Simple Stories / Christmas Joy

Hello there, and Merry Christmas Eve!  I wanted to jump in here today and share my second monthly layout for Simple Stories.  I used the Classic Christmas collection, and it is just beautiful.  I love that it has all the traditional Christmas colors like red and green, but it also has a pretty sky blue and some wood grains mixed in.  I just love it! 

I decided to recreate the tree from my photo on my background.  I wanted it really big, so I punched 1-inch circles from several of the 6x6 Paper Pad papers.  I cut a big slanted "tree" from some scrap paper I wasn't going to use and started layering the circles down.  I overlapped them in a straight line, adhered them with a dot of glue and then ran each line through my sewing machine and stitched it with gold thread.  I ruffled up the edges of each line of circles, and I love how it turned out!  It resembles the tree in my picture really well.

I love the texture and dimension this created.  Plus all the colors & patterns look so pretty together.  I added some Heidi Swapp Gold Color Shine and some tangled gold thread for extra pops of shine.

I used some white gesso on my background first and then used some green Shimmerz to create the watercolor effect behind my photo & embellishments.  I layered a fussy cut flower under the photo along with some red tangled thread.  I combined a die cut, some stickers and some clear stickers here as well.  I went simple with my title.

I also added in some chipboard pieces here.  I just love the clear stickers!  They always look great on a solid background.  I used a few of the shiny gold ones.

Here's one more close-up of the tree area and above the photo.  I love how the green Shimmerz looks on the blue background.

This was so much fun to put together.  I'm so happy the circle tree turned out like I had imagined it!  Sometimes that doesn't happen :)

Thanks for visiting me today, and have a very Merry Christmas, friends!