I’ve missed blogging my Card-io Christmas Cards over the past two days, so I’m blogging three of them today to catch up. (As you view each photograph, you can click on it to make it bigger – but don’t forget to click ‘back’ in your browser window so that you can come back to reading here!)
If you’ve missed the last few blog posts you won’t know that I normally don’t make Christmas cards for neighbours, or friends and family whose cards I have to post, simply because you can buy a box of Christmas Cards for so little that it would cost me more to make and send my own handmade ones than to buy some, – so have always gone with the more ‘frugal’ ready made boxed cards – as those were cheaper not just to buy but also to post.

However, this year I had such a stash of cardstock, I thought I’d challenge myself to make cards which wouldn’t cost me the earth to make or post, so I got out some of my favourite stamps, Card-io Stamps, and decided that I’d try to use just those stamps, some ink pads and some cardstock – (and try not to put any expensive or BIG adornments or embellishments on them, so that I didn’t have to make specially sized envelopes or boxes), – so that they wouldn’t cost the earth to post!
But, today I’m blogging three cards: Starting with … a Christmas warning to our feathered friends . . .
Don’t stop here lads – apparently – they’re eating BIRDS for Christmas!
The little bird down on the ground there, has been earwigging (a British term – means eavesdropping) at the open kitchen window and keeps hearing: “What time will that bird be ready to take out of the oven?” – and . . . “Is that bird cooked yet?” – and even . . . “The bird looks so lovely. I can’t wait to eat it!” . . . Eeeek! No wonder he’s fretting! 😮
A simple to make card. I began by making a mask to ‘frame’ off a square in the centre of the card. Using a spare bit of thicker paper, I measured out the size I needed to cut, then once ready, I took it outside and sprayed the back with some Stick and Spray from Crafters Companion and carefully stuck it to the card front.
I then ripped a bit of copy paper and put the ‘frilly’ torn edge on an angle across the card and made the winter sun you see in the background, using three colours of Versa Color ink pads. I stamped the bare winter trees you see in the distance, just over the top of the hill, and the one standing on top of the hill.
Wanting to add some Pine Trees, I angled the torn paper again on the card, but a little further down the page, so that the Pines looked closer. Once the torn paper was in place, I stamped the Pines using the 2nd generation stamping method I talked about in previous posts over the last few days.
Finally, I wanted to add the little bird, stood all alone on a snow drift. Then came the fun stuff. SNOW!
The ‘snow’ you see on the card is a simple effect to achieve. I use Pinflair glitter glue, and Pinflair Snow Dust. That’s it. It takes a short while to dry, but once dry it’s a lovely addition to a card.
Time for Card 2.
Oy! You’ve Forgotten my Christmas Dinner!

The family have eaten their Christmas Dinner and are now out for a walk to give the children some fresh air, and hopefully wear them out so that they’ll go to bed! But oh! Look! They’ve forgotten to fill up the bird feeder and that little chap on the floor is having a grumpy moment about it!
This card was made basically the same way as the previous card, only this time: I made a mask with 4 equally sized sections in it, so that it looked like you were looking through a window. Once the mask was in place it meant that I could ink up the sky, the winter sun, and stamp the trees, the church, the family, the bird etc, and even draw in the fence. Once everything was in its place, I removed the mask and added the snow.
Card 3.
Who Buried Dinner?
I don’t actually really know what the conversation is which is going on here, ↑ – but I do kind of feel that the little bird in the centre of the card is either ‘getting it in the neck’, or he’s letting the bird on the right let off steam and voice his complaint so that the digging, scratching and searching can begin to find all the seeds, nuts and mealworms which have obviously been blown off the bird feeder, and are now hidden under a layer of snow.
Made in the same way as the two previous cards.
Well, . . . I’m pretty sure you’re probably fed up with Christmas Cards by now, so rest assured, I’m not going to bore you forever. But … I have just two other Christmas cards which I want to share – only this time they’re totally different from any of the ones you’ve seen over the past week. Still made using Card-io Stamps – but different. These one’s have some of those things which I said I wanted to avoid (embellishments) – but, they’ll still post in a regular envelope, and they’ll still cost the same as the cards above. (Have I piqued your interest?) ;D
I’ll share those two with you next time.
In the meantime – thank you SO much for coming and sharing a few minutes with me here. Your company, honestly, really is very much appreciated. So thank you for coming and sharing your time with me.
May you have a truly blessed Thursday. ~ love ~
Another great set of little cards Cob, love the idea of the window frame mask! Really liked the little stories behind each card too and am now looking forward to seeing the next set with more embellishments 🙂
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I like the stories of the birds. The birds are so little, but they have a lot to say in these pictures.
Did you ever watch the cartoon Animaniacs? It has a series with the “GoodFeathers” which is a take off on the mafia movie “Goodfellas”. The conversations these birds are having reminds me of it (in a good way).
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Hello LemonD!
No, never seen Animaniacs. I Googled it and can’t say that the pictures bring any memories. It could be that it was an ‘only in the USA’ type of thing, but … it could have been shown here and I just didn’t connect with it.
Great to see you and thank you for taking the time to leave me a comment, I really appreciate it.
Sending love, ~ Cobs.x
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