December Traditions: various (Foosball, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, etc.!)

I've got lots of pages to share with you today! As I'm documenting the big family Christmas gatherings for my December Traditions album I feel like I'm the queen of multi-photo layouts!

Here are closeups of the two page layouts ...

Materials used Friendly Foosball Competition:

(1) Merriment and Peppermint Winter by Mye De Leon; (2) Photo Clusters No. 34 by Katie Pertiet Designs; (3) (border) Frosty Fun by Nancie Rowe Janitz

Materials used Unzen family:

(1) Merriment and Peppermint Winter by Mye De Leon; (2) All Done Up Frames No. 5 by Katie Pertiet Designs; (3) (my family) Random Words by Katie Pertiet Designs; (4) Festive Borders by Nancie Rowe Janitz; (5) (border stitching) Hello by Creashens; (6) (bookplate) Labellevie by One Little Bird

Materials used for Christmas Eve pages:
(1) Merriment and Peppermint Winter by Mye De Leon; (2) Photo Clusters No. 31 by Katie Pertiet Designs; (3) Doily Edgers December No. 1 by Katie Pertiet Designs; (4) Yuletide Clusters by Katie Pertiet Designs (5) Readymade Borders Christmas No. 2 by Studio DD; (6) Frosty Fun by Nancie Rowe Janitz; (7) (stitching) Hello by Creashens; (8) (journal card) Wish Come True by Mye De Leon; (9) (journal cards) Be Joyful by Gennifer Bursett; (10) Holiday Word Strips by Katie Pertiet Designs; (11) Linen Buttons Christmas by Katie Pertiet Designs

Materials used for Christmas Day pages:
(1) Merriment and Peppermint Winter by Mye De Leon; (2) Transparency Clusters No. 2 by Katie Pertiet Designs; (3) Buttoned Up Holiday by Katie Pertiet Designs; (4) Worth Repeating No. 20 by Katie Pertiet Designs; (5) (stitching) Hello by Creashens, (6) Festive Borders by Nancie Rowe Janitz, (7) Under the Mistletoe Journal Cards by Anita Designs; (8) (Dec 25) Sentiment Cuts by Lauren Reid

December Traditions | Gift Tags using Old Family Photos

I got an idea from Pinterest to use old family photos as gift tags. I loved the idea! It was definitely a hit. I definitely wanted to wanted to include some of the old photos in my December traditions album!

Materials used: (1) Merriment and Peppermint Winter by Mye De Leon; (2) Open Up Frames No. 2 by Katie Pertiet Designs; (3) Floral Overlays by Jodie Lee

December Traditions: Favorite People & Favorite Recipes

I've got two more pages to share for my December Traditions album. I'm hoping to send my December album off to print next week when I send my 2014 Project Life pages off to print. Fingers crossed!

These pages highlight my favorite people and my favorite Christmas recipes!

Credits - Favorite People

(1) Merriment and Peppermint Winter by Mye De Leon; (2) Light Strings by Katie Pertiet; (3) Doily Edgers by Katie Pertiet; (4) (Favorite Photo sticker) May 2014 Storyteller by Just Jaimee; (5) Festive Borders by Nancie Rowe Janitz; (6) love you wordart) freebie ad inspiration from Katie Pertiet; (7) (stitching border) Hello by Creashens

Credits - Favorite Recipes

Materials used: (1) Merriment and Peppermint Winter by Mye De Leon; (2) Holiday Recipe Collection by Shabby Princess; (3) Blendable Layers by Katie Pertiet; (4) (stitching border) Hello by Creashsens; (5) border masks by Samantha Walker;  (6) (sticker) Santa's Bake Shoppe by Misty Cato Design

2014 Project Life | Extra Christmas pages (Just Jaimee December 2014 Storyteller Collection)

When there are big family events that happen during the week I like to include extra pages in my Project Life album. Seldom is that as evident as during Christmas week! I love to be able to include lots of extra family photos ... and absolutely do not want to be limited to squeezing them all in to only 2 pages in a week.

Here are the 6 extra family detail pages I'm including my my 2014 album. I haven't even made my "regular" Project Life pages for Week 52. Week 52 isn't even done until tonight! Those pages will include more of the ordinary goings-on of the week.

For all of these pages I used Just Jaimee's December 2014 Storyteller Collection (available at The Lilypad).

2014 Project Life | Week 51 (Just Jaimee: Storyteller 2015 Hunter Collection)

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! I'm doing some catching up on my Project Life pages. I put it aside for a week for the holiday celebrations but I'm back!

Just Jaimee released her Storyteller 2015: Hunter Collection today. I used it for last week's pages and this week's pages. It's such a fun kit!!

2014 Project Life | Week 50 (Just Jaimee's new Storyteller: Hunter collection)

Hi everyone! 

I'm sharing a set of Project Life pages from a couple of weeks ago. I held off sharing because I used Just Jaimee's new Storyteller : Hunter Collection and it was just released at The Lilypad today! Check it out ... it's gorgeous! Since I created this page we've celebrated Christmas and New Years. So much excitement!

I shared with you a few weeks ago that I joined Just Jaimee's Creative Team for 2015. Have I mentioned that I'm thrilled?!

Have a great day!

December Traditions | Let the Holiday Baking Begin

I've got one more page to share with you for my December traditions album! Now that this page is done I'm going to focus solely on celebrating Christmas. I'll be back after the holiday. Merry Christmas everyone!

Created using:

1. Merriment and Peppermint Winter by Mye De Leon

2. Border Masks by Samantha Walker

December Traditions | Baking Christmas Cut Out Cookies

One more page for my album! We did lots AND LOTS of baking this weekend. This page is for our Saturday baking. We baked Friday night too ... and I think I'll make a page for that too - it may have to wait until after Christmas though because family festivities are beginning tomorrow already!

Materials used:

1. Merriment and Peppermint Winter by Mye De Leon

2. File Folder Frames No. 7 by Katie Pertiet Designs

3. (cookies wordart) All You Need No. 6 by Katie Pertiet Designs

4. (Yum Just Yum) March 2014 Storyteller by Just Jaimee

5. (stitching) Hello by Creashens

December Traditions | Gingerbread House & Pinterest

I've got a couple more additions to my December traditions album. My book is moving  right along!

Lauren's Sweet Creations | Gingerbread House journaling reads:

Lauren was excited to make ginger- bread houses in her German class today. She teamed up with her friends Madison Swanson, Emily Frazier and Emma Swanson. Isn't the house and winter scene they made adorable? I wish she could have taken it home! Lauren was in charge of making the Christmas trees (she frosted ice cream cones). Didn’t they turn out pretty?! I love the added touch of powdered sugar and coconut snow!

Pinteresting journaling reads:

Pinterest is an awesome source of inspiration for Christmas ideas (and all year long). * A “PIN” inspired me to browse through old family photos and use them as gift tags. Looking at the wrapped gifts under our tree this year is like looking at an old family photo album. It’s so awesome! * A couple years ago a PIN inspired me to create a book every year with all the Christmas cards we get. Too bad I saw the idea DAYS after I threw out years of Christmas cards. Ugh! * A PIN inspired me to snap photos of people from their Christmas cards to use as contact photos on my iPhone. * I showed Scott the PIN of a photo of a family on their devices as an idea for a Christmas card. I didn’t end up using the idea, but my friend Ann Marie did! * And, of course Lauren and I frequently use recipes we find on Pinterest. * Who knows what else we’ll come up with before the season is over! It’s fun, fun stuff!

Here's a little FYI for you. I discovered and started pinning on Pinterest shortly after it was launched in 2010. I later introduced Pinterest to my nieces (who had never heard of it before) and now they’re completely hooked too. I’m going to call myself the cool aunt. Wink. Wink. lol!

Credits for Gingerbread House page:

Merriment and Peppermint Winter by Mye De Leon

Santa's Bake Shop by Misty Cato

borders by Samantha Walker

Bakers Twine by Splendid Fiin

Ornaments Collection No. 1 by Katie Pertiet

Credits for Pinterest page:

Merriment and Peppermint Winter by Mye De Leon

(border) Al Fresco Elements by Nancie Rowe Janitz

Glitter Gloss Styles by Karla Dudley Design

stitching from Hello by Creashens

Travel the World | Dusseldorf Weinachtsmarkt

For the past several years my husband has spent a week in Germany in mid-November for a medical show. During his time there my uncle Andreas and cousin Reinhold have always met him in Dusseldorf and they’ve spent an afternoon visiting, having lunch and wandering around the city. My husband's stay has always coincided with the start of Weihnachtsmarkt so it’s a great kickoff to the Christmas season!

Created using:

This Year 2014 Vacation by Scotty Girl Design; Stylin #78 Wood Veneer Style by Mommyish; wood paper from Be Joyful by Gennifer Bursett

December Traditions - It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

It's been a few days since I've made a page for my December traditions album. We've had sickness in the house (and just when I thought we were done with sickness my son came down with a stomach bug today). Anyway ... that means we haven't done a whole lot of Christmas-y stuff to include in my album. Finally tonight I set up the tripod and snapped a photo of the living room. I knew I wanted to have a full page photo of the heart of our Christmas ... the living room. I'm really happy with the way it turned out. It's not a perfect photo, but I was able to talk cheerfully with our adorable dog the entire time the photo was being exposed and I even got her to stay put, so I'm happy!

This weekend we'll do some baking, etc. so I'll have more pages I can make. I'm thinking I may even include recipes on my pages. I'm excited! 

Anyway ... I just thought I'd share ...

I hope you're all having a joyous Christmas season!

Created using:

papers from Merriment by Mye De Leon, Confectionary by Gennifer Bursett and Buttoned Up Holiday by Katie Pertiet Designs

I'm not short! lol!

Isn’t this sweet? My son's arm is around his sister. Awww! Is it love? Sure. But he’s also doing it because he’s trying to keep her from standing on her tiptoes cuz she was trying not to look short next to him. They make me laugh!

Materials used:

Be Joyful mini kit, journal cards and template by Gennifer Bursett

Keeping Tabs Weekday Files and In Stitches Neutral Basics by Robyn Meierotto

December Traditions - Watching Home Alone and memories of my dad

My December traditions album wouldn't be complete if I didn't talk about the movie Home Alone. We always watch that movie over the Christmas season. It's most definitely a family favorite. Besides being a side-splitting, hilarious movie, it also brings back memories of my dad. I always remember how much my Dad laughed when we were watching Home Alone the last Christmas we spent together back in 2004. So now whenever I watch the movie I always think of him and that makes me happy!

Materials used:

Merriment and Peppermint Winter by Mye De Leon

+ various other this and that from other kits. 

Project Life | Week 49

Geez ... I've been so wrapped up in my December traditions album I almost forgot to make my Project Life pages for last week. (Whew! I'm caught up again!

Using:

Merriment and Peppermint Winter by Mye De Leon

Light Strings No. 1 by Katie Pertiet

Styled #127 Beveled Leather Action by Mommyish

sad face from the internet

December Traditions/Favorites - Kids' Art Wall

I've kept my kids Christmas art projects since they were babies. They're 18 and 15 years old now and these projects mean even more to me now. I absolutely LOVE the whole process of hanging up all of these projects in my hallway and looking at them whenever I pass by. It's definitely a big part of the Christmas season (and December in general) so I wanted to include it in my December traditions album!

Created using Mye De Leon's Merriment and Peppermint Winter Collections

December Traditions: Favorite Childhood Christmas Memory

I'm enjoying making my December book as a traditions book this year! I made this page about a favorite childhood Christmas memory of mine ... now I want to see if my husband has a memory he can share and that I can put on a page too! Maybe I'll include a page from my kids when they were little too. Hmmm ... I have to put some thought into this!

Until the next page ...

Materials used:

Merriment and Peppermint Winter by Mye De Leon

Blendable Layers No. 13 by Katie Pertiet Designs

Frosty Fun brushes by Nancie Rowe Janitz

Ready Made Christmas Borders No. 2 by Studio DD

December Traditions: Fontanini Nativity

I stayed home from work today. My teenage daughter is sick and I decided that I don't have that much more time that I'll get to hang out and take care of my kids when they're sick so I stayed home with her.  I'm so glad that I did. It meant I had time to chat with her AND time to be creative and work on my December book. Nice!

On a side note ... I was watching Frosty the Snowman with my daughter and she told me that she had wondered why I stayed home with her because she would have been fine alone, but she said that she was really glad I stayed with her. Yay! :)

Created using:

Merriment and Peppermint Winter by Mye De Leon

Blendable Layers No. 13, Post Marked Holidays by Katie Pertiet Designs

Hoilday Overlays by Nancie Rowe Janitz

December Traditions: Favorite Mugs

Gifts that make someone smile and think happy thoughts of a person every single time they're used have got to be the best gifts, right?!

These mugs make me so happy ... I knew they HAD to have their own page in my traditions/favorites book!

Materials used:

Merriment and Peppermint Winter kits by Mye De Leon

Messy Stitched Rectangles by Katie Pertiet

Happy 18th birthday!

I completely forgot to share this page. I've got grand plans. For 6 or 7 years I've been making number pages for my kids birthdays. Now that my son is 18 I'd like to make a bound book. I'm going to stop making the # pages at 18 (I'm a little sad about that) so my thought is that I'll go back to the previous 10 or so years and make # pages for the earlier years. That's a bigger project than it sounds like because so many of the years are pre-digital so I need to do lots of scanning. I do not enjoy scanning but I'll do it! I want to get it done before my son's graduation in the spring. I thought I'd also make a facing page for each of the years and do a large spotlight photo on the facing page. Hopefully now that I've actually written this down I'm committed! lol! Wish me luck!

FYI, I can't believe my son is 18 years old! Time flies. He's an awesome, awesome kid!

Materials used:

Karla Dudley Designs | Butterfly kit, Dreamer Frames, The Good Stuff Buttons, Anywhere Frames; Creasers Vol. 1 by LivE Designs

December Traditions Album ... 3 more pages!

I've got 3 more pages to share for my December traditions album. I've got 5 pages done already. I'm feeling pretty good about it. I'm keeping it simple and I think that's always a good plan when trying to put together an entire album in a month! 

I've used a few miscellaneous elements on these pages but for for the vast majority of it I'm sticking with Mye De Leon's Merriment and Peppermint Winter Collections. They have such a great color scheme!

Happy Sunday everyone!

Another 2-page Thanksgiving celebration page!

Here's another 2-page layout that I made for Thanksgiving. I designed it so that it coordinates with the walk around Bill's Pond page that I posted last night. So you can see how the pages coordinate, I'll post the Bill's Pond page as well.

Have a great night!

Materials used for the Thankgiving pages:

Katie Pertiet Designs: (1) Taped Together Frames No. 2, (2) Photo Clusters No. 31, (3) Taped Together Overlays No. 2, (4) Blendable Layers No. 13; (5) Christmas Letterbox Clusters, (6) Leaf Clusters No. 1, (7) Leaf Clusters No. 1, (8) Really Big Leaves No. 1, (9) Happy Words (gathering); (10) File Tab Words Fall, (11) Spooling Sentiments No. 1

Splendid Fiins: At the Office Evidence Date Stamps

Sweet Caroline Studios: Water Color Overlays; Noted Elements (coffee stains)

Brandy Butchersly: Ephemera Pack (dictionary paper)

Audacious Designs: Pop A Cork Alpha (coffee stain)

LivE Designs: Creasers

Wishing Well Creations: Thankful (clock & wood date stick)

Michelle Coleman: Leaves

Patti Knox: Epoxy Extravaganza Thanksgiving (epoxies)

Anita Designs: Fresh Start Elements (fabric flower)

Walking in a Winter Wonderland (Walking around/on Bill's Pond)

We had a lot of fun walking around/on Bill's Pond when we were up north for Thanksgiving. It was a beautiful day! We were talking on the walk and I don't think that in all the years my parents and then the Sengers have owned the resort (30+ years) that - to my recollection at least - I have ever walked on Bill's Pond. Weird! (Then again ... while I am a Minnesotan, I really am not fond of walking on frozen lakes. It kinda freaks me out!) It was fun walk though!

Materials used:

Katie Pertiet Designs:

Blendable Layers No. 13

From My Bookshelf Blendables No. 2

Dictionary Blendables

Mixed Stamp Titles No. 2

Winter Woods Kit

Christmas Linen Buttons

Taped Together Overlays No. 1

Taped Together Overlays No. 2

King Me Papers

Page Blends No. 4

Christmas Letterbox Clusters

Doily Edger No. 4

Watery Spots No. 5

Taped Together Photo Clusters No. 40

Wooden Alpha No. 16

Memorable Spots Months

Capped Winter

Tied Fasteners No. 3

Celeste Knight: Watercolor Overlays

Jodie Lee: Floral Overlay

Designs by Dani: A Little Christmas & Chill Out