My sister makes the most amazing greeting cards - each one personally made for Christmas, birthdays, mother's day, father's day, etc. They are works of art and I have kept every one and am going to put them all together in an album.
Me? I take photos - so my greeting cards are often made from my images from our travels.
For Christmas I have had -
candles from Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris -
Please click on read more to keep reading...........
and tulip fields at Table Cape, Wynyard, in Tasmania -
But the last few years I have added words - I think they add a special touch -
2010 - Rose Mallee - a Western Australian wildflower -
2011- yellow daisies from my garden -
2012 - Christmas star biscuits -
and this year - 2013 - Gardens on the Bay in Singapore - if you missed my post about this amazing place you can see it by clicking here - The breathtaking world of gardens in Singapore
Do you make Christmas cards? I hope you have enjoyed these few cards and the beautiful words that go with them. Unfortunately I don't know the author of the first two.
The textured background is Kim's texture "embrace" - to find out more about textures please go to Kim Klassen's page by clicking here - Kim Klassen Cafe
Thank you for taking the time to stop by. Have a wonderful week and a beautiful count down to the Christmas season. In Western Australia we are experiencing sizzling hot burning temperatures in the 30-40 degrees C ! and I am cooking roast for Christmas lunch!
I look forward to hearing from you. I'm off to start my Christmas baking now.
If you have been following our South Australia trip, and missed last weeks post, you can catch up with it by clicking here - On the Oodnadatta Track - South Australia Part 6
I will bring you the rest of our trip early next year.
You might also enjoy - Christmas wishes from Australia
Summer December flowers in Western Australia
I am linking up to Mosaic Monday, Travel Photos Monday, Our World Tuesday, Wednesday Around the World, Travel Photo Thursday, What's It Wednesday, and Oh the Places I've Been. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!
Mosaic Monday
Travel Photo Mondays
Our World Tuesday
Wednesday Around the World
What's It Wednesday
Travel Photo Thursday
Oh The Places I've Been
Hi, I love making homemade Christmas cards and what I make is never planned. This year I am cutting up photos into circles and making them into baubles. It is fun and part of getting my Christmas on plus it shares a little of my year or where I am. Love your cards!
ReplyDeletewhat a great idea - Love it.
DeleteYour hand made cards are wonderful Jill, and I count myself lucky to have been on the receiving end! Yes, putting beautiful words with them makes them ever more meaningful and you have a lovely touch, knowing just what will resonate in a gift card. Looking forward to pics of your Christmas cooking :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Jo - pics from Christmas cooking coming next Monday! watch this space!
DeleteJill I cant even express how heart warming this post made me feel. Thank you for that. Merry Christmas my friend .. way over there. .I loved the cards. So Beautiful .. So creative. and Kim ..no one can surpass her talents.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa. I am uplifted every time I go to your blog. Thankyou for your friendship across the oceans. Have a safe and happy Christmas.
DeleteYour Christmas cards with their lovely words are really beautiful. I'd like to try making my own cards, but my photography is sadly not up to that level. I'd like to try though.........
ReplyDeleteThank you Jill of your beautiful post and your beautiful photos, Merry Christmas. xxx Rae
ReplyDeleteJill, your Christmas Cards and lovely words are beautiful. The last two cards are my favorites. Have a happy day and week ahead.
ReplyDeleteHi Jill,
ReplyDeleteSuch a talented duo you and your sister are! Your photo cards are so pretty, and the words that accompany them, warm and loving. I LOVE the Christmas Cookie card, for its design, subject and textures! SO creative!!
Have a lovely week ahead and keep snapping all those amazing subjects with that keen photographer's eye you possess!
Poppy
thank you so much Poppy. Photography has become such a passion.
DeleteYou and your sister are very talented. Your Christmas cards are very special and lovely. I'd like to make my own cards, but I have to use up all my *bought* cards. I love paper and pens and cards and could probably start a store with all my *leftovers*! Merry Christmas
ReplyDeletea friend of mine makes new cards by cutting up old cards. very creative.
DeleteBeautiful photos... Happy Christmas! :)
ReplyDeleteVery creative Christmas Cards. My favorite image would be the beautiful field of Tulips.
ReplyDeleteYour Christmas cards would be wonderful to receive! I hadn't thought of using my travel photos this way, and next year I may "borrow" your idea.
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful cards!
ReplyDeleteYour christmas cards are beautiful Jill and I do love the words that you have chosen to go with each year. Best wishes for a fabulous Xmas and New Year
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful cards. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas.
ReplyDeleteHi Jill, what lovely cards and verses. Yes I do ;) I have sold a couple thousand greeting cards to a couple of brokerage firms in 2 major cities. I have also made many for Christmas, and other special days, including birthday greetings. Whe one may only have minimum contact with many on Christmas card list...the least we can do is gift them with our best personal touch. Hugs from afar~
ReplyDeletewow Mary - I need to be speaking to you to find out how you did it. Well done.
DeleteI do make my own Christmas cards! This year I am using my son's photo from the Shaker village, the photo that had the wagon, and snow and greens. I also have done stamping and fancy calligraphy. That you save the cards is such a way that you appreciate beauty and honor it. That is what is often hard for me, some people just don't appreciate the heart work that is poured into it. Last week,my boss told me she gets one of my photo cards I sent her out every year and displays it. How sweet is that! And so I push on, making Christmas cards! You are ahead of me, I am cleaning and of course having people come and go and stay for a few days. Tomorrow I will have the house to myself...bliss!
ReplyDeleteoh I love that photo Gayle - I thought when I saw it what a lovely Christmas card it would make. It's nice to do the personal touch isn't it. I was doing calligraphy years and years ago. One of these days I might take it up again. I still have all the fancy pen nibs.
DeleteLovely tulips!
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful candles, that's a lovely photo. I make all my Christmas cards! Have a Happy Christmas!
ReplyDeletethank you dear friends, readers and fellow bloggers. I have valued your wonderful support throughout the year. Wishing you all a safe, happy and joyous Christmas and all good things in 2014.
ReplyDeleteI especially like the star biscuit card because I am a baker. Thank you so, so much for posting about Gardens by the Bay and the SEA Aquarium. I had those blog posts on my mind when an Air Asia sale popped up, so off we went on our own excursion there. I can't seem to get in the mood for Christmas here in tropical Malaysia. Coming from North America, it doesn't seem like Christmas if it's not cool weather. I bet Australians here don't have the same problem.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you went to visit Gardens by the Bay and the Aquarium. Amazing aren't they. Yes Christmas in Australia is usually hot! and there we are cooking a Christmas roast!
DeleteHave a happy and safe Christmas.
I've made Christmas cards in the past, but not this year. I love the candle holders from Notre Dame- beautiful.
ReplyDeleteYour cards are absolutely beautiful. It's such a great idea to combine words with travel images. We do make out own cards but it's just a collage of the year's travel pictures. Merry Christmas to you and your family!
ReplyDeleteYour Christmas cards are FAAAABULOUS! Send me one?????!!! I've never made them - not creative or patient enough - but I write, so I always include an annual wrap up of what we've been up to during the year. It's a great way to actually reflect on the events of the year and bring the year to a close without carrying over any of the disappointments. I've so enjoyed your blog this year, and I'm looking forward to more terrific stories for 2014! Anytime you want to be my next RED Alert guest, just say the word ...
ReplyDeleteThanks Red for you kind comments. I am glad you have enjoyed my blog, as I have very much enjoyed your blog too. In fact we went to a few places during our South Aussie trip on your recommendation! I am yet to do a wrap up, - probably after Christmas - it is a great way to reflect on the year.
DeleteAnd yes I would love to be your next RED alert! I have in mind the pics already!
Happy Christmas, Jill!!
ReplyDeleteyour handicraft cards looking good..
Merry Christmas Jill! I'm so sad, though, that my mom decided not to put up a Christmas tree this year because my 2-year-old nephew would destroy it :'( my very first Christmas without one! Might end up buying a tiny one just for my room, because the thought of having a Christmas without a tree is a bit unbearable :P
ReplyDeletePretty postcards and photos!
-Maria Alexandra
oh Christmas without a Christmas tree - how sad. We bought a huge one when our grandsons came along. Christmas is for children - which includes the tree. Yes you should buy one!
DeleteHave a love Christmas.
Yes, I also do photo greeting cards and still write a traditional letter as well (sadly, despite what blog guru's say, our family and friends are not particularly interested in our travels or the things I write about them). You've sparked some ideas for next years card in this post. These are beautiful, Jill, and I hope the recipients treasure them. Merry Christmas from Seattle where we are waiting for the predicted snow to start falling tonight.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing that Christmas is your springtime so you get all the lovely spring flowers, beautiful!
ReplyDeletewell not spring - but the heat of summer! We always hope for a cooler day so that cooking a roast is more bearable.
DeleteBut in Australia there is always some wildflower flowering somewhere.
First of all, Happy Christmas, Jill!!! your cards looking beautiful such have a great weekend and enjoying the Christmas time, sounds a unique time of the year..
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas! I use my photos to make cards and calendars as well!
ReplyDeleteArgh, so frustrating as I Subscribed to your blog a long time ago but never received email notifications. I just did it again so hopefully we're good to go to get notices now. I love your personal touch of a Christmas card, Jill. That is wonderful what your sister does and I buy Christmas cards to send out gift cards to many people. It's ironic to your Christmas pic posts and Christmas is forever as you should really like my post if you have time to read it, our friend! Can't wait to read your next post with the food :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome content....thanks to share.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Wishes
Christmas Wishes Messages