Holidays in Hand - End

Well, I think that's it for Holidays in Hand. After Christmas my picture taking abilities just stopped and I just can't take it anymore. All this tradition, special meaning and remembrances, all being forced out on certain days. It's not for me. At least I did better this year than I did last year with attempting to scrap a photo for each day of the month.

So. I need projects for next year. Perhaps Project 12 is the way to go? The first sketch is here and it's pretty good! The downside would be that I don't have the facilities to print out photos at home, so I would have to have a Photobox order each month, but I could count that as a treat.

The UKScrappers forum is having better Monthly Challenges next year. Doing the projects will win points for our Teams and let's face it, the Bijoux Belles are a points collecting Team, so that will be a must-do layout each month.

As I'll only be working Saturdays next year and have no idea what else to do, workwise, I do need some other things to occupy my mind, even if it is "just" scrapbook hobby stuff.

What Day is it Today?

It's a bit odd that we have to write about holiday cards when they've been arriving since the beginning of December and they're being taken down next week! I even had a card come this afternoon.

I keep holiday cards from John and from my parents, but none of the others. Although I might keep some of the handmade ones this year! ;)

Not taken any pictures for today yet, maybe later, then I can get the layout done.

Housework Time

I totally forgot to take pictures today, so there's no Layout! Horrors!

"Home" means "Bristol". I never moved growing up, so I think of my childhood house as home. It was lovely this year, though, to have Christmas in the home I actually live in and to have people come to us.

27

I'm not sure I have a favourite present this year. They were all lovely as most of them came from my wishlist! I did get The Bettany's of Taverton High, which I've wanted for ages and the first three episodes of Doctor Who, the actual first three with William Hartnell.

I don't seem to be giving quite so much to this project now, do I?!

Sunset

The Sunset on the way back from the post-Christmas trip to Ikea in Milton Keynes.

Boxing Day

Well, isn't that a vomit-inducing quote today?!

I actually forgot all about this on Boxing Day and only took the one photo, which features on today's layout. However, the prompt today is rather apt for the photo!

The decorations will stay up until the 12th day of Christmas. As is Traditional. OMG!!! I actually used the word "tradition"! Augh!

Merry Xmyth!

I've filled the gaps in to make it easier over the next few days!
To Write - Well, my parents arrived a lot quicker than we expected and John's came bearing mincepies. We heated up our nuts, and warmed the mulled wine. The food was made on time and we even managed to fill up John's Dad. The home-made crackers went down really well, my Dad was very happy with his power ball with his name on.

After lunch we unwrapped our presents. It was nice to be able to use the dining area and then move out to the front room and sit round the Tree. Worked really well.

To Photograph -



Here is today's layout:

Bloomin' Weather

To Write - Parents decided not to come today because of the frosts in Bristol, so we had to go out and buy a tablecloth. Nice throw away paper one with penguins on that now matches our napkins. No traditions for Christmas Eve.

To Photograph - Warmth. It melts snowmen. :*(


To Do - Buy milk, tablecloth, lunch, lay the table, hoover, wash the windows... ticky tick!

To Make - the rock cakes, because now I have self-raising flour. Yay!

22 & 23

On the 22nd we did our shopping. So here are the spuds. Some of them. The rest are called Rudolph and are red!

Playing with the manual setting on the camera while John cooked, I quite like the blurry bits.

Turkey Day

To Write - No stockings are hung as we have nowhere to hang them. The sorts of things I get for John aren't really stocking sized. He does have a stocking shaped like a paw that I sometimes put things in, but this year, as we're home, everything is going under the tree. I used to get a stocking as a child, but again, nowhere to hang it, so it went at the foot of my bed. I can see that there might be stocking traditions if you have offspring, so we'll just have to wait and see.

To Photograph - I have some stocking tree decorations, so perhaps I'll attempt a photo of them when I get home later.

To Do - I actually have things to do today for a wonder. Gilbert Gobbler our Christmas Turkey will be ready for collection at 3pm. I also need to wash the cushion covers and the sofa throw. The bathroom needs to be cleaned to a better shine (I did a rough clean yesterday) and the windows need washing.

To Make - Spiced rock cakes for the freezer.

Layout to follow.

Food Buying Day

I'm rather rushed tonight, although I know this project is all about taking time out to do it. Anyway, today we had to go to the supermarkets and get all the rest of our Xmyth food and supplies. It's trecherous out there. We thought driving round the corner would be safer than walking, but it was skiddy. We're OK, though John did fall over (sideways) on his way home tonight. He'll be a large bruise tomorrow.

As far as the prompt goes, I don't practice any rituals from my childhood. Sorry.

Will make the layout tomorrow. Sorry.

Brr!

To Write - I would have to say that the significance of light at the holidays is so that we can see. If there wasn' t any light during the holidays we'd all spill cranberry sauce down our fronts. Not that anyone could see that we'd done so, because it would be dark.

However, today I do have a story that involves light. I read it today over on The Onion where they are featuring the Top Ten Stories of the last 4.5 Billion Years. The first is a very cute tale narrated by a Trilobite, but the best is Number Five: Sumerians Look On In Confusion as God Creates World.

"I do not understand," reads an ancient line of pictographs depicting the sun, the moon, water, and a Sumerian who appears to be scratching his head. "A booming voice is saying, 'Let there be light,' but there is already light. It is saying, 'Let the earth bring forth grass,' but I am already standing on grass."

"Everything is here already," the pictograph continues. "We do not need more stars."

To Photograph - I've already taken pictures of my tree lights and used them on previous days.

To Do - Get to work and back without landing on my arse. I managed to do that, my colleague wasn't so fortunate and came a cropper on her elbow. Ow. I also had to do some non-Christmas food shopping as we'd forgotten the other days this week when we still need to eat. Vegetables and healthy fare right up until Friday.

To Make - A real layout from paper that has Squat to do with Christmas. Part of our Inter Team Mojo Jar Challenge, this will have it's own post.

One of the Bosses brought in his own grit to grit outside our office!

Visiting Parentals

To Write - I feel very grateful for chocolate. Can't do the memory stuff today.

To Photograph - Well, we went to visit John's folks today, so not many chances for taking piccies. I did have my iPhone with me, so I've used one of those pictures for today's layout.

To Do - go to London with John to make sure he's OK on the slippery roads.

To Make - nothing to make today, no time!

Bird Watching

To Write - Didn't we already do this one? *scrolls back to check*

Yep. The Eighth was all about a inherited holiday-related item. I said then and I'll say now that no such item exists. My things are all too new and the old items love with my Parents.

To Photograph - No item = No Photo.

To Do - Stay in out of the cold! Clean the en suite, change the guest bedroom bedding, hoover everything (Die, Dust Bunnies! Die!), help John with his guft wrapping

To Make - Present pile tags for Mike & Vicky.

As today has been another bust as far as prompts go, I shall just write about today. It's cold. It's icy. The bin froze closed. However, the sun was out and so were the birds. Heaps of them all over our bush and after our berries. Taking photos of them all is pretty impossible, so I just Googled them to use on today's layout.

I'm chuffed to bits that we have Long-Tailed tits! They are so adorable.


Wrens! Squee! They're so teeny.

The snowman is now at an extremely jaunty angle, but we reckon he's frozen stiff now and probably won't fall over - famous last words!

Stitched circle by Stacey Towers.

Home for a Holiday

To Write - "Christmas is all about getting. Getting all you can while the getting is good." Sally Brown, Peanuts.

It's all about far too much food and having a huge pile of presents to open. It's about having the shops full of tinsel before Halloween is even over. Hmm... I think I may have missed the whole "spirit" thing somewhere along the line. "Good-will" is a nice idea in theory, but just applying it at Christmas? I don't believe in that.

Forget all the fictious clap-trap and try and be a good person all year round. You don't need to believe in Christmas Sky Fairies to live a peaceful life.

To Photograph - I shall ignore the Prompt and give you instead this pretty picture of a robin in our snowy garden this morning:




Ribbon and brad by Stacey Towers

Weekly Challenge - Pumpkin 2009

I went digital this week. Doing the Holidays in Hand thing has really put a crimp on my paper mojo. So this is:

1. A scraplift. I've chosen to scrap this layout by Debbie on UKS. (if you're not a member you won't be able to see the Gallery, sorry about that!)
2. Stitching - digital stitches.
3. Scraps. Well, that one is a bit tricky as a digi, so I've chosen to use Scrap Girls freebies as they are all individual pieces and aren't part of a set or a kit.

Thanks for the great challenge ladies!

Stitching - Stacey Towers
Gold Leaves - Bon Scrapatit
Everything Else - Scrap Girls Freebies

The Day After The Night Before

Feeling a little fragile today, but luckily nobody will be expecting much at work as we're all in the same boat from last night. Today it is threatening to snow, in fact, WorkJohn looked out the window, said "The sky is all pinky, it's going to snow." and then Lo! and Behold! It snowed. A pre-Christmas miracle! Well, that or an extratropical cyclone? Whichever, it was impressive.


To Write - At the moment we have no reason to have traditions concerning Santa Claus. However, when I was little Santa had no chimney to climb down, so he'd use his Magic Key, come in the front door, nip upstairs and put my Stocking at the end of the bed, go back downstairs eat the mincepie, drink the port and take the carrot for Rudolph.

I am rather concerned that this Prompt mentions "other Holiday Visitors". What else is supposed to come down your chimney? Aliens?

To Photograph - As nobody comes here every year you will have to settle for this picture of the view from the office as the snow started to fall:


OK, it's a bit of a fake as I used the "Let It Snow" app!

Work-Do Day

To Write - I can't really write on a public blog what I'm most excited to give! The person might see it! I can write that I was excited about the Secret Santa that we had at our Work Party today. My colleague seemed happy with the Jeep I bought him:


and I had fun with my Santa Marionette:

Once again, I am tradition-free when it comes to parcel wrapping. However, John is very good at the bows-and-ribbons thing, so since I've been with him I try harder with my parcel wrapping.

To Photograph - Oh, good grief! Another day when I've already taken this picture, see The Fifteenth for close up parcels and above for photos!

To Do - Prepare for tonight's party!

To Make - Merry! Again! ;)


Our deely-boppers play Jingle Bells!
Ric rac by Stacey Towers.

The 15th

To Write - I think we know me well enough by now that all I have to say to this is "Huh?!" I hope that Vicky remembers to make the mince pies, I hope that the turkey cooks, I hope that my Mother eats what's put in front of her, I hope I can eat chocolate without too much parental disapproval.

When I was younger I hoped for Lego and hoped that I wouldn't have to kiss Auntie Olive with the scratchy mustache (although I still hoped for the money I might get from her). These days I hope for Lego knowing I'll never get it and I am secure in the knowledge that Auntie Olive isn't actually an Auntie after all and I don't have to kiss her.

To Photograph - *insert photo of well-cooked turkey here*

To Do - Get hair cut, buy vegetables, make a Christmas playlist that is suitable for my parents, although not suitable for John's as it includes tracks by Elizabethan minstrel Dante Ferrara, and let's just say he's a bit bawdy at times (I've included track 29...)

To Make - Merry!

Took another pictures of the updated presents under the tree for this layout.

Lace by Stacey Towers.

New Stuff!

Yesterday's layout:


Not brilliant and not really good either. I didn't have anything else to photograph for today and this didn't come out too well. Even tried cutting it away from the background for something a bit different, but because I laid it on the bed and then took the shot at an angle it looks badly distorted.

I'm also getting a little fed-up with these papers, but I tied myself to them at the start so that the "album" would co-ordinate. This is clearly one of the main issues I have with the December Album Projects as a whole!

Decision Made

I'm going to have to quit the Sarah's Cards kit. It's a shame because it's always so good and has opened my eyes to different paper companies, but I've had three problems with them this past couple of months and I just don't want to be worrying about it every time I place an order.

Back in October I ordered some extra cardstock and only one piece arrived. I finally manged to get that sent on to me, but then the November kit arrived minus the Design Team leaflet, which includes a Kit Contents List. Not such a bad thing, but when I finally had a copy of that I discovered why that months kit wasn't as good as previous months, there was stuff missing.

This time I was missing a piece of card, a sheet of journalling tags and a die cut sheet. Have tried emailing, private messaging on the UKS forum and phoning. Nothing works.

If it was just that I was complaining about I'd be miffed, but I wouldn't be angry. However, this third problem is the one that as tipped me over into quitting the kit. Two and a half weeks ago I placed an order in their Sale and it's not arrived. I've certainly been charged for it as my bank statement makes that clear, but no product has arrived.

Of course, it's probably been shipped and is lost, but there's no way to track it. As far as I'm aware they just send them out in the regular post, which means they aren't tracked. This is what I find odd. They might be a small family-run business, but they're still a business and as such should be able to compensate their clients if there's a problem like this.

On the other hand, if I can't get hold of them, how are they supposed to help me? What kind of business is impossible to get hold of? Not one I want to give any more of my money too, that's for sure.

I will now be spending my money at ModScraps, Scrap Shed, Indigo Mill, and Gotta Craft. The last two named do kits (as long as you're quick off the mark!) and that's where I will be going in future. Gotta Craft were the company that introduced me to Wild Saffron by K&Co!


Ranting won't make her reply to me, or my stuff show up, but it makes me feel better.

Fourteenth Already!?

Writing part first, followed by the layout. No idea yet what the layout will consist of, no photos. Anyway.
To Write - The only person I typically celebrate with is John. Whether we're at his folks or mine depends from year to year. Now we're able to accommodate both sets here at home, so that's what we'll be doing this year.

To Photograph - This is the loved ones smiling last year!

John and Melman when we were living at Ann's last December. I made Melman a Santa hat adapted from the cheapy one I had from our work do. He's a cutie and he knows it!

To Do - Go and have my contact lense check up. It's not all Christmas realted stuff, you know, just because it's December. Still have to do the usual dull stuff. Although my Optometrist is lovely and even fixed my glasses for me! Today is a holiday day as I had to use them up at some point. Also had to hunt for a party top and buy some cake decorations. Wrap some presents. Do some laundry. Quite productive today.

To Make - Dinner from nothing? It's so coming out of a can tonight! Spent too long this weekend making Chrimbo purchases that we forgot to worry about the rest of the week.

Christmas

Wow, an actual layout made from real, strokable papers rather than digitally.

The flash has wiped it out rather, but I adore the Scenic Route papers.

We have Cake!

To Write - It has to be a real tree and it has to reach the ceiling! Luckily we have low ceilings . The tree this year looked so small at the Farm, but now it's decorated it looks huge. I think the tree is probably the thing I look forward to most at Christmas, well, that and stollen. As far as the Remembering sections goes, there are no rituals / traditions relating to the tree. Just buying it a present every year.

To Photograph - Well, D'oh. I did the Christmas tree stuff yesterday! So, no pictures today.

To Do - Buy the Cake, the Pudding and various bits and bobs.

To Make - a few tags and an IOU card.

It's all getting very festive here!

Stitches & ricrac by Stacey Towers

Today is the 12th

To Write - I'm afraid this one draws a blank again on all fronts. I don't watch holiday movies on purpose at this time of year. In fact, I'm not even sure I can name a holiday film that I've watched all the way through or enjoyed. What a Bah Humbugging Scrooge I am! I don't mean to be. :(

To Photograph - Obviously without the DVD collection, I can't take any pictures. So, here's a picture of John and I with the tree:


To Do - DECORATE THE TREE!!!!! YAY!!!!

To Make - Tree bows. More of them!

I left this one a bit plainer as it's rather obviously the Tree, but I duplicated the layers and used multiply on them to make the colours darker.

Legs Eleven!

To Write - Had the first party of the holidays last week with John's friends. It wasn't too bad, but it wasn't a place I would visit again. Tried too hard to do "posh" food and ended up wth OK food. Nice Christmas pudding flavoured ice-cream.

Next week it's the Christmas party for my work and we're off to d'Arry's. Hopefully the food will be better than last week simply because it's heartier pubbier grub. Of course, it has to be better than last week as we're doing a Secret Santa and that's bound to be fun!

To Photograph - Holiday clothing? Terribly sorry, but I don't own any! Instead I'll recall this "holiday party from the past"


Work party 2007 - well, it IS in the past! :)

To Do - Hmm. I have some lists to write to prepare for Christmas and need to find a sparkly top.

To Make - Ribbons for the baubles. Done - and see Layout for today!


As usual - backwards brad by Stacey Towers.