Slowly Making Progress!

After posting pictures of my December Daily foundation you're probably wondering where the finished pages are. Well, they're taking me a bit longer this year. Partly due to my format (live and learn) but mostly due to my work schedule. December started on a weekend. A weekend in which I worked the Friday night and Saturday and Sunday all day! Not only was I a wee bit tired come Monday when I had time to sit and work on things, I found that since I hadn't been around all weekend I had no pictures and not much of an idea of what to document. Greg had taken some pictures from Marley's Jazz class on the Saturday and Sunday evening I got the girls to take some pictures of Greg's "do" after Marley styled his hair. Not very "Christmas-sy" but it is what it is and I just have to embrace it.

So, here we go ...

Here's a reminder of my front cover.

The inside of the front cover and Day 1.

I decided to add some stamping to the inside but because I'd already glued the frame and whatnot to the front it caused some missed bits in my stamping that I wasn't totally happy with. So I covered most of it up. Now its just background and I love it! I added a journalling card explaining how different I am finding this process this year as a working Mom and other bits and pieces.

Day 1 was kept pretty simple. A few pictures that Greg had taken with his phone, some journalling and some stamping.

Here are Days 2 and 3.

This is my attempt at creating a digital overlay. Not the best but it'll do. Some journalling and border stickers finish it off.

For Day 3, since I had no pictures, I took one of my pre-done art journal pages and simply added my number, some stickers and the journalling. Easy peasy!

There you have it folks. I'm working on Day 4 right now but will be working all day tomorrow and Sunday so ... who knows when this project will get finished!! Thanks for stopping by. If you're working on a December Daily or something similar I'd love to see it so please leave a link in the comments section.

Have a great weekend everyone!

It's almost December Daily Time Again

Can you believe it? If you're American you are probably still in a Turkey Coma today or you've been at the malls since 4AM scooping up some great deals. Up here in Canada we're in full Christmas Prep Mode. As many of you know, I have two jobs right now. (Why two you ask? Not sure ... it just ... happened!) Anyway, BOTH my jobs are ready for Christmas. Pier1 Imports started putting out the Christmas product in mid-October (basically right after our Thanksgiving) and The Upstart Crow (my local job) got their halls decked this past weekend. So ... I'm in a Holiday Mood!! Beware!! I may start singing Christmas carols and  hanging lights!!

Must. Wait. Til. December. 1st!

You know what can't wait until December 1st? My December Daily. I am featuring my foundation pages over on the Practical Scrappers site today (check it out here) but for all you loyal followers, I thought I'd share more pictures and (maybe) more insight into my process. Oh and if you are wondering just what is a December Daily, it is a project started by Memory Keeping Guru Ali Edwards designed to help you record the daily goings on during the Holiday Season. You can check out her blog for more information here and see what she's prepared to use this year here. This is my 3rd year embarking on this journey with her (and thousands of like minded memory keepers out there!)  You can find my 2010 album here and 2011 here. Both of these albums use digital templates that I purchased from Ali Edwards and this year she is offering them again but I have decided to try my hand at making my own. I've downloaded a trial version of Photoshop Elements with the assurance from Greg that I can have the full blown version whenever I want (it was actually a birthday present that I haven't cashed in yet!) We'll see how it goes. I may break down and buy hers in the end!!


So, what have I got ready for 2012? I'm sure you're all dying to see some pictures, right?
Well, here you go ...

This is my cover. I had another set of the same Teresa Collins Christmas album covers that I used last year so I just covered them with layers of white paint, stencils and other bits. 

And this is what the album looks like at the moment. In previous years I have had every single page ready to go - all I needed to do was add pictures, journalling and some embellishment. This year I want to leave room for a bit more creative freedom so my pages are pretty unfinished (as you will see). I'm also hooked on the Art Journal look so a lot of my pages will be more art journal and less traditional scrapbook page.

This is a close up of my cover page embellishments. I am using mostly Echo Park papers from various Christmas lines (some have been in my stash for a while so it's time to use them up!) The frame was one I found in the clearance bin at Michael's several months ago. It was originally turquoise but a couple coats of some white craft paint and some brown ink distressing and voila! 

The insides of the front and back covers look like this.

And the back cover is a blank canvas waiting for inspiration to strike!

While digging through my stash trying to figure out what to use for the cover I found these pieces of raw chipboard. They were almost the perfect size to fit into the Teresa Collins covers! They are also what prompted the art journal idea as they lend themselves nicely to being covered with all sorts of things!

These are the art journal-esque pages that I have started so far. Some are messier than others and to be honest I'm not sure where this is going to end up, but the journey should be fun! 

These are the back sides of the pages above. As you can see, some are covered in patterned paper, some are covered in more paint and some are still raw ... I'm leaving myself lots of room for play this year.

Here's a close up of some of the texture I've got going. 

I've got a variety of supplies set aside and ready to add to this album. My day numbers (see below), lots of different journalling tags and cards, papers, scraps, paint, stamps, inks, stencils and some transparencies that may go in front of these art journal pages as day dividers if I don't feel like putting the numbers over any art. I can't wait to see how it all comes together!

As for my numbers, here is what I've done.

 Pretty simple. I felt that the pages themselves were going to be quite busy so the numbers needed to be bold enough to stand out but simple enough to let the artwork take centre stage. As you can see I have not attached them to any of my pages. I am determined to assemble as I go this year!

A close up so you can see how I popped up each star to give dimension.

And #25 got special treatment ...

Well, I hope you enjoyed this look into what I will be working on this December. I'd love to see your December Dailies if you are working on one this year. Please leave a link in the comments so I can come and  check out your work!

December Daily - The Lost Day

Well, it wasn't really lost, just slow to come together as I had to wait until the photos came in. Of course I am talking about Day 15 and our family portraits. Here it is, all done and quite lovely if I do say so myself.

Day 15:

Aren't they beautiful?

Here are the pictures - I scanned them on my printer and if you look really closely you can see the dust on the scanner glass. Oops! Oh well, it's just for sharing online. The originals will be hung up soon.

Marley, aged 7 (and 5/6ths!)

Paige, aged 5 (and 2/3).

Christine, aged 2 (and 3/4 - who shocked us today by peeing in the potty twice un-prompted. Yay!)

We loved this one of the girls laughing so we got it in 4x6 (all the rest are 8x10).

And our session bundle included a freebie so we got this one of Christine twirling. Since this is the first time getting formal portraits of her done, we figured we owed her!

On another note, I got my November layout done for Project 12. It's due tomorrow so I'll photograph it in the morning and post it for you. I have heard that Scrapbook and Cards Today will not be running P12 next year which makes me quite sad but I am determined to keep it up on my own. I love that I have the last 2 years recorded! Anyone want to join me? We could run our own challenge ... for bragging rights as I doubt anyone would sponsor me! :)

Anyway, that's  it for me tonight. See you tomorrow!

Finishing December Daily - Days 22 - 25

It's done!!!

Okay, almost ... I still have to scan in the professional pictures we had taken and add them to Day 15 ... but other than that, it's done!! Start the happy dance!!

Here are the last few days.

Day 22:

Another of those days where I took no pictures and there was no real "story to tell". So I printed off some virtual snowflakes the girls and I had made  earlier in the week, added a little journalling about what actually happened on the 22nd and called it done.

Day 23:

We hosted Grandma and Grandpa Day and the Nielsen's - Greg's sister Christine, and her family. We used the timer on my camera to take a group shot which I used in the cover page which is a flip out page protector. To the smaller flap I added the word 'family' - letters that were originally white but I spritzed the heck out of!! Then, since I'd used some platinum coloured Liquid Pearls on the snowflakes (see below) I added some as an embellishment below the word.

Here is the flap opened up to reveal the whole picture.

The full layout of cover page and main page.

A close up of the word 'family'.

And my playing with the Liquid Pearls!

On the back of the cover page I added some of the journalling strips I'd cut intending to put on the main page but once I'd added my bits of packaging, they didn't work. So they will live here now.

Each girl got what her heart most desired (even if her heart didn't know it!). Marley got a guitar (Heaven help us!!), Paige got a new Barbie car - a Fiat no less - and LC got the Dora doll she's been drooling over for months. It's got magic wings that unfurl and a magnetic wand that makes Dora talk and sing. Joy!

The back features a collage and some more journalling strips to complete the story of the night.

Day 24:

On Christmas Eve my brother Andrew and his family came over. We were not so organized and did not get  group pictures ... oops!

On the back of the cover page I added the tag from the Magic Reindeer Food we sprinkled on the lawn after everyone had left. Marley made it one year in Preschool and ever since then it's been a requirement around here!

Andrew plays a mean guitar so Marley was fairly beside herself waiting for him to arrive and show her some things on her new guitar. He was awesome! He tuned it (as best he could without a tuner) and then showed her a few fingerings. The guitar came with 3 fingering charts so he used those. She was thrilled!!

I think guitar lessons are in our future!!

Day 25:

I added some journalling strips to the brown tag on the cover that say:

"I want to remember: Marley's reaction to the keyboard - "This is the best Christmas EVER!!""

Here is the back of the cover page and the main page together. I added some journalling to the tag on the back of the cover page.

For whatever reason, I took pictures of our food this year. It seemed like I spent all the the 23rd - 25th in the kitchen so maybe it was only appropriate! For this page I feature the 3 main Christmas traditional foods we have around here. Once stockings are opened (or in this years' case because Paige and LC slept in, before) we have the Land of Nod Cinnamon Buns from the Best of Bridge cookbook. Then mid-morning we usually take a break in the present opening to have the Christmas Morning Wife Saver (also from the Best of Bridge). Then finally, the big event - the turkey. I use a recipe from Cooking Light magazine which calls for a garlic-herb mix to be rubbed under the skin. It's really yummy and super moist!

And last but not least, a collage of the events of the day. 

From the top left and moving clockwise: Paige saw this Rudolph stuffy at Shoppers Drug Mart when we were shopping for Marley's Christmas present and was reduced to tears when I forced her to leave it behind. So, even though the other two had already bought her a Christmas present, I went back and got it for her. She hasn't let go of it since!! Santa brought Lego this year so we had some fun building the kits that were in Marley and Paige's stockings. Grandma and Grandpa Day surprised us with an electronic key board. I think someone out there is trying to give us a hint! Maybe we need to branch out from our soccer-centric household!! Poppa Graham made his grandkids a Marbles game board each. Paige is addicted so it wasn't long before it was broken in! The stuffed stockings in the morning. Our over loaded tree! And in the centre - a group shot of us around the dinner table - using my new gift - a tripod!! Yay!!!

Well, there you have it. Another December Daily done. Christmas has come and gone and all that's left is a whole living room full of empty boxes and wrapping paper. The garbage and recycling men better bring extra vehicles this week!! 

I hope your Christmas was as joyous as ours. See you around!