before, during + after | 30 days of lists december 2015

December is always a busy time. For me, along with the festivities of the Christmas season, I'm also incredibly {and I'm so thankful and grateful for this} busy in the shop.  I'm still working on getting everything together and documented in our December Daily album, but I'm happy to say that my 30 Days of Lists journal is complete.

Generally, I share lists on Instagram and in the Facebook group when I remember to upload there as well. If you follow me, you have probably already seen many of these lists, but if you're new to the blog, welcome...and I hope you enjoy my take on the list prompts.

So let's get started.

30 DAYS OF LISTS | December 2015 Edition


Cover

On the mini white card tag, I stamped Dec 16 just so I can differentiate it from the other 9 journals I already have in my #30lists journal collection. 

Day 1 | December Is For
To me, December is all about family traditions.

I used letter stickers for my list prompt on the front of the folded over kraft bag and I journaled my list on a card in the embellishment pack that is included with your journal.

Day 2 | New Things I Have Tried This Year
Sometimes, the best thing is to spend more time on yourself. And in 2015, I did just that.

Day 3 | Ways To Spread Cheer
Truthfully, sometimes just a smile can make all the difference!

Day 4 | Ways To Survive The Busy Season
I still have a few of my favorite lime green Thickers left {like the #4} and I adore using paper doilies, they seem to sneak into nearly all my mini albums.

Finally, find the label strip used for the title here and kraft journaling strip here.

Day 5 | Songs I'm Listening To Right Now
I used the back of the paper doily for the list number. Early on, I didn't use the back sides of the pages in my listing journals, but the last few challenges I've used them and I'm so glad I have been.

You can find more red tags here.

Day 6 | My Favorite Ways To Be Creative
It would be hard to find a favorite, but here are a few.

list nerd alert

I haven't been very faithful to my blogging schedule for a while now. And I'm sorry. But I've not been slacking off or being unproductive. I'm still working...AND de-stashing just about every room in the house, which has resulted in the creation of huge donation piles, organizing and reorganizing my studio, which has resulted in piles of another sort and just clearing my head.

But I did want to drop in to tell you that the 30 Days of Lists challenge will be back for another March class! Registration opens today and I'd love it if you used my link. I'm a #30lists affiliate and will earn a small fee when you register through my link.

And I'm a sponsor again this round.

FAVORITE LISTS FROM THE PAST
{in no particular order}

This list is a blast from the past from one of the earlier #30lists challenges I participated in. I simply used a roll on white out type dispenser {looks like an adhesive tape roller} to make journaling spots on my dictionary book page. At the time, I can remember feeling pretty crafty to have come up with this idea!

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Shipping tags and glassine bags? Yes, please! This is a technique I use over and over again and so far I haven't tired of it. This time, I attached the glassine bag to my page with washi tape, added my favorite holiday recipes {the list prompts} to colored shipping tags and tucked them all inside.

I wanted to share this list because it's an example of how I used totally random items from my stash, that really have nothing at all to do with the list prompt. I journaled on some very humble graph paper that I snagged from one of the kids.

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Can you tell I'm a fan of tags? And baker's twine? I really like this list because of what I journaled. So true. So me. It looks as if I left one item off...putting off cleaning the bathroom as long as I can. Hate it.

I like this page because I used old-ish letter stickers to attach the Project Life journaling card to the busy background paper. But, I probably like the layered star the best. The Kraft paper coordinates so well with the ric-rac ribbon design of the cardstock.

Find more of this same journal in the shop here.
Find more red shipping tags.

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One of my favorite techniques is to punch a die cut shape from a page or journaling card and let a pattern show through. Or maybe a chipboard element or even a flair button. The map page seemed to tie in perfectly with the list prompt and everyone knows how fun it is to use baker's twine. I added my journaling to labels attached to a kraft bag.

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What's so incredible about this page is its simplicity. I wanted to show how just using a piece of paper and your favorite pen is A-ok, too! One way I like to use up your orphaned letter stickers is to highlight a word in the list prompt.

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Hidden journaling is always fun. To try this out for yourself, add a few foam dots under your die cut shape or chipboard element and slide your journaling strip between the foam dots. Ugh, I hate cleaning the bathroom, don't you?

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At one time, pie charts were all the rage in scrapbook circles. The small white tags are raised by small foam dots and I just adore that heart paper. For this list, I used the back of the previous page, which I don't normally do.

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WHAT I'LL BE USING

I'm a creature of habit and will be using a journal similar to the ones I have created and used for my previous nine 30 Days of Lists challenges. Now, that's not to say that I won't sneak in a list or two in a traveler's notebook like many list fans already do, especially on those days when my only me time is when I'm in the school pick up line. 

Want to use this same journal ? Find it here.

THE CLASS

I so enjoy this concept and think you will, too. You can create your own journal, buy a journal from my shop, or just post your lists on Facebook or Instagram. There are no rules, just fun! Find out more details and registration information, there's even a bundle pack.

SPECIAL OFFER

Use the coupon code ILOVELISTS for a 20% discount on your purchases in the shop. Stock up on supplies, mini books or add a charming art print to your cart. And when you use the code ILOVELISTS, I'll also send you this extra little crafting kit, seen below, while supplies last. Each kit is somewhat different but will contain similar items.

MORE LINKS

Similar 30 Lists mini albums are here.

Read more of my #30Lists posts, including past classes I've taken.

Find my List Love board on Pinterest here.

thankful thursday

My word of the year is GRATITUDE.

And I am reminded daily of the simple things in life I am grateful for. You know, an unexpected kindness on a day that is going all wrong, wrong, wrong. Or finding that you have all the ingredients for a meal when you thought you were going to have to go to the grocery store. Or a smile. Or a hug.

More about my One Little Word in another post.

Enter the giveaway below to be eligible to win this "Gratitude" journal from the shop.
See more gratitude journaling options here.
Read more Gratitude Journal posts here.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

wright now | january 2016

The kids are back in school today and now I'm ready to jump back on the blogging bandwagon. I'll be bringing back some projects from the past, reworking some ideas and brewing up new ways to wow and amaze you. Just kidding. Well, maybe not.

I let blogging take a back seat because I felt that I wasn't getting any feedback or a response. Everyone likes a comment now and then. But, then, I realized that I'm not really doing it for anyone other than myself. So there you go, that's my story.

I haven't done a Wright Now in a while, so here's what's going on in our world right now.

1  |  I'm signed up for the Inspiration Wednesday series of classes with the wildly talented Donna Downey and today's the first video! I've known of Donna for years and my buddy Kate has even been lucky enough to travel to North Carolina to take a class with her in person. I purchased the video tutorial so that I could make my own cover, but purchased the inside signature booklet {at Kate's recommendation} so that I could be on the "same page" as Donna while I try to figure out if I even have an artistic bone in my body. I'm creative, yeah, but artistic? Not so sure about that one. But, I'm gonna have fun giving it a go and letting my inner wild child emerge!

2  |  I let time get away from me before Christmas break so we'll be gifting a supply of Expo markers with a new eraser and spray cleaner to teachers for a Happy New Year gift of appreciation along with a gift card to Target. And we didn't forget the Teacher's Aides either, they're getting a Target gift card, too. Because, really, who can't find something they NEED at Target?

3  |  All 5 of us found one of these t-shirts under the tree this year and they were a hit! They come in women's, men's and children's sizes. And all 50 states. And they have other way awesome goodies, too. Plus, they sell on Etsy, too, so that makes me smile! Don't worry, the guys got orange...not pink!

4  |  As someone who is shamefully terrible at removing her makeup in the evening, I picked these up a few nights ago while we were at Target. In the past, I've used similar cleansing cloths from Neutrogena, but found that they were much too drying for my skin. I haven't used the CeraVe long enough to have an opinion, yet, and would love to know if you have any recommendations for cleansing cloths.

5  |  I bought three of these as gifts for Christmas. One for me and one for each of the girls. Initially, only Victoria was excited about the journal, but as Isabella began reading the prompts and saw that Victoria and I were so into it, she warmed to the idea. As they get older, I want to still have Mommy time with the girls and thought that this little journal would spark creativity in us all and a few interesting conversations as well.

hello 2016

HELLO 2016, it's so nice to meet you.

And have I got plans for you, so watch out!

I don't make formal resolutions, but do have ideas in my head on things I want to improve upon. Or try. Or do. Or not do.

How about you? Resolutions...yes or no?