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To answer a few questions up front about my plans and supplies, etc. 1) I do not create foundation pages. I stopped a few years ago when I realized I enjoy the process more when I didn't have something started ahead of time. I found I was spending way too much time fitting a square peg into a round hole so to speak. Its so much faster and more freeing for me to be able to create fresh each day based on what I have photo wise. 2) most of the photos I use come from my iphone 7+. I also have a Canon DSLR that I take my album pictures with and I may pick it up here and there for some shots. I also have a Sony A5100 that's new to me this year. I'll probably use that out of the home and for larger events. 3) I print all of my photos at home on a Canon TS6020 printer. I love it! 4) I post edit all of my phone photos using the app Pic Tap Go app on my phone and I also edit on my desktop computer using Rad Lab. 5) the fonts I'm using for my printed journaling this year are Avenir Next Pro and Marista which looks like a cursive typewriter.
My supplies this year are from a few sources. I purchased the mini kit from Paislee Press offered by Ali Edwards as well as a few smaller embellishments. I will also be using the three kits from Kelly Purkey. These will be the focus for me, because I really love the papers and cards from Kelly's kits. I also picked up some stuff from Studio Calico, Felicity Jane, and Tim Holtz. Here is a shot of the two bins on my work table, a little bit of this and a little bit of that. I also have a few sets of numbers and specialty papers and cards not pictured that you might see pop up in my album. I'll tag everything I can in my posts each day. If I miss something just ask in the comments or shoot me an email.
I was struggling for a bit on how to start my album. I usually like to make a cover page that fits over the top of all of the page protectors but I just couldn't come up with a design. I had initially thought of using a printable that I found online but I may save that for a later page, I also thought about a tree cut file but I wasn't feeling anything and then I remember this tree journaling card that came in Kelly Purkey's Joyful & Bright kit. Luckily I had the digital pdf file of the card that you can purchase here. I enlarged it in Photoshop Elements to fill the page and I loved it. I added in a gold glitter star in place of the printed star, the year using my favorite number thickers from Hobby Lobby and a rubber banner that I believe came in a past Studio Calico kit or maybe it was an old Ali kit, I can't remember but I loved the simplicity of the sentiment.
I love how the matte gold of these thickers plays with that soft pink.
I ended up with two stories for day one, way to start out big huh. I opted to cut down a page protector so that it flowed together and didn't end up looking like two separate days. I used the pink card from Kelly's kit because I loved the sentiment on it. I added in a white chipboard number that was from Ali's kit last year and the journaling card has a printable from In A Creative Bubble that I recolored to match Kelly's card. It still needed something so I added a silver glitter star on top of the number and placed it on the outside of the page protector. I also added in an avery tab and stamped sentiments on the front and back using the stamp set that was designed by Paislee Press for Ali Edwards. The stamp set is sold out but you can get it digitally.
I always write a little note to my daughter each year, you can zoom in a read it here if you like.
The second story of the day is a Holiday House tour that my Mom and I attended. It was super fun but they don't let you take pictures inside the homes but this giant Nutcracker was begging to have his photo taken. The journaling card is from In A Creative Bubble, I just filled in the text with red to tie it all in.
Day two happened at the end of November but I'm okay with that and always include the story in this album. I'm from the camp that stories can be told on any day and it doesn't have to happen that day to be included. I used a journaling card from the Paislee Press mini kit and added one of the kits rubber banners on top of the page protector. The card originally said home for the holidays which could totally worked here but I knew I wouldn't have a place for that rubber banner anywhere else and I really wanted to use it. The black chipboard number is from Ali's shop this year. I'll get a lot of use of the black numbers this year I'm sure.
Day three and we finally bought our tree. As you can read on the journaling this was late for us but I'm really glad we waited. I loved the pop of green as well as the graphics on the tag that was on our tree so I just cut it down to fit and added a white number. I love how that green pops. I kept everything else pretty simple to focus on the photos. I used a journaling card from In A Creative Bubble that I modified a bit and placed one of the tiny little square stickers from the Holiday Tradition kit designed by Jamaica. Man I love those little square stickers.
Day four was a simple entry. Sadly my Mom was heading home and we always snap a picture of her and my daughter before she leaves so I included it here. I used a card from the Holiday Tradition kit and the letterpress number sheet came in Kelly's Joyful & Bright kit. I love those numbers and I love how they pop on this red and pink card. I may end up adding a tab but I'll decide that after I work on day five.
I hope your albums are coming along too and I'll be back to share more soon.
Such great photography! Love how pretty your album is turning out! Merry Everythang!
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