Christmas Day

4 days later and Christmas Day is still a blur. Christmas Day is always busy for us, we do both families in one day. Which sometimes seems alittle nuts, but we wouldn't have it any other way. Things might change when we start a family, but who knows. This year Christmas lunch was at our place, my WH (wonderful husband) wanted to make a lasagane so we went with an Italian theme, with a simple green salad & Panatone for dessert. Though it didn't look like a lot of food, everyone was pretty stuffed by the end of the meal.

Thought that I would also share a few pictures from our day, we bought a new point & shoot camera for ourselves for Christmas so all the pictures we taken using our new toy. Still learning the features but I really like how the pictures came out.

1. first thing when we got up was opening our presents to each other, we got some really lovely presents from friends & family that couldn't be with us for Christmas Day.

2. Christmas lunch with my family always usually ends with us all playing Wii or playing board games, it's traditions like these that make Christmas so special.

3. Christmas dinner was at my WH's (wonderful husband) brothers house, we had a candle centre piece which our nephew just loved blowing out again & again (he loves birthday cakes because of the candles too!!!)

4. Love this picture of my WH, I was playing with our new camera. I am going to love learning how to get the best out of this camera.

5. Our nephew might just have some natural drumming ability. This was the first Christmas that our nephew realised that he would be given presents, and this was one of his favourites.

Thought I would share some pictures of our Christmas tree, my favourite decoration are the small photoframes that have photos of our family. Though some of the photos are going to have to be changed as they are alittle dated and old.

We have had this tree since before me and my WH (wonderful husband) were married, so it's alittle over 5 years old. I still love it, traditions are what makes this time of year special.

Let Christmas begin.....with a freebie!!!!

OMG!!!!! It is almost that time of year again, yep....Christmas.

Christmas for us is a month long event, starting Dec 1 when we get out our decorations, decorate the house inside & out. We literally light up the street!

My husband is adamant that we do nothing Christmasie until December, including not going anywhere near the Christmas sections of any store (which can be quite difficult!). But for me November is when I start, shopping for presents (actually start this in October, like to get in as early as possible), thinking about our Christmas card photo, how I am going to personalise each family members wrapped gift and planning Christmas parties.

A family Christmas photo is something we started doing last year. I love last years photo, it was a cute as picture of our pet bird Curios that I digitally added a santa hat to. It was a big hit with our friends & family, soooo cute if I do say so myself. To make the cards I used a free card template by Becky Higgins, she is one of my favourite scrapbookers & I am so in love with her Project Life kit (would love to have one but might have to wait till this time next year!). Becky is doing it again with offering free card templates on her website!

This year the cards weren't designed by Becky but by her readers, she held a competition for people to design a card template, and she has ended up with five beautiful cards. I have already downloaded my copy (of all 5 and in all sizes, but you can download only what you want). These cards templates are a great & fast way to create your 2010 Christmas card that you can print & send in the mail, send digitally or even post of your blog or website. So many options!!!!!

Click here to go Becky's website and get your free Christmas card templates!

L-O-V-E this time of the year

It's November and its spring.....well it's trying to be spring. Personally I am sitting here in jeans, t-shirt & jumper. But I was in shorts, shirt & hat yesterday while at the beach with our Church's Young Adults group, who organised a bbq and a swim at the beach for the international students form our local Uni. Great day! Unlike the cool conditions we have today, yesterday was warm and I even got sunburn (not really happy about that, though not a bad sunburn it is in a not so nice spot on the back of my left knee).

November is also when I start thinking, planning and doing stuff for Christmas. Yep you heard it Christmas. Can't believe it, the year as per usual has flown by and we are now gearing up for what would have to be the busiest day of the year for us.

It is also the time when some of my favourite scrappers start doing their annual christmas projects, two of my favs are Ali Edwards December Daily and Jessica Sprauge who hold a free (yes free) digital scrapbooking class. Last years was holidays in hand, it was great! I am thinking of doing the class again (as I have it saved) as this years way of documenting the Christmas season.

This years free class is called Inspiration Everywhere

Click here or on the picture on the side of my blog to find out more and sign up yourselves. I do really enjoy Jessica's classes, she is a great teacher and I have learnt some great new digital techniques.