I got a peek at “Your December Story” and I’m giving away a free pass
I checked out lesson 1 of Debbie Hodge’s Your December Story this weekend, and I want to tell you about the class and give you a peek at how it’s inspired me. And I’m giving away one pass to the class. (If you already purchased the class, you’ll get a $24 gift card good for any other GIS/MSD classes.)
Your December Story is shaped around the Hero’s Journey
This December, like Dorothy dropped into Oz or Alice tumbled into Wonderland, you will receive a call to adventure. You will move from the ordinary world into a one of magic and tests as the holiday season arrives.
Many of the most-loved and best remembered stories play out in a story form described by Joseph Campbell as “the hero’s journey.” This class has prompts and page ideas for visual storytelling that have you telling Your December Journey, from the heralds, to the challenges, mentors, special tools and the return to the known world and what you take forward.
You can take the journey and get a $10 gift card . . .
but only through midnight Wednesday, November 20th. When you purchase “Your December Story” by midnight PT, Wednesday, November 20, you also get a $10 gift card that you can use for Get It Scrapped and Masterful Scrapbook Design classes. Click here to purchase Your December Story and get the $10 gift card.
This is the layout I created using the first lesson and how I was inspired to create it;
November Normal by Michelle Houghton | Supplies: paper and chipboard; Farmhouse Paper Company, sticker letters; Jenni Bowlin, leaves; Prima, ink; Copic, other; transparencies and computer font
Debbie inspired me to look at the entire holiday season as an adventure, from day to day life transitioning into the preparations and then into the holiday itself. Year after year I take the standard photos of the holiday season and I find I run out of things to say about the same old, same old photo shots. I am excited about taking a second look at the holiday and the deeper meaning of the events and emotions surrounding it. I know just from this first lesson that my pages this season will have more meaning to them and tell “the rest of the story”.
The page I started with is about where I am starting at today. My “November normal” I had a fun time trying to capture shots of where I spend a majority of my time and then sharing about each of them. I used my phone to get these photos, the goal being to make it look like you are getting my exact view of my current world. Here is what it looks like a little higher up.
The journaling is a little hard to read since it is printed onto transparencies and then layered over patterned paper. It is much easier to read in person. Here it is if you are curious however 🙂
photo 1-The daily grind at the Houghton home is where I am at. This is a look at many mornings for me a large batch of laundry at my feet Maisey near by on her cushion napping. You could replace the pile of laundry with bills to pay, floors or bathrooms to clean or food prep for later.
photo 2-Computer and art at this desk is still a joy for me. I spend time both creating and learning at this spot and continue to love creating in my own little corner of the crafting world.
photon3-Car time is a much bigger part of all of our lives than we would like right now. This year the car time has been bumped up significantly with 4 days at Chow’s Gymnastics and swimming and diving still running. The girls have become VERY adapt at getting work done in the car!
photo 4-Yep you guessed it, watching. This is at the gym where I spend a lot of hours these days. Chow’s is 20 minutes from our home and the girl’s classes overlap so there is no running home to get a few things done. I will run errands at ovations near by but mostly just like the girls I have become very adapt at using my time. I travel with my laptop and art work often and get a majority of my writing done at the gym, with my girls flipping away in the foreground.
Next I will do a page about my “heralds” and the “call to adventure” I am already scheming and trying to think of how to get them on a page.
See how the rest of the blog hoppers are using this class (and get 20+ more chances to win)
- Anna Aspnes
- Betsy Sammarco
- Christy Strickler
- Marie-Pierre Capistran
- Katrina Kennedy
- Carrie Arick
- Doris Sander
- Melissa Shanhun
- Michelle Houghton (you are right here)
- Sue Althouse
- Terry Billman
- Kiki Kougioumtzi
- Susanne Brauer
- Sian Fair
- Jana Morton
- Paula Gilarde
- Kristin Tweedale
- Katie Scott
- Amy Kingsford
- Tami Taylor
- Stefanie Semple
- Katie Nelson
Put your name in the drawing to win the class
Leave a comment telling me how you like to document your December memories. I will draw the winner on Thursday, November 21, 2013.
I plan to do a December Daily album (hybrid) this year, with a mixture of photos and stories of our holiday preparation and simple, daily happenings. I also plan to feature more in-depth memories of 2013 with more detailed scrapbook pages. I am already doing lots of prep work, hoping that this will make my chances of completing this project much higher! I am excited about this project because I know my family will enjoy re-living these treasured holiday memories in years to come!
i take daily pictures and write in my journal what the items in the pictures mean to me
I am making a December Daily album and can’t wait to get started! I of course have far too much stuff already 😉
I mostly like making sure we have at least one group photo as well as more candid shots. I love to look back and see how we have all changed!
I am trying to do a december daily album hoping to do it till the end
I would like to do a then and now album for our 5-year-old and how we celebrated in the olden days, 1970s-1980s comparing to now.
I plan on making a December Daily album focusing on the memory making in December and the album making in January.
I love your photos on your layout Michelle! THat’s an awesome idea!!! 🙂
definitely pocket page style only digital!
This is my first year doing a Dec Album so I’m not sure how I like to document it. I am planning on telling the stories of family, friends and special activities and “chores”.
Thank you for the chance to win a spot in the class.
I’m using pocket pages this year in a snazzy little striped album that Stampin’Up! has out. I’m going to work on my photography this year again, too!
I love lots of photos, but this year I want to get into the stories/traditions of our holidays.
I do a holiday album each year from Thanksgiving to New Years. It has current activities from me and the (older) kids as well as photos from past Christmases of all of us. I also include photos from holiday family gatherings and those people are encouraged to write about what they are thankful for this past year.
Last year was my first year, and I’m excited to get more meaningful stories done this year. Especially with family.
I’ve never done a Holiday album but would like to keep it basic. I’m thinking a mini-album documenting the annual holiday traditions we participate in.
I plan on using a PL-style pocket format as well as some 8X10 writing (and other sizes) to further tell the story.
I’m planning to use red, white and gold this year and probably in Project Life style.
The way i have been documenting my December memories is inspired by Ali Edwaards, one story a day. Sometimes I can’t help but write a bit more.
I am digital all the way. I tried a Daily December once and never finished it. However, I did a different approach to a Christmas album a few years ago, and I loved it. It didn’t require daily photos and a layout for everyday. So I’m really looking forward to the December Story in the hopes that it’s similar to the one I did before, but pulls out different stories.
I’m planning on doing a december photo a day thing!
I’ll continue to use a variety of methods – some bits on my blog, our daily family gratitude journal and also some form of extra capturing for December. Using the prompts from Debbie to try and go deeper to.
I sometimes have documented my Christmas memories by taking photos when I’m wrapping gifts, or decorating. But I haven’t done it consistently, or even in a long while. Looking forward to the class – I am already signed up!
Well I usually just do a few pages in our big family book. This will be the first year I document the whole DEcember!
I’m going digi w/my DD for the first time this year. I used to go up til NYday, but last yr stopped at the 25th. Not sure where it’ll go this year.
I usually do a few layouts of my Christmas. but, If I win this class I will be doing it differently this year. Thanks for a chance.
I am still undecided I am always so busy with 6 kids and I feel like I would lose before trying. Unless I try a class I will probably be after the fact usually with pocket pages! Thanks for the chance to win! ~God bless!
I haven’t tried documenting a December yet! This year will be my first go at it.
Thanks for the chance. I’ve never done this before so I’m not real sure. I would imagine I would write and take photos to make digital pages.
I do art-journal type pages, which include lots of journalling about our traditions.
lovely layout Michelle 🙂
Love the different perspective you got from a high up angle. I am using the studio calico kit for the first time every. I completed a DD in 2010, but haven’t done one since. My two boys (5 & 7) love to look at that album so I thought I would do another this year. We scrapbook as a family, so I am excited to have their input and my hubbie’s who draws these adorable stick figure portraits of our family.
I am really looking forward to digging into this class. I am still mulling over my plan – but I am thinking about a mini album – just not a December Daily version (did that before and am not ready to that again). I am waiting to see how much writing I am doing before deciding on the format.
I plan to record my Dec. in notes and pictures along the way. Then in Jan when the snow is flying and the temps plummet I plan to put it all together on a beautiful way. Grandchildren will make it gorgeous!
I’ve been documenting my Decembers for nearly 8 years now. This year, for the first time, I’ll be integrating it into a Project Life album.
This’ll be my 2nd year doing December Daily…hopefully I’ll stick with it this year!
I’m hoping to actually do it this year….I’ve had good intentions….but never anything finalized. I don’t want to be lame any more. Thanks for the opportunity.
I don’t know how I am going to document it. I’m hoping to get through it with enough info to recapture it in January.
I do all my scrapbooking digitally, and Christmas will just be a small part of my yearly album.
I like bright and colourful pages in a mini album so this will probably be my approach this year. Got to love Christmas.
I am thinking that my album will be very eclectic. it will be a little bit of everything. I am wanting to try pocket style but may fall back to digi.
Love what you’ve done so far Michelle! I hope I can document something!
I will attempt a digital December Daily. I think that is my best shot at completing it! It will be so much fun! Thanks for the chance to win!
I make a mini-album each year documenting our holiday season.