Winter Wrap up!

Looks like winter is preparing to leave like a lion.   The warnings are up but I do hope to get away tomorrow for art 101 with the grand kiddies.  We have a sketch date at the library!  :O

I have been working on my garment selections for wrapping up the season.   Seems I need to lose the dark colours and embrace the lighter.  I can do that.  The next grouping will be more colourful.  This is my winter capsule.  I won't be buying much more black.

I seemed to have hit a wall with the journal updates and so I just cleared the deck desk, put my head down and got at it!  I shoveled away all the bits and pieces and used the glue stick liberally.  I'm not quite done but I'm to the point where a finish is in sight.  Hopefully that won't happen again.

I ordered a few clothes internationally and I won't be doing that again.  $54 duty!  I never paid that for any art supplies.  sheesh!  I shall be wrapping myself with stuff from theBay.  I like online shopping but not the duty for international stuff.  TheBay is Canadian, online, and I can do easy returns if I'm not happy.

 I am doing up all the laundry for our star boarder.  He should be back home by the end of the week.  There will be a little less game playing and more creative stitching.  I will put finishing touches to the guest room and send the bunk beds off to Joshua as his room is slated for finishing this month as well.  It is a small room and my custom bunks fit wonderfully.  Downsizing.  I luv it!

Not a lot crossed off my list but a good start.  That's a wrap!

Canada is cool!

I have never seen the flowers so lush.  They celebrated with a tremendous show of blooms.  Lots more to come, especially if it stays cool and rainy.

The Rooster and I celebrated Canada Day and his day off by tackling his own to-do list.  The Yellow Barn,  which may come heir to some left over barn red paint.  Won't that be confusing!  lol  It doesn't look like much but inside we have clean and organized.  The Rooster prefers to work out in the open but that old worktable collected so much stuff that it is now gone.  We've filled in the hole the dogs dug under it and other various dips in the landscape.  His saw horses are still handy but grass cutting is gonna be so much simpler.  whoo hoo!  Red barn next.

We finished up the day with a lovely dinner at a local restaurant. Lazy Tuesdays!  How is that for a name!  The glass of wine probably didn't help but I finally gave up watching the clock and went off to bed.  Happy Birthday, Canada.

Thursday I had sped off to the city with my Michael's coupons.  I plan my route to include all 3 stores.  shhh- its a secret.  I was quick because the bad news was that the new happy planner is all over Michaels.  I had ordered mine from afar.  :(   Oh well.  I see they have a punch and clips for making your own.  So I did not cruise the store but settled on some basics and spent my money on accumulating neccesities for the grand kiddies planners.  So happy as I like this system which I view more as a diary than a planner.  And the pages flip out so easily for working on and adding to.  I got my Ikea towel bar, updated my CAA membership and scooted home to study my supplies and plan my gift journal.

My reading is down to previewing books for the grand kiddies and how to tutorials.  oops!  In my hurry to get my blogging schedule happening I may have clicked okay for a camera setting too quickly.  I'll fix it for next post.  Still, ya can't blur a good Canadian heroine!  She's cool!

I had ordered some dvd's for learning here at home.  Wouldn't ya know that the most important one was on back order and may be stuck in the postal strike negotiations.  Not cool, Canada Post!

And just because the flowers are so very pretty...

I just luv my white garden.  Not so much the Rooster, who is a very colourful Ukrainian.   I expect he and I will have a knock down drag 'em out 'discussion' on the next garden we plan.   Not so cool but it does add some spice to the day to day diary!!!  ;^)

64 and counting!

Yesterday my girls and I could hardly wait to get back to the Coop and Saucer Playroom to open the package that I got in my mailbox.  What a lovely surprise from Miss Createology herself, Sherry!  We had a lovely chat about the gift that Givers are in this crazy world.  Thank you, Sherry.
 

 Now we all want to know how that gorgeous woven chain was made.  And that little pin holder!  Too cute!

I am too busy January first setting up goals and objectives for the coming year to start a new year long project so I decided to do a calendar journal that kept pace with my birthday year. June to June.  I was hard at it all the way to March and then I kinda fizzled.  I do have the data on the calendar.  I think the double entry kinda did me in.  lol

I think 12 different homemade journals with one entry just might be better so I'm trying that this year. 

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  And guess what, the speed limit for doing everything goes up every year.  So that'll be me buzzing past at 64 clicks per hour!  LOL

s'done

February, that is!

I found that deer that got away!

I spent more time on the backgrounds and that was good but I'm wondering why I am making notes on a calendar and then doing it again for the journal!  lol

Ha!  It is noticeable. I had some techie help from my good friend, Margi, as we addressed the crankiness of my 'puter'.  In my multi tasking, I pasted the photo in upside down but it just helps shake out the dust bunnies the photo was illustrating!    Thanks, Margi.  The 'puter is humming instead of growling!  :)

It really has not been cold, at least not as cold as the colours are portraying.  Time to march into some warmer colours!

I can't hardly believe after all the time wasting I have done this month, I have these pages done on time.

Hmm, winter is officially over in March and yes, we can get some nasty storms.  But daylight is lengthening and my hope for spring is blossoming.  What colour will the March pages be???

Some extra stuff.

I started the second half of my calendar journal.  To make things easier I am using another binder.  I hope to combine both halves into one big binder when I'm done.  My year begins and ends in June.

I had done all my backgrounds on one day and then I spent most of Thursday afternoon adding the particulars.

 My pocket ideas have a tendency to get away on me but I wanted to write in my goals.

First week and the lack of a new calendar to make notes on showed!  :O

Second week and I focused on the highlight!

 Third week and I'm trying to K I S S!  :)
.

Fourth week and I'm needing some colour.

Fifth and last week.  Maybe February will have a bit more warmth.  Ha!

out with the old...

A few more things before I can officially get started on 2013!

December's calendar journal pages were going to be a cooler colour theme.

I had some very old paper and a new set of paper and matching embellishments.

The highlight here was my housecleaning purge!

Then in the middle of the next week was 12/12/12 and that has a plastic divider with my 12 tags.

I should have positioned the tags further down but I am learning to leave things and just do better next time.

I'm beginning to 'get' this and even today I saw some tags that have me all excited about January's journal.

Deliberate contrast here.  A photo of  'my angels' doing kitchen work and then next day getting messy with home made presents and decorations.

Party time, we did dress for the occasion!  Then the only thing the Rooster and I did on boxing day was relax and talk about what we we would do tomorrow and then in the new year.

We finished the year quietly.  I had a thought for the January page.  But you will have to wait because I already have a better idea.  But the journal pages are done for 2012. It looks like I can fit them all in this 3 ring binder I have but I may have to store the first six months separately rather than try to keep them all on while I add the last six months of my birthday year, June to June.  I am also thinking of better ways to stay up to date and even simplify things a bit.

Now to get a few more things figured out and then I shall be sprinting from the starting gate and trying to match the paperwork to the actual projects and get some fabric projects happening as well.

Not quite finished.

I wanted to try the grunge look for November for my calendar journal. I'm glad the month is done although it has lots of weeks!  lol

I only used red which works but was a bit of a challenge.  Writing on dark paper is also a challenge.

But red really worked for Poppy Day.  I remembered I had a photo of my Dad that we found after my mum died and I came across it as I was purging stuff today so I was very happy at the timing for this page.

I also remembered to leave some space for the grand kiddies helping clean our stove.  Definitely grungy!

I thought I was making good time till I realized there were five weeks in November and I'm losing light rapidly.  I should have the last week done for a Saturday show and tell instead of  my Friday Finish.  vbsigh

Motivated!

I'm not sure where I got this particular photo from but it adequately portrays my attempt to get moving in spite of the time change and the absence of the grand kiddies.

So lets get that Monday Motivation bouncing. lol

My calendar journal was buried and needed resurrecting.

My start and I think I'm going to loose the scrap book stuff.  It is quick but doesn't play so nice so I will be tweaking the date.

Again a nice scrap book paper but I'm having a challenge to get the rest of the spread to play nice.

But I did get moving and the playroom is ready and motivated.  I think I can make some lemonade from the lemon!

Taking Time for Thanks

I try to be thankful everyday but the calendar says today is the day to be especially thankful.  :)

Sundays are always a full house and yesterday was no exception.  The Rooster's cooking always inspires my heartfelt gratitude.  :)

So with the special thankfulness expressed I am free to get Moving on Monday  launched.

I am working away on my September calendar pages but I also paused to consider the addition of a fall canvas for the entry way.  Eliana says it is beeeeootiful!  It pays to pick the right judges! lol

I tried my Silks and my light molding paste.  I really like the paste.  I should perhaps have experimented a bit as I smudged some that overlapped but this is such a cool way to add texture.  Shoot!  Now I need some more stencils as a lot of mine have fine lines and this technique just begs for larger open spaces as opposed to lines.

This shows the Silks which goes on like paint and add lots of shine. It does enhance the magazine page but doesn't hide edges real well. Ah, I have the little jar in hand and it isn't a paint, it is an acrylic glaze.  Not only did I leap in without changing my good clothes, I skipped any of the how to's!  lol   This is okay but I doubt it'll remain this way as I learn better ways to get that idea in my mind translated to the canvas.

The calendar pages are evolving as I try different things.  I am also playing catch up.

I want to treat the one side as the journal entries and the other as a canvas.  This needs more work.

This is better.  The tags are scrapbook paper cut to fit the individual pocket spaces.

Change up as I will try writing on the spaces that the sewn line delineated.  I also worked the basic page backgrounds for the month in advance.  It does have its disadvantages!  Then I dab things on and they end up being less than appropriate so I'll be doing them weekly now with an eye to the current theme as well as the following page.



I wanted to try the colour wheel tree again and these teeny leaves are a bit fiddly.  This will be for the week the hurricane force winds blew all the leaves off and away!

Life very often plays out with little regard to lists and plans but that is also okay. This camper scene was a temporary renovating provision.  But it has turned cold and muddy.  Winter boots and mittens are the general play gear.  The renovation is a bit behind schedule.  We had some kind of wet, sloppy snowy, icy storm come through Friday and power was out just half a mile away from us. The 'other' side of the tracks!    Town declared an emergency as hydro towers and poles crumpled under the weight of freezing wet snow and high winds. The kids just got snow but the renovations and  hydro hook up are delayed and the windows aren't arriving till mid month.  Tis chilly in the camper so...  

The newly approved schedule just may come in for some real testing as we adjust to a fuller household!