Hey guys! Are you doing December Daily this month? Are you keeping up? Are you like me and decided last minute to join in? I mean, come on… have you seen what everybody is posting on Instagram and Facebook groups? Well, I totally got the FOMO around the end of November.

I was really hesitant to start my own DD album and I’ll tell you why. First, because I wanted to focus on my Project Life album and finish it on time so I could have a clean slate for 2017. Second, I also wanted to focus on finishing my 2016 mini album. Third, and this is kinda personal, I’ve only been celebrating Christmas for the last 8-9 years. I was raised not celebrating Christmas or any holiday so I have no childhood holiday memories other than I was unable to participate in holiday activities at school. Sounds a little sad, right? But, I never missed it because it was something I never experienced. Fast forward to 2008 when my husband and I started dating (and AJ had just turned 5), and we both decided to celebrate Christmas. My husband wasn’t too big on the holidays either, so the first couple of years I would say Christmas was a little awkward? We had no decorations and I knew absolutely nothing about Christmas traditions, let alone how to pick and decorate a Christmas tree, and I didn’t know any of the words to any Christmas songs. So because of this I had just decided that December Daily was out of the picture, just like I decided last year also.

But here I am, with my first five days of my December Daily album. I do have to say I’m kinda proud of myself for keeping up with this like I have been. Now keep in mind, I have not taken any of Ali Edward’s classes, which I think is a huge mistake. I wish I had taken it because I know I have been a little overwhelmed at times and I catch myself overthinking everything. The good thing though, is that I decided early enough to do a mini album. Because of this, I don’t feel the pressure of taking many photos. So far every day this month, before I go to bed, I’ll come into my craft room and journal about my day. Usually the next day I’ll decide what picture to use, edit it, and combine it with the journaling.

I ordered this awesome acrylic album cover from Color Cast Designs. I ordered it in all white but you can customize this with a phrase and by color. My cover page is very simple. I used a digital stamp from the Stampin Up December Wonder Stamps digital set.

For this layout, I went ahead and typed out my December “Hopes”. Let’s face it people, at this point my hope is to stay on track with my album for the rest of the month!

For day one, I took a cute picture of my dog, Zoie, chilling in her bed. Unfortunately, I did not realize the hole punch would go right on her face. Sorry Zoie!

I did some journaling on the picture itself and I added some of my favorite things for December on a Push Print Studio card.

For day two, I decided to take a picture of one of our new ornaments because pizza is all I ate this day. I used Photoshop to add words behind my hand.

For day three, I used one of Ali Edwards digital papers from the December Daily Main Kit. This was my second year participating in a Christmas card exchange from a  Flickr group that I am a part of. You can see the three cards I received on the left page.

Day four is when I blogged about the Christmas cards I made this year. Again, I added words behind my hand with Photoshop0

And finally, day five, the day I journaled about receiving my new logo stamp and about our Christmas tree already dying…

I stamped the WTF using Kellie Stamps Stand Tall Alpha Stamp Set.

So there are my first five days! It turns out our December is off to a pretty boring slow start. Thank goodness my husband and I decided to start watching House of Cards. Episode 1 of season 2 though!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Geez, TV to the rescue (I almost journaled about the show more than what we were up to).

Thanks for stopping by, see you guys next time!