(diva)logues

Enough already...

I finished up my December Daily book just in time to get started on some brand new projects with some brand new product.  In fact, I just opened my new box this afternoon!  Woot woot!  The timing is perfect too, since I can no longer stand to look at anything Christmas until next December!  LOL 

My book was made almost entirely using the Nikki Sivils' Gingerbread Land collection.  The Becky Higgins page protectors, cut down to size, kept the design of my book cohesive... 

You can see the book in it's entirety right here.

And speaking of Nikki Sivils'... the new design team announcement for 2012 will be made on her blog tomorrow.  Very exciting!

"When I say dance... you dance... and when I say stop... don't move at all..."

I've managed to sneak in some time here & there to finish up 4 more days in my December Daily book.  Could I manage to sneak in some time to take down the Christmas decorations or clean the house?  Ummm... NO.  It's all about having the right priorities, my friends! 

Ok, well I did manage to un-decorate the mantel.  Yay, me.  But the rest of the house is going to have to wait until after we've hit 2012, because I have 2 days in a row of Zumba to do AND some ringing-in of the new year planned for tonight.  Again... it's all about priorities.          

The book has been created, almost entirely, using the Nikki Sivils' Gingerbread Land collection.  You can see all the pages (so far) right here. 

Also... I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to everyone for your kind words & comments over the years.  In fact, in February it will be 4 years since I started this blog.  So much has changed in that time... even in just the past year.  This part of my life, though, has been a blessing for me and I'm truly grateful for all of it... especially for the 2 amazing manufacturers, Nikki Sivils and SRM Stickers, entrusting me to design for them.  It's been nothing but FUN for me with both companies! 

So...on this New Year's Eve, I just wanted to send best wishes to everyone for a very HAPPY, HEALTHY & PROSPEROUS 2012 full of much LOVE and many good MEMORIES!  Be safe tonight & have FUN! 

Big hugs + kisses... 

"Oh... sometimes... I get a good feeling..."

I think I'm going to have to rename this my December almost Daily mini book.  I had to skip a couple days last week to get caught up... just the 13th & 14th.  And probably the real reason is that I didn't have any photos from those days, nor could I think of anything earth-shattering that happened either.  Or rather, I could've thought of something, but I'm feeling the need to be an under-achiever right now.  LOL

Even though I've tried to simplify the process by using the divided page protectors, this book still takes a lot of time, thought & creativity... of which I seem to be majorly lacking these days!  I will finish it though... and hopefully without skipping any more days since Christmas is already here this weekend. 

I think I can... I think I can...

"In the suburbs I, I learned to drive... And you told me we'd never survive, grab your mother's keys we're leavin'..."

It was another fun weekend, with more holiday celebrations!  Even Bryn got to have fun with friends all weekend.  Had to play a little bit of catch-up yesterday, but somehow I'm managing to stay current on my December book... 

You can see the book in it's entirety, to date, right here.

The majority of my book is being made with the Nikki Sivils' Gingerbread Land collection.  You can find Gingerbread Land online at Scrapbook.com... grab individual pieces or the entire collection!

Have a GREAT week, everyone!

"You want omelet or cereo?"

Well, I'm beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel with regard to Christmas shopping.  It's more than half-way complete.  There are still a couple people I have absolutely no clue what to buy them, but I suppose I'll eventually have a sudden flash of inspiration.  And no I haven't even begun to wrap anything.  Wouldn't want to be too organized. 

I have the first 3 days of my December Daily finished.  While the divided page protectors make it easy for me to finish a page without much thought... the glare does pose a bit of a problem when trying to photograph the pages.

Off to make breakfast food for dinner.  We're eating in our pj's tonight.  It's a tradition we started several years ago & Bryn's favorite thing to do at Christmas time. 

And the title of this post... something my sister & I say to each other ALL.THE.TIME.  We had a flight attendant ask that to us & everyone else on a flight to St Thomas once & we've been repeating it over & over ever since then. 

I'm not sure English was her primary language, but I'll take cereo please...

"Pressure pushing down on me... pressing down on you no man ask for..."

Ok, so I caved... to the peer pressure I suppose. 

I've made a December Daily book for the past 3 years now.  This year I decided I was way too uninspired, way too short on patience & just frankly have too many things keeping me distracted right now that I wasn't going to tackle this book.  NO. NOT GOING TO DO IT.  But every single year by the end of the month, I'm really glad I took the time.  It even makes me think I can tackle a Project Life book when I'm finished.  And then I come back to my senses & realize it ain't happenin'!   

You can see my 2010 December Daily right here and 2009.  Couldn't find 2008 in it's entirety, but here's a day with some pages from that year's book.

I'm planning to use a mix of products for my book this year (ie. whatever I can find in my stash), but I'll probably use the Nikki Sivils Gingerbread Land collection for the majority of it... 

To add a little more interest & dimension to the cover, I used my Glossy Accents inside all the circles (you know I love that stuff)...

There's also a SRM Merry Christmas sentiment on there (well, of course!).  Speaking of SRM Stickers... check out their blog today for details on how to apply for their design team!  A new call has been posted today!

Before you get too excited about this book (because I know you're on the edge of your seats right now), please note the simplicity of all the pages.  I'm using some Becky Higgins 12x12 divided page protectors, cut down to size, so I can just stick my photos + journaling spots into place.  Quick & easy... hopefully without too much thought.  LOL 

Anyone else doing a December Daily this year?  Link me up in the comments.  Would love to see yours!

"...bad decisions, that's alright... welcome to my silly life..."

It's finished.  It's thick, too.  Was beginning to think I might need bigger rings, but I think I'm going to leave it as is.  It's such an undertaking to get this thing accomplished every year, especially considering the timing of it during the craziness of the holidays PLUS some mad CHA deadline creating going on.  I'm always SO glad I did it though.  There's no way I would document all the detail of our daily life in my normal scrapbooking of events that occur.  It always makes me want to do more of a daily journal all year, but then I wake up from that nightmare-of-a-thought & come back to reality.  Ummmmmm... no.    

 

 

  

 

 

 

 
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Santa signed the bottom of Bryn's note she had left for him with his hot chocolate, cookies & carrots for the reindeer.  She was pretty excited when she saw it on Christmas morning.  

Sigh... going to miss all this innocence.  If only it could last forever... 

Time to finish this project up...

I'm in the middle of finishing up this December mini book today.  If you've missed any of it, you can find all the pages here.  The last couple years I made one of these books, I finished the last page on the 25th.  I'm half-way thinking I may just finish on the 31st this year since we have so many things going on this last week, but we'll see if that works out...

 

 

 
 
Now that I've put that thought out there, I'm thinking maybe I don't really want the extra work & the 25th will be just fine! 

Have a great week!

Loca, loca, loca...

I think I officially finished up my Christmas shopping yesterday, thanks to a stop with friends at a nearby store after lunch yesterday.  I quickly ran into the grocery store after that before heading back home & ran into a friend who was in my Spin class that morning.  I, of course, was still wearing my clothes from that morning, as I still hadn't been home since I left the house at 9:15.  I'm sure she was thinking, "It's 2pm... class was at 9:30.  Would you go home & take a shower for pete's sake?"   

Then last night, one of our guest bedrooms became a workshop.  We keep that door locked during this time, so I don't have to find crazy hiding places in the house & then Bryn won't go in there.  One day she'll figure out how to unlock the door, but until then it works.  Wrapping paper was everywhere... and there may have been a couple wine glasses + a bowl of popcorn on the floor too.  I was wrapping gifts on the floor like everyone else in the world.  I only play a professional wrapper on TV!  Bob was literally sweating putting together one of Bryn's gifts.  Thank goodness I delegated that job to him.  I did enough sweating in Spin class yesterday.  And, yes, I did eventually take a shower.  ;-)   

The wrapping is almost done & I'm still waiting for a couple gifts to be delivered via my friendly UPS driver.  He knows me so well he yells, "Hi Deana!" when he sees me in the grocery store parking lot.  Of course he doesn't pronounce my name right, but as long as he brings me the goods I don't care.  Did I mention I like to shop online?  LOL

 

 

Bryn's last day of school is tomorrow & her Christmas Winter party is tomorrow afternoon.  I still need to get that ornament craft ready to go.  Adding that to the list of things making my head spin right now.  I know I'm in good company though, aren't I?

Now taking applications for an assistant...

Just a quick post before running, finishing up some more Nikki Sivils' projects & then heading up to school to take individual photos of all the students in Bryn's class for the ornament craft at her party next week. 

A few more completed pages...

 

 

 

 

Somehow in the midst of everything going on this week creatively-speaking, I'm managing to stay current on this project.  Granted it's nothing fancy, but it's current & will get finished by month end so that's all that matters!  If you've missed any of the days and care to see the book in it's entirety, it's here.

We have a busy weekend planned... going out to dinner tonight, my favorite 75-minute Zumba class tomorrow morning, TWO parties to attend tomorrow night while Bryn is at home with a babysitter & then Bob's niece coming in town to stay one night with us on Sunday.  I suppose I better clean the house a bit before then, too.  We won't even mention the fact that I still have more shopping to do & then of course it all needs to be wrapped.  In serious need of an assistant here.  I think I've made that statement every day this week!  Accckkkkk!!! 

Have a great weekend!

Clearly I've been sniffing too much glue stick...

You know you're overly involved in the world of scrapbooking when your Spin class instructor says to everyone as the next song is beginning, "Have you heard this new song by..."  and you think to yourself, "Huh?  Did she just say Basic Grey?"  And then she yells it again (because apparently we all had blank stares on our faces), "You guys remember Macy Gray, right?"  Yes, of course.  That makes WAY more sense. 

Anyway, just taking a break from CHA projects to get caught up on my December Daily.  Funny how keeping this book going is a pressing matter, yet I still have that dang Austria mini sitting on my craft table only partially completed.  Hmmmm. 

 

 

 

 

Will put up a link to the entire book soon.  Or probably later.  Much later.  LOL   

Bryn has her Christmas honor choir concert tonight.  Looking forward to watching her perform!