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Welcome, December!

Hello! it is (nearly) December and the holidays are just around the corner. This time of year we look forward to time spent together, reliving old memories and making new ones. For our gallery, we each put together a page to help celebrate and document our holiday traditions. We hope you will find inspiration and put together your own page of Holiday Traditions.

 

Happy Mail | Celeste Smith

12 x 12 | materials kit (One Little Bird: Happy Mail) + kit (Valorie Wibbens Sprinkles v10) + stitching (Sahlin Studio Stitches v1)+ font (Underwood Champion)

A Note from Celeste
This layout documents the annual Christmas card stuff and mail. Sam always helps with the stamps, return address and labels. We turn it into quite the production line. I always get by cards out the day after Thanksgiving and usually I'm the first card of the season for most people!

December Fun Fact
Looking forward to having the week off between Christmas and New Year's. Think I'll try and reread the Harry Potter series over the break!

 

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Christmas Cards 2012 | Sue Althouse

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (Bazzill) + patterned paper (Echo Park) + thickers (American Crafts) + square punch (Creative Memories)

A Note from Sue
This is a layout I create every year using a square punch and the Christmas cards we've received. The idea is not original with me. I think I saw it on Ali Edward's blog years ago. It has become a holiday scrapping tradition!

December Fun Fact
My husband helps me every year with our special cookies dipped in chocolate. Everyone in the family expects us to bring them for Christmas!

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New Traditions | Lisa Ottosson

8.5 x 11 | materials journaling cards (Crate Paper, Becky Higgins) + rub-ons (Creative Imaginations) + labels (Crate Paper) + doily (Michael`s) + pen (Sharpie)

A Note from Lisa
I made this layout about my expectations of the new traditions a new relationship brings. I wanted to use a non-specific photo so I used one from last year where I played with the bokeh effect. I love using products made for pocket scrapbooking on my regular layouts as well.

December Fun Fact
I love Christmas! But I also love the whole project of December where we prepare for the actual day.

 

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Made with Love | Stephanie Bryan

12 x 12 | materials | cardstock (American Crafts) + patterned paper (Carta Bella, Chic Tags) + stickers (Glitz Design) + rub ons (Chic Tags) + tags (Chic Tags)

A Note from Stephanie
One of our favorite holiday traditions is making Christmas gifts for our friends. Last year, we made I Spy ornaments and the kids loved making them!

 

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Advent Legos | Jennifer Larson

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (Bazzill) + patterned paper (Fancy Pants) + buttons (Fancy Pants) + stickers (Fancy Pants) + ink (Stampin’ Up!) + gems (Mark Richards, Stampin’ Up!) + die cuts (Fancy Pants) + die cutting system (Silhouette Cameo) + fonts (Lobster)

A Note from Jennifer Larson
Every year we do this Advent calendar where I leave clues in the boxes and the boys follow them to find Legos. We have done this for years, so I decided to finally record it. I’ve resisted scrapping this because the photos I take are always so bad (darn you, Minnesota winter!), but I want the boys to remember the fun they had with the clues. (Let me tell you, though, more than one morning I’ve woken up at 5 and dashed around to write the clue and hide the Legos, having forgotten the night before.) For families interested, this is the Karen Foster Advent calendar, and I tend to buy Lego sets that have around 200 pieces in them to stretch it out reasonably over 24 days (12 for each boy). I get one set for each boy.

December Fun Fact
Christmas Eve my family usually goes to every church service since we all sing in the church choirs, and they perform at every service.

 

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Evolution of His Chanukah Lists | Aliza Deutsch

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (American Crafts, Bazzill Basics Paper) + patterned paper (BasicGrey, Jillibean Soup, Cocoa Daisy) + brads (My Mind’s Eye) + thickers (Pebbles inc) + mist (Tattered Angels) + stickers (My Mind’s Eye, BasicGrey) + tape (My Mind’s Eye) + wood veneer(Cocoa Daisy) + embellishments (BasicGrey)

A Note from Aliza
This layout has been in my mind since 2011 (when the picture was taken). I wasn't sure if there was enough of a story there to make this page. But a co-worker talked lovingly about how she still gets Chanukah lists from her teenage sons, and then I felt certain this was a story worth telling.

December Fun Fact
It’s my birthday, my birthday, my birthday this month!

 

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Elf Tradition | Cristina C. Scrap

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (BasicGrey) + alphas (BasicGrey, American Crafts) + stickers (BasicGrey) + wood veneer, sequins (Studio Calico) + pen (American Crafts) + washi tape (Cavallini & Co.) + adhesives (Martha Stewart glue pen, Zig 2way glue, foam dots) + stamps (Stampers Anonymous, Tim Holtz, Kelly Purkey) + ink (Versafine Tsukineko, Ranger Archival ink) + embossing powder (American Crafts) + heat gun

A Note from Cristina
I love Christmas, and it was fun to make this page about one of our favorite traditions. I chose a picture of one of the best tricks from our elf - he wrapped our Christmas tree with toilet paper! :) I recently bought some Christmas stamps and wanted to use them right away, so I did a lot of stamping on this page. I love how it turned out, especially the Santa stamp paired with red glitter Zing embossing powder! These stamps will definitely show up again in my December Daily album and on my Christmas cards!

 

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Enjoy the Show | Amy Kingsford

8.5 x 11 | materials patterned paper (Chris Collection by Karla Dudley) + flair (Chris Collection by Karla Dudley) + veneer (Wood arrows by Robyn Meierotto) + alpha (Shadow by creashens) + stickers (Chris Collection by Karla Dudley) + masks (brushies no. 1 by creashens, watercolor splatters by Celeste Knight) + template (Quick Scraps No. 2 by Anita Designs) + fonts (Orator, Great Vibes)

A Note from Amy
This layout...captures a tradition that our family has had for the last few years to visit the outdoor shopping complex in Downtown Salt Lake City and watch the fountain show. This photo was an instagram photo that I captured with my phone, but I loved the look of the lights in it. I used a color scheme that I pulled from my photo to help it pop a bit more on the page and enjoyed sprinkling the gold foil elements throughout to echo the light and warm glow that's present in the photo.

December Fun Fact
Even though this is something we've done for the past 4 years this will be the first time my youngest joins us...I can't wait to see the look of wonder on his face!

 

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Since 2009 | Monika Głód

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (American Crafts) + patterned paper (Studio Calico) + transparent overlay (Studio Calico) + alphabet (American Crafts)

A Note from Monika
My younger son loves to explore the Christmas tree, year after year. He always founds some sweets, and is curious of every Christmas ball. And this happen since 2009, when he was 13 months old. Journaling on the layout tells the story.

December Fun Fact
December is my favorite time of the year. I’m doing my December Daily album, preparing Christmas decorations, baking gingerbread cookies. I just literally love December and Christmas.

 

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Graham Cracker Houses | Kate Christensen

12 x 12 | materials digital kits cardstock (Cardstock Essentials No.3 by Karla Dudley) + patterned paper (Here Comes Santa Claus Collaboration by Gennifer Bursett, Mye De Leon, Robyn Meierotto, and Shannon McNab) + template (My Treats by Amy Martin, modified) + buttons, flowers (Here Comes Santa Claus Collaboration by Gennifer Bursett, Mye De Leon, Robyn Meierotto, and Shannon McNab) + tag (Tag You're It by Robyn Meierotto) + arrows (Wood Veneer: Arrows by Sahlin Studio) + doily (This is Why Collaboration by Mye De Leon and Gennifer Bursestt) + alpha (Here Comes Santa Claus Collaboration by Gennifer Bursett, Mye De Leon, Robyn Meierotto, and Shannon McNab) + mist (Toolbox Mists V.7 by Gennifer Bursett; mists by Adrienne Looman) + action (Digital Glitters by Sahlin Studio) + fonts (Traveling Typewriter, Violation)

A Note from Kate
I'm embarrassed to admit that I don't scrap a lot of Christmas memories. In fact, this is only the fourth layout I've ever done. This year, I'm taking more pictures of our traditions so I can document them for our family scrapbooks.

December Fun Fact
After 6 long years of no Christmas lights on our home, we're finally living in a place where we can put them up. Our family is so excited!

 

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Joy & Wish| WaiSam Ho

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Elle's Studio, American Crafts) + wood veneers (Studio Calico, Freckled Fawn) + stickers (American Crafts) + alphabets (American Crafts) + flowers (Prima Marketing, Inc.) + stickers (American Crafts) + stamps (American Crafts) + ink (Prima Marketing Inc) + dies (My Favourite Things) + stickles + adhesives (Elmer's Tacky Glue) + sewing machine (Brother)

A Note from Sam
Inspired by Janna Werner's video on TwoPeasInABucket to create a double page layout - one page featured all the bright colours while the other page create a monochromatic layout. I also challenge myself to scrap a Christmas layout with ZERO Christmas papers & embellishment from my stash. I am also obsessed with typing journaling with my cute pink typewriter.

December Fun Fact
I don't celebrate Christmas in particular but December is always my favourite month of the year! I used to travel overseas every December for a mini getaway. This serves as a quick recharge for me to start next year fresh & energetic. I also enjoy strolling around the malls and taking pictures of beautiful Christmas deco. And the best part is, shop till I drop when there is Christmas sales!

 

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First Photo with Santa | Valerie O'Neall

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (American Crafts) + patterned paper (My Mind's Eye) + printed chipboard (My Mind's Eye) + thickers (American Crafts) + phrase sticker (My Mind's Eye) + number stickers (Dear Lizzy/American Crafts) + mist (Studio Calico) + pen (Copic) + punch (EK Success)

A Note from Valerie
I used the new Mistletoe Magic line from My Mind's Eye for this layout. Scrapping from a collection made this layout quick and easy to complete.

December Fun Fact
One year, I'd like to make every single gift I give. It might actually be doable once the kids are older...I hope.

 

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Fave December Moments | Diane Payne

8.5 x 11 | materials cardstock (Studio Calico) + patterned paper (Glitz) + buttons (A Flair for Buttons, Glitz, Prima) + labels (Glitz) + mist (Heidi Swapp) + stickers (Glitz)

A Note from Diane
I have so many fond Christmas memories from my childhood. Reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas" before bedtime is just one of many.

December Fun Fact 
For the first time in over 10 years I did not make my Christmas cards or take a photo specifically for the card. I decided to simplify a bit and order a photo card featuring a fun summer vacation photo instead!

 

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My first DD | Jina Jean

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Fancy Pants, Allison Kreft Designs, Chic Tags) + brad (Crate Paper) + ephemera (Pink Paislee)+ sticker (Pink Paislee) + tag (Chic Tags) + mini bag (Allison Kreft Designs) + clips (Allison Kreft Designs)

A Note from Jina
For December gallery I used small pics from my first December Daily on my page. To fill the pockets with precious moments and little things is very exciting. I'm certain that it would be my favorite project every year. And this page is a commemorative layout for my first December album. Absolutely!

December Fun Fact
It's time to make Christmas decorations for my home. Yes! You know, it's very exciting plan. But to decorate the whole house with beautiful ornaments is a lot of work to lazy Jina. ;) 

 

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Starting Traditions | Francine Clouden

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (Bazzill Basics Paper) + spray ink (Kesi’Art) + pearls (KaiserScrapbook) + rhinestones (Making Memories) + patterned paper (Studio Calico) + journal card (Jenni Bowlin) + letter stickers (Sassafras Lass) + chipboard stars (Heidi Swapp) + sticker phrases (Cosmo Cricket) + sequins + acrylic star pin + printable tags

A Note from Francine
None of the supplies I used on this page were Christmas or Holiday based. I just adapted what I had on hand!

December Fun Fact
All signs point to a White Christmas for us this year!

 

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Gingerbread House| Amy Coose

 

12 x 12 | materials cardstock (Bazzill) + patterned paper (Chic Tags) + letter stickers (Chic Tags) + labels/tags (Chic Tags) + mist(Studio Calico) + stickers (Company Name) + rubons (Chic Tags) + pen (American Crafts) 

A Note from Amy
Every year we make a gingerbread house. 

December Fun Fact
Christmas is such a magical time for me, I really love everything about it. Now that we have a younger child again, it makes it that much more special.

 

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Tradition | Lisa Ottosson

 

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Holiday Card Trouble | Marnie Flores

12 x 12 | materials patterned paper (Glitz) + fonts (Ostrich Sans, Bebas, Letter Gothic)

A Note from Marnie
Hopefully this is the year that I break the cycle!!

December Fun Fact
My puppy LOVES the snow! I am so glad as I think we are in for a snowy winter!

 

Thank you for stopping by! Be sure to stop by the gallery album for larger versions and to read the accompanying journaling. We appreciate you and wish you a magical month of December.

Show Your Thanks | Scrapbooking Gratitude

Hi there!  I'm Amy Kingsford and I'm excited to be here Thanksgiving Week sharing creative ways to express, reflect on and celebrate gratitude.

As a scrapbooker, I get to relive some of my most cherished memories as I retell their stories in my pages.  And as I sit down to record these memories, I hold the photographic evidence in my hands of so many of the things I have to be grateful for including a wonderful and supportive husband and two beautiful boys who fill my life with love and laughter. 

 

What are you grateful for...and how do you celebrate your gratitude in your scrapbook pages?

 

Thanksgiving can be the perfect time to reflect on your gratitude in your pages...after all that is the spirit of the holiday, right?!

In Jennifer Larson's page, "Thankful 2011" she's commemorated their 2011Thanksgiving with a photo of her family at their annual Turkey Day 5K and listed what each of her family members was thankful for.

 

And though Laura O'Donnell's page "Thanksgiving 2010" may appear to be more about Thanksgiving, its story is definitely one of gratitude. 

Francine Clouden recorded a short but thoughtful list of personal gratitudes on her page "Thankful." 

 

But Thanksgiving isn't the only time we can be inspired to capture gratitude in our scrapbooking...

 

In my page "Thankful For You," there was just something about this photo of my brother and sister-in-law and the way they were looking at one another that just spoke volumes of gratitude. Not just a look of love but something even deeper.

 

In Sue Althouse's page "He Folds His Socks..." she expresses gratitude to her husband for the little things he does that she doesn't like to do. 

 

And in this page Kate Christensen has captured a whole year's worth of gratitude, broken down by family member.

 

I hope what you've taken away from these beautiful layouts of gratitude is that it's never too late to express your gratitude...in your thoughts, in your words, in your actions or in your scrapbook pages.

I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving Holiday!

Show Your Thanks | Scrapbooking Thanksgiving

Hi there!  I'm Amy Kingsford and I'm excited to be here Thanksgiving Week sharing creative ways to express, reflect on and celebrate gratitude.

My Thanksgiving morning will begin fairly early as I start preparing our family's meal.  My boys and husband will pop in periodically inquiring as to when everything will be ready, as I run around the kitchen like a mad person trying to keep on top of everything. And after I inevitably overcook our Turkey, make the most creamy mashed potatoes my husband has ever tasted and serve my famous raspberry white chocolate cheesecake, there will be the biggest pile of dishes I have ever seen waiting for me in the sink.

But the dishes will remain there for just a while longer, because the minute we finish eating, my oldest son will insist that we go pick out our Christmas tree--a Thanksgiving Day tradition of ours since before our boys were even born. We will drive to the grocer just minutes from our house, whose selection of trees is both beautiful AND affordable.  We will pick out our tree and tie it to the top of our car and bring it home.  We will likely end up cutting the top off it as we do most years because we have grossly overestimated the height of our living room.

Once the tree is up and the boys have resumed their play, my husband will reluctantly step away from his football game and take pity on me, as he joins me in the kitchen to help me finish the dishes.

 

This is the story of my Thanksgiving...what does your Thanksgiving Day look like and how will you capture it in your scrapbook pages? 

 

Will you document your food prep activities throughout the day?

Like Sue Althouse has done in her page, "Thanksgiving Food Prep"... 

 

Or you could scrapbook photos of your finished culinary masterpieces:

Here I've recorded a photo and the recipe for the first pie I ever made, which happened to be for our 2012 Thanksgiving Day dinner. 

 

Did you capture your Thanksgiving Day table before everyone gathered...

This was a quick photo I snapped before everyone sat down to the Collard Family Thanksgiving in 2010.  It was nice to focus on a few of the special touches that are sure to go unnoticed once everyone sits down to eat.

 

Do you have a special family tradition that you repeat year after year?

For example, I mentioned my family's tradition of bringing home our Christmas Tree on Thanksgiving Day and this page captures the first time my son selected our tree:

 

And Jennifer Larson has captured her family's tradition of running in the Turkey Day 5K each year:

 

Or maybe you prefer a more comprehensive approach to capturing your Thanksgiving Day event... 

My page "This is my Thanksgiving..." includes my Thanksgiving story that I shared above and photos from throughout our 2012 Thanksgiving Day.

 

Laura O'Donnell's Project Life spead from the week of Thanksgiving 2012 also provides a good overview of her family's day.

 

My hope is that in reading my Thanksgiving Day story and browsing these Thanksgiving Day pages you will become inspired to tell your own Thanksgiving Day story in your scrapbook pages.  Whether you aim to document it in its entirety or just to record snapshots of this special day, challenge yourself to answer the question, "What does my Thanksgiving Day look like?" in your next page! 

 

I hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving holiday!

 

Show Your Thanks | Thanksgiving Decor

Hi there!  I'm Amy Kingsford and I'm excited to be here Thanksgiving Week sharing creative ways to express, reflect on and celebrate gratitude.

This November was an especially busy one for our family.  And as a result I got a really late jump on my Thanksgiving Day crafting.  But luckily I did find a little bit of time over this weekend and some fun, yet simple decor ideas to help me dress up my family's Thanksgiving Day experience.

If you're feeling like a bit of last-minute crafting, yourself, there are plenty of ideas out there that are quick and easy and can be completed while you're catching up on the latest episode of your favorite tv series or waiting for your dough to rise!

I completed all of my decorations in a single evening and was inspired by this feather cut file  (which I used in all three projects) and some feather decor ideas I found on Pinterest. Below I've shared my inspiration for these projects as well as my own final results.

I love the simplicity of this simple paper garland on Etsy:  

Source: tuckereece on Etsy

So to make my own banner I cut my feathers from vellum and kraft paper using my Silhouette. I hand-painted the tips of some of my vellum feathers and splattered paint on others in aqua, ivory and gold acrylic paints.  Then I hung the feathers from twine using mini clothespins.

Feather Banner | materials: kraft cardstock (Recollections) + vellum (Recollections) + clothespins (unknown) + twine (American Crafts) + paint: (Apple Barrel Craft Paints) + cut file (Emily Stucky)

 I thought these simple place cards would coordinate perfectly with my feather banner:  

Source: Copper Top

So I cut some small feathers from both kraft and gold vellum using my Silhouette.  I hand-painted the tips of my kraft feathers with blue and ivory paint and stitched down the center of my vellum feathers with my sewing machine. I wrote the names of my guests using a fine point Sharpie pen and then arranged the feathers in a small pine cone as seen in my inspiration image.

Feather Place Cards | materials: kraft cardstock (Recollections) + vellum (Recollections) + paint: (Apple Barrel Craft Paints) + cut file (Emily Stucky) + pen (Sharpie) + pine cone

And finally I made some cute little pie boxes for my family members to take home a slice of pumpkin pie in, using this cut file from the Silhouette Store. My decoration of the pie boxes was inspired by these simple but sweet pie boxes on the Stephmodo blog.

Source: Stephmodo

I cut my own pie boxes from kraft cardstock using my Silhouette and then ran a double border of aqua washi tape around the base of the box.  On the lid of the box I arranged a bundle of stitched die cut feathers and a fork and tied everything together with a piece of jute.

Pie Box | materials: kraft cardstock (Recollections) + vellum (Recollections) + paint: (Apple Barrel Craft Paints) + cut files (Emily Stucky, Silhouette) + others (wahsi tape, fork, jute).

 Our Thanksgiving will certainly be a lot more festive with a few decorations and I'm thankful for all of the inspiration out there that motivated me to try a few of these projects.  

Tomorrow I'll be sharing a round up of Thanksgiving layouts, so if you get a chance amidst all of the holiday hoopla, stop by for a look. I hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving!

Show Your Thanks | Gratitude Journals

Hi there!  I'm Amy Kingsford and I'm excited to be here for the week of Thanksgiving sharing creative ways to express, reflect on and celebrate gratitude.

My family has a fun tradition during the month of November that we refer fondly to as "The Gratitude Jar."  You can click here to visit my blog and learn more about the gratitude jar and how you can make your own.  But the basic idea is that each November we fill a jar full of 30 things we are grateful for and every day in November we honor one of the things from our jar.   

This year I decided to record our Gratitude Jar adventure in our family's first Gratitude Journal.

To cut down on the stress of this project I built most my album before-hand using leftover patterned papers and I gathered a basket of coordinating stickers, washi and other less-dimensional embellishments to keep on my desk throughout the month.  

And then using a set of hybrid templates that I created in Photoshop, I made a title page that listed all of the gratitudes that went into our jar this year:

 

And double page spreads that I printed out every day of the month--with a photo of the object of our gratitude and planned activities for celebrating it on the right and a place to journal about our gratitude on the left.

 

Here's a closer look at a few of the finished pages from our family's journal:

 

My favorite day this year was November 17th on which we showed our gratitude for "Letters"--one of my eldest son's picks for the year.  And as he so wisely reminded all of us "without letters, there would be no words."  It seems like such a simple thing to thankful for, but letters literally transformed our lives this year and I'm so glad that my son reminded us all to be thankful for them.

 

Here are a few other examples of beautiful gratitude journals that you can take inspiration away from: 

Leah Farquharson has made two lovely journals this year, one for her family and one for her own personal reflection.

This colorful yet charming gratitude album, made with Jenni Bowlin Studio's November Project Kit offered Leah the perfect place to reflect on the things she and her family are thankful for right now. 

 

Whereas this elegant vintage journal--whose base is made from Jenni Bowlin's Naked Chipboard album and is accented with lots of lovely vintage ephemera from Jenni Bowlin Studio as well--has lots of space for journaling and is perfect for expressing personal gratitude.

 

Lisa Ottoson has made gratitude journals for the past 3 years and each year she has taken a slightly different approach.

Here is her album from 2012 in which she used a fun hybrid approach.

 

In her 2011 journal, she used a steno-style notepad and filled it with cute note cards to journal on. 

 

And in her 2010 journal she included photos and thought for each day:

 

I also love this approach by Betsy Sammarco, who has brought together a bunch of ephemera and vintage inspired products from Jenni Bowlin Studio to make a lovely little hodge podge mini.  Betsy's gratitude mini expresses appreciation for one of the most important things in her life--her home.

 

These are just a few approaches that you could take towards reflecting on you or your family's gratitude. And just because November is the month in which Thanksgiving falls, doesn't mean that this is the only time that we can celebrate the things for which we are grateful. 

 

Here are the templates that I designed to use in my gratitude journal--feel free to use them in your own gratitude journals.

Thanks for stopping by and check back tomorrow for a look at a few of the decorations I made for our Thanksgiving Day feast!

Show Your Thanks | Thank You Notes and Cards

Hi there!  I'm Amy Kingsford and I'm excited to be here for the week of Thanksgiving ,sharing creative ways to express, reflect on and celebrate gratitude.

THX. Merci. Dankeshon. Grazie. Thanks. Domo arigato. Gracias...

There are countless ways to say "thank you" and not all of them require words.  A heartfelt gesture or even a random act of kindness can also serve as a token of gratitude.

Personally, thank you notes and cards are one of my favorite ways to express appreciation to my friends and loved ones. And though I wouldn't exactly call myself a card-maker, I believe there is something extra special about the time and thought that goes into a handmade thank you card or a special little handwritten note. 

I recently made these note cards to express thanks to my mother and sisters-in-law for the role they played in shaping the great man and father my husband has become.  The cards themselves are 3x4" note cards that I designed in Photoshop and accented with buttons from my stash, while the coordinating envelopes I cut with my Silhouette.

Thank You Note Cards + Coordinating Envelopes | Materials: patterned paper (AC Digitals - 5th & Frolic) + brushes: (AC Digitals - 5th & Frolic ) + buttons (Sewology) + cut file (Lori Whitlock).

 And this was a simple handmade "thank you" card I sent to a helpful neighbor this past month using my Silhouette, some left over kraft and a few digital papers.

Thx.Card | materials: kraft cardstock (Recollections) + patterned paper (Wishing Well Creations and Scotty Girl Designs - Where We Live) + thickers (Hardcover Carton ) + cut file (Jamie Cripps).

There are some occasions in our life when thank you notes are simply a common courtesy.  But it is the "unexpected, made of everyday stuff" kind of thank yous that are my favorite to write.  The kind of thank you that is about remembering what a big deal the little things really are!  

 

Here are a few other examples of some beautiful handmade and heartfelt thank yous... 

I would be absolutely delighted to receive this simple yet cheerful hybrid thank you card by Kate Christensen!

 

Or this beautiful seasonal thank you from Laura O'Donnell...

Or this charming hybrid thank you from Ronnie Crowley with all of its stitching and lacy goodness!

 Join me tomorrow for a round up of gratitude journals and a closer look at my own approach to my family's first gratitude journal!    

Sunday Photo + Words

In Review

This month, our gallery theme was Dreaming. In a season of reflection and gratitude, it was lovely to think of our hopes for the future, too. Pages such as these are a lovely time to make use of those extra photos or those headshots that don't have specifically attached stories.

Let's find a few more tips and tricks as we look back through the gallery.

 

Where Dreams Come True | Carey Bridges

Carey's use of a coordinating font makes her layout unified. And resizing a digital poster to use as an embellishment was genius!

 

 

 

Girl's Dream | Jina Jean

The dreamy gauzy look and disappearing edges on Jina's photo help to set the scene for this layout. The blues in the layout also add to the dreaminess.

 

 

 

Dream Home | Jennifer Hignite

We all have pinboards filled with lovely images that inspire us. Jennifer's photos are from her Pinterest account. It is a clever way to both document our current interests, and to add a visual interest to a layout.

 

 

 

Dreaming of a White Christmas | Cristina C. Scrap

Cristina was brilliant in painting with a dab of green watercolors behind her white letters. The paint sets the letters off perfectly, drawing your eye immediately in to the title.

 

 

 

My Dream for You | Amy Kingsford

Amy jotted down a few hopes she has for her boys. (And then paired it with a photo that makes a heart hurt. Lovely!) Letters to our kids needn't be long nor fancy. 

 

 

 

Dare to Dream | Valerie O'Neall

 

Even when the page is serious and heartfelt, it can still stay true to your sense of humor. For instance, Valerie's title lets her personality shine through. And is the perfect addition to her page.

 

 

Dreaming of Softball | Laura O'Donnell

What do you dream about during the long winter? Laura used a lovely summery photo to show what they are dreaming about. You don't have to use photo from the day you were dreaming. One that's the subject of the dream works, too!

 

 

 

You Are My Dream Come True | Amy Coose

This layout is gorgeous! With its diagonal line, tone on tone title, and bursts of complementary yellow, Amy outdid herself on this one. Much to love and emulate here.

 

 

 

Dream Big | Ann Costen

Ann's lovely photo is a terrific reminder that catchlights are an important part of a good portrait. Be sure to have a bright light source reflecting into the color of your subject's eyes. Windows. Sunlight. Reflectors. Whatever brings you light.

 

 

 

Dreams | Jennifer Larson

Not only did Jenny use a photo of herself (Go Jenny!) but she also took a moment of introspective reflection. The result? A meaningful page that will be a lovely memento.

 

 

 

Dreams Do Come True | Diane Payne

Diane's layout would be the perfect design for photos from your phone. With quality restrictions for blowing up phone photos, this would be a great solution!

 

 

 

Dreams | Lisa Ottosson

Lisa's photo is perfect. What a lovely moment to capture. Get out the tripod, or enlist a helpful teen. And if they are too scared of taking a photo without faces, you can always fix it up in photoshop!

 

 

 

Sock Dreams | Sue Althouse

 

Sue is seriously knitting socks! How great is that? And how great that she wrote about it? And the clouds, stars, and the starfilled paper are a wonderful backdrop for the her story.

 

 

 

Hello Dream Come True| Lisa Ottosson

Rounded corners. They may come and they may go, but they will always there. And we will always love them. As much as we love photos of happy love. Thank you, Lisa, for sharing and inspiring us!

 

 

 

Explore, Dream, Discover | Francine Clouden

Francine's wooden elements are so on trend right now. They are a multipurpose embellishment: they are a graphic to help add to the story, they are neutral and grounding, and they add a natural element. 

 

 

Dream Big | Monika Głód

Oft times, the thing that makes a layout gorgeous is the details of the accessorizing. Monika created lovely texture by creasing and rolling the corners of her layers. She also placed her adhesive carefully so as to allow the layers and shadows to shine. Mmm.

 

 

 

I Dream Of | Christine Newman

Not only can we show off our humor with our journaling, but we can do so with our photos, too! Look at Christine's pretty mug--inhaling that pizza!! What a fun page!

 

 

Dreams | Stephanie Bryan

Stephanie's journaling includes the hope that her children remember to dance in the rain. Made all the more poignant by the photo of dancing in the rain. What a lovely use of this photo. And the washed out filter makes it even more ethereal. 

 

 

 

Things She's Dreaming About | Amy Sorenson

This photo rocks! And is a wonderful backdrop for a story about the things facing a teen on the brink of adulthood! and college! If you need a photo like this, turn your aperture to a low number and your background will blur away!

 

 

 

Living My Dream | WaiSam Ho

WaiSam has such a talent for vignettes. On this layout, her repeated use of the doilies connects each of the collages into a greater whole. Look for elements that you can use repeatedly to help create a similar situation.

 

 

 

What I Wish For You | Keshet Starr

Never underestimate the power of a list! Keshet's happy list is a gentle reminder that we don't need a lot of words to say a lot.

 

 

 

The Big Day: ComiCon 2013 | Aliza Deutsch

Not only did Aliza get photos of her boys in costume, but also got them in character. What a great idea to pose them! It makes the photos come to life. This would work for Halloween photos, or any that have a story that includes movement.

 

 

Thank you for taking time out of your busy lives to stop by and walk back through our gallery! Until next time...

Documenting your December | My Approach

Hi there and happy Friday! Doesn't the time seem to go by much faster this time of year?! It feels like we just wrapped up summer!

Either way, I am one of those people that loves the holiday season! I begin to plan the decorations and crafts I am making way ahead and I can't wait until December 1st (Advent 1st) to put all the decorations up!

Meanwhile, I made the decision to make a new album this year. Past years I have made a December album in different shapes. 

 

I have made my minibooks myself mostly. One out of an old children´s board book, loose pages with book rings and bound books like Amy Tan makes hers. My focus in these books have been different also. In 2007, I made a book that had favorites from the Holidays, like opening gifts, my favorite decoration etc. In 2009, I only made entries of what we did on each of the Advent Sundays leading up to Christmas Eve. 2010 was the first time I did a little bigger project. I didn't make a daily entry, but rather collected stories from throughout the month that were meaningful for me. 

 

Enter 2011. This is the year I made 2 (!) minibooks over the month of December. Yes, 2! Why you ask? Well, these two hadn't the same approach. One was much like the year before, with random stories from the holidays.

 

 

I made my book by just adding papers to a bunch and then folding everything in half, then sewed the spine together. 

 

In these books I like to play a bit more than I do in my other projects. You can see that I used one page per story.

 

I like to use up what materials I have on hand for the Holiday minis. Perhaps I buy a printable embellishment set or something to have little bits to add.

 

The other mini was built around the eBook from Ella called List it! Christmas edition. I loved this project! I picked 24 lists that spoke to me and filled one out for each day. You can see my whole finished book on my blog here.

 

Enter 2013, and I am going to start a whole new album. As I met my new love this year I am looking forward to start creating new traditions as well as introducing him to ours. So, I decided to make an annual December mini. I am going to add little bits and stories from throughout the month and keep it all in one album. I am using a Sn@p album from Simple Stories and their pocket pages. I haven't done a whole lot of preparing in the album, but rather gathered my supplies. I am using things that I already have and both the digital Christmas Project Life kit and the Holiday kit from Cocoa Daisy.  

I am looking forward to see how my album will turn out! I also hope that you have gotten a lot if inspiration from this week to document your December!

Lisa O

Documenting Your December - Keep It Practical

I have completed a December Daily album in each of the past three years, and I am at it again this year. It is by far my favorite project ever. I love Christmas, and working on my December Daily album makes me happy. The best advice I have to keep the process fun and manageable is not to set unrealistic expectations for yourself. If you're a planner, then plan ahead; if you like to fly by the seat of your pants, then do that. :)

Each of my albums has been different, and I love each one in a special way. If I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be my 2011 album - I really love the format, and I love that I made it entirely up from scratch.

In 2010, I had just gotten my Silhouette digital cutting machine, and I was going to be traveling for part of December, so I decided to make the entire album ahead of time with hybrid designs, and fill it in as I went. I turned out not being able to print photos and keep up with the second half of the album during my travels, but I put it together in the following months with no hassle.

The following two years I was home and able to more or less work on my albums as we progressed through December, so rather than preparing the whole album in advance, I chose to take it day by day. It worked very well for me and I love the freedom of being able to choose the design of each day based on the photos I have.

In 2011 I made the album from scratch, and bound it with my Cinch. One of my favorite parts of this album is that I included several full page photos.

In 2012, since I had a busy schedule in December with classes and exams, I decided to make things easy for me and used a pocket page system (the Martha Stewart 5.5"x8" album for Staples).

If you want to check out the completed albums, take a look on my blog.

This year, once again, I know December will be crazy for my schedule, so for the second year in a row I will use a pocket page style album (I'm using a 6"x8" Studio Calico Handbook this time).

I already cut out several hybrid cards, mostly from the Document Your December collections from The Lilypad. Last year I put together all my Christmas supplies in a tray. They don't get used very much during the year, but they will certainly get a good workout this next month. :)

I find it really helps to have everything at hand, because I have a tendency to forget about supplies that are not in plain sight. :)

And now.. I'd love to hear from you! Are you looking forward to December? What are your plans for documenting this month? Leave me a comment and let me know!