December Countdown and Project 12 - October reveal and December sketch!

It's here, it's here!  December 1st is finally here!  And with that this is also here...

The inaugural December Countdown with SCT magazine!  We asked 24 of our favourite designers to share holiday cards, tags and gifts to inspire you the entire month of December and they did not disappoint!  Join us each day on the SCT website as we share their creations and, we'll also share instructions on how to make each one.  Make SCT your first stop each morning during December to see what these fabulous designers have shared each day!

 

For those following Project 12, get comfy as Davinie has some great inspiration to share with you also...

"Hello December.  The year is almost at it’s end.  For me, it’s really hard to get crafty this time of year, and yet my camera is out all season long.  There is a lot of life to live and document, so I continue to push myself to ensure it all gets documented for my kiddos to look back on one day!

At my house, October is filled with school, the pumpkin patch, and Halloween.  The house starts to smell like pumpkins and pie, the candles turn from washed linen, honeydew melons and fresh cut grass, to baked goods, and harvest apples.  The leaves start to fall, and fall sports are in full force (but this year, the girls decided to take a break from fall soccer, and I wasn’t complaining).

Here at Project 12, we had yet another fun sketch from Becky to be inspired by.  As a reminder, this is what it looked like:

 

As I was first studying the sketch, I admit, I struggled.  The photo sizes scared me a wee bit.  I decided to let it inspire me, as sketches should, and altered a few things to fit my comfort zone and my available photos.  This is what I came up with:

 

 

I took all these photos at the pumpkin patch of guords, pumpkins, the scenery, and thought stacking them up on my layout would be a fun way of incorporating these photos into my albums.

Peeking at the contributions, here’s a couple of submissions that caught my eye.

This first one is from Jacqueline, and this is her first time playing along with the challenge.  What a great contribution! 

 

I love the photo corners framing the layout, and the use of the blue backdrop from her journaling spot, pulled from the bits of blue in the patterned paper.  It really pops.  And look at that kitten!

I also wanted to share this one from Jen:

 

One of the things I love most about Becky’s sketches, as I’ve mentioned before, is her great big journaling blocks.  It’s my favorite part of each and every sketch.  The thing that first stood out to me with Jen’s layout, is how she made that spot wide, used that half circle of patterned paper (which I adore), and managed to cram a small novella in there about her month.  I.  LOVE.  THAT.  There is so much history and personality in one small space that further tell her family’s story.  Kidding aside, you know that’s my favorite part of this challenge. 

I was looking back on some of my first layouts from 2008, and initially, it was for me about getting some of those extra photos on a layout and telling a quick visual story.  I used labels and just jotted names or a date with each photo I used.  I’m so glad that eventually I wised up and started telling the stories.  The little things.  Someday I’m going to forget the little things, but I don’t want to.  And that’s it, period.

There are some changes ahead in 2012 (more on that later) but I wanted to make sure you know how important this challenge is to me and how much I value this process. With this challenge I’ve been lucky enough to get opportunities for prizes if you play along, and for the October sketch, our own Becky Fleck provided us with two copies of Pagemaps 2 to give away.  Becky has created the sketches for this challenge, so of course this prize is a must have! 

The winner of Pagemaps 2 from my blog is:  Kana. 

The winner of Pagemaps 2 via the SCT blog or the Facebook submissions is: Paislee Petals (Karen)!

Congratulations ladies!  Be sure to email ideas@scrapbookandcards.com as the winner of  the October P12 sketch prize!

Now that November is over, it’s time to work with the November sketch we revealed on November 1st.  Brace yourselves:

I look at this sketch and I don’t only see photos in those photo spots.  That’s how I plan to approach it.  What are you going to do?  Be sure to link your November layouts to THIS post from November 1st.

Going forward we have one more sketch from Becky for 2011’s Project 12 album!  I think this one is simple, elegant, and a PERFECT sketch to capture December:

 

Thank you again for playing along, and don’t forget, if you want to play for a prize, link your December layouts to TODAY's post.

Want to know what your playing for?  Check out what Pink Paislee has in store for our winner...the ENTIRE beautiful Snow Day collection!

 

I used this line as part of an assignment for the winter issue (which releases tomorrow!!!) and there are some great prints in this collection.  It’s a must have!  And word has it that Pink Paislee's annual December event is going on right now HERE.  Be sure to check it out!

Have a great month!  We can't wait to see your November sketches!  And just a little hint, if you complete Project 12 for 2011, we will have an extra special prize just for you!

~ Davinie

(Don't forget the winter issue launches here tomorrow...and its Friday ;)

Comments

[Kathy P]

Love Becky's sketches, and I am definitely going to do Nov and Dec...I have procrastinated long enough!

[Jen Day]

Can I please say that I love this project, truly I do. Twice this year I was late with my submissions but because of the little anecdotes ( Or Novellas ;) ) of my daily life, I powered through and completed them. Thank you for always providing so much inspiration and kind words. Happy Holidays!

[Tracey H]

Wow, what great sketches. I already see have ideas for a few.

[Susan]

Love the new Pink Paislee Collection. Can't wait to use it! Thanks for all the great inspiration!

[Darla Weber]

Here is my December P12 layout! I can't believe I completed a layout for all 12 months. It has been a lot of fun getting caught up on layouts I may not have taken the time to work on if it hadn't been for P12. Thanks!

http://darlaweber.blogspot.com/2011/12/december-project-12.html

[Roslyn]

I finally finished November's page a little late, but also was able to do December's page very early (so nice to have a few days off after the rush of Christmas is done!). I've now completed two full years of Project 12! They are both posted here:
http://roslyn-thebendintheroad.blogspot.com/2012/01/project-12-november-and-december.html

I'm looking forward to seeing what's coming for 2012 - a hoping for a change of some sort to keep it fresh and exciting!

[NinaN]

December is done! Such a relaxing sketch after November's!

http://ninastimeout.blogspot.com/2012/01/happy-new-year-project-12.html

Can't wait to see what's planned for 2010!

[Lynne]

Here is my December Project 12! I am so excited to have posted each and every month this year on time! Feels good to have a project I can keep up with! Thanks for the wonderful series!

http://lynnek67.blogspot.com/2012/01/december-project-12.html

[Alison Day]

Here's my December layout
http://adayinthelifeor5.blogspot.com/2012/01/i-know-its-only-january-3rd-and-usually.html

I've had a total blast with the project for the past 2 years so I'm really glad it is continuing. Can't wait to see what the new format will be! Thanks SCT and a big thanks to Davinie for all your hard work!!

[Jen Day]

My December...Thanks for a great year of inspiration!
http://jdscrappy.blogspot.com/2012/01/december-project-12.html

[Vanessa]

Here's mine http://scrapbookjourney.blogspot.com/2012/01/project-12-december.html

[RubyM]

Here is my sketch for December 2011.
http://rubym-inspiredscrapper.blogspot.com/

[Agata]

Here's my take: http://underconstruction-agata.blogspot.com/2012/01/un-jour-special-2-special-day-2-project.html

[Heaney]

Here is my December layout http://paperpapier.blogspot.com/2012/01/sct-project-12-2011-december.html
Thank you SCT for having this Project 12, it has been a very good learning platform for me.

[kana]

Here is my December page

http://mysweetscrappytime.blogspot.com/2012/01/project-12-day120.html

I still can't believe I could finish all the pages through the year. Thank you so much for a lots of inspiration. I was so happy last night to see my daughter looking at her 2011 album!!

[Cynthia B.]

Here is my Dec. 2011 page:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47273565@N06/6758444349/

Thanks again for the challenges these past couple of years! I'll miss Becky's 2-pg sketches; 2-pagers are more difficult for me, so I always tried to use her sketch as a framework. For 2012, I plan to continue the monthly layouts using 1-page collage format. We'll see how it goes!