December Daily 2018

Well, this post is long overdue.

But I did it. Well, nearly did it, as I was going through the album, I realized I'm missing days 18 and 19. Just plain forgot them.

I have a couple of places to add some journaling, but I can post my pages without that. 

I had intended to have this done by the end of January. But I just wasn't feeling it. It turned super cold February 1st. You would have thought that considering I rarely left the house in a two week period, I'd of had plenty of time to finish my album. But I just wasn't feeling it then either. 

I knew I would regret not finishing it, so I hunkered down and 'got 'er done'. This album is a little bit of everything. There is some hybrid stuff, digital, stamping, cutting, pasting, stitching, sewing. 

I totally revamped my title page. I'm really happy with how it turned out.  

So, without adding anything further, here is my 2018 December Daily album:

On day 11, which was the Home for the Holidays card, I tried hand-stitching it. Once I started it, I  hated how it looked. So I just stopped. I'm going to reprint that card, shrink the sentiment slightly and stitch it on the sewing machine. 

The journaling that is missing is on day 22.  Madelyn was invited to go Christmas Caroling with a friend and her family. They were singing carols at a local market. She just had so much fun doing that, and it is just so her. That would totally be out of my comfort zone, especially having people watch me sing... 

Also, kicking myself for the lack of photos I got on the 24th and 25th... All the photos on the 24th were sent to me. I had been experiencing dreadful neuralgia since the 20th of December. The kind that has you reaching for the Advil every 2-3 hours. So I wasn't in a super place. The lack of photos this year, can be attributed to that fact. 

I did save bits and pieces from xmas gifts received. So I plan to add that to the 25th as well. To close up this years album, I created a couple quick easy layouts of our silly elves.

There were many different digital products used in creating these pages including: Sahlin Studio, Kerry Bradford, Sara Gleason.

I used physical elements, papers and journal cards from past December Daily and Studio Calico kits. 

Thanks for checking it out! 

December Daily Days 2 & 3

Happy December! One thing about this month, is comes whether you're ready for it or not. 

We are well on our way, I have the first 3 days of my album put together. I changed day 2 up slightly. I still used the same number card and journal card, but on my main 4x6 card, rather than 2 small photos, I added one photo and another journal card to capture my story of the day.

I have to admit, I'm feeling a little bit lost with my December Daily album this year... My kids aren't little kids anymore. I'm not sure what stories I need to try and capture, and I'm also being mindful of their wishes for me to be a bit more private... 

That was bound to happen, with 16 and 13. I'm doing my best to honour everyone involved. 

Here are days 2 & 3: 

A few years ago, Ali Edwards had given the embrace the mess word art away for free.

I had downloaded it, but didn't find a spot in that years album to use it. Last night, as I was looking around my messy house, I remembered it. I had an a-ha moment. The house is a fright. We're still missing a ceiling in our family room. We're hosting Christmas eve, and I'm feeling overwhelmed by the state of things... 

I'm keeping it real. Things will get tidied and put away. Decorations will all get put out. Baking will get done. Cards will get sent. And Christmas Day arrives, just like December, whether you're ready for it or not. 

So I'm embracing the mess. Embracing the hustle. Embracing the busy of the season, and I'm going to do my very best to not get overwhelmed and let it get to me. 

Hello December, we're on our way!

The following Sahlin Studio product was used: 

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Home-for-the-Holidays-Journal-Cards-1.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Home-for-the-Holidays-Journal-Cards-2.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/December-Days-No-4-Numbers.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Home-for-the-Holidays-Elements.html

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year....

It's that time of year again!

I have begun to put together my December Daily foundation pages.

You might recall back in September, I talked briefly about December Daily. This is one project that I anticipate and love to do. Love it. I always get a bit nostalgic when I bring out my DD albums from past years, and see just how little my kids once were.

I mean come on...

How is it even possible that this sweet boy now towers over me, and this little girl is only a few inches away from looking at me right in the eye? Seriously, how on earth has that happened so fast? Seeing photos printed and in an album, make me so happy that I took the time to do this, and to see it through to finished.

When the kids were little, the Sears Christmas Wishbook was definitely the first sign that Christmas was fast approaching.

The photo above, of them going through the wishbook page by page, making notes about what they hoped to ask Santa for...  My heart. Seriously. It still explodes when I look at this photo.

One thing that remained the same for me and the kids, was the Sears Wishbook. I remember it showing up at the house. I was mesmerized by the pages of things, from childhood through adulthood. I ordered a lot of things from Sears over the years, because of that Christmas Wishbook. I'm glad the kids got to experience the wishbook the same way I did. Sadly, that's one tradition that has been lost, now that Sears is no longer a thing. I'm glad the kids got to have it for a few years at least, when the magic of Christmas was at it's peak.

They don't pay too much attention to toy store ads anymore, although recently a rather exciting glossy  Christmas flyer arrived from Toys R Us, both kids took their time going through it page by page. Once a kid, always a kid!

Now that we've hit mid-november, I've begun to put my foundation pages together for this years December Daily album.  I'm using a 6x8 album that I had stashed away. I did have to order some page protectors for it, but vowed this year not to purchase anything new. My goal this year is to use what I have.

And then then Sahlin Studio released this new collection: Home for the Holidays

Seriously... I'm swooning over this collection. The journal cards, the paper, the elements, the numbers. There's a lot that is swoon-worthy. I'm smitten.

How lucky am I? Because I'm part of the creative team, I've been playing with this! I have to say,  so far it's been fabulous!

Here's a few pages:

I wanted to be able to see the 'tree of words' underneath the page protector. This gives you a rough idea of the look I'm going for.  The paper I used on the 'M' is very tiny. I think I'll enlarge it slightly , and perhaps change the colour of some of the sentiments on the page. I'm still tinkering with this, and it's not completed quite yet.

This year, I'm going for simple. And repetition. 

I'm excited to see how the album will turn out. So far, I love it. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Home-for-the-Holidays-Elements.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Home-for-the-Holidays-Journal-Cards-1.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Home-for-the-Holidays-Journal-Cards-2.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/December-Days-No-4-Numbers.html