December 16…

…You can`t make a Christmas album during the month of December and pass on this month`s big happening. It`s not an everyday thing when we get a visit from a sitting President from USA. You may agree or disagree with the Nobel committee, but we were proud to welcome President Obama and his wife to Norway.

People from all over the world are marching the streets in Copenhagen – Denmark.  They want their say in the big climate conference going on. They are fighting for the future of their children.

These two don`t know much about the ice melting or the water level increasing. They are ready to do grandma`s Christmas tree. Oh yes, they are ready!

That Santa looks awful big to hang on the tree, but Kristian looks pretty confident about it. Or, does he not?

Since there are no AirForce One in our life we are low on the glam factor:) And for that we are grateful.

Photographing…

…Sorry about the flicr-blogging. I`m at my brother`s house after taking the flu shot last night so all I have to work with here is my flicr account. And yes – my arm do hurt:) It`s early morning and I woke up at 4.30 – way to early even for me.

I am not much of a photographer and trying to learn have not been very successful. I love to start the class and I fail to follow through because I don`t get it. I don`t get the technical message. So here`s what I do: I have a nice camera, Canon 40D. A lens I love, with the name I never learn to remember:) And I take a lot of photos. Lots of photos is the clue here because I have no idea how to take a good shot.

Wish me luck on todays Christmas shopping, because this is it. And I am very thankful that I`m not doing my shopping in Oslo. The town is sealed up waiting for President Obama to arrive in three hours. At least they have racket shields to protect them for a day;)

Canon EOS 40D

 }My camera

Canon EOS 40D, originally uploaded by elinjanne.

 

canon EF24-105mm FL IS USM

}My favourite lens

canon linse 24×105 test 1, originally uploaded by elinjanne.

 

December 5…

…I`m not sure if I am behind or ahead these days:) Three weeks ago I covered the advent calendar from 2008 and today I`m working on the New Years Eve 2008. The  2009 album is supposed to be finished before Christmas. Am I in trouble? Okay – here is our traditional calendar being raided for chocolate.

 New Years Eve 2008, December 2009 and housecleaning….confused?

…The crew have spotted the perfect tree.

And grandpa is waiting to get the final go…

They don`t look happy about their chosen tree?

Me? I had my eyes set on a much higher one:)

Like one of these?

The one good day for snow…

…Is the day we go hunting for the Christmas tree. Nothing beats going up to Iverhjelen when the trees are covered with snow. You find a tree, but you really don`t know if it is the perfect one because of all the snow. When you come home you might have to give the tree some first aid to be presentable. I do remember my dad spending time in the basement trying to make the tree look good enough for my mother:) Of course, he never cut down a perfect tree. The perfect tree was left behind to grow into timber.

 I will be doing two page spreads for the big happenings. I think. I keep changing my mind here:)

 It should be possible to keep making pages like this through out the month.

Journal your Christmas…

…Tomorrow is the day! Have you decided if you are journaling your Christmas or are you doing daily December? I have gone back and forth – deciding and un deciding for weeks now. One thing for sure, I will be doing some kind of album. Last year I made a 6 x 12 album. I pre made everything. I cut the cardstock, the patterned paper, the date and put everything into the page protectors. In the evening I took out the page protector belonging to that date and made it work with what I had pre made. One more good thing about this size – it easy to scan and upload if you want to share in the forums or in your blog. Easy is a good thing in December:)

This year I have gone from 12×12 to 6 x 12 to 8,5 x 11. The main reason this was so hard to decide is the fact that I do have all the album sizes in the house. And there is a little devil sitting on my right shoulder asking me if I really want to spend time doing this. I know I can make a layout every day – I do that anyway, but do I want to spend that much time making a page for a Christmas journal?

This evening I decided to make a “light version” of a Christmas journal. Of course I chose an album size I don`t have.

 

This is 6 x 9 from Making Memories. I used this in a Big Picture Class and Shimelle`s Learn something new Every Day. I have ordered the album online today and it will be here in a day or two. With this size and with the ready made templates I hope I will have time to enjoy December.

Since I have the templates from Kolette Hall`s class at BPS I will be using one or two of them for journaling. They are cute and easy to use and I have several sizes. Still have to decide the font and what paper to print on. I have a lot of photo paper I can use for the journaling but it does look better on the Orange Peel card stock. I will be using “Good Cheer: Sleigh Bells” from October Afternoon as the main paper. First of all because I like the paper and second because it goes well with all the red carpets that will dominate a lot of the photos.

Here you can see a test page.

I think I have a plan. Maybe it`s time to make the opening page?

Do you have a plan?

 

A good day…

More about that later…

This evening I am…

 

 

And all this talk about turkey make me think about our turkey tradition. The first Christmas my brother and his wife lived together they found themselves in the company of a turkey. A dead one. And that is a story without a happy ending:)

Later it became a tradition to put a turkey in the oven on the evening December 23. As most young parents it was a struggle to get everything ready for the big celebration December 24. When the turkey was done the magic of Christmas had arrived. Only – they never were good with the timing. Some years the turkey wasn`t done before long into the night. And for years the only thing we got served was the turkey. Then there was cold potatoe from the day before. Then there were potatoe salad. And year by year a little something were added until it became a feast out serving the turkey.

When the boys were old enough to have steady girlfriends it became a tradition to invite the new “in-laws” to the turkey dinner on December 23. I am sure about one thing – not everyone was happy about that invitation – on the busiest day in the year:) And I can remember some Christmas Eve`s we have been tired after too much vine.

Template – Cathy Zielske. Paper – K.Pertiet – Joulenaika.

December 23 – 2007. Our “princess” helping grandma and grandpa getting the turkey ready. I still think this is an ugly animal. Not so with baby Elin. I have to remind myself about the fact that this little girl is raised in a kindergarten with a farm where they call the pig Bacon and after feeding and cuddling him – they eat him.

This year we will have our turkey feast the second day in Cristmas when everyone is home and can attend.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who celebrate!

Adventures…

…Sunday morning baby Elin knocked on grandma`s door and proclaimed it was time for the breakfast club to go on new adventures. And this Sunday I was invited to go along. Who can say no to an invitation like that?

Even if it was raining…

 

This girl has a lot going for her and one thing is that she likes to take the lead…

 

Not the best of weather but we had a good walk along the coast…

 

And where it is photos there is a layout…

Template – Cathy Zielske.

Walking with baby Elin is a challenge. Walking the public trial is even more challenging. You always meet people walking their dogs and she stops and hug and talk with them all. Most of all she wants to take the dog home with her. Thank God she does not want to take the owner… And she find every mud hole there is. And if we don`t follow her lead she will do a “sit down”. That is why we always bring grandma. It`s her job to get her going again:)