Journal Your Christmas Giveaway

Jyc20092

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.

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1193 thoughts

  1. Sarah Seidel says…
    11/04/2009

    Last year we had a 3-month-old and had just moved all 5 of us into a 2-bedroom apartment. THEN we had guests here for Thanksgiving AND Christmas. Talk about cramped and crazy!!
    This year, we are going elsewhere for Thanksgiving and Christmas and are slowing down the bustle of the holiday season. Though it never seems like there is enough time in the month of December, we are planning to spend each evening in a time of celebration. Whether it is making ornaments and decorating the tree, or just singing carols and eating cookies, we are planning a more family-centered holiday.
    This year's December Daily will be filled with a bunch of different entries this year compared to last year' album... and that's a very good thing!

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  2. Karen Darmanie says…
    11/04/2009

    Oh how I need organization like this !!! Pick me !!

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  3. Kimber-Leigh says…
    11/04/2009

    i'm hoping to get lots of my crafty projects organized before dec. (so that i have all i need to do the project when it is dec.) i'm well on my way towards making a dent in our gift shopping. i've planned our Christmas cards and just need a picture. looking forward to really enjoying the season with our kiddos this year!

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  4. Liz says…
    11/04/2009

    for everything i purchase i am throwing something away!! it's my new approach to staying simple and organized...especially around the holidays!

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  5. Monica says…
    11/04/2009

    Alot of my extended family has moved away over the last couple of years, so this holiday season will be quiet. I plan on really trying to focus on what's important to my family and starting some simple traditions of our own.

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  6. Laura Gedeon says…
    11/04/2009

    I'm planning on trying to keep it simple. I want to enjoy the season and all the special moments with friends and family. I want to capture the memories and preserve them for years to come.

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  7. Kellie says…
    11/04/2009

    I plan to make my Christmas holidays more sane by starting earlier. I am going to make my "list" of the most important things I want to accomplish this holiday season (and I know most of those things will be more "experience" oriented rather than "material" oriented) and then I am going to start on it earlier. I usually wait until after Thanksgiving to get out my decorations and to set things in motion. But inevitably with the Thanksgiving holiday, I end up pushing Christmas beginnings until the first week of December and then regret when I don't accomplish everything I would like to. Not this year. I will start with a written plan and then start the plan earlier in the month of November. I plan to do a December daily album too. I have it just about ready to go. :)

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  8. Jill says…
    11/04/2009

    More sane = putting out decorations and baking only the things I love
    More crazy = host an impromptu gathering

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  9. rachel says…
    11/04/2009

    yesterday i decided to try myself with a christmas daily, becuase i was so inspired of your album that you prepared.
    since i am in canada now until dec 17 and then go to california after that, i think i will have double stress in december. and that is the reason, why i want to write my days down, becuase so i hope i will get myself in a christmasy mood ;)
    rachel

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  10. Sally Sellke says…
    11/04/2009

    I was actually laid off about a month ago so this Christmas will be much more sane with all the extra time I will have on my hands. We are also getting back to basic with all the relatives presents and giving them alot of baking and home grown goodness.
    Cheers Sally

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  11. Sarah says…
    11/04/2009

    Such a great question Ali, thanks for asking. I'm going to take time each day throughout December just to sit and breathe deeply, I'm going to set up a wee focus space in the lounge just for this purpose. Also, I'm going to walk into town as often as possible when I have to shop, saves looking for a carpark and getting road rage! Finally, I'm going to handmake or not buy as much as possible this year, see how creative I can be!

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  12. Gale says…
    11/04/2009

    I'm already planning my shopping & will search out a few gifts this weekend. My daughter also commented on not putting out as many decorations. "It is just to much work, right Mom!"

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  13. Jen says…
    11/04/2009

    I'm hoping this holiday season will be a mix of a little crazier, in a good way (brand new baby nephew to spoil) and calmer in the sense that there hopefully won't be any major health crises this year for anyone.

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  14. Valerie says…
    11/04/2009

    My holidays aren't ever too crazy, but I'm excited about starting new traditions this year as we just had our first child in May. I've ordered Eve's Christmas art journal as a way to help jumpstart my first attempt at a December Daily album.

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  15. Aubrey says…
    11/04/2009

    I'm limiting the number of presents for each of us to 4, plus Santa's, and am buying and wrapping presents already. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  16. April P says…
    11/04/2009

    oohhh, what I wouldn't give to win!! I was just thinking of gifting it to a friend too. I already started planning for the holidays - a holiday planner from Georganna with Cut the Crazy out of Christmas class at BPS, and I've started before Thanksgiving! That alone is pretty impressive! I've been hoping that I can get started getting the crazy out of the way now, so I can do a project just like yours and Shimelle's classes . . . ~april

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  17. HeatherC says…
    11/04/2009

    There is so much I want to do -- I need to make sure to take time to ENJOY it not just check it off the list -- could really used this class!

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  18. shan says…
    11/04/2009

    a more sane holiday season . . . hmmm. If I can just get through the month of November than I'll start thinking about that one! :)
    I think, though, that from past years' experience I need to spread out the fun/tradition parts of Christmas throughout the month of December (like making cookies, delivering neighbor treats, crafts with the kids, special meals, etc.) . . . . rather than saving them all for the week leading up to Christmas. That can get pretty crazy and leaves no time for just sitting around to ENJOY the season. This year I want to just enjoy. :)

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  19. Marie-Pierre says…
    11/04/2009

    A sane Christmas for me is going back home and enjoying the Holidays with people I love!! I live in Switzerland since 10 years and now that I have a little 16 months old girl I feel even more like I want to be where my heart really is, in Canada.
    Thanks li for the chance to win and for everything you've done for me lately (in the Yesterday & Today's class) :)

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  20. Angela says…
    11/04/2009

    I am starting early this year and making a Daily Dec. album for the first time has definitely put me in the mood. I am going to stick to what matters most--my family.

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  21. abra says…
    11/04/2009

    Less is my favorite way to improve the holidays!

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  22. Karyn says…
    11/04/2009

    Last year we started simplifying at Christmas time. We told our boys that they would find just three gifts under the tree from Mom and Dad. We gave each boy a spiritual gift, a homemade gift and a "secular" or monetary gift. It worked very well and we plan on doing that for Christmases to come.
    However, this year we are going to be out of town for Christmas for the first time ever, since the Christmas present this year is a special family vacation - this would be the monetary gift for this year. I plan on having the homemade gifts ready to give to everyone Christmas morning so I've got to get going on those ASAP. For the spiritual gift, we hope to arrange some service oriented opportunities for our family to make the vacation even more special.
    Thanks for the opportunity to share.

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  23. Mindy says…
    11/04/2009

    I hope to relax and enjoy the season more this year. This is my first Christmas as a mom. I can't wait to enjoy it all and see what traditions become a part of my daughter's life beginning this year.

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  24. Paula in Australia says…
    11/04/2009

    For the holiday season this year we are getting together will my husbands family. There is 10 siblings plus their families (heaps), all going to Hervey Bay 3 hours north of Brisbane and giving Mum a day off. It will be so good to catch up with the whole family. This will be our little girls first christmas with the whole of my husbands family. Christmas in Australia is so hot so it consists of lots of salads, prawns (shrimps in USA), cold beer and sunshine. Cannot wait for the season to begin. Thanks Ali for the opportunity don't know how it will go with me being in Australia but thought I would enter anyway. Lots of love and hugs to you and yours for the season.

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  25. SandyB says…
    11/04/2009

    I spent 6 weeks on bedrest so I had completed many projects while stuck on the couch...including my Daily December project. So I plan to continue with planning ahead so I can enjoy my Christmas season.

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