December Daily 2016 - Putting foundation pages together

So, I'm starting to get my head around my December Daily album.

I am disappointed with myself, with my lack of Halloween flair this year. [I knew I would be] I had such good intentions, to make this final elementary school year full of memories, but feel like I crashed and burned. First off, let me start by saying, that it's totally easy to feel inadequate, when you have perfect seeming bloggers and pinners out there. Everywhere. Pinning and posting and blogging their things. Their layouts are perfect. Their mini albums are perfect. Their house is perfect...

It's easy to feel this way, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. I couldn't get sugar cookies made and decorated for Halloween this year. Or last year. Or probably, the year before that. I want to, but I just can't seem to get it together.

I can't to do it all. And, I have to be okay with that. And I sort of am. Until I start seeing the perfect christmas decorations. And cookies. And crafts. And mini albums, showing up the day after Halloween.

I'm working p/t, which makes things even more hectic than they were before. I can't give enough accolades to parents that are working full time. I don't know how you do it. My calendar hardly has an open day on it, from the beginning of September, until the end of March, when hockey and ringette are over. 

It would seem my ability to multi-task, is more of a 'multi-lack'. But I do what I can. 

Last year, I flew by the seat of my pants when it came to my December daily book.

Now, having gone back and looked at it, it's better than I thought. If you're interested, you can go check out this post here: December Daily 2015

This year my plan so far is to have a little bit more of the foundation put together before December hits. I don't print stuff off at home, even if I did print from home, for some reason, we can't get our printer set up properly for this new computer. I send my stuff to be printed at Costco. You just can't beat the price.

As far as my album goes, I don't know what's going to happen, on what days. However,  I like to have the date pages ready to go, at the very least. So when I have to work on pages/photos and then send them off to be printed, it adds another step. Another busy step, which has me going to Costco... Multiple times, during the holiday season. If you've ever been to Costco, I know you know what I'm talking about. Get in when the doors open and GET OUT....

This year, in anticipation of not having a working computer, I'd actually been excited to do a more hands on approach. More playing with paper, and less, digital stuff.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I finally got brave enough to download the new PSE15, and fiddle around with it. Then, a week or so ago, Sahlin Studio released 'Oh What Fun'.

There's no way you can look at this stuff, and not have DECEMBER DAILY ringing in your ears. I just love it. So, I'm going to try to do a bit of digital, and a bit of paper... The truth is, I just love the digital aspect of creating layouts... But I also love working with paper too. So, I hope to have a perfect  combination of them both. You have to go check out these products, they're awesome. [All products are listed and linked below]

This year, I decided to go with a 6x4 sized format. I purchased one of last years mini albums from  Ali Edwards. Last year I used a 6x6 size, and made a lot of my own page protector sheets that I cut down to size and used my We Are Memory Keepers Fuse Tool on. I have seen a few DD albums this 6x4 size, and was eager to try it this year.

Like I mentioned, these are not at all set in stone, and could change. But here are my first few foundation pages.

I was trying to get fancy with my sewing machine and make a round loop. I love that it looks like a misshapen heart, and I didn't even mean for it to. LOVE stitching in my albums. I like the look of the digital stitch too, but there's nothing like actually running the sewing machine across the page.

I backed all my 3x4 cards, with festive paper on the backs. I just didn't show them all. I also love this monthly calendar card, that I adhered to paper, and it's on it's own in the book.

These numbered 'day' pages, will be more of a guideline than anything else. I'm looking forward to seeing what December brings, in the way of stories.  And I plan to take a lot more photos this year, so that after Christmas, I'm not disappointed.

The following Sahlin Studio Products used:

Oh What Fun kit
Oh What Fun - Journal Cards
December Days No. 2
Number Journal Cards 

December Daily - 2015

**Warning - This is a very photo heavy post.

Consider yourself warned.

I finally finished my December Daily album.

This year it felt painful.

I wasn't prepared ahead of time like I have been in the past. Next year, I need to re-read this post.

BE PREPARED... Get things ready. Have foundation pages created. Buy a proper book.

I'm finally comfortable in my own scrapbooking skin. Which means, I'm okay with MY stuff. There will always be people out there, in blogland and pintetest. [ESPECIALLY on pinterest] People who's work I admire, and gravitate towards. I've finally stopped caring that my albums don't look like somebody else's.

Having said that, I completely 'winged it' this year. Which, from experience, I do NOT recommend.

I used an old 6x6 album I had lying around. I thought getting page protectors for it would be easy. WRONG. Turns out, no one seems to be selling 6x6 sized page protectors any more. Major bummer. I have always enjoyed using lots of different sized page protectors. Next year I will most likely buy a December Daily Album. Who am I kidding, next year I will most likely buy Ali Edwards December Daily Album. Love that girl.

I bought myself a FUSE tool, from We Are Memory Keepers. Since I couldn't find 6x6 page protectors to buy, I had to get a little bit creative. I waited until I was able to purchase it with a 50% off coupon at Michael's. [Merry Christmas to me] I used it quite a bit, but I'm not totally sold. I like it, but I don't know if I love it...

That being said, it allowed me to buy standard page protectors [I got mine from Staples] and cut them down and create my own page protectors.

So, with a huge sigh of relief, here's my 2015 December Daily book.

 

 

 

There are some pages I love. There are some pages I don't love. But I'm finished. It's put away for another year. Next year, when re-reading this post [because my intention is to PREPARE IN ADVANCE for my December Daily album] I will also be reminded, to TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES. Even if I don't feel like it. Because I'm totally bummed out with the lack of photos I have. [Even though I said it was okay... And it is...] I'm still wishing I'd had a few more pictures to choose from.

I used the following Sahlin Studio product for this album:


Project Mouse Christmas [dec '13 release]
Making Spirits Bright [nov '14 release]
Joy - MPM Add on's [dec 14 release]
Mad for Plaid [nov '15 release]
Number stamps [nov '15 release]

Other product used:

Sara Gleason - MPM Add on - Arboretum Joy [dec '14 release]
Sara Gleason - MPM Add on - Joy Word Art [dec '14 release]
Stolen Moment Designs - MPM Add on - Joyful Papers [dec '14 release]
Stolen Moment Designs - MPM Add on - Joyful Elements [dec '14 release]

I also used papers and elements that I had in my stash. 

A Little Breather....

First off, Happy New Year. Wow... 2014.  I feel really good about this year. Maybe it's the even number...

I'm not sure if my stay at home mum status has turned me into a slow poke. I don't know if I've been away from the work force long enough, that I've actually forgotten how to be efficient at managing my time. I don't seem to be able to manage my  as well as I once did. The very  idea of holding down a full time job, and doing this job of parenting, scares the dickens out of me. I have posted before, about how grateful I am to have the opportunity to stay at home. I feel truly blessed and thankful that at this point in my life, my job description is home maker. You would think, that I'd have scads of time, especially with my kids both in school full time. But I don't seem to have scads of time. I never seem to have enough time. Ever. I don't know how some of my girlfriends fit work into their busy schedules. But seriously, kudos to them, you guys are amazing.

Does the utter lack of time sound familiar to anyone else? As we headed towards Christmas, I thought, I need to do this, I need to do that. I made lists of things I wanted to conquer over the holidays.  Projects I wanted to finish up. Unfinished things such as my week in the life, from back in September... I thought I will have 2 glorious weeks that I don't have to worry about a schedule. I could stay up a bit later. I was pretty positive that I would get all sorts of things accomplished. [Finish our Disneyland album, for example, I only have 2 more pages, and then it will be complete] and yes... We did Disneyland in 2011...

I'm so envious of how people find time to scrapbook and blog and instagram... And blog. And keep current. And do multiple projects. And blog... I want to do better, but I just can't seem to make all the hours in my day cooperate.  What falls by the wayside the most, is this blog. I have good intentions, but just can't seem to find the time.

Now, my list of things to do, still remains a list of things to do. A bit disappointing. But what I did do was keep up to date on my December Daily Album. This year I printed pictures off at home. I was pleased with the quality, but around day 17, I ran out of ink in my printer. So, I then sent pictures out to be printed. I have to pick up the pictures for the last few days up to Christmas and put the final touches on the pages, and then my DD for 2013 will be complete. Complete!! Whoop-whoop. I have posted up to Day 21 on the Studio Calico gallery. You can find my pages by clicking here. They're all together.

Also, I am currently working on Week 52 of my project life book. So I would say that's pretty successful. I still have to finish my title page and now week 1 for the new year. Will I be doing project life again this year? Oh yes. Indeed I will be. I just love, love, love this avenue of storytelling and memory keeping.  Can't say enough good things about it. I am considering a slightly different process this year though... Though I haven't decided exactly what that will look like yet. I'm toying with the idea of going completely digital, and then having a 'photo book' made at the end of the year... I'm considering doing a 1 page 12x12 spread per week rather than 2 pages. I guess if I have weeks with more info, I can be flexible and add more pages if I want to. I want to carry on, but I also want to simplify. So, I'm going to try a few things, play it by ear, and decide. Because I can do this however I want...

I am really missing the traditional paper scrapbooking. I really enjoyed doing this years DD album the traditional way, for the most part. So I want to dabble with paper again. And continue with digital stuff as well. I love it all.

Any way, that's where I'm at. Just thought I'd share.

December Daily - Day 2 & 3

Here are my pages for Day 2 & 3.

Day 2: Left Hand Side:

Day 2: Right Hand Side:

Day 3: Left Hand Side:

Day 3 - Right Hand Side:



Being snowed in, has certainly ramped up my productivity and ability to get layouts done!! We have so much snow on our street, that there's no way my vehicle would make it. Fingers crossed that they plow today, so I can get out of the house again!

December Daily Has Begun - Day 1

Just like that, we're into December, and the December Daily begins. I love this project. This is my 5th year doing it, and we all enjoy looking back at books from the past years. 

This year I splurged and ordered the December Daily kit from Studio Calico. In past years I have created my own albums, using what ever it is I have on hand. I create my own png files to suit whatever size I need. My kit arrived shortly after our Canadian Thanksgiving, and it was super fun to look through the kit and check out all the goodies.

Our November started out with a snow storm and weather advisory. It was the perfect time to get the book started and ready. You need to have this book 'ready to go' by the time December hits. In my experience any way... If you don't do it, as the days are happening, you won't do it. It becomes overwhelming. I plan to continue on with my project life pages as well. I did it last year, and managed okay. [Even though I've only got up to week 38 posted, I'm actually current, and trying to get caught up on the posts]

To create my album cover, I painted the chipboard cover white. This winter, I'm suddenly drawn to all things gold and sparkly. [Silver has been numero uno for the last 15 years] So I was pleased with that finding. I used my heat embosser, and embossed my letters and numbers gold. I added the star and embossed it silver. I also added  a silver strip of sparkly ribbon down the front. I think I'm pleased with this, though I might just add a couple of silver stars on the cover yet...

My title page was using the wood veneer '25', I embossed it white. [My heat embosser has gotten more action in the last month than it has in the last 5 years] I added the gold 'twenty thirteen' on top of the embossed veneer. [Up until now, all things included in the kit]

The red paper, was actually bought paper. I've been hoarding it for years, I've used it very sparingly over the last few years. That's the end of it though. I don't have a silhouette, though I'm green with envy every time I see cut files... Just can't justify the $$.

This page was cutting down one of the page protectors in half, so it's only 2- 3x4 sizes [rather than 4]. I wanted to include the calendar month. The die cut Polaroid is also from Studio Calico, however it was last years stock. I hoard. It's a problem.

Added sequins that I had in a bin, to both sides. I stamped and embossed 'memories' in silver, on the label, that I printed out [digital file] as part of the kit.

First page, December 1. I tried to a few weeks to get my little family together to take a few pictures for this years Christmas card. Between working, hockey, birthday parties, fund raising, brownie camps and Scout camps, we finally got out to take pictures. The afternoon before a blizzard was to blow in. You could say I was motivated. [Mason grumbled the whole time, he couldn't understand why we couldn't just use last years picture...]

Any way, super pleased with the cute shot I took of them, and decided it would be the 'page opener'.

I created my own journal cards, using 4x6 recipe cards. I created a file that looked very much like Ali's. I am so inspired by her take on December Daily. You can check it out here. 

So there we are, day one. And so far I love it.