Values and Quotes

In September, as part of Aby Garvey's Time Management course, she had us do an exercise to (1) determine and then (2) prioritize our goals. I went all Pottery barnish and used to computer to make my list look like a colourful sort of mini bus roll. Then, I bought a $5 frame and "distressed" it.

Tonight, as I was hunting down quotes for the calendar project, it occurred to me to use the values as categories to find quotes that I could believe in. I even thought that defending their truth would make for interesting essays--but I'll spare you.

Here's what I've found:

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage.” Anais Nin

[Nothing suitable for responsibility. Hard to find something that didn’t sound too preachy.]

“Joy is not in things; it is in us.” Richard Wagner

"The journey between what you once were and who you are now becoming is where the dance of life really takes place." -Barbara DeAngelis

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” The Dalai Lama

“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.” George Bernard Shaw

(This is the quotation I found to speak for excellence.)

“It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required.” Sir Winston Churchill

“Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice.” Baruch Spinoza

[Nothing suitable for beauty.]

“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” Sir Winston Churchill

[Respect and vitality? Nothing. But I did like these others, below.]

“Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same.” - Francesca Reigler

“People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built.” -Eleanor Roosevelt

"Whoever is happy will make others happy, too." Mark Twain.

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” Cicero

So, there we go. A little something for your quotation collection.

Soul Cake

My daughter is learning this on her recorder for school.

We went a'hunting on You-Tube--this is what we found.



We also found Sting's version which was cool but my daughter didn't really like it.

I'm still working on those projects!

Coming Up: Project Week

No, not those sorts of projects, the ones that still need doing, like hemming and hanging curtains and so on. No, these are Christmas Projects. Three of them, to be exact.



Top left: the Advent project.

This tub full of small watch tins (which is what they were "officially" known as ten years ago before they were appropriated into spice jars and scrapbook embellishment containers) is put out by Wilton to hold wedding favours. I'm going to make round numbered disks for the top, buy some small chocolates and candy and come up with 25 activities for the kids and I to do. I'm really looking forward to it. This was the inspiration:


from: Ormolu! She also has a lovely Etsy shop where you can purchase these fabulous tags.

And that is....

Top right: the Daily December Album.

Ali Edwards (informally) heads up the annual project. Here are more details, about the project, if you're interested. Yes, in spite of the fact that I have not done my Vacation album, I have not finished my Week in the Life Album--and there are just one or two things left to do on my Me: The Abridged Version album, I am going to do this. I will likely post more about this project as it goes along.

And then....

Bottom left: The Calendar Project.

I bought a kit from Basic Grey --something I've never done before-- and I'm quite excited about using it. I spent about a day wondering why I'd bought it. I enjoy scrapbooking, I don't really need or want to simplify it. Nonetheless, I am rather tired of the whole Calendar thing. It's been several years, now, after all. Buying the kit will make this task go more smoothly--but it won't satisfy my need to play and create. I think that's a large part of why I decided to do the December Daily.

So, that's my weekend and next week accounted for. I'm not exactly sure how I am going to do this seeing as we will also be having our Investment Guy and a Life Insurance Rep in for appointments next week: and the "board room table" cum dining room table is also my scrap table, but I will figure it out!

Snowday!

Taken at 8:40am after waiting 30 minutes for the bus.
Temp: -14*C (wind chill -21*C)

I told my daughter she could stay home today.

Kitchen Cure, yep, Week 1.

But, it is a beauty.

I finally, finally, finally had all my supplies together to clean out (and clean!) one of my two over the counter kitchen cupboards.

Just to orient you: These are my kitchen cupboards. The shelves I tackled are on the right.

Supplies? What supplies?

It took me a while, But I settled on using good old fashioned quart (or Liter) canning jars for holding things I usually buy in floppy bags. And I bought shelf paper. Plain white shelf paper. I wanted something pretty: but I couldn't find anything that wasn't hideous (or clashed with my kitchen). So, I went with white.
Glad I did.

The embarrassing before:



ugh, ugh.



The shelves with the new paper: much better!


I did weed out a bunch of spice packets (chili mixes and the sort) and kept very few. So few, I didn't want a container for them: so I hammered in some picture hangers to hold them (those all wood cabinets have to be good for something!)


And so, you've waited long enough, you've earned it:



Ta Da!

I'm feeling mighty smug.

Coming Soon: Advent

image: Pottery Barn.

I know it seems soon, but if I want to make anything, I need to get on it. I've been collecting ideas since last year. Most of them involve hanging up some sort of numbered container to hold things we can unfold or unwrap.

Here is my favourite idea: Little pyramidal boxes.

photo: Julie Ree

The best tutorial is from T. Mathews Fine Art. I like how she adapted it to use Scrapbook paper.



I do love felt, though. Our vintage tree skirt is felt applique made eons ago by my Aunt.


These felt pockets from all sorts may be a bit on the small side? I don't know.

Here's another hanging felt idea: the classic stocking.


Aren't these cute? photo and tutorial from: Knit and purl grrl

Here's a modern take on a traditional felt calendar:


photo and tutorial from purlbee

Design sponge featured this fairly simple but elegant envelope pocket based countdown "calendar."

photo and tutorial: design sponge

A more colourful and even easier take on that idea is this one by quietfish. The envelopes could even be kept in a basket (and I could have one for each child to open). She filled hers with activities. I would like some room for a bit of candy, though.

photo and tutorial from quietfish

This bucket idea could not be more simple:



photo: John Lewis.

It's just a matter of finding the buckets. Of course, if I did that, then I suppose I could do this:


photo: Pottery Barn.

Kitchen Cure Week 1: The Freezer

Boom da da boom.