just a touch of the dreaded red...

Good morning everyone how are you all...I hope your all well and having fun this festive season...well at long long last our trees are up and one is even decorated...the other will be done this morning, I had forgotten that the one in the lounge is 7ft tall (not that we need a 7ft tree but it was too much of a bargain to miss) and we both are struggling to reach the top so the step ladders will have to come out to make sure we can get the star on...when its finished I will take a photo to let you all see...well how much Christmas shopping do you reckon I got yesterday...er...none lol...I made the mistake of popping into the craft shop and got kinda stuck there, there were far too many pretty things...by the time we came out the shopping urge had kinda gone of the boil so we headed home to light the roaring fire and snuggle down...well I did that Phil made some more Dundee cakes, everyone is loving them but its costing a fortune to make them all...I told him next year you will have to charge for ingredients...well all except the ones for my lovely Dad of course, you better get your orders in now girls lol...right now onto my card for today...I'm determined to get past this fear of the dreaded red distress inks so went mad and used loads of it today...this little cutie is another of the Valerie's from Mo's Digital Pencil...shes one of a set of three called Valerie in Winter, they are fantastic to colour and paper piece and such a bargain price for three stamps too...I coloured her with my usual distress inks and teamed her up with one of my favourite paper pads of this season...these are from the Teresa Collins 6x6" Paper Pad - Santa's List...the sentiment strips are cut from the same pad too...I added some buttons and a lush bow made with Gingham Wired Edge Gold Thread Ribbon - Burgundy, this makes fantastic bows being wired they are so easy to plump up even after they have been squashed...the pad and ribbon are from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...the fab sketch is from the Sweet Sketch Wednesday challenge and I'm also entering it for the Stampin' for the Weekend Challenge and the Crafty Calender Challenge too...we really do need to start shopping today or nobody will get a gift from us at all...so I'm off to get sorted ready for going out...speak to you all tomorrow and whatever your up to today I hope its a brilliant day for you

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose

outfit - antique linen, fired brick, frayed burlap

shading - pumice stone