December Daily 2010 | Creating A Foundation
Hello December Daily 2010.
I know many of you out there are thinking, "how can you even be thinking about Christmas?" I totally get it. Completely. I'm really all about my pumpkins and planning a Halloween party right now. But here's the deal: I also know, from a few years of experience, that planning ahead is really the key to enjoying the process of daily documentation during December.
If this is your first time embarking on the December Daily project or if you'd like a general refresher I recommend checking out my December Daily compilation page for many more details and ideas (and to see how its evolved from year to year with a complete listing of all the posts). You can also check out my past December Daily projects in a portfolio format here: 2008, 2009.
If you're here for round two or three or four, welcome back.
Today is the beginning of a series of posts about creating a December Daily album. The basic idea behind this project is to create an album that will hold your 2010 December stories. My album runs from December 1 through December 25th - some people choose to go through the end of the month but I've found that by the time Christmas hits I'm ready to move on to the next thing.
There are so many different ways to approach this project:
- Some people make it a game to use what they have on hand (all those years of stocking up on holiday products and then making one layout is paying off). If this is you, your goal over the next week is to get all your stuff in one place.
- Some people mix old products with new products (this is me).
- Some people do all digital albums.
- Some people do a mixture of digital and paper (this is me too).
- Some people do big albums and some people do really small ones.
Today's post will be an overview of my 2010 album. Next week I'll post step-by-steps for a couple pages, go into more details about the cover options with step-by-step images, and include a couple video tutorials on how to work with the printable elements I'm using in my album.
After next week you won't hear much about this album again until it gets much closer to December. Beginning on the 1st or 2nd of December I'll post my completed page and include information on my process, the story, supplies, etc.
DIGITAL ALBUM: Wondering about a full digital album? I've got a new set of products in the works that should be in the shop next weekend. Look for another post on that coming soon.
APPROACH + PROCESS
Each year when I start thinking about my December Daily album I like to do things a bit different - usually nothing drastic but enough of a change to keep it interesting. This year the biggest change you'll notice is that I've keep all the pages the same size. If you take a look at my past albums (2008 or 2009) you'll see that the pages are a mixture of sizes. This year I decided to keep them all 6 inches x 8 inches.
Another change? I made two different album covers this year: one using the Teresa Collins Bracket Shape Covers and a second one using recycled chipboard. The Teresa Collins Bracket Shape Covers were covered with sticky back canvas, painted, misted, and embossed - I'll show the full step-by-step next week. The second option, the one with the white circles, uses a sheet of specialty paper (working on a source) adhered on top of a piece of recycled chipboard trimmed to 6x8. I'm still not sure which one I'm going to use but I'm leaning towards the white one.
In terms of the process for putting this album together, my biggest suggestion is to break it down into small tasks and tackle one thing at a time. One project is cutting the transparencies to size. One project is pulling out numbers to add to the transparencies. One project is printing + cutting out the hybrid pages. One project is punching holes. Get the idea? Are you seeing why I like to work on this part in advance?
INSIDE PAGES | THE FORMULA
The formula for my 2010 album is very simple: a printed transparent page with a date and/or embellishment + a . Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
Each and every page is 6 inches x 8 inches.
Here's a look at all the transparent pages laid out on my table:
If you're interested in making one similar to my 2010 book here's the basics of what you'll need:
- 13, 12x12 transparent sheets (see below for a supply list of the ones I used) that will be cut so you get 2, 6x8 inch pieces from each sheet.
- My 2010 December Daily 6x8 overlay package from Designer Digitals for the photo and/or journaling pages. The package includes a PDF file for simple printing if you're not familiar with Adobe Photoshop. The PDF file includes days 1 through 31. Look for a video tutorial on working with this package to come next week.
- A front and back cover.
- A variety of numbers, holiday papers and embellishments.
- A willingness to document the month of December and not stress about making it perfect or capturing every last detail.
- A commitment to enjoying your holiday season and being present with your family and friends. I continue to find that the process of participating in this album actually grounds me to the here & now and helps me be more conscious of how I live my holiday season.
Here's a look at the 2010 December Daily overlays when printed on Bazzill Basics Cream Puff (Scrapbook.com 12x12 | 8.5x11) which is what I used throughout my album. You can also view these foundation images via my portfolio (click on an image and then click the arrows to go forward or backward throughout the portfolio).
You could easily wait to print these out until December and add your journaling right onto the PNG file + print as you go. These could also be placed on top of photos in Photoshop before printing (along with your journaling).
OPTION: One way to adapt this album to your own working style or family stories would be to do all transparencies and skip the printable portion. Your photos could be added in as the additional pages. Or maybe you're more interested in focusing on the words + photos. If that's the case maybe only use the printables and skip the transparent pages. Lots of options. If this is your first time I suggest playing along with me and being open to adapting as you go.
MY CURRENT PLAN WITH THE PRINTABLE PAGES: Above is a look at a sketch of the printable page and a completed page (using a photo from 2009 as a sample). My plan is that those two blocks of space will be used as a home for a photo (or a collage of photos), and/or journaling, and/or pattern paper.
I like that I'm creating a specific foundation for myself that has a bit of structure but will also be flexible when it comes to documenting each day. On some days I envision using that large block of space exclusively for journaling. On those days I might use the small block for a photo that captures the essence of something - a piece of the whole. On other days I might fill the large space with a photo and use the back of the cardstock for my journaling.
NOTE: Two 4x6 inch photos would fit perfectly on the back for those of you that don't print at home and find it easier to use a photo developer to add your photos once a week or at the end of the month.
My goal with these foundation pages was to keep it simple. One or two accents and a number on top of each transparency. There's nothing earth-shattering here. It's a matter of picking out a few things and sticking them down (or stitching them as the case may be) and creating a home for your December content. A couple days don't have numbers (all the printable pages have both the number and the specific day of the week for 2010). Little bits of red machine stitching is the main way I attached elements to the transparencies - staples are always another good option.
You can do this.
Here's a look at the entire foundation:
DAY ONE
Anna Griffin Georgette Holiday Collection Double-Sided Cardstock Pack (inside cover)
Teresa Collins Star Transparency
AE for Technique Tuesday Good Cheer Stamps
Red Stitching
DAY TWO
Art Warehouse Hollyberry Transparency (green is sold out but here's a red one on clearance at scrapbook.com)
Studio Calico Mister Huey Apple Jack Color Mist
Making Memories Number Stickers
Vintage Wallpaper
Shipping Tag
Fancy Pants Tradition Flocked Transparency
Tim Holtz Silver Numerals: Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
DAY FOUR
White Circle Paper
Maya Road Sheer Clocks
Jenni Bowlin Vintage Christmas Chipboard Buttons: Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
DAY FIVE
Every Jot & Tittle Red Number Tags
Hambly Chic Circles Transparent Overlay
Ormolu Christmas Tag (circle-punched)
KI Memories Lace Cardstock Numbers
Hambly Clearly Heavy Overlay
DAY SEVEN
Hambly Grey Doily Decor Overlay: Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
Making Memories Number Stickers
(I think the oval with the tree is from a K&Company chipbox from 2009)
DAY EIGHT
Hamby Red Vintage Plaid (looks like there's no more red, but other colors are available)
AE Christmas Boxes from Designer Digitals
American Crafts Playroom Thickers (in green here)
Claudine Hellmuth Studio Paint Dash of Red: Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
DAY NINE
8.5x11 Baseball Card Page Protectors
Bazzill Basics Star Chips (painted red)
Making Memories Metal Rimmed Tags
Tim Holtz Silver Numerals: Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
Claudine Hellmuth Studio Paint Dash of Red: Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
DAY TEN
Teresa Collins Noel Collection Christmas Transparency
The Girls Paperie Eclectic Chipboard Alphabet: Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
DAY ELEVEN
Teresa Collins Red Number Transparency
Maya Road Grosgrain Pleat Ribbon: Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
DAY TWELVE
Maya Road Scroll Frames Chipboard
AE for Technique Tuesday Good Cheer Stamps
Claudine Hellmuth Studio Paint Dash of Red: Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Union Square Moments Seamstress Paper: Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
Hambly Clearly Heavy Overlay
DAY THIRTEEN
Teresa Collins Star Transparency
AE Christmas Boxes from Designer Digitals
Jenni Bowlin Red Kindergarten Alphabet Rub Ons
Claudine Hellmuth Studio Paint Dash of Red: Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
DAY FOURTEEN
Art Warehouse Hollyberry Transparency (green is sold out but here's a red one on clearance at scrapbook.com)
The Girls Paperie Eclectic Chipboard Alphabet: Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
DAY FIFTEEN
Fancy Pants Tradition Flocked Transparency
Jenni Bowlin Mini Bingo Cards Christmas
DAY SIXTEEN
Tim Holtz Silver Numerals: Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
Picture It Pageframe Large 8 inch Acrylic Star
DAY SEVENTEEN
Hambly Chic Circles Transparent Overlay
The Girls Paperie Christmas Ribbon Trims
DAY EIGHTEEN
White Circle Paper
Every Jot & Tittle Red Number Tags
DAY NINETEEN
KI Memories Lace Cardstock Numbers
DAY TWENTY
Jenni Bowlin Christmas Printed Tickets
Hamby Red Vintage Plaid (looks like there's no more red, but other colors are available)
Jenni Bowlin Red Kindergarten Alphabet Rub Ons
DAY TWENTY-ONE
8.5x11 Baseball Card Page Protectors
The Girls Paperie Tinsel & Twig Christmas Sticker Pad
AE Christmas Boxes from Designer Digitals (available on Saturday)
DAY TWENTY-TWO
Teresa Collins Noel Collection Christmas Transparency
Studio Calico Mister Huey Apple Jack Color Mist
Making Memories Number Stickers
Shipping Tag
DAY TWENTY-THREE
Teresa Collins Red Number Transparency
K&Company Handmade Collection Fabric Art Lace Frames
DAY TWENTY-FOUR
Hambly Grey Doily Decor Overlay: Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
Elle's Studio Vintage Christmas Flash Cards
Every Jot & Tittle Red Number Tags
DAY TWENTY-FIVE
Making Memories Metal Rimmed Canvas Tag
The Girls Paperie Eclectic Chipboard Alphabet: Two Peas | Scrapbook.com
Anna Griffin Georgette Holiday Collection Double-Sided Cardstock Pack
And there you have it.
You can do this.
Start now. Start simple. One task at a time.
Whenever possible, don't make it more complicated than it needs to be. Adapt it for your family, your lifestyle, your situation. The real joy comes from getting yourself to a point where you are ready to record the little moments in December - those little bits of life that happen so fast but that build on each other year after year. This album is a place for those memories.
Don't worry if you don't do something holiday related everyday in December. The stories and photos you include don't have to be holiday related - all of my previous albums contain non-holiday entries that document simple daily stories. I include what I feel like including from one day to the next.
Again, be sure to check out previous December Daily project posts on the compilation page. Feel free to include your questions here in the comments section.
Again, you can do this.
SHARE THE LOVE | DECEMBER DAILY BANNER, FLICKR, TWITTER
You're also invited to share and communicate with others about this project. Here's some links to get you started:
FLICKR GROUP: 2010 December Daily (view past galleries here: 2008, 2009)
TWITTER HASHTAG: #decdaily
BANNER: Last year there were some requests for a blog banner. Feel free to add this to your site (the code is listed below):
DAILY SPONSORSHIP
This year I'm offering daily sponsorship spots throughout the month of December on December Daily posts. Please email sponsors@aliedwards.com for more information.
For a full list of December Daily posts go here.
Elle’s Studio has just released their new designs for the holiday season. They have the perfect tags for your December Daily projects, advent calendars, scrapbook pages and more!
Beautiful!! I vow to get that far in October so I am prepped well in advance!
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Love this years album. I picked up an 8x8 MME Lush flocked chipboard album the other week with the plans that this will form the basis for my December Daily. I'm going to take out the additional chipboard pages and just use the flocked front and back. That way it will give me more room inside for all the days in December. Thank you for sharing yours, I may well make use of the transparencies I've got hanging around too!
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Thanks for sharing Ali!!! This will be my first year doing this project and I am so excited.
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Wow! As usual you have me feeling like I can't wait to begin ;-)
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It's looking lovely already. Love this project more and more every year.
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I am SO excited to do this!! Love the simplicity of this years book. I know you didn't ask, but, I like the white cover the best :) Looking forward to future posts and completing December Daily 2010!! Thanks for doing this again!
I'm leaning that way :). Going for streamlined. I totally had fun working on the other one though...lots of layers of goodness.
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Love it, love it, love it!! You always deliver with the best inspiration. Thanks Ali.
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Hi Ali, I actually tried emailing you this question,and I wondered if you would consider doing a post about how to approach/consider December Daily for someone who is also doing Project Life (the Becky Higgins album project)? I am also open to any comments from fellow blog readers.
My husband and I bought our first home this year. We saw the home on April 24, and closed on April 30. We did a major renovations since we closed on June 24 and just moved in on October 1. I bought Project Life back in Jan. with the idea that I would document every single day of the home-buying process once we found "the one." So, I have been religiously doing this since April 24. I adore the book. This book is very focused on our life via the lens of being home buyers (the whole process of buying, going to contract, closing), home renovators, and now, home dwellers. Certainly other things have been happening in our full life since April 24 and I occasionally add those in, but it's truly about seeing each day through the lens of this wonderful house. I am now focusing my daily entries on the actual living in our new home together. So, when December comes, I am not sure what to do. My husband and I celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas, so last year (my first year of December Daily) I called my book, "Our Holidays" and started on Thanksgiving Day and went through December 31. I love that book, it's a little treasure and fun to flip through. My Project Life book is obviously quite large, 12 by 12 and won't be complete on December 31 like December Daily.
So, I want to do December Daily, especially. because these will be our first holidays in our new home, but I am not sure I will have enough content to have a daily entry in Project Life (I do a journal card for every day and *either* a photo or a piece of ephemera from this house process, such as an email from our contractor or lawyer, or a receipt from Home Depot) AND a daily entry in December Daily that will be focused on the holidays at large.
Any thoughts or advice you have would be welcome. Thanks for considering!
Great question Amanada. The answer is really going to depend on your own ambition, style, time, etc.
In your case it would seem fitting to continue on in Project Life with images and stories related to your new home. Maybe that is enough for you this year (and it would be awesome).
If you want to add another project in the mix, the December Daily could be for other stories in December. There's always more than one story that happens in the course of a 24 day.
My plan is to keep adding to my Project Life - bits and this and that - and just tell additional stories in my December Daily. What I love about my Project Life is that it's low key...bits of this and that.
I always go back to the idea of not complicating things if you don't have to :). You can always skip December Daily this year and make one next year so you can focus on Project Life.
Is that helpful at all? Would love to hear perspective from others who are doing both.
I agree with Ali. I'd keep the Project Life album more house focused and if you want to do December Daily too then focus on all of those other daily activities and happenings. I do Week In The Life (where I take a ton of pictures every day), then when it comes to December Daily, if I only get one picture a day....I am fine with that. Good luck.
Ali, that is helpful. I agree about not making things more complicated than they need to be. Good reminder. My gut is saying to just stick with Project Life, since I know a big focus of the holidays this year is going be through the lens of this new home - decorating, hosting, cooking in the new kitchen, etc. Thanks! I too would be curious if anyone else is doing both.
Hi Amanda, I am also doing Project Life and plan to do my third year of December Daily. My December Daily albums are among my favorites and I want to be sure to keep up that tradition. Everyone always loves looking at the past books during the holidays when I put them out. Sounds like you have your hands full with your new house, but I like Ali's idea about keeping your Project Life album about your house and doing a December Daily just about the holidays. I take so many photos during December that I don't think I'll have a problem having enough to do both projects. Good luck!
I thought about maybe during December taking my daily pic for Project Life of the objects I put in my daughter's advent calendar. And everything else in December Daily. That way I know exactly what to take a pic of for PL and can focus on December Daily.
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Gorgeous!!!! SO excited to try it this year!
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Love the simplicity of it.
Ali, are you going to use patterened paper on just the journaling cards or will you cut 6 x 8 pieces as well?
It's beautiful!!
I'm planning to use pattern paper on the journaling cards in one of those boxes or on the back - it will depend on the story for the day. Check out Day 2 - I adhered a pattern paper strip along the bottom. I'm going to attempt to not include additional full pages...we shall see :).
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Wow...everything looks fabulous and you are right that I was surprised to see this post, already about Christmas. But I agree that everything seems so much easier and nicer when there's a book ready to take in the stories. I think a lot of the time, not have a place to record those little moments and stories that really reflect our lives...means that they get lost and forgotten. Now I can't remember all the details...and it's all because I didn't have a place to get it down. There's always that thought of putting another project on the list, but then when you get to it, it's almost too late in a way. Oh and I love how you mentioned batch processing those like tasks to get the book put together - it's something I had realized watching Paperclipping with Noell too :) Thanks for the inspiration and reminder to start early and get it going!
I've always called it "production-mode." It's a great way to tackle a big project.
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Since starting December Daily albums,I keep my Christmas stuff separate. Throughout the year I add to it whenever I come across something I think I could use. So it's truly like Christmas for me when I start going through it all!
I love what you're doing this year Ali -- great design, as always!
Love the process and love the sharing. Looking forward to it!
Me too Sherri - I love having it separate.
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Goodness Ali, I bet this post took forever! Great job! Cannot wait!!!
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Oh wow! It looks amazing even though it's empty. Thanks for sharing your process, Ali. This was my favourite project from last year and I'm so looking forward to doing it again.
:)
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You are absolutely right! I CAN DO THIS! I can't wait to get started and thanks for the freebie blog image. :)
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Beautiful! I actually had a couple hours of uninterrupted crafty time yesterday and got my book assembled. So excited!
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Ali, your creativity never ceased to amaze me! This Christmas album is definitely a huge inspiration again. Once again, thanks for sharing! Have a beautiful weekend!
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Hi Ali,
Thanks for sharing your December Daily. I so appreciate the ideas and inspiration and best of all the support and information to create the album that works for each person.
You are so right about that planning ahead process--I like the continued reminder to take those planning steps.
Enjoy the day,
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i am so thrilled! i already took my albums out from the last two years to inspire me. i'm so glad i had these done to look at christmas' past! time to get out all my stuff!
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Ali,
It looks beautiful, as always. I have been collecting old and new supplies and stashing them in a box. I love the whole process from start to finish; I really like your uniform page size this year. It seems it will simplify even further. Thanks.
Kelly
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You've done it again, Ali! I can't believe how creative you are—and how organized. Thanks for the inspiration.
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Wow! is all I can say.
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This is so wonderful Ali....I agree with you on the planning ahead now for this before we get too busy into the holidays. This will be my first time and I know it won't be my last, I'm so so so excited to make this album. Thank you so very much for this post and all the explaining and pictures, it really helps me. Simple is best and yours is simple yet beautiful already empty.
Thanks for saying that not everyday has to be a holiday related subject, as that was my first question. I do have a couple more though....
1. Do you at least plan ahead some of your photos or ideas
2. Do you take a lot of extra pictures just to have enough to choose from for that day?
3. Especially on Christmas eve and Christmas day will you plan those?
Thanks for all your hard work and inspiring us and letting us share this with you.
I don't really plan ahead. That said I do know there will be certain things I definitely want to include: visiting santa, images from decorations around our house, getting the tree, etc.
I don't take a lot of extra photos either. It's not like Week In The Life where I have my camera with me all the time. It's in the back of my mind as I go about my day and when something clicks that I want to record I either take a photo or write about or use some other piece of "stuff" to complete the page.
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Love the simple 6x8 plan! This will be my first December Daily and I'm excited because Christmas is my favorite holiday and my birthday is in December too! Because I've just started seriously scrapping, I don't have a lot of Christmas supplies so mine will be a mix of a few things I have and a lot of new. This year was also the first time I had done Week in the Life and I learned a lot about how to put together a big project like this. I've got stuff pulled together and hope to get my cover done this weekend! Thanks Ali for the great inspiration!
Awesome Christy - welcome!
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Ali,
I can't believe it is that time again. I started thinking about it last week and then you posted that you would start this week I was sooo excited. I love the book and it is the way I was leaning also. Loved last years book with all different type pages but this year I also wanted to streamline the process. I can't wait to get started.
Thank you agin for doinging this
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