"Have you been feeling well?"

Those were the words I heard on my phone yesterday when my Aunt Margie called me from Arizona.  She called to thank me for the Christmas card I sent her.... she said it was a very pretty card, but she noticed that it was store-bought, and not the usual hand-made card that I always send her. "Have you been feeling well? Is everything all right out there in the country?"

I just had to laugh.... I explained to my aunt that I was fine, everything here is fine... I just plain forgot to make Christmas cards this year.  I had made all of the invitations for our Halloween party, and after I put away my card-making supplies, I just didn't think about making my usual batch of Christmas cards.  Actually, I totally forgot about Christmas cards altogether..... and then last week, I got a card in the mail from friends on the east coast...... and that little bell went off in my head--- "You didn't make Christmas cards yet!"

So I just took out my supply of store-bought cards, wrote them out to the far-away friends we don't see for the holidays, and to my family who expect not gifts, but just cards... Aunt Margie being on that list of older family members who love receiving holiday cards.

I was actually flattered that Aunt Margie missed not getting a handmade card from me, and I've already taken care of that. I stayed up late last night making a card for her.... special paper with a 1940s design of little girl wearing a red velvet dress, to which I added a tiny red bow.... and then the inside of the card has a beautiful velvet Santa waving his Christmas list.  I mailed the card out to her this morning so she will be surprised, and pleased, to get the "real card" on Monday.

That's what Aunt Margie called my hand-made card creations.... "the real card, not just a store-bought card."  It's nice to know that my hand-made cards are appreciated.... and I've made a note on my Christmas card list to not send my Aunt Margie anything but a hand-made card from now on.