Journal Your Christmas Giveaway
The first time I did any sort of journal/creative adventure during the holiday season was Shimelle Laine's Journal Your Christmas back in 2005 (check out my December 2005 archives for more).
My experience in Shimelle's workshop inspired me to create my first December Daily in 2007 that was published in my Studio A column in Creating Keepsakes magazine. The main differences being that I set up the structure of my album in advance (trying to keep it simple) and that I wanted to focus on documenting the daily activities over the course of the 25 days leading up to Christmas without specific prompts.
Over the last couple of years there have been lots of people that have combined the two concepts - creating a foundation in advance and using Shimelle's prompts as guides for page topics and inspiration.
It's a creative adventure I highly recommend so I thought it would be fitting to give away a spot to Shimelle's class this week.
One person and a friend of their choice will recieve a spot in Shimelle Laine's fabulous Journal Your Christmas online workshop.
Journal your Christmas is an online class that takes you right through the Christmas season, from the 1st of December to the 6th of January - the twelfth day of Christmas. Through 37 full colour prompts that arrive in your inbox daily, you'll be inspired by topics that let you enjoy this year's celebrations while reliving your very favourite Christmas memories, and you'll have plenty of ideas for making your pages with hundreds of beautiful examples from a variety of scrappers.
Instead of letting the holidays run you, a Christmas journal has helped many women take back their Christmas so they can enjoy and celebrate the magic of Christmas. Other class benefits include a printable Christmas planner, digital and printable supplies designed exclusively for class and a bonus guide to improving your Christmas photographs including easy-to-use tips from dozens of professional photographers.
To be entered into the giveaway please leave a comment below sharing how you plan to create a more sane holiday season (or more crazy if that's what you need). Comments will be closed on Thursday at 8pm Pacific with the winners posted shortly after.
I plan on taking everything as it comes - no more worrying if everything gets done. This is my Christmas present to myself.
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Organization is my key to sanity, so I plan to start my holiday projects early and have my shopping done before the end of this month.
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Simple, simple simple! I just want to enjoy the season and not be overrun by all the things that are more important than family! Also, since we are going to be seeing family at Thanksgiving, my plan is to have Christmas presents done by then so we don't have to ship them!! :)
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What a wonderful giveaway! Thanks for offering it! We have already started paring down the activities so it can be a more relaxed, (hopefully) family-centered time of year. I plan to do the December Daily this year too. I am hoping that in doing that I will focus on the little traditions that mean so much and often get lost in the shuffle.
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It is the last time I will have a child at home, my son is getting married! I will focus on the people more and less on things. We are taking the whole month off from our home business!!!
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I have a christmas folder with lists that I check more than twice!!! After Christmas I ask my family what they liked and or disliked about the season and take that on board for next year....
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Try to keep the focus on what is important. Keeping my new favorite word in mind, INTENTION...knowing what I want to get out of the holiday season. And to keep the stress level down, I'll keep in mind my new mantra: "embrace imperfection and be flexible"
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This year I want to let go of a lot of the stress. If we don't make it out caroling, I'm not going to stress. If we don't get all the decorations up, I'm not going to stress. I just want to let go of the expectations and enjoy the actual moment. My 3 kids will have a better holiday and we'll all be happier I'm sure.
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This Holiday season, I really just feel so blessed to have "completed" our family. We got our boy(4 & 1/2) and now our little girl(16 mos). I just feel such joy knowing that, especially to them, this year will be magical and full of wonder. I look forward to seeing this holiday season through their eyes!
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My daughters are married with children of their own and they both live away. My husband is deceased and so the magical Christmas holidays have lost their magic and I wrap myself in my job. This year I am planning to rediscover the holiday I use to just love. I am hoping by creating a Christmas journal that I can create new magic for myself.
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I have already started creating gifts for family memebers, rather than waiting until the last minute. I also plan to have all my Christmas cards made and sent by the first week in December. With those two hurdles out of the way I hope to enjoy a less-hectic season!
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I try to keep things sane by keeping them simple. We don't go overboard on gifts (don't have to stress about money), we have decorations that the entire family can enjoy (don't have to worry about anything breaking), and we choose activities that everyone can participate in from our 3 year old son to our parents. I love this time of year... it truly is magical!
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Well, this year I am really trying to plan ahead and have a lot of things ready by Thanksgiving. Just came upon the December Daily idea and I love it! I have gotten out of the habit of scrapbooking and boy do I feel guilty about it ;>) So this sounds like the perfect way to get back into keeping a record. I really like being able to remember the little things and not just the big HOLIDAY. We already do our own advent type thing by reading certain stories etc. to keep our focus on the season and not just the gits.
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What a fabulous giveaway! I am currently following the Organized Christmas / Christmas Countdown - six weeks to an organized Christmas. Hopefully by December 1st I will done and ready to enjoy the holiday season (with plenty of time to "Journal My Christmas").
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I am SO excited about the holiday season this year. For the past 7 years, I was woking at a job where Christmas was their 'peak' season which meant very very long and stressful hours. I am working a new job now and it's the complete opposite - we even had a Halloween party! SO I will be sane this holiday just in being able to participate and enjoy. Thanks for the giveaway!
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This year like most people we will be cutting back on a lot of things. Will also be trying to make some of my gifts too so won't get caught in the crazy shopping !
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Hi Ali, I've actually finished one album with my collection of old christmas pps to go along with you when you do your journal in December. I've always wanted to do one so you inspired me to go ahead. However, I am thinking of using my canvas Prima album as soon as I saw yours for this year and set aside the other one for old pics. I am so scared to wreck this album and hope the stress of thoughts juggling in my head will soon be over so I can journal my own peacefully come December... Thanks for the inspiration.
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I plan on giving less materially and spending more quality time with loved ones.
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I really want to take some time over the next couple weeks before thanksgiving to plan, declutter and make some lists. I want to have some free evenings to sit in front of a fire in the fireplace next to the tree and enjoy time with my husband and kids!
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I have been trying to purchase/make gifts all year so I won't be one of those last-minute shoppers who spends more money than intended. I am also going to try not to do everything that I am invited to. I tend to over-commit myself during the holidays and end up overwhelmed.
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my plan for this holiday is LESS STUFF and more togetherness!
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We will try to have a 'basic plan' but not be so packed in with 'obligations' that we miss out on spontaneous holiday fun or an opportunity to start a new tradition. We will 'go with the flow' as much as possible so as not to feel frenzied. It's amazing to me as the mom of a 12 year old boy & a 17 year old young man how much they count on and enjoy our traditions. Thanks to journaling, I have been able to note these traditions (who knew my son liked it when I changed the furniture in preparation for the holidays?!)
Thank You for the opportunity to win this fabulous memory in the making!
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I am hoping to simplify by saying "no" more. Anything that will involve fewer than all 4 members of the family, I'm saying no. I want this Christmas season to be more family filled and meaningful.
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I'm planning for a simple, homemade Christmas so we can focus on Jesus and come into January free of financial burdens. I'm already finding that setting the holiday mood is not at all dependent on how much money we spend, but on the state of our hearts. My nine-year-old is enjoying the planning and crafting already. What fun!
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I spend every year (in December) planning how to enjoy the season, and actually forget to experience it. This year, I'm doing the planning in November. Shopping, execution, December Daily, hopefully EVERYTHING to be finished by Thanksgiving so I can just be in the moment. And if it's not finished, I'm gonna give myself permission for that to be ok too.
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