Favourite time of the year!

This was the title of todays LOAD prompt.... heres how that page turned out:

* Once i'd chose a selection of christmas coloured patterned papers to fill my page with there was an obvious gap left, the right size to fill with a journalling card, I intended to write in this space but the i came across this card which didn't have space but was relevant to the layout.

* This speaks volumes to me, and will make sense if you can read the journalling. I took over christmas cheer when my nan sadly left us in 2011. she was all about christmas and making it special for the kids, and I NEVER wanted to make a fuss, obviously she made me lol. I knew that I could never take hans place as she had her way :) so I had to make it special in my own way, if only for the kids sakes.

* TOP TIP OF THE DAY: paint it! I used ordinary watercolour paints to spruce up this otherwise colourless journalling card. i purposely went outside the lines to repeat the messy feel of the biscuit decorations. its so easy and quick... go for it!

* This is the collection of photos that i chose to use for this story. They show 3 out of 4 of my children doing one of the daily activities that I organised for them in December.

* the chipboard tree was the last element to my page, it needed something and this could have gone in a couple of different pages but I chose here just to fill the gap that was appearing through the papers.

* I added chevrons in matching patterned paper to the layers to bring focus to the centre of the page. This was repeated at the top also.

* As the journalling place was taken i had too fit it in somewhere else, it naturally went into this space at the bottom of the paper stack. i chose to start it directly under the journalling card so as not to have a weird looking space, although it could have easily of just started under the green edge as it would have looked fine there also.

The inspiration for this page came from pinterest, you can find the link to the original sketch here. Ive just signed up to follow them as they are new to me... pop over and see what you think!

thanks for popping by today.... see you all again tomorrow?!??!

P.S I go away for a heavenly craft retreat with the girls on friday (i can't wait!) so there may be a layout overload... or i just might keep a few secret :) let me know which you'd prefer xxxxx