Fragments

New house numbers

2011-12-07T17:15:00.000-08:00

When I was in Spain about 15 years ago, I bought some beautiful house numbers that I was going to frame and hang on the house. Somehow, between starting a BSN course, getting married, and moving to Myrtle Creek I didn't do anything with them. I had a renter in my house for 4 years who decided to use the numbers and glued them to a rough brown board. They stayed that way until they were removed when I had the house painted this past year. I didn't want to rehang them on that ugly board. My neighbor does some woodworking. I asked him if he could outline the numbers with moulding and cut the ugly brown board even with the edges so I could paint it white. He agreed if I bought the moulding I wanted. A couple weeks ago he returned the finished product to me. A couple screw-in hangers, some chain and a cuphook and now it's hung by the front door. I'm so pleased with how it turned out.

Quilt Guild Potluck

2011-12-07T17:10:00.000-08:00

You will see three posts for today which are actually the ones for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday that didn't get done until today. So....Tuesday was the Christmas potluck for the quilt guild I belong to. Quilters are good cooks, so the food was delicious. Good friends, good food and good conversation.....can't beat that. It was the perfect occasion to wear my Christmas sweater that I've had for many years. I made some lemon poppyseed muffins using my friendship bread starter. They turned out really well. I did get to bring a couple home to eat myself.

Decorating

2011-12-07T17:05:00.000-08:00

I'm so not in the mood to decorate, but I found two of these swags that I used to put in the flower boxes in front. They were the perfect lengths to attach to my new railing around the front porch. So, I've started doing some Christmas decorating. I've also unearthed two artificial wreaths I made several years ago. I'm going to clean them up and add some new pics to them. So, you'll be seeing them here in a day or two.
It's been cold and overcast here today. Makes me wish I had a fireplace. I'd snuggle up in a quilt and read.

December 4

2011-12-04T19:47:00.000-08:00

No photo today. I went to church and then did the grocery shopping. It was my intention to go to the Messiah which is sung by a community choral group each year. But I started reading a good book after lunch and lost track of time. When I realized what time it was, it was too late to get out there in time. So, I've addressed quite a few of my cards and that's the extent of my Christmas preparations for today. Guess I must have needed the break.

Christmas Cards

2011-12-03T15:47:00.001-08:00

Most years I have made my own cards, but this year losing a sister-in-law in September and my father-in-law in October and having a cataract removed in mid-Nvember just didn't leave much time for me to collect my thoughts to make a card.

So, today I went in search of a nice, inexpensive card. Luckily my local Hallmark store was having a $5.oo off sale and these pretty cards were just the right price. I came home, wrote my annual letter to friends I only hear from at this time of year, and printed off a photo of Eli and me to enclosed with the letter.

All I need to do is address, stamp and send them. Perhaps they will even arrive by the 24th.

December 2nd

2011-12-02T16:17:00.000-08:00

Today I went to the annual Christmas Fair that is held at our county fairgrounds. There were so many vendors that they filled four buildings. I was looking for unique tree ornaments for both my granddaughters. I think I found good ones for each of them. Not much else caught my fancy. There were lots of jewelry, potholders, baby blankets, wood carvings and everything Christmas. I took several photos with my phone but none of them turned out well enough to post. However, there was one other item that I just couldn't resist. This angel is so unlike any of the other angels that I have collected over the years that I just couldn't let her stay there. So, she came home with me. The lady who made her told me that the jewelry had been some of her mother's. That made her even more special to me.

December Daily

2011-12-01T15:01:00.001-08:00

After wavering for several weeks about whether I would document this Christmas season or not, I finally decided today that it will be do-able on my blog. I'm not really in the frame of mind to go all out this year. I'll be spending Christmas in Portland, but have decided to do a bit of decorating here as well.
So today's effort is to put out my Christmas flag. I don't know how long I've had this particular flag, but it's been awhile. We're having beautiful clear and cool days, so he looks pretty good hanging out there.
In other news I'm starting a class at BPC to try to make better use of my time. I really enjoy Karen and read her blog at least a couple times a week. I'm hoping to figure out where I waste the most time (think computer) and use that time to do things I want to accomplish (quilting and art).
Here's to December.

Using stencils

2011-09-19T16:05:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a weeklong classes from Julie Fei-Fan Balzer on using her great stencils that she has designed. Today I learned about using products with too much liquid and those that provide crisp edges. I was so enthusiastic that I just had to try it out. I used a 12 X 12 Dalia stencil in my weekly art journal. I used Pumice Stone Distress ink for the stencil and then used Jenni Bowlin's Chicken Feed ink with a blending tool over the rest of the page. I then dropped some ink blots of Maya Mists Earl gray and Sunflower Yellow over the page. I LOVE how it turned out.

Teacher of Piano

2011-09-15T13:38:00.001-07:00

Some time in the past couple of months, while trying to 'declutter' my scrap space, I found a business card that was my mother's. When I looked at it, I knew I wanted to tell her story of being a teacher of piano. Recently, I found these two photos when going through another stack of 'stuff' in my scrap space. So, this layout was born. The most recent number stencil that was an add-on for my monthly Cocoa Daisy kit provided the perfect background. As any musician knows, numbers are an important part of being able to play music.

The journaling recounts her college education in the heart of the depression and how her dream of being a concert pianist, or a school music teacher had to be put on hold. She taught piano many years to help support herself until she married. Several years later, she again took piano students into our home to add to our income, never forgetting her dream. She again returned to college to get her teaching certificate, but my father's move for a new job ended that just when she was to start her student teaching. She didn't have the energy to start all over in a new state, so continued to teach piano students until her 70's. Her dream was totally broken.

Looking back, I'm so sad for her that circumstances stopped her from realizing her goal. And I'm sad my father was so selfish that his job could not have been put on hold for my mother's dream.

Farewell to Dena and Zoe

2011-08-03T18:14:00.000-07:00

My sweet neighbors Dena and her daughter Zoe will be moving to Texas in just a couple short weeks. I met Dena through the local scrapbook store and we found we lived only a few blocks apart. Zoe was only about 3 or 4 years old at the time. They visited me frequently and we scrapped together with another friend, Tina.

Dena is very talented and has been on several high profile design teams in the scrapbooking industry. I remember when she was struggling to be published. She's come a long way since then.

Zoe is precocious. Having a conversation with her at 10 years old is like talking to an adult. She loves to cook and bake. How many 10 year olds know what cream of tartar is? Zoe does. When I first met her she was terrified of my dog, Freckles. Now she loves all dogs. It's been quite an adventure watching her grow up.

We had a farewell luncheon and visit at our mutual friend's house yesterday. Delicious salad, bread, iced tea and cupcakes were on the menu. We had such a good visit.

I will miss my young friends and wish them well in the new adventure they have ahead of them.

Grammy

2011-07-29T17:19:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite roles in life is Grammy to little Eli who is two. Recently she and her mama came to visit me and we got this photo of the two of us. Usually I'm behind the camera when I see her and realized that I hadn't gotten a photo of us together in a LONG time. Note to self: hand the camera off more often.

Eli is a beautiful and very smart two year old. She has been bi-lingual since she started talking. So, there are times I don't understand what she is saying. She and her mother converse in Spanish most of the time. I think with time, she will realize that she needs to speak English when she is with me. But she gets her wants and needs across very well in either language.

She's on vacation with her parents for a couple more weeks, so I'm counting the days until they come back and I can see my sweet grand-daughter again. Love you little Eli.

Mixed media canvas

2011-05-19T16:18:00.000-07:00

I've never done a canvas before, so this was a new experience. This past weekend Cocoa Daisy had their Spring Crop with challenges, classes, and just plain fun. One of the classes was on how to create a canvas project. Lisa one of the Cocoa Daisy Design Team members showed us step by step how to make a canvas using a handcut heart for a mask. While it was very pretty, I decided to use the techniques to create one with my OLS for 2011. It was really easy to do and fun to play with all the techniques. I like how it turned out and will definitely do this again. Thank you Lisa and Cocoa Daisy.

Farewell, my little friend

2011-05-16T10:43:00.000-07:00

I couldn't even think of doing this post until today. It's been a week since I received the phone call from Sara letting me know that you had gotten out of the house and into the path of a utility truck. Your death was instanteous, so you did not suffer. You craved freedom, digging under the fence or waiting for that moment of inattention when the front door was open. It was really just a matter of time until this happened. But I'm so sad that it has.

Sara rescued you about 6 years ago when you were about 6 years old. You had been neglected and closed in a bathroom for hours at a time when your owners were gone. You had serious anxiety issues. Sara worked with you and loved on you until your anxiety lessened and you became a friendly, loving, bouncy furry friend.

When Eli was born two years ago, you became her guardian and patient pal. You never growled or became unpleasant when she pulled your hair or crawled in your bed with you, or gave you hugs. You learned early that you could discourage her by licking her hands and face. She loved to feed you and learned to give you gentle pats and hugs.

You usually spent a couple months with me each year when your family took vacations or were gone on business trips. You made yourself right at home with Freckles and me. Freckles seemed to enjoy your company and would run to find you when it was time to come in from the yard. You dug holes under my fences, too and got away a couple times. You would come prancing home after you had a chance to investigate the neighborhood (you could have been run over here just as easily as home). I loved your affectionate and bouncy personality. And will always remember how you walked with your tail in the air like a pom-pom or a flag. You loved to go on walks and were a perfect walking companion - just my speed with no pulling. And you never barked, but just made a growling sound deep in your throat.

So, farewell, my little friend. You are missed.

Quilt Guild

2011-05-03T16:42:00.001-07:00

Today was the last regular meeting for this year of the guild that I have belonged to for 3 years. Since I'm somewhat quiet, it has taken me this long to really get to know some of the ladies. I love this group....they are so helpful and encouraging. The next meeting witl be a potluck in June to vote on the next year's officers. I won't be able to go as I'll be recuperating from my surgery, but my name is on the ballot for secretary. There are two of us, so it's not a sure thing. I would look forward to being an officer and getting more involved and becoming even more acquainted with members. We'll see.

And since no post is complete without a photo, here's my layout for LOAD for today. The prompt is to use emphasis. And the whole subject of LOAD is 'back to the basics'. So my layout seems rather plain, but it is basic and speaks to Eli's growing sense of independence.

Two things

2011-04-27T12:33:00.000-07:00

First I want to give a shout out for Big Picture Classes and Stacy Julian. She's offering an new and revised version of her Library of Memories. And she's offering it FREE to alums of the previous LOM classes. That class revolutionized how I scrapbook, how I keep track of photos and how I organize my albums. So I'm a big fan and will be taking the new class which starts in June - just in time after my hip surgery.

Second, want to post this layout I did for a challenge at Cocoa Daisy, which is my favorite kit club. I've tried several over the years and it's the best around for me. The challenge was to do a layout of a visit to a theme park or a fair and use flags on the layout. Humm....I haven't been to either in many years, but I remembered these darling photos of Eliana from her first time skiing at Whistler. Found a sketch in my folder....sorry, but I didn't save the source. When I was sorting through patterned paper a month or so ago, I found this lovely snowflake pp and set it out for a snow layout. Perfect for these photos. The strip on the left is from my bits and pieces drawer and was the perfect blend of colors - I even punched the circle embellishment from that pp. Made the flags from some hatpins from a past CD kit and some leftover cardstock. None of the journaling cards I had would work, so I made my own by tracing around one from Making Memories. Really happy with how this turned out.

Want to encourage all you scrappers out there to make use of your scraps and older pp. It's a real money saver.

By the way, Eliana is only 22 months in the photos and LOVES the snow.

Design team

2011-04-25T11:36:00.000-07:00

Poor neglected blog...sigh. Seems I have been too busy with other things, but a recent design team call for Cocoa Daisy - my favorite kit club - brought me back. I don't think I've ever applied for a design team and probably stand little chance of making it, but if I were ever on one, I would want it to be Cocoa Daisy. I love their kits and have since about 2007.

So, yesterday I got busy and made a layout of a recent telephone conversation with Eliana who is going to be 2 years old next month. She's fascinated with the phone and loves to talk. Her language skills are improving every day with new English and Spanish words. Yes, she's bilingual thanks to her mother who is a bilingual teacher in an elementary school. Eli's babysitter is also a Spanish speaker. I'm not, but I've learned quite a few words over the past year. But I digress.

I really wanted to document Eli's current pronounciations, especially of my name which has gone from Nana, to ammy, to gwammy now. She's the light of my life.

So here's the layout.

Smile

2011-03-21T16:02:00.001-07:00

this layout was a response to a post on Write. Click. Scrapbook to go through an older stack of patterned paper and sort out what you wouldn't use. In the process I found this older pp by BoBunny that was perfect for the photo of Eli I took a couple weeks ago when Greg and I took her to the park up by them. The sketch is from another site, The Studio Challenges. The two tags I used to frame the photo are from K & Co and the sticker letters are from ADORN it. I have no idea where the other embellishments came from. So glad I found this pp and was able to scrap this sweet photo.

LOAD 211 Day 3

2011-02-03T16:48:00.001-08:00

I'm loving this month's LOAD. There are wonderful layouts in the gallery to provide inspiration and the prompts are also interesting. Today's layout is a totally different type of design - not one I do very often. It has lots of embellishments - I had a kit from Basic Grey (Olivia) that had lots of fun chipboard and papers that I loved. So, here it is.

I love these photos of Greg, Sara and Eli that were taken when they traveled to Denver for a family gathering.

LOAD211

2011-02-01T15:59:00.001-08:00

Started today. I love LOAD - love the prompts, the 'lessons', the work of the other participants, and the lovely comments that I sometimes get. I had a meeting this morning so didn't get started on this until after lunch. Very simple - two colors of cardstock, some buttons, and some letter stickers. I love this photo of one of the pelicans that wandered throughout Mykonos town. They were huge - at least 3 feet tall from feet to top of the head. This will be part of my Greece travel album.

New Paint Job

2011-01-29T19:51:00.000-08:00

I've been planning on having my house painted this next summer. However, last Monday my interior designer friend called to let me know that one of the best painters in town was free to take on a new job on Wednesday. The weather was to be mostly clear with no rain until Sunday. So, I called and made arrangements to have the house painted much sooner than I had planned. Here is a shot of the back part of the house with the new paint colors. It's so much more cheery than the grey-blue with white trim that I had last weekend. I'm beyond thrilled with the result.

Christmas 2010

2011-01-16T17:23:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to get some of the Christmas photos scrapped. This is Eli with her dollie that mama and dad-o gave her. She loves dollies, but seems to have a fetish about taking all the clothes off. This time she put them in the washer - and even knew the right buttons to push (not strong enough to close the door tightly enough yet). She then took her dollie in and wrapped her in a blanket. Such a good little mama.
There are lots of other photos to put on paper, but haven't gotten that far yet. Christmas was so much fun with this little one who didn't understand about the wrapped boxes until she had unwrapped, with some help, a couple. She kept getting distracted and played with each thing before looking for another. So, we had a leisurely morning. Next year may be a different story all together.

Favorite 10 in 2010

2011-01-13T16:49:00.000-08:00

I created 118 layouts in 2010. That's plenty to choose just 10 that I liked the most. Really it made it far harder than if I had created fewer. So, here they are. They cover the gamut of style, subject and photos. I think I can begin to see a common style.

There you have it. I look forward to creating many more layouts throughout 2011.

OLW January

2011-01-04T17:11:00.001-08:00

Here's my title page for the One Little Word binder for this year. I've had this beautiful crocheted butterfly for months and never used it. It's the perfect extra for the title page. I've also done the photo page, but not going to post that here. I still have the definition page to do, but lack the correct page protector for it. On order, but not here yet. So, I'll post that later.

So far, January is going well. I'm enjoying thinking about my word each day. I'm walking each day and feeling much better with the exercise. I'm also spending a few minutes a day going through papers to weed out what is no longer necessary. Next I'll be moving onto a closet that is filled with stuff: sorting, tossing, passing on, organizing what is left. It feels good to finally be taking some action on things that have been hanging over my head for several years.

2011 will be a good year. I can feel it.

OLW

2011-01-03T16:30:00.000-08:00

once again I'm participating in Ali Edwards' one little word. I've chosen a word to be a guide for what I want to see during the year for the last 3 or 4 years. This year my word is release, as in let go. After looking up the definition of my word in the dictionary, I found that my word has many other definitions. I think I will open up myself to whatever definition seems to prevail.

Originally I had thought to let go of unrealistic expectations, to let go of stuff that I no longer needed or wanted - both physically and emotionally, and to let go of preconceived notions I seem to have regarding this stage of my life. In other words, I wanted to cut to the chase. We'll see what happens.

To start with I have begun decluttering my home. I went through all of the Christmas decorations and culled out those that were worn out or no longer appealed to me and also set aside some that I will give to Eli in the years to come. Those tubs are put away much lighter that they were when I took them down the first part of December. The past couple days I have been going through a box that contains most of my household papers. It's amazing what stuff I have saved. So far, I've dumped 12 pounds of paperwork in the recycle and I'm only 2/3 of the way through it all!
This photo shows it in the wastebasket before it went in the paper recycle.

And here's the box that was once so stuffed full that I couldn't even get another piece of paper in it. I expect it will be only half full when I finish.

Already I feel lighter. I think this OLW will be just fine.

Different/Unique

2010-12-08T12:39:00.000-08:00

Again the post from http://reverb10.com/ challenges me. What is different about you? What do you do that lights people up?

I'm not really sure how to answer those questions. I have never felt like someone who 'lights others up'. I've felt pretty much like the status quo, the normal person, the melt into the woodwork kind of a gal. I've had a talent for helping those who are ill to be more comfortable. I've been an advocate for my patients with their doctors and with their families. I've always felt strongly that people have the right to correct information about their health/disease so they can be part of the solution. I've been able to hold another's hand when they need someone to just 'be' there. My family would say that I'm a fixer. I want to 'fix' broken things. While I think that has been more true in the past, I do still get sidetracked into the fixing mode. Age has mellowed me and granted me a greater acceptance of my limited ability to fix anything or anybody.

So if those things are a unique part of me, than so be it. The lighting up will have to be something that just happens as a result of those unique qualities.

And, speaking of lighting up. This photo was taken at the Tree Lighting Ceremony in Pioneer Square in Portland, OR on November 19th.

Unfinished

2010-12-06T17:28:00.000-08:00

today the prompt from reverb (see last post) is to consider something that is unfinished. I immediately thought of all my projects that are partially done: a jumper for Eli, a quilt for Greg and Sara, embroidered Christmas tree ornaments, a table runner, my Christmas decorating, my Christmas cards......and the list goes on.

But then, I wondered what other things might be unfinished that are not material things, such as an apology that needs to be made, a relationship that is going nowhere because someone doesn't want to commit, a promise that is as yet unkept. Those are perhaps much more important than all the projects sitting around just waiting to be completed.

I think this question of unfinished is worth considering at length and in private. The answer also could remain unfinished......

Speaking of unfinished, this house was moved down my street into a vacant lot. It's now being finished with foundation and hook-ups to power, water, etc.

Reverb 10 prompt for December 2

2010-12-02T15:32:00.000-08:00

A blog called reverb http://reverb10.com/ has prompts for December to spark contemplation. The one for today is: "what do you do each day that doesn't contribute to your writing....what can you do to eliminate it? " Interesting question.

I grew up in the age of letter writing. Every gift I received demanded a thank you note. My mother wrote letters to me weekly when I was in college. My husband and I exchanged almost daily letters when he was in Viet Nam. The last letter I wrote was a 'why I'm thankful for you' card at Thanksgiving. I can't remember the last letter I wrote prior to that. Writing now consists of short statements and even just letters of the alphabet that stand for words on facebook and in e-mails. I don't even hand write anything in a journal any more. I do, however, write in my own hand on many of the scrapbook pages I make.

Writing takes time which is thought of as in short supply in today's world. We text, we leave voicemail messages, we make cell phone calls while we're waiting in lines, while walking the dog, while doing something else. We multitask. Writing requires full attention.

So, what to eliminate? Really rather what to substitute or move up on the priority list? I think I'll take just a few minutes in the evening to write in my journal again. It encourages contemplation. That's a good thing.

Eli as she watches people, lights and the tree lighting ceremony in Pioneer Square. Yes, if the bomber would have been successful, things could be very different now.

One word

2010-12-01T17:09:00.000-08:00

Well, it's December 1st and I don't have a December Daily page to share. My printer ran out of yellow ink so I can't print the photo that I'm using for page one. Instead I'm going to write about a prompt for the day entitled, one word.

We're to chose one word that would describe the year 2010 for ourselves. There are several words that come to my mind: retirement, infirmity, constraints. But the one word that is foremost is the word I had chosen last January that I wanted to focus on this year. That word is peace.

In spite of all that's happened this past year, peace is what I have found in the midst of it all. Retiring in February really set the stage for me to find real peace...with myself, with my family and friends, with my new reality healthwise, and with my place in life. I'm much better at not sweating the small stuff. I don't feel the need to give advice as freely as I have in the past, and I'm able to accept/listen to advice from my family and friends.

I can relax in the evening even when my to-do list is still my left-to-do-tomorrow list. I enjoy scrapbooking and sewing more without the need to compete or have the latest and greatest. I love gardening and accept that my time there is limited by my physical constraints. I don't worry about the weeds quite so much as in the past. I've found peace in my new reality. It's wonderful.

Now it's time to think seriously about another one word for 2011. So far, nothing has really grabbed me, but I'm certain one will float to the surface before the clock strikes 12 on December 31st.

And because no post is complete without a photo, here's one of Eli on her 18 month birthday.

Coast Trip

2010-10-10T08:33:00.001-07:00

Last week I drove the two hours to Bandon where I had not been in two years. It's really ridiculous that I had not taken the time to go in so long, but life just seemed to get in the way. I love this part of the Oregon coast. Willie and I loved to wander through the shops in Old Town, eat fresh seafood at one of the local restaurants, and scour the beach for stones and shells. Perhaps I had put this trip off because it was such a part of our lives together that it is difficult to go alone now.

This trip I stopped at the local quilt shop to see what they might have of interest. It's a nice little shop with lots of 'coast' fabrics as well as a good selection of holiday, batiks, and general fabrics. I found a few fat quarters that may work in a project I have planned for later this year. Since high tide was around noon, I then headed to the harbor to browse the boardwalk and the shops in Old Town. I love the book store and the cranberry candy store. Indulged in a small package of cranberry treats.

Then it was on to the Crab Shack for a lunch of fresh crab in the Famous Crab sandwich, which I ate while sitting in the sun facing the harbor. A sunny day at the coast is to be relished as much as the fresh crab.

I hit the Table Rock Wayside at the perfect time as the tide was going out. There was plenty of beach to walk on and only two other people off in the distance. The surf was LOUD just like I love. There is something about it that just changes my focus and lets all the stress drain out of me. I wandered about a 1/2 mile down the beach and back, getting my feet (OK, up to my knees) wet, picking up rocks that struck my fancy and taking tons of photos. Then it was time to head back home. One last photo from the top of the hill and I said my good-bye.

The drive home is lovely and the road is pretty good most of the way. I can still hear the sea in my head and recapture the calm when I look at my photos. I vow to be back there sooner next time.

Greece

2010-10-03T17:55:00.000-07:00

Ten days in Greece was fabulous. If I had to pick just one photo to remember it by, that photo would be this one. This was one of four old windmills on a hill above Mykonos town. It was quite a hike up there and the wind blew really hard - easy to see why they were built up there. The white cement building with the blue door is very common in this part of Greece. And the rocks at the base cover the island. I think I'll use this as the title page for me album about my trip.

Thank you, Karen

2010-09-30T10:29:00.001-07:00

The nine hours of class and practice under Karen Russell's tutalage has really paid off for me as shown in this photo. I now know how to adjust my white balance for the lighting. I now know how to adjust my ISO and aperture so I get a good expose most of the time (still practicing this one). And I can get catch lights in my little Eli's eyes. She had just finished eating (and smearing herself) with a peanut butter English muffin. What a sweetie she is! And I'm now able to catch those special moments. So, a big thank you, Karen.

Scrapping Old Photos

2010-09-13T17:23:00.001-07:00

Since I'm an alumni of Library of Memories, I have joined an on-line group that receives a weekly challenge and has a gallery for us to post our layouts. So, when the challenge was to scrap a school related photo, it was a good time to go through some of the older photos and try to find a 'first day of school' photo. While I remember taking them most years, I couldn't find very many of them. This was the best of the lot. I think I'll add some journaling at the bottom right about how Sara loved having these photos taken and Eric hated it and only did it because I asked. Perhaps that's why there are so few.....he left early on the first day.

Backpack Love

2010-09-06T17:26:00.000-07:00

I've had this photo of Sara on my scrapbook desk for a couple months. I must have taken it out for something and then not used it. In any case, when I printed out the photo of Eli, I had an inspiration. Two little girls, two backpacks. Mother/daughter. Definitely fodder for a layout.
These papers came in a kit from Cocoa Daisy sometime this summer. Yesterday I was doing some organizing in my craft room and found the kit. These papers were perfect for the photos. The rest went together rather easily. I love when that happens.

Tutu Cute

2010-09-05T17:14:00.001-07:00

It's been quite a while since I've done any scrapbooking. The summer seems to be centered on the garden, not indoor activities.

But, I did a bit of straightening up in my craft room yesterday and found this sheet of Hambly paper and it seemed perfect for this photo of my grand-daughter, Eliana. The other supplies were part of a kit from Cocoa Daisy and were perfect with the photo.

Eli has a neighbor who is just crazy about her, and frequently stops by with little gifts. This particular weekend I was visiting when Gramma Linda delivered this swimsuit. We had to try it on her immediately to see if it fit. Eli was only too happy to show off in her tutu suit.

It's not hard to create layouts with such a cutie to be the main attraction. :)

Better later than Never

2010-09-03T14:49:00.001-07:00

It was a vacation for both of us. Sara had just graduated from high school and I was recently divorced. It was 1993. WOW, that was 17 years ago. So why is this album just being finished? Good question.

That crazy photo on the top of the first page? I did that at a CM party in about 1994. It was the first I'd heard about scrapbooking. I was intrigued, but couldn't afford to even think about buying any supplies. Sara was in college and I was working three jobs, and she was working one to help pay for the wonderful school she was attending. So the page about the Hawaii vacation sat in amongst the photos, waiting for me to do something with it.

Life got seriously in the way during the next few years. Fast forward to 2000 and another CM party. I created another crazy page about a trip to Alaska. This time I had the time and money to get started with the basics. In no time at all I was hooked. Completely.

The photos of this trip languished in a box along with other poor quality photos while I scrapped tons of other ones that were more recent and much more fun to use. The thought of creating lots of pages with them was daunting. Then along came Stacy Julian and her fast photo two up album scrapbooking. Ah... a perfect solution to my quandry of what to do with these photos. Finding the negatives and developing another non-heart cropped photo of Sara and me was out of the question....so it was cut from the page and mounted like all the other photos. The circle photo of our first view of the ocean received the same treatment.

This album is not my finest work, but all the photos are in one place where they can be enjoyed and where the story has been told. DONE!

Something is eating my Canna

2010-09-01T15:07:00.000-07:00

One morning last week this canna leaf with its trail of perfectly round holes greeted me as I started my watering rounds. I'd never seen anything like it. So, I jokingly sent the photo to my daughter with a note that said that one of Eric Carle's hungry caterpillars had been eating through my canna. For those of you who have never read the book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, you are missing a treat. It's a favorite with both my children and my grandchild....and me, as well.

The mystery of what was eating my canna remained until yesterday as I was browsing through an old gardening magazine when I read about the Canna Leaf Rollers. The Calpodes ethlius or Geshna cannalis leave "a line of holes along an open leaf, as if it were attacked by a hole puncher." Mystery solved. Now I just need to remember to remove all the foliage in the fall so the darn things don't overwinter and attack the canna again next year.

New Look

2010-08-31T09:05:00.000-07:00

When I bought this house in 1993, there was an older screen door on the front. It was low enough for my dog to look outside and the previous owner (of the house) had placed strips of wood across the screen part to prevent the screen from ripping out. The last few years the screen had begun to separate from the frame of the door. I'd gotten so used to the funky thing, I never really 'saw' it.

Then my neighbor got a new storm door on her house a few weeks ago. I loved the look. And I finally SAW how trashed my old screen door really was. So, yesterday I had a new storm door installed. I LOVE it. I really makes the house look classy. Who would have ever thought just one little change would make such a big difference.

And, yes, Freckles can see outside.

A Rainy Day

2010-08-30T09:12:00.000-07:00

It hasn't rained in weeks and weeks. It's been HOT. We've had occasional clouds, but no rain. I woke this morning before 6:00 to the sound of hard rain hitting the roof. Music to my ears. Music I'm sure I'll be sick of hearing come March or April, but for now it is sweet music. I'm tired of dragging hoses and spray nozzles all over my yard. So, for today, I get a break.

Of course, this is also the day my handyman carpenter was to repair the attic fan, which can be accessed only from the roof. Not today, after all. But perhaps he'll get the new storm door on the front and the new doorbell installed so I won't have to depend on Freckles to let me know I have a visitor.

For today, I'll not have any reason to leave the house and can indulge in reading, cooking, crafting or whatever with no sense of urgency to get outside and take care of the garden. I love a rainy day in August.

Back Yard Garden Redo

2010-08-27T15:45:00.001-07:00

I began a back yard garden space redo in June. The spot had originally been a lawn, but had become a weed patch over time.

This photo taken from the NW corner of the spot shows how it looked before I did anything to it.

And this is how it looked a month later in July. The grass has been hand dug and I now have a bare palette.

This is how it looks today. You can see the stepping stone path that leads through it and several of the plantings that have been made.

This shot is from the SW corner in June when I began the project. Notice the orange day lillies between the two arborvite. They will be dug and moved in the next couple months.

Next, the clean palette in July.

And how it looks today. There are 3 different colors of day lillies, a crocosmia, russian sage, purple lupine, mondo grass, nepeta (Walker's Low), oriental lilies, a orange/yellow yarrow, and a form of iris that I can't name, and several kinds of ground covers and sedums. The upended pots mark places for a couple more large plants that will be moved when the weather cools more.

And two more shots from the NE corner showing the pathway, which has now been set and will have creeping thyme and other ground covers between the stones.

In this one you can see my little 4 X 4 raised vege garden and two of the three compost bins.

So that's the full tour. There is lots more to be planted this fall - hope to get some spring bulbs in this fall and then lots of annuals to fill in next year.

Lots of White Space

2010-02-08T18:18:00.000-08:00

I've always admired layouts with only one or two small photos and a couple embellishments and lots of white space. I've been very intimated by them as well. I finally decided that I needed to face my fear of failure and just do it. This is the result. This layout took me longer to put together than much more complex ones. I guess that's because the minimalist design shows all the flaws instantly.

I like how this turned out. I like how the quilt I made for Eliana is really center stage. The background paper by Basic Grey has just enough texture to keep it from looking too stark.

Even tho I now know I can do this, I don't forsee doing a lot of them in the future.

Five Little Words

2010-02-03T22:18:00.000-08:00

Tired tonight. so will just leave you with five little words.

peace - my word for 2010

create - i try to be creative in some way every day

read - even if it is only a quote, a short poem or an article in a magazine or newspaper

eat - something healthy and green every day

exercise - the eliptical, a short walk, aerobics to a DVD at least 5 times a week, just move

Beautiful Quilts

2010-02-02T18:21:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the blurry photo but I was taking photos of the quilts as others were holding them up.

Today at our quilt guild meeting, we had the pleasure of having Karen Hankins present a slide show and trunk show of some of her gorgeous quilts. The photo is of a collage of places around southern Oregon where both she and I live. Every single little piece of fabric is machine pieced into the quilt. She has shown her quilts at the Houston International Show and a Paduka (know I didn't spell that right), Kentucky show. She encouraged us to forget perfection and to continue to try new things as challenge ourselves. So inspiring.

Makes me want to do some more quilting.

LOAD

2010-02-01T20:09:00.001-08:00

Lain Ehmann of Write.Click.Scrapbook is running a class called, Layout A Day. She posts a prompt each day and we take it from there. The idea is to get photos scrapped and use up our stash. I could certainly use all the motivation I can get to scrap on a regular basis. So.....
today's challenge was to document a beginning. It's a perfect topic as I just began my yearly winter/spring garden clean-up. The frost in November left my garden looking worse than usual and it was so discouraging to look out at all the dead and scraggly plants. Yesterday was a warm - 53 degree - day with a bit of weak sunshine. The perfect time to start some of the restoration. After two hours I had filled my garbage can and the garden cart with debris. The stuff in the garden cart was destined for the compost pile and the garbage can mess will be hauled away tomorrow morning. I had hoped for more obvious results, but even a little bit helps. I have many more hours ahead before all is ready for the summer.
I know I did something tho, by the way my muscles were complaining this morning! :)
For the layout: patterned paper: Basic Grey; ghost clock: Heidi Swapp: brad: brad topper by Imaginisce; alphabet: American Craft; unknown journaling block.

A scrap-a-thon

2010-01-24T14:01:00.001-08:00

This week I've had the chance to get together two times with friends to scrapbook. I managed to finish 12 layouts and start on a couple more. Every time I get to be creative, it seems I have a favorite. This is my favorite for the week. The photo was taken on Thanksgiving weekend and is so good of all three of them. The 'I love you' in the lower right corner of the photo was an add-on when I had it developed at Scrapbook Pictures. I love how the photos come out when I send them off to SP for developing.

The sketch for the layout came from Pencillines. So many of my layouts are from sketches on that website.

It feels so good to be able to get back to playing with paper and photos and all the goodies I've been hoarding. I'll save the other layouts for another post.

Eleven Years Ago

2010-01-09T15:05:00.001-08:00

Eleven years ago today I made one of the top ten best decisions of my life. I married Willie R. McCarley. We had dated for two and a half years. Neither of us wanted to marry again at the time that we met....reluctantly. We had each had long, unhappy previous marriages. And he was 12 years older than I....it didn't bother me, but gave him pause when considering marriage.

The day was clear and cool - a very rare day for Oregon in January. Our immediate family members were gathered for the occasion. We had the ceremony in front of a beautiful rock fireplace in a room at one of the local wineries. Our pastor married us; Willie's son was his best man and my daughter was my maid of honor. The ceremony was simple. Afterwards, we all sat down to a lovely lunch prepared by the owner of the vineyard. We had such fun. There was much laughter and telling of stories.

Later we left for a couple days at the Oregon Coast. When we arrived the sky was clear as crystal and there was a stunning sunset. The whole weekend there was warm with almost no wind - another rarity for that time of year.

I would love to be able to celebrate 11 years of marriage today, but we had only slightly less than 4 years together. I would do it over again in a nano second even knowing that we wouldn't have much time together. Those were some of the happiest years of my life. Thanks for the wonderful memories, Willie.

Grammy Love

2009-12-02T16:17:00.001-08:00

I got to spend four days with Sara, Greg and Eli over Thanksgiving. Eli and I got to spend quite a bit of time together and even had about 3 hours alone one day when Greg and Sara went shopping.

Sara and I shopped for a Christmas dress and found a very understated one on sale at Hannah Andersen's. Of course, Grammy had to get the red and white tights with the red ruffles on the bum and the red patent leather shoes to match. Then we trekked over to Pioneer Square for a photo with Santa. Eli wasn't afraid of him, but was too intent on all the lights and people to smile. It was a sweet photo anyway. Santa said Eli told him she wanted a Harvard Law degree and a Mazaratti. Sara thought that was perfect.

Eli is mobile - either rolls over and over or pushes herself backwards to get where she wants to go. It's just a matter of time before she's crawling. Her two bottom teeth are just sharp enough to hurt if she bits down when sucking on your hand or fingers. She's enjoying peas, squash and rice cereal - not too sure about avocado. She's such a happy, contented baby. Goes with the flow most of the time. She'll be 7 months old on the 7th - how can that be possible?
I'm so grateful to be close enough to see her at least once a month.

Chicago

2009-11-10T12:46:00.001-08:00

I spent most of last week in Chicago for a convention. The city, like most cities, is a study in contrasts - wealth and poverty, skyscrapers and parks, traffic and solitude, white, black and everyone in between. I love the energy of a large city, but really crave the peace of my small town that I call home.

The next to the last evening I was there, I took a walk in the park across from my hotel over to the edge of Lake Michigan. It was cool, but not the bracing cold I had expected, and there was a slight wind. The trees were bare and the grass had turned that dirty shade of greenish-brown. Just yards from one of the busiest streets in downtown Chicago there were birds and squirrels. The further I walked into the part, the more faint the traffic became. It was lovely. The photo above was the entrance to a bridge that spanned the rail system that connects parts of Chicago. I love the old lightposts and globes. I could almost imagine this spot a hundred years ago with children playing and adults strolling arm in arm.

Today I'm home again where I walk along much quieter streets, where I know my neighbors and they know me, where people do not rush along the sidewalks on their way to important meetings. I'm glad I had the chance to experience Chicago, but I am even more grateful to be home.

I'm on a Roll

2009-10-15T18:55:00.001-07:00

Even tho I'm home with a cold, I still have enough energy to scrapbook. That's a good thing since I have a million photos and almost as many supplies. This layout was done from a sketch on Pencillines.
If you've never checked them out, you should - they post a new sketch every Sunday and have several designers create a page from it. The photos were taken on Eli's 4 month birthday in a lovely park in Portland. The patterned papers were from this month's Cocoa Daisy kit. Really like how it came out.
I have another layout almost finished using last month's Cocoa Daisy kit. I'm definitely on a roll!

Using the Cocoa Daisy kits

2009-10-14T16:28:00.001-07:00

During the summer I did very little scrapbook-ing as I spent so much time in the garden. I'm suddenly overrun with supplies from my monthly kits. Yikes! So I've been on a scrapbooking binge. At the rate I'm using papers it could be next year sometime before I've caught up with them.

This layout has photos that Sara took of Eli on her 4 month birthday. She has quite the variety of expressions. At first, I thought I would put descriptive words in the pp blocks, but decided the photos are too cute to draw attention away from them. So, here you are you doll baby in all your happiness.

This One's for Eric

2009-10-13T16:38:00.000-07:00

I realized when I was looking through my recent scrapbook layouts that I didn't have any with my son in them. Now, that is partially because I have so few recent photos of him. However, I do have quite a few of his years growing up. So, I have remedied it. This is of his family dinner celebration when he graduated from high school - only 23+ years ago. Hmmm....maybe I better do a few more.

Ali's class as BPS

2009-10-11T11:48:00.000-07:00

I'm taking the 'Yesterday Today' class at Big Picture Scrapbooking for the next 12 weeks. The layout below is the first of the weekly layouts we will do in class. I love how it turned out. One of the best things I learned this week is how to scan older photos so I can enlarge and use them. The photo on the right is of me in Brooklyn, NY in front of my grandmother's brownstone apartment where we lived while my father was in Germany during WWII. I'm 2-1/2 years old - notice the high top brown shoes and the wooden doll buggy. Cool stuff.

Portland Marathon - Mayor's Walk

2009-10-06T08:54:00.001-07:00

This past Sunday was the Portland Marathon. Sara had run it three years ago and I had walked it nine years ago. Neither of us wanted to do it again this year, but the 10K Mayor's Walk was just the goal we both could achieve this year. Even Eli had a number and was a participant. The first few steps wore her out so much that she slept most of the rest of the way. So here we are ready to take off.

The weather was perfect - cool and overcast until the last couple miles when the sun started to peek through the clouds.

We had just gotten started walking when the first three runners passed us. They looked like they were out for a Sunday jog when they past the 20 mile marker. It was fun to watch the runners go by us as we walked. Some were really struggling and others were running easily.

The cheers of the crowd that lined the route helped us pick up the pace. And we finished in under 2 hours - 1 hr and 50 minutes. That was a great time for me. I told Sara as we neared the finish line that I would like to still be doing this in 20 years. Guess that means I need to keep moving. :)

Bad Blogger

2009-09-26T17:56:00.000-07:00

I'm a terrible blogger. It's been ages since I added anything new. So here's a layout I started a couple weeks ago and finished today. I used a Becky Higgins sketch and just cardstock and few pieces of a Pink Paislee patterned paper. The photos really don't need anything else.

Old Photographs

2009-08-02T09:40:00.000-07:00

I have a few old photographs of my mother, but know nothing about the history connected with them. It breaks my heart that I never thought to ask her questions about her childhood and she never volunteered any information. So, rather than leaving the old photos in the cardboard box, I have decided to make layouts for them so they will be seen. Here's the first one.

She looks about 3 years old in the photo. There are a couple other photos taken about the same time, so there must have been an occasion for a formal photo shoot. I also have a couple snapshots with her with that bow as well. Love that crazy huge bow in her hair. Somehow, it's really a stretch of my imagination to think of her this way.

Photo Grid

2009-07-23T20:43:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago Cathy Zielski had a tutorial on Ali Edward's blog with instructions on how to create a photo grid in Photoshop Elements. I really wanted to try it out and finally made the time today. I already had the layout idea when I first saw the tutorial. Sara had taken many photos of Greg and Eliana on Father's Day. Several of them were really good and a couple showed how goofy Greg can be. I couldn't wait to get them printed and into a layout. Here is the finished result.

I don't know why the photo edges are blurred. I didn't do that intentionally. In fact, I would rather have them crisp, but don't have any idea how to do that. But I do like how the layout turned out. I used products from this month's Cocoa Daisy kit.

Another photo from Jessica's class

2009-07-12T18:04:00.001-07:00

This is a great photo of Sara and Greg, but the color was poor from being taken in bright sun. So I added a bit of sepia, a vintage overlay, and a frame. Now it looks as great as it was supposed to be.

I'm learning so much from this class. My photos may never look the same again. :)

Photoshop Class

2009-07-09T20:01:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a free Photoshop class on Jessica Sprague's site. She makes it all seem so easy and I must say I love the things I've learned in the first 4 days.

This photo was taken 5 years ago when I was in Maine for Greg and Sara's wedding and took a road trip afterwards with a friend. This gorgeous 4 masted sailboat was moored at Bar Harbor. The early mist makes it seem so mysterious. I think the clipping mask we used on our photo gives it just the right amount of artistic appearance. I think I may have to print it out and scrap it. cool stuff.

Japanese Visitor

2009-07-07T20:15:00.001-07:00

Last month my friend Sanae visited from Japan. I first met her when I visited Japan as a delegate from our Sister City program. She was the interpreter for our visit. She has a wonderful command of the English language and teaches students privately. A year later she visited my hometown as a member of a return Sister City delegation and she and her daughter stayed with me.

This time she stayed with another family so I didn't get to see her very much. She is just a sweet and bubbly as ever and is so curious about my country.

The photo above has had the frame and the word art added as part of a digi class I'm taking from Jessica Sprague. It was so simple to do that I have to wonder why it has taken me so long to get my feet wet in the world of digital scrapbooking. I see some more digi classes in my future.

Smorgasbord

2009-05-29T11:32:00.000-07:00

My backyard is a veritable smorgasbord of color and fragrance this morning. The calendar may say spring but the temperature says summer. With the very warm temperatures my roses have exploded in bloom. Walking in my garden is a heady experience with all the intense scents that my roses give off. I am of the belief that if I'm going to have a rose in my garden, it needs to have a fragrance. I have such a limited space for them that I just can't choose one with only color and beauty. I have picked an eclectic bouquet to enjoy in the house.

Many other plants are in bloom as well - oriental poppies, iris, California lilac, calla lillies, clamatis, the Stella Dora daylillies, columbine, and honeysuckle (that one smells heavenly).My marathon weeding weekend has made the walk through the yard much more pleasant. I can see the flowers rather than the weeds now.

I love this time of year. (sigh)

What a difference a couple days makes

2009-05-27T18:54:00.000-07:00

Now you see them/it

Now you don't
In the past 48 hours I've learned alot about honeybees - in fact, I've learned more than I really wanted to know. Monday late in the afternoon I heard the intensity of buzzing in my yard increase substantially. I looked up and saw quite a few bees circling above my backyard. I went in the house and watched as they seemed to settle in my sweet gum tree at the back of my backyard. A little later I went out and discovered a huge hive/swarm of what appeared to be yellow jacket hornets!!!!! Yesterday I called around and finally found an exterminator who would be here this morning at 8:00 to look at my problem.

Well, he arrived right on time and took a look at the hive/swarm. He thought they were honeybees as yellow jackets don't form a nest like what I had. He had forgotten to put his binoculars in his truck, so made arrangements to come back this afternoon to look at them more closely. I went on-line and found that honeybees frequently swarm and form a temporary home like what was in my tree while they look for a more suitable permanent home.

When I got home about 4:00 the hive/swarm was GONE, and the exterminator was just coming out of the back yard. He said it's common this time of year for honeybees to stay in one place for 36 to 48 hours and then leave. There can only be one queen per hive so if there is more than one, the queen leaves and takes some of the workers and drones with her to find a new home.

So, my backyard is again mine and I can work/relax out there without the fear of being stung. Whew!

Back home

2009-05-22T14:01:00.001-07:00

I got back home last Sunday after being gone for about 10 days. I was amazed with how my garden had grown in my absence. Here's a photo of the front year that I just put in one year ago. I'm afraid I will have to dig up some things by next year as they have filled in so quickly. The rhode in the background in front of the house window is COVERED in huge pink flowers. It is nice to see the fruits of last summer's labors.

I missed a haircut appointment while I was gone and my hair became a mess. So, I finally got in for the overdue trim yesterday. I love the way Victoria styles it and have not been able to replicate it. So I took a couple photos so I could remember how good it looks when she does it.

Maybe some day I'll get good enough with the curling brush and the hairdryer so it will look like this all the time.

I finally have some time to get to work in the garden today after working every day this week. I'm just not used to that schedule, but we've moved into the CCC building while still treating patients at the old building. It's kept all three of us nursing personnel working full time to take care of both places. I'll be glad when everyone is moved over and we're all in the same place again.

Off to the garden.......

Welcome Eliana Pamela Stiles

2009-05-09T17:37:00.001-07:00

Welcome, little one. She is so very precious. She arrived by C-Section May 7, 2009 at 3:41pm. She weighed in at 8 pounds and 8 ounces, and was 21 inches long. In this photo she is less than one hour old. The hair looks curly, but once the meconium and vernix was washed out, her hair is straight.
The Stiles couple has now become a family of three and they couldn't be happier. Greg is already super dad and can change a messy diaper in record time. Sara is slowly recuperating from the C-section and large blood loss. She loves snuggling with Eli and is already speaking to her in Spanish. She and Eli will be released from the hospital on the 11th, so I am going back up tomorrow to stay with them for another week, so they can get settled into a good routine. I am so blessed to be able to be a part of this special time in their family and see my first grandchild at the very beginning of her life.

It's about time

2009-05-03T14:40:00.000-07:00

That I update my poor lonely blog. I've been really busy with work, trips to Portland, and yardwork. Also am working on a baby quilt for my first grandchild.

This photo shows my little vegetable garden I've been working on. This area was all grass and weeds until I covered it with newspaper and some of the soil left from last summer's front yard re-do. I'm gradually adding compost, left-0ver soil, fertrich from last summer's project and dolomite lime. I had a soil test done on the soil here - it's in horrid shape so I decided on slightly raised beds so I could take my time enriching it all for the next few years. What you see planted here is a six pack of lettuce varieties, several tiny cilantro seedlings and two rows of carrots and radishes. The branch in the upper portion of the photo is my apple tree which is in full bloom.

The next area of raised bed will hold tomatoes and red peppers. The third area will be green beans, lemon cukes, and a zucchini plant. It's a small area but will keep me in my favorites for the summer. I plan on some rotation of crops as the summer progresses into fall.

The rest of the yard work has been weeding and spring clean-up. I have a lot blooming now and love this time of year in the garden.

March-Lion or Lamb?

2009-03-01T13:00:00.000-08:00

I always hope that March will come in like a Lion and out like a Lamb. This year March seems to be conflicted. This morning started out with rain which was supposed to last all day. It's now a bit past noon and the sun is trying to come out. So, I took advantage of it and dashed out to my front garden which is looking like Spring! I'm always thrilled when I take a photo that turns out exactly like I want it to. I'm sharing it with you, my blog readers. Welcome to Spring in Oregon.

St. John's Bridge

2009-02-24T12:48:00.000-08:00

This is the bridge that spans the Willamette River on the way to the area of Portland where Greg and Sara live. When I drove up there last Friday I couldn't resist taking a couple photos. The sky was soooo blue and the bridge had been repainted last summer and was gorgeous against the sky. Don't ask how I managed to get these photos. The first one was on the hill approach to the bridge and I was stopped in traffic. You really don't want to know about the second one.
Greg and Sara have a wonderful black and white framed photo of a couple workmen sitting on one of the scaffolds yards above the bridge when it was being built. They could be a couple of boys from the Huck Finn era sitting there eating their lunches.

I think this bridge is by far one of the most picturesque in the Portland area. I love that I get to drive across it when I visit my kids. There's a beautiful park on their side of the river under this bridge. It's called Cathedral Park because the supports for the bridge look like a Cathedral from the under side.

Hope you enjoy this little glimpse of Portland history.

Last Assignment

2009-02-15T12:49:00.001-08:00

I'm really sad to see the DYL class end. I've learned so much and created so many layouts that I have just LOVED. This is the last one. We were to pick a scrapbook product and build our layout around it. I wanted to scrap these photos so kind of went at it backward. I think I chose the perfect scrapbook product in the patterned paper by Scenic Route. The rub-ons are an older Basic Grey product. The color in my photo doesn't do the flowers justice - the iris is really a very deep purple, and the day lily is an intense lemon yellow.

Now that class is over, I'm going to have to use what I've learned to create my own pages. Kinda scarey......

Design Your Life

2009-02-10T13:15:00.001-08:00

Although the class finished right before Christmas, I'm still finishing the last couple lessons. The layout on the top above is my most recent assignment. I was to chose one of my favorite layouts from past weeks and assignments and do it again - alterating it as I wished, but sticking to the basic sketch. the layout on the bottom is one of our first assignments. I love the large photo and the smaller supporting photos, so I used it to tell a story about having Pema, my daughter and son-in-law's dog, come visit me. I kept the sketch intact and switched the journaling block around and added the red paper under the photos to tie them together. I used letter stickers to put my title directly on the photo, and I used some cool ribbon on the bottom of the page. I like how it turned out and it's a good example on NOT reinventing the wheel and still coming out with a cool layout.

Thankful Thursday

2009-02-05T16:45:00.000-08:00

Thursday works better for my gratitudes cause I don't work on Thursdays. So here they are.

1. I don't work on thursdays. I work Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, but not Thursday or Friday. Crazy that I'm retired and work at all, but I'm grateful for the work.

2. Sunshine: We've had warmer days with sunny afternoons for about a week. I've even gotten out to do some much needed weeding in the front yard. Sunshine really lightens my mood.

3. Scrapbooking: I love this hobby. I love putting words and photos together and remembering things that happened in the past or telling current stories. I love the creative element of chosing paper, colors, and extra goodies. There are lots of people who are way more artistic than I, but that's OK because only I can tell my stories.

4. A clean home: I finally found a cleaning lady who will be spiffing up my house twice a month. I hate housework - well, not really, but I'd rather be doing lots of other things besides cleaning. And with my asthma, I really shouldn't be breathing in a lot of dust, which is another reason for the cleaning lady - without her my house gets really dusty. So, she came for the first time on Monday while I was at work. My house was so beautiful and spotless when I got home. I love it!!! And look forward to having it like this at least a couple days out of the month.

5. Good books: I love to read and am so grateful the volumes of really good books out there. I just finished two of the best ones I've read in a while. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks was so well written and well researched. It took me from the 1400s to the present day. Loved it.
And The Amber Room by Steve Berry was also well researched and interesting to read about all the art treasures that were looted during WWII by the Germans and later by the art collectors who restole them and hid them for their own pleasure. Steve Berry writes an excellent mystery novel with lots of history thrown in.

There you have it. The five things I'm thankful for today.

Flowers

2009-02-01T16:46:00.000-08:00

There is nothing quite like the unexpected gift of flowers, especially these lovely tulips in January.

During November and December I worked five days a week to fill in for the full time RN at work. Last week she surprised me with this lovely bouquet of pink tulips as a thank you gift. They were so unexpected and such a breath of spring.
I'm really enjoying having them in my home this weekend.

Thankful Tuesday

2009-01-27T11:51:00.000-08:00

Finally remembered to post my gratitudes on Tuesday.

1. That I have a friend who is on the Paper Trunk DT - hi, Dena. Check out the blog for a chance to win some cool new papers.

2. The fog is gone (for now). We've had fog over the past couple weeks almost every day. Caused by a temperature inversion, they say. I get really feeling blah when it happens and can't get motivated to do much of anything. Yesterday, the fog lifted - to reveal clouds and some glimpses of sun, and occasional dribbles of rain. I would rather have that anyday than the fog.

3. The few signs of spring that are appearing in my garden in spite of it still being January. - see the previous post for one of them.

4. Wolfgang Puck's organic chicken broth: I've been a bit under the weather for a couple days with an upset stomach and have been subsisting on chicken broth. Wolfgang's is the very BEST around. Just heat it up straight out of the box and drink it down - warming and tasty.

5. My grandbaby: Baby Stiles has been cooking in utero for 26 weeks now. That's a milestone as there is an 80% survival rate if it is born now. Of course, the continued prayer is for a normal gestation period, easy delivery and healthy babe in May. But I'm grateful for every day that passes now.

Winter landscape

2009-01-25T13:26:00.000-08:00

It's been foggy for days and days. Today it rained and then the sun came out briefly. It's still very much winter here. I love this quote from Camas: “In the depths of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer”.

And I might add that in the depths of winter I can also find signs of spring. I have two hellebores that usually bloom at Christmas time. It was so cold around that time that they were delayed for almost a month. Today I found this:

I transplanted this particular plant last summer so it would be in the shade garden. I wasn't really expecting it to bloom the first year after being moved, but it is. I also found that my raspberry colored one has buds on it as well. There is still hope for spring after all.

Project 365

2009-01-17T13:23:00.001-08:00

This is the 3rd weekly spread on my Project 365 album. Yessir, I have kept it up now for 21 days. That's how long you have to do something for it to become a habit. Hope that's true. It's really been easy so far to find something each day to photograph or save and write a little blurb about it. I'm enjoying the process and am already looking forward to reading these pages in a year to see how much my life has changed or stayed the same.

I'd encourage any one who would be remotely interested in this to look on the web for the ways others are finding to document their daily life without this special album. I can't remember right off the top of my head, but have seen several in my travels the past few days.

Thankful Tuesday on Wednesday

2009-01-14T20:11:00.000-08:00

I forgot that yesterday was Thankful Tuesday until after I had already posted. So, I'm doing it on Wednesday.

1. last summer's raspberries: I love raspberries so I freeze as many as I can during June and July when they are in season. Tonight I spinkled about 1/2 c of them on some yogurt - yum. They are almost as good as when they are fresh.

2. freckles: that's my Jack Russell terrier. She's my buddy. Sometimes she drives me crazy when she wants more attention than I am willing to give her - but I'm really thankful for her company.

3. Sunshine: We don't get enough of this in the winter around here. Today was supposed to be cloudy all day, but about noon the sun peeked out and stuck around until dark. Lifts my spirits just to look outside and see the blue sky and the sunshine.

4. Project 365: This project is helping me to see my life in small vinettes. And I'm more aware of all the little things that make up the big things. I'm thankful for the mindfulness that it's stirring up.

5. Goosedown quilts: I love mine. It keeps me cozy warm in winter and is light enough to use in the summer (most of the time). When I was growing up, I needed lots of heavy blankets on my bed to keep warm. I remember that my toes couldn't even wiggle for the weight of those blankets. My quilt isn't like that - I can wiggle my toes to my heart's content. Crazy, huh?

That's it for this week. I'll try to remember on Tuesday next week.

Project 365 today

2009-01-13T18:17:00.001-08:00

So far I'm making an entry a day and thought I would share today's photo.

Victoria has been my hair stylist for about a year and a half. She is the only stylist who has been able to cut my hair to really satisfy me. Last spring she asked me if I had ever let my hair grow. I groaned. Yes, I have and it looks like a bush. Well, I agreed to let her try my hair in a short bob.

You can't see the back of my hair in this photo, but it's wedge cut in back, and more blunt cut in front. I get compliments all the time on my hair and it really is rather simple to style thanks to six 1-1/2 inch plastic brush rollers that give me the height and straighten my frizzy hair. I love her. And I'm grateful she let me snap this photo of us today. Thanks, Victoria, for getting me out of my hair rut.

Oops, I forgot this is Tuesday. I'll post my thankful Tuesday tomorrow.

New Building

2009-01-11T12:54:00.001-08:00

The Community Cancer Center where I work is currently housed in the original building which is slightly over 25 years old. To say that it is too small is an understatement.

Yesterday my coworkers and I were treated to a tour of the building in the photo above, which will be our new home sometime this spring. Our radiation treatment center will occupy the first floor and include two new state of the art machines plus one machine we will be moving over from the old building. The top two floors will house the offices of the three medical oncology physicians who are currently spread out in separate offices around town. There will also be office space for the American Cancer Society and the tumor registry clerk. So, all services for treating cancer will be located in one building a short walk from the hospital. Patients will not have to travel all over town for treatment.

There is a beautiful reflecting garden to the rear with a couple water pools and a really cool water falls down native rock from near here. All three floors are floor to ceiling glass overlooking the garden. Patients receiving chemo therapy treatments will be able to gaze at the restful water feature and our radiation treatment patients will wait for their treatments while looking out the window as well. The building was created with attention to not only physical wellbeing, but emotional and spiritual care also.

We are all looking forward to having a place to offer care to our patients in such a lovely location. Move in date is set for about the end of April. I'm excited.

Thankful Tuesday #1

2009-01-06T18:43:00.000-08:00

Becky posted five things she has to be thankful for today and suggested that others might join her. Thankfulness is something I am intimately involved with every day that I work. You see, I'm a nurse and work part-time at a radiation treatment center for people with cancer. I am constantly reminded of all that I have to be grateful for and that nothing I am going through even holds a flickering candle to what my patients are going through. In addition to surviving with a life threatening disease, some risk losing their homes or cars because of insurmountable debt from the bills associated with their illness. Recently two of our families had gas or power disconnected because of non payment of fees. Some come in for curative treatment and some come for treatment that will ease their pain for a little longer. How can I even think of complaining because I had to wait in line a little longer than I had planned at the grocery store?

So, today I'll choose five things I'm grateful for:

1. My health. I have my aches and pains and have to watch my diet and take my medication. But I'm still able to work in my garden, walk in my neighborhood, enjoy dinner out with friends and many more pleasures that are easy to take for granted.

2. A job I love. I wish I could brag about weighing all the benefits about choosing to become a nurse when I graduated from high school, but really, I just had always wanted to be a nurse. I went to a school that was something my parents to afford, and I graduated. I was just plain lucky that I chose a profession that has grown and provided me with a very comfortable living - not rich by any means, but comfortable. I've never not been able to find a job. I've had the opportunity to try my hand at many different facets of this profession - some I loved, some I did for other reasons. But now.....I'm retired, and working part-time in a facility and with people I really enjoy being with. I love my patients and it breaks my heart each time one moves from this life to the next.

3. Where I live: I live in a smallish, rural town. It's a two hour drive to the beach and two hours to the mountains. I've lived here for over 35 years and have many friends and acquaintances. I know my way around, where to shop, where to eat, who the good doctors are, what events are worth going to. I didn't always like living here. I thought it was the backwater of America. In a way, I guess it is, but it's my home.

4. Central heating: you may laugh at that, but I haven't always had this. For many years I lived in homes with wood stoves. Wood heat is wonderfully warm.....as long as you are in the same room with the stove. It's really cold in the winter in the rooms away from the stove. So I'm thankful for my gas furnace. I turn it up to the temperature I want and I stay warm no matter what room I'm in. gotta love that.

5. The Internet: WOW what a wonderful thing it is to be able to communicate with people all over the world who share interests with you! I never would have been able to know that Becky was having a less than perfect Tuesday which lead her to think about all the things she is grateful for. Reading about that, I'm able to also take a few moments to think about all the blessings I have everyday, but especially THIS day. Thank you, Becky.

A New Shelf

2009-01-04T15:57:00.000-08:00

This is the little sewing area of my new craft room. Today I put up the shelf and will have sewing supplies like bobbins, frequently used spools of thread, and sewing machine needles in the drawers on it. The blue tin holds hand sewing supplies and a couple spools of thread. I've never had a special sewing area - when I sewed clothes for myself and Sara, my machine sat in the dining area of our country kitchen. And I cut fabric out on the kitchen table. This new space is such a luxury for me. I have enough counter space to the left of the machine to cut fabric or leave a current project out until it's finished.

I love being able to put up the shelf myself. Having the right tools makes it simple and easy. I love my cordless drill and the 4 foot level. The shelf was up in less than 15 minutes. Go, me!

Project 365

2009-01-02T18:22:00.000-08:00

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones who got a kit before they sold out. Project 365 is one of Becky Higgins' KOTM creations. It has everything I will need to document in photos and words every day for a full year of my life. While my life is far from being fascinating, it will have some really high moments this next year - like becoming a grandma for the first time.

I really enjoy reading about the lives of women 50-75-100-200 years ago. So I'm hopeful that at some point one of my descendants will find my daily documentation of some interest. They may laugh at me sitting in front of my computer at work, or at a photo of my dinner coming out of the microwave, or of the strange clothing I wear. So, I'm embarking on the project 365 to leave some record of who I am and what I do and think in the year 2009. It just may help me look at the things that define me and make me think, too.

One Word

2009-01-01T15:54:00.000-08:00

I like the idea of choosing one word to define a direction for a new year. Resolutions made in the light of a fresh start usually fall by the wayside once life gets in the way. So, one word.

Last year my word was perseverance. I tend to leave things half done rather than pushing through (persevering) to the end. So, this past year I have persevered in completing the Master Gardener's course and volunteering my required hours, in living within my means, in working way more than I wanted but which paid for a couple luxuries I would not have been able to afford otherwise, in completing a huge front yard project that took most of the summer, in losing some unhealthy weight, and in walking through some valleys that I had not anticipated.

Welcome 2009 and a new word, GIVE. Now, more than ever, I am conscious of how blest I am with a steady job, health, a wonderful family, and great friends. This year I will look for opportunities to give back, pay forward, or otherwise give of myself for others. My giving will be out of a grateful heart without any thought of being thanked or repaid. The payment will be in the giving. This is the last you will hear of my word as I chose to be private and not toot my own horn.

A new year, a new focus.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T05:43:00.000-08:00

Wishing one and all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Little Women

2008-12-21T16:58:00.000-08:00

I have loved to read all my life and have several favorite books. Among those, Little Women, is perhaps my favorite. I read it for the first time when I was about 10 years old. I think it was a Christmas gift from my mother, who was also quite a reader whenever she had the time to devote to it. I loved all the characters in the book - prim Meg, rambunctious Jo, the baby Amy, but my favorite was the gentle, frail Beth. I cannot count the tears I shed when she quietly passed away and was so sorely missed by one and all. I have read it several times since then, the latest being this past weekend, and Beth remains my favorite.

About the same time I was given the book, my mother was expecting her third child. I wanted her to name a girl Beth in the worst way and we had many discussions about the name. She finally said she really didn't care for it. But when my sister was born, she was given the name Lorna Bethany. I was overjoyed.

My sister was a lot like Beth - quiet, gentle, and longing to please. As an adult she was quite devoted to her Lord, Jesus, and gave off a childlike radiance to all around her. She, too, was somewhat frail as she became a diabetic at the age of 25. For 30 years she tried to tame the disease with intermittent success, only to have several serious complications over the past few years. She, like Beth, seemed to become more transparent as the disease claimed more and more of her strength. She passed away this past July.

As I reread a library copy of Little Women, I couldn't help but feel that I was given my own Beth in my sister. My tears stained the pages when Beth died. And I realize too late that I did not appreciate the goodness and the gentleness that was my sister.

Another Christmas Tree Tale

2008-12-19T08:02:00.000-08:00

In 1968 we were in Southern California for Christmas with Eric who was about 6 weeks old. Steve was still in the Navy attached to the Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton. We had not been there long enough to make friends so Christmas was looking pretty lonely.

About a week before Christmas we received a large package. It was a tube about four feet long and about 8-12 inches around. It was from Carl, my father-in-law. Now Carl is quite a character and worked in the woods as a timber cruiser. He knew the whole Umpqua Forest like the back of his hand and could find his way out if he had been plunked down blindfolded anywhere in the thousands of square miles. Of course, he got lost in the city, but he knew the woods well. He had never been to Southern California but knew it was not the forest and that Christmas trees were trucked down from Washington and Oregon weeks before the big day. So, he SENT us a Christmas tree from the Umpqua National Forest in that large tube package. It smelled just like home. We put it up that night and decorated it with the few ornaments we had. I don't think I have ever appreciated a Christmas tree before or since as much as I did that little tree from home. Thank you, Carl

A Post Office Adventure

2008-12-17T19:31:00.000-08:00

A couple days ago I received a notice that the usps had tried to deliver a package to me but no one was home, except Freckles who was unable to accept said package. The notice stated that I could pick up the package at the main post office on 12/16. A trip to the main downtown post office is never a treat and especially dicey at this time of year. There is parking only in front of the post office and it is angle in parking - it's a fairly busy street so backing out of a parking space, especially when at least half of the vehicles are full sized pick-ups, is an adventure. So I decided that since the package was from one of my Japanese friends, I would try it after work yesterday.

We finished up with the last patient about 4:00pm. As I was clocking out one of the receptionists asked me if I had heard about the bomb scare at the post office today. WHAT? A BOMB SCARE ON THE ONE DAY I WANTED TO GO TO THE POST OFFICE? Yep, she looked at the news on-line and said.....oh, it's over and the post office opened back up about an hour ago. So.....I headed out. As expected, it was busy and there was a line almost out the door. But, people were in a holiday mood and no one was griping and the lady in front of me jabbered on about how she shopped sales all year long to get gifts for her family who was scattered far and wide. Finally, it was my turn and I got my package, backed safely out of the parking place and got home.

The news paper reported that a suitcase was left in the lobby of the PO and since the bomb scare with the blow-up and death of two policemen in Woodburn had happened only a few days before, the police were taking no chances. It took 3 hours and the evacuation of the post office and an adjacent bank for them to discover that it was just a suitcase. They notified the owner who came and picked it up and rolled it away. How can someone forget a suitcase in the lobby of a post office?

I'm just glad it wasn't a bomb and that I got my package from Japan.

Christmas Dinner

2008-12-16T23:40:00.000-08:00

My father's family is English. His father came to this country from Liverpool as a young adult. His mother grew up in Wales in the home of her grandparents. She joined her mother in NYC when she was only 17 or 18. So, our Christmas menu was a typically English one prepared by my grandmother.
First, there was the most marvelous roast beef - that according to my father was purchased from the same butcher in New York and had hung until there was green mold on the outside. I think I'm really glad I didn't know this as a child or I might not have eaten it with such relish. With the roast there was always Yorkshire Pudding - a light egg batter that was baked at high heat in some of the fat from the roast. Mashed potatoes, gravy, a couple vegetables and crisp carrots and celery rounded out the main meal.
The crowning glory of the feast was dessert - a plum pudding, which is neither made from plums nor is a pudding in the truest sense. It was made in early November of suet, candied citron and other fruit, currants, white raisins and spices which were steamed for several hours and then saturated with brandy and wrapped in white linen. It was stored in a bowl in a cool place where it was regularly moistened with more brandy. On Christmas Day it was placed in a pot with water in the bottom on the stove to steam until heated through. When it was time to serve it, there was more brandy poured over it after it was placed on a heat resistant platter and brought to the table in flames. When the alcohol was burned out of the brandy the flames subsided and the pudding was served with hard sauce (which was not hard but was also flavored strongly with more brandy). The sauce was made of butter, confectioner's sugar and vanilla flavoring. As a child I really didn't like the plum pudding but would eat it because I LOVED the hard sauce. Later I developed a taste for it and really enjoyed it's fruity texture and flavor. I have never tried to make it so the tradition died when my mother was no longer able to make it using my grandmother's recipe and adding some touches of her own.

The Best Christmas Present Ever

2008-12-14T19:42:00.000-08:00

I must have been about 8 or 9 years old. The only gift I remember wanting that year was a Bride Doll. I don't have any idea how I even knew that such a doll existed. But I wanted one with a veil and a gorgeous full length gown. It would have beads and pearls on the front and down the full skirt. Her hair would be curled just so and she would be exquisitely beautiful. I just knew that Santa (or my grandmother) would provide me with my dearest wish.

Christmas morning came and my brother and I could hardly wait to look under the tree. But first we had to check to see if Santa found the milk and cookies we had left for him. And then we found our stockings that had to be dumped out and all the treasures gone through. At that point we were bursting with anticipation. That was always when my father decided he had to have a cup of coffee and we had to eat a piece of Christmas bread and have a glass of juice.

Finally, we were able to check out the presents under the tree. There was a box for me that was just about the right size, oh, the joy!!!! I tore into the paper and squealed with glee when I found the PERFECT bride doll inside. She was everything I wanted her to be and then some. She was given a place of honor in my room and no one was allowed to touch her without my permission.

I don't remember what happened to that precious doll. Perhaps she was passed on to my little sister years later. But I think I still had her when we moved to Montana and she was lost in the moving van fire. I don't recall receiving any other gift as a child that was as special.

Visit with Santa

2008-12-13T18:53:00.000-08:00

Since my grandmother, Mimi, was employed at A & S department store in NYC, we visited with the santa at the store each December. The date on the back of this photo is 1950 which means that I am 8yrs. old and my brother is 6. My mother wrote on the back that this was our last visit to Santa. We must have decided that he was a nice fantasy by the next year.

It was really magical to visit the city at Christmas. The decorations in the big department stores were fabulous. Each window had animated displays and there were lights strung outside in swags, and trees and santas. And the Santa at A&S was the real deal - no fake beard for him. At least, that's the way I remember it.

We also went to the automat to eat - no it wasn't a place to wash clothes, but was a bit like a cafeteria. Each item of food was behind a little door and you put your change in and you could open the door and take out a sandwich, a piece of fruit, a salad, dessert......whatever was behind that particular door. It was so much fun.

Peeking at Christmas Gifts

2008-12-12T17:40:00.000-08:00

No, not me, but my brother did. Well, maybe I did once.

My mother was a very uber organized woman. She would buy a Christmas gift, wrap it and then hide it in the basement on a card table covered with a cloth. Of course, this was never in the basement except in the weeks preceeding Christmas so it was hard to ignore. Not that I spent much time in the basement - it scared me and I was afraid of mice that would nibble at the wax on the jelly jars.

My brother was not afraid of mice and could NOT wait for Christmas morning to see what was in the wrapped gifts. He would go down there when our mother was busy teaching other kids to play the piano. He carefully took off the cloth and found gifts that had his name on them. He was extremely careful about lifting the tape and peering under the gift wrap to try to see what was under it. By Christmas he knew what every package held. One year he talked me into joining him in his clandestine activity. I was so disappointed to lose the surprise of opening gifts on Christmas morning. I never did that again. Plus, I was riddled with guilt for doing something that I knew was wrong. Not one of my finer moments.

Tail of a Christmas Tree

2008-12-09T07:38:00.000-08:00

No, I did not spell tail incorrectly. This is a story of two dogs and a Christmas tree. It's a rather short tale but one I want to remember and share.
The house we lived in when the children were growing up was a two story 'salt box' style with small boxy rooms. The kitchen was as big as the living room and the utility room as large as the room in the front that was supposed to be a bedroom. The bathroom was an afterthought and was only big enough for two people if one of them was in the tub. So....when we bought the house and before we moved in, Steve opened up part of the wall between the living room and the kitchen - made the cook feel less isolated and was the perfect spot to place a Christmas tree. Steve was rather anal about protecting the kids from harm and would use fishing line to attach the tree to the ceiling so it wouldn't fall. Good thing......
We moved into the house when Eric was five and promptly got him a black lab mix pup from the shelter so he could lose his fear of dogs and have a pal. It worked like a charm and Smokey was the perfect family pet (aside from a couple habits which should be the subject of another post). He would even lie on the floor in front of the wood stove and let Sara crawl on him when she was a baby - that's another story, too.
When Sara was about 4 or 5 , she decided that Smokey was too big for her to play with because he would whack her with his tail. So.....we got another shelter dog for her - a Cairn terrier, poodle, doxie mix. Muffin was the perfect pet for Sara and was a wonderful buddy for Smokey. They would race across the fields where we lived - the little white dog keeping up with the strides of the big black dog.

All this is necessary background for the tail of the Christmas tree. One year the tree was put up, secured with the fishing line, decorated and enjoyed by all. The dogs were not happy that their raceway for playing chase was partially obscured by the Christmas tree. So....one day they got playing - egged on no doubt, by wired children - and started racing around the house. Muffin safely scooted under the tree from living room to kitchen to doorway into the hallway back into the living room and around again. When Smokey tried to chase her under the tree, he got too close to the tree, flew under a branch and set the tree to spinning and tilting badly. Held up by the fishing line, the tree never fell and only a couple ornaments bit the dust. I have to admit with chagrin that I never questioned Steve about the necessity of the fishing line again. And enticing the dogs into racing around the house was forbidden during the Christmas season.

Caroling, part 2

2008-12-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

When I was probably middle school age, I was very involved in the musical offerings at my church. We had a fabulous minister of music who formed choirs of all ages and forms. I was in the youth choir and the handbell choir. We practiced regularly and sang compositions of some difficulty. One Christmas we were part of a gathering of youth choirs from all over the area to present a choir program at The Brick Presbyterian Church in NYC on Park Avenue. I remember that there were TV cameras set up outside to record portions of the program. My choir was assigned a spot on the balcony overlooking the congregation seating. It gives me goosebumps even now to remember the grand sound of hundreds of young voices singing some of the ancient chants and carols. Brick Church is also well-known for it's organs, and there is no more stupendous sound than a grand organ playing in a great church with excellent acoustics. What a wonderful background for all the voices that were raised in unison and counterpoint that evening so long ago.
We traveled on a bus from my home in NJ to the city. And I'm quite certain that we sang '100 bottles of beer on the wall' on the way home until most of us were sound asleep.

Christmas Lights

2008-12-07T08:51:00.000-08:00

This memory is one I owe to Becky and her lovely photos of some Christmas lights in her hometown. And the photo is one I got off the internet. Now that I have done the credits, let's move on to the story.

When I was quite young - probably elementary school age - I remember a yearly trip to Glen Rock, the town next to mine, to see Christmas lights. Obviously it was long before all the premade decorations that are now available to decorate yards of every size and shape. I remember the house as being something of a fairyland castle style, made almost entirely of rocks - not bricks but rocks, with a turret of sorts. The yard was large with lots of walkways throughout. And the lights.......there was Santa and his sleigh with the reindeer, there was a fairytale princess and elves, there were candycanes and trees. Each year the owners added something new. People would drive from all around, park their cars and walk in front of the house, oohing and ahhing. My whole family would make quite an outing of it - even my mother would go with us, which was unusual as she was often too busy to leave home at that time of year. There was certainly something magical in the viewing.

Thank you, Becky, for jarring this long forgotten memory to the surface for me.

Caroling, part 1

2008-12-06T17:54:00.000-08:00

My father had a beautiful tenor voice and he loved to sing. As a child he was a choirboy in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in NYC. Later he sang in various groups - he met my mother through one of those. I remember him singing with the Men's Downtown Gleeclub in Brooklyn one year when they gave a concert in Carnegie Hall and I was old enough to attend. And he loved to go caroling about the neighborhood when I was growing up. My brother and I caroled with him. We must have been quite a sight all bundled up against the cold - two children and a man in an overcoat, scarf and hat. Some of the neighbors invited us in for something hot to drink and some Christmas cookies. My favorite carol as a child and for many years after was O Little Town of Bethlehem. And I loved to sing the high part when we did The First Noel. I never had the beautiful voice that my father had, but I loved to sing - and still do in church. I think my early love of singing began caroling with my father.

O Christmas Tree

2008-12-05T07:13:00.000-08:00

And why, you wonder, would I post this unretouched photo of my naked little artificial tree? Well, because this is as far as I have gotten with the decorations and I want to write about
Christmas trees.
My childhood memory of our trees is mainly one of putting tons and tons of tinsel on, one strand at a time. It was magical when finished but tedious, I'm sure, in the application. When I was old enough to practice this task, I think I was assigned the tinsel because I could put it on for hours while I listened to Christmas music, especially that played on the piano by my mother. I also remember heirloom ornaments from Europe that were the mercury variety. They were all lost when we moved to Montana and our moving van burned. Sad that all the photos were lost as well, so there is no way to see them now, except in my mind's eye.
When my children were growing up, we started a tradition the first Christmas after Eric was born of adding one ornament to our collection each year. Over the years friends added to the collection as well; and we started giving an ornament to each child every year - a collection that they were able to take with them when they started their own Christmas traditions. Our tree was never a special theme or color over the years, but was very eclectic and homespun. In fact, I regularly sought out handcrafted ornaments at the local Christmas fairs.
Recently, I have started purchasing star, snowflake and angel ornaments from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's yearly collectors' offerings. Eric receives the star one, Sara has the snowflake and I save the angel ones for my tree. They are beautifully crafted from actual art that the Met has in its collections. The angels come from a nativity set the Met puts up in its lobby every year.
I will try to post the completed tree at some point before Christmas.

Lebkuchen

2008-12-04T06:29:00.000-08:00

Sorry there will be no photo today as this is about cookies my mother used to make each holiday season. She made them before Thanksgiving and set them aside to 'age' - in a metal cookie tin with a slice of apple that she changed every couple days. I don't have her recipe - I think Sara has it in the cookbook that belonged to my mother. Her lebkuchen were bar cookies....mine were rolled ones, so that's the recipe that follows. It's from a Betty Crocker's New Picture Cookbook with a copyright date of 1961.

Lebkuchen

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup molasses

3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)

1 egg

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp grated lemon rind

2-3/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cloves

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp nutmeg

1/3 cup cut-up citron

1/3 cup chopped nuts.

Mix honey and molasses; bring to a boil. Sir in sugar, egg, lemon juice and rind. Blend dry ingredients. Mix in citron and nuts. Chill overnight.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll small amount at a time, keeping rest chilled. Roll 1/4" thick; cut into oblongs, 2-1/2X1-1/2". Place 1" apart on greased baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 min., or until no imprint remains when touched lightly. While cookies bake, make Glazing Icing (below). Brush it over the cookies the minute they are out of the oven. Quickly remove from baking sheet. Cool; store to mellow. Makes 6 doz cookies.

Glazing Icing

Boil together 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water until first indication of a thread appears (230 degrees). Remove from heat. Stir in 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and brush hot icing lightly over cookies.

These cookies smell heavenly and strongly of the spices they contain when they are baking - much better than a scented candle from Pier 1.

Baking cookies was a happy memory of Christmas's past. My mother was a superb cookie baker and made the best cut-out cookies ever, called sandtarts. They were buttery, very thin and crisp shapes that we decorated with frosting, and candies. When my children were small, I baked several different kinds of cookies every year and was part of a cookie exchange group for several years. I'll have to post a couple other recipes in the time before Christmas.

Mimi and Uncle Cortland

2008-12-03T08:06:00.000-08:00

Mimi and Uncle Cortland came as a pair. They lived together all her life and he was rather lost after her death at 95 years old. I never really knew what had happened to him to cause him to be somewhat disabled, but remember hearing something about a fever soon after his birth.

This photo was taken in 1966 when they had moved to Roseburg, OR to be close to my parents and they look alot the same as I remember them during my childhood.

One Christmas is very clear in my memory of when they were at our house. Really they weren't part of the memory, but because of their visit my brother Kent and I were sleeping together in my room. Kent must have been about four or five and I was a couple years older. He still firmly believed in Santa and we were watching out my bedroom window at the sky in the hopes of seeing Santa and the sleigh. Suddenly, Kent whispered loudly, "there he is!!!" and became very excited. I wasn't able to see what he thought he saw, but quickly told him we needed to duck into our beds so Santa didn't see us and fly over our house instead of stopping. Santa must have stopped that night because the cookies and milk were gone in the morning and there were LOTS of presents under the tree for each of us.

Grammy

2008-12-02T12:37:00.000-08:00

This is my paternal grandmother. She is very much a part of all my childhood memories of Christmas as she always came to our house. We were her only family because my father was an only child. She was a wonderful cook and was the preparer of both the Thanksgiving and the Christmas Feasts. Her plum pudding was legendary and her recipe was scribbled on a scratch piece of paper that my mother tried to duplicate for years before she got it right. I can still see her in my mind's eye as she walked down our street from the train station with her suitcase in her hand and her hat with the veil on her head. It wasn't a long walk from the station and my mother didn't drive until many years later. Grammy always had little treats for us in her suitcase so we loved to help her unpack. She had lots of time to play and read with us. And her hugs were warm and enveloping. I hope I can be the kind of grandmother to my grandchildren as she was to us.

Angel Ornament

2008-12-01T12:40:00.001-08:00

Every year I treat myself to the angel ornament of the year from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Each year the design of the ornament is based on one of the angels in the Museum's collection of Neapolitan creche figures. This angel is from a design by Giuseppe Gori (ca 1770-1810). I love hanging the angels on my small artificial tree and noticing the details that set each one apart.

My tree will probably not go up until the weekend so I will not have long this year to enjoy my angels.

Over the River and thru the Woods, to Grandmother's House we go....

2008-11-30T14:25:00.000-08:00

Well, maybe in the song that's how it happens, but for this grandmother-to-be it's more like over the rivers and up the freeway to my kids' houses I go. For Thanksgiving I drove up the freeway about 190 miles to spend the holiday at my daughter and son-in-law's home. But first there was a stop at my son and his family's home. Eric and Jannaeah both had to work the next day and chose to stay at their own home for Thanksgiving. Jannaeah made a butternut squash pie for me to take with me to Sara's...yumm. So here they are: About an hour later I arrived at Greg and Sara's home. They were expecting 7 guests in addition to me and the cooking was in full swing when I walked in the door. Everything smelled heavenly. Each guest was assigned a category of food to bring, but the specifics were left up to the cook. We had a wonderful savory apple/bacon tart appetizer from Kim; three delicious appetizers from Kristen - a shrimp one, an artichoke one and one of cream cheese with a cranberry/orange chutney, and some yummy green beans; Alexis's famous brussel sprouts, delicious rolls and a wonderful squash risotto; and I brought an apple pie. The hostess cooked the turkey, stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes and giblet gravy, a caramel toffee cheesecake and a chocolate peppermint three layer cake. Wine, beer and juices were also available. This is a bit blurry and does not show everything but it was my plate as I started to eat.

Before eating each person got a chance to say what they were thankful for this year. It's always a moving experience as some people wax poetic. After eating our fill we played a couple games that created much laughter and playful banter. What a wonderful day spent with family and friends.

I headed home the next day after being able to grab a rare photo of Greg and Sara - who do not like to pose for the camera.

Thank you, my dears, for a wonderful couple days, for the hospitality, the fun, and just being able to spend time with two of my favorite people.

Scrapping time

2008-11-09T17:57:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I spent about six hours at a crop at a local church. We meet once a month and usually have about 20 people attend each time. It was a perfect day to be inside as it poured off and on all day. It was so grey about 2:00 we thought it was closer to 5 pm. Thought I would share my favorite layout that I did.

While Halloween is not my favorite holiday, I do love all the fall decorations that seem to peak in time for trick or treaters. So here's my tribute to the holiday. The small photo is of my little neighbor girl, Zoe, who was a black fairy - with pink hair. One of the larger photos was of a home other than mine, and other one is of my little pumpkins lining my front steps.

A Quilt for my Son

2008-11-07T09:17:00.000-08:00

My son celebrated his 40th birthday yesterday. In honor of this momentous occasion, I made a rag quilt. I am famous in my family for starting homemade gifts and not finishing until months or years later, or not at all; so the fact that I have finished this on his birthday and will mail it to him today is also momentous. He loves to fish, so I was able to find a fish printed flannel and several other bolts of masculine looking flannel to coordinate. Here is the finished product after being washed and dried twice to get most of the bitty strings of fabric out of it.

Happy Birthday, Eric!!!

Election Day and a playday in Eugene

2008-11-04T08:18:00.000-08:00

It's been an historic year with a woman almost getting the Democratic nomination for president, a black man winning the Democratic nomination, the oldest candidate ever running as thCocoa e Republican presidential nominee and another woman being chosen as the vice presidential nominee on the Republican ticket. Record numbers of Americans have already voted in the early voting process. And personally, I have never been so engaged in the process since JFK ran for President when I was a first time voter. So, whomever you support, get out and vote today - be part of an historic election.

On another topic, I drove to Eugene on Saturday to be part of the play time Eugene event sponsored by Cocoa Daisy.This is the second time I've been part of this fun time of crafting, laughing, sharing and learning from Ali Edwards - this time about the construction of her December Daily Album. Jill is a wonderful hostess and taught us how to make a really easy project. Shopping in the creative boutique and eating Ali's delicious raspberry cobbler filled out the rest of the 3 hour event. We take a group photo every time - in front of a neighbor's colorful tree this time.

And here's a photo of my finished project. Everyone's was different as we cut the chipboard to suit our photos. Some people left them all 4 X 6, some cut them as I did, some taped them together, and one gal was going to run a ribbon behind them all with spaces in between each panel.

So that's it for today. Hope you have a good one. And don't forget to vote.