Working in my 2020 Christmas Journal

[@rafaelaneumeister2052]

Just had another thought on how to use those yo-yos, and I know this looks gorgeous because I’ve made several. Make a crosscut at the back of the yo-yo (remove cardboard) and insert each yo-yo onto a fairy light through the cut you made, then hot glue the cut area onto the plastic base of each light. Puff your yo-yos so they look more like a flower bulb instead of a flat circle, then switch on your fairy lights and enjoy the beautiful colours and whimsical feel they throw in your room. Hope these ideas managed to repay in some way for all the inspiration you give us, and I also hope you have a blessed Christmas x

[@Solaeandcraft]

It’s great that you can look at a picture and how it brings back so many wonderful memories

[@barbaracheatham692]

Listening to you talk about working in retail brings back fond memories. My first job in 1970 was a high end ladies and young ladies store. I loved that job. Should have stayed in that line of work as fashion, jewelry and sales has always been a love. We had the alterations department. When the floor was slow I would help out with hand hemming. We sold furs too. I loved doing the front windows. I worked for an hourly wage but also got commission after a certain dollar amount of sales that month. I was the only teenager that worked and made commissions. Memory lane......❤️

[@MelanieSullivan]

Oh my goodness... doing the windows was one of my favorite parts of the job!

[@irisramos3038]

Those tea bag pouches make cute little pockets!

[@valerievalagator6780]

shout out! Enjoyed your basement fur vault story.

[@Karma111284]

I so miss your journal making videos so it was nice to see this one pop up. Maybe you could sell some of the clusters as a lot to destash I know I currently don't have any and would definitely purchase some. 😁 thanks for the video. Also I have a ton of yoyos also and for the life of me cant figure out a good way to use them.

[@rafaelaneumeister2052]

Hello Christy, check out some of the ideas I wrote for the yo-yos. The fairy lights on is truly beautiful, especially if you have young girls in your family. I personally have these lights I made in all different colours wrapped around a dried magnolia branch in a vase on my dresser - and I’m a young girl of 40+ 😉

[@eddielucero998]

Hi Melanie. Love your video When my son was at the naval academy and we drove to Annapolis I made yo yos using Christmas fabric. Lots and lots of yo yos. When I ran out of fabric, l made my husband stop at hobby lobby, michaels,joannes,or a quilt store to purchase more.. Coming back I started putting them together the yo-yo quilt fits my twin bed. Have fun thinking of ways to use your yo-yos. Have a great week

[@RobinfromCA]

I stuck with you to the end! I really enjoyed your reminiscing as I too am very nostalgic for the days when departments stores were like fantasy lands full of wishes of every kind. They were especially magical at Christmastime. I was born in Oakland, CA and have spent my life in Cupertino/San Jose but will soon move to Texas. When I was a little girl we always had a big shopping day up in The City during the holidays. The windows of Macy's and I. Magnin were what children's dreams were made of. The day always included a visit to The City of Paris to see the three story tall Christmas tree and then to a florist called Podesta Baldocchi where the whole place was full of Christmas trees with every color theme possible. That's where we bought our new ornament every year. Every aisle of every store and every street corner were filled with Christmas. Now, Christmas decor is almost non-existent in the retail world here. It's sad to see.

[@carolynboykin-fyelifeinreview]

I didn’t make what I would call a Christmas journal but I made a December Daily using Christmas papers. I made sure to take a picture of myself every day and I tried including my husband in but I think he was getting tired of me taking pictures of him so I stopped on I think about the 22/23rd with him and just took pictures of myself but I did take one of him on Christmas Day. I enjoy your videos and love when they pop up in my notifications.

[@debbiesavage7107]

I loved Pier 1! I went to their store over forty years ago to get loose black tea. It was quite a drive so i didn’t go often but that’s the only place, at that time, where i could get the tea. These days, i only drink green tea. I loved their rugs, too! I was bummed when they went out of business even though i didn’t shop there often.

[@marymcmullen6902]

Shout out from me 😊! Your videos make me smile. You are a woman of many talents.

[@bettylongshore9594]

Seems I remember from my youth hearing something about leaving the paper pattern inside the yoyos when you make them. Then you wash whatever you make and the paper dissolves so its no problem. Now the cardboard would probably leave residue inside but I don't know if it would be a problem. If you are using the yoyos in crafting, just glue them in and don't worry about sewing them in.

[@roseoakone]

I’ve been here watching your video , I love your ideas

[@aliciajipson8718]

This year my Xmas journal is more like a smash book ( in the past I made them with soft covers covered in holiday themed fabrics and I loved them ) housed in an old / thrift store bought , 6 ring , A six, red cover....I like the fact that the pages are removable...in the beginning I was not sure if I was going to like it but is growing up on me....I am really behind in filling up the pages myself. Thanks so much for sharing your progress and the challenges you face when working on your beautiful projects. They are such an inspiration!

[@MelanieSullivan]

Love your Christmas journal idea! I like being able to remove pages to work on them and then put them back in. Take care!

[@BobRobinathome]

Love hanging out with your videos so yes I stuck it out to the end. I'm taking care of my long list of catchup desk chores like bill paying, thank you notes, new year list making, and thinking about my 2021 journal making. Also, I worked for an old time Department store right out of college. I trained in the Drapery work room which was in the basement! Happy year ahead Melanie!

[@EmilyKariya]

Ohhhh I would LOVE to see how you made that gorgeous soft cover. The fabric is stunning and now I'm tempted to make a soft cover fabric journal next!

[@MelanieSullivan]

I'll definitely will share that soon. It was fun to make.

[@creatingwithsandi]

thanks for sharing. Christmas crack made me LOL!!!

[@sylstelten]

Usually I wanted to do a separate december journal, but for 2020 I was not that in the mood. Other years I did. I love your video, thanks for that. I wish for you all the best for this year. Lots of love and warm regards...

[@MelanieSullivan]

I totally understand, Sylvia. I probably should have just skipped a Christmas/December journal for 2020 and included our holidays in my regular journal. It's really sad how empty and boring this Christmas journal ended up. Thank you for the well wishes! Happy new year to you and yours!

[@marilynziesmer287]

I stuck with you. Loved your stories. Please tell more. Clusters are addictive, they are like lays you can't eat just one. Big hugs. Stay safe. She may have been going to make ornaments.

[@keepingupwithkristal1306]

I made it to the end and enjoyed the video and the chat.

[@rafaelaneumeister2052]

I stuck with you all the way Melanie! Love hearing your rambles always! YO-YOs - First thing I thought of as soon as I saw them was: “They’d look great made up into a garland and wrapped around the Christmas Tree!”. Maybe that’s the why of the cardboard?… If you don’t like the cardboard you could try soaking grouped colours in water to soften the cardboard; then crunch the yo-yo in your hand and try to pull out the cardboard with tweezers through the hole. Don’t know if it will work, but worth a try.... So much work and beautiful fabrics - you must find a way to use them. Let us know what you make with them once you do x

[@MelanieSullivan]

Best idea ever, Rafaela! I'm going to make a video of how the garland turned out. Thank you for the idea!

[@CordeliaEarle]

I stayed til the end. I'm a newbie to your channel. I loved the reminiscing.

[@lauraclaiborne9831]

WOW!WOW!WOW! I loved this video. Please sell some of your clusters. They're beautiful. Thank you.....

[@Charlievintage2808]

Hello :) I just found your channel today and love it!! Charlotte 🇨🇦💕

[@ajsinspiredlife665]

Love love love the long chatty videos! Love those Christmas clusters!!! I remember so much of what you talked about with the stores in the past ... I do miss them also! And we were some of the crazy people in line for beanie babies 😂 no idea why you would leave the cardboard in ... but Super easy to use in journals now !

[@MelanieSullivan]

The only reason I wasn't in line for Beanie Babies, Allison, is that I was working! 😁 I acquired an embarrassingly large collection of those things, which I still have. I never let my daughter play with them, but I and had flashbacks of the Beanie Baby days when my daughter was into Webkinz.

[@ajsinspiredlife665]

@@MelanieSullivan oh yes! We have ours too ( some we sold) and oh my! Yes the web Kins! Those were fun and my kids LOVED those!!!

[@aliceadler4569]

Fabulous books. No, I’ve never made a Christmas book. I may make one this year 2022.

[@samanthavanlaar8615]

I missed you! Of course I stuck til the end 😉

[@CreatedbyCatherine]

I stayed to the end as always. I loved hearing about life in department stores in the US. Sadly they are declining here in the UK too. One of my faves is Gallerie Lafayette in Paris, don't know if you've seen it. So beautiful. I have made a Christmas journal but like you nothing exciting to write about. I am doing December daily in my channel as it is my first year filming. It's much harder than I expected. Keep safe x Catherine

[@MelanieSullivan]

I love, love, love Galleries Lafayette! I was there one year between Thanksgiving and Christmas and it was decorated for the holidays. It's like a shopping dreamland!

[@updatedjustnow271]

I watched the whole thing. Thank you for making the video. Hope you are well.😸

[@clc3897]

This was such a treat for my Sunday morning coffee and crochet. It is always lovely to hear you tell your stories. My students always love hearing me tell my stories from a long time ago. We call it “story time”. Now with distance learning I have all my lessons prepared ahead of time, unless I come up with something on the spot and then I record my live sessions. So when they come to class and I don’t have anything to tell them I tend to make conversation with them and then delve into my life stories. I was thinking when you were saying that you wish you could hear us talk back to you, that it would be so much fun if you made videos while on another device you had some people on Zoom. That way you’re recording yourself make your “clusters”, journals, or sewing, while others are right there live in front of you. Now, where do you buy your tea? Also, how did you cut those cool paper “snowflakes”? You gotta show us. And you have to show us all the paintings you’ve been doing. I have never made a Christmas journal, but now I really want to make one. I’ve been following “Sunnyside Journals” here on KZbin and I think if I were to make a Christmas journal I would start out with something like what she’s making. You have to see her December Dailies.

[@messymissycreates1183]

I just started watching but just wanted you to know that my day got brighter just seeing the video notification with your name 😊 (and yesterday’s too 😉 but I have definitely missed your journal videos. ) ok back to watching the video ❤️

[@traceybarlow5718]

Always watch to the end. Christmas crack made me laugh!

[@marydunn5857]

Dreaming is not over-rated!!!! Love your style!

[@bettelovelace4456]

👏👏👏👏👏👏💜love your journals💜

[@rhondalupo3531]

Yay! Stayed until the end! Your journals are always so fun. I remember the cluster making videos. I've been doing decorative journaling since 2017. I have never done a December Daily journal. My Decembers are never busy, so I'm afraid a separate journal would be a waste. Enjoy everyone else's though! Thanks for sharing your stories and creativity with us!

[@austenspapertree8429]

That was wonderful! I really missed that: a long video where you tinker and tell. This year, for the very first time, I am having a Christmas journal and I am very pleasantly surprised how much I actually enjoy it (so far every day). Sometimes more sometimes less content, but at least. I find the yoyos to stick in the journal very practical with the cardboard inside. So maybe as tabs ...

[@dianeschneider7442]

I enjoyed seeing your journaling process. I also enjoyed your retail stories. I am guessing your department store since I grew up in Fort Worth. I worked at a jeans store on Camp Bowie through high school and college. Fun times.

[@MelanieSullivan]

Did you work at Henry's? I loved shopping there when I was younger. I got my very first Dooney & Bourke there when I was in the 7th grade, 1985 maybe. I worked started at the Stripling & Cox on Camp Bowie and was eventually the manager of the south Arlington store. Good times!

[@dianeschneider7442]

@@MelanieSullivan I did work at Henry’s. Small world since I found you from Roxy Creations in Italy.

[@emptyspools]

I stuck with you, Melanie, and it was a blast! I spent an hour this morning updating my calendar with what I've done from December 1 - 12 and it was a struggle. I did a lot, but if I'm not on it with notations, I'm lost. So you trying to remember what you did which day made me chuckle. Take care.

[@roseoakone]

Still here 😍

[@spottedfawn639]

Good to see you :) I made a Christmas journal last year (or maybe the year before) from a composition notebook - it's got all kinds of stuff in it and I painted in it too (using KZbin painting tutorials). I'm working on one for this year that I'm *planning* on making a slow-stitch fabric cover for it. It's going to end up being a glue book/trash journal. I'm not planning on writing in it though...that could change though. Um... I don't get people being nasty about Peir 1. We loved them and we are sad to see them go. Their prices weren't bad . Their stuff was beautiful and their candles and home fragrances were nice. And their artificial flowers were great and wonderfully priced. When they first opened up in my town (maybe in the 80s or 90s?), one of the ladies that worked there would bring her parakeet to work with her and it would perch on your shoulder and pick at your jewelry while you shopped. It was cute. Good memories. When you were talking about the retail and the departments, it made me think of the old, British comedy "Are You Being Served?" ;) I stuck with you! I have no idea what you do with the yoyos with the cardboard in it. They're cute though. I was thinking you could put them in your journal like you were thinking ....Or make a garland out of them....who knows?

[@MelanieSullivan]

I like your Christmas journal idea. I'm having trouble coming up with things to write in mine, so a collage/art journal may have been a better idea for me for this year. I'm glad to know you enjoyed Pier 1; I'm going to miss that unmistakable Pier 1 store smell when you walked in. I love department store shows, have you watched Mr. Selfridge? It's great!

[@craftyirina]

I enjoyed your video till the end! Loved every minute! Always nice to hear your stories and getting to know you better! 💕. You are great company always! I watch while I’m working in a very boring office and having you on makes my time go by faster and happier! 🥰🥰🥰. I’m the same way with clusters and small scrap projects ... they are addicting! I make yo-yos with cardboard still in them to make framed canvas Christmas Tree art. Cardboard helps keep the shape as I embellish the centers. Hope you try! Hugzzz💕

[@rankinstudios5342]

Often, the cardboard is left inside to maintain the shape of the yo-yos. They could be glued onto canvas and an art piece could be made. They used them in paper arts and such. It was easier to use the cardboard shape (hexagons, too) to sew the individual pieces. Sometimes they took the paper out but that was fiddely so they left them in. These were used for non-washable creations.

[@MelanieSullivan]

Great ideas and explanation! I decided to go with the garland idea and it's turning out really cute. I've done hundreds of hexagons and used them in quilts, but I always take the paper out once they're sewn together because like you said, washing is necessary. I have an old quilt top that's foundation pieced on newspaper from the 1950's and none of the paper has been removed. It's as fun to read the newspaper as it is to look at all the sack fabrics on the front. I've also just subbed to your channel and can't wait to watch your videos!

[@NolaTheAlamoChiliQueen]

Wonderful journals. I especially enjoyed your stories of retail life.

[@karenw8481]

I am sad, too, about places closing from my younger days. I miss that when you travel to different places you had different stores that sold different things. Today, everything place has the same stores.

[@ArtWars314]

Melanie merry x'mas to you sweet girl!♥♥ I 'm really glad you are doing a x'mas journal.☻☺ I really hope that it will help you build some brand new x'mas memories & help heal some harsher ones. * hugs* You and your family deserve to have a Christ love filled warm & SAFE x'mas. I still pray for you & your church family. Hope you post more often, your work ALSO inspires me! Have a holy ghost filled & protected day for you and your loved ones .♥♥♥

[@MelanieSullivan]

Thank you so much Vikki! Merry Christmas to you and your family too! Sometimes it feels like 2020 started that last week of December 2019 with the church shooting and it's been a snowball ever since. I'm praying for a new year of blessings and peace for us all. I appreciate your kind comments and prayers. It means a lot to me. Hugs!

[@donnaseeton3568]

I’m using a December Daily, even though there’s not much going on. It’s a little golden book made last year; its so fat (3 signatures) I’ll probably use it for a couple of years. Then I’m going back to the composition books. I made my first last year. Enjoyed every minute of your video!❤️❤️❤️

[@47powerflower]

I stayed to the end. And now I just watched a second time 💗

[@marymcmullen6902]

I love cluster vids! No idea about those yo-yos 😊

[@Therivergypsy2023]

I haven’t had time to even get in my art studio since our baby was born in April.. so I am doing mine on procreate and just printing it off. It’s easy but tedious to do digital creative journaling lol. The advantage is easy clean up and I can take it wherever. My iPad also syncs with my phone so I can attach photos to my journal pages. :)

[@nadiahnaranari5154]

Please make other hand made flip through journal especially color full journal😍

[@momof2minionsmd310]

Can I just come over and have a crafty play date with you! Loved just listening to you and yes, I watched the entired video!

[@MelanieSullivan]

Oh, how I wish we could have a playdate!

[@lavonnthomas7770]

Yeah, shopping was an experience. Nowadays, the service is horrible, you can't tell the employees from the shoppers, no decor...

[@quinnsgumbite2247]

Love it new subie here

[@melissatest7963]

Do a christmas giveaway with clusters or send them in your packages as extras :)

[@prettyinpink2102]

Hi I just subscribed to your channel!

[@nathaliet.3985]

Hi Melanie! Quick question: where did you get that zippered pouch that opens all around and lays flat?😲🤯🤩 It's exactly what I need!! Anyway, it was so nice to see your journals from previous years again, and to watch you play in the one you chose for this year. That origami paper cutting you did looks a-we-some!!!! I still go on cluster frenzies once in a while... but not just for Christmas... it's more like an "anything goes and I need to freaking use my scraps" type of situation 😄. I have no idea about the cardboard in the yoyos... sorry!! But it did remind me of my auntie's crochet summer bag. It was made of rounds similar to your yoyos, except they were made of thick plastic rounds covered by crochet... The rounds were sewn/attached to each other to create the bag. Not sure how to explain or describe it better... Anyway, I'm sure you'll find the perfect way to use them for your needs 😉. Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful day! Much love from upstate New York ♡♡♡ - X.O

[@MelanieSullivan]

Hi Nathalie, it's from DAISO, the Japanese "dollar" store. $1.50 each and they come in different sizes and colors. I just got two more last week. :-)

[@nathaliet.3985]

@@MelanieSullivan Thanks Melanie! I'm pretty sure I have seen those pouches in your previous videos, but couldn't remember where you said you had gotten them 😊. Now I hope I can order from the DAISO website! Thanks again 🎅

[@doje2810]

Stuck w ya!

[@misskitty2784]

Melanie, could you please tell me what kind of paper you print your images on? What is the weight and brand.

[@MelanieSullivan]

I use Premium Matte paper from Red River Paper company. The lightest weight I have/use is 26lb. I have some medium weight 32lb. in single-sided and double-sided, and the heaviest I have right now is 47lb. It comes in a huge variety of sizes too. www.redrivercatalog.com/browse/matte-photo-inkjet-paper.html

[@misskitty2784]

@@MelanieSullivan Thanks, I just looked into it. I noticed how amazing your images look compared to when I print out on copy paper.

[@hisalone7166]

I just love you journals but have a question....do you ever use them to write in?

[@MelanieSullivan]

I do! I never seem to do it on camera because it's boring to watch and I can't talk and write at the same time. I also keep a written journal that I write in daily, so sometimes it feel redundant writing about something twice (in multiple journals). I've been writing in the Christmas journal today, so I'll share that in the next video. Thanks for stopping by!

[@kimpoper3711]

Stuck with ya - let us know what you find out about the yoyos!