Fantabulous Cricut Challenge: Bird Bonanza

This week at Fantabulous Cricut, the theme is Bird Bonanza.  We've had a crazy couple of weeks at our house and I feel like I've been running like a chicken with her head cut off.  However, I was able to get away with some friends for the weekend and feel like I've got a bit of energy to make it through the week ahead!  I decided to make a Christmas card as I am already looking forward to the time off and time to spend with the family.

I cut the frame of my card using Ashlyn's Alphabet.  The bird in the decorated tree is from Winter Frolic.  The papers are either from DCWV's Holiday Stack, or they are just regular cardstock (with metallic cardstock used for the shadow of the tree).  I had meant to add some embossing, but by the time I realized I had forgotten, it was too late!  I did use a Fiskar's border punch and also punched the labels with Stampin' Up punches.  The sentiment is from a Carleton Cards set that I picked up on clearance after Christmas last year.  I inked everything and added some ruby coloured half-pearls.
(I'm so sorry that I haven't been able to visit as many blogs as usual.  My youngest was home for a week and a half with chicken pox - and returned to school last week only to develop an ear infection.  He's been feeling better since Thursday, but I'm far behind in my work and am now playing catch-up with my studies and reviews.)