December Daily in July
[ images from Janet @ thedailydigi.com using my 25 Days of December Photo Overlays ]
Inspired by a post about the December Daily project on The Daily Digi (the post is a great example of using digital supplies for paper projects, also called hybrid), I thought that today would be the perfect time to bring up the topic of December Daily for 2009.
Although I am totally not ready to be thinking about the holidays just yet, I love the idea of getting this project started even earlier than I usually do. I am especially interested in starting earlier since my Big Picture class will be running from October through December (my goal with that class is to make it simple to follow through the busiest season of the year for most people - look for more information and registration in mid-August). Even though that class will be happening during that time I will definitely be doing a December Daily again.
If you are new to my blog you may be wondering what in the heck is December Daily? Here's a post from last year with a good amount of information and here's a Q&A with even more information.
Basically it's daily documentation & celebration from December 1 through December 25 in the form of a minibook or small album. Some people like to do it from Thanksgiving through New Years, others the whole month of December, and others just a week or so in December. Those details are entirely up to you.
One thing you might consider if you aren't ready to work on the album just yet is to take some time to organize your holiday supplies. I store my Christmas papers and embellishments in one of these Art Bin boxes. I have found that storing them all together, separate from my other supplies, makes it really simple and easy when it comes time to work on holiday projects.
My initial thoughts for 2009: I think I am going to use one of Donna's canvas albums which would be a fun way to mix things up. The album comes with both page protectors (with a really cute zig zag stitch along the outside edge) and canvas pages and I think it will be big enough to accommodate all the days.
GET INSPIRED: Molly's version from 2008 is still on my mind. What I loved about her album is the simplicity of the design, the emphasis on words, and how she enlarged the photos and spread them across two pages.
Did you start one last year (or the year before) and not finish it? Was it because it was just too much to take on over the course of the month? Was it because you didn't get it ready in advance? Take a bit of time to assess what kept you from getting it done and potentially use that as inspiration for thinking about how you might approach the project this year.
Did you put together an album last year? Feel free to link it in the comments.
Just putting this post together is getting me excited for this project - I need to focus on some other stuff first but I hope some of you are inspired enough to get a head start and participate this year!
I loved doing the December Daily last year!! I plan on doing it every year. What I really love is that now that I've done the mini-album I'm not stressed about trying to scrap all of the events that happened in December!
Although I don't like to start planning for the holidays this early, I've already started looking for an album for this year's book. Not sure if I'm going to stay with the acrylic outside or try something different. I would love to find a 6x9 album but that seems hard to find. I did 6x6 last year and it seemed a bit small. Might have to make my own!
You can view my album on 2peas (there are 3 posts...lots of pics!):
http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?cmd=display&layout_id=1428901
http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?cmd=display&layout_id=1428897
http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?cmd=display&layout_id=1428867
I also have a couple posts on my blog in Dec & Jan that give some more details: www.meandmyscraps.blogspot.com (scroll down to the blog archive)
Can't wait to start this year's book!
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That's so funny- I just finished last year's book this morning - ha! I have my 2nd baby due on Jan 1st, so I think getting it started NOW is a wonderful idea! I just had so much fun with the book last year, and your style brought a lot of new ideas to my scrapbooking.
TFS!!
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I got so excited when I saw this post! Last year was my first year to do December Daily, and I LOVED it. I'm definitely going to do one this year. I'm moving, but just as soon as I get my scrapping supplies out of storage I'm going to get my Christmas items together.
I posted the album I made for last year on my blog. It was in several posts, but they are all linked to the post here: http://scrappyjedi.blogspot.com/2009/01/december-daily-days-21-25.html
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I loved the December Daily so much last year, that I had in my mind to do one for summer - namely July. I am currently doing a July Journey album along the same lines as my December Daily book. Although it's been a little more daunting with vacations & work, I know it will be another treasure when it's complete! Here is a post from my blog http://kimwhitten.blogspot.com/2009/07/more-from-my-journey.html
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The beauty of this is that we each have a choice of what style we create :).
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I made my first December Daily last year, and since I followed your guidelines (print at home, write down a few lines etc.) I finished it shortly after the end of the project. I SO love to look at that album know! I think it's my favorite one, even more than the "Week in the life" album. I will do it again this year, but maybe in a slightly different way than 2008. I was thinking about just ONE photo a day or even one word for one day (like peace, warmth, chocolate ... christmas stuff) and capture this word in one photo.
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Oh, Ali...now you've got me all excited about my DD and I still have four months to wait! I started one in 2007 and got about 1/3 of the way done. I did another last year and have all but maybe 2 or 3 days finished--oh, and the front and back covers of the album--maybe I'll work on finishing it up today! I LOVE THIS PROJECT and look forward to it every year. My philosophy is that even if I only get "documentation" of 3/4 of the days that is TONS more than I would normally get! I've even paired it with the Advent Calendar activities my husband and I make up for each other....It's the most wonderful time of the year....
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I am so glad you mentioned the DD album. I premade mine, took lots of photos but only got about 1/2 of the days in the album. I guess there is no time like the present to finish it - so I think I will give it a try.
Also, my 12 year old would like to do one this year and I will tell her that it's never too early to get started - this could be great summer craft project.
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Christmas in July, lol! I really love your december.daily idea, and I enjoyed everyone's take on the project, I was so caught up in everyone elses that I didn't do one myself, and then at the end of December I was kicking myself for not doing it...so I had gathered up my supplies, so that I am ready to go for this year! Once I get settled with unpacking, I would like to tackle the project so that I am ready to go come December! You are inspiring Ali!
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You can check out my album and a video I made about it on The Mom Creative
http://jessicaturnersblog.blogspot.com/search?q=daily+december
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I took Shimelle Laine's online class - Journal Your Christmas - because I won it on Donna's blog! But I was overambitious so only reached the 20th then got too busy to continue so it sits unfinished. I definitely want to separate the Christmas stash before I start again this year & aim for maybe an 8x8 and not a 12x12 this time. More photos & words & less embellishments to keep this project rolling & stress-free. Maybe just some nice ribbon and...!!!
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Love it!! I figured out the other day and posted on facebook we have 154 shopping days left. Molly's book was fab thanks for sharing!!!
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I have made one last Christmas and finished it.
But it was too abounding (copieux) for me.
I will do it again this year but would like to find another formula.
Starting only on December 15th, or instead of journaling each day, journaling each week.
http://melimelocreatif.canalblog.com/archives/2009/02/17/12405439.html#comments
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Girl, you are seriously on the ball! I tried last year, but things fell apart not even at the halfway point of the month. Maybe I'll get it done this year...
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Here's a link to my (completed!) 2008 December Daily. I actually did mine from Nov. 1 through January 1, so I actually called it a Holiday 2008 daily album:
http://techniquespeak.blogspot.com/2009/01/holiday-2009-album.html
The instructions for creating the cover for my Holiday 2008 daily album are here:
http://techniquespeak.blogspot.com/2008/11/december-daily-album-cover-technique.html
Looking forward to doing this again this year. Love the idea of using Donna Downey's canvas album.
Amanda
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i'm really looking forward to the december daily this year. i need to find an album...and i can see myself going with a simplified version...words + photos. last year was so hectic i had to try and remember what i had done the previous week! i'm excited though.
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Here is my book that I did last year!
http://ljr3kids.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html
I loved it as last Christmas was the end of an era at my house--Christmas won't be the same now that my oldest is getting married and will be finsihing Med School. With Residency and having to share a child I know last year was very special!! SOO glad I got my book done..but in the spirit of the DEC daily I made an book that is called The Wedding details--documenting the journey. It is not for the wedding pictures but for all of the wedding planning. So far I have the story of the dress, her boyfriend asking us to marry my daughter and picking the place--I did it the same way with lots of "love" things I picked up in Feb and a few Ali digi things. So no matter how busy I get with the wedding I can slip in some memories in quickly so I don't forget--THanks!!
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I did NOT compeltely finish mine last year partially because I was just so busy, but it was SO much fun to work on.
I wanted to share something to encourage those that dont finish it: to finish mine off, I ended up making a few more pages with pockets at the end to include tags to Christmas gifts, photos, and a letter. Instead of making a page for each day I didn't get to, I typed a LENGTHY letter to my readers (whomever might read it may it be me, or a family member) about the rest of my holiday, events, details about Christmas Day, gifts I got, etc. It was a really nice way to end it without being stressed, but still capturing all of the important memories. :]
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Yes, I did this last year, and kept up until about day 20! Then life got out of hand, and i finished it after the new year. I went all the way to day 31...and included new years.
I used a 6x6 clear scalloped album, and had lots of different sizes. However, I love the idea of streamlining it this year and adding digital elements to it!!!
however, i'm NOT going to start event thinking about this until around Oct-ish. too much fun and catching up on summer activities - this will be fun to start whenever i do though!!! saving this post for then. megan's album is gorgeous.
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Link to mine. Another good reason to wait to do the last few pages - i got prints from scrapbookpictures.com in 2x2 and got a ton more in the album!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peytonsmom/3210120297/in/set-72157600298607834/
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Funny you should post this today! I just found my barely started 2008 album yesterday in my UFO bin and was thinking I should try again. I left it until late November to start getting it organized and never did add photos or journalling or anything. It'll be my starting point for this year. I think I'll bring it to a charity crop in October to make up the pages. November will be too late around here!
I'll be back to look at other people's albums for more ideas (it's bedtime for boys around here). Thanks for planting the seed, Ali!
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Ali, you totally inspired me last year!
http://amylejeune.typepad.com/benefits_loaded_daily/2008/12/december-daily.html
http://amylejeune.typepad.com/benefits_loaded_daily/2008/12/december-daily-part-2.html
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So loved doing this project for the 1st time last year - found that I got up to about 12th or 13th done, then company started coming until almost new years. Because I don't have a photo printer at home, I found that that hung me up - so I tried to do my journaling and then add the pictures. Ending up finishing it on New years day (loved being at my mother in laws for the weekend - snowed in, so we quilted and I finished the December daily journal. It is such a well loved book, everyone still loves to look at it. I love the binder idea and may have to order myself one of those. If I get started now, I think it will turn out better than last years.
Thanks for the heads up Ali.
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I loved doing this project last year -- assembled most of it the first week of December, which was sure lucky as I ended up having my tonsils out the following week and would not have been able to make the album happen if I'd waited! Here it is...
http://lawrencoope.typepad.com/photos/december-daily-2008/index.html
Really excited for this year's!
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I did this last year...LOVED it!! I cannot wait to do it again..been looking at all the new papers coming out, so actually Christmas has been on my mind too!
This is not the whole book...but almost all. One day I will finish photographing it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/organize/?start_tab=sets
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