Sunday, December 4, 2011

December Daily Ruminations

This is my first holiday mini book.
December Daily 2011 cover. Size 4 by 6. Pages- 40.  I will include random past memories and all 31 days of December.
Sand? I shot this at the local park's sand box- it was the only human-less spot available!
MATERIALS: Crate Paper Peppermint 6 by 6 paper, Fancy Pants filter paper, Crate Peppermint chipboard pieces, Prima alphas, American Crafts alphas, Ormolu tag, Ranger Distress Stain "Picket Fence".
Yesterday I struggled with my need to fake the photos.
Pose Lola with the tree. She didn't want to be there.
Give her a lollipop and nix the flash- she hates it most of all.

For the "project"- force Dave to help me lug the carriage into and out of subway stations and into crazy crowded places where we argue- where I actually say SMILE DAMN IT!
What kind of holiday tradition is this?
What's next- force a crying Lola onto Santa's Lap a la "A Christmas Story?"
NOPE. Not this momma.
We literally did this 30 times till Miss Thang happened to look in the general direction of the camera.
My husband is frowning behind the lens- he questions the sanity of this project- questions it mightily.
Doesn't the one NYC holiday destination a day encourage fake memory making?
I would never visit the 14th street Christmas market with Lola in a stroller otherwise! You have to struggle mightily to get there then battle all the other holiday memory makers to get 1 angry family shot. What. is. the. point?
We are making a memory- the memory should be: We happened across this lovely market and LOOK I found THIS.
Clove smiley face ornaments!! They smell GREAT! They are soo cute! LOOVE!
It should NOT be: We went to Union Square specifically to take a family photo and bickered the entire time and Lola almost got sat on 50 times since she was in the stroller.
And one lady came up to me and asked:
WHY ARE YOU TAKING THAT BABY INTO THIS CROWD?
She used a very superior tone.
I had no answer.
Like salmon going up stream.
This is a great shot- thank goodness- everyone is glad to be headed home!
So it's time to refocus.
What about December 2011 do I really want to preserve?
Do I want to drive my husband crazy with all the trips and directions?
No he's not interested. He's really not. Christmas to him is listening to the carols and watching holiday cartoon movies INSIDE and WARM. It's dinner with family. It's watching Lola pick apart the ornaments. It's hugging his completely bananas wife.
When did I become Christmas photo psycho?
Angels singing- Aaaaaaaaaa! Light bulb!
A realization!
Do I want to risk crowds, my marriage and anxiety attacks to get this "story"?
I'm doing this for me.
It's for Lola. To make her smile.
NO. more. angry. family. in. crowded. holiday. settings.
I haven't given up entirely- there's got to be a way!
One of the random pages- this was 2009's outfit- the photo was actually take in late February 2010.
I never got around to that traditional family Christmas shot.
MATERIALS: Basic Grey paper, alphas and brad. American Crafts tape, Fancy Pants banner sticker.
Cosmo Cricket word stickers
MuChoS SmOoChEs!
Michelle


9 comments:

  1. what a great post - so true! Thanks for convincing me to try my fisrt 'real' December daily (I have been umming and aahing!) ... Merry Christmas! xoxo

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  2. I've been feeling a little humbuggish about a december daily... think I might tackle a december highlights AFTER Christmas is over. LOVE your post.

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  3. It's so frustrating trying to get that perfect pic!! Especially in the winter when we are indoors all the time with bad lighting and ugly carpet :) but I'm not gonna let that stop me - this December is getting documented!

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  4. Aww Michelle! You are such a breath of fresh air! how I love to read you say what all of feel in the exact same situation..not location..I could do this post some competition on the ANNUAL got to the snow for the tree dreaded trip!

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  5. This is a great post! I often wonder how much is "real" and how much is "fake" on certain DD layouts. I love keeping it real, so I say be yourself and capture the good, bad and ugly of the season. Look forward to seeing more of your DD!:-)

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  6. I loved this! We decided to totally simplify starting last year and I have to say... it's perfect. No presents beyond our tiny family of three, no traveling, no malls, nuthin'! Two thumbs up to just going with the flow and having fun!

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  7. LOL! You do make me laugh! That's why I love coming here - you make me feel almost like the sane one :D (Says she missing her man while he's away of an evening so takes zombie novels to bed to keep her company and then lays awake at night listening to every creak in the house and hiding under the duvet. Because zombies wont spot you under the duvet.)

    Have to say - flipping cheek of the snooty woman though.

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  8. This is a fabulous post. This is how I feel sometimes. Christmas is full of stress and that should not be the case! Your album looks great maybe you should fill it with all those things you described...singing carols, family dinner, Lola trashing an ornament. Those all sound like wonderful Christmas memories to me.

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Ok peeps lets CHAT! You tell me what you REALLY think and I PROMISE to keep it open minded here.