WE'RE DOING DECEMBER! Whether you pre-plan your December Daily or create as you go along in the Christmas month; make your own covers or decorate ready-made ones, use Project Life style with plastic sleeves and pockets or create your own pages. Maybe you havent made one before and ask 'I cant think what I'd fill a page with everyday?' We'll help with that! Whatever your style we'd love to see it! Here you will find a seasonal blog open from 1st November to 31st January each year. We hope that this will become a wonderful resource of sharing, prompts and inspiration. What is a December Daily? Its a mini-album recording your daily memories capturing the spirit of December. Bring it out with your decorations each year and remember Christmases past. Scroll down on the right side bar and you will find past December Daily albums of each Designer. Check their 'journey' link too, this will give you some great tips and scroll a little further down and you will see the albums categorised into types for easier searching :) Now - 'Let's December Daily'!

Friday 7 November 2014

Mandy: Preparation- Altered Vintage Books



Here's the start to what has been in the planning since last year...(in my head lol)
altering a vintage book - and in blue! For some reason that thought stuck at the end of creating last years December Daily to now - and am so happy how it's falling into place.
I have a favourite pre-loved books online store that I absolutely love love love!
 Brotherhood of St Laurence Books (here in Australia) very inexpensive! (a charity organisation)
So in the search box I typed 'Blue Cloth'  and it brought up all the blue cloth covers in the store which of course are hard covers, then weedled down to how many pages each had and anything up to 120pages is great:) 

So imagine my delight when this one turned up! 
And with 91 pages!  Beyond thrilled!

So merrily thinking away, picturing how this book will turn out, how I'd do the covers, how I'd probably stick two pages together to reinforce them even though this 1929 book possesses thick quality paper for its pages.... and still thinking what else when I happened across 
'30 lists of days'!
and for December! 
To explain: in my previous December Daily's, there is very little about me, typically I do all the photographing and proudly present Christmas along with my family - but its lucky if I get in one of the photos for the whole month...  not that I want my December Daily to be about me - but it makes me think what snippets I might not be leaving behind in the future.... 
What '30 lists of days' achieves is a no-fuss, everyday the page turns to make a list of what's to be done, or thoughts, or a stapled photo to represent what each day means directly to me. So, I need another little book (or you could choose any album genre) and no-fuss being the operative word!  
Then I thought:.... do I need to just do this little book and no December Daily?..... weeeeell that thought lasted a micro-second - that's just plain silly because what if I ended up not liking the '30 lists of days' and end up with NO December Daily!
Mind was made up! 
 This year, I'm going to do both together and see how I feel about it at the end.  An experiment! I'm not so mad (in my defense) - because at the beginning of December each year my work breaks until February (I'm the boss lol) - so do have time to give this a go....

So born is what I'm going to call 
'The Companion to the December Daily'

And trusty Brotherhood of Books coughed this little blue book up from its coffers too!
 I couldnt believe the title and only 90 pages!
And will be completely pre-prepared by Dec 1st.

They will be worked together!
And it will either work a treat - or never to be repeated again LOL!

Arent they special!

Okay with all that explained...
This is some of what I expect to work with:
A total joy to set out!



Now some links for you....

Brotherhood of Books 
(If you order 3 or more books, postage is free - and delivery is super speedy!!!)
(Australian book store)

30/31 Days of Lists:



There are propably many more but these links inspired me totally to give it a go
And maybe you might be one who doesnt have time or the inclination to do a full December Daily?
Maybe doing a 'December Book of Lists' might be the answer?

Most of all - have fun!


8 comments:

  1. This is such a great idea, Mandy and your little vintage books are devine and sooooo perfect for what you are planning. Very much looking forward to seeing them take shape.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your stash looks great, can't wait to see how your two blue books evolve.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love love love your prep! Those books are amazing!!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ooh, you've got me all excited, Mandy! What fun ideas! And LOVE your blue cloth books. Cannot wait to see what you do with them!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ooooo! What a great idea!!!
    Love love love the little books!! Can't wait to see them all done!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love what you are planning on doing this year Mandy. Can't wait to see your dd evolve.

    ReplyDelete
  7. so many good ideas Mandy ! thanks

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love all the blue as I am a blooooooo girl myself. I think it is such a calming and crafting colour. I would love to see inside the For Your Spare Moment book if possible.

    ReplyDelete

Any thoughts? We'd love to know them, please share.....