Wednesday Week in the Life

So this is Wednesday.  I love Wednesday mornings!  They are my one morning off lately.  I can take my time waking up.  Have several cups of coffee, and spend more time on the computer researching the things that aren't "important right now"  This is the morning I tend to watch scrapbooking and photography 'guru' videos and absorb some of their creativity.  

This particular Wednesday involved a trip to the bank before work.  I continue to struggle with keeping my finances at an even keel so I can live the way I choose to live.  I am diligent for a long time and then have a 'lapse' and let things slide for awhile. Hence, the CYOA trip to the bank before work.  Just keepin' it real here! 

I tend to become more aware of my surroundings this week as I look for the things I want to document.  I realized today that I always notice the flag outside my work when I am coming and going.  It makes me sad how torn and tattered it gets.  And, I find myself trying to remember my flag etiquette from Boy Scouts.  Today, this tattered old boy was out in the rain and fog.  

I came home to a CTMH package!! I do this 1-3 times a month and it always makes my day brighter. Today it was a package replacing some damaged papers I received in one of my orders.  I love being a part of a company that ALWAYS takes care of it's customers.  

I love finding FREE workshops on line.  This is one put on for momtographers by an amazing photographer and life coach.  A lot of it doesn't pertain to me, but she offered several things that I can apply to my life to get me out shooting again.  I don't take enough time for the things I love.  I let my 'obligations' rule my life too much.  Time to re-think some things. 

The flowers I got from the kids for my birthday are still going strong.  It probably helps that I am remembering to add water to them every day.  I do manage to do some things in the morning before my coffee.  LOL

I couldn't do a week in my life without giving a shout out to this guy!!  My back scratcher.  This time of year ... don't ask me why... my back itches ALL  THE   TIME!!  I'm surprised I haven't worn this poor thing out, or drawn blood on my back!  I am so glad that sis reminded me these existed!  Definitely makes my life more comfortable.

So, that is part of my WITL for Wednesday.  It will be fun to get these all on pages and in a book.

Tuesday's Week in the Life

As I continue into this project, I am determined to do better than I did last year.  I am determined to get the photos of my reality NOW.  Of the daily things that make up my life as it is this year, this month, this moment. 

Unfortunately, that includes this rain/snow/hail stuff we had going on this morning.  YUCK!

The drive to my parents house is short, about 5 minutes.  As I passed through this intersection, I was hit with the thought that I have been going through this 'crazy corner' my whole life.  Now I go in a different direction, from a different street, but here I am again.  At this light, on this intersection. 

This is the rear view mirror of my parents car.  I have to adjust it up (a lot!), every time I move the car.  It is a bit scary to me how small my parents have gotten with age.  They really move this mirror down, while I keep it up.  Another sign of the process of time affecting us all.  Sometimes I find things comforting, and sometimes things are a bit frightening. 

This, I am rather proud of.  I have developed a new skill and I am good, if I do say so myself!  I can back up the car like a pro!  I am faster and faster and I am judging the back up distance better and better.  I might not get much use from this skill, but it is one I have (for now!)

I keep working on getting that great hand shot.  I have seen many that I admire and hope to duplicate, but this really isn't the one.  Still, today, these are my dads hands. Drinking coffee, which I always associate with him.  When I look at this picture I notice his wedding ring first. His knuckles are swollen, and has hands are almost always in motion.  A thing I am sure he isn't even aware of, but a thing I notice, as it is reflective of his state of mind some days. 

The running challenge these days is to get the SMALL wheelchair when we get to dialysis.  Dad swims in some of them, and he can hardly reach the foot pedals.  I always look for a small one. He feels more comfortable for his long afternoon. 

When I knew I was going to do the WITL challenge, this is the shot that immediately came to me.  It is not fancy. It is not taken with my DSLR camera.  But, I am guessing, this will be my favorite picture of the whole week. This is what I see, 3 days a week, as I wheel my dad into the medical center.  I am so blessed to be able to be here, to help them, to spend time with them, and to tell him, 3 times a week, how much I love him.  I am SO grateful for this time. 

And there is a bit of my second day of WITL.  

I didn't want to bore you with it all, but a glimpse maybe.  

See you tomorrow, 

Connie 

WEEK IN THE LIFE

So, I have basically survived the winter here (I wasn't sure it was ever going to end).  I am now on to Spring and all its adventures and possibilities.

 Do you get this way?  Now I am ready to start .....  I think to myself "oh, I was gonna focus on that this year!"  or  " Wow, I really wanted to practice that more this year."  Or  " I really want to do more of that this summer."  Like I am going to have more time in my days.  But, I do kind of get a renewed sense of wonder and self awareness at this time of year.

I think part of it is me getting through the 'crazy' part of my year.  With my Close to my Heart business I host a retreat in October and February, I have a NATIONAL SCRAPBOOKING DAY crop (which kind of wipes me out), I have a new catalog reveal party, I celebrate a birthday and prepare for Mothers Day, I get a big Spring Cleaning rush (who knows where that comes from!?) and I survive the worst part of the year with my primary job.  So suddenly, I feel like I can 'begin'.

The other thing that happens at this time of year that makes me more aware of my goals and sense of self is that I participate in the WEEK IN THE LIFE project developed by Ali Edwards.  I LOVE this project.  It forces - OK, encourages - me to get out my big DSLR camera for a whole week.

All of the sudden, I remember that I LOVE to take photographs.  I love thinking things through, thinking ahead, planning my photographs and being more creative.  This alone gets my juices flowing so I am pulling out books on photography, I re-learn settings on my camera, I get excited about the opportunities I have here in the hills to take AMAZING photos.  I just need to plan the time into my life to do it more.

Sometimes it is something as simple as changing my perspective!  

I also love the way Ali Edwards shares her WITL on her blog.  I would like to be as consistent and sharing as she is.  That too, is one of the goals I will be working on.  Share more.  

Take more pictures, share more pictures, tell more stories.  

For today, I think I would like to share one story from Monday's WITL that will be in my album.  

I am starting with the photos this year, and I have taken a TON of them!!  

135 on my cell phone and about 100 on my DSLR. Today is Saturday for reference, and I started on Monday. (the best pictures are the ones you actually take, and the best camera is the one you have with you!  current philosophies!) 

My Monday story ...

This is the state of my living room currently.  I had those shelves set up and sorted very prettily once. Then, I went looking for an album, and realized I had the boys' albums scattered all over the house.  I didn't know where any one's was.  There were loose pages everywhere too.  So, being me, I made piles.  Looking at this every day kinda stresses me out, but I haven't taken the time to put books together and finish albums.  I am mentally making a plan, where and when to start.  How to finish them and get them to the appropriate boy.  It all just takes time.  In the interim, I look at them every day.  They need to be dealt with. 

So, there you go. One of the pictures, and one of the stories for Monday.  

Let's see if I can share one tomorrow too.  

See you soon, connie

December Daily is finished!! (life update)

Well, look at me on the internet again!!  LOL

I shared my notes for my December Daily album, but didn't really share any of the work in progress pages like I had planned.  

Tonight after I got home from my monthly scrapbooking gathering, I decided it was time!

Time to get the last few pages done and get DD 2018 in the book.  

So here is a glimpse at the final project.  I used a mini album pattern from CLOSE TO MY HEART, but didn't use their paper.  I have so much Christmas paper in the wings (I might have a problem) I promised myself a 'NO SPEND" album.  This is the result.  

(and I'm proud to say, I stuck to NO SPEND and it was a stash buster album!!)

You will see the metal tags that I fell in LOVE with years ago, but NEVER used.  I have no idea what I had originally planned on using them for, but they are my consistent date journaling through out this album. 

I was flipping through taking photos for this post, and realized I haven't don't the journaling for the 2CUT CHRISTMAS PARTY.  That will be done by the end of the week!  I loved FINISHED!

Some of the pictures in my album are from Pinterest, some from the internet, and most are photos I took.  But my goal was to tell the stories. What was going on what I felt.  the whole story.  I still didn't do it as well as ALI EDWARDS does it, but practice practice practice!!

I made sure and included the hard stories.  

The memories of where my nephew Tyler is at in his healing is so important!

I got lots of journaling in.  

Sometimes there really wasn't a story.  

Notice that the photo on the right was cut in half and split into 2 pockets.

Used up some wooden words that have been in may stash for awhile.  

I love them, but they need to be used!

My favorite page might be the last one!  

(Sis might not think so.)

Again, I will try to be here more frequently.  

Between my job, my fun, and my family life is crazy!  

I appreciate you taking time to check in with me.  

Is your December scrapped?

Connie

Crafting Organization Challenge

In January, after the dust settled from Christmas, I joined a FB group that was a challenge to get your crafting space organized.  I had gone through part of this process before, while I was off work in the summer of 2018.  But of course, now I have moved,  and it's all a disaster again.

OK, not as big a disaster, but it is still a disaster.  And, as usual, I have too many little projects going that I would like to get finished.  So, I started the challenge, because I have learned I don't create well in chaos.

The exciting news was,  with my new space I had a whole room just for creating! 

 HA!  

I forgot,  I told my granddaughter that I moved so she could have a bed at grandma's house.  That became my first priority after Christmas, mostly due to strongly encouraging words from Miss Z! 

"Grandma, where is my bed?  Grandma, my bed could go here!"

  (In a little tiny spot in the middle of the room! ha ha ha) 

I also knew that I needed to put this room together the way I work, the way I think, and in a way that will allow me to finish my projects efficiently.  (FINISH being the operative word here!)  

So, with those goals in mind, and paying attention to my ONE LITTLE WORD for 2019, I started working on my craft room.  MINDFULLY putting things away in a place that would make them most accessible for my crafting style.  

I got to about this point in my process when I was stalled by not having a desk!  Not a crafting desk, but a working desk.  You know, for files, receipts, bills, and all the other every day crap that a business owner needs to keep track of.  

I gave my old one to my son, it was WAY too bug. I had another one to refinish and use, but was storing at son's house.  I couldn't wait to get it back and get started!  It has 9 drawers and is wonderfully compact!  

This weekend was the time!  I got the desk from son#2, and started the creative process of refinishing it.  First it had to be lightly sanded and more of the laminate removed. 

Unfortunately, it is ridiculously cold outside, so the refinishing is happening IN my apartment.  Wow!  It is a cramped space and it makes getting anything else done, or finding anything IMPOSSIBLE!

The room is a disaster!

But, I am getting started anyway!  

Step 2 was  painting the desk and drawers with a beautiful blue/teal color that seems to be my go to color for things.  

Then moved on to a  coat of a very light grey.  Miss Z's bed is grey, so I wanted it all to work together. 

Drawers were in the kitchen to dry, cooking was interesting!  

The next step was distressing.  

I love vintage, industrial, farmhouse type looks.  I am working hard to make my home someplace I totally LOVE.  So, I am working in this direction. 

I LOVE how the drawers turned out!  I couldn't wait to get the handles on them and get the desk put together.  

Well, the desk it up!  I am going to love it!  I picked up a couple of drawer pulls, but I need SO MANY!  HL only had one in store so I will be ordering the rest online.  

It was a full weekend, and my apartment SMELLS!  Paste wax is VERY pungent!  But, I finally have it about finished and set up in my room.  

Now I can finish sorting and putting things away in my room and maybe Miss Z can spend the night soon.  

I will post pictures when it is all put together and productive!  

See you all soon!  

Connie