And here we go!
Yesterday I posted a message on my Facebook page about coming downstairs at 6am and finding that Simon had already been up, opened Day One on his Lego Advent Calendar and had then gone back to bed. My friend Jenni posted something about his “contagious joy” and I loved that sentiment. It was the launching point for my first page.
Here’s a look at my process:
I knew that I wanted the focus to be on the words. I grabbed a couple sets of American Crafts letter stickers (silver foil and silver elf) and adhered them on my foundation page.
Then I stitched right through those letter stickers with my sewing machine.
Instead of just stitching on the words I decided to go all the way across the page to create lines for additional journaling.
At this point I knew I was going to write the story of Simon getting up in the night at the bottom but wasn’t totally sure I was going to add the other “reason why” sentiments.
I went with adding more reason why sentiments above above and below the stitched line.
Here’s a look at the full page:
Can’t wait to see what you guys decided to document for your Day One.
SUPPLIES | DAY ONE
Click on the images to link to the products.
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TODAY’S POST SPONSORED BY | Willette Designs
The holiday joy ebook by willette is the perfect companion to your daily December project since each day offers shot lists, ideas and tips to help you document your December in photos. The holiday joy ebook is a proven method to keep your mind focused on your holiday season and photos of your holiday with tons of tips, tutorials and more. You will have more photos at the end of December for your family and your December daily project than you know what to do with! This file has: 25 holiday centered photo lessons, 25 holiday shot lists with literally 100s of photo ideas, 8 video tutorials, 66 pages of info, downloads and more! For only $30. SPECIAL OFFER | Ali Edwards readers can enjoy a $5 off coupon by using code: alirocks. Offer expires 12/8/2011.
SHARE A LINK TO YOUR DAY ONE
You’re invited to include a link to your DAY ONE page here. Please link directly to your post vs. your general blog link.
yay, your day one!! Its the one thing I hate…is I have to wait the next day, as I am in Australia. But I am so happy to see your day one, Its fantastic, as usual. Cant wait to see the next and the next and the next
Oh me too! I’ve almost done Day 2 and I actually like it as I feel like I have an extra day to get it done before Ali puts hers up!
You’re not alone! I’m in Japan so know the feeling of living “in the future.”
lol! i have a confession, yesterday i was so UNMOTIVATED (stressfull emotional day) that i didnt do it, and now I see Ali’s, i want to copy
your page is really pretty, i love the silver lettering!! xx
great first day Ali, my guess is that Simon is as excited as you are this season. great title for the page.
Love that Ali – I will have to document my little girl running to the door to show visitors our tree!
Dear Ali, your first page is super sweet! A question, the last image is a photo or a scan? thanks, flavia
Hi Flavia – that last one is a scan.
Thanks Ali! Your DD is becoming more and more beautiful! and you are just in the first day!
XXX
Thank you for the inspiration! I was so busy cleaning my house and pulling out decorations that I didn’t have any photos but a couple I took on my iPhone. Love that the focus is on the words!
Awesome! Love the focus on the words.
Love that Day 1 is all words!! Love the silver letters! An amazing start to what I am sure is going to be an amazing album
What a fabulous page – while I’m not attempting to do a December Daily album this year I LOVE starting my day with your posts and those that link to it. Contagious Joy really does sum it up. Thanks for all you do!
Your page is absolutely amazing I can really see why you inspire all us scrappers. Thank you for providing us inspiration and the importance of memory recording.
Beautiful and i love the stitching!
Love, love, love!
This page is perfect! I can’t think of a better way for you to start your book!
I love that there is no photo for the day, I’m sure I’ll use this idea in my album this year!
Joy is totally contagious! I am trying to instill my love of Christmas in my son too.
Question…do you have to set your sewing machine to a special setting in order to stitch across the chipboard letters?
Beautiful first page!
Thanks!
Ali, decided just yesterday to do the December Daily project. I have simplified it down to 6×12 pages, one for each day, and I will be adding it into my project life book. Thanks for the inspiration!
How sweet! I thought my first page would be a struggle, but on Nov. 29, my daughter asked why the “Elf on the Shelf” hadn’t returned yet. Some of her friends had written to Santa, and theirs came. The next day she wrote to Santa, and her elf came on Dec.1, a very joy filled day.
What a sweet idea! I want to get the elf on the shelf next year when my son will be 2.
I’m expecting our elf to arrive here in London any time now …
Happy day one Ali! I really enjoyed myself yesterday and am looking forward to continuing. I just love the sewing on your page. I really want to give that a try next year. It’s one of my goals for 2012. I’ve been scrapbooking for 12 years, and I’ve never tried sewing.
Love this! I knew I wanted to do one day about the choice to do a December Daily for the first time, and I love the repeated reason why statements.
Beautiful Day 1 page!
love your dec daily. do you know if you can still buy the american crafts chipboard album that you’re using for this project? i cannot seem to locate it on any sites as well as the clear protective pages.
thank you for inspiring and sharing.
Hi Candice – thanks for asking. The album and page protectors were exclusive to the kit at Studio Calico by American Crafts. Hoping they will be generally available sometime in the future.
So excited it is DAY ONE!
Ali, you are such an inspiration! This is a page I would love to actually scraplift (which is unusual for me since I like to create my own unique projects), except I’d write in my own reasons and story, obviously. I love love love the stitching! Totally doing this today! This is my fourth year of December Daily with you. Thank you!
Simply adorable.
The first page is awesome! I just had a quick question-I am looking at purchasing an instax camera. Which model do you recommend because I think I have seen you reference a couple different models. I love the look of the pictures in your albums.
Thanks!
This is my first year seeing your December Daily series. Its 7am California time and the Studio Calico kit is already sold out! Your handwriting and photography really make the page yours! I guess I’ll go have fun looking at everyone’s links to see how they used your Day One for inspiration.
You are not the only one whose child was excited about the first day of December!! My son got up at 4:00 a.m. to welcome back our Elf on the Shelf and to open his Star Wars advent calender (box 1).
Sandi
Love love love this.
cool idea to do the stitching for journaling lines. Can’t wait to check out everyone’s pages – the community created here is one of my favorite things. It’s like my holiday bff’s
It’s part of that contageous joy! Merry Everything to all of you!
Fun page!
Wow Ali loved all the lettering and writing on this page and it helped me get over the fear of not putting a picture on every page! Also I would like to know what type of pen did you use for the handwriting?
Hi Rhonda – yesterday I just used a UniBall Vision Elite pen. It’s my favorite “regular” writing pen.
love the fontwork!
Oops, after going through all the links above I realized you posted the supply list back in October! So I’ve figured out how to use the overlay template from a video in your blog which I’ve bookmarked (other newbies might appreciate getting the link in your next post). But I can’t figure out where to buy the plastic sleeves you put your overlay in. It sounds like the binder size is sold out but I’m thinking of just creating my pages and assume at some point that size will be back in stock next year. Does anyone know where to buy the plastic pages to hold your templates pages in?
Hi Kathy – glad you were able to find the video and thanks for the suggestions. The sleeves were also an exclusive to the kit as they were designed specifically for the album. Some people are finding page protectors that are 5.5x 8.5 at office supply stores and using those instead.
Avery makes 5.5 x 8.5″ sheet protectors. I bought the diamond clear for another project I am working on. You should be able to get them at Staples/Office Max.
So much excitement! So much going on! I feel like a little kid at Christmas!
WOW Ali, this is beautiful!!! Here’s my day 1: http://haynayn2010.blogspot.com/2011/12/december-daily-dec-1.html
Awesome!!!! Now to make mine that awesome!
Love the stitching.
Love the way the words just stand out. Totally inspired!
I’m totally inspired! I love, love, love the way you did the title and your journaling. Thank you so much for sharing your projects with all of us!
Amazing!
LOVE love love this. tell simon his joy shines!!! xoxox
Ali,
I love your first day. It seems like you still are getting a lot of questions about the album. We R Memory Keepers makes a ring binder that is 5.5″x8.5″ and page protectors that size as well. The album is faux leather and comes in black, buttercup, kiwi, and real red. I don’t think the rings are 3″ thick, but rather their normal size. It would probably work. This is what I am using and thought some others may be interested also.
Thanks for the inspiration. I love this project. Thank you for introducing it to me.
~Erin
Love that it is time for December Daily! Can you share how you set up your sewing machine to stitch over the letters without breaking a needle?
I love it Ali! Any plans to incorporate the packaging from the Advent calendars into your December Daily this year Ali?
Lovely Ali. A good reminder that photos aren’t essential, the memories and meaning are all there. I’m also really interested in how you usually create some journaling lines out of all kinds of things.
Fantastic album page! I love the sewing. I went digital with my album.
Jen
Love the chipboard letters, the sewing, and the journaling. Haven’t gotten my Day 1 finished yet, but still working on it!
What a great start…….I just love this story!
oh wow! awesome and inspiring. i didn’t expect anything less.