​My December Daily® Journey | Special Guest Shannan Manton

We are excited to kick off a new blog series with the incredibly talented Shannan Manton. Be on the lookout for weekly dose of her creative wisdom and inspiration in the realm of hybrid scrapbooking. We so grateful to have her here with us!

Hello December Daily friends! This is Shannan (shannan_pages on Instagram) - a digital scrapbooker from Sydney - and I’m going to be sharing my thoughts, ideas, and process around incorporating digital products into December Daily.

Normally I am not a person who gets into the Christmas spirit early. I have enough going on in my life that Christmas can wait for December. I grumble when the decorations go up in the stores earlier and earlier each year. 

But we are not in normal times and coming out of a three-month lockdown here in Sydney, I am more than ready for some cheer, sparkle and something fun to work on. You early Christmas starters? I get you now.

This will be my 14th December Daily album and it’s my one consistent project. It’s such a treasure to have all of those festive stories from when my children were really little (Eli wasn’t even born the first time I did this project) and even now there is still so much to document each year.

Today I want to share some of my past projects as I make plans and gear up for this year. 

I know I’m not alone in saying that December Daily is one of my favourite, and most valuable projects. In Australia, 1 December also marks the first day of summer so I love that my albums document the festive period as well as the change of rhythm as school finishes for the year  and we move into our summer routines and lifestyle. Even though it's a hectic time of year, I will always make time for this project.

I've made various versions of December Daily - homemade minibooks, 3x8, 4x8, 4x4 and quite a few 6x8s. Most of my recent albums are all-digital but I’ve incorporated digitals into my older ones too. Going digital means that you can buy things as you work on your album - there’s no waiting for things to arrive or worrying about items selling out. You can change the size and color of things and use them over and over. 

Having done so many albums, I usually try and switch things up each year to keep it fun and interesting for me.  Last year, I made a conscious effort to concentrate on more thoughtful, introspective journaling, instead of the we-did-this style of documenting. I kept it very simple with a red theme and a focus on the words and photos, with a few digital embellishments in a 4x8 album. It wasn’t easy to write something substantial every day but I’m glad I did and this year I will do more minimal journaling - it’s all a balance.

In 2019, I felt the pull to do something small. Sometimes that’s all we can muster right? I made a little homemade hybrid 4x4 mini-book with binder rings and a chipboard cover. Each spread had a square photo and number on the left and a journal card or some digital embellishments with brief journaling on the right. Super do-able but also one of my faves and the direction I want to go in this year again.

In 2018, I made a 3x8 digital album using Ali’s overlays on top of a photo on the left everyday, and journaling or a card on the right. This is a system I have used consistently over my December Daily journey - I love a good rhythm and repetition.

For a few years, I made really simple 6x8 digital albums - nothing complicated, just a photo (or two) and a story every day, following the photo-on-the-left, journaling-on-the-right formula. I really liked the challenge of making sure I get at least one good enlargement-worthy photo a day. 

And this was my very first one in 2008 - totally hand-made and very Ali-inspired. I had only been scrapbooking a few months and I have no idea where I found out about Ali and December Daily but I am so glad I did.

December Daily - it can be whatever you make it. Complex or simple. Large or small. Some years might be creative and full of techniques and play, other years you might just be able to pull off the bare minimum, if at all. And that’s OK.

Whichever way you go, just know that it will be worth it.

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20 thoughts

  1. Anne82 says…
    10/07/2021

    I really admire how you always know what creative constraints to give yourself so you finish all your albums. And they are beautiful to boot!

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. shannan_mm says…
      10/08/2021

      Thanks so much Anne!

  2. minkaclark says…
    10/07/2021

    Nice to see you here Shannan as I follow your blog and am from Melbourne - still in lockdown for several more weeks! What size are you going to document your DD this year?

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. shannan_mm says…
      10/08/2021

      Ah, sorry about the lockdown, it's really been hard hasn't it. I'm making a hand-made 4x5 minibook this year - something totally different to my usual because I'm just in the mood for some fun.

  3. delia says…
    10/07/2021

    Thanks & such fabulous albums. You've inspired me to do it again this year despite having earlier decided life was too busy. Have a wonderful December.

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. shannan_mm says…
      10/08/2021

      Thank you so much Delia - hope you can find a nice and simple format to get it done this year.

  4. Rina_AbbottJard says…
    10/08/2021

    So cool Shannon. I follow you on Instagram, but am based in Brisbane, so happy that you are getting soem cheer while coming out of lockdown in Sydney! I'm really excited to see you here doing this series! You are a ROCKSTAR!!! Happy Holiday Season!

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. shannan_mm says…
      10/08/2021

      Thank you so much - I’m excited too :)

  5. Belindahowlett says…
    10/08/2021

    Every year you keep me motivated Shannan. Amazing stories, photos and digital elements. Also as we are in Australia you give me ideas for our climate. Always an inspiration.

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. shannan_mm says…
      10/08/2021

      Thank you friend!

  6. gretchenstwowishes says…
    10/08/2021

    I follow you on instagram, So glad to hear restrictions are easing in Sydney, where we live in Tasmania we had one of the first lockdowns last year, thankfully we haven’t had any more YET! Really loved seeing all your albums, so inspiring. My very first DD album was all home made and the only album unfinished. I really like how you follow a formula.

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. shannan_mm says…
      10/08/2021

      Thank you so much!

  7. jdaloisio says…
    10/08/2021

    I love the clean look and focus on your beautiful photography. Just beautiful!

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. shannan_mm says…
      10/08/2021

      Thank you!!

  8. kbledsoe says…
    10/08/2021

    Always love hearing your thoughts about process, products, and how to make it work for you. So inspiring!

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. shannan_mm says…
      10/08/2021

      Thank you so much!

  9. ScrappinMyHeartOut says…
    10/08/2021

    What beautiful albums - creative and meaningful!

    Reply 0 Replies
  10. hkludt says…
    10/09/2021

    You are a talented photographer, it’s inspiring. Beautiful!

    Reply 0 Replies
  11. Minoone says…
    10/09/2021

    Living in the north eastern US I tend to think Christmas and snow. Warm weather versions just didn’t seem “Christmasy”. Your first layout made me think that Christmas and Summer starting together would indeed be magical! Really love all these layouts and how clean and beautiful they are.

    Reply 0 Replies
  12. Kbruhn says…
    10/09/2021

    Do you use a phone camera or a “proper” camera for
    your photos?

    Reply 0 Replies

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