Last night was my first foray into the complex world of card-making. Because I don’t already have enough to do, I decided to make my own Christmas cards this year.

Actually, it all came about because there are a few of us girls try to get together every once in a while for craft night. Between the four of us, we have cardmaking, scrapbooking, jewellerymaking and woodworking covered, although we don’t always stick to those specific areas when we get together. Mostly, it’s about fellowship and making time in our busy lives for our friends.

I have been much too busy the last six months or so to actually make any new jewellery pieces – although I wear my existing ones regularly – so it was a refreshing break to set aside work for a few hours and concentrate some of my dormant creativity on making cards.

Once I had the pattern down, it was pretty simple, but I am still in awe at the sheer volume of ideas, accessories and tools available to hobby cardmakers. I could easily get myself sucked into this…but I’m trying to resist. At least until I’ve used up all the beads, chain, wire and pendants that still await my attention to be turned into jewellery.

In our crazy, fast-paced, disposable world, I have come to put more value on something that someone took the time to sit down and make for me than something quickly bought with little thought behind it.

Now I know my cards aren’t works of art by any stretch of the imagination, but I did get to spend a lovely evening with friends, drink some wine and make good progress in actually getting my Christmas mail done before Christmas, so this makes for a successful venture in my book.