!  I know a few girlfriends who are already done making their cards....as in, all 100+ of them.  Honestly, I'm surprised.  I've been known to take over an hour just trying to decide on what papers to make one card with, how is it that these chicks are already done with more than one?  

But enough about my crazy girlfriends, who are crazy and have less time than me to make cards because they have jobs outside the home and one even has 2 more kids than I do!  And their cards are gorgeous, to boot.....

So, let's see.  I've been working on a few cards for a future class at my local craft store.  Here is what I came up with:

For these two cards, I decided I would use the new Antique Labels One from Spellbinders.  The papers I used came from 2 collections: Echo Park (This & That Christmas) and Simple Stories (Handmade Holiday/Harvest Lane).  The stamps I used are from Sweet n Sassy (Season of Love) and JustRite (Christmas Antique Labels).  I also used a twig/leaf die from Memory Box.  I've decided it's a pseudo-holly branch only because I wanted something with some length, and my holly-looking die looks better as a poinsettia, which is precisely what it is: a poinsettia die!  In fact...

as you can see, I used a few poinsettia leaves to make that holly branch for these two cards.  I'm really liking the Christmas line from Simple Stories: very homey, with lots of browns and deep reds - my faves!  But I have to say, Echo Park was genius for adding stars to their Christmas line this year.  I finally took out my Sizzix stars die and put it to use!  

Hope you like the cards...enjoy!

('Merry & Bright' stamp from Impression Obsession; Canadian Kaleidoscope doily from Cheery Lynn Designs)