Howdy Strangers!!!
Welllll, it's been just over a month or so since our big move east to North Bend, the lovely town at the foot of Snoqualmie Pass. Our new house is gooood...not great...moving sucks, as I am sure you know. One of the first realized downfalls of our home is that it is really lacking closet/storage on the main floor. I don't have a place to put the vacuum or the mops, etc. and we don't have a place for coats and shoes either. There is one on the bottom floor, but when wrangling an infant, it is easier to get all ready to go on the main floor, and then just walk downstairs and out the door. Other than that, it's coming together, albeit slowly. I will share photos soon!
Today, however, I am posting to my blog because I decided to join the big group of people completing a December Daily photo album. I thought this would be a good jump back into scrapbooking and also a wonderful way to capture the memories of Maggie's first Christmas.
It took me about a week to finally pull the trigger on a cover and foundation for the book, but I am finally "done" with that part and am now making the pages and filling the book. My layouts are half the size of a standard letter paper: 8.5"x 5.5", the cover is just a smidge larger. I made the cover out of scrap cardboard, covered both sides with pattern paper and punched two holes with my Crop-a-Dile for binder rings. I made the "Maggie's First Christmas" text block in Illustrator and added a KI Memories Softie, a glittery bird an a sprig of holly, also a KI softie.
This is the dedication page, with a photo I took of Maggie and I on December 1st. This is what it says:
This book is dedicated to my sweet daughter Maggie. It is a celebration of my love for you and the love I have for my life as your mother, and a glimpse into the memories of our first Christmas together. December 2010.
Aww. :)
Each page spread looks like this: Pattern paper on the left side, a vellum overlay with the number of the day (I hand embossed/traced the numbers from my big Massimo Vignelli calendar onto the vellum and went over it with a glitter Sakura pen. Very subtle, doesn't show up well in these photos.) and then the photos and journaling panel is printed onto cardstock on the left side.
I made these little journal/photo templates in Illustrator and Photoshop, very simple. I still need to add the actual journaling and any additional embellishments I might want to throw on there...I am journaling quick notes for each day in a little notebook so I don't forget what to write.
Here are the rest of the pages (through Dec. 5th):
Um...yeah.
That last picture set... That would be where we document Maggie's first big Owie. She is really into pulling herself up to standing, on just about anything she can use, including John's chest hair. :D Well, that day she decided to grab a TV tray table that my Mom was using. Quick as a flash, it came crashing down on top of her face and split her lip. It was a very scary moment for us new parents, especially when John picked her up and blood came bubbling out of her mouth. eeeeee. Of course, she was fine, we double and triple checked to make sure she didn't have any other bumps or bruises, and by that night she was ready to bundle up and go to see the tree lighting and watch a live Jazz band at a local restaurant! TROOPER!!! :D
Making this book is the best ever! I am really happy I decided to do it, even though it has been a lot to chew so far, I am hoping now that I am caught up, it will be faster moving forward! I will for sure keep sharing the pages as I finish them, especially when I have the journaling and embellishments.
The next page will be Maggie's first photo with SANTA!
LOL!
I told my Mom that she could buy an outfit for "her" Santa photo, and that John and I would take Maggie for our own picture later this month... A bright red corduroy jumper with applique is not something I would have ever picked, but it was her choice...so, there you have it. :D Doesn't Mags looked thrilled? ;)
And speaking of outfits and photos...I am sadly reporting that despite my very best intentions, I am not going to continue with the monthly photo series! I AM SAD but...I missed two months with the move and at that point, there isn't really a place to catch up. But I did get to 6 months, which is great! Small victories!! :D A few people did comment on liking the idea, so I might put the numbers up for download if I get some time one of these days...(famous last words.)
Alrighty, I think that's enough of my blabbering for one night, I hope you like what I have so far for the December Daily, and that you'll come back and check out the progress as I go. :D
