Mistletoe and gleaming holly,
Symbols of a blessed day...
~Louisa May Alcott, "Merry Christmas," in The Horn of Plenty, 1876
Today a new Sunday Song & Rhyme Challenge has started at The Outlawz Challenges and will run through December 25th.
Our sponsor this month is Alex Syberia Designs wit ha generous prize of $15.00 to her Etsy shop which can be found HERE.
Our Song/Rhyme this month was selected by Susan
Christmas by John Betjeman
The bells of waiting Advent ring,
The Tortoise stove is lit again
And lamp-oil light across the night
Has caught the streaks of winter rain
In many a stained-glass window sheen
From Crimson Lake to Hookers Green.
The holly in the windy hedge
And round the Manor House the yew
Will soon be stripped to deck the ledge,
The altar, font and arch and pew,
So that the villagers can say
'The church looks nice' on Christmas Day.
Provincial Public Houses blaze,
Corporation tramcars clang,
On lighted tenements I gaze,
Where paper decorations hang,
And bunting in the red Town Hall
Says 'Merry Christmas to you all'.
And London shops on Christmas Eve
Are strung with silver bells and flowers
As hurrying clerks the City leave
To pigeon-haunted classic towers,
And marbled clouds go scudding by
The many-steepled London sky.
And girls in slacks remember Dad,
And oafish louts remember Mum,
And sleepless children's hearts are glad.
And Christmas-morning bells say 'Come!'
Even to shining ones who dwell
Safe in the Dorchester Hotel.
And is it true,
This most tremendous tale of all,
Seen in a stained-glass window's hue,
A Baby in an ox's stall?
The Maker of the stars and sea
Become a Child on earth for me?
And is it true? For if it is,
No loving fingers tying strings
Around those tissued fripperies,
The sweet and silly Christmas things,
Bath salts and inexpensive scent
And hideous tie so kindly meant,
No love that in a family dwells,
No carolling in frosty air,
Nor all the steeple-shaking bells
Can with this single Truth compare -
That God was man in Palestine
And lives today in Bread and Wine.
Besides the fact that I absolutely adore Christmastime, I also love holly so I am using that as the inspiration for my card.
I am using a newly released image called “Vintage-Collection-Warm-Wishes”. Isn’t this one stunning? I just don’t know how you can go wrong with this beautiful frame of Holly, berries & pine cones!
Based on Mojo Monday Sketch 463
Supplies used
- Image “Vintage-Collection-Warm-Wishes” printed on Hammermill Color Copy
- Banner punch from Stampin Up!
- Border punch from EK Success
- Design Paper from Unity Stamps (Holiday Intrigue)
- Momento Ink
- ProMarkers
- Rhinestones from my stash
- Sentiment from Unity Stamps (Let’s be Jolly)
- Based on Sketch Mojo Monday 463
Thanks for stopping by and don’t forget to stop by The Outlawz Challenges for more challenges and Inspiration!
CHALLENGES ENTERED
(NOTE: Found that all my links were diabled, they should be working now)
(NOTE: Found that all my links were diabled, they should be working now)
ENTRY 56
ENTRY 1
ENTRY 77
ENTRY 65
ENTRY 36
ENTRY 122
ENTRY 18
A beautiful design, the stamped frame is gorgeous. Thanks for joining us at Sweet Stampin'
ReplyDeleteChris
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so pleased you chose to play along at Crafty Calendar too- this beautiful card is definitely worth a second look.
ReplyDeletex
So very pretty!!! Thank you so much for entering our challenge at Crafter's Castle this month....good luck :)
ReplyDeleteHugs... Janie
DT
Crafter's Castle
crafterscastle.blogspot.com
Lovely card Cara. The main panel looks beautiful with the foliage surrounding the sentiment. Thank you for entering the Something Beginning with R Challenge at CHNC.
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