22 December, 2015

A different kind of Christmas

Hard to believe, but it looks like between recovering from practise (i.e. sleeping most of the weekend) and packing before visiting my sister I managed to create another Christmas card - probably the last one for 2015.
It's a different kind of Christmas card, but so is this Christmas. 
When I visited my aunt in Vienna, it was the first time I've seen masses of refugees sleeping on the streets around the main train station. I can never imgagine what they've been through and what lies ahead for them, but certainly life is something that can turn upside down in a moment. As if losing everything wouldn't be enough, being faced with hate and suspicion everywhere you go is something nobody should ever experience. 
Then, one day my aunt showed me a text that has spread in the social media recently: 


The Christmas story
without Arabs
without Jews
without Africans
without Palestinians
without refugees
is a story of an ox and a donkey.

It might be fun at the first sight, but I think it brings the message across very clearly. Who are we to lock our doors and celebrate the miracle of Christmas, which in its central part is the story of a young family having no place to go?

As I've been thinking about how to use it on a Christmas card, another viennese memory came to my mind. During a mass in St. Stephen's cathedral that was celebrated by different nationalities living in this wonderful city, and Francesco Montenegro (archbishop of Lampedusa) as a special guest, lifebelts were brought to the altar during the offertory procession. 
I thought of using the image of a lifebelt in my Christmas card, too, but then decided to go with the abstract version of it, using red and white punched flowers. Definitely not your typical Christmas wreath, but then again, neither is this Christmas.
In the center of the circle, I put the Christmas story sentiment. 
Around the text, I places a silver sticker, which I combined with a shimmering gemstone in each of the flowers.
For the background I used part of a map that came from my favourite copy shop.

chalenges: 
- craft-alnica: wreath
- 613 avenue create: ATG
- as you like it: favourite Christmas colours (red and white - red because it's a Christmas classic that can never go wrong, and white because Christmas isn't "real Christmas" to me as long as there's no snow outside)
- christmas cards all year round: keep it simple
- crafting from the heart: ATG
- craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge: ATG as long as it's Christmas
- creative card crew: ATG
- deep ocean: ATG
- holly jolly christmas challenge: ATG
- that craft place: ATG
- the glory of christmas: ATG
- through the craftroom door
- tuesday throwdown: ATG
- word art wednesday: ATG
- papertake weekly: fave challenge ever (ATG)

8 comments:

  1. Lepa voščilnica in zanimiva misel.

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  2. ooo kako zanimiva voščilnica, predvsem pa venček in rožic :-)) Všeč mi je.
    Hvala, ker ustvarjaš z nama v izzivu CRAFT-alnice ... Srečno!

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  3. What s beutiful christmas card!! Really great card design and love the little flowers!!
    Thank you so much for entering our ATG challenge at Through The Craft Room Door this week. Looking forward to see you again next challenge!
    Hugs CicciTTCRD DT
    ciccividpennan.blogspot.com {My Blog}
    Through The Craft Room Door
    ttcrd.blogspot.com

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  4. Very lovely colors and layout. Thank you so much for taking time to post your very creative art with us this week at Word Art Wednesday in our 214th FF AG challenge! Christmas Blessings, Carole

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  5. Beautiful card, Cheiro, love the details, thanks for sharing memories too, we never know what's around the corner, but if we know the Lord, our hands resting in His, we may go as trusting as any child in their Heavenly Father.
    Shaz in Oz.x

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  6. Čudovita voščilnica in modra misel. Všeč mi je kombinacija obojega.
    Hvala, da si se nam pridružila v Craft-alnici. Lp Lili

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  7. Wow this is lovely. Really elegant and beautifully made. You have a lot of patience with those little punches.
    Hugs
    Annette - Netty's Cards
    xx
    Proud to design for :
    Lili of the Valley,
    In The Pink Challenge
    The Sugar Bowl Challenge,
    As You Like It Challenge.

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  8. What a great card...Love the subtle embossing! So delighted you blessed us with your project during our two-week Challenge at Word Art Wednesday. This week's Challenge is still ongoing and I hope you’ll join us again. Leaving you with God’s Word in 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 which says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:” Have an awesome New Year!

    JO ANN
    http://jatterburycreations.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete