So far, until this weekend, chatter about Christmas has passed me by: I normally refuse to even think about it until well after Hallowe'en. However, the sheer pressure of the inspiring Ali Edwards' posts on her December Daily 2010 has shifted me into contemplating how I might do one in a way which means I can keep up and will finish it. This may be an unusual December for us here: with luck, and a lot of hard work, the extension to our house for my parents (in their eighties) could be finished by then, and we will be helping them move - slowly, with comings and goings - to live with us permanently. It would be good to record this: for us, for them, for our own children, and for theirs ... However, it really is going to need to be super simple, and very well planned in advance.
I anticipate there will be quite a lot of photos and a fair amount of story-telling too - not to mention realia like removal firm bills, receipts showing the cost of new items for the home, and favourite Christmas recipes of my Mum's which we will now be cooking together. So I think Ali's 6"x8" is not going to be quite spacious enough, and I'd like enough room for a border around mine so that the punch holes are not intruding on the journalling or the photos (which they seem to in the 6"x8" version). Then I saw this:
It's built on the principle of dividing by two, vertically and horizontally, so that although the sizes of the resulting shapes are different, the eye is soothed by the similarity of the proportions. I think this will suit my purposes very well, and translate nicely to A4 or 8.5x11 - although mine will either have a border all the way round, or down the punched edge. Playing around with the possible combinations results in the page layouts below. (For 'photo', read also 'patterned paper' or 'embellishment').
All of these can be flipped horizontally as well, of course, for right-hand pages. This gives a current possibility (there may be more!) of 16 different page variations: I think that's enough to be going on with! Next step will be to think about the design of the date/title sections, whether I will need transparencies or will use pockets instead, and how to do the cover...
Any of you thinking of doing a December Daily? I am still hovering between naming mine "A Book of December Days", or "A Book of Days for December". How are you thinking of designing it? What will you be putting into it? Or perhaps you are doing something else, or not bothering at all? Please do feel free to share your thoughts below!
Two helpings of gratitude before I finish... Firstly, a special thank-you to Amy for her splendid foodie blog-hop yesterday! If you missed it, you are not too late: set off here. And secondly, thank-you to you all for mulling over which of the colourways for 4 on Friday you liked best, and for letting me know. I promised to tell you mine: it was the top row, on the right - the soft taupe one. Which, as it happens, was also your overwhelming favourite too. :)
Alexa, what a useful set of page plans. Thank you!
Posted by: Helen | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 01:44 AM
Alexa, I participated in Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas last year and I love the album I have as a result, like all of my scrapping I made a visual diary rather than following all of her prompts. In a way it was a combination of Ali's December Daily and the JYC class. Anyway, this year I decided that I was far too busy for any of it ... until I saw Ali's templates. I'm going to make 8x8 digital pages so that I can either print from home or make a photobook if the mood strikes. Like you, I think this year will have an added interest even though the actual making may be more difficult than usual. Shimelle made a great point last year, we are all busy, so just make the time ... lets' see how things go!
We have come to the conclusion that there is no way will be finished by Christmas .... the saga continues :-)
Thanks for the great post on Sunday, cooking and food seems to be a great way to unite people from all over the place!
Posted by: Amy | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 05:06 AM
I posted twice about my JYC/DD possibilities. Firstly I wanted to do 6x4 then decided it would be far too small. So I've made the move and going to do 8x8. I did mixed sizes for JYC last year and it was awful :( no d-rings will bind it as it is so fat so it is sitting there looking sorry for itself. This year I'm getting it into an album asap.
I have cut base pages to 8x8, every 2 pages are going to have matching papers, but there is no theme through the book. Some pages I have left space for journalling cards, some pages lots of space for 6 x4 photographs or 3x2's.
I may throw in the odd digital page, but not really looking to do that at the moment.
I am doing it as December Daily with some JYC prompts thrown in e.g. xmas tree, traditions, wrapping, cards etc but the focus is DECEMBER 2010 and what we did rather than just a focus on christmas.
I'm going to call it CHRISTMAS 2010....my originality knows no bounds!!!! If I get too busy I plan to blog the journalling and catch up later.
I'll stop taking over your page now!!!!
Posted by: Kate | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 10:01 AM
i love ur ability to transpose from articles/inspiring pages u have seen, it's quite a clever idea. if only u could provide me with the same brain matter id be laughing in unison, alexa. i love these designs, they flow beautifully and are clean and simple, but have loads of adaptability.
here's hoping the pre-prep for xmas will link in with the buildres getting themselves sorted and finishing in super quick time
Jo xxx
Posted by: jo sowerby | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 10:54 AM
I did JYC last year but I called it "Our December" and I was happy enough to finish it off at Christmas Day. I think limiting the size of your page is the key to keeping going with it - very best of luck because you certainly have a memorable Christmas ahead of you!
Posted by: Sian | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 11:08 AM
Now that's what I call organised Alexa. Great page layouts. But what I really want to know is are you going to be making christmas pudding this year :)
Posted by: Amanda | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 12:07 PM
Oh, these look fabulous - inspired! :-) Last year I did a mixture of December Daily and Journal Your Christmas; this year I'm hoping that Project 365 will more or less take care of the December Daily part, and I want to focus more on the journaling aspect of JYC.
Hope the building and moving all goes smoothly xx
Posted by: Mel | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 01:28 PM
I love the clean and simple style to these Alexa I don't do JYC but I am just starting to put together a recipe booklet for our youngest son who has just moved in with his girlfriend. I was going to do it digitally anyway but your "page maps" will make the whole process a lot easier, thanks for sharing and the inspiration once again
Posted by: lin | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 03:06 PM
I would love to do any sort of book that captured a month at any time of year...but do you know, I'm such a procrastinator that I know I'd never finish :/ And I keep giving myself crafty 'jobs' to do (especially at Christmas) until before I know it, they are propping each other up and gathering dust on my desk! However, I like your sketch variations & have saved them for one of those aforementioned projects which I hope I will finish!! :D
Posted by: giselle | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 04:49 PM
Hi Alexa,. I was missing the advent calender as my son was away at university and not knowing about JYC or December Daily I put together an Advent Book last year. I loved doing it and looking back I'm so glad I persevered. It was a dairy of the Christmas prep, some photos and various 'bits' collected along the way. Shopping list, tickets from a show, the usual stuff but looking back at the book this year is so lovely. Plenty to smile about! I'm doing my own thing again this year. I just can't resist up-cycling or re-using (whichever is current!) the beautiful Christmas cards I receive! I have made my book and posted about it on my blog.
Your post on Sunday was wonderful, it makes me smile just thinking about it. x
Posted by: Miriam | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 08:59 PM
I love your Advent book, Miriam! It is a wonderful story ...
Posted by: Alexa | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 09:37 PM
Glad they might be of use one day, Giselle!
Posted by: Alexa | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 09:38 PM
You are welcome, Lin :) I'd offer you some Photoshop files but your digital skills are far superior to my own!
Posted by: Alexa | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 09:41 PM
Mmm, yes, the Project 365 sounds a massive one! You are stimulating me into having thoughts about this already for next year ... Thank-you!
Posted by: Alexa | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 09:48 PM
Oh my goodness, Amanda - are you referring to the pudding saga of a few years ago? What a great memory! Yes, I think I will be making one if we get a cooker in time!
Posted by: Alexa | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 09:49 PM
Yes, stopping on Christmas day is a great plan, Sian! I do so love to relax afterward the 25th ...
Posted by: Alexa | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 09:52 PM
:) and you are welcome to help yourself to anything on here that might be useful, Jo!
Posted by: Alexa | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 09:53 PM
My goodness, Kate, you are well ahead! I like the way it's a record of the month, and not just about Christmas. Looking forward to seeing it!
Posted by: Alexa | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 09:55 PM
Looking forward to seeing what you do this year, Amy, either despite or because of the building work!
Posted by: Alexa | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 10:09 PM
You're most welcome, Helen!
Posted by: Alexa | Monday, 25 October 2010 at 10:09 PM
I think mine this year will be a bit of a mix and match with JYC and December Daily.....though will probably do my own thing rather than follow Shim's prompts. I'm going for something smaller than last year....and probably less photos.
I love those pages you've made.....so clear and graphic. Are you going to make a downloadable template of them?
A bbok of December Days is a lovely title.
Posted by: Jacky S | Tuesday, 26 October 2010 at 03:07 PM