Wednesday 11 December 2013

Scrapbooking Ideas for a Pastel Christmas

I've always thought of myself as pretty conventional when it comes to Christmas decorating. I like red. I like green. I like an "anything goes" tree. But over the past couple of years I've been experimenting. The cards I made this year are bright: cut from paper with a fairground look; so when Get It Scrapped decided to try out Scrapbooking Ideas For A Pastel Christmas, I thought I'd give it a go.

Scrapbooking Christmas with pastels for Get It Scrapped

I explained my thinking over on the Get It Scrapped blog:
“I started this project thinking what pastel conjured up for me: I thought fifties, or earlier, retro sweetness that I could try to update. I flipped through photos looking for something simple and neutral to start with. The deer is a cake decoration and once I found him, I was able to choose a pink paper with a pattern that echoed his antlers.”
“I gave the photo a faded, neutral filter because I didn’t want it competing with the colors of my page. Once I got my retro look I came up with the keep calm theme: maybe not very original any more, but, then again, maybe we all need reminding about it every year! I added darker brown and natural wood touches to keep the pink from becoming too sugary and typewritten journaling to support the retro feel.” 
Keep Calm? My journaling notes that I don't like to see the phrase "your best ever Christmas" on the front of a magazine. Doesn't that sound a little like you're knocking the ones that have come before? It doesn't always have to be better, I think. It just has to be nice.  Most of us probably have an idea of the things we need to achieve nice-ness. I think mine includes

- as many of the family in one place at one time as we can manage
- connections with friends I haven't seen all year
- a few treats to eat
-a clean house, just before the wrapping paper storm hits, so I can do nothing for about a week after
- a haircut so I feel like I've tried (funny the things that end up on the list, isn't it?)
- squeals of delight all round when Christmas morning arrives


And if any of those things just don't happen? There's always next year...


There are more ideas for pastel pages at Get It Scrapped. Oh,and if you check it out, you'll also be able to take a look at the brand new tool Story Swoop.

27 comments:

Sandra said...

Not only did your gorgeous layout bring a smile to me face but so did your list

Barbara Eads said...

Love it! And your sentiments are right on the mark.

Jo said...

Great page and I love your list :)

ComfyMom~Stacey said...

Great page! I have to do my nails to feel like I tried

debs14 said...

Your list is so right. I stopped aspiring to perfect days a long time ago. So long as we are all together, healthy and happy, and that there is enough food and drink to go round, then that is all that really matters!
There's enough stress going around without aiming for perfection!

Helen said...

fabulous layout, AND your notes are so true, LOVE your list, it echoes in my heart

Jennifer Shaw said...

A beautiful pastel page! Love that background sheet! I agree that it isn't necessary to always try to top the last Christmas. I'm trying to book a hair appointment too. haha

Lou said...

Ahhh yes, all the family together in a nice clean house!! This year i'm already getting agitated that the deep clean hasn't commenced and is unlikely too....but you know no-one is going to notice!!!

A super page Sian where you show that pastel works well for Christmas xx

Fiona@Staring at the Sea said...

Such a soft and pretty page. I'm with you, good enough is absolutely enough. Family, friends, food and fun is all you really need.

Maria Ontiveros said...

I love your list. I also like to organize things around the holidays.
And what a lovely, calming color scheme.
By the way, I have a blog cos you want post scheduled for tomorrow with an old Christmas tutorial, as suggested!
I was wondering how you find our which are your most popular posts on pinterest?
Rinda

Unknown said...

Spot on Sian. Christmas is not a competition it is a midwinter festival which for many, many people is also a religious celebration. It is not sponsored by amazon yet :-) My kids have had to deal with a budget (shock and awe) and by gum they have stepped up this couple of years and we work as a team to the budget. Exciting? Not soo much as previous "believing" years but wholehearted and understood and expected (and entering our second year debt free January :-) ).

Great post xxx

Amy said...

I have to say, the whole notion of 'this has to be the best Christmas' or whatever function/celebration really frustrates me! Great page Sian :)

scrappyjacky said...

I rarely use pastel at christmas....but it looks wonderful on this layout....you may have persuaded me to try.
I love your list....and the hairdresser is where I'm going today.

Susanne said...

Pretty page Sian, and I like your philosophy that Christmas just has to be nice. I smiled at your "clean house" on that list - I can relate - I always make sure that I clean house right before we leave on vacation - so that I can do nothing when we get back. Besides, a clean house is a nice balance to the rest of the busy bustling.

Alana said...

I'm laying here sick and wondering how on earth my perpetrations for Christmas will be done in time if I don't get well soon. (A month of colds/sinusitis and coughs) But I've always been left cold by the numerous adverts for the perfect Christmas and make me pretty cross at the pressure it gives some families to have a perfect one. So I'm not going to worry that I haven't filled my handmade crackers or made any mince pies yet or that the oven really needs a clean. I'll do what I can and if I have to it will be aunt Bessie's roast potatoes with our turkey and I'll send the hubby out for cheapie crackers from the corner shop....x

Lisa-Jane said...

Your deer veneer is just so perfect!

Beverly said...

So pretty and it definitely has a 50s feel to it :) Too funny that I just made an appt to get my hair colored so this gray patch isn't showing in pics. I try to ignore the hoopla and remember that Christmas is family and the Christ Child.

Sinead said...

Oh I love this layout Sian! While I like the traditional reds and greens, some of my favourite entries in my Christmas journal so far this year feature lots of grey and white! Also, I totally agree with aspiring to niceness rather than "perfection" (whatever that is!) x

Sandie said...

Pastel isn't a colour I would associate with Christmas but it goes well here. A lovely page and list of things you'd like - a hair cut is on my list for next week :)

Melissa said...

Lovely layout!

Miriam said...

Oh I love your list. 5 of your items would be on my list!

Anonymous said...

The pastel pink really works well here. I love your list and good is good enough. Now I think I'll use the snow storm this weekend to get a lot of house cleaning done and the store bought cards.

alexa said...

Wonderfully soft and pretty - retro and the fifties and pastels are just scrummy together, especially when put together with such style.

Karen said...

This might be one of my all-time favorite layouts. It definitely reflects your message. The wood veneer deer is stunning with the fabric tag! My list of essentials is pretty much the same, and luckily I've already had a good dose of (unexpected) family time!

Anonymous said...

I was excited to see this topic at GIS and your page is gorgeous! And the sentiment is so spot on; I used to be such a perfectionist and it sucked all the joy out; I refuse to do it any more …. too much pressure!

Chantal Vandenberg said...

Love love love this!

Missus Wookie said...

I like the list - I also like to spread my Christmas through the full twelve days, meaning there are lots of chances to get everything done without stress.

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