Trimming the Tree

A neighbor once told me she trimmed the trees with her kids at Christmas.  Not being a native here, I thought that was really weird.  If you're trimming the tree, won't it make a big mess? Why would you want to have your kids help you with cutting the branches?  And why would you want to trim it in the first place?  They have such a lovely shape naturally.  So that was when I learned that "trimming the tree" actually meant decorating the tree.  But I still rather do it without the kids because I'm like Monica from "Friends" when I decorate for Christmas! :)

So here is my first ornament of the year. I kept it very simple and clean because it's such a beautiful delicate die.  I die-cut my Memory Box Cabrini ornament once each from gold card stock, red card stock, and green card stock and four times from white card stock.  I stacked up the 4 white and then gold on top to make a thick outline.  The golden ornament was sponged with orange ink to give an illusion of a sphere and I used the negatives from the red and green stock for my holly branch. The thick outline really gives the card a feeling of depth and luxury in real life.  The branch is the Impression Obsession Pine branch which has been on my wish list for quite a while!  The double frame is made from nesting two Spellbinders A2 Matting Basics A and popped up with some small Joy! foam pads.  Lastly, I added some Star Dust stickles to my pine branch.  Thank you for looking and hope you can play along with our 52nd Challenge to use Christmas die cuts!

Recipe:

Dies:  Memory Box Cabrini ornament, Impression Obsession Pine branch, Spellbinders A2 Matting Basics A

Paper:  Red, Green, and Gold card stock

Challenges I am Playing in:

Simon Says Anything Goes