Skip to content

We use cookies

By choosing “Accept all,” you agree to the storage of cookies on your device for functional, analytical, and advertising purposes. To learn more, please see our privacy policy.
Ali Edwards Design Inc.
Sign in / Sign up Cart

December Daily 2009 : Day 23, Day 24, Day 25 & Reflections On The Process

Tags:

LookingDown_DD_Complete

This is another one of those projects that I love to finish. I love to start it and I love to be done with it (another reason I just do the 25 days). There is no doubt that I will do it all over again next year. 

One of the big things you will notice is that I ended up going with a thick ribbon/twine (from my stash) rather than the metal rings to hold it all together. It just wasn't working. I don't love what I ended up using but it will be fine (not ideal because it's hard to turn & would not be easy for little hands to look through). Read below for more observations from the process.

DAY TWENTY-THREE

23_DD_1
A shopping list paired with a circle glitter paper from Making Memories. Two circle epoxy and one button accent were added on top of three circles (one from Love, Elsie, one from K&Company, and the button from American Crafts).

Here's the original:

Day23 

DAY TWENTY-FOUR

24_DD_1
I ended up moving the pocket page to the back (see original below) because I wanted to the photos and the words to be front and center (vs. inside the pocket).

24_DD_journaling

The journaling talks about our day: where we went, what we ate, and how over-the-top excited Simon was about Santa visiting and it finally being Christmas. Word art is from my Hand Drawn Holiday collection at Designer Digitals.

And probably my favorite photo of the season:

24_DD_photo
Nothing better than matching PJ's on Christmas Eve. Scallop punch along the edge is the Threading Water Punch Fiskars. Attached the little card that came with the PJ's to the top of the page.

Here's the original:

Day24 

DAY TWENTY-FIVE

25_DD_both
I backed that enlarged photo from Christmas Eve with another from Christmas morning (before doing the border punch). I traditionally don't take too many photos on Christmas morning just because there are so many other things to be paying attention to and celebrating, but I did get a couple this year.

25_DD_photo
Word stickers along the edge are a few seasons back from Making Memories. The little Santa ticket is from Jenni Bowlin. 

25_DD_Content
I typed up (literally with my old typewriter) two little notes: one for Simon and one for Anna talking a bit about their experience Christmas morning. The handwritten "Dinner Info" card talks about what we cooked this year (prime rib and pommes Anna). The punch along the top of the notes is the Apron Lace punch from Fiskars.

DD_Bits

For the final page I moved the canvas pocket (originally Day 24) and added a little strip and used rub-ons to add the word "bits." I collected a few things and tucked them inside.

Spine_DD
On the spine I added key, a metal circle with the word "believe," and a small manila tag (I added the E09 with Jenni Bowlin rub ons).

WHAT I LEARNED

I am reminded once again that if I don't jot down notes to myself or document something specific for a particular day I will not remember it. The details or even something that would have been a great little note is gone if not written down. I do use the photos as jumping off points, but without the written words it's a lot harder to remember details even just a couple weeks later.

In looking back through my previous year's albums I think I will go back to the simple 2 or 3-ring approach with a front and back cover next year (vs. an album). I liked the adventure of doing something new and trying something different this year, but I think my preference is for the other format. I also think I like the smaller sizes better.

I liked creating those stitched-pocket pages but didn't really like having more than one of them in the album. I did end up with one on the last page (after the 25th) that worked well as a place to store extra bits from this holiday season. I ended up wanting to just see a photo or paper instead.

I really liked using the eyelets to secure the holes on each page.

I wish I would have kept more of the packaging from some of the gifts to include in the album (fun way to remember some of those gifts).

I am planning to create another layout about the holidays for our family album that will include more photos from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I like that my December Daily becomes more of a highlight (or a favorite photo selection) rather than holding everything.

In the end, as I gave this album a little hug and packed it away until next December, I said a prayer of thanksgiving. Thanks for the opportunity, thanks for the awareness of the blessing of our everyday lives, thanks for another season of magic and joy. 



Dottedline
This
post is the last of a series documenting the month of December 2009. You
find out more information and view all the completed pages of my album here. Share your work in the Flickr gallery here. 

Related posts

Comments

Sign in or sign up to comment.

90 comments