PL2020 - December | Sahlin Studio

December was another 2 page spread in my project life album. 

For the past 12 years I've also done a December Daily album in December, it take up most of my focus. You can check out this years completed album here. 

This year was weird. 

Everything else about the year 202 was been weird, so it was not a total surprise. 

The government placed a ban on in-home [and out of home] gatherings on the 10th of December.  That meant, we were having Christmas at home. Alone. 

I'm sure we all kind of saw it coming. At the same time we were hoping that it wasn't. 

December ended up being a very quiet month. No Christmas parties. No hockey. No ringette. I did manage to watch the majority of this years Hallmark Christmas movies. Predictable? Indeed they are, but they're also kind of addicting.

Here are my pages:

• We got a huge dump of snow on the 22nd of the month. 
• I walked out my back door early in December and actually saw Saturn and Jupiter closely together. They were supposed to be at their closest on the 21st, but we had a huge snowstorm and missed it. 
• Madelyn created a wolf mask, had to take a photo of her wearing it, and send it to the art teacher. 
• Projects, projects, projects around the house. It's a bit overwhelming actually. 
• The covid commercials on tv right now, are laugh out loud funny. I'm so glad they went with humour, we could all use a bit of that right now. 
• Snapchat Christmas filters, make me so happy. 

• Big grocery shop before Christmas. Turkey in the cart as well. Things are a bit nuts at the grocery stores again right now...
• Christmas eve day, we made the rounds and dropped things off at the Grandparents. [Aside from these photos, masks were worn] We also had a big Xmas eve zoom call.  
• A couple last minute pick ups at Winner's. Shopping is not enjoyable at all right now. I wonder if it ever will be again. 
• The kids Christmas morning, both [still] excited about getting Lego. 
• Christmas day dinner and video chat. Making the most of this crummy situation. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Holly-Days-Elements.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Holly-Days-Journal-Cards.html

Oh Deer Collection | Sahin Designs

Sahin Designs has just released her final collection of 2020. It's focused mainly on Christmas, but also has some content that can be used to document the new year. Introducing, the Oh Deer collection.

This collection will be on sale through Sunday for 20% off. If you happen to be a newsletter subscriber [and you absolutely should be!] watch your inbox for your chance to download the bundle for 50% off. Plus you get a free set of stamps if you purchase the whole bundle. 

Here's the layout I created using this collection: 

We are all doing our best to make the most of a crummy situation. 

Last weekend we made a couple of quick videos to share for a special birthday video. The four of us sat together, and after a few takes, had a snippet to send off. We were all laughing, because nothing seems funnier than videoing yourselves. 

Everything is different right now. Sometimes it feels like it's too much. 

But most of the time I just feel grateful for my people. 

The following Sahin Designs products were used: 

https://sahindesigns.com/products/oh-deer-elements/

https://sahindesigns.com/products/oh-deer-papers/

https://sahindesigns.com/products/oh-deer-cards/

December Template Freebie | Sahlin Studio

Sahlin Studio has released the last freebie for 2020. 

Download for free by clicking here, though the remainder of the month. 

It feels weird to say, the last month of 2020.

Let's be honest. I just want this year over. Things have been up in the air since last March. We had a brief period through the summer months, of feeling on the verge of 'new normal'. 

That has long since passed, and we seem to have entered the panic stage once again.

I am under no illusion that 2021 won't be similar to what we're living right now. It's just the idea of starting a new year. Hopefully a better year [fingers crossed] that keep me hopeful. 

Right  now, the words I whisper to myself multiple times a day are: 

Breathe in... Breathe out... One day at a time... You can do this... 

Here's the layout I created using the template: 

We went to Costco last week, and surprisingly it wasn't overly busy. As we were leaving the parking lot, Barry wanted to pop into Winner's to see if he could find a specific item. So we went in there quickly as well. Madelyn was wearing her Christmas sweater and elf hat. She'd worn them both to her 'last day of school'. 

I ran ahead and snapped this photo of them walking towards me, arm in arm. It's not the best picture I've taken. It's blurry, taken in the dark, but I love it. I was just happy to capture this moment in time. We're making the most of the little things that bring us joy right now. 

We don't leave home very much. Still. So a trip to a place we used to look forward to going to, is kind of a big deal. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

December Template freebie: http://sahlinstudio.com/free-digital-scrapbooking-template-sketch-december-20/

Oh What Fun Kit: https://the-lilypad.com/store/Oh-What-Fun-Kit.html

December Daily - Day 3

So enjoying the warm temperatures right now. We know what's in store. 

Here's day 3 of my DD album.

I used Sahlin Studio - Home for the Holidays product on this page. 

December Daily 2020 - Day 2

Well, so far, I've managed to get the first two stories told. 

I KNOW I won't be able to keep this up. But I'll do my best not to get too far behind, and feel overwhelmed.

That is the opposite of how this project is supposed to make you feel. 

But the fact of the matter is, this is a labour intensive project.  And I love it. 

We are, like many people across North America, doing at-home school again.  

Making the most out of situations we have no control over. I'm hopeful next year Covid won't be all we talk about. But right now it is. And though we're all tired of it and wish it would go away, it will be taking up a lot of real estate in this years album. 

For this page I used Sahin Designs digital products, follow the links are below. 

Elements: https://sahindesigns.com/products/home-for-the-holidays-elements/

Paper: https://sahindesigns.com/products/home-for-the-holidays-papers/

December Daily 2020 - Day 1

Oh my goodness. December is here. 

I didn't get foundation pages together the way I have in the past, this year. 

I have had a hard time getting motivated, though I KNOW I will be putting an album together. 

Such a weird year this is going to be. 

Having said that, I finished Day 1. 

I have a flip up 3x4 sized flap that shows the under photo and includes my journaling. 

I used Sahlin Studio product on this layout, a combination of Holly Days and Favourite Things. 

Taking this project like everything else this year, one day at a time. 

To check out products I used, click the links below. 

Holly Days

Favorite Things

Home for the Holidays | Sahin Designs

Sahin Designs just released Home for the Holidays collection, and I can not wait to add this collection to this years December Daily album. 

This collection is 30% off through November 30th, don't miss out! IF you're a newsletter subscriber, watch your inbox for your code to download the bundle for 50% off. Also, if you pick up the whole bundle, you will receive the printable colouring pages for free! 

I created this layout using the product.

Christmas this year, is going to look different. 

I've been focusing on joy. We put our tree up nearly two weeks ago. I had a sneaking suspicion that the white lights would make my heart happy. 

Guess what?

It did. 

The funny thing is, I've talked to so many people that have done the exact same thing. We are not letting Covid bring us down this year. We're making our own joy. 

Truthfully, that's one thing that we've learned over the past nearly 8 months. We have to control our attitude. Doing that makes a HUGE difference. 

So for now, I choose joy. 

This past Tuesday, our province was once again place in a State of Emergency. I'm much calmer about it this time around than I was last time. Though I was absolutely bewildered to walk past the toilet paper aisle and once again see it empty... What's up people? I will never understand this type of hoarding. 

The following Sahin Designs products were used: 

Elements: https://sahindesigns.com/products/home-for-the-holidays-elements/

Paper: https://sahindesigns.com/products/home-for-the-holidays-papers/

J.Cards: https://sahindesigns.com/products/home-for-the-holidays-cards/

Digital Stamps: https://sahindesigns.com/products/home-for-the-holidays-stamps/

Favourite Things & November Template Freebie | Sahlin Studio

Favourite Things is the brand new release from Sahlin Studio, it's just in time to prepare for the holiday season. It's on sale until Sunday night [November 16th] if you purchase the whole bundle, you can get it for 45% off. Product links are at the bottom of the post.  

 

This year will be my 12th December Daily album.  

It will also be my first time documenting Christmas during a pandemic. Covid-19 is still going strong, and numbers are once again rapidly rising. 

I'm not quite as anxious about Covid now as I was back in March. But I've also been home, almost exclusively, for the past 8 months. 

We plan to enjoy this year by decorating earlier than usual. Twinkling white lights, make everything better. We celebrated Easter and Thanksgiving this year, without extended family. We are FOR SURE taking extra precautions over the next 5 weeks, so we can safely get together with family for Christmas. 

I've started working on this years December Daily album. I've already got a few pages done. I'm super happy with how they turned out. 

I'm a sucker for the Hallmark Christmas movies. Every one here groans and sighs at me, but the movies are just so darn sweet. Right now, hopeful and sweet are where it's at. Also, I got Barry on board last year, by playing drinking games while watching said movies. [I'm not going to lie, it certainly added an element of fun] 

This years first Christmas movie premiered on October 31st. I've already watched 2 of them since then.  I plan to update my layout and mark off movies that have been watched.  

Aside from Hallmark movies, we do have a few other favs. It's the one time of year I can get Barry to watch romantic movies without many complaints. Well, as long as I promise to watch Die Hard at some point during the holidays. He assures me, it's the ultimate Christmas movie. 😂 I go with it, because I actually like John McClane, I've even been known to quote him a few times. 

Here are pages that I'll tuck somewhere into this years DD album, highlighting this years new movie line up.  

I also used Favourite Things collection to create a quick layout, using Novembers template freebie. [Available to download for free - click here, through the month of November]

I use snapchat strictly for it's filters. 

I honestly, have no idea how the app works. And I don't care. 

I do know that I get a lot of joy out of taking photos with my favourite people, while using these silly filters. 

I'm already looking forward to this years crop of silly photos. Here are a few from last year: 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

https://the-lilypad.com/store/favorite-things-paper.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/favorite-things-elements.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/favorite-things-journal-cards.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/December-Days-No-6-Numbers.html

Home for the Holidays | Sahlin Studio

The November featured product for Sahlin Studio is Home for the Holidays. 

You can get it, through the entire month of November for 35% off!

For me, it came at the perfect time. Just when I'm beginning to think about putting my December Daily album together. 

December Daily... My most favourite, as well as the most 'all-encompassing', project of the year. 

This year, I didn't buy any new products for DD. Last year I was delighted with the Elle's Studio Document your December kit, but this year the shipping to Canada was off the charts. I just can't justify paying those prices in US dollars. 

So, this year, my album will be mostly digital. Though I have lots of left-over physical product from past years. I'm kind of excited about how it will turn out. I love some of my albums more than others, but what I do love is the 11 years of December Daily albums I can look back on. 

So, I created this 6x8 sized layout, that will be the title page, or close to the title page of this years album. 

We had family photos done in October. A Christmas mini session. It's been 2 years since we last had photos done. I am a photo person. Pictures bring me such joy. This is something that's worth doing, to me. I know I could have set up my camera and taken photos myself. [And sometimes I do] But the kids listen better, and don't roll their eyes as much when someone else is telling us what to do.

Looking forward to working on this years album. 

For sure a bright spot of 2020. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Home-for-the-Holidays-Elements.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Home-for-the-Holidays-Papers.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/December-Days-No-4-Numbers.html

December Daily 2019

This post is a few months overdue.  

My 2019 December Daily album is complete. [cue angels singing here...]

We are nearly through March, but better late than never I say. And I wanted to share it here on my blog. 

After all, what else is there to do right now? 

I don't have a binder. Didn't order one. Currently, it's being held together by 2 large binder rings. I don't plan to get a binder. I might create chipboard covers for the front and back. I might replace the binder rings with zip ties. I might just leave it like this. Right now, I don't really care. I'm just glad that the album is done. 

This year, I didn't document day-by-day. Rather, I documented story-by-story. It was such a refreshing way to look at this project. It took a lot of the stress away. In fact, I had more story ideas than days of the month. Then time got away from me, and I just wanted this album done and put away. 

I had ordered Document December product from EllesStudio. I loved the journal cards, paper, stickers, numbers and plastic shapes that were part of her kit. I will definitely use EllesStudio product again in the future. I used product I have accumulated from from past years, some of which were ali edwards, paislee press, studio calico. I used digital product from both Sahlin Studio and Sahin Designs.  Other than the Document December stuff that was purchased, I didn't buy a thing. Though I did look for Christmasy vellum/transparencies. I would have loved more of those 'see through' elements. But found nothing like that available. 

I also have a mixture of typed journalling and hand written journalling. 

Guys, this is my favourite album yet. I am so happy with how it turned out. 

Let's have a look... 

 

Pull out tab for the next two pages, story 17 talks about Madelyn and Ama's annual gingerbread house decorating, which almost didn't happen this year. I'm so glad Madelyn insisted.

Story 18 was about Madelyn's friend group at school. How they all decided to do a secret santa, and everyone got and received such thoughtful gifts.

Another pull out tab here, about how Barry knows my love of the silly Hallmark movies, and ordered these socks for me and then gave them to me when they arrived. So appreciate his thoughtfulness.

This is one of my most favourite pages, and was definitely a labour of love. There was no way I could print small enough to add things to the calendar of this card, included in EllesStudio, but I knew I wanted to use it, because it has December 2019 on it. 

I printed out all these photos, cut them out and glued them on this page.  Mostly they're pictures that got added on the day they were taken, dr appt for me, candles on sale at Bath and Bodyworks, clothing club Christmas Exchange, Trex group at the Nutcracker, etc. 

It really only means something to me, and I'm totally cool with that. 

Like I said, this is my favourite album I've created for December Daily so far. 

I'm so glad it's finished.