:: december documentation update one ::

Well, we are nearly to the big day, and I have felt excited, overwhelmed, discouraged, hopeful, and excited again with my December Daily 2013 project (only sometimes in that order, sometimes all within an hour)! This process is always good for me. I don't mind the roller coaster if it gets things documented!

A few weeks ago, I shared my cover and a few of my inside creations in this post. Today's post is meant to share a bit of behind the scenes stuff, as well as photos of the pages. Here we go!

Bea wrote a letter to Santa because she had a question about the elf (was it real?). I scanned the letter, and sized it down for the front of the envelope.  Also, there are more photos and story than I had space for, so I added a flip pocket (see below).

I put the original, full sized letter inside the envelope, of course.  When Snowflake (our first year with this elf, by the way) leaves Bea a note, it's always either 4x6 or 3x4 -- magic!  That elf is so smart and helpful (and a little creepy, but we are trying to overlook that). I plan to make a list of all (or most of) the places Snowflake surprised us and put it on that journal card.

This spread is a couple of "days" (really magical moments, see how I'm tackling this project below) in one. The tradition of a book a day continues this year (our third year). Under the sorting photo, there is another photo, and the story. The other side of the spread is about our wrapping paper this year.  :-)

There are a few more photos on flickr, here.

products i am using | I am mostly using the December Daily kit from Studio Calico and Ali Edwards. I did buy a few things, and I have a few other things in my stash that I am using, but mostly, it's from the kit.  The important stuff not in the kit: silver thread for my sewing machine (helps with the magic), wood veneers from target (in the Christmas wrapping paper section), and some blank transparencies, vellum, and wood veneers from my stash!

how i am tackling this project in 2013 | Instead of completely "following the rules", I am not approaching this project as documenting something every day. There really are no rules. It really is all about what you want to document; what memories you want to keep safe.  Each year I let the implied rule (December DAILY) get in the way of me completing the project. So this year I am mixing it up. This year I am documenting 25 (or so) magical moments of the season.  It is likely that I won't add much 'everyday' stuff into this DD, because I have Project Life for that.

other things keeping me busy | I am participating in several classes in December (both free and paid). Your December Inspired, Insta-Christmas, Picture Your Holidays, 30 Days of Lists, December Duos, and Holiday Storyteller. Each of these classes provide prompts and inspiration to help me deepen the level of storytelling I am putting into this project. I am so loving my daily emails!  I hope to share some of the projects (that aren't included in my DD) here soon. Until then I hope you are having a magical and peaceful holiday season!

Coming soon: reflection on Project Life 2013, and looking ahead to 2014!

:: hello december ::

hello christmas season.
hello magic and wonder.

hello december documentation.

hello hustle.
hello bustle.
hello family and friends.

here. we. go.

:: december documentation ::

I am going to attempt another "December Daily" this year. I ordered this kit from Studio Calico and I've been working on it, bit by bit, over the last couple of weeks. I cannot bring myself to make "foundation pages" like so many do!!  I did, however, work on the cover, title page and a few cards for inside. Some things I completely copied from Ali Edwards, but other stuff I created from scratch.  I've even made a few brushes, cuts, and cards to add to the kit! I'm loving the "see through" trend, so I imagine you will see a bunch of vellum and transparencies whenever possible.  And lets not forget glitter and sequins (both of which are all over my house right now)!!!

Let's start with the cover...

First I painted the cover, back cover, and the inside with silver paint.  Then I went back over the front and back covers with just a little bit of silver glitter paint.  I glittered the wood veneer letters from the kit, and I think the smaller snowflakes are also from that set.  I found some awesome wood veneer shapes at Target and used three of the snowflakes for my cover (after covering with glitter, of course).  The silver ribbon is also from the kit!

Here are a few inside things I've made:

Made "bring on the twinkle" in photoshop, printed on vellum, sequins mostly from the kit.

This is a total Ali Edwards rip off!

Flair from the kit and I made the "card" in photoshop, printed on vellum.

Used stamps from the kit, StazOn ink, and a transparency that I cut to size for this one.

More sequins, more stamping, more StazOn, more vellum!

This is one of my faves! Letters from dollar spot at Target, sequins from my stash and the kit, sewed the lines with silver thread.  I will post closeups when I post about this day.

Used the digital file from the kit to make "magic" then used letters from the kit for "lives here". Stapled with the tiny attacher to a Hambly transparency that I had left over from previous years!