Uncategorized Archives - Page 21 of 45

Three Layouts

by Karen
January 6, 2009September 7, 2025

I finally got back to the Design Your Life layouts. I had two weeks and a few miscellaneous layout to do. Today I completed both of the Week 11 layouts on Type.

And here is the layout for Week 1 for Project 365. I've found it pretty easy to get a photo a day this week so far. I hope it continues.

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.

Listening is an Act of Love

by Karen
December 30, 2008

I got six great books for Christmas—all nonfiction—and I can’t wait to start reading all of them. But I have to finish Flat, Hot, and Crowded for our book group meeting on Friday. I’m finding it slower going than Friedman’s previous three books, all of which I loved. I think it’s because it’s more science than politics or history, and I clearly don’t have the same interest in science as I do in the other two. I’ll be done by Friday though.
But I did start one new book, and I can heartily recommend it: Listening is an Act of Love: A Celebration of American Life from the Storycorps Project. The Storycorps began in 2003 in New York City and has now expanded through mobile units across the United States. Its goal is to collect everyday stories of the lives of ordinary Americans. The stories in this collection are anything but ordinary. They are inspiring, touching, tender, funny, and sometimes sad. I’ve been reading it while I work out. It’s a perfect book for commuters, exercisers, people waiting for appointments . . . because each story is just a few pages long. It reminds me a bit of This I Believe, another collection of pieces from an NPR program that I love. I’ve read all of Volume I and have Volume 2 on my nightstand. All three books are worth your time.

Merry Christmas

by Karen
December 25, 2008September 7, 2025

MerlotPoinsettiaw

I'm sure it's true for almost everyone who celebrates Christmas–no matter how early you start to prepare, the last few days end up being hectic and so very busy. Somehow there always seems to be one last gift to purchase, one last trip to the grocery store. Then there was a much needed haircut, a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve service, a trip to school for a holiday breakfast, an annual Christmas breakfast with a friend, but for once, no last minute wrapping marathon!

I saved four days to bake this year and ended up substitute teaching all four of them. I enjoyed doing it, but had to put in a long day of baking to finish all the cookies for the cookie trays we give out each year.

Sarah and Adam were supposed to arrive here on Monday night, but like so many travelers this season, they missed their connecting flight due to delays. They had to spend the night in the Newark airport and were unable to get on a stand-by flight Tuesday morning. (There were no cars available to rent.) So Tracy left early Tuesday morning to pick them up. They arrived in time for dinner Tuesday night tired but in good spirits. Thank goodness their connecting flight was New Jersey rather than Chicago or Detroit which would have been so much more difficult.

Yesterday we baked miniature mint chocolate cupcakes for today's dinner, delivered cookie trays to friends and neighbors, and attended our always beautiful 11:00 Christmas Eve Service. We've opened our gifts and stockings, and are taking some quiet time before Tracy's family arrives at 4:00 for dinner and more gift exchange. This year there will be 19 of us; everyone is here from out of town except Tracy's brother, Scott & family, who live in Arizona.

I have completed several pages (in a rather random order) for my Christmas Journal, but decided not to upload them until I have pages in chronological order. I have notes, photos, and ideas for most days and hope to be caught up in a few days time.

Hope you and yours are enjoying a blessed Christmas.

Yesterday’s Christmas Journal Page

by Karen
December 10, 2008September 7, 2025

I'm now officially one day behind, although I do have the journaling done for today. It looks like I may be doing some substitute teaching for the next few days, so I may be even farther behind soon. I reread the Christmas journal pages from two years ago, and looked through last year's album. Sometimes I'm finding I don't have a lot more to say about a given prompt, and without kids at home, there's not necessarily something interesting enough to document. So for yesterday I decided to do a little flow chart of the wrapping process, which was actually the prompt for today. All the paper, ribbon, tags, etc. are in our basement, and there's a folding table set up for wrapping. I've never documented the process. For the first time (ever) I'm nearly done wrapping all the gifts. I think there are only two more gifts yet to arrive, so I have less than 10 to wrap. Usually I'm still wrapping on Christmas Eve day. I'm sure it's another one of the benefits of being retired.

Design Your Life: Week 10

by Karen
December 10, 2008September 7, 2025

Another week for Elements, this time focusing on color.

The assignment was to convert the photos to black and white so you could use your favorite colors. I decided not to do that since the photos were pretty monochromatic, and using my favorite color (red) was not a problem.

I took these photos for my Christmas Journal, but decided to do a page for this album, too. It's almost a completely digital page, but I wanted a textured background paper and I added the snowflake to pick up the silver from the main photo. This green is not a color I would usually scrap!

I really "broke the rules" on this one. You were supposed to pick out four colors in your photo and use three of them to choose your papers. After I finished the layout, I found a more recent photo of the two of us with a lot more color in it. Oh, well. I like the layout, even though I didn't follow the rules.

The little scalloped edge was cut with my new paper cutter. I've been having a lot of trouble getting a straight cut from my Fiskers cutter. I think the fold-out arm is the problem, so I used a 50% coupon and bought the Purple Cow dual cutter at AC Moore yesterday. At first I wasn't too sure I would keep it, but I've used both the guillotine and the rotary cutters today, and they both seem to give straight cuts. Along with the variety of blades (and ease of changing them), I like the guidelines on the cutter and the way the paper guard literally locks the paper down to the cutter so it doesn't move.

Christmas Journal: Day 8

by Karen
December 8, 2008September 7, 2025

I think I have completed all the Christmas cards for this year. Instead of 50-40 of the same design, there are multiple designs this year. Now to get them all in the mail. Here's today's Christmas Journal entry. I took a lot of photos of the decorations around the house. I didn't think this page needed any journaling, but I added a title to a Hambly overlay. After I took the photo, I added an 8 to the overlay for the date.

Christmas Journal: Days 6 & 7

by Karen
December 7, 2008September 7, 2025

Here are the most recent entries for the Christmas Journal. I'm not doing so well on the DYL layouts this week. One is started, but I haven't even found the photos for the other two.

Found this photo of my father reading to my brother and me in 1954!

Both these entries are based on Shimelle's prompts.

Christmas Journal: Days 3, 4, & 5

by Karen
December 5, 2008September 7, 2025

I was hardly home at all the last two days, so tonight I needed to finish up Days 3 & 4, and do Day 5. I did a little more Christmas shopping today at Eastview Mall and took some photos as I wandered (mostly at Pottery Barn which has such luscious displays).

These pages were inspired by Shimelle's prompt about Christmas cards. I've written about them in earlier journals, but never considered how my designs had changed over time.

Another Shimelle-inspired page.

Tradition

by Karen
December 3, 2008September 7, 2025

I haven't played along with HS, MS, HS in quite some time. All the online classes and projects have taken up my creative time. But I check in every day, and this so fits into the Christmas Journal mode. Today's prompt is tradition: The passing of customs or beliefs from one generation to another.We have a lot of them, and most are sequential. Here's the first, which always happens the weekend after Thanksgiving. We've been doing it for years.

There have been a few years when it was pouring rain that we decided to buy a tree already cut, but they have been few and far between. Tramping around the tree farm searching for the "perfect" tree (even in the cold and snow) is a family pleasure. Even as adults, if the kids are home, they come to help and add their words of advice. This year there was no snow, and we tried a new tree farm. I think we found the perfect tree this year, but we have some pretty amusing stories of trees that didn't turn out quite so perfectly when we got them home and set up. You can see the undecorated tree in our living room in the post below.