Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Sustain - My 2017 "one little word"


It's time to look forward to 2017 as we will soon be moving forward from celebrating Christmas. I'm arranging my schedule. Yesterday, I joined Ali Edward's class One Little Word. I have taken this class in the past at Big Picture Classes. The class uses a word during an entire year for self-reflection and self-realization. My choice is one that seems to be foremost in my mind in recent days.
Sustainability is a rather long word, not little in size nor concept. It is well past the typical eight-letter (or fewer) word of choice in the One Little Word class. As an idea, the word enormous comes to mind. So, in the interests of a "little" word, I have chosen sustain.
I have spent a lot of time reflecting on this. My son spoke to me recently about his concerns for his son and the looming 2030 predictions of the collapse of the world as we know it. I wonder if, as an older individual, I'll be adaptable to the world as it will be, if I should still be here.
I've looked at the SDG's (sustainability development goals) the United Nations has published. It's seventeen items long!
There is good news. I read an interesting article from Medium, republished by Quartz on Facebook about good things happening in the world towards some SDG's.
Makes me think that making an effort does do some good.
Raised a Lutheran, a verse of A Mighty Fortress is Our God, seems particularly relevant to my choice.
"And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him; his rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure; one little word shall fell him." - Martin Luther
I'm not a person of religion any longer, but I do have faith in the power of little words.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Just 12 Days 2016

Remember my "Just 12 Days" pocket scrapping cards from 2 years ago?

Some Idea Prompts for "Just 12 Days"

Just Scrap 12 Days Design and a Little Art

This year I'm making scrapbook pages and offering the templates for your use.
I love templates and repeat the use of them, sometimes changing them up quite a bit.

Hope you find these useful in recording your "Just 12 Days". A gift for the holidays from me to you.







These are available in Dropbox at this site.

Here are some sample pages I made from these templates. You'll see that templates come alive with not only your photos, story, and title; but, the digital product, shadow styles and layer effects add a lot to the page.  Shadow styles I use on my pages are from Fiddle-Dee-Dee, Mommyish and Karla Dudley.


Supplies: cartoon image - Shutterstock Image ID:457393717, Copyright: Kazakova Maryia; washi tape - kwiniecki, eclectic ; buttons - DigitalDesignEssentials, Playful; stitching - treed, hello stitches ;  Patterned paper -  DDE, Playful; word art - blogovesta gosheva, free2beme; feather - feather6 by Stella; flower - TheDailyDigi85, HappyFresh, justbecausestudio


Supplies: Fonts - cherryla ornaments, Avenir light 65 medium, another shabby, traveling typewriter; Kit - Pixels&Co, genniferbursett,naughty christmas



Supplies: Fonts - Avenir, Traveling Typewriter; Kit - TheDailyDigi91, K Cronin-Barrow, Joie de Vivre; staple - OneLittleBird, Thrive 

Supplies: Fonts - AvenirLT65 Medium, Traveling Typewriter; Kit - OneLittleBird, Peartree


Supplies: Fonts - Avenir, Traveling Typewriter; Kit - DigitalPress, Gilded, AnitaDesigns, KarlaDudley, stitches - treed, Pixels&Co, HappyPlace, MeredithCardall


I'm working on other templates, so check back if you like these. If you do decide to use these in a mini album let me know. I'd love to see your pages. Remember, templates are not rigid or static. A few can work for very different pages for 12 days of scrapping. You can even make a mini book with just pages of one template and even one kit. 
I am trying to learn Camtasia; and, if I am successful, I'll make videos of creating these pages and more. I plan to give insights into how I scrap, use Photoshop tools and work with templates. I'll let you know.

Right now I'm waiting on my podcast. It has been submitted to iTunes and the website is built, though not yet available. I plan a Facebook page and FB group page, too. It's all very exciting. My first group of guests has been a delight to interview and I'm sure you'll enjoy their stories. I'll update on that info, too, as soon as I have the details.

How is your holiday planning? Most reading this know I'm a fan of Sun Basket. Good things to prepare and eat delivered to your door. There are also great recipes for cookies on the website. Those require shopping; no dessert ingredient deliveries, yet. They do have a party in a box for about 8 people that will make entertaining easy. Check it out. It's available to order until Dec. 22 for New Year (and for the rest of the 12 days of Christmas) delivery the week of Dec. 26.  Happy entertaining!
Here's my affiliate link to their site. 



Sunday, December 11, 2016

December Birthdays, Magic and Secret Weapons

I have a birthday in December. This year was a very lovely celebration.
As a child, I did not like having a December birthday. I believe I've told this story before. Money was very tight at my house, and there was no way that my birthday would be anything special. I remember my thirteenth birthday with sadness. No party, there may have been a cake at dinner, I'm not sure. I got fifty cents and a white half slip that had so little lace on the bottom edge only that you almost needed a microscope to view. I was hurt, disappointed and angry.
When I was a little child birthdays got to be more fun because I shared them at a family party with my cousin Darrell who was celebrating his, too. The dates are only three days apart. It was affordable for my parents to share the cost. I remember those parties with fondness.
My husband is not the best of gift givers. He loves to be practical. After my childhood, I so much want to celebrate with frivolity! In some past years, I arranged my own glamorous celebration by getting tickets to the Crocker Ball. It was a way to celebrate and to support a favorite charity. However, it was more fun to bring along family members. Now, with increased ticket prices, going as a group has become too expensive. Maybe for my next "decade" birthday it might be an extravagant indulgence. Nonetheless, my husband, despite gifts of kitchen utensils and a electronics charging station, did treat me to a hot fudge sundae at Leatherby's and the next night a dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Cielito Linda.















Those were fun celebrations and more of what I enjoy about birthdays! Of course, sharing memories is great fun and the
California International Marathon is always near my birthday, too. I almost missed this shot of the front runner!


My son, Chris, had Cal and me join his family for the annual lighting of the State of California Christmas tree before dinner at Tres Hermanas, another special Mexican restaurant that my grandson enjoys. Here is a page I made to celebrate the tree lighting ceremony. I'm working on other pages to remember the evening. Creating things is a passion.


This is a lift of a page design by Lisa Truesdell. Supplies: Lynn Grieveson kit - fresh festive; Scrapaneers stitching and enamel dots; font - Traveling Typewriter; shadows - FiddleDeeDee and Mommyish; washi tape - blueflowerart - harmony, dawn inskip - autumn elements, MLE - holiday cookies, Karla Dudley - rad bundle; mesh - KAagard, freewheeling

At Get It Scrapped, we have been participating in "Your December Story" where Debbie Hodge encourages us to tell our story following "The Hero's Journey." My son, Joe, is my "secret weapon." I request, as my birthday gift, that Joe decorate my tree since he has no money. He does a beautiful job, and it's no small task - I have 500 ornaments. He helps with the rest of the decorating including the outdoor lights, too, and the undecorating; but I treat him for those efforts. With my neck problem and Cal's advanced age and health challenges, too, Joe is the secret weapon to a lot getting done around here. Folding the sheets, taking out the trash or moving it to the curb, emptying the dishwasher, hanging pictures, or just getting things organized. He's always helpful. He also helps by enjoying the treats Cal cooks and watches football with Cal, too. It takes the pressure off me and helps me keep the weight off! Joe is my "special gift," without whom, I'd not be ready for the holidays.
It's an extended birthday, too. My stepson and his family are planning a dinner out with me and Cal.
The moments with family and the memories we share are some of the best parts of birthdays and celebrations. Those gifts are the most precious of all.

My continuing dating saga

 This morning, I criticized a supposed professional for lousy spelling when replying to a brief text message on a dating site. If grammatica...