Scrappy Hearts

Just to Remind Myself

I posted one day earlier this week that my word for 2011 is “create”. Every once in a while, when I do not feel like I have had enough creative time, I will remind myself of all the things I create.

Today I created.....

     - a safe learning environment for my students inspite of the challenges.

     - a birthday party just big enough for two for a very special first grader.

     - an opportunity for a colleague to share a concern, and offered support.

     - an opportunity for some friends to play.

     - a dynamite writing lesson.

     - dinner for my nieces and Mark. 

     - a comfortable place for my nieces to stay while their parents are away.

     - a cool, tenty sort of space for my nieces to sleep. (They loved it.)

Girl Colors

I have always loved Thursdays, mainly because they are the night before Friday and that means the weekend is real close! These days I am loving Thursdays for a different reason - tutoring. Yes, tutoring. I spend my Thursdays tutoring 4 different students.

While I enjoy all of my students, my Thursday night 1st graders are the best! Tonight a very precocious young man explained to me the difference between boy colors and girl colors. I never knew. In a box of 24 crayons, there are only 7 girl colors. Only 7. In his words, "that's just the way it is."  Here are the boy colors, according to my little friend.

And here are the colors that are relegated to the girls.

Wow, after 52 years, I am enlightened!

Snow Day

What would you do with a free day? I must admit, that in the grand scheme of things, I have not made great use of this day. It all began with sleeping way too late. Note to self, don't turn off the alarm next time!

Next, big breakfast. I don't know about you, but snow calls for a hearty breakfast. For me, scrambled eggs and bacon! Yum!

Then, a whole lot of nothing much. Oh, little things got taken care of. I cleaned a small corner of my closet, found my new insurance card, discovered I do not have my pharmaceutical card and other stuff along those lines. 

I spent some time hanging out my windows taking pictures of the snow in my yard. I had hoped to get a picture of the finches at my feeder, but they were very leery of me perched at the window. The birds love to hide in the branches of my overgrown butterfly bush. They probably thought that I couldn't see them!

While I didn't get a picture of the birds, I think I can safely say that they were very happy that I filled the feeder just the other day.

It came time to shovel the sidewalk when the sun peaked through the grey - after 3. It was an easy job that got taken care of in a short amount of time. Mark and I then ventured out for a winter walk. I love to walk in the cold. Something exhilarating about the cold air on my face. Mark, on the other hand, is not a fan of the cold but he was a trooper.

The car is cleaned off ready to head back to work tomorrow. A full day of teaching and four tutoring sessions after. My day will end around 8pm. It is a good thing I took it easy today!

{snow}

The snow started to fall, lightly, as we drove over the Walt Whitman Bridge into Philadelphia. No snow once we hit Pennsylvania. We met Jason for a great dinner at one of my favorite little restaurants in South Philly, Carluccio's. It was the perfect spot to enjoy a good meal with my two favorite guys. As we enjoyed our dinner the snow began to fall. The beautiful picture window offered a view of the snow that cannot be compared. The icicle lights, still hanging on the awning, added to the picturesque quality of the scene laid out in front of us. Snowflakes, large and fluffy, drifted from the sky and landed lightly on on the trees lining the street.

  

Carluccio's is small and intimate - the perfect place to settle down and enjoy good conversation along with a great meal. Jason's friend Kristen joined us after she finished working for coffee and dessert. So nice to catch up after the holidays.

 Well, not exactly the kind of picture I was hoping for, but I take what I can get!

Even our self-portrait didn't turn out great but - it is what it is! A great dinner. A quick walk in the snow. A safe drive home. Who could ask for more?

Me! I want a snow day! The schools in my township have already announced that they will be closed tomorrow. I guess I will patiently wait for a call in the morning. I just home it comes! For tonight, a quick cup of tea and a great vantage point of falling snow. Bring it on!

Create.

Create, my word for 2011, and one thing I want to focus on in the new year. I have so many creative hobbies that it is easy for me to become distracted and that compromises my ability to complete projects.

i was afraid that my need to create would be lost in my rush to prepare my house to sell. Now that we will not be putting the house on the market in April, I can afford to take a little time each day to create. Boy does that make me happy. One project that absolutely allows me to create just a little each day is Becky Higgin's Project Life. I am having so much fun doing selecting photos, printing them and doing just a little each day.

I finished week one - today. Pretty good for a procrastinator like me! Here's a peek!  

I need to find a better place to take these photos, but you get the idea. I love the immediacy of the project. 

Making time to quilt, in the midst of working on the house, is also a priority for me. I need to sew to keep myself sane. That probably explains a lot about the past year! So, I have created a list of projects that are simple, in process and can be done in little snippets of time. I have already started work on Emma's quilt, sewing that is. William's quilt is in the process of being cut and Diane's quilt is complete! I am loving that my machine is set up in the same room that Mark has his office and I can go in there at any time - sew a bit and leave without having to put away the machine or supplies. Em's quilt is going to be gorgeous:

I am working hard to maintain balance in my life and that is not easy for me. But, so far, so good!

Weekend Calm

I love my weekends. By the time Friday night arrives, I am exhausted. I barely get anything done on Friday evenings. That's why, on this Friday evening, I decided to head to the quilt shop, sign up for a class and purchase some "on sale" fabric. For once I can say that I accomplished everything on my to-do list!

Weekends around here are much, well, more special these days and that has everything to do with Mark living with me. He tends to be a little more laid back than I am and he also believes that time needs to be put aside for relaxation. For us, relaxation translates to creative play. 

My weekends have generally been consumed by cleaning, laundry, and other tasks that, while important, are never ending and certainly not fulfilling. My habit was to eat on the run, literally. Or, as was more often the case, not eat at all. And, I had always avoided creative play until I had accomplished most of my work. Translated, I was staying up way past midnight to have any time for myself.

This past weekend was the first "non-holiday" weekend we have had since Mark has moved in and it was calm. The to-do list started out really long and while things got done, they were not done at the expense of relaxation. It is now after 8 and I am done working for the weekend.

Surprisingly, many things did get accomplished. For example, the ornaments are off of all the trees, except for one. Five boxes of Christmas decorations have been packed up for the next year. A big pot of soup, as well as a roast chicken and other healthy food options were made. I sat down to 5 meals over the weekend and even indulged in a wee bit of ice cream.

I finished the binding on a quilt for a friend. Something I am thrilled to have done. I cannot wait to ship it across country to warm her during the cold winter that Seattle is having!

My Project Life is beginning to take shape and well, I am loving the process.

Heading back to work tomorrow will be hard. The to-do list is still growing, but I am calmer and more relaxed than I have been in ages. Time to create rejuvenates me more than any other activity. Tonight I will spend a little time sewing and well, that makes me happy!

Twelfth Night

For me, Twelfth Night is the official end of the holiday season. Also known as Three Kings Day, it is the day that the three wise men arrive at the manger where the baby Jesus was born. 

The twelve days of Christmas actually begin on the 26th of December. Allowing those of us that over-indulge just a few more weeks of merry. 

I never enjoy the deconstruction of the holiday. I find it a very melancholy time. Usually I am alone and the house is just too barren without the decorations and the twinkling while lights. This year will be particularly bittersweet. Plans are moving forward and there is a strong possibility that I will not be in this house next holiday season. And, as much as I love my house, I love it more so during the holiday.  While I could begin to take the decorations down this evening, I think I'll wait just one more day. 

 

 

A Woman's Prerogative

That's right. It is a woman's prerogative to change her mind and I have done precisely that. 

Each year I chose a word of the year. A word that I think will help to guide me and my actions. the word that called to me for 2011 was "change". We have big plans for this year. Moving, finding a new job, creating a life shared, all while launching a new business. I'd say that that represents a good deal of change for the current year. Regardless of what we are actually able to accomplish, change is inevitable. 

About two days ago, "change" wasn't feeling like the right word for what needs to happen in the coming year. I have spent the past few days pondering the idea of my word and I believe I have found the perfect word for 2011. 

"Create."

I don't want to just change my life, I want to create a new life for myself, for Mark and I. Not that there is anything wrong with my current life, there really isn't. But, having said that, I still have so many dreams that I want to achieve. In order to do so I will need the strength and fortitude necessary to persevere and create the life I've dreamed about. The ability to "create" becomes essential.

So, as I plunge, nose-dive, perhaps, belly-flop into the future, I do so with intent and focus. Look out world this is one project that will not become a UFO! (fingers crossed!) 

 

Project Life 2011

I have taken on a project for the new year. Each year I try to do something special to document my year. My favorite projects to date have been the Year in the Life album workshops that I have offered monthly at my house. Since I am not sure that I will be here for the full year, I am reluctant to offer that project again this year. 

So, in with the new. I decided to take on Becky Higgin's Project Life. I have followed many scrapbookers that have taken on this project and made it their own and I have enjoyed watching their process. So, this year is my turn. Or, should I say, our turn. Since I did not make this decision until late on the 29th, I had Mark order the kit with his prime account which meant delivery in 2 days! Sweet!

On the 31st, my package arrived. Excited,thrilled and of course, over-whelmed. I always take on more projects than one person should, but this felt right.

Upon opening the box I found, well, another box! I think the packaging of the kit was very well thought out and I made a mental note of that to myself.

The anticipation was almost too much.

It just kept getting better!

Mark and I have begun charting our course for the year and I am looking forward to documenting all the little moments that will make this year special, together. That's right, Mark will be scrapbooking this with me! Gotta lova a new project that inspires you to create!

Speaking of new projects, I spent some time at the quilt shop today purchasing fabrics that will help me to finish up a few of the quilting projects I have hanging around my house. Once those are done, I have a really special quilt project that I cannot wait to undertake. 

Today is only the second day of the new year and I can tell already, it is going to be a great year!

1*1*11

Today begins the journey of a new year. I begin this year with Mark by my side and it is going to be spectacular. Look out world, this is our dream come true year.