Christmas starts here!

Well, with having my works Christmas dinner and dance on Thursday and putting up our Christmas tree, it really does feel like the Christmas season has started. We all dressed up in 'posh frocks' for the dinner, and I even put nail varnish on for the first time in years, much to Tim's dismay (he objected to the smell!).

The dinner was lovely with fantastic food, great company and a good dance.  The DJ wasn't great, but that didn't stop us all having a great time as you can see. 

This weekend we had fun putting up our Christmas trees, yes, I do mean two trees!  They are both fibre optic trees, one of which we have had since Tim and I moved into our first tiny house and needed a little tree.  That one now sits on our dining room table as shown! 

We bought a bigger one a two years ago and that one is now in our sitting room.  I much prefer traditional trees, but Tim doesn't like them so we compromised with this which actually looks quite pretty. As well as putting the trees up Alex had a party this weekend and for the first time I was able to leave him there and come back and get on with things.  I don't think he ate much other than crisps and biscuits, but once in a while I guess it doesn't matter!

This morning we had a 'Toy service' at church and then this afternoon we went into town in the rain to see the Christmas lights.  Alex was most impressed with the ball tree

and then had a brief romance with a little girl on the merry go round - they held hands for a lot of the time whilst going round, despite having never met before.  It brings a whole new meaning to the phrase 'whirlwind romance'!

Crafting wise I have been busy making Christmas tags.  These first two give a nod to Tim Holtz 12 tags of Christmas (loosely), and are vintage in feel.  I used distress inks for both of them. For the lefthand one I used Crafty Individuals santa image and background words stamp, hand cut, folded and sandpapered the holly leaves, used stickers and gold embossing to finish it off.  The righthand one used entirely Just Rite stamps. I am entering the lefthand one into MTTC 'vintage Christmas', Simon says stamp 'vintage photo collage inspiration', Crazy4Challenges 'santa' DYSU 'something old' and the righthand one into CCT 'anything goes'.

This next one used distress inks, silver embossing and free stamps coloured in with promarkers. This one fits with Pollycraft 'Christmas fun', Crafty cardmakers 'Heat embossing', and Delightful challenges 'blue Christmas'.

The next tags are all simple present tags made by stamping, colouring and embossing white squares of card and layering them onto folded green or red card.  Very quick and easy! The top two cards I am entering into DCM 'Nordic Christmas' (red, white and reindeer) and All sorts 'white and 2 colours' (red & black). The next two I am entering into Colour Create 'red, white and green' & Meljen's 'use green', and the bottom two into cards for men '2 of something' (they are a pair).

The next set I am entering into Fussy & Fancy 'photo inspiration' challenge and Tuesday Throwdown 'Celebrate the season'.

The next set I am entering into Paperplay 'snowman', Creative Card Crew 'Tis the season', SCSC 'all creatures great and small' and PTW 'anything goes'

The final set will be entered into Fresh Brewed 'Christmas', Aud Sentiments 'Winter Holiday sentiment' and Penny's challenge 'Merry Christmas'. That is all from me for now...I guess I now need to go and wrap the presents that these tags are going on!  Have a great week everyone.
Love,
Caro
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