How I Do Daily Pages: Teri Defoe

Welcome to How I Do Daily Pages, where ALP members tell us how they use this practice to help tell the story of their lives.

How I Do Daily Pages: @teri-de

When did you start creating Daily Pages/How long have you been creating Daily Pages?

While I don’t create traditional “Daily Pages” with the group, I do make sure I create SOMETHING every day throughout my week.

How/Why did you get started creating Daily Pages?

I started scrapbooking around 1998 when my daughter was young to continue our family tradition of having an overwhelming amount of photographs in our households at all times. This tradition started with my grandfather who captured images and put on slideshows for all of us to sit through whenever our large family got together. My father had a movie projector and a slide projector so his shows were even longer. The only downside for me was that we could only see those images when someone dragged out the projectors. I wanted my daughter to be able to see our memories whenever she wanted. 

Craft stores started carrying cool printed paper, stickers of every imaginable subject and markers that would bleach away the color from your paper. It was so cool. I was hooked.

What are your favorite notebooks to use for Daily Pages? Why?

I started off scrapbooking 8.5 x 11 and 12 x12. As time has passed I find I use my planner, travelers notebooks and flipbook albums most when I create. I also love to create journals and will often create them to give away as gifts.

Do you have a typical Daily Pages routine? Does it change?

My routine for creating is that once dinner is done, I head up to my studio to work on something. It may be a prompt from my Book of Me. I could create a birthday card for a friend. I might need to update my daily planner with photos or journaling.  I might have seen a cool project on youtube that I would like to attempt to recreate for myself. Once I start I am generally engrossed until midnight or so. But I have been known to keep going until 1 or 2 a.m.

What are 3 of your most used Daily Pages supplies?

I love to use subtle printed paper with a vintage theme (creams, beige, kraft, pinks, blues)

I always have my “Big Mama” to use as adhesive. (Scotch ATG)

I have difficulty writing with my dominant hand so I print most of my journaling and titles on sticker paper, clear or white. Or I use letter stamps or letter stickers.

Where do you create your Daily Pages? What is that space like?

My planner is most like Daily Pages for me. I include all of the appointments, birthdays, and events. I also include photos, updates on my health issues when needed, premonth planning and retrospective journaling at the end of the month. I include motivational stickers, stamped images and ephemera that I love. I am loving my planner this year because I was able to find one that was “Happy Planner” style with cream colored pages. So all my favorite things work well with the background.

What is your favorite thing about Daily Pages?

I am an introvert who is able to share with my family and friends through my creations. It allows me to see what I accomplished each day and helps me plan better for my future. Working on a creative project daily keeps my creative juices flowing.

Daily Pages Resources

• Share your challenge page and find inspiration in the Daily Pages Group
• Just getting started with Daily Pages or looking for a great refresher? Check out Daily Pages 101
• Join the Daily Pages Livestream every weekday at 12 Noon ET