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Last year, I saw in a magazine (can't remember which one!) a double page layout that included all the photo Christmas Cards received that season. The idea really spoke to me. I did it last year, and this year, I decided to make it a tradition.
The entire layout was done in Photoshop PSE6. The only embellishment was a freebie from Designer Digitals.
Now, of course, after all that work making one 8x8 page for each of the 24 days counting down until Christmas, I still wanted a layout for the big scrapbook. I made this layout using some brushes from Kate Pertiet over at Designer Digitals. I digitally stamped the ornaments where I wanted them, and then used clipping masks to put my photos in place. Each ornament has a string, a bow, and a drop shadow for some depth.
I cut the double layout in half so that I could upload it to Costco for printing. I can't wait to pick it up, because I think at full size, this is going to be one of my favorite layouts.
Being a consistent procrastinator, I was up until after midnight finishing the Christmas Countdown book. I love how it turned out, but it was a challenge to have my camera out and ready every day, and a bigger challenge to journal something unique on a daily basis. On the one hand, I think this helped me keep perspective this holiday season. On the other hand, it added that "one more thing" to do during an already very hectic time of year.
My brother, Eric, loves Thanksgiving. He loves the gathering of loved ones, the being together, the holiday, etc. He especially likes that he never has to sweat the financial burdens of November. I'm quite the opposite. I like Thanksgiving, but I love the bustle and fuss of Christmas. I love the embarrassingly large pile of presents, the baking, the making, etc. I love that for an entire month, the Christian world is focused one ONE thing.
Well, Christmas is finally here. We had an awesome day. My kids were grateful and joyful. I was surrounded by loved ones. My AWESOME husband gave me a Silhouette die cutter!
Now, the day is over and the house is a wreck, the bills are arriving, I am tired and feel SO fat from all the junk food.... I'm ready for a new year. By next December, I'm sure I'll be ready to tackle another countdown book!
OK, these onsies demand a bit of a back story. My friend, Becky, is a Lichenologist (that is someone who studies Lichen -- a mushroom is a lichen), and she is expecting her first baby. She doesn't know if it's a boy or a girl. Becky lives in Scotland.
Sheep plus mushrooms equals bad joke onsies. Get it?
To keep with the crafting theme of the blog, these were made in Adobe PSE, using clip art and different fonts. I printed them on computer transfer paper and just ironed them onto the onsies.
Drink a glass or two of wine and you will find these as funny as I do.
Right after Thanksgiving, Jessica Sprague had this template on her blog. Along with it, she had this idea of doing a daily scrapbook page of the activities counting down to Christmas. I was totally enchanted with this idea. Every page is "mostly" the same -- I've gotten carried away with overlays as the days have passed, but the format is constant. It's all "plug and play", so it doesn't take any real creative work on my part.
Here are the first 13 days -- I'm always a day or so behind!
When I saw this post by Nichole Heady, I had to try to make this. I wanted to make a special birthday present for a dear friend, and this seemed like it would fit the bill. Her favorite color is purple, so I used some paper that would bring in those colors and still match most home decor.
You can see Nichole's tutorial here.
I saw something like this at Hallmark and had a cow. I could make these! I could drink 4 Frappuccino, get a huge caffeine buzz, and make these! I just stamped in white craft and embossed the image. Ha.
I just justified two more stamp sets. I NEEDED these for neighbor gifts. :D
