As of yesterday, the sun still had not come out in Minnesota, so thanks to a bit of Photoshop help, hopefully my pages are lit well enough to see today. I won’t lie: there are days where I am really wondering if I should invest in some studio lights, you know, some big soft boxes for shooting blog stuff. The only problem? My studio/scraproom/dining room is already a bit too crowded. So for now, natural light it is!
My first page today is for Day 11 and it’s my favorite so far. Why? Because it’s doing what I love most: taking a photo, adding a journal block and a simple embellishment. Plus, all that white space. I have one room with white walls in my house. My family room is a modern looking room with very little in it. It looks nothing like the rest of my house. I have this gorgeous red wreath from Smith & Hawken and it’s one of the only things you’ll find on the walls of the room. (I got mine from Target two years ago.)
I decided to take the whole —ing word approach to create my journaling. It’s a simple way to capture the details of every day life.
For Day 12, I used the word art from one of Ali’s templates for a blurry photo of my tree.
I used Photoshop CC to blur my image via the Gaussian Blur command. I set the blur to about 10 pixels to create this effect.
Day 13 includes a few different journal cards and images. I LOVE that Aidan created the shot of the Elf on the Shelf diving into the candy bag.
And the final spread to share today is this one.
First things first: I adore the page on the left. Four photos, each one using a similar journal structure and four different slice of life images. Love that! But now for the right page.
So here’s the deal. I had fun spray painting it and putting things in the holes, but I don’t love it. Part of why I don’t love it is that it’s clunky on the album rings. It doesn’t turn very easily. I used my Crop-A-Dile to punch the holes. Maybe I’m just not that good with a Crop-A-Dile, but I feel like I misaligned the holes just a titch. So there’s that. But also, I think it’s the misshapen holes that just doesn’t sit right with my eye. I know, I know. It’s playful. I get that. But in design, I’m not very playful. I’m utilitarian. And that, my friends, is what makes me happy. I’m not sure if I’m going to keep the page in. I probably will. I realize this is First World Problem. I’m sure everything will be okay.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to start getting my house in order so I can leave to pick up my girl bright and early tomorrow morning.
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SUPPLIES:
Loydene says
I don’t like the sloppy holes either — but your page looks cute!
kre8tivekate says
I had the same problem with this page not turning easily in my album. Using your Crop-a-dile, cut tiny slivers off each side of each hole. It will turn much easier, since there is a little play, and you don’t notice the imperfect shape of the holes when the page is on the rings. I like this page, even though it’s very un-Cathy-like. It’s good to mix it up once in a while!
Cathy Zielske says
Kate, I will try that! 🙂
Nat says
Clean line people of the world unite. I’ve experimented a whole bunch with photos on angles and freehand and I just. can’t. do. it.
heidig says
Ya, I had to use a regular, large-sized hole punch with pages I inserted like yours. Otherwise, it didn’t turn smoothly. When re-sizing your photos (to 6×8 or 3×4), how do you keep them from being distorted? Love these pages and especially the elf photo from Aidan!
Cathy Zielske says
Heidi, I use the crop tool, so the perspective is maintained. Or, I just copy a paste the photo into my template, and crop per the layer mask.
heidig says
Okay, I’ll try the crop tool and/or copy/paste. Thanks!
Stacey Harrington says
Beautiful pages as usual. I can totally see a re-do in your future of the funky page, I’m thinking traditional stitched grid a la CZ. But hey, maybe you need a little funky in your book this year!
Kathleen S says
I’d guess the wacky holes will not last — nowhere for the eye to settle. But it’s wonderful to see the scrap wacky side of the Zielske! I’m “reading” the embellishments for clues!
Kitsa says
The cardboard page with the holes is just not your style. Things were “clean & simple” until that page.
Amanda B says
1. I HATE Hershey kiss elf poop shenanigans. Why do people think that’s OK? It’s not OK!! It’s not (and neither are the pooping out the mints)! This, however, is so much better. Brava, Aidan.
2. I adore your DD.
3. The wonky circle page was giving me trouble in the album, too, even though I punched holes in accordance to the page protectors. I ended up making the holes a bit bigger and it helped a ton with it turning properly.
4. I like your wonky circle page. It’s so out of character for you and for the rest of your DD, but I love it. It’s surprising. And if there’s one thing I love about scrapbook layouts are the pages that take you by surprise.
Jenny B. says
Ooh, I love Stacey’s idea for a stitched grid with all those little doo-dads in each. 🙂 I really like your whole album. It’s so pretty. I was planning to do December Daily again this year, but I have not been very good about taking photos each day.
Christine says
Julie Fei-Fan Balzer had a post a while back about a collapsible white photo tent she uses to save space in her NY apt. Maybe that would work in your space?
Was in Madison last week for work and a visit to a friend who recently relocated there. The lake view was lovely. Have a safe trip. Enjoy the girl time!
Britiney says
yeah. I’m not in love with that page – not what you did with it, which is adorable, but the page idea itself – for the same reason as you. The weird shapes throw me off. If it was all perfect circles, maybe. I do think yours is darling. And Ali’s too. Thanks for sharing!
Abby P says
Your album is absolutely bomb-diggidy!! I got all of the six-by-eight templates – are you using one of these for your 6×8 pics? I noticed yours has a nice thin line along the inside perimeter of the photos. Love that. Wanna copy that. Ho Ho Ho. I made a 6×8 template with a smaller mask for my photos to create the white edge. But I don’t know how to do the thin-line-thingy. Here’s to safe travels tomorrow, and a jolly-good-time for you and your girlie!!
Cathy Zielske says
Abby, I am using the 6 x 8s no 03, the full page design.
Abby P says
Oh – and the lighting looks just fine! Hoping for a sunny day for you manana!
RitaQ says
I actually liked the ‘holey’ page. 🙂 but it does seem out of context but cute. Sidenote- LOVE that you are ‘collaborating’ with Ali. I was on the fence about signing up for the digi version of First but am all I now that I know you are involved. 🙂
Cara S says
By the way if you’re wondering where the sun is, it’s here in Australia, where it’s hot, hot, hot
Cara S says
By the way if you’re wondering where the sun is, it’s here in Australia, where it’s hot, hot, hot.
Michelle t says
So awesome. I love the 4. 3×4 photos with the single journal line or sentence. Perfect. Michelle t
Lynn L. says
Love your pages! The wonky circles just are not my thing either. But you could keep it to mix things up. Craziness!!!! 🙂 Enjoy your time with Aidan.
Yolanda says
I love the wreath layout. The repetition of the Joy stamp, scaled up and low opacity is such a great touch.
Brenda says
I love your gold page – but can see that you (and I) might find it a bit clunky – maybe you should take a photo of it and transform it into a clean and simple 6×8 page with white boarders with (or without) a journal style the same as your opposing page. Thanks for sharing all your terrific pages with us. It makes me wish I was making the time to do a December album myself.
Cathy Zielske says
That is a great idea! 🙂
jennybegoode says
Thank you for sharing your album in so much detail. I think I saw you comment that you were considering the 6×8 format for PL next year and I hope you decide to go for it. I’m gleaning loads of ideas for this size. (I am also switching due to lack of space at home.)
Kay Gregory-Clark says
I’m amazed so many others don’t like the wacky circles. I saw them first on Ali’s blog & didn’t care for them either. Love your simplicity! And, I like the idea of a PL 6×8 album—but may have to use 2 or more to get through the year. Happy Coming-Home-Aidan.
Katie says
The page with the red wreath makes my heart sing. And at 6PM on Dec. 19 that is more than welcome. Thanks for this!