In the Storm

December Daily 2021 | Foundation Pages

Over the next couple (several) days I am going to be sharing foundation pages for my December Daily 2021 album. December Daily® is an annual month long project created by the genius creative mind of Ali Edwards, a leader in the scrapbooking community. I have participated most years in some way, unfortunately with few finished albums. Although December Daily 2020 is near-finished because I began working on it again in September, joining the Instagram community #donebydecember. I may still be able to finish DD2020 this month. This year, I have already begun creating foundation pages, setting myself up for December Daily success by preparing pages ahead of time, so when the 'day' comes all I have to do is include a photo and tell the story.

Most of the foundation pages I have been creating are not numbered, per say, because I'm not sure what story it will actually be come December. However, today's foundation page I am sharing is for story number 24. In December, each year, for the past several years, Jeff and I are purposeful about giving for 24 days leading up to Christmas. Sometimes it is big giving, such as our end of year Jesus gift, moderate giving when we give gifts to ministries like P.A.C.K, an organization that feeds and clothes kids in our community, or smaller gifts such as tip our server 100% of our bill. For this page I will document all of our giving (minus the actual amount) on these prepared foundation pages. 

My December Daily 2021 album is a SPRUCE green Life Crafted, 4x8 album from Citrus Twist kits. I chose this size because I'm comfortable working with the size and I was trying to set myself up for success (i.e. finish the album in December). This foundation page (see above and below) is outside the page protectors so they are about 5x8.25 and a flip out on both sides. At this point I haven't figured out where my journaling (the story I want to tell) will go (possible on the back side of the right side foldout).

In the above photo, this is strictly the 'title' for the pages inside.

The GIVE LOVE gem is a piece I've hoarded from last years December Daily kit specifically so I could use it for this page.

The hearts on the right side are colored transparency hearts and they are AMAZING! You will be seeing more from those collection of hearts in my album in later pages.

The covers open outward to reveal what's inside...

I digitally stamped 24 numbers in several shades (to match real stamping ink color by Ali Edwards). This was in actuality, very time-consuming getting 24 numbers sized, arranged, and oriented cleverly so that it will be pleasing to the eye and also so that two numbers the same color are not next to each other, of course.

Then, it was a matter of printing the pages and using my Fiskars finger Exacto knife (which is amazing by the way), super precise and easy to hold for even weak-fingered people, I cut varied size flip up tabs into the numbers.

Behind those interactive tabs will be what we gave on that day. I will be honest and say that we have in the past given two things in one day and nothing on the next day, but I will use that for two consecutive days of giving. To me it is the 24 gifts leading up to Christmas, anyways.

I have included, for ideas, some of the gifts we have given in the past. I usually, sometime towards the end of November, begin making a list of possible gifts for December, partly because I don't want to miss out on giving to some of my favorites. 

If you are interested in giving purposefully this year, this is beyond normal Christmas gift giving, here are some ideas we have used in the past:

Tip our server 100% (because we have a date night each week this usually covers four of our gifts and blesses four servers)

Tip our bagger way more than usual (we shop at a military commissary and we always tip our bagger well, anyways, throughout the year, but in December each week we shop we tip - more than usual).

P.A.C.K. Savannah organization

The Hope Academy (serving refugees)

The Dream Campaign (serving intercity youth)

The Sunshine Girls (serving strippers in downtown clubs)

Love One ministry (foster care and adoption support)

Thrive Savannah (help stock their resources)

The Salvation Army (either directly to them or through the bell ringers outside stores - or both)

Operation Underground Railroad (rescue kids and women from human trafficking and slavery)

A21 (abolishing slavery)

Bags for the homeless

Mid-Florida Homeless Coalition (my sister works for this non-profit organization and we usually support them).

Toys for Tots

Buy two bunches of flowers and give one away

Pay for the car behind you in the drive thru

 

And, these, are just a few of the ideas and ways to give.

 

 

 

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All I Want For Christmas...or for my birthday

Pricey? I know. However, I have wanted this lighting for our dining room for a couple years. I love it!  Wayfair has similar, though, and they would be just fine - and for more than half the price. But, these are Pottery Barn. And, since we haven't changed the 'chandelier' since we moved in to the house...just sayin'...

Ina Garten's latest cookbook has been highlighted in some Instagram posts I follow and the food looks heavenly. I would love the cookbook!

What would a Christmas list - or birthday wish list be without at least one mug?

I have only read one - yep, you read that correctly - one Jane Austen novel, but I desire to read more classics. This set of Jane Austen's classics would set me up - to read! And, fulfill a few more spots on my Classics Club reading challenge list. Or,

This set of children's classics. They're so pretty!

After my visit to Oregon in 2019 and that little Italian restaurant where I ate the most divine garlic Fettuccine, I have dreamed of pasta making and replicating that dish. However, to truly experience the dish (without flying to Eugene, Oregon), it requires homemade pasta and this set of attachments for the Kitchen Aid would be awesome, and fit the bill. And, then - Jarrod - could whip us up some homemade pasta!

Speaking of books...this set would be amazing! I love Anne!

For the scraproom, this teal library cart.

 

A subscription to Paramount Plus. For all the shows I'd like to watch.

I'd like to finish the set of glasses we bought around this time last year from Pottery Barn with these hammered tall wine glasses. A set of 4 would be lovely. They also have low ball hammered wine glasses, too!

I'm ready to upgrade, refresh the guest towels for the hall closet with 6 BATH SHEETS - for a larger towel to wrap up in. And, definitely in white.

I've had French Press coffee one time - ever - at a cooking class downtown at The Mansion, and it was divine. Le Creuset has a beautiful French Press.

I like Ariana Grande's original perfume - and only her original. The others smell - well - nasty. I don't want to run out...

Musical stage tickets to Anastasia in Jacksonville in April.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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What I've been reading | October 2021

Today I am finally sharing what I read in October. One of my favorites for this month is a John Grisham backlist, The Pelican Brief. I flew through the novel and enjoyed it immensely, especially since I remember the movie from many years ago, now, and they were so similar. Address Unknown is a compact, epistolary short read, but packed a huge punch and a must read for pre-WWII historical fiction fans. 

Above you'll note my 2-page, 4 x 8 layout recording what I read the how many stars I gave each book. This will go in my READ 2021 album. Super excited - just two more months to a completed album. And, below are my mini-thoughts on each book I read. Enjoy!