Sarah Hurley - Documented December - Christmas Blessings

The prompt for today (can you believe it is day 19 already?!) is Christmas Blessings. I am not a religious person, but I regularly like to think about what I am thankful for, or to "Count My Blessings", as my Gran used to say!

This Christmas, at the very top of my list is "Dad". In February this year, he was diagnosed with cancer of the mouth and neck. He started his treatment in April and has been very unwell as a result, not to mention all the associated worry that accompanies the diagnosis. I'm pleased to say that the treatment seems to have worked and he is doing well, although his body still has a long way to go to get back to normal!! But it is wonderful to acknowledge the good. (By the way, that's my mum and my nephew in the picture too.)

Originally, my layout was going to be all about my dad, but then there is just so much to be glad about, so I changed it to be one for each day of the month!! It mostly uses last year's Christmas kit, together with some more of those gorgeous turquoise gems from a previous kit.

So, what will your layout include? I'll look forward to seeing them.

Susie x

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Sarah Hurley - Documented December - What I love about Christmas

Oh my, there are so many things to love about Christmas, aren't there? Food, Christmas trees, lights, hot chocolate, Christmas jumpers, anticipation, magic, .......

But what I love most, is time together with my fantastic family. Hubby is off work throughout Christmas and New Year and the factory is closed, so he has less to stress about and nothing in particular to do (at least that is the theory!!). So we have time to watch those DVDs we've had for ages, play Monopoly, go for nice long walks with our border collie ALTOGETHER and there's always lots of eating too!!!!!

I am also loving these gorgeous papers and the snip & stick elements from this year's kit. And I've left plenty of room to add anything else I love about Christmas as I go along!

Susie x

Sarah Hurley Documented December- Winter Wonderland

Well, yesterday we had a little flurry of snow, which was exciting. Today it's just wet and miserable and exceptionally slippy, but you never know, we may get more snow.

My family LOVE snow and we are, most definitely, hoping for a snow filled holiday - our Winter Wonderland! Sledging, skiing, snowmen, snow angels........endless fun!!

I had already decided on a rough plan and layout for today's prompt, but when I saw Sarah's beautiful paper, in my absolute favourite teal/turquoise colour, I HAD to use that as my background.

I snipped and stuck the Christmas tree 8 for my date and layered "Baby it's cold outside" and "let it snow" onto banners over my photos. The top photo was taken in 2010 during the most awesome winter I remember and the skiing one is of Scott at Aviemore this year. I had a Kraft tag from a previous kit and decided that I could see it becoming a sledge!?! So, I drew, shaded and cut as follows:

And to complete it, I did a little bit of journalling, following the shape of the snow and added some Stickles in Picket Fence and Stardust. I also added some gorgeous turquoise gems, from a previous kit, to the centre of each snowflake. Fantastic fun!!!!

Susie x

Sarah Hurley Documented December Day Three- Making a List

This is my first assignment as an official member of the Sarah Hurley team and I am very excited, especially as it is all about Christmas! Each day in December, a team member will post a layout using a prompt as inspiration. My first prompt is making a List, which is very 'me'!

I am most definitely a list person! On a normal daily basis, I have lists for chores, shopping, dinners, card orders, craft "needs" (ahem!), kid stuff, etc, etc, etc..... So for Christmas, I get to have even more lists: Christmas Cards (split in to those to post, neighbours, friends, work, school, other); Presents Required for birthdays as well as Christmas; Food, although hubby tends to do that and just "wings" it with whatever he can get!!

But for my first Documented December post, I decided that I wanted to make a more fun list:

This is the first year we have bought Christmas jumpers and it was exciting just TALKING about buying them, let alone the actual shopping! And I get to tick it off the list once the were bought - very happy Susie:0).

The letters (or first drafts) have been written and need to be posted.......SOON.......Santa needs time to buy the more unexpected stuff!!

I've managed to persuade the bairns to make a class card, rather than them writing one for each person - yay, although I've got a feeling Euan will change his mind!

I need to compose the annual letter, sent to faraway relatives and friends. This is most definitely viewed as a chore, until it's done and I get to eat all the nice things we've done and look through the year's photos.

And finally, I love the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha and their Gingerbread Latte (and the cute takeaway cup from the kit is perfect for my layout)........mmmmmm, Christmas!

So, that's it from me today. I hope you have fun compliling your list, or lists, ready to help your Christmas preparations.

Susie x