Trimming the Tree!

Good morning all and hope that you're enjoying a Bank Holiday weekend - well, here in the UK anyway! And in true British Bank Holiday style, yesterday we had heavy rain! Thankfully, things look a bit brighter today but not sure for how long. My hubby is taking an extra day's holiday on Tuesday and planning to go fishing, so that nearly always guarantees another rainy day lol!  I had a reasonably quiet day yesterday as everyone was out - and it's always nice to have the house to myself for a few hours. Lauren was out at the cinema and Jack had gone to the football match with his friend, so for once I didn't have a house full of teenagers!

And I confess that I've finally succumbed and started to make one or two Christmas cards! Oh dear! I'm not one of those who makes Christmas cards all year, and although I love Christmas and all the fuss that goes with it, I can't really get into the right frame of mind to create snowy scenes in spring and summer! But considering the recent weather, this wasn't too much of a problem this year!  And LOTV have released some gorgeous new Christmas stamps in the last few weeks, so it seemed rude not to do one or two!

This lovely little stamp is called - you've guessed it! - 'Trimming the Tree'!  I always love the little details on these stamps, and that little dog sat watching is so cute - although in our house Tilly the Dog always feels she should be able to help! 

I've coloured the stamp with promarkers and pencils, with some added glitter and with some shading in chalks around the edges. 

The lovely backing paper is from LOTV's new paper pads, and this one is Krafty Christmas.  I've inked the edges with some distress inks. 

The red & green coredinations strips were cut with Spellbinders edgeabilities. The candy stripe ribbon is from K&Co.  The buttons & fabric brad are from my stash, and the sentiment stamp is from LOTV. 

Putting up the tree has always been a nice event in our house, although the kids do complain that I'm too picky about decorating it! My daughter even came home from Uni last December to help put it up! And every year my son points out that the tree seems smaller - although we do explain it's simply that he is getting (a lot!) taller!  And I know I chatter on about them, so here is a quick pic of Lauren & Jack

- although it was taken last summer & Jack is now a few inches taller than all his sisters, much to his delight! How do teenage boys grow so fast?

Anyway, hope you like a touch of Christmas on a late summer bank holiday! 

Back soon, Kim x 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:-

CraftyAnns - Christmas

ATCs and Cards with Attitude - anything goes

WinterWonderland - red & green

Stempelsonnen Challenge - children

Challenge up your life - Christmas in summer