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

UPDATED CLUB INFORMATION

LOOK WHAT I HAVE!! 

And I have updated the CLUB page to let you all know what is going on!  I hope if you are not a member of our CLUB, you will consider joining us.  I have dates, page pictures, and hostess information available for you all.  

See you all soon!!

Connie

December Daily notes Deux

It is so nice to be able to put things in order here and get my thoughts down in a clean concise format.  I tend to get so sidetracked when I try to journal and scrapbook and hunt for things... etc. etc. etc.

I hope you all don't mind seeing the memories I am going to record in my December Daily.  

Any way, here is installment 2 in this series.  Days 6-10

December 6 

This is the first day I can start taking things up to my new apartment.  It goes much faster than I thought it would.  In the time I thought I could take 3 loads up, I take 6 or 7.  I feel like I am making a HUGE amount of progress.  I have SO MUCH SCRAPBOOKING STUFF!!  Where did I keep it all?

December 7

My boys came and helped me move the rest of my stuff up to the new apartment.  I am so grateful.  We got it almost all moved by noon, I fed the boys, and Tori had to go home.  Thankfully James stayed and helped me get it all finished.  I don't know how I could have done it without James, Tori, my mother, and her housekeeper Linda.  But It is done now, and I slept in my new apartment for the first time tonight... among the boxes!! 

December 8 

I have been looking forward to this day since Marcia showed me the picture of Santa.  This year ... I am taking the babies to see Santa.  I felt like I didn't get to participate in that tradition at all last year as it was done at Harley.  And that's fine, but this year is mine, and I am very selfishly owning that!!

My wonderful Rowan was not impressed with Santa at all!  He was not afraid, just did not want anything to do with him, and made that clear to anyone within seeing distance.  Look at the scowl on that face.  And my sweet Zoey ... she couldn't wait to tell Santa she wanted a 'Dream Barbie and a pony'  I loved that we could take our own pictures (I wish I had known ahead of time, I would have brought my good camera) and we could take as many as we wanted.  

I thought it was only fitting that I got a picture with Santa too!  I told him I just wanted a happy healthy family! 

My CTMH Christmas party was today!  We had so much fun!  

(insert photos here!!)  

I don't have the pictures off my camera yet.  but they will go in the album as I can fit them. 

Zoey and Rowan spent the night at grandma's new house today too!  It was a lesson in "No Rowan" all night long, but we survived.  The kids loved the snow globes that my friend Roxie sent home for them.  

December 9

Rowan is NOT a morning person.  He makes grandma without coffee look like a saint!!  we suffered about 45 minutes of temper tantrums and dirty looks before he decided to join the human race.  

Once he was over the morning part of his day, he and Zoey enjoyed looking at the Mickey Mouse album I made for our Disney trip in 2008. This makes me so happy that I scrapbook.  Someday they will be looking at memories of their lives.  

December 10

Grannies dice at Tracey's house.  This is one of my favorite traditions of the Holiday season.  I love getting together with these fun girls and losing my butt!!  (Isn't Diana's shirt cute?)

December 11

The saddest part of my Holiday season.  My nephew Tyler is still in the hospital in Sioux Falls.  We are not getting many updates.  When we do, they are not very informative and there seems to be not much change.  We are all praying hard for his recovery.  

So, that is the current update on my December Daily.  These are only the pictures from my phone and ones that I have heisted from the internet.  I am sure that I will be adding more to the album when I download the photos from my phone.  I love this project.  I will update you one the next 5-10 days soon.  And eventually you will get to see them in an album (when I can find it!! )

Have an amazing week!  

See you soon

Connie

My December Daily Plan

Good morning!!

You all know that I am a total LOVER of Ali Edwards December Daily Albums.  This will be my 4th or maybe 5th year of doing this album.  (I would check, but since moving my DD albums are currently in my storage space)  I don't usually finish the album in December.  This month I may not even start it in December, but I take pictures and I take notes so I can do it quickly and have all the information I need when I sit down to work on it.

So, knowing that, I thought I would share my plan for this year on how I am handling the busy days and the boring days.  Lets start by knowing that until about the 15th, I didn't really have a conceptual plan.  I was just taking pictures and taking notes.  Last week, as I had a VERY busy Christmasy day, I got a strike of genius and I now have, what I feel, is a really good plan for me.

So, somewhere in my new house I printed a Dec. calendar and scribbled notes for the beginning of the month (before I moved) I will find it soon I'm sure, in the mean time, I am going to share what I can remember from the beginning of the month.  Remember!!  Christmas related stories (or December specific)

December
1- Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  A beautiful snowy day and I heard this song 3 times in the short time I was out of the house today.  I went to a Christmas Bazaar and ran to the store to get ice.  The rest of the day was spent watching Christmas movies and packing what I could for the move.

This was also my first Santa sighting!!

2- On my way home this afternoon, the deer that hang out near my house were here.  I have always meant to take some pictures of them, and today I finally stopped and took a couple shots.  They are so lovely and calming.  I love seeing them as I am driving home.  I have no idea why such a blue tint, but it kinda works for me.

3-


4-


5-Dinner date with my friend , we try to do things together frequently, but more effort is made in December since we are single and tend to be "Scroogey"


So, as you can see, I don't have December specific pictures or journalling for the 3rd and 4th.  I am OK with that. This is part of why my DD doesn't get done in December.  I will fill these days with other December memories from this year.  Maybe the story behind a specific gift I will give or receive.   Maybe the story of a tradition that we have or I would like to create.  This "hole" will be filled with 'overflow' of Christmas spirit as the month progresses.

I am hoping to keep you posted on my Christmas memories and DD progress.

How are your December memories adding up?

Stay posted ...
Connie

Good morning my friends.  I really wanted to write about this while it was fresh, but don't think it needs to be way out there, so you all get to listen to me ramble. 

Every time Ali Edwards (one of my favorite scrapbook gurus) has a DAY IN THE LIFE challenge, I really do try to do it.  And to get all the stories like she does. But, alas, it was a pretty much fail again this time. Although, I am proud of myself for remembering it fairly early in the day and getting a few shots right away of the big event.  

November 27th was the day. 

Mine did not start the way it usually does.  But this project isn't about normal, it's about THIS day.

I got a call from my mom at 6:00 AM.  My dad had fallen and could I come give them a hand.  Before coffee, almost before clothes, I was headed to mom and dad's house.  Shortly after I got there, the EMTs arrived and had put together a plan to get dad in the ambulance without too much pain.  

Gratitude (the lense we are seeing through for this DITL) :  I am so grateful for the emergency team we had.  The kindness and concern they had for my dad's comfort.  The respect they had for my mom and her home. 

I have no idea what time this was.  But, I remembered that it was DITL and I needed to document.  We got dad to the ER, I made sure everyone was settled in, and I left when they were taking dad to Xray.  I knew I wouldn't be much help there and I needed to get my apartment picked up so it could be shown today.   Anyway, my day doesn't start without coffee.  It was about 9AM, and this is my first cup.  I frequently microwave my coffee every other day.  I'm good with that. 

OK - maybe it was closer to 10AM.  How did we ever live without microwaves?  I am grateful for technology, I am grateful for coffee.  I am grateful that I take a moment to slow down and have a 'cuppa' to start my day and plan the day. 

Apartment cleaned, and I'm ready for work.  I'm grateful that I have learned to accept "good enough" and let go of some of the stress I used to create in my life. 

 Back to the hospital to check on mom and dad.  Dad definitely broke his hip.  Now we wait for them to get him into surgery.  Again, I remembered that it was DITL and had my sister take a picture of my reality. 

I am grateful for pain medication.  It is so hard to watch dad try to be comfortable while he waits for a surgeon.  I am grateful that the nursing staff is so accommodating in listening to dad when he feels like he needs more medication.

                                      

Another family waiting room.  I am grateful that there is somewhere to wait when dad needs some privacy or when he is having a procedure. We girls can have a discussion about life without filtering too much.  I am so grateful to have my mom and sister in my life to listen to me bitch and also share my joys!  

Dad ended up having dialysis - a 4 hour procedure before he goes into surgery. I took mom home to rest and pick up a few things and I went home for a couple hours.  

I am grateful that mom is getting a chance to rest.  I know she is exhausted.  

As long as I'm on a roll tonight, I am going to continue to clean up my apartment. The move is going to be stressful enough without having to go through stuff I don't need.  

I am grateful for all I have, but I am also grateful for my 'anti-hoarder' moods.  I threw away a bunch of things that I don't need and that are no longer relevant.  I didn't even look at a lot of them.  I am sure I won't miss them. 

All the Thanksgiving dishes are done.  I finally emptied the last of the leftover dishes and got them washed up.  I am getting them back to their own homes today!! 

I am grateful that my family has enough food.  That we have leftovers and the the means to save them.  There are so many families that don't, we are so blessed. 

AS I was cleaning, I tore the stove apart and cleaned it.  One less thing I will have to worry about when I move.  I am grateful that I have the time to take care of this today before I go meet mom at the hospital. 

I took the time to contact the last of my CTMH customers and get the orders together for this month.   I am way behind on this front, but it is the time of year that I function in behind mode.  I'd love to not do this, but atlas I don't let it stress me out like it used to. 

I am grateful for CTMH.  I love this company, their support of their consultants, and the friendships it has allowed me to make over the years. 

About 10:30 and I am driving home from the hospital.  Dad didn't have surgery, but he has had dinner (of a sort) and is comfortable for the night.  They are planning on surgery in the morning.  I am going home knowing that he is comfortable, that mom is headed home to get a good nights sleep without worrying (too much) and that things will progress as they should in the morning.  

I am grateful that the weather is good.  I am not having to struggle through snow and ice as I travel these late night roads. I am also grateful for the Christmas lights.  It is such a cheerful thing to see after such a consuming day. 

And, after getting home, I watched a little TV, drank a couple glasses of water, and headed to bed.  Not the DITL, hour by hour, that I was hoping to do. 

 But, today, I am grateful to Ali Edwards for encouraging me to make an effort to record this day.  Some of these shots and memories wouldn't have been saved without this project. 

I hope you consider looking through the lens of gratitude at your day.  Take a moment to open your eyes to the little things in your life.  And, if you can, record them. 

happy scrapping      Connie