Merry Memories from the team…and a CHALLENGE :o)

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Hi guys :o)  SP here!  Hope you are all having a great week and are finding yourselves all ready and prepared for the FAST-approaching holidays!  I know that I am MUCH closer after a few days of shopping and decorating and wrapping and making grocery lists, lol!  At least I feel like I am SOMEWHAT organized…even if there are still LOTS of action items on the list, lol!

Don’t miss the CHALLENGE at the bottom of the post (complete with prizes)!

Anyway…back to the post, lol!  I thought it would be so fun if our blog team all scrapped photos from their childhood holidays!  I have to tell you that I think we all enjoyed the process very much!  Well…actually, I’m not sure that ANY of us enjoyed trying to edit those ‘old’ photos…but that’s not what is important!  Just the fact that we have some photos is a blessing!  So, we’ll take the bad with the good, lol!  I have to also tell you that it was a great confirmation to me…reminding me of why I scrap and that it is such a worthwhile ‘thing’ for me to do!  My mom (hi mom, lol) is amazing…she is truly the quintessential mother…but her memory is not what it once was, lol!  She has closets full of boxes and albums with photos from probably 100 years or so.  That’s great, right?  IT IS, it really is!  Sadly, the problem is that she cannot remember anything about most of those photos…including where or when they were taken (in some, she is not even sure WHO the people are, lol)!  We have spent a LOT of time on the phone over the past couple of weeks…going back and forth trying to determine what year all of my kid Christmas photos were from.  Unfortunately, there is only one year we are SURE of, lol…the rest are all guesses and estimates based on the background (trying to figure out what house it was, thinking that might spark a memory, lol)!  I guess my point is that I am so happy that our little man will at least know a little bit about the photos I have scrapped.  My ‘creative’ style or page designs might not be anything he will care for, lol…but at least the facts will be there for him (and me, too – since my memories are already beginning to fade)!

So, how about some FUN layouts with our childhood pics?  Just a note:  we often decrease the size of our layouts here on the blog so that it doesn’t take forever to load…but I just couldn’t bring myself to do that here, lol!  Most of our photos are already so small because ‘way back when’…that’s just how they were, lol!  And, I want you to be able to really see how sweet these are :o)

The first two are mine (SP)!  You’ll notice on this one (letter from santa)…I had to put 1980ish, lol!  Mom was not sure of the date or location…so there wasn’t much for me to ‘say’ on the page!  I mentioned that I actually remember the letter (or at least the look of it) and really like the excitement in my expression :o)  I know that this doesn’t look like a super traditional Christmas page…but I wanted to coordinate with the blue in the photo (which was tiny, of course) :o)  

Thankfully, on this next one – we actually know the date and location…YAY!  I do not have many specific memories of this age or particular Christmas…but I do remember having (and loving) a lite-brite, lol!  I also remember having a baby doll that went potty…only because I very clearly remember making her poo on my dad’s leg one time, lolol!  Now, THAT is a memory (wonder if he remembers?) :o)  Oh…and the toy typewriter…I always asked for office supplies, lol!  Loved playing pretend office or cashier or anything like that :o)

 OK…enough of me, lol!  thanks again, mom, for taking on the task of going through the mountains of photos to find a few for me :o)

Let’s see…who’s next?!  How about we move on to Kylie who also scrapped two pages for this ‘challenge’!  This first one (which are her first Christmas morning photos!) is sooooo beautiful and perfectly girlie!  I love the tiny little pics…especially the one with Kylie and her mom sitting on the floor!  What a beautiful photo and memory :o)  Of course, the page design is gorgeous – love all of the little squares surrounded by various elements and journaling! 

 Next from Kylie…oh my, that journaling!  What a wonderful Christmas memory (it might be too small for you to read here, so be sure to check out her gallery post)…I LOVED reading about her ‘Santa Sack or Christmas pillow case”!  Definitely a treasured memory and one worthy of being scrapped!  And, how adorable are those pics?  All of the layers of elements really just make me happy!  GORGEOUS!

 Moving on…let’s visit Lu’s childhood :o)  I just ADORE that photo…look at the BIG, pink, stuffed DOG (named Ricky), lol!  It is such a sweet photo and Lu scrapped it perfectly!  It’s so fun that you can see the Christmas tree in the background…and the journaling is just perfect!

 Next up, we have Beckie :o)  I have to say that she looks EXACTLY the same now, lol!  You know how some of us hardly resemble the baby versions of ourselves…well, not this one :o)  I would know that was Beckie any day – sooooo cute!  Great little pics…especially love the ‘portrait’ (just look at that smile)!  But really, the page design here is just gorgeous – love the elements and the ‘flow’ of the page :o) 

How about a peek into Karen’s past? :o)  Even though she did not have any photos to scrap…she didn’t let that stop her!  She had a great memory of a specific toy and chose to add a pic of that…and focus on her memory/journaling – LOVE it :o)  The memories are just as important as the pics and when you don’t have one…go with the other!  And, you’ll have to read the journaling to find out that miss Karen discovered her precious doll a little early, lol!  Too funny – and such an ADORABLE page…total perfection! 

Like Karen, Anna also could not get her hands on any of her Christmas photos…so she scrapped her FIRST Christmas memory…which is definitely worth a read, lol!  I’m pretty sure she made the ‘naughty’ list that year, LOL!  Not really, Anna is too sweet…and, who doesn’t peek under the tree?! LOL…love this page…the design and the focus on the story :o)

And, last (but certainly not least)…we have Trish :o)  And, while her photo isn’t quite as ‘old’ as the rest of ours lol – I love that it still has that ‘vintage’ look and feel to it!  It is so cute that there is someone sitting in the background (isn’t that what Christmas morning is like so often…everyone sitting on the floor, gathered around the tree)…and her little dress…and the expression, lol!  CUTE CUTE CUTE!  adorable page, too (especially the gingerbread boy and girl peeking out behind the tree, he he)!

So, there you have it…a glimpse into our childhoods!  Again, this was so much fun and something I hope we can do every now and then (it’s great motivation for scrapping some of our ‘old’ photos…which are not always at the top of the list…especially since they take a bit of extra effort)!

Now…how about a CHALLENGE?  We would LOOOOOOVE to see some of YOUR childhood holiday photo layouts (though you can do what Karen did if you do not have a photo)!  So, we are challenging you to find some of your ‘kid’ pics from holidays past and scrap them!  You have until January 6th (that’s three weeks from today) to post your layouts in the Shoppe’s BLOG CHALLENGES gallery!  We’ll go through all of the submissions and choose our favorite THREE (to be announced on January 8th)!  Each ‘winner’ will receive a $10 gift card to the Shabby Shoppe!  So, scrap away and enjoy the nostalgia…it truly is wonderful to take a trip down memory lane every now and then (especially when the memories are of fun holidays and time with family and friends)!  We can’t wait to see your entries :o)  BE SURE TO POST A LINK to your page in the Shoppe’s gallery IN THE COMMENTS SECTION of THIS post to be entered into the challenge :o)

Thanks for stopping by – have a great day (or night)!  Be sure to stop back by tomorrow as we will have TWO new posts for you!  Lu will be cooking up something yummy…and Kylie will be sharing a hybrid project with us!

And, a tiny little P.S.!  You’ll notice the SHOPPE POLL way up there on the right side of the page?  If you are a fan of our FREE monthly desktops…please take a moment to vote for your size!  We want to make sure we are creating the sizes you guys want/need…and the two with the most votes ‘win’ :o)  THANKS a bunch for participating!

Shabby PrincessInspiration, Other Challenges, Uncategorized 29 Comments