[weekly mojo series] ideas for advent

With December 1st quickly approaching (okay, seriously, didn't school just start a couple of weeks ago? Where did those months go???), I thought it would be a great time to share some Advent calendar ideas with you. I've gleaned most of these from Pinterest, of course. What I like about these ideas is that many of them focus on quick and easy ways to encourage you to slow down, spend some special time with family, and focus on creating holiday memories and traditions. The best part is that, by keeping your camera handy and snapping a photo (just one or two) at each event, you've got the makings of a perfect Christmas album when you're done.

Here are a few of my favorite Advent projects.

 Being an avid reader, I love the idea of wrapping new and old Christmas stories for Advent and opening a new one each day. Susan Weinroth just shared a great post about how she organizes this project. 

Although the ornaments in this image from Pottery Barn are all store-bought, you could easily create a handmade ornament each day to hang on your tree. 

 It doesn't matter how you organize it -- pockets, banners, tiny boxes. The Advent calendar I love the most shares special traditions and ideas on each day, so that the focus is on the EXPERIENCE, something I treasure more and more each year as my girls get older. 

Want more ideas? Check out our Persnickety Post about creating your own holiday traditions here. Tiffany's class (with Mye and Karla's lovely kits) would be a great way to put all these memories together into a gorgeous album when you're finished. Ali's photo overlays are another great tool to use on your photos. Did you happen to catch our post about our Instagram Memory Tree? With just a little tweaking, you've got another awesome option for your December Advent Calendar. 

Until next week, keep the mojo flowin'!

Aud

How To Create Star Bursts In Your Photos

How To Create Star Bursts In Your Photos 

The lights of Christmas are magical. Make even more magic with a quick technique to turn your photograph’s lights into stars.
Two things help create star bursts, a small aperture and slow shutter speed. If you hand hold your camera your results will be blurry, so grab your tripod or flat firm surface. This technique works best with traditional Christmas lights. LED lights, not so well.

1. Place your camera on a tripod or stable surface.
   
2. Select Aperture Priority Mode (A or AV).
   
3. Move your Aperture to f/22, your camera will select the appropriate shutter speed.
   
4. Focus on your subject. Manual focus may be necessary in low light situations.
   
5. Select your self timer mode to avoid any camera shake.
   
6. Press the shutter. Your camera’s shutter will remain open for longer than your typical photo.
   
7. Check your results. A star burst will appear around each of the lights in your photo.
   

No star burst? Close your aperture more (a bigger f/ number).
Play with your aperture and shutter speed combination to see the stars you can create. 

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Ready to take holiday photos you love? Join Katrina for Your Holidays Captured Through The Lens  a two-week online class. Class begins December 4th. 

To Enter: Visit captureyour365.com come back here and leave a comment telling us one thing you'd like to learn to improve your photography skills.
Contest Closes: November 28th, midnight MST. One winner will be chosen at random, contacted & posted here.

>> CONTEST CLOSED <<

WINNER is Shantell! (please email contest@persnicketyprints.com)
Thank you ALL for participating. You can still take this class- and find all kinds of photography tips at captureyour365.com!

Class is delivered through 7 downloadable PDF’s, two videos, and a LIVE webinar (that is also recorded) No need to be anywhere at a specific time during your busy holidays! YOU can make this class fit YOUR schedule.

-Katrina Kennedy

Katrina Kennedy is passionate about documenting the everyday moments of her life.
Visit CaptureYour365 for ideas+inspiration+support for your everyday photography. Get on her
list for free daily photography prompts.

24 December Traditions

I am a sucker for Traditions. 

Love them. 

 Traditions give us the expected, 

something to look forward to, and something to pass on.

With the help of our readers, we have compiled 24 Ideas for December Traditions, you may already be doing, or you may want to start!

Click on the image for a printable PDF.

Happy Holidays!

Feel free to add your favorite December traditions in the comments below.

Heart of the Holidays {a giveaway}

‘Tis the Season

Tiffany Tillman’s popular 25 Days of Templates workshop is back and this season we will capture the Heart of the Holidays!

25 Days of Templates began as an online workshop in 2009, and each year since, it has helped hundreds of digital scrapbookers record their favorite December memories. This year’s focus presents weekly presentations featuring the best album strategy, photography, and digital technique lessons from previous editions. And new this year, are Monday - Friday journaling prompts by master storyteller, Sara Gleason of plant your story.

Heart of the Holidays | 60 Templates

Every participant will receive 60 coordinating templates separated into three album sizes – a $72 value! Twenty 12×12 templates, twenty letter-sized templates, and twenty 8×8 templates.

 PLUS- you'll get this digital mega-kit by Karla Dudley and Mye De Leon!
 You’ll have everything you need to complete a fabulous album!

Enter to win a seat in this class! ($45 value)

Share one favorite December memory or tradition in the comments below. 
What you share may spark a new tradition for another reader!

WE LOVE Christmas Traditions! We're thinking about compiling these ideas into a Printable PDF available for a quick download. If you don't want your "tradition" included- let us know.
Traditions are memories, and they can live on for generations! Thank you for sharing yours.

One entry per person. 
Contest closes Monday November 26, 5:00pm MST. 
Winner will be contacted and posted here.
Sign up for this class now! Winner will be reimbursed if necessary. 


>> contest closed <<
congrats to Tammy! Our randomly selected winner for the Heart of the Holidays workshop!