Capturing Easily-Missed Seasonal Details with Penny - Plus 20 Free Story Starters!
One of the things I love most about the Make Merry collection is how beautifully it supports quieter holiday stories — the ones lived out in the rhythm of home, in the soft glow of familiar traditions, and in the little details that make the season feel like ours.
That’s exactly the spirit I wanted to capture with this layout: a look at the meaningful bits of December that often happen in the background, but hold so much heart.
I started by creating a bold band of one-inch paper strips across the top of the page. Make Merry’s mix of plaids, bows, ornaments, and soft winter patterns works so well together that it felt natural to showcase several of them at once.
I added a single row of stitching at the top of the strips and another at the bottom, which brings in a little texture and neatly frames the whole band.
To balance the busy top half, I repeated white cardstock at the bottom of the layout. The top white panel is slightly trimmed and the corners rounded, then layered over the full sheet below with the cardstock grain intentionally turned in the opposite direction. It’s a subtle detail, but it creates a lovely texture shift and a clean visual transition from patterns to photos.
The photos capture three parts of our December rhythm: the ornament spread as we begin decorating, a close-up of some treasured ornaments on our finished tree with all its color and character, and the sweet way Sophie curls up beneath the branches every year.
These are small things — little details of the season that bring continuity, joy, and a sense of home to us throughout the holiday. These tiny moments may not stand out to anyone else, but they’re the pieces that make our December feel unmistakably ours.
To reinforce that feeling of gathered treasures, I built three embellishment clusters using Make Merry’s ornaments, bows, holly, and florals. Starting with the larger pieces gave each cluster its structure, while the medium and smaller accents softened the transitions and guided the eye down the page. Everything connects without overwhelming the imagery, allowing the details themselves to remain the focus.
For the title, I paired the bold JOY element from the collection with script lettering to form a season of JOY. It’s a simple phrase, but it reflects the heart of these little seasonal moments and the warm, playful mood of Make Merry. The “aseason of” is cut from the collection’s aqua solid paper to keep the look cohesive.
This layout was such a meaningful reminder that the beauty of December isn’t only in the big celebrations, but in the tiny traditions that anchor us: favorite ornaments, cozy corners, and the sweet everyday moments that make the season feel like home. Make Merry is an absolutely charming companion — playful enough for big celebrations, but truly magical for the quiet moments, too.
Watch the process video here:
Looking for inspiration? Here are 20 small, easy-to-miss Christmas details that make great storytelling moments:
That first chilly morning when you reach for your coziest socks or slippers
The jumble of ornament boxes, tissue paper, and hooks scattered across the floor
The glow of outdoor lights shining through blinds or curtains
The way pets investigate (or attack) the tree skirt
Your favorite mug filled with the season’s first hot cocoa or peppermint coffee
A stack of holiday catalogs or cookbooks you flip through for inspiration
The playlist you always turn on when you decorate
The view of the tree from another room in the house
Wrapping paper scraps after one quick gift-wrapping session
Your hands tying bows, fluffing garland, or hanging tiny ornaments
The grocery cart full of holiday baking ingredients
The way stockings look when they’re a little lopsided or overstuffed
The scent of pine, cinnamon, or cloves drifting through the kitchen
A cozy corner lit only by the tree at night
The moment you test a string of lights and half of them don’t work
The pile of coats, scarves, and boots by the door during cold snaps
A favorite ornament reflected in the window glass
Morning light hitting the holiday décor in an unexpected way
A half-finished craft project or DIY decoration on your desk
The quiet stillness after everyone goes to bed and the lights are still twinkling
