By Creative Director Sallie Phelan for Country Craft Creations
Come Journey Through December With Me
Today I invite you to go on a journey with me. This journey begins today! We will all start on the same road toward our final destination- December 31, 2019. Some of our roads will be straight with few stops. Others will have many stops, some scenic, some funny, some wacky, some tentative, some bittersweet. There may be potholes, hills, valleys, and hopefully time spent off the beaten path. But, we will all miraculously meet at the same destination on December 31st.
In the Scrapbooking world this journey is called a December Daily. The simple goal is to capture the spirit of December via one story, one sentence, one word, one picture, or one quote each day, couple of days, or as Tamra does- each week. There should be no stress- none- thats the only rule!
I have figured out the only way to stick to something like this, is if it has meaning to you. For why would anyone want to take even a couple of precious minutes out of their busy December days to document things you do. I think that's why I always stop in the middle, because I never gave it a purpose. I would make beautiful books, and I would start out strong documenting highlights of each day whether it be taking the ornaments out, decorating the tree, baking, or shopping. But I got caught up in the details- I ‘had to’ jot down what I did each day, because that's what DD gurus said. Well, somedays I did nothing really except clean, cook, or stroll the internet- etc. Nothing worth putting on paper and I saw no purpose in that, so therefore, I stopped.
I can't begin to tell you how many December Dailies I have tried. If you're not familiar with a December Daily, it's basically a daily journal documenting each individual day leading up to Christmas or Hanukkah or any holiday this time of year. It can be as simple one or two sentences, or full-page writings about each particular day. As mentioned, I always start off with the highest of hopes, I make my beautiful book and I begin. The first week is totally filled, the second week maybe two or three entries and then, it collects dust! That's because at the end of the second week, we are smack in the middle of holiday chaos, and everything hits the fan!
So, I propose we do not follow any rules or regulations. We do not allow ourselves to feel we haven't written enough, done enough, tried enough. We must find a way to let this be a beautiful journey. One that our children will be able to pick up one day and sense our presence through this vessel from the heart. Hopefully, it will be passed down to future generations , who will pick up it up years from now and say- wow, I wish I could have met her!
I want my vessel to be filled with beautiful quotes, and thoughts about living life to its fullest. I want it to remind whoever reads it to put down the phone for a few hours, go outside, appreciate what can't be bought during this very seductive season. I hope we all take it out each year with our Christmas decorations and display it proudly. (Private thoughts can be sealed in pretty little envelopes).
My memory is shot- I have such a hard time remembering my youth. I remember major things- celebrations, holidays, tragedies of course- but not the day to day anymore. I wish I had kept journals as Carley grew- and how I wish my mother kept one. I did keep a journal when I found out there was a birthmother who chose us to adopt her baby. It took us twelve years to become parents. We went through every medical procedure possible for ten out of those twelve years. At that time, you had to go to Virginia for in-vitro. No-one was doing it in New York, it was so new. Needless to say, those twelve years were some of the most bumpiest roads of my life.
I started writing a journal the minute the lawyer called us about Carley. I wrote almost every day until we brought her home. It was only three weeks from when we were told that this was going to be our baby, (if of course, all went as planned) to holding her in my arms. I could write an entire book about those three weeks, and the day she was handed to me by her birthmother. I am so grateful I got some of those feeling on paper- But after we got home, things were a new kind of beautiful crazy. I had to go back to work after 8 weeks, and I stopped writing. I could kick myself. Thank God I have scrapbooks, and pictures and little blurbs here and there- how I
cherish those brief words
.
But, as usual, I digress!!! So...... lets start this work of love together. I will provide daily prompts, but you are only to use the prompt if it has meaning and pertains to you that day. If not, that's when you go to Pinterest or Google, or even Facebook for a meaningful quote about your life in that moment, a picture, or even a one simple word will do. You could even ask a family member to write a few words about their day, or what's happening in their life right now. But, I'll give many suggestions as we go.I hope you also share ideas about what you are documenting along the way.
So, your mission, if you choose to accept it- is to create, or find, a vessel to hold these precious memories. You can create a book as simple or as ornate as you like, grab one you already made that is blank, or even buy one. You can take some white or cream colored, plain scrapbook paper, fold it in half, staple it and walla! -you have a December Daily Journal. Any of Tamra's folios, boxes or her adorable crate would be perfect. A Junk Journal would be awesome! Just jotting your dailies on pretty paper, or an index card, or even a napkin is fine, then putting it into your vessel. One year I used a calendar with big boxes- enough for a daily thought or two! Simple, yet perfect
.
I will link Tamra's December Daily she made last February. She knows how busy this time gets, and she knows time is a commodity. So she makes it in February and it's ready to be filled when December comes. She will be teaching a new one this February also.
I am going to start my vessel today. I will work on it throughout the month, taking my time decorating it. I'm not sure what I'm making right now, but I'm thinking something accordion, that I can just slip my little entries into no matter what substrate I write on. I'm going to use my Prima Christmas In the Country paper. I urge you to use anything you have to make this. It does not have to be a Christmas paper. This is also a great way to use up some of your stash!
So, Im thinking for our first one, let's start with what the Christmas season means to you; ( and remember, we all know its not always jingle bells and Hallmark Movies). You could do December Wish List or Bucket List instead or in addition to if you have the time - just a bulleted list of what you wish for this month. Remember, these are wishes, so they could be anything! If you want to start your journey in another way go for it!So grab a piece of paper, an index card, maybe the Eileen Hull Journal dies, your markers, your paints, or little embellishments to act as the bullets if you like- whatever you have, and just start writing! NO STRESS! You can even start it tomorrow, or next week. You can do it daily, every other day, or once a week. Its up to you -NO RULES- NO STRESS!
If, during our journey, or at the end you would like share it or post some pics, that would be great- but again, you are the boss of this- NO STRESS!
Tamra is going to create a Facebook page for this group. I will post it on Scrapbookers. I will also go live tomorrow night to answer any questions and fill-in a bit more of what I forgot to write, or what was unclear. Tamra and I will be sharing our dailies/ weeklies on that page also.
I hope you come along with me. I think there will be beautiful landscapes and much joy and sharing on our journey. I believe we will all appreciate the holiday more through this and perhaps slow us al down a bit. I believe there may be some tears in our words, but as we write, we find solace.
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