I’ve made Christmas cards this year! I have been saying for YEARS now, ‘This year I AM going to make Christmas cards,’ and then failing abysmally because being a teacher got in the way. I even bought a pack of blank cards at one point. But this year - I did it!!
Wasn’t sure to begin with what would go on the cards. So I do as I always do in these moments of indecision and I let it sit for a few days. Then, clear as a jingle bell, the image of a knitted Christmas tree popped into my head, and I was away! I’m glad it was a Christmas tree because it’s one of my favourite parts of Christmas - the sheer romantic lunacy of having a tree inside your home, covered in twinkly lights. We always have a real one, too, for the scent. And this year we have decided to buy a potted one because I read that they live happily in pots for around 4-5 years, so after Christmas it can live in the courtyard where I can attempt to keep it alive for next year. Fingers crossed.
Anyway, I already had blank cards. Annoyingly, they did not fit inside any of my supply of envelopes so I purchased a huge block of 50 brown artisan-type envelopes for £2.50. I also bought some little wooden stars and some teeny tiny diamond things which tested my patience attaching them to the card, but thank goodness for the tweezers with a light that Andy bought me as a random birthday present a couple of years ago. I know....don’t ask...
I knitted tree shapes - triangles with round bottoms - from tinsel wool. Not to be recommended for the faint-hearted, and it blooming well sheds EVERYWHERE, much to the delight of Flora who loves a bit of tinsel in her diet. I trimmed the excess fluffage from one side of the tree to help it lay flatter against the card. Then I glued an oblong of Christmas paper to the card, after crimping the card edges to give it a Victorian look, and also to help it fit better in the envelopes.
Next came the tricky bit of attaching double sided sticky tape to the back of the tree then peeling off the backing to the reveal the sticky bit to attach the tree to the card. Now, double sided tape is all well and good when it has something firm for you to press against in order to remove its backing, BUT when it is attached to something soft and bouncy like a knitted tinsel tree, the operation becomes a different kettle of ‘Test My Patience’ indeed. However, with the aid of a small needle, lots of deep breathing and sticking my tongue out in concentration, the job was a good ‘un! Then I attached a small brown felt square to act as the tree trunk, and the wooden star on top, and three little shiny diamond things around the star et voila!
The Tartan Tree...
...and the Poinsettia and Frosty Lace Trees...
Simple, effective, tactile, and, as they say in the teenager vernacular, I am well happy with them!
Wasn’t sure to begin with what would go on the cards. So I do as I always do in these moments of indecision and I let it sit for a few days. Then, clear as a jingle bell, the image of a knitted Christmas tree popped into my head, and I was away! I’m glad it was a Christmas tree because it’s one of my favourite parts of Christmas - the sheer romantic lunacy of having a tree inside your home, covered in twinkly lights. We always have a real one, too, for the scent. And this year we have decided to buy a potted one because I read that they live happily in pots for around 4-5 years, so after Christmas it can live in the courtyard where I can attempt to keep it alive for next year. Fingers crossed.
Anyway, I already had blank cards. Annoyingly, they did not fit inside any of my supply of envelopes so I purchased a huge block of 50 brown artisan-type envelopes for £2.50. I also bought some little wooden stars and some teeny tiny diamond things which tested my patience attaching them to the card, but thank goodness for the tweezers with a light that Andy bought me as a random birthday present a couple of years ago. I know....don’t ask...
I knitted tree shapes - triangles with round bottoms - from tinsel wool. Not to be recommended for the faint-hearted, and it blooming well sheds EVERYWHERE, much to the delight of Flora who loves a bit of tinsel in her diet. I trimmed the excess fluffage from one side of the tree to help it lay flatter against the card. Then I glued an oblong of Christmas paper to the card, after crimping the card edges to give it a Victorian look, and also to help it fit better in the envelopes.
Next came the tricky bit of attaching double sided sticky tape to the back of the tree then peeling off the backing to the reveal the sticky bit to attach the tree to the card. Now, double sided tape is all well and good when it has something firm for you to press against in order to remove its backing, BUT when it is attached to something soft and bouncy like a knitted tinsel tree, the operation becomes a different kettle of ‘Test My Patience’ indeed. However, with the aid of a small needle, lots of deep breathing and sticking my tongue out in concentration, the job was a good ‘un! Then I attached a small brown felt square to act as the tree trunk, and the wooden star on top, and three little shiny diamond things around the star et voila!
The Tartan Tree...
...the Snowflake Trees...
Simple, effective, tactile, and, as they say in the teenager vernacular, I am well happy with them!
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KJ
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