December Daily 2010: Days 6-10

Continuing with my December Daily album, I'm trying to let each day tell its story.  I got a bit stumped on Day 6 as I only took a few photos and they weren't very exciting plus it was a bit of a boring day (errands, groceries).  Instead, I did a full page on our holiday decorations and made note that we choose not to have a tree this year.  Two details that I wanted in the album as they help tell the overall story of our month.  Once I let go of the notion of having something special about each particular day and completed that page, the rest started coming together much quicker.  It's against my instincts to "let loose" like that but I am liking the results - I need to remember to relax and enjoy the process of scrapping more!

Supplies: Ali Edwards's December Daily Layered Template Package Vol 3 and 31 Days Overlays; Miss Mint's Winter Sparkle kit; Robyn Meierotto's Holly Jolly kit; Design By Spencer The Garage: Grunge Ink Brush Set 4; Instagram App on iPhone; Rhonna Farrer's Celebration kit; Totally Rad Bitchin B&W action; CoffeeShop Vintage action; Tia Bennett's Fit 2b Tied kit; Kate Teague's Vacation Holiday kit; Batik Regular and Amienne fonts.

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Featured: Dec Daily Project Updates

As I continue pushing forward in getting my December Daily album completed (more pages coming soon), I was encouraged finding a tweet this morning that I had been featured as part of Maranda's December Daily Project Updates on paper.li:

Thanks for including my December Daily blog post! Now, back to finishing that album ...  :)

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December Daily 2010: Days 1-5

I decided very last minute (as in on Dec 1st!) that I would put together a December Daily album this year.  Since I didn't prepare ahead of time and knew it would be a busy month, I simply focused on taking photos and jotting a few notes about each day.  After we returned from our Christmas trip, I started putting together a digital 8x8 album.  I plan to have it printed to a Shutterfly book when it's complete.  I'm using templates & red overlays by Ali Edwards and a background paper by Miss Mint to maintain a bit of consistency in the pages - otherwise, it's however I feel inspired so each page is a bit different.  Here are the first 5 days:

Supplies: Ali Edwards's December Daily Layered Template Package Vol 3 and 31 Days Overlays; 2paws Designs Scalloped Edges; Miss Mint's Winter Sparkle kit; Robyn Meierotto's Holly Jolly kit; Karen Funk's Fallin' For You papers and Christmas Magic kit; Kate Teague's Holiday Lovin' papers; Kitty Designs Cherish kit; DHD Digi Fall Blog Hop kit; Instagram App on iPhone; Rhonna Farrer's Celebration kit; Karla Dudley's Holiday '10 - Word Art; Amienne font.

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Spooked by Santa

Remember when I shared earlier in the month about Dylan's meltdown during Santa photos with his cousin? 

The memory and photo still make me chuckle (he turned off those waterworks the moment I picked him up - total show).  Anyhow, when I saw Parents Magazine had a Spooked by Santa photo contest, I knew I had to enter this photo.  Now, here's where I shamelessly beg :)  - please vote for it here: http://photos.parents.com/category/vote/photo/656508.  You can vote once per day from now through January 2, 2011.  Thanks!!

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Christmas in Photos

And that was just the start of our celebrations with family ... we still have upcoming visits to see my Dad & stepmother and Trent's parents.  Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season!

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Merry Christmas!

Supplies: Sara Schmutz's School Is In Paper Pack 2; Michelle Underwood's Bright Smiles kit; Deena Rutter's Happy Christmas kit;  Amienne font.

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Santa Plate

A few Saturdays ago, Trent, Dylan and I joined some friends at a local ceramics shop to make Santa Plates.  After Dylan and his friend finished their part, the dads took them home so we moms could finish up the details.  That was the best idea ever - Dylan and his buddy had been to the ceramics shop before (in May our entire playgroup of 6 babies ages 8-15 months went to make Father's Day gifts), but now that both walk and want to move around, it wasn't such a good idea to keep them there for an extended time.  Which reminds me, quick tip to all parents of little ones who want to try this - pack your booster seat.  It makes the entire process much easier.

Another thing that helps is having a plan of action.  We had already made a handprint Christmas tree earlier in the month.  I wanted something different and simple for Dylan's part in case he didn't want to participate.  Searching online, I came across this post on Simmons Stories blog.  Loved the adorable little footprint reindeer.  So, we strapped Dylan into his booster seat, pulled off his shoe & sock, painted his foot up in brown paint and stuck it onto the plate.

He was so excited during the entire process.  Only problem - he curled his foot a bit.  I had to laugh.  In October, he and I managed a perfect print for his Ghost plaque.  I think part of it may have been the cold plate.  Looking back, if I did this again, I would set the plate on the floor and help him to step on it.  At any rate, we let it be because, after all, it is fun artwork and I wanted something special & handmade - not "perfect."

After Trent took Dylan home (which wasn't easy by the way because he wanted to keep painting!!  I see more visits in our future), I worked on the details ... painting Rudolph's antlers, eyes and nose.  Then I sponged the rim of the plate in red, added fun swirls & dots, and carefully painted the text.

And here's the finished project ready to put out with cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve:

Loving it and so excited to add it to our Christmas traditions.

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DIY: Hybrid Gift Tags and a Freebie

In need of tags for your holiday gifts?  Look no further than your digital scrapping kits!  Here's how I made a set to use for the boxes of ginger snaps I gave to friends last week...

In Photoshop, I set up a template of circles sized to fit inside my 1-1/2 scallop circle punch.  I selected digital papers and masked them using the template:

Printed the tags onto cardstock:

Then used my scallop punch to punch out each one:

After punching a small hole in the top of each tag, I added a red eyelet:

Finally, I wrapped each container of ginger snaps with ribbon and finished them off with my tags:

Now, as my gift to you ...  click here to download the Circle Gift Tags template for free (note: it contains only the 8 circle masks - no digital papers).  Enjoy!

Supplies: ivory cardstock; Rhonna Farrer's Holiday Polka Packaging kit; 2paws Designs's Circle Gift Tags template.

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Christmas Decor

A few of my favorite Christmas decorations in our home this year ...

Dylan's Advent Calendar, a gift from my mother & stepfather last year.  Love that we can reuse this each year and talk to him about the real meaning behind Christmas.  He has such fun putting up each piece (which explains why Joseph is hanging out in the middle of the grass versus in the stable) but doesn't quite understand the "one per day" thing right now.  So there is a lot of signing "more" while repeating "mo, mo."  Totally adorable. :)

Our new wreath card holder.  We don't have a lot of horizontal space to display cards (especially when we are trying to keep them out of little hands) and I have been wanting something like this for years, but not willing to pay the listed price.  Luckily, a few weeks ago when shopping at Michael's, I came across this one marked down to $9.99 and it looks great even without cards over my new green cabinet.

On our buffet, I reworked an existing glass dish.  It originally held 5 short candles along with a few decorative glass balls.  I removed the candles and refilled with pine cones Dylan and I collected from our yard.  Then returned the glass balls for a little "bling."

Accompanying it is a framed copy of our playgroup's photo with Santa.  It was a gift from Stacey to all of us moms.  She found the instructions online (here's the tutorial - Craftily Ever After: 'Christmas Present' Frame) for taking a simple wooden frame and decorating it using paint, wrapping paper, mod podge and a festive bow.  So pretty!

What are your favorite decorations?

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Remember: Christmas 2009

Today our playgroup is getting together to celebrate Christmas.  It had me thinking back to last year - hard to believe Dylan and his friends were so small!  It took a bit of work (ie, returning crawlers to their spot) to get a photo of them just before their First Christmas:

Supplies: Shimelle Laine's Remember Page template; Sara Schmutz's Delight Papers 3; Betsy Tuma's Snow Kissed: Christmas kit; Angelina font.

ETA: Excited to find that my layout made Erica Hernandez's "today i like:" feature on Two Peas:

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