Gorgeous, sleepy, snowy Saturday.
A rescheduled dinner.
Cancelled Christmas party makes room for long conversation and dessert.
Hilarious laughter.
Grateful for family and friends.

**I did indeed pick a theme for this year’s DPP. It’s portrait time for me—all people, all 25 days. My husband says I’m only allowed to use him once. After December 1 I told him, “Well, it’ll be another 23 days of Livia then.” ;)

Nothing says Yuletide quite like an arm fart. At least, nothing says Yuletide like an arm fart when you’re seven years old. I’m going to have to whip out my camera faster and in a stealthy ninja-like style if I want to capture Livia in a candid moment. She went from placing an ornament on her little tree (ah, such a classic moment) to mugging for my camera to arm farts. Such is life in the Tredway household in 2011.

Back by popular demand is the December Photo Project Flickr pool. While the point of the DPP is to take photos and show them off to the world on your own blog (or another personal chunk of internet), I agree that Flickr makes easy work of showcasing the DPP. So join the group and show us what you’re shooting!

Also, we’ll soon have links to all DPP participants so you can peruse their sites on your own time. I will also feature various DPP images here on my site.

Thanks again to Kristen of Winged Feet Design for the awesome DPP badge for 2011. I think she did a wonderful job! Check out her Etsy shop for more fun creations.

Happy shooting everyone!

My niece Madeleine and nephew Noah are too darn cute. I love their energy and drive. They are both creative and smart as all get out, not to mention very photogenic. More photos from their shoot to come soon.

Happy holidays, friends! I hope you all have enjoyed lots of turkey and lots of family time. I’m admiring a fully decorated house this morning as Livia was extremely excited to put up the Christmas tree. It was up on Thanksgiving night—a first for us. My dad and I got up early yesterday to partake in Black Friday sales. We ate our McDonalds breakfasts, drove around town, bought a few things and were home by 9:00am. Certain friends of mine get really wound up about the evil stores on evil Black Friday. To that I say, bah humbug. I wouldn’t trade my early morning adventures with my dad for anything! It’s a great memory.

And finally, hello!, the December Photo Project starts next Thursday! I am chomping at the bit to get started. Woohoo!

I can’t wait to get rolling with the December Photo Project! I’m mulling over the project, wondering if I want to add another challenge to it this year for myself. We shall see.

What I’m really doing right now is avoiding the stack of dishes that need washing and the Thanksgiving recipes that need prepping. Netflix is cued to Garfield for Liv. The sun is shining. We all got good nights’ rests last night. It’s Thanksgiving! And I’m more than a tad giddy.

Just thinking about the December Photo Project makes me want to pull out my camera for fun, to snap away at the world and see what I capture. Shiloh, our Coton, didn’t love his close-up this morning. He seemed uncomfortable in front of the lens. I can identify. Sometimes it feels awkward when someone starts taking your picture, without permission nonetheless, before you’ve had a chance to do your hair and get the sleep out of your eyes and brush your teeth. He seems to have recovered admirably now, however, and is curled up tight in his doughnut-shaped dog bed.

I had a conversation with Tara this morning about how to go about the December Photo Project. Clearly the challenge of shooting and posting a photo for 25 days straight is enough of a challenge. But what if you want to pick a theme or find something that really correlates to the nature of your blog? I love the idea of tailoring the DPP to either represent you personally or give you a challenge on top of my challenge. I think of Renee Welstead (Love Equals) and her gray couch series a few years ago. Or of the year Renae Morehead posted daily on our recipe blog Needs More Butter. What about shooting on Manual instead of Program or Aperture settings? Tara mentioned shooting at a particular hour each day, or focusing on one subject for the entire month. I know all the grandparents out there would be content with a photo of their grandkids every day.

I find that taking one photo and uploading EVERY DAY is challenge enough. It’s the uploading and publishing that’s the clincher, though finding something interesting to shoot can certainly be a challenge. It pushes your mind to new levels of creativity and pushes your internal editor to uncomfortable places as well. Sometimes I talk myself out of photos because they are too boring or too artsy or too much like the one I posted the day before. Let the DPP squash those voices, and let it set free your creative impulses. The 2011 DPP is going to be fun, my friends. Can’t wait!

Let the games begin! All instructions for the December Photo Project are here. Read about how to join up, where to get a badge for your blog, and how to “like” us on Facebook.

Note: this year’s project is open to Facebook users (if you don’t have a blog). Create a December Photo Project Album and start uploading a pic a day beginning December 1. Woohoo!

**Many many thanks to Kristen Stewart for this year’s DPP badge design!!

Good Monday morning! Christmas 2010 is so two days ago and it’s time to look forward to 2011. Sure, all the Christmas decorations are still up and the dining room table is covered with presents waiting to be put away, but it’s Monday. Back to life, back reality. Back to routine. I love routine.

So, the December Photo Project. How did you all fare? I both loved and didn’t love having to take a photo every day for 25 days. Folks who step up to the 365 project floor me! But, after the DPP is over, I admit I really enjoyed the challenge. And, what’s more, I am grateful for the memories of December 2010.

The participants of the December Photo Project make an awesome crowd of peers. Thanks to everyone who joined me in documenting the month! From the get-go I’ve been impressed by your blogs—and I imagine I’ll have enough reading material and photographic eye candy to last me until next year’s DPP.

Until then—December 2011, that is—keep shooting, keep blogging, and don’t be a stranger. Happy 2011 a few days in advance!

From Isaiah 9:

2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
3 You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
when dividing the plunder.
4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.