This month’s theme contains a mixture of elements related to Christmas and winter. Whilst visiting the haberdashery and craft selection at Boyes Department store, I came across some sweet sets of seasonal stickers. This snow globe and glass jar themed pack really caught my eye so I treated myself to a sheet (despite it being no spend November!). I decided to use the stickers for my calendar page and my first weekly but I wanted a large image for my cover so I’ve had a go at creating a watercolour snowy scene in a snow globe to scan, print and glue in which is in a similar style to the stickers. After that, for the remainder of the month, I’m going to be using general Christmassy stickers made using images from Canva Pro. I hope you enjoy looking at my spreads for December and I would love to hear what theme my fellow bullet journallers have chosen for the month.
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative blog
The front cover
The front cover image was painted on watercolour paper using my Winsor & Newton tubes, plus some gold and silver from my Finetec palette. Unfortunately the gold and silver don’t show up very well in the scanned image so I used some sparkly gold paper as a background with the addition of some holly leaf and berry borders at the top and bottom. I was debating having a go at painting over the top of the sticker paper with the gold and silver paints but I’m worried it won’t turn out as well as the original or it might end up getting spoilt.
Photo Credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative Blog
Monthly calendar
This page came together really quickly and I think it looks really eye-catching. Along with the stickers, I added some sparkles using a gold glitter Uniball Signo and a strip of glittery stars to separate the December 2023 title and fill in the gap underneath. I used a Pigma Micron PN pen in a very dark red to number the boxes in the calendar. I love how the month finishes on a Sunday so that the calendar for January will go neatly across the top of the page in my next spreads!
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative Blog
Finances
The set of stickers had a few separate groups of trees so I’ve used these to decorate my title for my finances spread. I’ve also used one of the larger snow globes and another strip of glitter stars to finish the bottom of the page.
Photo Credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative blog
Winter Bucket List
In my previous post, I shared how I was going to create another bucket list for winter as I thoroughly enjoyed creating the autumn one and journalling about the process. I’ve included the actual list in my bullet journal but, like last time, I’ll be making a wide TN journal book to go in my Carpe Diem Traveler’s Notebook to record what I did for each item on the list. This will be instead of doing December Daily as it means I can work on it from the beginning of December to the end of February 2024.
Photo Credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative blog
Winter Aesthetic Inspiration Board
Again, I created one of these for Autumn and had great fun setting it up, using photographs from Canva Pro and phrases created using Cricut Design Studio. This one looks just as good I think and was well worth the time and effort involved. I wanted to add some more snowflakes in different shades but I’m having problems with cutting small items using my Cricut Joy so I’ll have to add them at a later date.
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative blog
Christmas Gift List
The first of many Christmas related spreads that I hope to get done this month. This is a space to record gift ideas, purchases and expenditure for family and friends. All of the stickers were created in Cricut Design Space and made using my Cricut Joy.
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative blog
Weekly Spread One
I’ve been changing my weekly spreads each week according to how much work I have on at the university but I’ve decided to create a two page spread for the first week of December because I was eager to leave room for some stickeration! I’ll probably do the same for the remaining weeks because I’ve got a big stash of general Christmas themed stickers in a mini envelope on my craft desk.
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative blog
Final words…
I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing my December BuJo spreads for 2023. I’ve seen some lovely set ups on YouTube already but I look forward to seeing many more. I know many people use digital planners nowadays but I love setting mine up in my notebook each month and you can’t beat being able to flick through the pages to keep organised.
Wishing you all a happy and stress free December and an enjoyable time with your family during the holidays.
Journalling is the act of writing down your thoughts, feelings, actions and experiences on paper or in digital form. There are many different types of journalling practices and for today’s Monday Matters post, I’m going to share ten popular ones, most of which I’ve tried and benefitted from myself.
What are the benefits of keeping a journal?
The particular benefits of keeping a journal depend on the style you choose but can include:
a reduction in stress or anxiety
increased productivity
better time management
a place to record daily life
a tool for organising your priorities, your routines or your to-do list
clarification of your thoughts and feelings
a place to think about and solve problems
a way to get to know yourself better (becoming more self aware)
a chance to see negative thought patterns and behaviours
a safe space to explore your emotions
a place to express yourself in writing and improve your writing composition
an opportunity to get creative
somewhere to track your progress or achievements over time
improved sleep by getting your worries down on paper and out of your head
a place to note down important ideas or things you want to remember
Diary / personal journal
A personal journal or diary provides a space to write each day and is usually kept private due to the nature of the content. You can include whatever you like inside such as summaries of events or places visited, how you have felt today and why, lessons learnt, relationships, thoughts or worries. Depending on how much flexibility you want in terms of how much you write, you could choose a between a range of sizes (from pocket to A4 size) with printed diary pages pages, a long term ‘line a day’ style or a completely blank lined or unlined notebook which you can add the date to and fill in with as much or as little detail as you like.
Gratitude journalling
Gratitude journalling is the practice of writing down what you’re thankful for each day and can take just five minutes first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening before bed. I used to create a double page, two lines a day spread in my bullet journal which I filled in at the end of each day, but now, I use the gratitude space in The Five Minute Journal morning section. A lined notebook would work just as well and if you choose one which is really pretty and has nice, smooth paper you’re much more likely to reach for it. It’s up to you what you write but here’s a few ideas:
something good that happened today / yesterday
a person in your life which you’re particularly grateful for
a challenge you’re facing which is helping you learn
a helpful resource – a magazine article, a podcast, a non-fiction book, a YouTube video etc
a positive change in your life
something that brightened your day
hobbies and interests which you’re glad to have
personal strengths, abilities and skills you’re grateful for
something in your life that you tend to take for granted
something new that you’ve treated yourself to
Bullet journalling
The bullet journal system (or BuJo for short) was created by Ryder Carroll and is a way of organising your life in a single notebook (either an analogue or digital version). There are so many benefits to using a bullet journal including increased productivity, better time management, tracking personal progress and growth, helping you work towards your goals, stress reduction, keeping lists which you can refer back to and use again, better self awareness, a place to get creative if you so wish, great for instilling and monitoring habits, a space to record your ideas, helps you see exactly how much you’ve achieved each day / week / month and so on. A comprehensive guide to The Bullet Journal Method is available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle and is well worth a read if the idea of becoming more organised appeals.
Morning pages
Writing morning pages is a journalling exercise which involves putting pen to paper first thing every morning and writing whatever pops into your head without editing or censoring. The idea is that, each day, as soon as you wake up, you sit down and fill exactly three A4 sheets with whatever comes into your mind. The writing doesn’t have to make sense, be correctly spelt or punctuated. It isn’t read afterwards either. and is for your eyes only. Done regularly, this type of journalling promises a cathartic and ritualistic practice which is designed to increase confidence, clear the mind and pave the way for greater creativity.
Prompted journals
If you need help with what to write in your journal, prompted journals are a great place to start. There are lots of different versions available at a range of price points. Some offer daily practices and include sections such as gratitude, self care, top priorities for your day, feelings check ins, nightly reflections and so on. Others, such as the Five Minute Self Care series, can be dipped into as and when and you can flick through and choose a prompt for your writing.
Memory keeping journal
This is one of my favourite types of journalling as you can create pages about literally anything that’s happened in your life. Looking back through one of my traveller’s notebook inserts from last year, I have journalling and photos from when we went away for my dad’s 80th and my mum’s 70th, a few pages about a National Trust property we visited, some journalling about our fancy new microwave and how smart it looked in our kitchen, an introduction to Millie the hamster and photos from when she was a little baby, photographs of my new haircut and the curls my hairdresser created, a day trip to York where we walked along the wall and had some tasty vegan and veggie foods (complete with our menu choices), and finally a trip to Brimham Rocks. I’ve been keeping this type of journal for about 6 years now and they’re so lovely to look back on and re-read. I even hand make the notebooks using my own choice of pretty paper for the covers.
Travel journal
This is another type of memory keeping journal which is used to document holidays and trips. I’ve been keeping these for a few years now and even create my own handstitched notebooks for the purpose. Whilst I’m away, I collect bits and pieces to stick in such as maps showing walks we’ve taken, business cards from restaurants, tickets from places we’ve visited, postcards to remind me of scenery, art exhibitions we’ve been to or particular historic buildings, packaging and brochures. I also spend a few minutes each evening briefly recording what we did that day, how I felt and anything amusing that happened.
What you record in your travel journal is entirely up to you but I like to start with our travel information such as dates of the holiday, modes of transport, flight numbers, journey times, hotel bookings etc. I then include photographs, memorabilia and bits of journalling for each day of the trip and then finish with a summary of the holiday on the final pages of the notebook.
Art journal
If you’re not too keen on expressing yourself in written form, another great way of articulating your thoughts and feelings or getting creative is to keep an art journal. Any size and type of notebook will work but thicker paper is best to avoid bleed through (where your work seeps through to the other side) or ghosting (where you can see your work through to the next), You can also choose any type of material to practise with such as pencil, crayon, markers, ink, paint or paper for collage style layering, or you can combine a few of the above to create a mixed media piece. There’s no right or wrong way to do it – the key is to experiment and enjoy the process.
Reading journal
If you’re a bookworm, keeping a reading journal is the perfect way to record what you read and when, your thoughts and feelings about the book as you read, chapter summaries (particularly with non-fiction), any quotes you’d like to remember, an overall evaluation when you finish and a star rating to show how much you enjoyed the book. If you use an app such as Storygraph, you can even include reading focused graphs and charts too.
Garden journal
As some of my readers will know, I started a gardening journal in the spring of this year. One of my goals for this year, with my husband’s help, is to keep on top of our back garden (weeding, deadheading, pruning, tending, planting etc) and create a bright and colourful space which is a haven for wildlife. Obviously, it’s a work in progress, but my journal has helped me with recording to do lists, planting schedules, week-by-week planning, pest control, seed setting and seedling transplanting and so on. It’s also been a place to keep printed versions of articles I’ve read and tips from the various websites I’ve visited. If you’re a keen gardener or want to become more green-fingered, a garden journal is a great support and place for recording information which reflects all of your hard work. You can find out more about the benefits here.
Final words…
I hope that today’s post has inspired you to give journalling a go and reap some of the associated benefits. I would love to know which type of journal appeals the most and why. I’m also keen to know if anyone has tried Morning Pages and found them beneficial. I like the idea but, as an experienced teacher, I’m not sure I could write something without a care for spelling, grammar and punctuation, let alone three whole pages of A4!
The Summer is here bringing sunshine and blue skies plus my three monthly life check in and a short update. I encourage all of my readers to give this a go, either as a blog post or handwritten in a journal. They’re great to look back on over the months and years to see how life changes.
Currently reading…
… 5 books at the same time! This is unusual for me as I usually read a fiction book on my Kindle in bed on a night and a non-fiction self development style book in the morning with my coffee but my Five Minute Journal weekly challenge last week was to revisit a previously loved book and I’ve been dipping in and out of two of Amy Tan and Abbey Sy books over the last couple of months. I’m enjoying all of my current reads:
The Midnight House by Amanda Geard
Walk: The Path to a More Mindful Life by Sholto Radford (re-read)
The Art of the Travel Journal by Abbey Sy
Twelve Moons: A Year Under a Shared Sky by Caro Giles (a beautifully poetic memoir)
Craft a Life You Love by Amy Tangerine
Currently creating…
… helpful BuJo spreads for our trip to Norfolk. So far, I have a map showing our route and estimated journey time (a screenshot from Google), information about our accommodation, a list of places to visit such as National Trust properties, wetland centres and the broads, plus veggie and vegan cafes and restaurants nearby. Next to create is my packing list which I hope to get done this afternoon.
Currently journalling…
… in my handmade TN insert of a recent trip to Raby Castle for a walk around the grounds and deer park, photos of our new hanging basket and cute yellow hanging tin container, plus a bit about the sun and star necklace that I treated myself to with some of my wages from my uni work (I might have purchased it three weeks before I actually got paid!).
Currently enjoying…
… watching the wildlife in our back garden. Yesterday, there was a huge party of about 15 juvenile starlings on our lawn dipping their beaks in the grass searching for tasty morsels. Out new sunflower hearts seed feeder is very popular with the sparrows and the fat balls are a firm favourite with all of the birds. After dark, I love sitting on our bench, watching a pair of bats hoovering up months and occasionally I catch a glimpse of a visiting hedgehog crunching on his nightly saucer of biscuits. If the hog comes late, we can always check our wildlife cam footage the next day too.
Currently learning…
… more about gardening. So far, I’ve read up on plants for shady areas, how to deal with green and black fly without chemicals, how to grow my own rainbow chard and more about our recent plant purchases. There’s always lots more to learn and websites like the Gardeners’ World and RHS ones are full of helpful information. Also, my mum has been a keen gardener for many years now so has a wealth of experience to draw on to help us.
Currently eating…
… lots of salads and vegan poke bowls as it’s too warm to have the oven on. We had our first poke (pronounced poh-kay) bowl in Vienna and they’re amazing. Plus you can add a rainbow of veggies which makes them super healthy as well.
Currently drinking…
… Pimms and lemonade with fresh strawberries and pineapple mint from our garden. Well, when I say currently, I don’t mean I have a glass on the go right now at 2pm but later in the evening sat outside in the garden is perfect. I also love flavoured cider at this time of year and my favourites are Brother’s Toffee Apple and Strawberry & Lime from Aldi.
Final words…
That’s it for my life update. I hope you enjoyed reading what I’m currently up to. Let me know in the comments if you give this kind of journalling a go and where you choose to write your lists.
I promised myself I would keep to a schedule of doing one of these on my blog around every six months so this one is slightly overdue – my last one was August 2022. It’s been nice to check back on my previous one, to see how things have changed, what has stayed the same or at least similar and where my priorities lay then and now. I challenge my readers who also have their own blog to do their own ‘Currently’ with their own categories.
Currently eating…
lots of vegetable rich foods in recipes we’ve found online. This week we’ve enjoyed Turkish ratatouille with yogurt dressing and flatbreads and tonight we’re making vegetarian enchiladas which we’ve made once before and had totally forgotten about! We found that the first recipe wasn’t enough without some form of protein so we’re going to try adding a Quorn Fillet, halloumi or some type of pulse.
Currently drinking…
as I do some kind of workout each day, I’m trying to drink much more water as well as my usual cherries and berries squash. I tend to have four coffees too and I find I get dehydrated if I don’t follow each mug with a large glass of water. I’m also enjoying the Summer Shine J2O which has just made its way to the supermarket – it’s been around for a few years now and I always buy myself a four pack every now and then throughout Spring and Summer.
Currently watching…
I know we’re a bit late to the party, but we’ve got really into The Handmaids Tale and watch at least one episode each week. We’re halfway through Season 2 so we’ve got plenty left to keep us entertained. We’re also enjoying Unforgotten season 5 and The Bay which I believe is now up to season 4. Grace is also back on which is based on the novels of Peter James and if you love crime dramas, this is definitely one to watch too.
Currently creating…
the final few pages of my December Daily project. I did want to be finished by now but I’ve been busy doing other stuff and kind of put it off until the end of this month. I’ve been trying out my fuse tool to make shaker pockets and after about 4 failed attempts, I’ve finally made a fully sealed and functional one! The picture is a Christmas card that I cut the front off and trimmed.
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative
Currently loving…
the extra light that comes with Springtime / British Summer Time. We’ve had quite a bit of rain so far since the clocks went forward, so it’s not been super bright but I’m sure sunshine is on the way! It’s also great to see things popping up in the garden – our hyacinths are in full bloom and our tulips and late flowering daffodils should be along soon.
Currently listening…
to songs from Les Misérables. We went to see the musical last year and it was amazing. I debated buying the soundtrack but instead we’ve been listening to the tunes on my husband’s tablet whilst cooking. If you haven’t yet made a trip to see it at the theatre, I would totally recommend it if you enjoy musicals.
Currently feeling…
tired out! I’ve done 3 workouts today – two mini Pilates workouts using a resistance band and my new magic circle and then an aerobic routine with a little bit of core work on my mat afterwards. The aerobics one was a free Instructor Live one which was shared on the NHS website. I was meant to do Zumba today but I got a call last night from the gym saying that the session had been cancelled due to instructor illness. I certainly think I’ve made up for missing it and I’ll be ready for bed straight after watching The Bay!
Final words…
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my mini life update for early 2023. If you do create a similar post yourself on your own blog, do comment and I will be sure to check it out.
This year, as I’m in a good place with my mental health for the first Christmas in a while, I’ve decided to do another December Daily challenge. I made a TN style journal quite a few years ago and I found it really enjoyable. The finished booklet looks great, and I have loved looking through it this month as a wonderful reminder of the things we did in December 2018. I can’t wait to get started on my 2022 album but I’m trying to make sure I’m well prepared and have everything I need to meet with success. I was amazed by the array of YouTube videos which showed people still working on their 2021 album in September of this year – some of them with pages and pages still to complete! With this in mind, I decided to write today’s blog post which focuses on my top tips to make sure that the process goes smoothly and ultimately, that the challenge is completely by the end of the holiday season (or at least by the end of January 2023).
What is December Daily?
The idea for December Daily was created by Ali Edwards who is a designer, blogger, workshop instructor and author based in the USA. She has a passion for memory keeping, capturing everyday life with photographs, words and decorative elements. On her website she has this to say about the project:
December Daily® is a December mini-album project that documents the 25 days leading up to Christmas. The simple goal is to capture the spirit of December via one story per day.
Since 2007 this project has become one of the highlights of my year and a beautiful community of memory keepers has come together to share their December stories with one another. It’s an awesome way to document and celebrate the season.
Tips for a successful and fun December Daily
As part of the preparation for my 2022 December Daily, I’ve watched lots of inspirational videos, read bits and pieces about the project online in various blogs, and collected a number of tips and ideas. As I explained earlier, I’ve seen quite a number of YouTube videos of people still working on their album for 2021, despite the fact that we’re getting close to December 2022. If I was in this situation, I would be worrying that I’m never going to get there and may have already abandoned the project part way through (and likely with feelings of guilt about all the time and money I’d spent). So, below are my top tips for success, enjoyment and a timely completion.
Start by watching YouTube videos and reading blog posts for inspiration
You already know the main idea behind December Daily but there are so many different ways to approach the project. Well before the start of the month (I began in October!), it’s a good idea to watch a range of videos and read blog posts for inspiration and composition ideas. You’ll find that some creatives prepare a mini album before they begin, leaving space for photos and journalling, whilst others use a 6×8 D rings binder and make up the pages as they go. As well as seeing different layouts, you will also find many variations in shape and sizes of journal. There are pros and cons to all of the different methods, layouts and album sizes, and of course, there is the cost to consider – the more supplies you want to use and therefore need to purchase, the more expense involved.
When watching videos and reading blog posts, I like to make notes and sketch the detail of layout ideas so I can remember my favourites at a later date and seek inspiration from them if I get stuck. I’ve also collected lots of ‘story’ and photo ideas on Pinterest and then copied out my favourites in my bullet journal to refer to throughout the month. I only chosen prompts which are relevant to me and my family situation.
Consider which supplies you want
Before you embark on the project, think about what you might need to complete it. Doing the above should have helped but you might also want to sit down and create a list in preparation for purchasing items. For example, I decided I wanted to do a 6×8 album with some of the pages inside page protectors and some just reinforced with card. I also love the idea of lots of different layouts and photo sizes so I took this into consideration too, again making notes about my ideas. I ordered my album and page protectors pretty early on as when I looked at available options, I noticed some of the ones I liked were almost sold out as they had been released last year. I chose an Echo Park white album with poinsettias, holly, berries, snowflakes and spruce stems on and I still absolutely love it!
6×8 Album from a collection by Echo Park
Other items to think about could be Christmassy papers in 12×12 size or smaller, glittery number stickers for labelling each day, journalling cards, gift tags, stickers, washi tapes, ephemera, ribbons, twine for attaching tags, sequins for shaker pockets, glue sticks and tape runners, maybe even a fuse tool for sealing shaker pockets – the possibilities are endless.
I also made sure I ordered my supplies from a company based in the UK as I wanted to make sure my items were received quickly with no chance of being stung by customs fees. There are lots of resources on Ali’s own website which look amazing, but they would end up being very costly! Although I’m prepared to spend quite a bit on the project, I did create a fixed budget, so I don’t overspend.
Choose your main items from one designer collection
If you want all of your pages to go together really well, it’s best to have a specific colour palette and style throughout. An easy way to achieve this is to choose items from a particular collection or at least from a particular designer. For example, this year, all of my supplies (ordered online using the Craftie Charlie website) are from Carta Bella’s ‘Home For Christmas’ and ‘Happy Christmas’ collections. I also purchased a few bits and pieces from Hobbycraft a few months ago but if these don’t go with my new supplies, I’ll use them for decorating my bullet journal instead.
December Daily Supplies from Craftie Charlie
Think about creating some foundation pages
Before December begins, you might want to consider making some foundation pages. These are pages which are done in advance to give yourself a head start on the project. For example, you might create a cover page which includes a title and the year 2022. You might also have a go at making particularly crafty stuff pages and elements such as shakers (containing sequins or glitter), sewn materials or multi-layer bits and pieces,
You could also create a page which explains your reason why. This is short piece of journalling which says why you’re doing the project and what you hope to get out of it. Is it a way of recording your little one’s first Christmas? Is it a chance for you to have more fun this December? Is it a way of winding down each evening by doing some journalling or is it more of a photographic challenge for you? Again, this is totally personal to you. You might want to watch videos or read about what it means to others, but you may have completely different ideas and reasoning.
This year, as one of her foundation pages, Ali Edwards created a table of contents, and this idea appeals to me too so I might give it a go. You can view her first set up video here. I’ve subscribed so I can watch all of her videos as and when she shares her creative process.
Journal your experiences and how you feel in the moment
I’m going to carry around a very small notebook in my bag wherever I go during the month of December so I can make notes about my experiences and how I feel. This means that even if I don’t do the page for that day straightaway, I’ll still have a record of the key details and my emotions at the time. You could also create a page on your phone using an app such as Notion if you would rather write things down electronically. Also, make sure you take lots of photos so you have plenty to choose from – let your family and friends know about the project so they can help with image ideas.
Above all, have fun!
December Daily is potentially a wonderful and fun memory keeping challenge to do, but it won’t be if you get yourself stressed and worried about getting everything perfect! Remember, there are no right or wrong ways to go about it – it should be completely personal to you and as simple or creative as you want. You may use lots of photos and decorative elements, or you may just do a series of simple journal entries.
The holiday season can be incredibly busy and it’s important to find time each day for rest and relaxation. This may mean working on your daily entry in the evening to help you wind down, but alternatively, it could mean that you make up most or all of your album after Christmas, when you are able to devote a few hours each day to some enjoyable and mindful creating, working at your own pace. If you want to spend most of next year finishing your creative project and this is what would make you happiest, go for it! Whatever you do, keep it fun!
Final words…
I hope you’ve found today’s post useful, and the tips have helped you with preparing yourself for doing your own December Daily project. Let me know if you’re going to give it a go or if you’re taking part in another challenge for the festive season e.g. Blogmas where you try out new and fun things on your blog related to Christmas. Although I’m not doing Blogmas this year, I’ll hopefully find the time to do a few blog posts next month as well – I might even share a few of my favourite December Daily pages as I go along too.
Keeping it creative 