The Christmas cards are nearly done ......

Happy Wednesday .......

This time next week it'll be Christmas Day!! Are you getting excited yet?  I wonder what Santa will bring ...... fingers crossed I'm on the nice list!

I'm finally coming to the end of my Christmas cards ..... they're all made, they just need writing and popping in the post.  Then I think the craft room door is closing until after Christmas.

I hand delivered a few cards last weekend whilst we were away.  It's always nice to catch up with friends and family, but at this time of year it's extra special.

The family Christmas card for this year was my take on a beautiful design I spotted during Simon Says Stamp's STAMPtember event ....... done by Debby Hughes for the Reverse Confetti collaboration

For my version I used an Altenew stamp set (Leaf Canopy) along with the SSS Merry Christmas sentiment ......

I stamped the leaves onto watercolour card, and heat embossed in gold.

I used watercolour paint to colour the leaves ......

and once it was dry I added some sparkly clear embossing paste through a stencil to give a snowy finish

A few splatters of gold ink onto the background, my sentiment in the middle,

and I finished off with some gold thread

and a little bit of Distress Ink around the edges ...... another batch done!

I also did a few smaller versions too .....

We did have a lovely weekend away ..... even though the weather wasn't very good.
The sun did shine though, just as I was placing a wreath on my mum's grave.  The rain stopped as we parked the car outside the cemetery and just as I got to mum's grave the sun came out.  It was just like she was smiling down on me.

We had an early Christmas dinner with my in-laws ..... my first roast turkey and sprouts of the season ...... and no-one had to cook because we went out!
We celebrated my sister-in-law's birthday with another fab meal ..... no turkey on that one, we had fish and pretty spectacular it was too ....... there had to be photos!
First they brought the cold layer ...... miso salmon, king prawns, octopus, and king scallops, with homemade breads and sauces

and then the hot top layer ...... Lobster, king prawn and cherry tomato risotto, with deep fried squid and a lobster to top it all off ...... YUM!!!!

It was amazing ....... accompanied by a rather nice bottle of Chablis  ..... Happy Birthday Liz!
I also caught up with my best friend for a curry at our favourite indian restaurant.  Sorry no photos of that one ..... too busy chatting and eating! 

Oh well, I'd better get on with writing those Christmas cards, then it's off into town. 
There's not much more to do now, just the food shopping but that's not until the weekend. 
I've a few last minute stocking fillers to pick up, and one of my favourite jobs to do ...... wrapping all the presents ..... I do love this time of year!

Thanks for popping by ...... enjoy the rest of your day.

Cheerio until next time ......

Products used:
Stamps: Leaf Canopy (Altenew); Merry Christmas (SSS);
Inks: Versamark ink; Delicata Golden Glitz (splatters); 
Others: Cascade Green  Watercolour paint (Danial Smith); Gold embossing powder (WOW!); Moonstone Glimmer Paste (Nuvo); Falling Snow stencil (SugarPea Designs)