January 2009 - Page 2 of 2 - Random Reflections

Christmas Journal: Done!

by Karen
January 5, 2009September 7, 2025

I finally finished the Christmas Journal today. Here are Days 21-31. I ended up skipping a few days before Christmas and a few days after the holiday, but it's a good record of our holidays.

I got the idea for the Cuttlebug die cut squares from Nicole Migouirk's journal.

I decided I needed several photos of Christmas Day. When the photos come back from Snapfish this week, they'll be going into an album. I may scrap a few of them, but this is basically it for Christmas 08.

I included the newspaper article about the high winds.

Another news article about all the snow we got in December.

New Year's Eve: December Daily done.

Project 365

by Karen
January 4, 2009

I think Project 365 is probably the very best thing I can do to improve my photography skills. I tried to do it last year, but only made it to March. Off and on I take a lot of photos, but it is not a daily habit, nor do I find it an easy one. Creating Keepsakes has jumped on the bandwagon this year and their pdf. file of ideas will hopefully help me find subjects on days when nothing comes to mind. Not having children at home makes for few photo ops. The first week is posted on the Photo-a-Day blog on the sidebar. I'm planning to update it just once a week so as not to stress myself out! I'm also hoping to do a scrapbook page for each week so I'll have an album as well as a photoblog when it's done.

Year End Review

by Karen
January 3, 2009

If you don't subscribe to Photojojo, they've posted a series of great photos from 2008 that are really worth seeing.

Christmas Journal: Days 10-17

by Karen
January 3, 2009September 7, 2025

Actually I have Days 10-24 done, but not photos to share yet. There were three days when I didn't take photos (days 18-20) and I finally decided to let it go. I really didn't have anything I needed to share. I have at least three or four more days to add and then I will be done. Once again, I 'm glad I participated in the process.

Day10w

This tells the story of our stolen tree. I had to replace both trees so they would match, and Tracy put the other tree on our patio table. We could see it from both the kitchen and the dining room, and I really enjoyed having it there. The high winds last Sunday knocked it down, so it's gone to the attic until next year. The other trees on the porch and our window candles will be up at least through January.

I'm usually too lazy to get out the tripod, but I did this time and got a much better photo of the ornament we made for our first Christmas tree 35 years ago.

This is one of my favorite Christmas memories, and I hadn't told the story in either of my previous Christmas Journals.

Based on a prompt from Shimelle's class about homemade gifts.

I did this page the next day, but haven't posted it because the earlier pages weren't finished. Our Director of Children's Ministry gave a great Children's Sermon about the power of Christmas carols on the 14th. She kindly emailed me a copy of her sermon which I put in the envelope. There are two transparencies-one on both sides; my journaling on the first side, and the words to the carol on the back.

Another page based on one of Shimelle's prompts.

Molly Irwin used this quote on one of her December Daily pages. As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to use it as well. The enclosed card has a list of many of the things for which I am so grateful.

The holly is actually on a Hambly transparency that overlays the journaling.

And here is the Creative Calendar I made yestereday. I used a template from a digital kit for the grid, and then added the names of the months.

I always find this an interesting process. I know that my records aren't perfect, but it does give me an idea of what I do. Last year I completed 126 layouts, 331 cards, and 8 mini albums. I have to admit I was surprised by the number of cards I made–all of which were sent to someone!

Happy New Year

by Karen
January 1, 2009September 7, 2025

We had a lovely New Year's Eve at Julie Reynold's new home. Dinner and wine tasting at her very elegant table was so much fun.

Being out late meant we got a late start this morning, but I got a lot done. I made new blank calendar pages from a template and finished my Creative Calendar for 2009. (Photo tomorrow.) Then I edited all of the Christmas photos. I decided to use flash and just get the shots this year. I have to say, I really don't like the quality, but I've captured the events and that is what matters. They are uploading to Snapfish as I write this. (I hope.)t

I've decided on four daily goals this year: one photo, one card, one blog entry, and one journal entry. I'm already behind. I made three cards (all very similar) for three men who have birthdays in January, I took several photos (still deciding which one to use for Project 365), and here's the blog entry. The journal entry will have to wait until tomorrow–but I'll try to do two. I bought this book last year and saved it to start up a writing habit in the New Year. If the prompts don't speak to me, I have all the prompts in Jessica Sprague's Stories in Hand binder as well. I've also got two big projects I hope to undertake in 2009. I'm not having any trouble keeping busy in retirement.

I also joined Face Book. Actually I joined a few weeks ago, but now that Tracy is actively on Face Book, I've added quite a few friends, and decided to try to keep up with that as well.

These photos were taken yesterday. We had quite the snowstorm. Matt plowed for the landscaper he works with in the summer for 12 straight hours. Needless to say, he slept all day today.

Taken at 7:15 in the morning before I left for a dentist appointment. After a very slow and treacherous drive, I arrived to discover I didn't have an appointment after all!

Tracy bought a two-stage snow blower. This is the third big storm we've had this month, so it's proven to be a good investment.

I finally finished Hot, Flat, and Crowded just in time for tomorrow's book group. I found the second half much easier to read, and I am very glad I read the book. It's information I know I need, and I will be interested to see what Obama's administration does about some of these issues. Interestingly, one of the experts who is quoted extensively in one chapter is, in fact, the new Secretary of Energy. Encouraging.