Adding The Every Day To December Daily

We have a lot of water in our Northern California rivers with more rain expected. Seeing the park flooded has occupied a certain 5 year old's brain, so I included it in our December book. We were able to take some time while it was not raining to go see the park, show him all of the water, and see the fabulous clouds with blue sky peeking through!

Everyday life goes on in December, so I thought it was important to add it in. I struggled a bit with the title of the page. The template said, Merry and Bright, which just didn't seem appropriate. A quick erase and a little addition and I think I've summed it up better. Do you struggle with including the everyday in your December Daily book?

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Have you joined the new flickr group? Just for those of you I've had the privilege to help in your photography journey! Fun conversation, prompts and more to come!

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Check out my post today at TheDailyDigi! Lot's of fun with holiday lights AND a give away!

Catching Up With December Daily

I knew as soon as I took this photo it was going on December 14th's page. I'm playing a little catch up this week. How about you?

Go Back Later To Find Photos You Love

I discovered this one today from just about a week ago. I'm not sure how I missed it the first time. Love the expression(click on it to see it larger). I think it's bad case of red eye made me skip over it for my December Daily book. I'm rethinking that now. I may just go back and tuck it in there somewhere!

Am I the only one who skips photos, only to go back later and find ones you love?

What Do You Do When December Daily Falls Behind?

It happens. Things get busy and I'm not able to make a page. I'll even admit that over the weekend, I grabbed time to do nothing. NOTHING. It was bliss.

So, yes, that put me behind doing my December Daily pages.

My strategies when I anticipate falling behind:

• Take a few more photos to trigger my memory (even if they are with my phone)
• Blog small details if I can or make notes on my phone.
• Go with one photo pages.
• Keep it simple
• Don't stress, there are no December Daily police.

I've got photos and my photos trigger my journaling. I'm planning on snagging some of my journaling from my blog as well.

This year's book is featuring more one photo pages. They are quick to put together, giving me time to focus on the journaling.  I've learned from my 2009 and 2008 books that journaling makes my heart sing!

What do you do when you fall a bit behind?

Looking for Cooperation For Christmas Photos?

Do you have difficulty getting cooperation for photos at Christmas? Want to know my trick?

Offer to adorn him in lights so he can be a Christmas tree.* It helps if he is five years old and determined to dress up in "every costume in the world." I'll need to add this to my list of methods to capture active kids.

The trick to low light photos? Spot meter and expose for his face.

How do you get cooperation?




*promptly bathe him after.

How I Speed Up My December Daily Pages On Busy Days

This week is PACKED with activities in our house. I love this time of year, but it can get crazy and a bit hard to keep up with December Daily.

I've given myself permission to have some December Daily Do Over Days! I grab a page I've already completed, swap out photo and journaling. Change an element or two (or none). I am then able to breathe easier and carry on to the next day! I want to complete my album AND enjoy the holidays. I've got to strike that balance!

I only took a few photos yesterday, this was a favorite. Sums up this time of year so well.

How are you balancing December Daily and enjoying the holidays?

How I Photograph Holiday Cookie Baking

I do not dress my child up in costumes for photos, I really don't. I do, however, set up our cookie baking for the best results!

Making Gingerbread Vegans is a favorite tradition, both to make and eat. Once we prep all of the ingredients in the kitchen, I move the entire process to the dining room table. I position the rolling mat so Ian's side is to the window or so the window is directly in front of him. You can tell in these photos where I positioned him in relation to the light.  Since I never ask him to move, I get more cooperation.

Once he gets cutting it's easy to wander around to get the best angle and light for a shot or two. The elf costume is just a bonus!

Click on the photos for product credits.

Do you have any favorite holiday photo taking tricks?

December Daily Day 5 - The Story Of The Elf

Class starts tomorrow. I always get a little nervous excitement brewing the night before class, hoping I've not missed anything, anticipating the chatter in class, and looking forward to seeing everyone's photos.

Preparing for class has me scrambling a bit to keep up with December Daily, but I'm determined. I've learned from past experience to keep taking photos and jot down what I can. I'm going to allow myself a skipped day here or there if I need to.  For yesterday, I'm leaving it big and black and white. I loved it the moment I saw him on the tracks. Do you have those moments you just know you're going to love the photo?

This year's book is turning into documentation of everywhere Ian wears his elf costume. Since he's worn it EVERY DAY since he received it, expect to see a lot of it! I'm certain he'll appreciate this book on the coffee table when he's fifteen.

Are you seeing any themes develop in your December Daily Project?

Narrowing Down the Photos For December Daily

I've selected my six photos to compliment my one photo layout of December 4th! Thank you for all of the great ideas and for gently pushing me toward my decision.

I loved all of the ideas you shared:

• Put them all in a grid, similar to my post.
• Make a flip page with the stories behind them.
• Include a baseball card style page.
• Use an index print of all pages.
• Create an elf minibook.

Loved them!

So why did I pick only six?

I know this book will be printed 8x8 at Shutterfly. With my books from 2009 and 2008, I've found I like my photos a bit larger so I can really see them. I'll include pages with fewer photos, but those are typically non-people photos.

I loved the suggestions to include my mom and the cup. It becomes so easy to make every page an Ian page, he's filled with the magic of Christmas this year! I like that I'm left with a good overview of a special day.

I am still mulling the elf minibook idea! What ideas are you considering for your December Daily book?

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Capture Your Holidays Through The Lens starts tomorrow! I'm so excited to help you capture special moments! The first lesson includes the technique for the light photo in the bottom corner above.

Thank you to everyone who has registered and spread the word. You are an amazing community of friends.

Selecting Photos For A December Daily Page

December Daily is filled with choices about paper, embellishments, journaling, AND photos. Today is a difficult photo day for me.

Not because the day was too busy to take any, but because it was too filled to narrow it down to a few. You know those days. Family visiting. Birthday party to attend. Santa to visit. Lights to see. All in one day.  Exhausting holiday fun.

Everyone is sleeping all snug in their bed except for me. I'm sitting in front of Lightroom. Sorting. I could create a 20 page book with today's photos. And I would really like the book.

What makes it even more difficult? A costume. A stinkin' cute elf costume my mom made for Ian. He's been wearing it since she arrived yesterday. I'm not THAT mom that dresses up her kiddo for photos, but HE is THAT kid that dresses up and asks to be photographed.

Here is Page 1 for today. The story and the costume must be in this year's December Daily book. I've decided to include 6 more for the day on another page. The choice is made more difficult knowing each photo contains a story.

So here are a few of my choices.  Which would you include?

How I Chose My December Daily Paper

I work to keep things in my life simple. I might even put too much energy into being simple. Is it possible, I need to simplify simple?

I've planned my December Daily pages in my mind for weeks. I knew I was going with a white background and a big, photo first style. Something like this page or this page from October's Layout A Day.

I sat at my computer, brought all the pieces together with my December 1st photo. Moved things. Changed things. Walked away. Lamented. Moved more. Slept on it. Picked different whites. Used no paper at all. Flipped the orientation. Considered going with a 6x8 size instead.

Where did simplicity go? What was I thinking?

And then...

I did it. I simplified.

Does it look familiar? I am now considering kraft paper and Ali's templates holiday tradition. It feels right.

How are you keeping your December simple?


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I have a winner!

McScraps5 was randomly chosen for a free spot in Capture Your Holidays Through The Lens! Congratulations! Stop by her blog to see her beautiful December Daily book.

25 December Daily Photo Ideas

December! It's here!

If you are taking part in Ali Edwards' December Daily project or just documenting your month one day at a time, finding inspiration for a photo everyday can have its challenges. There are days you are just too tired to mess with your camera. Days you forget to take a photo until the last minute and there might even be days where you just feel stuck for an idea. The tree? Again?

Here is my 25 December Daily Photo Ideas downloadable pdf for a little inspiration! I am going to use it as a scavenger hunt through the month and maybe even a page title or two!

Enjoy! I'd love to hear which you find and which inspire you the most!

December Daily 2009

I've finished 2009 just in time to get 2010 started!

Click here to view this photo book larger

His face just kills me! Can you honestly look at it and not smile?

Long Days Of December

Not every day of December is filled with snowflakes and bliss. Today was definitely a testament to that! I spent my entire day corralling a kiddo who wanted to climb everything, although he's never been a climber. He hit the ground countless times with a cry of, "I'm ok," which in our house translates to, "I've hurt myself but I'm not going to admit it." He dunked legos into a glass of water, just for fun. He gave me that, I'm going to ignore everything you are saying look, repeatedly. Stuffed silly putty into his sock and walked around in it. The silly putty and the sock are now in the trash, they were inseparable. Now he is asleep. And that, I must say, has been the best part of my day!

Captured! Daily December, December 1

I love this project! Today we started what I hope becomes a tradition, a letter from Santa. It came with a small gift and a reminder he'd be watching. Ian was thrilled.

Credits at DesignerDigitals

I hope he doesn't expect another gift tomorrow!