Very Merry Holly Berries

I really like challenges because they give me ideas to focus on when there are so many choices in my stamp arsenal. I made another Christmas card inspired by two previous challenges I saw, one to include holly and another to include candy canes. I knew holly was symbolic at Christmas. Here's what it means:  Legend states that holly berries were originally white, but that the blood Christ shed for the sins of humankind stained the berries forever red. A holly's pointed leaves symbolize the crown of thorns placed on Jesus' head before he died on the cross. Candy canes are symbolic, too. The 'J' can mean Jesus. The white of the cane stands for the purity of Jesus Christ and the red stripes are for the blood he shed when he died on the cross.

I selected a digital stamp I've had from Power Poppy that had both holly and a candy cane. I colored the image with Copics. The sentiment is from a retired CTMH stamp set, Joy to You and Me. The Ruby colored paper from long-retired Sparkle and Shine had a pattern resembling the pattern on the embossing folder I used. I chose to  use this sketch from The Paper Players Challenge: 

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

A Snowflake's Promise Challenge #51 - anything goes

Christmas at Sweet Stampin' May Challenge - anything Christmas goes

The Holly and the Ivy Challenge #30 - anything goes

The Merry Christmas Challenge #22 - anything Christmas goes

The Paper Players Challenge #395 - sketch

Thank you for visiting!  May you be blessed as you create cards to bless others!

Philippians 1:6 (WEB)
being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you
will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

365 Promises of God - Promise #150:   I began the good work in you and I will finish it.