Merry berries & a lil' gift from me for you

The long awaited Christmas break is just around the corner. YAY. Are you all merry and jolly? Time to break the silence on my blog (Sigh!) and get a little festive greeting out to you all!

This year I have been making my own Christmas Cards as last year, just this year I really wanted to make something truly hand-crafted. Also I am totally in love with the little Red Robins and decided to draw this little fat guy with my favorite pencils for my cards.

Lil' Robin being my favorite birdie I also used him as my avatar in the @fritzi.flock illustrator community - check them out on Instagram to see all those cute, beautiful and creative little birdies that have joined the marvelous German illustrator Johanna Fritz in her flock.

I also had a great time running a Christmas card and decoration making session with my local Scout pack, a group of kids from 6-14 years, which my son joined 2 years ago as a Beaver (Gosh, time is flying!). I followed his trail and signed up as a volunteer Assistant Scout Leader this year and really love spending time with the Youngsters and explore the life within the Scouting organisation.

Last week, Leo and I went to spent time with his class (actually his class and the second class they have in Year 3, so nearly 30 children), who had invited us to share with them the original story of 'The Nutcracker and the Mouse King', from E.T.A. Hoffmann. We also talked about our Christmas markets and all the sweet treasures we enjoy in Germany around Christmas. So proud of my little bi-lingual man, who read multiple pages to his classmates and teachers

Now, in the midst of writing Cards, wrapping and decorating Christmas gifts and hiding little treats for my son, hubby and family, I have been thinking about how lucky we are that we can celebrate every year with our family and friends, that we have all we need and more to make this a precious time and that we can follow some of our dreams. Life is beautiful... but not for all. I wrote this little poem to remind me, my people, and maybe you, that not everyone is so lucky and that we need to find ways to share out what we have more, so those who are in need of warmth, shelter, food, love and peace, can get a little bit of all that.

For you lovely people I have a little gift: My Red Robin Gift Tags, in English and German for you to print. 4 tags on each page, all free and so handy, in case you are a little late with Christmas preparations. Here is how you get them:

- Click on the image to download your printable PDF. The sheets are A4, made to fit into almost every printer. (:

- Print them out on thick A4 paper (I used 300gm A4 card paper for mine).

- Cut & punch out the hole, add a festive ribbon and ready is your gift tag.