Make your own Christmas cards this year, and at the same time stitch some initials to personalize birthday cards, or anything else! Here is another lovely little book full of beautiful designs to stitch during those dark evenings.

Despite being rather an odd combination, the whole alphabet and various card designs are all attractive, and yes I am already stitching some designs from it. Choose from frames to surround those paper tole images, or frames containing further stitched designs depicting popular subjects such as pinecones, bells and candles. Or perhaps you might prefer something more unusual, such as the innovative idea of having a Christmas tree as a frame, containing a nativity scene or still life arrangement. Then there are ideas for using up odd beads and ways of employing embossing stencils to enhance your cards. The alphabet features summer flowers and ways of making it look Christmassy without radical changes have so far eluded me, but for the rest of the year, it will be a useful addition to any papercrafter’s library of designs. I also see it being transferred via carbon paper to cloth, and being stitched as monograms on towels and face flannels, so a versatile idea. There are instructions on how to work the various simple stitches, tips on making the work look better and basics for beginners, as well as how to make the individual cards. This is not gone into in much detail, but looking at the pictures will tell all but the greenest crafting tyro how it is done. If you cannot obtain all the items used, (not easy outside Holland) other alternatives will surely suggest themselves. One for my keeper shelf.