What About Wednesday: December Daily Without Photos

Aloha Sparklers!! We are knee deep in December. How are your December projects coming along? If your December is anything like mine, there are many obstacles (many good) that is causing me delays in my craft room.

I hope you are not too down on yourself. Decembers are busy, there are so many activities planned. Germs come out of the woodwork. The weather throws curveballs. We all love to see December and fun winter projects but they can be easily done when things slow done. During Christmas break or when the weather starts getting dreary. Just remember to save all the posts and pin the projects you want to use as inspiration!!

On this note I wanted to talk about something different I am doing this year while working on my December Daily. This year for various reasons I am waiting to batch print all my December Daily and holiday photos together. Which ultimately means that I have no pictures in my album right now. I still do want to work on it while everything is happening. I scrap the best when I am documenting in the moment. Putting down on paper the things that are going on right now. That isn’t always possible though picture wise.

December Daily is one of those projects that works so well for this technique or decision to wait to add photos. Here are a few tips for making this making your album without the photos work>

1. Remember to continue to take lots of photos. You will still need these photos at the end, use a photo a day prompt (there are tons on Pinterest) and look for stories that you want to tell in your December Daily. Like the stories behind your favorite ornament or how your kids routine changes in December. What your song playlist is this year, or what cookie is your spouses favorite to snack on. Look for those moments to capture. You can always narrow down what photos you use for that day later.
2. Keep a notebook for writing down the things your children say, the things you thought about your day. Maybe write down some prompts you want to include in your album. I have a page for each day, so that I can write my thoughts of the day. What I want to focus on for that day.
3. Pick your pictures before you create your days page. It is so easy to make a page ahead of time, but when push comes to shove, You really can’t have a page set unless you know what images you want to use. I use my notebook to write down the images I plan to include. When I build my page I then know where my pictures will go. This helps so I am not moving cards around when I finally get my pictures back after Christmas.
4. Have fun!! Whether you have bought a kit, or using stuff from your stash keep your pages fun. Especially this time of the year when we are all busy and doing lots of fun things, this project is about the fun we are having. If you aren’t having fun it is okay to rethink your process to make it enjoyable and fun.

When you have gotten all your photos printed off, just add them to the pages and maybe add another sequin or two and then it will be all done. I think these tips can be helpful however you want to implement your album, simple, using all your favorite embellishments, lots of journaling, no journaling, how ever your focus too. There is no reason why not having photos should stop you from starting your album now while you are in the moment. Unless you want to wait 😉

Here is a look at what I did for pages 8 and 9 in my December Daily album. I am mixing up different sizes throughout the album. This helps for days I have lots of photos or on a day like day 8 where I don’t really have many photos. This spread is a SNAP 6×8 protector with 2 4×4 squares and 4 2×2 squares down the sides.

I used the cut file for this month to make snowflakes to add to my day card. I like to have each day numbered. This year I am using lots of different fonts for the numbers. It is perfect since I am using mostly stash for my album this year.

I kept this card simple and didn’t add any sequins since I added the stars. Even though I contemplated using the translucent big sequins in the store.

I chose a dark bottom I am figuring I will add my journaling with a typewriter font on this card. The edges only showing for a mat. I like to use my computer to type up some of the journaling in my December Daily. I am going to add the journaling when I add the photos, or at least when I am closer to being done. I will mostly just finish it all up in one day.

On the sides I added two small shakers with a silver hand made bows and Evergreen Bough sequins mix.

Then added circles to the two middle squares. One circle was a gift tag from last year. The other circle I cut an punched out from papers.

Super simple but oh so much sequin fun!!

Day 9 It snowed!! It hardly ever snows in the area I live, so my kids were so very excited to wake up and still see snow. Even though it was now raining, I let the kids go playing outside in the snow before breakfast. I know that a photo of the kids playing outside will be on this day and big. Who doesn’t like a big photo? I wanted something small though for the journaling for that photo. It will let my main feeling from the day be what you first see. I plan to add that journaling right to the 4×4 card that had the 9 day on it. I will probably also use a baseball protector pocket letter sleeves to hold more pictures from outside that day.

The bottom 4×4 card has a snowman and some Evergreen Bough sequins on the card. I wanted a card that was playful like my kids and puppy playing in the snow.

I of course have the shakers on the side. I really love how they look!!

I added a wooden snowflake to the back of the tag. I added some smaller circles in the other circle.

Keeping my album pages simple and fun is key for me to keep going strong. I so love the end result and looking through all our memories from the month. I really am loving my approach this year and focusing more on recording the moments and journaling. focusing on the words, I know that the stories will come more alive when I add my photos after Christmas.

I hope you are checking out the store this week, there are tons of deals going on right now!! It is still time to grab some stocking stuffers. (The discount code for Dec 14th and the String Shop is 50STRING)

Have a great week!!

Hannah

Watch the Process Video from my Youtube Channel for these days.