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.
Ahh, I'm looking forward to seeing my extended family on Boxing Day. We are beginning renovations the first of January so I'm planning to shop less, decorate more simply and ENJOY everyone!!!
Love the idea of journalling this year.
Thaks for the motivation to reflect and record the wonders of the season.
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I've thankfully came across this blog through SimpleMom and I have been wanting to scrapbook more since my son was born (October '07), but now that baby number 2 has arrived (July '09), life is even more crazy!! So I'm trying the December dailies idea and doing my album ahead of time so I can truly enjoy the holidays with my husband and family while documenting it!
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I plan on staying relaxed and calm by minimalizing the 'quantity' of everything. Decorations, handmade gifts, gifts under the tree, events to attend, baking. . .everything. I'm not saying I won't do those things. . .I'm simply pointing out that I'm not going to 'over-do it'. *By participating in moderation. . .I hope to improve on the 'quality' not 'quantity' of memories created. Happy Holidays everyone!
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I'm hoping to be somewhat minimalist this year. Christmas comes just a few weeks after the semester at school ends, so I won't have time to do much. Hopefully that lack of time will force me to only do the things that are most important, or only the things I really want to do.
Jennie
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For me a simpler christmas this year is embracing the pieces I loooove to do personally - like handmade cards for everyone on my list, pretty gift wrapping, and handmade gift card holders, and picking out our tree - and letting go of those things I always feel obligated do personally, like baking and hosting elaborate dinners replacing that guiltlessly with delicious store-bought goodies and simpler gatherings for friends.
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What a fantastic giveaway! This holiday season I plan on slowing everything down and enjoying the simple things. I have 5 children and one of them has type one diabetes so it's easy to let life control me. I don't want it slipping by anymore. I am going to enjoy the process and the time we spend together.
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My plan is to enjoy the moment and not worry about all the things that usually get me frazzled...like the house not being clean enough or not finding the perfect gift for the 50 people on the list, or the 50 people on the list! Finding joy in my 5 teenage boys and leaving behind the sadness that they are not my little babies anymore.
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One of my major goals this year after last years hectic holiday season is to plan ahead so that I can truly enjoy all of those special moments this year. My Christmas cards have been done for a few months now and I've started my shopping and truly hope to be done by the end of November.
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My husband's parents live out of the country, and every other year we head to see them to celebrate the holidays. On those years, we skip the house decorating, Christmas lights, shopping and cooking, and instead we enjoy an overseas vacation. In a way, we "skip" Christmas, but it makes the years we stay home even more fun because it feels like it's been two years since Christmas. Initially, I used to be a little bummed about missing the holidays, but I've actually come to love those years because I can sit back and relax while all my friends are frantically fighting the crowds buying gifts. And I've realized that spending TIME with family is really what's most important to me anyway.
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I think this holiday season is going to be a big learning experience for us now that we have a baby. I have no idea what we'll do or how we'll feel. I think we're just going to wing it and enjoy our time together.
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I plan on taking things very slow this year and enjoying my 2 wonderful grandbabies and all 5 of my fantastic children and really looking forward to the new year because i am getting my first granddaughter and I am one for spoiling her like crazy!! Quality time with my family is all I want and need.
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I Plan on taking things very slow this year and just enjoy the time with my family and look forward to the new year because I am being blessed with my first granddaughter...yipee My favorite thing in this world is having all my 5 children home here with me and my husband and just being together.
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I plan to enjoy each and every day during this holiday season. I plan on keeping up on my 'lists' and taking a photo every day to make the reminiscing easier to enjoy after all the fun is over!
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Our Christmas will be a bit different this year, as my brother is deployed to the Middle East. I will be sure to be available to my sister-in-law even if she is a few states away. We decided to send a movie each week to my brother in December to fight the feelings of being away from his wife and three children. I would love to share the journal class with my sister-in-law to journal this season apart from her hubby. What a sweet give-away! Thanks Ali!
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I want to actually DO things. Instead of letting the busy-ness run me, I want to run IT! Do the cookies with my kids, read the Christmas thoughts and stories everyday, play music through out the day. Make gifts. I want to feel like I've done stuff, instead of run through the month without really doing anything :)
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Definitely need a more sane Christmas. Always too much last-minute rushing around and forgetting to enjoy the true reason for the season. Maybe a little more planning this year would help....
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I want to keep things simple (easier said than done). I usually do too much and take on too many things to do during the holidays so I want to cut down on that and concentrate on just enjoying it with my family. I usually have my excel generated lists and I plan to cut down on the amount of people I shop for.
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I'm learning to say no - not be "superwoman" and let other folks step in and do what they can.
I just "feel" more organized this year and that makes me calmer and able to enjoy more.
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last year, i had a brand new baby so I'm hoping this year we have a lot more time to enjoy the little moments and not feel so hectic!
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This year we are definitely simplifying! We are going to do service for others as gifts and keep the Christmas morning smaller, and more low-key. I love the idea of documenting what we do and keeping it all together in one spot for the kids to remember.
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Wow - another cool giveaway and a way to celebrate and document the season. Love it - thanks!
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this year, it's all about SIMPLE. i'm going to make a list of the 5 things I want to do and do JUST those. I have realized that I can't get it all done and I by taking the pressure off NOW, it feels better already!
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i am starting early. and if i can't do something i am not doing it. the main thing is to enjoy the season with my family this year before we grow into a family of 4.
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I want to hang with the family, decorate with a bit fewer ornaments to save time (I have 100's!), and just enjoy every day in a more laid back way. I am going to try not to get caught up in the overindulgence that often occurs during this season. Aaaah, I am almost feeling relaxed. :-)
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just enjoy family and friends and not get all caught up in the commercialism of the season. I plan to choose a few special things and immerse myself and my family in those few events and thoroughly enjoy them.
starting w/ a family thanksgiving week! thx ali.
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