New Year’s Resolutions – we all make them, we all try to stick to them (mostly) and some of us even scrap about them! What is it about the New Year that prompts us to resolve to try to be a better version of ourselves? Is it the blank pages in our new calendars? Is it the sense that some things we set out to do during the last year did not exactly happen as we planned? Is it the possibility of a fresh start?

Whatever our motivator, whether consciously or unconsciously, there is always that idea in the back of our minds that “this year” we will achieve the goals we set up for ourselves at some point in our lives…some of us go at it with more gusto than others…some of us start strong and then set up into a more manageable routine…some of us can laugh at ourselves when making those resolutions…some of us never really get started on those resolutions. But we all make them, one way or another. Even if we make the resolution of not making resolutions this year!

Back to the Basics by Toni Johnson

Supplies: Kit: Vintage Christmas Collab Portion by Ruby Lane, Software: PSE 6, Fonts: Arabic Typesetting.

Design Notes: I was inspired to journal this page now, mostly because it's the time of year that I feel SHOULD be spent with family and friends. Each year that passes by, I realize more and more that family gatherings are happening less and less, and now that I've joined the "grandma club", I feel that I need to make more of an effort to bring this tradition back to the forefront. I feel as though I make more of an effort, if I write it on paper, and somehow it makes me feel more committed to doing it. I chose Heritage Christmas collaboration kit by Ruby Lane Designs and Elise Hansen, because it reminds me of the simpler times, when family was always most important, and Christmas time was filled with beauty and wonder.

Journaling: Since the birth of my Grandson, I have recently decided that I need to try to bring the importance of family gatherings back to the fore front, and make sure they happen on a regular basis. I don’t want to “pencil in” time with my children and grandchildren. I think that everyone has become so wrapped up in their jobs, and the kids so busy with extracurricular activities and events, that family has become less and less important, and put on the back burner. Now that there are extended families, it gets more complicated when trying to make arrangements to get together, especially during the holidays, so I need to be more proactive in making the dates and times known for the gatherings to happen. My parents are in their 80’s and may not have a lot of time left for all of us to get together, and enjoy their company. I have a very large family, so it’s very hard to get all of us together in the same room on the same day, and so we always plan our Christmas celebration in January. Even now, that we have been getting together this way for 10 years, people still have “excuses” as to why they can’t be there. It’s very upsetting to me that my family doesn’t make extra measures to plan on being there for a few hours. Once my parents are gone, I know my family will meet only for a wedding, or a death, and it makes me very sad. I really don’t want this for my immediate family, and so I feel that the time has come for me to get my families importance back to the basics and back on the front burner.

I Resolve in 2011 by Ella Russell

Supplies: Kit: What's Buggin’ You Bundle by Marshmella Designs, Software: Paint shop pro x2, Font: CK Allies Hand.

Design Notes: I love clusters and tend to go heavy on them. Layers and shadows or lack of make or break a good layout.

Journaling: I resolve in 2011 to get things organized. To work on being happier and healthier. To remember my blessings every day, and be thankful for them.

Next Year by Deanna Staley

Supplies: Kit: My Kinda Christmas by Dream Big Designs, Software: Adobe Photoshop Elements 7, Fonts: Santa's Sleigh Full.

Design Notes: I loved the elements in the kit, but still wanted the top layer to remain free and clear for the writing, so I made another layer, shrunk the top layer, and clustered some of the cute elements between the layers, and hanging out under the top layer.

Journaling: Next year I hereby resolve NOT to freak out when the tree isn’t up and decorated by the day after Thanksgiving. We aren't finished decorating the house by the end of the Thanksgiving weekend. The Christmas letter isn’t ready to put in the cards by December 1st. The Christmas cards aren’t mailed by December 3rd. We have to go to the post office to mail the cards because we ran out of stamps. I can't figure what to order for some of the people on my list. All the gifts aren’t ordered by the 10th of December. The gifts aren't delivered when they are supposed to be. The neighbor down the street brings a gift that that was delivered to them by mistake--a week earlier. The gifts aren’t wrapped by December 15th. I can't find my favorite Statler Brother's Christmas CD. The dog chews a hole in my favorite Christmas tablecloth. I can't find the canned Queen Anne Cherries at the grocery store for the 24 hour salad for our Christmas meal. I have to stand in line at Michaels for what seems like three hours to buy some Christmas ribbon to wrap the cookies for the neighbors. All the lines in every store are at least a mile long. Everything doesn't get done at the same time for our meal. Next year I resolve NOT to freak out--not to freak out--not to freak out.