After All These Years

Simple Stories + December Daily!

Hello and welcome to my stop on the Simple Stories December Daily blog hop! You should have arrived here from Emily Lanham's blog. 

I'm so excited to share my December Daily plan with you all! I say plan, because it's still a work-in-progress, but I've completed a lot of the foundation to this project that will hopefully make it a breeze to finish, come December!

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Firstly, the cover! I love embellishing mini album covers! Of course I've used a Sn@p 6"x8" binder and the Handmade Holiday collection.

I've layered it all up, in my usual style, raising some elements on foam dots and adding in some twine and chipboard for texture.

My album will consist of one page and one divided page protector per day. I've simply alternated one of the Handmade Holiday Sn@p pages and page protectors ensuring I have enough. 

I haven't added to these pages yet as I intend to do it as I go throughout December. I think my album will be photo + story heavy, rather than lots of embellishing.

Here's something I have prepared ahead of time:

I've created my numbers for each day! I'll add them to my album as I go. Here's a closer look at the layered designs I've created for my numbers. 

I've used the numbers from the Countdown Stickers sheet, the ones shaped like a banner and simply trimmed the top and punched a hole in them so they were like tags. Cute??

In order to have just one side of each page/protector per day, I added an extra protector to the front of the album and have embellished the very front as a title page of sorts.

And those little pockets in the divided page protectors are so much fun to fill up with bits and pieces!

Up the top left, I've added some confetti (mix of punched circles, sequins and tiny stickers stuck front and back). I've stitched the top of that pocket closed. On the right hand side, I've popped in a bingo card that I've splattered lightly, and a glittered star over the top.

 

And down the bottom, I've added some typed journaling to the left hand pocket and part of a doily to the right.

Of course, we all know that one of the best things about a blog hop (apart from all the inspiration of course) is that there's usually some fabulous prizes up for grabs along the way! Leave a comment on this post, and as many other blog hop stops along the way as one lucky commenter will receive a December Daily Sn@p prize! And there will be other random prizes given as well!

Your next stop on the blog hop is Guiseppa Gubler's blog.

There is full blog hop list on the Simple Stories blog here if you get lost along the way! 

Thanks for hopping on by today!

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And for all the Aussie readers, don't forget that Anna's Craft Cupboard stocks the entire Simple Stories range INCLUDING the new Sn@p, 6x8 binders and Handmade Holiday collection!

Easy Christmas Advent Calendar

Hello! It's all systems go for Christmas in the Lindner household! 

I have my Advent Calendar up on the Greatest View blog today. I created it in one afternoon using the small bags from the shop as my pockets for each day. 

I've used some label stickers and number stickers from the new Sn@p Collection (Simple Stories).

So head on over to the Greatest View blog to take a closer look!

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I'll be back later for a fun blog hop - it's December Daily time!

Simple Stories + Christmas Ornaments

I am so determined to be organised early for Christmas this year, so I can relax a bit and soak up the magic with my kiddies. I've already got a head start by creating this year's photo ornaments and up on the Simple Stories blog, I've included a mini tutorial for you!

So be sure to head on over and check it out! 

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I've been working on loads of Christmas projects this past week so I will be back in a couple of days to share more!

 

Stocking Stuffers

I've decided that Santa is filling stockings this year. Although Amelia is too little to understand the concept, I'm sure she'll know it's special to wake up and have a fun stocking filled with new bits and pieces to discover. And thanks to a great post (or comments) on Ali Edwards' blog, I have HEAPS of ideas for kids and adults so I thought I'd share.

• Socks
• Lip balm
• Magazines
• Torch
• Playing cards
• Toothbrush
• Pencils, pens, crayons etc
• Tree ornament
• Lollies/bubble gum
• Chocolate
• Car wash supplies
• Calendar
• Photo frame
• Nail polish
• Stationery items - tape, stapler, erasers, post it notes etc
• Scratchies
• Golf balls/tees
• Toiletries - especially travel sized
• Bubble bath
• Pyjamas
• Hat
• Underwear
• Glow sticks
• Coffee or flavoured tea
• Key rings
• Hankies
• Cd - especially custom mixes
• Homemade coupon book - to stay up late etc
• Lotion
• Candles
• Seeds/bulbs
• Gift cards
• Bookmark
• Travel games
• Fun band aids
• Hair clips
• Stickers
• Small reading light
• Money - especially coins for piggy bank
• Disposable camera
• Puzzle book - sudoku etc
• Boxer shorts
• Crazy straws
• Tickets - to sporting events, theme parks etc
• Apron
• Kitchen/baking tools - cookie cutters etc
• Matchbox car
• Batteries
• Joke gifts - whoopee cushions, fake moustaches etc
• USB stick
• Magnets
• Bubbles
• Raincoat
• Book
• Finger paint
• Lego
• Pretty cupcake papers
• Headphones
• Special mug/cup
• Pez dispenser
• Yo yo
• Things
• Tic tacs
• Wallet
• Chalk
• Nail file
• Lunch box
• Small bouncy balls
• Sunscreen

I know I'll be referring to this list for many years to come!

Photo Christmas Ornament

Hi all! Sorry for the long pause between posts . . . been busy working and such and not having much "creative" time. I have however had a chance to make a photo ornament for the tree this year. (You may remember last year I decided to make one each year with a current photo of Amelia - to look back at over the years).

This year's ornament was inspired by Annette (Blossie's) of course.

One thing I also love about doing this is that each year's ornament reflects my current style (read obsessions) at the time. For instance, this year is all about Distress Crackle Paint, Distress Stickles and lovely organza ribbon.

I can't believe how much she's grown this year. And she's saying more words each day! This week so far she says "leep" (= sleep), "amaaa" (= grandma), "mat" (= uncle matthew) and "tink" (= stink) all of which she wasn't saying last week!

Off to make some Christmas cards now!

December Daily Album Pt 2

Pages 13 - 25. I will probably add more pages in some of these days. These are the days when we have parties etc.

 
Day 13 is an envelope - there may be tickets to go in there! Days 14 + 15 are kraft cardstock with a punched edge.

 
More stamping detail on these. Day 17 is a die cut paper from Making Memories.

 
Day 20 is a page that folds out for more room.

 
These pages are using up more bits and pieces from my stash - paper scraps, die cuts etc.

 

Day 25 is a chipboard frame sprayed with Glimmer Mist. Room for lots of photos.

Hope my album has inpired someone out there!

December Daily Album

Pages 1 to 12 today.  For my album I wanted a mix of old and new products, a mix of bright and muted colours and a mix of page sizes, textures and edges. I also knew that I would put more effort into some pages and keep some super simple. I'm taking (another) leaf from Ali Edwards and will be focusing on photos + words.

Page 1 is a small paper bag with a tag in it. I punched a hole at the top of the bag. There are several pages similar to page 2. It's simply double sided paper (Bo Bunny dots) with some stamped detail.

 

Using patterned paper and embellishments from my stash is always good :)

 

Pages 8 + 9 are made from a file folder from a pack of Heidi Swapp rub ons.

 

Page 10 is a trusty old journaling paper from Making Memories. Page 12 is simply two manilla tags. Love that I can add ribbon to the tags.

Back with more soon!

We're Back!

Well, Amelia and I went up to Calliope (near Gladstone) to visit rellies for a few days. What a disaster! We drove up with Mum and Dad and she was surprisingly good during the car ride . . . when we got there it all turned sour! She developed a raging fever so we ended up at the doctors the next day.

Turns out she had a bad case of tonsillitis so the next couple of days were spent trying to get her fever down, get her medicine in her and keep her happy which was HARD! She was just so miserable and sick that she didn't even get to go outside exploring much - which was the whole reason we went in the first place!

We ended up coming home a day earlier and she's (finally) doing better . . . so am I! I didn't get much sleep that's for sure! And can you believe I TOOK NO PHOTOS! I was so busy just trying to stop her crying that a photo opportunity never presented itself.

So we're staying home for a while!

I do have a photo to share - the playroom after painting (still needs all the finishing touches of course!)

 

I wanted this room to be bright and airy so it's mostly white. I used blackboard paint on a section of the wall to the left. That's a splash of aqua on the far wall (will look nice with the pink accessories). Still have a little work to do in there but the hardest work is done!

 

Ps: I should finally be free of computer and camera issues which should mean more frequent blog posts!

Calendar Idea

Here is one of the many gifts I'm making this Christmas. I'm telling you , for quick and easy gifts, check out the range of wooden items from Kaisercraft. I happen to know that Blossie's has quite a large range including this calendar and a couple of others.

 

This took me about an hour to make and most of that hour was spent watching paint dry!  (I have to paint the edges of my chipboard and wood pieces - I don't like any raw edges showing).

All the paper and carstock that I used on this project was from my scraps stash. Add a few letters, a flower and some ribbon and it's done!

Are you sick of this photo of Amelia yet?

Christmas Tags

I'm back! You know, it's a wonderful idea to make all these Christmas presents but boy - it's taking up LOTS of time!

Similar to the photo ornament I made for our Christmas tree this year, I've made two more for the grandparents. These ones will be used as gift tags also as I'll tie them on their presents.

The frames were cut using the Slice machine and I cut the matching plain shape (ie scallop square NOTscallop square frame) for the back of the tag. I've also cut a smaller shape in cardstock for the back of the tag to write on.

 

On the red tag above, the flowers and leaves have been dry brushed with a little Manila paint to give them the same distressed feel as the paper.

 

On the blue tag above, the flourish is from the Slice and the Collections chipboard birdie is painted and then covered in Stickles.

This time I've also strengthened the hole that the ribbon is tied through with eyelets - two down, about a thousand to go!