December Daily was coined by Ali Edwards around 7 years ago as a way to document the often busy month of December and to capture one story each day. You can read more about the project from Ali's site here.
I completed my first December Daily in 2008 and have completed 4.5 albums since. My style has changed a little over time, but for the last few years I have created a 6x8 mini book from card stock, which I buy and 'bind' with rings. For me this has been inexpensive and easy! What has remained consistent in each of my December Daily books is a focus on photos and stories. I love to look back over these mini books and remember December's past. While I now record each week through Project Life, there is something so special about taking time to pause in such a busy month as December and recall memories that would otherwise fade.
Most years in November, I sit down and create my 'foundation pages'. This is the blank canvas which will be my album for the month. I usually add the numbers for the dates at this time. Occasionally I have needed to move a number or embellishment, but part of the creative process is making the layout work. When planning my album I am often mindful of events which I know will be happening in the month and accommodate for that (such as using paper with a 'yucky side' because I know I will cover with a large photo etc). The advantage of creating an album in a binder or with rings is that you can add extra pages or photos easily after the fact. Below are the 'foundation' or blank pages of my 2012 December Daily.
I hope that this has given you an idea of what a December Daily is and how you can get started, especially if you are feeling restricted by the expense of a kit. Stay tuned in the days to come as I share some completed pages from my December Daily albums.