Christmas in February!

Even though the calendar says February and the temperatures in the Northeast feel more like April, it's Christmas on my blog! Yes, I am finally getting close to finishing my December Daily so I thought I would start to share it.

I am using an 8.5" x 11" American Crafts album. Most of the pages are going into page protectors but I have a few that were done on transparencies. I built most of my pages on Recollections cardstock but if I had to do it all over again, I would use a higher-quality cardstock with a heavier weight. I found this cardstock difficult to work with. It tore when I pulled pieces up even though I was using repositionable adhesive. And, although my pages aren't loaded with embellishments, this lighter weight cardstock seems a little warped in the corners on the heavier pages. You can't tell the difference when I put the pages in the page protectors but I don't think the cost savings outweigh the negatives. I'm just saying!

Now, for the pages. The first is my title page. It uses a picture of a nursery that I literally stumbled upon when I took my mom to buy a grave blanket. I could kick myself for not having my camera with me but I couldn't pass up this beautiful scene so I used my phone. It's not the best picture but I think it captures the grandeur of the poinsettias and works as a good opening page. Here it is:

Throughout my album, I use December Daily journaling cards from Pretty Little Studio. On this page, I layered the card on top of a Maya Road doily that I misted with Calico White Mister Huey and stamped the title using Technique Tuesday's Studio AE stamps. Here's a close -up:

Another element that I used to tie the pages together was the red velvet paper from SEI. I used a 3/4" strip on most pages. Multiple uses of Authentique Diction word stickers and Simple Stories Countdown Stickers also help unify the pages.

For Day 1, I took a picture of my Advent Angel. Here it is:

Journaling reads: Hanging the Advent Angel is a sure sign that the Christmas season has begun! When Mark and Melissa were small, each wanted the coveted job of moving the star on Christmas day. Using their birth years as a guide, I developed a system to make it fair. Mark moved the star on odd number days when the year ended in an odd number, and Melissa did so when the year ended in an even number. Now Mark doesn't care so much and Melissa moves the star ever day. We will see what happens on Christmas morning.

Here's a close-up of the countdown sticker embellished with rhinestone stickers which I layered on top of the journaling card.

Well, one down and 24 to post!

Album Supplies:

Patterned Paper: October Afternoon (Good Cheer); Simple Stories (25 Days of Christmas); K& Company (Yultide); My Mind's Eye (Lost & Found; The Merry Days of Christmas); Little yellow Bicycle (Christmas Wishes).

Specialty Papers & Transparencies: SEI (Rouge Velour); Hambly; Fancy Pants; Basic Grey Basics (Take Note).

Stickers: Authentique (Wonder Diction Words); Simple Stories (25 Days of Christmas); K & Company (Yultide); recollection (Rhinestone).

Stamps: Technique Tuesday (Studio AE -- 25 Moments by Ali Edwards; Celebrate the Seasons by Ali Edwards; Believe by Ali Edwards; Initially Yours -- N): Hero Arts (Magical Background)

Inks: Memento (Tuxedo Black); Stampin' Up! (Ripe Advocado; Riding Hood Red; Crumb Cake); Tim Holtz Distress (Antique Linen; Persimmon); Mister Heuy (Calico White; Overdue);

Punches: Fiskars (Scalloped Sentiment, Upper Crust); EK Success Edger Punch (Postge Stamp);

Misc.: Pretty Little Studio (Journaling Cards); Maya Road (Kraft Doilies; Die Cut Kraft Doilies; envelope) Recollections (Stars); Tim Holtz Idea-ology Collection (Numerals; Christmas Adornments; Mini Paper Clips); My Mind's Eye brads (Lost & Found/Union Square); Making Memories felt stickers (Tinsel); Little Yellow Bicycle Epoxy Chipboard (Christmas Wishes); Me & My Big Ideas misc. embellishments and rub-ons (Noel) Creative Imaginations rub-ons (Hollyberry); Imaginisce Poinsettia Vendetta (Cinnamon).