jamaica | this day in december

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Hi, my name is Jamaica and last year, I failed to complete my December Daily album. What, you too?

Despite my best intentions, I didn’t get past the first week in my album. We traveled over the holiday and all the preparations involved in that—making time other family, holiday parties, wrapping things up at work, shipping gifts, etc.—threw me off my game. This year I’m going to be away from home a lot as well. Sometime in December my 2nd nephew will arrive and I plan to spend as much time holding that new baby as I can. Which means I need a really good plan if I’m going to make it past the first week.

As I started thinking about what might or might not work, I came to the conclusion that I need it to be flexible and portable, and most of all, EASY. When the This Day in December cards were released, a lightbulb went off. What could be easier than jotting down a quick note each day on an already printed card? Done.

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Printed on heavy white cardstock, all 31 cards make for a stack over a half inch thick. The next challenge was what to do with those cards. Because I want the flexibility to add photos, patterned paper or other bits of holiday ephemera, the pages need to remain loose until the end of the month when I can decide how I want to finish the project. I can either punch a hole at the top and add a giant binder ring, spiral bind the pages together or I just add them to my scrapbook, they are the right size after all. Who knows? The idea of using a folio to hold the cards until the end makes the most sense. It’ll keep them tidy during the month and protect them while I travel.

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The folio is made of 3 pieces of chipboard (cover/ spine/cover) spraypainted gold, cream colored bookcloth tape and an elastic band. The inside is lined with my favorite On My Desk paper, Screensaver. It adds a fun pop of color when you open it up.

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After adding the pink/red liner, I started to get excited, envisioning what the “pages” will look like with the addition of photos. Eager to try it out, I pulled a few photos from last year and printed a few extra days worth of cards, so I could play around.

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Depending on what kind of photos I have and where I am, I can easily do more or less work each day. I can add a photo to the other side of the spread or cover that side (the back of the day previous) with patterned paper. I can add a longer story, snippets of Christmas cards, wrapping paper or ticket stubs. Or, if it’s busy and I don’t have anything to add, all I have to do is jot down a note. If I want to get fancy and have the right kind of photo, I can layer the This Day design right over the top. I can handwrite my notes or use my typewriter if I’m at home. So many options. I’m really hoping with all this flexibility, I won’t have any trouble making it to the end of the month.

Here’s one last shot of the spine and just how thick the little book is with all the cards tucked inside.

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Now that I have a plan and all my cards printed out, I can’t wait for December to start!

xo, jamaica

See more of my projects here or follow me online at my blog, on Instagram or see what inspires me on Pinterest.

Blog Comments

That is the most adorable little thing. What a unique approach to documenting December.

Ok, seriously. This is adorable. And amazing! Super love the bright paper on the inside too. Your projects are my fave.

I. LOVE. THIS. So simple and awesome! This might just be the key to me finishing December daily.

What size did you print the cards? I super love this idea.

Hi Mary! They’re 3×4 and the folio is just slightly larger. I didn’t want to futz with resizing, and, if I leave them this size they could tuck into my PL album if I wanted.

I absolutely LOVE your DD start and all your preplanning ideas – it looks AMAZING!!! I’m in the same boat, I’ve never completed a DD book before ever, but this year I’m determined to get it done, so I’ve pre-made mine too and all that’s left is to fill it in with photos and words. I can’t wait to see your finished book, everything you create totally rocks!

Well this is completely awesome! I love, love, love this idea and may have to steal it! 🙂

Totally love this. On my side of the world Christmas falls in summer so I need a plan to stay on top of Dec Daily because once Christmas Day is over, I’m onto summer hols!

This idea is beyond brilliant!!!!!!!!! Thank You for sharing!

so freaking genius!

AMAZING!
I can’t think of another word to express how much i love this DD book.
Only one year have I actually completed my album and yet i love the idea
of it so much!
This may actually work for me!
Jamaica–can I ask what font you used for the numbers? I just love that ‘3’.
Thanks so much for sharing this incredible project!

Brilliant! I love how simple this is. I’ve done DD for about six years and last year just pared it down in a 6×8 album to a large photo on the left and a small photo and a bit of journalling about our day on the right. It was my favourite.

Ah-mazing. Your DD always rocks my boat. This is my first year doing it. I’m excited.

Sorry–just realized that the number font is part of the December cards.
Got it!

Thanks!

What an awesome idea. Pinned for later! 🙂 http://xfallenmoon.blogspot.com/

Man, this is so amazing that it hurts. LOVE IT!

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I’m late to the game with this comment, and my question might be late too but: OMG did you MAKE this folio? Do you have a tutorial for this floating around out there somewhere?! This is seriously amazing!

When you’re done, how will you affix/bind the pages (photos and journal cards) inside? Or will they remain loose-leaf?

HI Kelsey,

Yes, I did make it. It’s pretty simple. I’ll make another one this weekend and take photos to share. There is a tutorial on Ali’s blog that I did in 2009, but with a ring/spine combination. (http://aliedwards.com/2009/06/tuesday-tutorials-jamaica-edgell-fabric-covered-spines)

I’m not sure what I’m going to do with the pages when I’m done. I might put them in my PL or punch a hole at the top and put them all on one binder ring like I did a few years ago (http://www.jamaicamakes.com/xmas11/). That’s the beauty of the folio—it’ll give them a home until I figure out what next. Or, I could just leave them in the folio. : )

– jamaica

I, too, would love to know how you plan to secure the pages inside this book. LOVE IT. Please do share. Thanks!

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