Once Upon a Study Break

Outside my window- the sun has set and stars loom behind the clouds. I wonder if snowflakes linger there, too.


I'm thinking- about what I'll write for my school paper tonight. Lots of thoughts swirling in my head. Now to get them down on paper/computer.


I am thankful for- my Sunday school kids. They touch my heart when I least expect it.


From the kitchen- taco soup again. Jeff is addicted to this stuff! Thankfully, it is super easy and yummy. I like mine served with a bit of avocado on top.


I am wearing- a t'shirt I purchased from New Missions to benefit their rebuild efforts there. We sponsor a 10 year old boy through them. The t'shirt says, "Save a Life/Sponsor a Child" in French Creole. And of course jeans, my fav roll cuff ones I wear with my uggs.


I am creating- on the fly! I have a project going that I've dabbled with all weekend. Taking a lead from T McFayden and her Paper Romance eZine, I dyed some ribbon and ric rac with cherry kool-aid this morning. Smells so good! Hopefully, I can get back to this after I finish homework.


I am going- to chillax this week. Seriously. Life is too short for drama.


I am reading- actually, I just finished reading Water for Elephants. Great story. Rumor has it will be a movie soon with Rob Pat and Reese Witherspoon in the leads. Well, if you believe the gossip rags that is. :)


Around the house- some things never change. I'm hoping to enlist the help of a personal organizer to help me get some major projects accomplished and to work with our family to develop some tidy habits. Bring it on! maybe it will carry over into some other parts of our lives.


One of my favorite things- is an icy cold diet A&W rootbeer. Had one today and it brought back a flood of sweet memories.


A few plans for the rest of the week- start a new book, organize something-anything, make valentines and a trip to the Science Center with my sis and the kiddos.


A picture to share- proof that I really am trying to keep the creative ball rolling. With a bit of luck this pile will be a valentine-y mobile by the end of the day. Love that I will get to use some of the vintage seam binding I found at The Leftover Store last weekend. Boy, do I love that place!

bookworm

Whether intentionally or by accident, I am slowly booking a bookworm. A couple of years ago, one of my new year's intentions was to get back to reading. I set a paltry goal to read two or three books. Yes, for the whole year. Nice. Not very confident in my ability was I? No.

Here I am two years later becoming a bookworm. I was recently introduced to goodreads.com, a website with book reviews and all sorts of other info to help you choose your next - wait for it...good read. You can also compile lists-my favorite part. Lists of books you've read, those you intend to read and those you're currently reading. Yep, I've also become that kind of reader. Just out of curiosity, I began to compile a list of the books I've read since I set my short-sighted goal of reading two or three books in a year. I was shocked to see how many had added up!

Some may say I've had alot of time on my hands. But reading is a worthwhile pasttime. Reading makes you a more well-rounded person, keeps your mind busy, increases your vocabulary, exposes you to parts of history or cultures and places you might otherwise never visit. Reading is a good thing.

My reading habit will be further perpetuated (yep, a reader's word!) by my schooling this semester. My next class requires that I read 7 different novels in addition to our two texbooks and reading for pleasure. Um, yeah, can you say, bookworm? Albeit (another reader's word), the novels are intended for a younger audience, but it's reading all the same. By the way, some of the best books I've read in the past year were written by childrens book authors (many of whom also write adult fiction). Our first assignment, in addition to reading, is to write a reader's autobiography. To share our earliest memories of reading or learning to read, to discuss those who've influenced us to be readers, our favorite books and our current reading habit.

Hmmmmm...where do I begin?

Like a Slow Movin' Train

I'll tell ya, I am sooooo slow. Particularly when it comes to creative things. I am just amazed at how free and relaxed some folks are when they are making things. For some, it seems to just come naturally. I've been trying to embrace that free and easy side of things lately, but I'm like a slow movin' train. I hem and haw around like noone you can imagine. For starters, I believe I have a phobia of the sewing machine. While I've managed to make clothes, quilts and complete other sewing projects in the past, I always struggle with the mechanical workings of the sewing machine. So when I discovered Mary Ann Moss and her Remains of the Day journal class I thought it was a perfect opportunity to overcome my fear of the sewing machine. Mary Ann's technique uses needle and thread to attach all manner of paper and fabric to create one-of-a-kind journals.

So while we've had a couple of snow days here, I managed to set up my machine, get the book out and thread the thing. A small victory, but then the bobbin ran out along with my zeal for dealing with the machine. Intrigued and inspired by Mary Ann, I continued to dig in my scraps and whipped out my glue stick just to see how things would look. I also thought if things were tacked down it would help when I attempted to sew the papers. Besides, it's WAAAY too cold to venture out and purchase more thread or contemplate the new BROTHER machine at Target that autothreads and winds the bobbin. ;)

That was two days ago. I still haven't venturned out into the cold for thread. But like a slow movin' train, I'm making my way out of the station. Here are a few of the pages I have ready to sew. It's a start...

I am loving this process of creating layer upon layer of stuff to create a visual journal of my days. Mary Ann uses this type of journal when she travels and I can't wait to create one when I head out on my graduation trip in a couple years. I know - I may move slow, but I do like to plan ahead! And what a great way to get rid of some stuff. I definitely need to do that!

So I'm going to keep at it. Tomorrow I think I may even leave the house to get thread and then give the sewing machine a go again! I know it's been cold most everywhere lately. Besides working on this new journal I've been doing alot of cooking for my husband and just started reading a new book. What have you been doing while staying inside and trying to keep warm?

Happy Holidays

As is par for the course, December has been a real whirlwind. Try as we might, we are never able to avoid all the craziness that comes with preparing for the holidays. In fact, had I posted in the midst of it all this post would likely have been titled, bah, humbug! or maybe even is Christmas fun, or what?! But from this side of the holidays, I can truly say the craziness is worth it in the end! And while I could go on and on about all the things I was unable to accomplish, I'm choosing to focus on the things which I was able to complete. Some crafty, some just things I wanted to do during the holidays. Mind you, the holidays are hardly over so I'm still at it-whittling away at my list! ;)

• made fleur de sel caramels and French chocolate bark and coconut macaroons for a cookie exchange-fuN!



• decorating the tree with my mom and all the handmade things she made me (i'll post about them later-she's been a busy bee this year!)



• wrapped my packages in pretty paper and bows. i really struggled with the papers this year. so thin-hate that, but I managed. my favorite was the candy cane striped ribbon and the light blue paper i found at Target!



• made a fabric wreath inspired by who else, but pamG! loved this, but hurried a bit, i think. best thing was the upholstry fabric i picked up in a cut-off pile for .50 cents! i also liked getting my feet wet with embroidery again. hoping to do more of that in the new year.



• used some of that felt to make pins for my co-workers. a little martha stewart joy spread around!



• played with some of my vintage pieces to create vignettes. my new favorite is my homage to the nativity using some tiny deer and glass dome i recently found.



• making the sad tom inspired ornaments for my sunday school kids. barely got this done again this year. whew!
  
  the letter Brady received from Santa this year was a total spur of the moment thing at one in the morning, but SO worth taking the time to do!



• had my family here for Christmas day. i love having them here.



• saw White Christmas at the Fox. it was SPECTACULAR! the colors, the costumes and of course the music! some of the backdrops were very Pam Garrison-esque. i loved that!



• listened to LOTS of Christmas music. my favorite this year was listening to the xm radio show hosted by Michael W Smith. didn't mind at all that it was in a loop that played Christmas eve and all Christmas day. and i love the playlist this blogger put together which includes Michael Buble-can't get enough of his voice lately!
  
  
  

I hope you enjoyed a holiday to remember and look forward to a new year filled with possiblity!

UPDATED 12/30/09 4 pm: One more thing completed on the list!

This little guy is from Teresa McFayden's Comfort & Joy eZine. Simple, but fun little techiniques to try-sugar sprinkles for the glitter on his hat, gloves and socks and the pom poms were made by simply rolling a bit of batting in between my fingers. fuN stuff! I think I'll keep him around a bit longer with my snowmen. Speaking of which, that's a vintage little cupcake topper-I bought a bag of them at a just-for-the-holidays boutique my sister and I visited before Christmas. Okay, going to see if I can get another little project completed!

Santa's Workshop is Officially OPEN!

While most folks are scouring ads and planning their strategy for Black Friday, I'm gathering my supplies, instructions and inspiration for a handmade holiday. Earlier this week, my mom said it best, "It just doesn't seem like Christmas if we haven't made it." It's so true for me. But with limited time, I had to scale back my vision of what that was this year. Nonetheless, there will be handmade scattered among the store bought that's for sure. In fact, I've already signed up for what's become a yuletide tradition for me-Teresa McFayden's ezine, 12 Days of Comfort & Joy. So while I love to shop nearly as much as I love to craft, I'll be sleeping in the day after Thanksgiving , enjoying a facial at the spa, a relaxing lunch and an evening doing a little crafting! My kind of celebration to kick start the season. Just.can't.wait!

However you plan to spend Thanksgiving Day or the day after, for that matter, I hope it will be with those closest to you and in the way that means the most and makes for the sweetest memories. Enjoy!

a love for all seasons

I am so thankful to have my husband home this weekend after being gone for a week on a golf getaway. Just not the same around here without him. For one thing, it was much too quiet while he was gone. Yep, someone who out talks me!

Every pot has it's lid and that is certainly true for us. Love him and he loves me in spite of all my idiosyncrasies--I love that about him. And those who know can tell you it's not always violin strings and hearts around here, but we love each other regardless and just keep working at it day after day. That's really what it's all about, right? Okay, enough of that! But I am thankful for him and just in case he pops by here I want him to see it in print. ;)

Also, wanted to share a few peeks from our recent family photo shoot. This was very impromptu and the weather was dicey that afternoon, but we did our best to roll with the punches. Here are a few I like. And I just couldn't help playing with a couple of them to create a simple story board. So fun! IBut I have to go on a diet and have that "guacaMOLE" removed sooner rather than later!

Finally beginning to get in the Christmas spirit so I'll be back soon. I have lots of stuff swirling in my head. First up is that Advent Calendar I didn't quite get finished last year. I found a fantastic old frame this weekend to use since the other one turned into a chalkboard!

Have a great week!

My Sister, My Friend

I can still remember sitting on the edge of my parent's bed as my mother held out the tight little bundle and laid her in my arms. Eyes tightly closed, mouth pursed she seemed so fragile. Not at all like my dolls. Would I ever be able to play with her? Would she like me or pull my hair and tease me unmercifully like my younger brother? Would we be best friends or strangers sharing the same room?

My sweet sister celebrated her birthday this week. In many ways, she has remained a mystery to me. But of this I'm certain, that tiny, fragile little thing I glimpsed her first days of life has grown into an amazingly strong, kind, generous woman. I am proud to call her my sister-and my friend. What a treasure you are to me, Marisa!

Here are just a few pictures from our celebration this past Sunday. Beautiful day inside and out as we enjoyed the company of loved ones. Made sweeter still by the presence of another little pixie who has recently welcomed a new baby sister. I wonder, will they grow to be best friends, too?

I love that she calls my sister GiGi

Lots of peek-a-boo that day!

This girl is becoming a beautiful lady, too!

We're going on a bear hunt! Actually, deer, but they were equally as serious!

In her tiny handy they don't seem near as annoying. Sweet!