All Cleaned Up...

PHEW!

I did it! I am done creating/making/kitting/teaching classes for the rest of the year. Now I can focus on my albums and crafts for a bit and I am so excited!! So I headed to my craft space and thought "Wow. I need to get this place cleaned up and organized!"

I also took advantage of this clean up to throw some items into my purge box! Items I looked at and knew instanty, "This has got to go!" After a few good hours of cleaning, organizing and windexing, I was in a much better spot to start creating.

 Sam said, "WOW, Mom! Good job!"

Jason said, "I didn't know you had such a large table in here."

Such support is good for the soul!

 I really enjoy the hour or two that my space stays clean. As soon as I start to create, I will be back to the only clean place to scrap...a 12x12 square right in front of me with all my "stuff" in a circle around me!  It was wonderful while it lasted!

New Hair!

Who's the new dude with the new do?

Right back at ya, Mr. Rico Suave !

December Daily...

HERE WE GO AGAIN!!

I am starting to think about my next MINI book, a December Daily. 

What is that? 

Another scrapbook idea that I have failed at terribly. 

The concept is to take a picture every day during the month of December to put in an album of your choice. Why December? Because that is such a busy month that you have tons going on so plenty of opportunities to snap a photo. Not to mention all that   extra time to scrap a picture a day in the busiest month of the year!! 

So, why in the world would I EVER do this again? 

Well, I am going for something TOTALLY different this year.

 I hope.

First, I have already picked out my album.

 

It is a 6x8 Sn@p red burlap album. 

I already have an idea for the cover, but time will tell.

(OK...obviously I need a new attitude and make some decisions!!) 

 

Idea: Wrapping ribbon around the front like this shows. But I won't be doing the sequins!

I have explored several options and versions of the December Daily. I have  tried to make it a December Journal, without daily dates/numbers, just keep track of things that happen in December.

But I still get very overwhelmed and have yet to fully complete an album. So, this year I am going to take my ideas from the "Photo a Day" challenge. 

WHAT??

A photo a day..didn't you just day that did NOT work for you?

The thing is, I don't have to think of what to take a picture of! The "Photo a Day" list tells me exactly what I need to do!

Here is the list that I am going to be using during December from Fat Mum Slim.

 So, on the first day I am to take a picture of something red..anything that is red! Easy!! What I really like, is the little explanation/inspiration that the blogger includes for each day!

1. Red: Find something red, snap it and share it. This is also our charity prompt for the month.
2. Where I stood: Where ever you are, we want to see it.
3. Silver: Just like there’s a lot of red around, perhaps you’re seeing more silver too. Snap and share it.
4. Tiny: Take a photo of something tiny, or perhaps go back to our perspective technique and make something LOOK tiny.
5. In the cupboard: Perhaps you’ve hidden presents in the cupboard or want to show off your pantry. Any cupboard will do. Be creative. How can you make something so ordinary look more interesting?
6. Shadow: Take a photo of a shadow.
7. 6 o’clock: 6am or 6pm, take a photo of whatever you’re doing at that time.
8. I shop here: Whether you’re buying gifts, or groceries – share where you shop.
9. This is the weather today: What a fun way to see how the weather differs around the world. How’s the weather where you are today?
10. R is for…: Find something starting with R and share it.
11. Green: Find something green today and share a photo of it.
12. Joy is…: What creates joy in your life? Share it.
13. Composition: This is our photography technique post. Stay tuned for a post with details on how to achieve it!
14. Drink: This time of year is all about eating, drinking and being merry, right? Share a drink photo.
15. Lights: Share a photo of some lights.
16. Makes you feel merry: What makes you feel happy? We want to see it.
17. Tree: Whether it’s a Christmas tree, or a part of nature – we’d love to see your tree today.
18. Big: Earlier in the month we shot tiny, now find something BIG to capture in a photo.
19. ‘Tis the season to…: Dance? Eat? Give? Love? Laugh? What do you think?
20. I’m listening to…: What can you hear right now?
21. On the door: Take a photo of something on a door.
22. Sparkly: Twinkle, twinkle… can you show sparkly in a photo?
23. Tradition: Show a tradition, whether it’s new or old, part of what your family does or something else.
24. Wrapped: Take a photo of something wrapped. It could be a burrito or a gift {or something else}. Easy!
25. Best bit of your day: Merry Christmas to you {if that’s how you celebrate!}. Show me the best bit of your day today.
26. Where you slept: At this time of year lots of people travel or stay with family, so I thought it would be cool to see where everyone slept last night.
27. What you’re doing now: What are you doing today? Or even right now? Share it.
28. Something awesome: Share something completely awesome.
29. Reflect: Best bit of 2013: When you look back at the year gone by, what’s one of the best bits that happened? How can you share that in a photo?
30. You: Let’s see one of your last selfies for 2014! Go on.
31. Celebrate: Hopefully you’re celebrating the end of a fab year and bringing in a new one. Show us how you’re celebrating.

I am still thinking through creating the album. Several gals I work with, create the album before December and just add pictures during the month.  This is my control weirdness coming out...what if I want the picture for that day to be a 6x8, but  I have already prepped and designated a 3x4 pocket for that day?  Yea...I know...get over it.  

I have several options when it comes to album pages for the 6x8 size. But, I think I am going to limit it to 6x8 and 4x6 refill pages. These pocket pages can be easily sewn to create any size that I am needing. I am also planning on stocking up on these little life savers: Photo Flips!

 

This will give me the ability to put pictures or memorabilia anywhere in the album. 

Now for the pieces to use in the album.

I purchased a packet of 3x4 December Journaling cards at Memory Bound. Actually, I purchased everything in this post from Memory Bound.

 

For the majority of my album I am going to use the Simple Stories DIY Christmas packs.

 

 

I will be using the Sn@p 'tis the season stickers and 3x4, 4x6 cards along with the insta squares and pieces. The above product will blend nicely with this more colorful items.

 

 

 

So, how can I possibly fail this year? I have the product, album and exactly what I am to do all laid out. I can do this. Now off to take a photo of something red! I KNOW...a cup of coffee from Starbucks! 

Let the Festivities Begin!

It's officially up!

Well, to be honest, it's been up for a week!

This is the first time ever we have put up our tree before Thanksgiving and..... I actually like it! It's not decorated, but I get to enjoy the lights at night!

#TBT

Throw Back Thanksgiving!

These are pictures from our Thanksgiving in 2010. I first posted this in 2011, but I think the pictures capture the boys personalites perfectly! I cannot remember exactly what was happening, but it might have gone something like this....


"Boys, I would like to show you the things that are inside the turkey. First, is the heart."

Sam is suddenly having flashbacks to the movie Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom where the guy takes the heart out of a live person! My mom is digging for the next specimen to share.

"Oh Nanny! Do I have to learn about that?!?!?  Was the turkey alive when you did that?" Yes, that would be a statement from Sam...sometimes his logic leaves him at times of stress.

Sam in the background, "Oh Mom!! Is Nanny going to take out my heart?!?!?"

Mom continues, "Now I would like you to see the neck of the turkey. Do you know you can make a soup from the neck?"  Jack is starting to get a bit interested in all of this...  

Sam has about three more seconds before he will have to run to the bathroom. Hey! Where's Jack?  

 

I should have known!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

#TBT

#TBW
(throwing back today since tomorrow is a holiday!)

This was the boy's first attempt at a lemonade stand!

 It was a warm afternoon and Sam thought this would be great thing to do and an easy way to get LOADS of money!

Unfortunately, we didn't live on a busy street. We had a few "local" customers and one car that stopped.

(Jack doesn't even have shoes on!)

 Jack was drinking the product and Sam was getting bored.

And about 15 minutes later.

They were done.

The Season has Begun...

Basketball season is upon us and I love it! (And not just because I am an ISU fan and they are ranked number 13...just had to point that out!) Sam had his first tournament in Ames and let's just say that his team has a few things to work on!

 Sam has been working hard at his basketball skills and was super excited to have the season begin,but also had beginning of the season butterflies!

 And wouldn't you know it. 4 minutes into the first game and JAM! It was his right had this time...not the thumb he chipped in September. He continued to play and was pretty sore by the end.

 

Sam plays post due to his size, which really isn't all that big compared to the guy he had to guard! Yep, he guarded the guy in white..Sam is number 53 tucked behind on the right.

 I really enjoy watching him play. He had four games and in this one, the boys played so hard and were in a rhythm. Unfortunately, that isn't going to get us any taller! The other kiddo just had a height advantage and made it loo so easy!

 Yep, Sam gets to tip off the ball each game. Our tall guy from last year went to play for another team and so it's up to Sam!

 Sam got it! It's all about the timing and he was good to go on this one! Or did the other guy give him a little boost?

A New Addiction...

So I am jumped on the bandwagon and have been listening to 
Serial on podcast on my iphone.

And I'll tell you what I'm addicted and I can't figure it out! I go back and forth..Adnan didn't kill Hae. Ohhh...yep I think he did kill her! Then more evidence is shared and more interviews are conducted and I change my mind...again! I am stumped!!

What is Serial?
Serial is a podcast where they unfold one nonfiction story, week by week, over the course of a season. (At this time, I don't know how long a season is.) They'll stay with each story for as long as it takes to get to the bottom of it.

They'll release new episodes every Thursday morning. Listeners can subscribe for free to the Serial podcast on iTunes and other audio platforms. (I am listening it to it on my iphone. The app is available through the app store or the iphone 6 comes with the app already loaded.)

Here is the story that season one is covering:

On January 13, 1999, a girl named Hae Min Lee, a senior at Woodlawn High School in Baltimore County, Maryland, disappeared. A month later, her body turned up in a city park. She'd been strangled. Her 17-year-old ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, was arrested for the crime, and within a year, he was convicted and sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. The case against him was largely based on the story of one witness, Adnan’s friend Jay, who testified that he helped Adnan bury Hae's body. But Adnan has always maintained he had nothing to do with Hae’s death. Some people believe he’s telling the truth. 

Many others don’t.

Sarah Koenig, who hosts Serial, first learned about this case more than a year ago. In the months since, she's been sorting through box after box (after box) of legal documents and investigators' notes, listening to trial testimony and police interrogations, and talking to everyone she can find who remembers what happened between Adnan Syed and Hae Min Lee fifteen years ago. What she realized is that the trial covered up a far more complicated story, which neither the jury nor the public got to hear. The high school scene, the shifting statements to police, the prejudices, the sketchy alibis, the scant forensic evidence - all of it leads back to the most basic questions: How can you know a person’s character? How can you tell what they’re capable of?
 *****************************************************
I have been listening to Serial in the car and while I work in my craft room! It's great! I am sure some of you remember listening to "stories" on the radio! It is exactly like that, but on our electronic devises! It kind-of cracks me up to think that we have made another big circle...instead of listening to the radio, we listen to pod casts!

Anyway...Are you listening??
 

 

#TBT

Throw Back Thursday! 

 

Caught the boys watching a little TV in their recliners!

How sweet that Sam put a pillow in Jack's chair! How sweet that Jack it holding onto Sam...some things never change!

What's You Strength Move?

Mom, Check this out!

Yep, Sam is balancing himself between two walls. These are thing you do when you can't go outside due to it being so stinking cold!!

 

Well, it didn't take long for Jason's wheels to start turning!

 

Ta Da!!

Impressive!

No, I didn't try. I would hate to out do the boys! (HA!)