In the Storm

December Daily 2021 | Story 9

One thing I love about any size album is that it gives you the opportunity to create pages in various sizes. The stories we tell do not have to be big and loud and take up a lot of space. I had one picture from this night and the movie poster. Plus, tickets from the event. I started with the story. Added photos. And, just a few embellishments.

Technically, this is a 4 x 6 front and back insert with a journal card that is tucked inside in between the two 4 x 6 photos I created of first, the movie poster of The Chosen, the event Jeff and the boys went to one evening.

The tickets were digital so I created my own for the event with all the particulars, which is part of the story, too.

On the backside of the 4 x 6 is a photo plus pattern paper and a piece of chipboard. I included the December Daily story number on the front and called this page GOOD!

December Daily 2021 | Story 8

When I began seeing the previews and trailers and the Instagram posts for Hawkeye, the latest Marvel mini-series that was coming to Disney+ I knew I would be including it in my December Daily album this year. Like last year when we watched the mini-series Mandalorian, it became a part of our holiday viewing. I knew exactly how I was going to create my page long before I began watching the series because of the poster I've including. Perfect for a December feel. I started with a vellum dotted page and a FaLaLa page as my opening triangles.

With the opening showcasing "This holiday season the best gifts come with a bow". Such a cool statement for Hawkeye.

Then, opened up reveals the posters completely and my hand-written journaling on the left side.

We've always anticipated those big Star Wars or Marvel movies that have come out around Christmas but this year there wasn't a HIGHLY anticipated movie, but Hawkeye is a favorite Marvel character so I was hopeful for a good show.

December Daily 2021 | Story 7

December is always a slow reading month for me. I'm already looking ahead towards the next year, contemplating what I am going to be challenging myself regarding my reading life in the coming year. And, December is a time where I look back on my reading life throughout the year. I'm gathering the wool. The fruits of my reading labors are on my mind.

When I was compiling my December Daily list of potential stories to capture in December, what I read in 2021 was on that list. I was so excited to make this page that I just didn't want to wait for it until the end of my December Daily so I've left out a few books from this page but otherwise here is what I read in 2021. This is Story 7 of my December Daily 2021.

I LOVE how these pages turned out. Especially the simple, yet bold cover statement. What I read in 2021. I used a wood veneer piece from an add on to the December Daily® main kit by Ali Edwards and those amazing gold puffy letter stickers which are a favorite!

Inside is simple also. All the covers of the books I read and my story. If you're interested here are all the books I read in 2021. And, here are my favorite books of the year.

December Daily 2021 | Story 5

Aside from it being a Not So Merry Day, I loved the process of hand cutting, or fussy cutting as it is known, all the letters for the clear transparency. I used papers from the main kit and add on papers, which are just gorgeous! My favorite is definitely the red plaid but they're all wowzers! Story 5 was simply a not so merry day and I told the simple story of why.

I, however, chose to find those things I was grateful for about the day, rather than it being just not so merry. Because even though I was exhausted and really had no business working, even though there was no one to work the shift but me, there was good in everything.

It's a not so Christmas-y story but it is life right now.

December Daily 2021 | Story 4

Story 4 of December Daily® 2021. I used another tag as my basis for Story 4. In the December Daily® main kit this year were these gorgeous papers and tag set with some of those same papers. The front of the tag I used my most favorite pattern paper of the selection. It is beautiful! I also used a Color Cast Designs big number 4 made of acrylic. Love the contrasting turquoise on the paper,

The story is about going to my friend Maggie's book signing for the book she recently wrote. I was still pretty sick and had to leave early but some of the ladies from our book club were there too and we gathered around Maggie for support and to get a photo. 

December Daily 2021 | Story 3

December Daily® 2021, Story 3, was a foundation page I put together before December rolled around which made putting together this page on, roughly, December 3, super easy and stress free. Although I'm not feeling stressful putting pages together, I'm going at a pace that suits me, I am 'behind' so to speak, in that I only have through Story 11 completed as of right now and it is December 23.

I am okay with this, completely. I'm pretty sure I can complete this year's December Daily before the new year rolls around or very shortly thereafter.

Putting this page together simply meant journaling my currently's using the one word -ing words I'd previously set up for myself on the 4x8 tag. I added a small embellishment to the big red felt number 3 and my story 3 page(s) were complete! Done, and done!

December Daily 2021 | Story 2

Today, I am finally sharing Story 2 of my December Daily® 2021 album. I love how this page turned out. We received the sad news that The Brewers Tree Farm that we have been visiting for 20 years, since the boys were 4, will be closing their tree doors. If they're are any trees next year they may sell a few but they haven't planted trees for 5 years so...

For this story I used a two-page spread with an 8-pocket insert in the middle. As you can see it is truly about trees! Telling the story of our tree this year in all it's scraggily girth.

I'm pleased with the results, using journal cards from various digital designers and physical embellishments from Ali Edwards' December Daily main kit.

I have wanted to create an pocket insert something like this for years but just never have. I love all the 'trees' represented.

On to story 3...

December Daily 2021 | Story 1

THE documenting project of the year has begun! December Daily® brought to us by the creative genius, Ali Edwards™. This annual project begins in December and captures 25 stories in December. There is no right or wrong way to the project and everyone meets this project right where they are at. Whether you tell your stories in days or simply stories, whether you tell 12 days of Christmas, 25 days from December 1 to Christmas day, or you capture a full month of stories it is about documenting your December. I love this project! My albums have various degrees of completeness over the years, but my goal for this year is to finish before the end of the year!

Today I am sharing story 1.

Every year for the past several years I have used a devotional for She Reads Truth to usher in Christmas, inviting Jesus into the season. Because isn't He the reason we celebrate Christmas. Using a devotional centered on the scriptures for the coming King, keeps me grounded in remembering the reason for the season. I wanted this to be my first story this year.

Because the book created by SRT has gold tones I kept that as the foundation for this 2-page, plus one flip up, spread. And, I love how it turned out.

Underneath It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year shimmery gold card is the story of my Advent tradition.

December Daily 2021 | Foundation Pages

Today I am sharing a super simple December Daily® foundation page specifically for story number 3. One of this years Ali Edwards™ December Daily® additional products were these very large felt numbers mostly specifically designed because they also offered a brand new 10x8 album for this years December Daily®, too. I chose to go small this year, rather than the much bigger 10x8 size, with no regrets, however, those felt numbers fill my 4x8 Citrus Twist kits album that I am using. Just one number is quite enough, so I might not be using the felt numbers much this year. But, I thought the 3 was perfect for inserting into my album.

I'm a huge fan of monthly present participle stories. Those -ing words as jumping off points for telling the story of your month. That is what this day's story is about!

I created the BE MERRY using these skinny black chipboard letters from Felicity Jane with a simple embellishment.

I used one of the tags from this years December Daily products and 'stamped' those -ing words that I wanted to write about. On day three - or for story three, I will hand write in my words. I might add a photo to the back of the tag or the front of the BE MERRY. We'll see how the story goes.

December Daily 2021 | Foundation Pages

Today I am sharing another December Daily® foundation page that I put together for a simple recording a list of - something. This year's December Daily products for sale via Ali Edwards® collection had these cute window openings in a set of six. I didn't purchase those because I figured I could make them. 

I was right!

I handmade these little square boxes with a window opening and then attached them to a Star transparency. I may, or may not, use the back of the squares for the next days story. I embellished them with various Christmas-y embellishments and ribbon from my stash. A little time-consuming because each window was cut using an exacto knife but otherwise pretty simple to make.