Sunday 18 November 2012

December Daily / JYC

(This post is part of my Frosty Festivities Blog Event)

Last year I tried out a December album for the first time. I joined Shimelle's 'Journal Your Christmas' class, and prepared my album, even stitching lots of 8x8 page protectors to make them 4x8, and cutting all the papers to size, and making all my 'dates'. I only completed it up to day 4!

I blame the fact that my baby was still quite young (5 months old) at the time, we were away for Christmas, and I was using old supplies that didn't really excite me to create.

So I'm giving it another go this year - now baby is a bit older (and sleeping through the night - yay!), we're at home this year, and I've got lovely new stash to play with!

I've decorated the front of my album:


I'm using Pink Paislee's Portfolio album. I've misted the cover, first with two layers of Letter Jacket Mr Huey Mist, then one layer of Heidi Swapp Gold Lame Spritz, and a few droplets of White Calico Mr Huey's.

The rest is a variety of Pink Paislee City Sidewalks, Artisan, and Portfolio items, plus Studio Calico Hey Day numbers, and some gems (of course!). I took the album out of it's protective cover to decorate and photograph it, but it's back inside it now - I love that it has a clear protective cover so my gems and ephemera won't get knocked off:


I haven't done much of the inside yet, but when I've had off-cuts of paper from other projects I've begun cutting them down to slip into the page protectors. 

Most of the dividers will work well with the colour scheme, but I took out the bright yellow one and made a replacement from a sheet of Crate Paper 'Rudolph' paper, which I love love love:


And I know that I'm going to use the Crate Paper Sleigh Ride vellum numbers for my dates, except for the 25th, which I'm using a piece of City Sidewalks ephemera for. I've also put by a few other embellishments that I really want to use in the album (I want to keep them for myself rather than using them on cards!):


Otherwise I shall just be using bits and pieces from my new and old Christmas stash boxes. I shall keep cutting down bits of paper in preparation, and maybe die-cut some shapes and words. I think I'll be ready by the 1st of December to give the project a good try!

Be Inspired:
  • Do some misting or painting to turn something bright red/gold
  • Add some white ribbon or embellishments to your next wintry project
  • Start cutting your paper scraps down to squares or rectangles ready to go on something


Don't forget that a comment on this post, or on any of my posts from this weekend, will count as an entry into the Grand Giveaway {NOW CLOSED} - but only if you've registered your interest in winning that here!


Are you doing an album this December? I know some of you are! Leave a link in the comments if you've already blogged about your preparations! See you again soon. x

34 comments:

Jane said...

I'm taking part in Shimelle's class again, love your album!

Jackie said...

Your album looks super! Love all the papers and embellishments you are using!! Hope you get it further than day 4 this year!! LOL

humel said...

Yay! I'll see you in class :) I haven't managed to prep yet, other than I already put a kit of papers and 'bits and bobs' together last December (nothing like planning ahead!!) I'd thought I'd do a fair bit of planning and putting together but of course my foot put paid to that idea.... Yours look so lovely, can't wait to see it come together :)

Missus Wookie said...

I've been collecting ideas and bits of stash, not doing JYC but will be doing something with the family - similar to the idea of our thankful November album.

Do like those Portfolio albums - they look so fun to use.

Margie said...

I love your album-and I am thinking about/planning to do JYC this year, also!

Zahra said...

Lovely looking stash! You're super organised, too!

KraftyKaren said...

Good luck with it this year. I did it last year on 6x4 cards but only got as far as Christmas Day - I have just done the Boxing Day layout this weekend, thanks to the inspiration here. I never blogged any of my JYC last year so must get each photographed and blog what I did this year.

scrappymo! said...

I been collecting too but don't knowe if this will be the year to start...lots on my plate this year.
Your paper and embellishment choices are gorgeous.

Fay aka Beautifullily said...

I've learnt that JYC doesn't work for me, have 2.5 albums though. Think I might be up for some sort of journalling this year, not sure what though!

byondbzr said...

You're off to a great start!

Lou said...

oh jennifer i do hope you manage to complete jyc this year. I've done the past five years and have five finished albums all different sizes. This is my fave project of the year!! love it!

Julie Baswell said...

Too pretty of a cover not to finish. Looks like plenty of incentive to me!

hotpotato said...

lovely album.

Scrapdolly said...

I love JYC each year and it is fun trying out different things in different years

Kirsty.A said...

Looking good for JYC. See you there!

Maria Ontiveros said...

I do this every few years. It is NOT on my agenda this year. But I"m doing a Christmas photo class.
Rinda

scrappyjacky said...

I love JYC....though mine is a bit of a December Daily as well...it also starts in November as our first real 'christmas related' meal out is in November!
Last year I got all my pages prepped in advance and found it so much easier to complete a page a day when the background was already for me.

Fiona@staring at the sea said...

Gorgeous album. I'll be attempting a December Daily/JYC project next month, but haven't started prepping yet.

To boldly polish said...

Oh this is cute! I probably won't have time for one but I'll be watching everyone's progress.

furrypig said...

I really hope I manage to do more of JYC this year. I did several pages last year but got behind then my dad ended up in hospital and Christmas became rather difficult! So hoping this year I manage and thank you for suggesting starting to prepare I really think this might help! Hope to see you in class!

Marilize said...

Nope, no albums for me, but I am checking out some of the other commentr's creations for eyecandy :)

Love your album front and cannot wait to see what you do inside.

Annie Claxton said...

Looks like you will end up with a really gorgeous keepsake for Christmas 2012 :o)

Sandie said...

I struggle to keep up with JYC and thought I'd give it a miss this year - but I KNOW I will do it because I just love this time of year and making mini albums. Your papers are gorgeous. I need to keep mine simple so I can get it finished. Every time I do one of Shimelle's courses I learn by my mistake and so each one gets slightly easier than the last.
Will look forward to seeing yours come together.

Miriam Prantner said...

This looks amazing! Love the size! I really hope that you'll be able to finish this up....I keep toying with the idea of doing a Daily, but I always feel like it's a bridge too far.

Julie H said...

The misting on your album cover is perfect! Good luck with your Christmas album this year, you look like you're off to a good start!

Katie said...

Love your JYC supplies!
I managed to complete a Christmas Journal 3 out of the last 4 years. The key for me has been to keep it REALLY simple. This year (similar to what I did last year except it was 5x7 prints) I plan to print 4x6 photos for each day and stick them back to back to make the pages. I'll either journal direct onto the photos or add a journalling spot.
Not much creative-ness but it gets the job done and helps tell the story!
Good luck with your journal :-)

mandysea said...

It's just so gorgeously shimmery red! Love what you have created to record your December!
Beautifully crafted and thanks for sharing!

Lisa-Jane said...

Mine will be a journal this year rather than anything grander, if I get around to anything at all. Good luck with the preparations!

Karen said...

I think this will be my seventh year. None of the albums are the same, and I stopped worrying about a layout every day a couple of years ago. I have all the supplies gathered, and a few embellishments made. I love this project!

dogmatix said...

I love the album. I am doing JYC again and may even complete it this year. I am unsure what size I am doing but I love the idea of using divided protectors this year like in PL. As for the prepping? That will all be sketchs and notes as I have ordered Shimelles Xmas box but got it sent to my Uncles address where it will stay until the week before Xmas!!! It will keep me busy over the holiday anyway when I am not playing at being Auntie :-) lol

Jimjams said...

I hope you get further than last year - I spent part of last year's bloggers weekend finishing my prep ... and got bored with JYC after about day 5 :o( We'll see how far I get this year!

Deb said...

Your cover looks amazing and with all your little bits that you have collected so far for it, I'm sure the finished album will be perfect. tfs

Mandalika said...

I love this, I am using the same kind of album but haven't started prep yet so I really enjoyed seeing what you have done. I also want those vellum numbers.

Caroline H said...

Lovely to see what you're doing with JYC.

I did December Daily for the first time last year and amazed myself by completing it! I'm going to attempt to do the same again this year. I've just prepped my pages and I'm just about ready For December! Pictures and details on my blog.

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