Country Cardinal Christmas

I just absolutely love cardinals, don't you?  They are such beautiful birds, and are surprisingly cousins to the blue jay, and both are members of the crow family.  I have learned several things new when I "googled" them for colorings or info.

My sewing machine is coming in handy for stitching on cards, and the effect is awesome.  Some are better than others, but...

I collected some pinecones while on vacation on the coast of Virginia in September, and learned by "googling" them that the projections all around the surface of a pinecone are called "wings".  No joke!  When I saw a card somewhere with a 3-D paper pinecone on it, I took it as a challenge to figure out how it was made.  This is my second try at, and I'm pretty proud of the way it came out!  I can't thank God enough for giving me the gift of creativity!  All credit and glory belong to Him!