Creating Treasures with Janice

 MERRY CHRISTMAS!

When is it too late after Christmas to wish someone "Merry Christmas"?  

When is it too late to send Christmas cards?

When should you have your Christmas tree down?

These are questions we all seem to have opinions about.  For some, they put up their tree on Thanksgiving weekend and take it down on the weekend after New Year's.   My husband and I are traditionally late for both.  We are often away for Thanksgiving so we don't buy our tree until the week after.  Sometimes it's well into December before we have it placed in our home and decorated.

Saying "Merry Christmas" is so special to me that I start right after Thanksgiving.  Some people feel saying the phrase is best said "Happy Holidays". I am very traditional, however, and love saying the Christmas greeting beginning with the first Sunday in Advent.  I continue to say it until it's time for "Happy New Year".

Now, Christmas cards are a whole different story.  It's because I tend to be late to mail them.  Whether it's 10 cards or 50 cards, mine are usually in the mail about two days before Christmas.  I always tell myself it's ok, because you can wish someone "Hope, Peace and Joy" at any time.  

One year I was so late, that I crossed off "Merry Christmas" and wrote "Happy Valentine's Day" instead.  Not really, just kidding.  But do you think it would be ok to send Christmas cards in January?  I feel most people love receiving cards from friends and family anytime. And if they are handmade cards, they are really appreciated. 

This year I sent only a few cards and they went out two days before Christmas.  So I'm right on time!  Below are pictures of two of my cards.  The only difference is the silver mat...one is sparkling and one is larger and flat silver (although it looks gold in the picture below).

Using Starry Sky ink, I stamped the scene from the Peace to You stamp set from the 2022 Mini (Holiday) catalog (retiring soon) on to Shimmery White card stock.  This card stock has a cream appearance when compared to Basic White, but is not as dark as Very Vanilla.  

The card base is Starry Sky, with Basic White mat, and Silver Mat.  Both cards are partially colored using Stampin' Up!© Blends.  The colors used on Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus are Starry Sky, Balmy Blue, and #800 (skin tone). So Saffron blends were used on the star.

Finally the sentiment is stamped in Starry Sky ink on Basic White card stock matted on a piece of Starry Sky card stock which was popped up with dimensionals. 

In addition to the nativity scene provided in the stamp set is a classic tiny church set on a wooded hill.  The simplicity allows you to just stamp the scene or color lightly as I did above.  It's the calm of the stamp set that entices me.  And of course being so easy to color (or not), makes the card simple to create.

So whether your cards were out greeting friends and family the first week of December or, like me, they are just now reaching their destinations, enjoy the feeling that sending a little gift of yourself fills your heart.

Hope your Christmas was special and that you have a Wonderful New Year.

-- Janice

PS: Check back here on my blog for some previews of cards using new stamp sets found in the soon to be released 2023 Mini Catalog for January through April.  And as always, posting your comments below is appreciated.