December Daily Day 27: Dear Santa...

A real Keepsake for this December Daily...

Day 27: Dear Santa...
Made a pocket out of a parchment envelope for this one.
Journaling:
This year William left a note
for Santa on the Christmas Eve
Cookie Plate... it was answered!
*both letters are inside here*
on the 22nd they had all gone to see
Santa... I guess William had more
questions for the BIG GUY!

December Daily Day 26: Barbara's Birthday

December Daily continues...

Day 26: Barbara's Birthday
We always make a Big to-do for my Mother's Birthday...
day after Christmas kinda-sucks. So we try to make it special. :O)
Journaling:
Happy Birthday Barbara!
or Grandma, Mom or Wife to others. :-)
Day full of Popcorn & Neverland on
the Big T.V. Followed by presents and
Pizza... Don't forget the Cake!

December Daily Day 25: Christmas!

The *big* Day in December Daily...

Day 25: Christmas!
LOTS of flippy pages here... and tons of pictures.
Journaling:
Side 1:
Despite deep concerns
this year, Santa came
through! Movies, Candy, Art
Supplies and a UDraw
for everyone!
Side 2:
It WAS a White Christmas!
Snow at the last moment
it was beautiful, perfect.
The day was relaxed, the boys
are old enough now that there
was no rush to "be done".
Starbucks, Pina Colada Muffins,
Turkey Dinner and visits from
Cupper & Matthew. Even
stuffed stockings for
the Pets.
A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

December Daily Day 24: Christmas Eve

Getting there with the December Daily...

Day 24: Christmas Eve
Journaling:
Christmas Eve... 1st to
Church with Granny & Grandpa.
Then opening Christmas Pj's,
Supper and the Santa Key
story... Key on the door and
stockings on the table...

Around pictures:
...and the stockings were laid on the
table with care... side by side...
Opening the Christmas Eve Pj's...
Reading the Santa Key Story...
Santa Cloth 1st!
Santa is too busy to wrap, he uses the cloth.

December Daily Day 23: Handprint Banners

Another day of December Daily...

Day 23: Handprint Banners
Journaling:
2011
Handprints on the
Christmas Banners...
Bittersweet for me this
year... No more room on
Arthur's Banner. :-( YES
I cried the whole time we
were printing.

December Daily Day 22: School Concert Assembly

Still more catch-up December Daily...

Day 22: School Concert Assembly
Journaling:
Today was the
Younger Boyz School
Concert Assembly...
Dress-Up day too.. so
the Russett Boyz were
there dressed to the 9's!
So dashing in Suits and Ties.
Mr. Van Evry MADE
all the Parents take
part in an interactive
12 Days of Christmas...
Owe!

December Daily Day 21: Winter Solstice

Always an extra special day for us December Daily...

Day 21: Winter Solstice
2 inserted flippy pages today...
sliced and glued right into the binding.
Divided the pictures into 'before light out' and 'after welcoming the Sun'.

Journaling:

Winter Solstice
A truly special night for us as
a family... lights out and reflect time.
Offering of fruit, nuts and grains to
the wild ones at the front door...
A Turkey Feast with friends and Family...
A time to sit in the dark and just BE,
then welcoming the Sun back with
fire and hopeful wishes. This our
night to just step away and BE.

Celtic blessings for the season

"Nollaig Faoi Shean Is Faoi Mhaise Dhuit"
Knoll-ig f'wee haan ss f'wee shun-ah g-with
(A Christmas of Happiness and Joy to you) (old Irish Saying)

"May peace and plenty be the first to lift the latch on your door, and
happiness be guided to your home by the candle of Christmas."

"In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in
friendship and never in want."

The Magic of Christmas lingers on
Though childhood days have passed
Upon the common round of life
A Holy Spell is Cast

December Daily Day 20: Teacher's Gifts

Some more December Daily...

Day 20: Teacher's Gifts
Made extra tags when I was assembling the gifts to add here...
Journaling:
2011 Teacher's Holiday Gifts
Over the Summer and Fall months we
canned Apple Chutney & 4 Fruit Marmalade
for gifts... work then, relax now!

December Daily Day 19: Dinner with Nancy & Len

Catching up on some more December Daily...

Day 19: Dinner with Nancy & Len
Today there's a little inserted flippy page...
sliced the binding and glued it in like the others.
Journaling:
Tradition!
The pre-Christmas
get together with Nancy
& Len was last night...
Mmmm... Chocolate Mousse
and Lasagna... Yum!
Gift exchange and
nice chat...
Moose Poop!
(Yearly gag after a wee one said the Mousse looked like Moose Poop!)

December Daily Day 18: Victorian Holiday, Science of Yesteryear

A very, very special December Daily today...
definitely a 'trash this book' date!

Day 18: Victorian Holiday, Science of Yesteryear
LOTS of pictures today so I cut an alcove 30 pages deep to accommodate the 'accordion' of pictures.
Bonus: An excuse to use the Steampunk Christmas Ornament stamp I won awhile back!
On the opposite side of our pictures are snips from the advertising for the event and the journaling.
Journaling:
Sunday the 18th we all volunteered at the
Science and Technology Museum... earlier we had
also volunteered as 'Models' for the Victorian
Photo Shoot used to advertise the events. It was a
fun day for all: prowling the Museum in full dress.

December Daily Day 17: The Story of Us

December Daily about the ornaments for Greg & I:

Day 17: The Story of Us
Journaling:
Once upon a time... (sticker)
Just as the children
have their 1st ornaments
so do we... 1st year we
were 'together', the year
of the Betrothal Hand-
fasting and the year
we got married.
Just for Us...

December Daily Day 16: Memories of Christmas Past...

A special one for me:

Day 16: Memories of Christmas Past...
Love how the picture in the book I'm 'trashing' just came-up 'right' for this day!
Today I had a rather important Dr's appointment that could have brought some un-good news. I spent the time before hand looking over pictures, post and scrapbook pages from Christmas Past... something I make time to do each year. Today seemed the right day for this. :O)

Journaling:
All I want for Christmas
are things money can't buy... (stamp)
This year
I am grateful
for a small
lull in the activities and preparations. Time
to look back over photos and journals from
Past Christmas Seasons. Some people and pets
are no longer with us... my heart hurts to
see their dear faces. There have been
years of turmoil and years of TRUE PEACE
both have their place in where we all are
this season. We have all come through so
much... The boys are growing and changing
so (too!) fast... Our family has changed too.
I am truly happy with where we are
right now and look forward to seeing this
years festivities recorded... for future years.

December Daily Day 15: Baby's 1st Christmas Ornaments

Behind in posting again...
what a surprise! ;O)

Day 15: Baby's 1st Christmas Ornaments
Journaling:
It started with 12 blue
Holly Hobbie dolls on my
parent's tree in 1975... I moved out and my 1st
Christmas on my own 1 doll came to climb the tree.
As each boy was born an ornament was
added... Arthur 1998, Robert 2001, William 2002
and Thomas in 2004... each one as special as the boy.

December Daily Day 14: Living Room

Last day on the December Daily Tour...
Day 14: Living Room
The last stop on the main floor tour (kitchen excluded
for baking!) The living room... hub of all Major
activity for entertaining. Pertied up the most: walls, tables,
shelves... all brimming with Holiday Cheer! Lights too.
So come on in... have a seat and join us to celebrate.

December Daily Day 13: Bathroom

The December Daily Tour continues...
Journaling tucked away on a little pocket tag.

Day 13: Bathroom
The Tour of
the main floor continues in
the newly redecorated
bathroom. Now the Reading
Room... full of books and
------>
decorated with reading in mind.
Every nook & cranny has some
Holiday Magic in it. From the mirror, to the walls, to the
bookshelves. Lots to look at!

December Daily Day 12: Front Hallway

Decided to make a wee tour in the December Daily this year...
the next few days will dedicated to that.
Things move and change some each and every year,
it'll be nice to have a record of how it was *this* year.

Day 12: Front Hallway
From Door-toDoor
the house is -FULL-
of Holiday Decor!
The Hallways this year is
home to several of the
count-down calendars, horn,
holly & ivy... even a candy
jar... Please come on in
and Share Our Joy!

December Daily Day 11: Penguins Vrs Bunnies!

Still behind getting the December Daily posted...
Bit of a fun topic today.
The 'battle' we have of MY Bunnies Vrs Greg's Penguin tree ornaments.
Split into the book again today to insert the journaling.

Day 11: Penguins Vrs Bunnies...
Battle for the Tree -2011-
Sorry Penguins...
better luck next
year. The Battle of
#'s has been Taken! again
this year by the
Bunnies... who have
had several years
head start.

December Daily Day 10: Drop-In Party!

The Highlight of our Holiday Hoopla...
Our Annual Drop-In Party!

Day 10: Drop-In Party!
The Journaling is on a Tag on the left side. I folded some of the same paper as I used for the background to make an envelope to 'hide' it in.
Beautiful Chaos, much like the event. :O)

Journaling:
Busiest Holiday Drop-In
party E-Vah! Head
count of just over 70
peeps... in 5 hours. The
house was busting at the
seams, but never 'too'
crowded... perfect balance.
The boys had MANY of
their friends over this
year. They are growing
up too fast... No big
issues even with so many
'little people'. New freinds
seen for the 1st time
made this year EXTRA
special! New foods... yum!
School visitors: teacher and
principal and of course
the Steampunk Crowd.
...and a long-lost friend
from the East! :O)
Perhaps the best
party we've hosted...
to date. *wink*

December Daily Day 9: Thimbles, Pepper and Holiday Cookies

Baking-pa-looza continues...

Day 9: Thimbles, Pepper and Holiday Cookies
Not so much journaling and record/recipe keeping. ;O)
Thimbles to the left, Pepper and Holiday Cookies to the right.

December Daily Day 8: Oh Christmas Tree!

Little picture in picture here... lol.

Day 8: Oh Christmas Tree!
Another split the book, add a tab for journaling.
The picture of the boyz decorating the tree *TOGETHER* though fuzzy was to good to not add this year so I placed it as background behind the clearer picture of the family with the tree before we cut it down. Picture in Picture!
Then the finished tree is on the left.

Journaling:
Ian's Tree Plantation...
Return trip this year
Didn't take long
to find the *perfect* tree.
Reindeer visits, hot cocoa by
the bonfires "Just like on TV"
says Thomas. Home for lunch
with Granny & Grandpa, then
decorating the tree...
Great 'Hooky' Day from school!

December Daily Day 7: Inflatables and Shortbread

You-fer go fer a Two-fer Day!

Day 7: Inflatables and Shortbread
I split the book open again today, and glued in a trimmed down recipe card.
Recipe on one side, Journaling on the other.
These are Greg's Job... his
holiday 'thing'. Despite the
lack of lawn space to get them all in!
If/When we move somewhere
with more space the collection
will likely grow. For now
these 4 are cozy together.
Best part is seeing the toddler
crowd go by on walks and stop to
gawk in total awe... Such a
Delight! and so, so cute.

December Daily Day 6: *NEW*

'I couldn't post Day 6 until my Scrap Our Stash Design team project was up on the SOS Blog... Spoilers!
So I fell behind in taking pictures and posting.
Over the day I'm gonna get caught up...
*knock on wood*
That's the plan. :O)

Day 6: *NEW*
Journaling:
Two-fold! Yesterday Sarah attended a Cookie Exchange Party with New Friends...
Lovely evening out. Conversations and Cookies!
New Recipes to try... Wonderful evening.
Today was the creation of this year's *new* decoration. Every year a new one is made to reflect the family.
This year everyone is old enough to 'help' Santa keep an eye out...
Rule: You can flip anyone ELSE from Nice-Naughty or back...
but NOT Yourself! It's been a Huge Hit!

Scrap Our Stash December Design Team Project: Anything Goes Challenge!

Every year I make *something* to decorate around the house...
Figure with 4 kids leaving home at some point (no rush... yet!) they will be taking some of it with them.
For now, the more the Merrier!
This year it's this 'Santa's Little List Helper' Sign.
It's been a HUGE hit so far.

We had to make 1 rule though:
You can flip anyone else from Nice/Naughty or back,
BUT not yourself.

It started off as this $2 sign from Dollar-Rama:

I peeled the 'Family' Letters off, easily done with an exacto knife. They're just so pretty, so I'm saving them for another project.
Waste not, Want not!
The sign was then spray painted in a glossy white, 3 coats to get over the pink flowers that kept popping through.
The 'frame' was made using Making Memories Masking Tape laid over the edges of the cut pattern paper I added with a glue stick.

The Dangling Flippers are 2 1/2" disks punched out of heavy cardstock. Ran the black ribbon down in between and then stapled and glue gunned them to the back of the sign. I know they're going to get flipped a *lot* in this house so I wanted to make durn' tootin' sure they wouldn't come off the back.
Printed the Nice and Naughty out on the printer using perty fonts and punched them out with fancy frame punch.
Inked the edges with Stampin' Up! Stampin' Spots.

The Title was done mostly with a Sticker Set I've been hoarding for a few years. The 'List' is Thickers the rest was that set by Recollections.

Our names were also done on the printer then cut out free-hand and matted, again free hand.

So that's my Project for Christmas 2011!
~Sarah~

Now it's your turn to take the December Anything Goes Challenge. The challenge is to do just that - Anything! To participate in the challenge just complete a project and email a picture of your project along with a description to Scrappinpsycho@live.com
All submissions will be posted to The Scrap Our Stash blog and on December 31st a winner will be chosen, and given the opportunity to be a Guest Design Team Member for the month of February. This challenge ends at midnight central time on December 31st.