Nothing Fancy, Just Thursday

My sister gave me this book for Christmas and I've thumbed through it at least a dozen times now. My Non was a seamstress and her back room had her sewing machine set up.....buttons, threads, scrap fabric...this is what I remember of her back room. At a young age I had an interest in learning to sew most likely because of her. I've sewn a number of things here and there over the years but never with the skill of my Non. One of the things on my "bucket" list is to make a quilt. Now, I've made simple quilts such as rag quilts and totally love them but I want to make a traditional quilt.....I'm not up to that challenge yet but the simple projects in this book will get me motivated in that direction.

Today I'm going to make pillow cases. Yes, these are very simple but these pillow cases are leading me into making a duvet cover for our bed. 

Fabric scraps will be used on a canvas to create a background for a painting that is brewing. Today I will also work on my Art Journaling. I am challenging myself to Art Journal everyday in January.....good or bad, I will be journaling! Lets hope I can keep to my challenge :)

New Years Eve Thoughts from a Reformed Bad Girl

In a few days we will all be ringing in the New Year. Resolutions, good eating and lots of drinking are a few traditional ways many of us chose to celebrate. Well in advance of your celebrating I want to remind everyone of the options that you have to possibly save your own life or the life of others. You know New Years Eve is coming so plan ahead by do the following:

:: If you live in an area that offers Tipsy Towing by AAA, they drive you and your car home for free on New Years Eve.

:: If you live in Rochester, we do not yet have Tipsy Towing so you can call Designated Drivers of Rochester.

:: If you've had to much to drink or think you've had too much...call a friend, call family or designate a driver at the start of your night.

:: You can always party but NOT drink. If you have ever been at an event where someone else is drunk and you're not, you've seen just how stupid drinking really is. Yes, it feels good (temporarily) and you feel carefree but you are most likely behaving like an idiot.

I remember how much fun I thought I was having while drunk and also remember the regret I had the next day. I don't often speak out about this but I've lost so many friends because of this and just want to remind people of choices they have.

Christmas

Christmas is such a warm, wonderful time of year its hard to see it move on.  Its at this time of year that people seem a little bit nicer to one another, people smile a little bit more often and forgive one another a little quicker. Wouldn't it be nice if we all had this Christmas spirit in our hearts for longer than just a day or a month.....wow, now that would be a gift.

I've had so many wonderful things go on this Holiday season....time spent with my sister, holiday presentations at school with my art students, a night out with my eldest niece, dinner with good friends, going to see the play A Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve with my husband, Christmas Eve dinner with family, cooking that dinner with my niece and then celebrating Christmas Day with family. Spending time with those you cherish is really the best gift of all.

I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday too. This week I'm off from work and will start my New Year organizing and getting ready for a big party we are having here..........always something to do right?!

Enjoy!

One Minute Writer- Color

Since I've been in a blogging slump I figured I'd do some prompts to recharge myself. I visited the One Minute Writer blog and noted their prompt for the day ( this was Sundays prompt) was Color.........write a negative emotion a certain color gives you........hmmmmm. I really had to think. I decided to select a color(s) that were closely tied to me being in big trouble as a kid. I happen to love these colors too ....just not when this shirt was worn by my mother.

Blue and Green Striped Shirt
I love colors. Bright happy cheerful colors! So its funny that the two colors that I happen to love the most are also two colors that filled me with dread during my childhood. You see, my mother had this shirt....a sleeveless, v-neck, Navy blue and chartreuse striped shirt that was out to get me! No matter how well my day was going, if that shirt showed up on my mother, I knew I was going to be in some big trouble at some point in the day. This shirt really seemed to have power over my mother causing her to get really angry at ME. She could start the day just fine but once Ms. Sleeveless, V-Neck, Navy Blue and Chartreuse Striped Shirt was put on............the mood of the day began to grow dark. Years later when I as an adult I told my mother about that shirt.........I remembered trouble I got into because of that shirt and just how much I hated it. Was it the shirt or the pairing of colors??? I don't know All I can say is I hate that shirt colors and all!

Beautiful Things Today

Oh, this is Melissa, our music teacher....she has the best expressions and this one was snapped during our ornament making this afternoon.

Typically, Three Beautiful Things is written on Fridays but I feel like doing it a little early this week. Here are my Three:

:: When co-workers come together for crafty fun. I had a number of teachers and staff come down for a quickie Ornament Painting class after school. A great ending to the day.

::  Wet kisses from my two dogs. They simply love unconditionally and are always happy to see me. I love them so.
:: A great slice of cheese pizza! Its simple but its amazing how different each pizza place can make cheese pizza taste. Cam's is one of my most favorites...never disappointed.
:: Relaxing on the couch under a snuggly blanket. I rarely just sit but tonight it feels wonderful. I am going to enjoy every minute of it.

Holiday Spirit

November was a very busy month with shows every weekend. December has been busy too but in a festive way. I've done fun holiday things with family and friends. I took a Holiday a arrangement making class with my sister at a local garden store and an Italian Holiday cooking class with my niece at our area culinary institute and met a good friend for dinner just the other night........ I'm looking forward to seeing A Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve with my sweetheart,  our After the Holiday Open House party in January and the Ornament quickie class I'm doing at work this week for co-workers.  Always a lot going on!

Along with all the Holiday fun, I've been slowly working on creating a Handmade Ornament tree for our home. Each year at our Holiday party I have guests paint ornaments as a gift that will hopefully remind them of a fun party at our home. I've created some different ornaments this year so my guests will have a choice of ornament they would like to make.

This year at our party I will offer ornaments decorated with Graffiti, scroll work, glitter, marbling, and paint & patterns. I have a few other examples to prepare but I think it will be a nice selection. I'm doing a quickie class at work for staff on Tuesday also........I thought it would be fun to get my crafty co-workers in the Holiday mood too.

Another artsy endeavor I'm taking is to once again focus on my Art Journaling. Last winter I really began to experiment in this area and I've continued here and there since then. I have a few new Art Journals waiting to be decorated so I'm contemplating doing a Page A Day starting in January.  If I do a page a day for a year..... thats a hugh commitment......it would be a challenge........I'm seriously thinking about it. But I could also do A Page A Day for the month of January....that is more reasonable.......something I might be able to do.......not without a struggle however since I know I won't always be inspired by anything.

I've been happily enjoying the Holiday spirit by being involved with family and friends. I'm already thinking of the new year by planning on whats next this January.  I hope you are enjoying all these days before the Holiday doing festive fun things with your family too. Time spent with family & friends is the best gift I could receive or give. We often don't give people in our lives enough of our Time......Time is what memories are made from......Christmas Eve and Christmas Day go by in a flash......I hope you will enjoy each day before the actual day arrives!