December Daily® 2023 | Story 02

Welcome to Story 02 in my 2023 December Daily® project. 

My story for today features a full page photo of new colorful ornaments I got earlier this season to help with my colorful tree visions. I took a photo looking down into the box of ornaments so it includes my reflection. I also had a bunch of fun playing with the circle pattern paper from the 10x8 paper pack (similar design in  this stamp set too) and creating a peek-through window on the big piece of "joy" vellum from the Main Kit.  

STORY IDEA: What are you saying "yes, please" to this month? 

As I was deciding which of the circles from the pattern paper I might want to use (love that each of them is essentially a story prompt) the "yes, please" one was a great match for how I felt about these colorful bulbs this year. I decided to do a tiny story but you could also take the "yes, please" story prompt and write out a whole list of things you are saying "yes, please" to during this month. 

Let's get started with today's video where I share my starting point all the way through to the finished page: 

For today's Table Of Contents entry on the inside cover of my album I'm using a  brush pen. I did this on purpose for a couple reasons:

1. Using the same pen everyday feels like more pressure to make it look a certain way (whatever that might be in my own head). By using a few different pens (maybe thicker and thinner) I'll give myself a bit more freedom and also hedge against mistakes I might make that will make it look "messy" (and I'm totally here for the handmade messiness that comes from using my own handwriting). 
2. I just like the variety and leaving it open to ideas that might pop up along the way. 

Also, if I was going to do it over I would write "yes, please" instead of "say yes." 

And now let's get to the storytelling: 

When the kit arrived at my house a few months ago this vellum was one of my favorites (from the Main Kit). I've known for awhile that I was probably going to try cutting out the inside of the full "o" and using that as a home for something. 

Steps for this part include: 

1. Use a craft knife to cut out the center of the "o" on the vellum and replace it with a small piece of plastic that is larger than the part you cut out. Temporarily adhere the plastic to the back of the vellum (I cut this in a similar shape to what I cut out from the "o").
2. Use a paper piercer to punch holes around the "o" going through both the vellum and the plastic. 
3. Used a needle and pink embroidery thread to stitch the plastic piece in place. 
4. Add a number on top. I'm using a black + white fabric number that was offered as an add-on earlier this year. 

You could run this through a sewing machine or use a vellum adhesive or some other method to attach the pieces together. 

Here's a look at what the back looks like: 

That was fun! In the video you'll hear me talk about the fact that there are lots of ways you can simplify the ideas I'm sharing if you want to create something with fewer steps. Instead of cutting out the center you could simply add a number on top (an embellishment or a stamped number or an embossed number). 

I had more time today so I let myself be an explorer! 

After thinking through a few different ideas for what I wanted to do on top of the photo I decided to just do a tiny bit of journaling. I love the contrast between the big photo and the little journaling and my reflection in the ornaments. 

I cut out the white portion of the circle using a craft knife from the pattern paper to create a peek-through. For my journaling I printed out my text (arranged in a half-circle on the bottom) on a sheet of laser transparency so I could run it through the Minc machine and add gold foil. 

I used rolling adhesive to attach the two pieces together and then used a gold brad through it all to attach it to the photo. 

What are you saying "yes, please" to this year? 

SUPPLIES

• December Daily® 10x8 Album
• December Daily® Main Kit (digital available)
• December Daily® 10x8 Pattern Paper (digital available)
• Epson XP15000 Printer
• Embroidery Floss
• Minc Machine
• Gold Foil for Minc Machine
• Laser Printer 
• Laser Transparency (for use with Minc machine)
• Paper Piercer
• Craft Knife
• Gold Brad
• Black + White Fabric Sticker Numbers (previous kit add-on)
• Brush Pen (for Table Of Contents entry)
• Plastic Sheet
• Circles 6x8 Stamp