December Daily 2010

The December Daily is a project that is designed by Ali Edwards. You can see her post about this year's project here. This is my first season doing the DD project so I decided to just follow along with her design plan for 2010. I love looking at her past albums with their variety of page sizes and shapes and envelopes, etc. But, I don't think I could have that much freedom in the design of the book and still be focused on the purpose as Ali says "pictures+words". 
Another hurdle that I've read people say they have is, why should I create a DD? I don't have anything exciting going on in my life. Either they don't have kids or their family lives so far away that they don't get to do a lot for the holidays. Well, I don't know if I have a very exciting life either but I'm going for it! I love Christmas more than any other season; the joy, the hope, the faith and the spirit that comes about in a home during the holidays is amazing. I live with my fiancé and our golden retriever. We don't have kids but will probably spend our winter getting ready for our wedding next July. I want to capture what our Christmas looks like before we have children running through the house. I want to see what we can do this season to grow closer as the family that we already are and to celebrate the season together as individuals. 
Without further chatter about the season, here is my December Daily. All papers are My Mind's Eye, Holly Jolly and I Believe.

The cover is two pieces of chipboard cut to 6x8. I had some old material that my grandma and I were making a jacket out of. I hot glued it around the chipboard and then covered the inside with a thick piece of cardstock. I wrapped a wide piece of ribbon around the front cover and then added two digital print outs of Ali's. The holly leaf is My Mind's Eye - Holly Jolly and then I added a red button with some twine. 

Every day has a blank page for extra pictures or journaling, just like Ali has in her 2010 album. I didn't want to have the number on every page again or the weekday, so I just took an overlay page that I had already purchased and deleted the words and design and then printed onto cardstock, trimming down to 6x8. Everyday may or may not have this page included in the final album because I may not have that many pictures or words for that day.

The inside cover has another strip from Ali's digitals. Page 1 is simple with just a calendar card as an introduction for the book. For day 1, I know that we will be putting up our tree and decorations, so I included this page from the Noel Journaling Pad by Art Warehouse as a base for a picture of our tree. 

Days 2 through 9. I used various numbers from American Crafts-Thickers & Lush, Jillibean Soup, and digital number cirlces from Ali Edwards. 

On day 4 and 5, I used a technique that I saw on the internet somewhere. The number and the frame were not the colors that I wanted them to be. Ali had used some metal numbers that I really liked, so I decided to recreate that look. I inked up my number and frame and then covered them in embossing powder (silver &gold). I then heated the embossing powder until it melted. I repeated this 3 times in order to get the smooth finish.

On day 8, I printed a digital word art from Ali Edwards right onto my patterned paper. I place the 6x8 piece of paper in the center of an 8.5x11 piece of computer paper and then lightly taped it down. Then, when I ran it through my printed, Photoshop printed where the patterned paper was.

Day 10-17. Day 10 is a pocket from Little Yellow Bicycle and Day 12 is another page from Art Warehouse.

On day 15, I used a digital tag from Ali Edwards and I used the same technique to make the 15 look like metal as I used on day 4.

Day 18-25 included a lot of different embellishments. I used a circle from Jillibean soup, some tiny type letters, and printed Ali Edwards digital word art on day 21.

Day 19 is unique because it's my birthday. This is one of the things that will be happening in December that will help fill my album and make it not only about the holiday but our everyday. The tag originally said Merry Christmas, but I got a card last year that said Merry Birthday and I thought that was cute.

Christmas Eve will also be another non-holiday page...what?! you're thinking! Yes, Christmas Even is my baby brother's birthday and he'll be 14 this year! He will finally be able to drive himself to school (because we live in the country). Every year, we would go to church on Christmas Eve and then come home to open birthday presents and have cake! I'm hoping that my fiancé and I will be able to attend this year! I still included our "list" because it'is Christmas Eve you know and I thought the believe circle was perfect since Santa will be coming this night.

And finally Christmas Day! The calendar circle is Jillibean soup, another circle from Ali Edwards digital tags, and some stitching to hold it all down. This day will undoubtedly have more than just a page or two. I've also decided that because we usually go to lots of different family dinners, that any after the 25th will just go on another page at the back of the book.

Ok, there you have it! My 2010 December Daily! Hope you enjoyed and felt inspired by the holiday spirit! If you are doing a December Daily album, let me know! I'd love to come check it out. Happy Holidays!...oops...I mean Happy Halloween!