Ethnic Scrapbooking

Mom's Christmas Tradition - Potato Candy

I have really grown up with a ton of Christmas traditions...probably beacuse my birthday is on Christmas Day so my mother really went 'all out' for the holidays (at least that's my story and I'm sticking with it).  Last week the kid's school had one of our monthly cultural events (love that about our school & community).  It was "Cookie & Cocoa"...a fab event complete with the arrival of Santa on a Fire Truck...a tradition here in Bowie, MD.

What really got me fired up about Christmas was seeing these plates of potato candy...Haven't had them in over 20 years but recall my mother, sister and I making them for the holidays...so I called her up and said it would be great for her to come and make them with my kids (especially since I don't have an oven LOL).

This is one tradition I can definitely say is my mother's.  My Dad's is definitely the tree...which is up Ms Lisa...not one but two...and count'em two weeks before Christmas...(I prefer the two days before tradition)...more on this later after I take some pics.

More Christmas Traditions

Here's the second broadcast with Ace Collins talking about the legend of the Candy Cane, Christmas Tree, Christmas lights, Christmas Cards and St. Nick. CLICK HERE

Here are a few more of the pages I did a few years ago about these legends.

Christmas - Cultural Traditions

Ace Collins is one of my favorite authors, he does what I hope to do in my retirement years...pick a topic and research the mess out of it.  Here is a link to day one of five radio shows he did about Christmas traditions, so click here to listen or download the transcript.

In 2002, I focused on some of the legends/traditions Ace mentions in my Christmas Memories album. 

This is an excellent way to try Ethnic Scrapbooking this holiday season.  By reviewing the history of many American traditions you'll find they generated in other countries.

Smashing Success - Creative Living event

Here is a link to the Creative Living Open House Photo Album.  I wanted to give purchasers of my book an opportunity to see the original pages featured in my new book, Ethnic Scrapbooking, so I opened my home and created an atmosphere that reflected...well me!  There were many of my creative works on display, I had multiple workstations set up where you could make crafts using my scrapbook tools and supplies.  We had ethnic snacks and a natural soy wax candlemaking demonstration by Light unto My Path.  We had a Creative Memories display, Memory-Works Consultants available to help with product and tool identification, we had paper bag album kits for sale, we saw multiple projects using Classy Coordinates recent "Plush" kit and I was introduced to Warm-Spirit.  Everyone left with a goodie bag provided by Harbor Scrapbooking.

Other displays by Close to My Heart consultant www.lynnesnyder.myctmh.com and Stampin' Up Demonstrator, www.karenevans.stampinup.net.

Secondly, this event was a way for me to jump start my holidays too. I thought this would spur me to get the tree and decorations up, but no such luck, all I could manage to do was burn holiday scented natural soy candles...anyhoo.

OMgosh...how could I forget we had over a dozen kids who joined in the fun too and made cards, paper bag albums, and glittered I mean glittered ornaments.

The only two things I forgot to do was take individual portraits of each person in our make-shift photo studio (the toy closet) and play my new Gloria Estefan cd.

All in all I think it was a smashing success, because many left feeling inspired and ready to give scrapbooking or card making a try, therefore my goal of nurturing one's creative spirit was met.

Let me know what you think of this concept and if you would like to attend such an event on a larger scale?