Christmas Fairy Lights

I've been having a little play with my new Christmas die (OK, not so new, but the first time I have used it!  It was one that I purchased in the Boxing Day fiasco that was the Ellison sale last Christmas).

I wasn't sure what paper would make better glass bulbs, so I had a play!  The first one was metallic paper which was hard to photograph as it looks different depending on how the light falls on it.  I liked these bulbs although the paper is quite thin:

Next I tried some metallic handmade paper.  This was thicker so needed less foam pads:

And finally, I found a cover mount from an old Cross Stitching magazine from years ago which was a pack of high gloss metallic cards, so I used them!  They were even harder to photograph, but I liked the result!

So, in conclusion, I don't have a favourite, I think they all worked!  More good news too, whilst trying to work out which one I would like best, I have now made nine Christmas cards!  They are all along the same lines, i.e. my beloved brown paper and vintage book paper with die cut shapes, but I'm quite pleased.  Last year I stressed myself out by making all 100 of the Christmas cards that I send so now that I am working I have decided that most of my cards this year will be the bought charity kind, but I will continue with making my Christmas cards and see how far I get, but with no pressure.

Credit for the photography in this post goes to Alex who is loving her new camera, and has, it has to be said, taken some really fantastic photos already!

My Christmas preparations have continued today, although not in my Crafty Corner, but in the kitchen.  My Christmas cake is made and is currently cooling completely before I can "feed" it and wrap it up, and my mincemeat is made and popped into my lovely Le Parfait jars ready for some yummy mince pies nearer to December - although my family are all asking for mince pies now knowing that the mincemeat is made!  I intend to make my Christmas pudding some time this week ...

Carole x