decorations - a creating keepsakes layout

please tell me we're not the last family to put up our christmas decorations? lol! we havn't even gotten our boxes out of the attic yet. this weekend. that's my plan, and hopefully i will stick to it. but i can give you a peek at what my decorations will look like, with this layout that was featured in the december issue of creating keepsakes.

 
as seen in the December 2010 issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine. copyright creative crafts group. posted with prior permission from the publisher.

i created this layout for an article on how to bring "light" onto our layouts. and i choose to highlight glitter. which is sort of funny, since i live in fear of glitter. i mean, i LOVE the look of glitter. but it's messy. it ends up everywhere. i find it on my family members, even when they weren't involved in my layout making process. lol!

 

a great way to incorporate glitter into our projects, is to use pre-made products that are already glittered. no messing with glue and loose glitter. the work is done for you. sure, you're still going to have glitter falling off of some products. it happens. but i can deal with a small amount of glitter, for the sake of a cute layout. i used some silver glitter chipboard letters for my title. my buttons have glitter in them. i have green glittered foam tree stickers. my brads are glittered.  and this pattern paper you see here, has red glitter dots on it.

 

how cute are those strung lights? i had to use them. they just called my name. the journaling is true. we don't put a lot of decorations up around the house. we have the tree of course. a 7 foot slim artificial one that we've had for years, and i love. perfect slim size, for our house. and we decorate the mantel above the fireplace. and the entry table by the front door. that's usually about it. of course, i start seeing other people post photos of their homes, decorated from top to bottom. and it makes me wish that i did a little more. someday. 

 

and if you noticed that the detail shots above looked a tad bit different than my layout up top, there's a reason. here is my original layout, which had a different dotted pattern paper and the photos were also right next to each other. they asked me to change out the paper to a small dot print, and mat the photos to seperate them a bit. i like the one that is featured in the magazine. but i really did like this one here too. it felt a little different for me, but i thought it was quite fun.

and speaking of creating keepsakes, have you seen THIS POST on their blog this week? they're doing the "12 days of scrapbooking giveaways". and today is the third day. you'll have to check it out, and see what is being featured each day. some days, it's free stuff for everyone. some days, there are winners selected from the comments. but lots of good stuff going on there. so make sure and stop by today, check it out, and then stop back by the next 9 days as well :)

Comments

[dawn]

I remember this layout and loving how it looked. I've never done a layout of my decorations. Every year I change how I decorate our house and our two trees but never scrapped it. This year I've already decided to add more layouts about the decorations and such instead of just xmas morning. I really like both versions of this laura. The first one is more fun and love the big red polka dots but the second one is more simple. My favorite is the little string of lights, how cute are those. Great job on both and yes all the glitter looks so pretty but what a mess.

[dawn]

I forgot to write that we are going to put up our tree this weekend so it's not that late. Sometimes we don't even put it up till a week before xmas, if I put my stuff up too early by xmas i'm tired of looking at it so I wait then try and stretch till new years day and take it all down.

[Carla]

Hey girl, love both versions of this layout!! We haven't put up our decorations either and I'm feeling behind.

[Yvonne]

no, you're not the only one! :) I think we'll head out to the woods this weekend to find a tree, and i need to pull the stockings out of the shed so i can send my son's to him in afghanistan, so i better get moving myself! :) love the layouts- as always!! i LOVE your style.

[Wendy Sue]

oooh, girl, even at this early early date, you just might be the last person on earth to decorate your home for the holidays. I'm serious. Good thing you're making up for it by sharing these super great projects! :o)

[Eileen Van Dyke]

You are not alone! Our decorations are still in the attic too! I need a good full week between Thanksgiving and putting up Christmas decorations. I decorate a lot for Thanksgiving because we have dinner here so I need to get all of that put away first! My birthday is the 13th and when I was a kid the tree didn't go up till after my birthday! That is really late for me though, so we will do it next week!

[marissa]

Love your layout, Laura! I love seeing your Christmas decor every year too! Hey, I am feeling super flaky, and I might not send out Christmas cards this year- do you think that is selfish??? It feels kind of selfish!

[Helen Tilbury]

So interesting to hear about the whole preparing for publication process...lovely layout with lots of glitter despite your aversion - I know what you mean - I once got some strange looks at a parent/teacher evening as I had a glistening cleavage! Perhaps they thought I did a bit of pole dancing while the kids were at school!!

[Kate]

I love both layouts - especially those little Christmas lights! We've got our decorations up but with the beginning of our summer it sure doesn't feel like Christmas. This will be our sixth tropical Christmas but it still seems weird sitting next to the tree in shorts and tank tops. You've inspired me to do a Tropical Christmas layout. Thanks Laura!

[Sara Rossi]

LOVE LOVE LOVE this LO!! There is something about it that just draws you in....Fun to see both LO's. Think they both look great equally! And all the glitter really makes it bright!