December Daily® 2020 | Foundation Pages

I'm super excited to share a look at my starting place for my 2020 December Daily® album.

Many of the pages I'm sharing below are part of this year's December Daily® Product Play 4 workshop which begins on November 3rd. I designed nine specific pages using triangles, texture, and transparency for that class which includes video tutorials and additional information on how I created those pages. The workshop also includes projects from contributors so you can see how other people are playing with the products (and it also includes a digital package).

Most of the products I'm using this year are from my 2020 December Daily® collection. I've also added a couple things from from other collections as I do every year. I also generally incorporate a variety of random basic supplies which are listed at the bottom of this post.

If you are brand new to December Daily® I highly recommend checking out my Storytelling With December Daily® workshop. It will absolutely help you get to the heart of the matter + the project for yourself and help you get your head and your heart aligned for how you want to approach this project.

General yearly reminders:

• I tell one story per day from December 1 through December 25. Just one. One is more than enough for me. Some days it's something meaningful and other days it's something silly and other days it's just something really random. Remember that the beauty in this project is that it's the sum of all the days coming together vs. any individual story that is most awesome.

• YOU DO YOU. Your stories, your motivation, your enjoyment, your time constraints, your products might be totally different than mine and that is awesome. Don't feel like you have to be something you are not in this project - there's generally enough of those kinds of feelings already in the world. This is a project for you. This is not a competition or an invitation/permission to figure out a way to feel bad about yourself. Make the process and your stories work for you and your own life right now.

My rhythm for the last few years has been to establish these general page ideas in advance of the month and fill in the words + photos during December. I love that a lot of the "thinking" related to the design has been done in advance.

This year I'm holding off adding most of the numbers which gives me flexibility in moving things around. Some years I add more in advance and find that works just fine for me as well. Figure out what works best for you this year and do that.

As always, I will more than likely move some things around. What I love about doing Foundation Pages is that the process gives me a starting place. I've done a bunch of work already which allows me to focus more on the stories and the photos in December itself. I will be sharing my pages daily here on my blog just as I've done in years past.

Let's dive in!

For my inside cover (I don't usually decorate the outside of my album) I paired two of the Bronze Foil Chipboard letters (E = Edwards and M = McKercher) + the large plastic tree + a gold star from the Main Kit. I also printed out a strip of paper that says "Edwards + McKercher : Stories Of December : Twenty twenty.

I loved how the 3x8 transparencies turned out so I used the black one as the first page in my album. Along the outside edge I used my sewing machine to stitch on the fun green trim.

Next up is my "reason why" page for 2020. This year I'm focusing on "simple joys" and used the new alpha stamp set to literally spell that out.

Details about this page will be found in the Product Play 4 workshop (includes a template).

On the back of my "reason why" page I'm planning to include a family photo (I love to take that around my birthday each year - in November).

Details on Day 1 will be shared during my page idea hour on Saturday, November 7th during the December Daily® Prep Day (my page idea will include a cut file + png download). I used a star transparency to create a pocket on top of a printed transparency (laser printer transparency) I ran through my Minc machine using rose gold foil. On top of the transparency I adhered one of the felt numbers and gold stars.

This page will have some additional stuff happening as I'm waiting for a new Silhouette blade to arrive.

For the next day I'm planning to use a 2x2 page protector with the last row cut off. Inside the pockets right now I've got a few 2x2 pattern paper squares along with the Half Circle Fabric Phrases + one of the Pleather Circles. I'll be adding those onto the 2x2 squares when I pair this page with a story + photos.

For story #3 I'm using one of the 3x8 paper pockets (from the Main Kit) paired with a 3x8 shipping tag. On top of the pocket I adhered the large felt 3 and on top of that three I added one of the Tim Holtz Christmas Tokens (held on there with embroidery floss).

Details on this page will be found in the Product Play 4 workshop. Loved pairing a 3x8 transparencies + circle transparencies + journal cards from the Main Kit.

Details on this page will be found in Product Play 4. Paired a 3x8 transparency + a 2x3 transparency and a cut file to create shaker windows.

Circles are always a good idea. Details on this page will be found in Product Play 4. Main Kit journal cards paired with texture paste + embellishments.

Next up is a 1/2 circle die cut page which will likely pair nicely with the back of the previous page.

For Day 9 I created a fun little booklet using two of the wood veneer tags from the Main Kit.

The white text plastic pocket is from last year's pocket bundle that I pulled from my stash. I cut off the top to create an open pocket to hold my little booklet and adhered the felt number on top using red line tape. On top of the "9" I added the "merry little Christmas" fabric circle from the Main Kit.

On the outside of the wood veneer tag I added one of the Tim Holtz Countdown Brads.

Inside the little booklet I added a piece of 12 inch x 4 inch white cardstock. I used a bone folder to fold the cardstock to fit between the two wood veneer tags and then trimmed the edges + punched the hole for ribbon. On the inside front of the booklet I added the "love these moments" journal card from the Main Kit.

The tree wood veneer tag was adhered to the back. This will be a fun one to fill in during the month.

A how-to for this page will be found in Product Play 4. I love how it turned out using a variety of paper textures + the chipboard alpha from the Main Kit.

I know I will encounter stories during the month where I can use this journal card as the jumping off point for my story. I love taking 4x6 journal cards like this and punching holes in order to add them right to my album.

Details on this page will be found in Product Play 4. Loved playing with pattern vellum + Main Kit pattern paper + stitching + large plastic circles.

Next I added the 4x6 plastic envelope (I added more holes in order to be able to have it live in the center of my page.

Inside the envelope I added the 4x6 transparent journal cards.

Next up is another paper pocket from the Main Kit paired with a 3x8 tag. I also added in a couple of "loved this" tags from the Day In The Life tag set into the pocket.

Details on this page will be found in Product Play 4.

Details on this page will be found in Product Play 4. The numbers haven't been added in permanently yet but I'm considering including them with this page when I tell the story of the day.

Details on this page will be found in Product Play 4. Loved building up a bunch of texture on top of this paper die cut and can't wait to likely pair this with a full page photo.

Details on this page will be found in Product Play 4. Loved using the triangle stamp + a full page transparency + a large circle download (ran it through the Minc too) + a tab sticker.

I know I want to use the large felt "2" and the "0" together for Day 20. I stitched them together using just a bit of machine stitching where they overlap. Right now I'm considering pairing my "20" with the 3x8 tree transparency.

I added in a couple of the 4x6 Kraft tags. These make a great starting place for a story-home.

Details on this page will be found in Product Play 4. Shapes create shapes. Always love this idea.

Currently for Christmas Day I've got this page set up. I also have the large plastic "25" in a page protector to make sure I remember to use it on Christmas Day too.

Here's a video walkthrough:

SUPPLIES

• White cardstock

• Washi tape

• 6 Hole Punch

• Power Punch

• Rolling Adhesive

• Tiny Attacher

• Crate Paper Hey Santa Printed Vellum

• Washi Tape or Sewing Machine

• Bone Folder

• Main Kit

• 3x8 Transparency + Journal Card Set

• Word Phrase Sticker Sheet

• Die Cut Variety Bundle

• Textured Papers (cork, linen, vellum, felt, etc)

• 6x8 Transparency

• Bronze Glitter Paper

• Triangle Stamp or pattern paper

• Embossing Ink

• Embossing Powders

• May Arts Adhesive Backed Trim

• Embossing Heat Gun

• Minc (for optional foil)

• Tab Stickers

• Transparency Journal Card Set

• Grafix Plastic Sheets

• Confetti Stars (similar)

• Green + White Twine

• Green Washi Tape

• 6x8 Transparency Sheet

• Transparent Circles

• Die Cut Paper Inserts

• Texture or Modeling Paste

• Die Cut Paper Inserts

• Gesso or White Paint

• Tim Holtz Star Stencil

• Titan Green Pale Golden Acrylic Paint

• Gold Glitter Star Brads (similar)

• Mini Wood Veneer Stars (similar)

• Felt Hearts

• Chipboard Sheet Bundle

• Die Cut Bundle

• Embroidery Floss + Needle

• Felt

• Gelli Plate

• Green Acrylic Paint

• Star Stencil

• Tiny Dot Stencil

• Dot Stencil

• Green Embossing Powder (similar)

• Tag Stamp Set

• Bronze Glitter Paper

• Felt Hearts

• Star Die (similar)

• Die Cutting Machine (for dies - similar)

• Word Phrase Stickers

• Star Transparency

• Cork Paper

• Green Pom Trim

• Tim Holtz Metal Christmas Tokens

• Tim Holtz Countdown Brads

• 4x6 Kraft Tags

Registration is open for our second annual 12 Hours | December Daily® Online Prep Day 2020. This year it's being hosted by Creative Team members Tazhiana Gordon + Krystal Iduante. They are so excited to bring you a fun day of ideas + inspiration on November 7th. Get all the details here. Videos will be archived for later viewing (you don't nee to be online on the particular day to watch all the videos + access the downloads).