Scrapbooking

The Random and Wacky Holidays sticker in my planner says that today is Scrapbooking Day but my search for a photo to include in this post brought up multiple images of Scrapbook Day as the first Saturday in May.  A little further research yielded this image from last year so one must assume that the same applies to 2017 - today is International Scrapbooking Day.  Click on the photo if you'd like to read the post from Stampin by the Sea.

I also like this one - I love Wordles.  It's from Stamped Blessings.

I never got into stamping as a technique in my scrapbooking.  I started out with the Creative Memories company in 1999 and when they went out of business (before they reformed and rejoined the scrapbook arena), I moved over to Heritage Makers.  Both have similar albums and pages and I purchase some supplies (scrapbook paper, stickers, tools, and adhesives) from both but I also supplement from scrapbook stores (when I can find one) or from Michael's or other craft stores that have a scrapbook section.

I am terribly behind on my scrapbooking and it's one of my goals to get my craft room in order so that I can get busy and catch up.  I'm definitely going to need more album storage! 

 I'll keep you posted.

Friday Favorites

A very busy schedule combined with a bit of a blogging funk led to little posting this week but I'm back with some of my faves to share.

I'm making Chocolate Mousse Cups for an upcoming ladies social event.  I love these Tuxedo Cups from Kane Candy - fill them with chocolate mousse and they are oh so divine.  I'm also very happy that I found them at Tuesday Morning; I used to have to buy them at a gourmet grocery shop in Washington and Tuesday Morning's price tag was much easier on the wallet.

Vic surprised me with this beautiful teapot for our anniversary.  It was on the cover of Tea Time magazine, featured in a Valentine's tea, and I commented on how beautiful it looked.  I can't believe that he actually remembered!  He ordered it from Bed Bath & Beyond and it had to be shipped to the house so he told me to watch for a package while he's gone this week.  I told him I would hold it until we could FaceTime and then I would open it but the box was very damaged when it arrived so I opened it right away.  It turned out that it was only the outside box and the inside box was well cushioned.  He left the receipt in his truck so I took it to Bed Bath & Beyond with a 20% off coupon and was able to pick up the creamer with the refund and since they had the sugar bowl in stock, I picked that up as well!  Plans for a belated Valentine's tea (since Vic was gone on Valentine's Day) are in the works.

Season 3 of When Calls the Heart is available on Netflix.  Since it's been a while since I watched the show, I went back to Seasons 1 and 2 to refresh my memory.  It's a great show and I'll have to do a little research but I'm almost positive one of the shots of the city of Hamilton in the show is the harbor area of Victoria, British Columbia.

I love these new Meal Plan stickers I bought for my planner from SplendidlyImperfect on Etsy.  I used to have a set of these Pyrex bowls - the rust-colored ones on the far left.  Not sure how I feel about them being listed as "vintage"!

And finally, the bargain of the week goes to these Luminara Flameless Candles in Burgundy.  They look like wax, feel like wax, and flicker like flame.  We sell them in the gift shop and they carry them at Bed Bath & Beyond.  I found three in burgundy, tucked at the back on the bottom shelf of a section marked Clearance.  They didn't have a price on them or a red sticker but when I asked for a price check, they came up as $11.49 for the 7-inch and $10.49 for the 5-inch.  They retail for $44.99 and $39.99 respectively so what a bargain that was!  And, since I had a 20% off my entire purchase from our recent move, they ended up being $9.59 and $8.39.

This is me, leaving Bed Bath & Beyond!

Happy Homemaker Monday 2/27/2016

My goodness, the end of February is almost here.  Where did the month go?

It's time for another Happy Homemaker Monday with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.  Click here if you'd like to join in .

The weather:::
Moderate temperatures forecast until Tuesday (75 degrees) and Wednesday (80 degrees - no, no, no!)  but they go back down again at the end of the week.  For most of the year, Virginia weather and I do not get along at all.

On my reading pile:::
Still working my way through the reading pile - no change from last week.  I have made an effort to spend more time reading so hopefully, I'll get at least one book finished this week.  I added this to my collection - couldn't resist the great price at Costco.  It's a beautiful book.

On my TV:::
No Mercy Street or Victoria last night.  We finished Season Two of Outlander and have to wait until September for the next installment of the adventures of Claire and Jamie Fraser.  I've been watching Edward the King on PBS Passport.

On the menu for this week:::
Steak, I think, will be on the menu tonight but after that, no clue.  Vic will be traveling so no doubt it will be snack-type food for me.

On my to-do list:::

• Volunteer shift at the gift shop
• Theater outing this week with a girlfriend - Vic and I bought tickets in December for an upcoming show but he won't be able to make it.
• Starting a Declutter Challenge March 1 (see below)
• Tax prep appointment with our bookkeeper

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::
No Wilton class after all this weekend - thoroughly disgusted with Michael's over the whole thing.  We signed up for four sessions in the month of February which was the only month that Vic would be home every Saturday.  The instructor decided to cram four classes into three so we made plans for the fourth Saturday, then she cancelled the third session and rescheduled it for the fourth Saturday (I could change my plans but Vic couldn't so that meant I would be going alone) and then she rescheduled again after I'd already changed everything I had scheduled to accommodate the new time she was requesting.  I was so fed up, I told her I would like a refund for the sessions we would not be getting and if she couldn't arrange that, then please forward the name of a supervisor or manager who could.  So disappointing.

Looking around the house:::
One load of laundry and unload the dishwasher.  Working hard to keep clutter at bay.

From the camera:::

Beautiful roses for our 24th wedding anniversary yesterday

Something fun to share:::

I'm starting this Declutter Challenge on March 1.  If  you'd like a set of your own stickers for your planner, journal, or calendar, you can find them at Lisa Lorene Plans on Etsy.

Today is also Kahlua Day.  Do you have a favorite Kahlua beverage?  I sometimes put the tiny bottles in the toe of our Christmas stocking so we can enjoy it in our coffee with lashings of whipped cream on top.  It's a version of Irish Coffee; I think it's just called Kahlua Coffee.

What I'm wearing today:::

Black yoga pants, white long-sleeved shirt, flip flops.

Bible Verse, Devotional:::

If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging.  (Romans 12:8)

February Rudolph Day Recap

February's Rudolph Day didn't quite go as unexpected.  I took a tumble in the house and spent most of the day on the couch, no doubt I'll be pretty black and blue for a few days.  I used the time well, though, thoroughly enjoying the February movie, The Spirit of Christmas, and organizing all of my Christmas document and picture files. I went back and pulled all the Christmas in July themes from the Magical Holiday Home Forums and listed them all on one document - that way, if we need to come up with ideas as a group like last year, we'll have an easy reference to what's been done in the past if we want to look for new ideas.

I also worked on this month's task:

February - Begin a Holiday Letter

With all the traveling Vic will do this year, it's a good place to keep track of when and where - as he'll add some new states and countries to his Places I've Visited Courtesy of the United States Navy!  All in all, a day well spent.

Five on Friday

A new Five on Friday, just in time for it to be transitioning from one blog to another.  Please check out all the details here.

Tomorrow is Rudolph Day so I thought I'd give you a quick rundown on the five things that make it a lot of fun and a productive day.  After all, the goal of Rudolph Day is  to plan some simple tasks for the month ahead, in order to get ready for Christmas Day with plenty of time to spare.  Who wants to be trying out a new craft, a new recipe, or a new decor theme in the middle of December when all the chaos of the holidays is in full swing?

ONE
Pick a craft project to try and fine tune.  If you're participating in an ornament or other gift challenge, you don't want your offering to look like a Pinterest fail.  Over the years, I've tried many things and I know what works and what doesn't (ie. my skill level vs. my expectations!).  My Snowman Disc from a few years ago wasn't quite as polished as the one I found but it was presentable.  Make sure you have all of your supplies ready to go so you can just sit down and sew, knit, crochet, or cut and glue with everything you need close at hand. 

The sample

My ornament

TWO

Pick a recipe and do the same.  I found I wasn't quite as adept at using a silicone mold as I thought I would be.  No doubt practice would make perfect so try and try again.  I also found that although some things turned out looking like the picture, I didn't really care for the taste.  Don't make your guests into recipe guinea pigs.

My Peppermint Bark Snowflakes and the sample (top photo)

THREE

A big part of Rudolph Day is to immerse yourself in the spirit of Christmas for the day.  That means making sure that you have the movie (or a movie if you're choosing one at random) ready to go.  The Christmas fans over at the Magical Holiday Home Forums pick a movie each month so that they can chat about it afterwards.  If a movie is not on your agenda for Rudolph Day, dig out a Christmas CD to spread some Christmas cheer.

FOUR

Work on the task for the month.  Whether you follow a plan such as Organized Christmas that has a theme each month or just come up with a task yourself, Rudolph Day is the time to work on things at a slower pace so that month by month, you have broken Christmas preparation into manageable segments.

FIVE

Finally, snap a few photos and whip out a blog post.  Share your celebration with others.  We'd love to hear all about it.

February Rudolph Day is coming

Saturday is February Rudolph Day!

What's Rudolph Day? Here is the definition according to Organized Christmas:

A few years ago, members of our Christmas community began to observe "Rudolph Day" on the 25th of each month.

On that day, we take a few moments to plan some simple tasks for the month ahead, in order to get ready for Christmas Day with plenty of time to spare. By starting early--and working a bit at a time on each month's Rudolph Day--it's easy to prepare for Christmas, save money on gifts, and cut holiday stress.

Here's the annual line-up with the sub-theme (if there is one) in parentheses:

January - Tie Up Loose Ends (gather ideas and organize your Christmas notebook)

February - Begin a Holiday Letter

March - Birthday Gift-Buying Strategy (party planning for the holiday season)

April - Plan Holiday Crafts 

May - Catalog Shopping Tips

June - Recipe Round Up

July - Choose a Holiday Plan (Christmas in July celebration)

August - Craft Control (thinking ahead to Elf on the Shelf)

September - Prepare for Holiday Gifts and Giving

October - Plan Holiday Meals

November - Write Holiday Letter

The bottom line is...prepare for Christmas by doing something every month and make the 25th of each month a Rudolph Day by doing something Christmasy!

This is the year I plan for Rudolph Day each month - I have a planner, there's no excuse not to get organized!

Check back on the evening of February 25th to see how I celebrated Rudolph Day.

Wednesday Hodgepodge - Volume 298

Time to join Joyce and friends over at the Hodgepodge.  Check it out here.

1.  Have you ever been fishing?  Did you catch a fish?  If so, did you keep it or throw it back?  If you haven't been fishing, is that something you'd like to try?

No, doesn't apply, doesn't apply, and no.  Not feeling the fishing thing at all and don't even get me started on the worm part of it!

Fish out of water, big fish in a small pond, living in a fish bowl, packed in like sardines, this is a fine kettle of fish, plenty of fish in the sea, or cut bait...which fishy phrase most recently applies to some area of your life?

Fish out of water.  Vic enlisted in the Navy when he was 27 years old - we were both working in the Western Pacific for a company that was in financial difficulty and when the opportunity came for him to join the Navy, he jumped at it.  It was something he had always wanted to do but growing up in the Philippines, it just wasn't an option for him when he was younger (the quota system was still in effect and there were far too many applicants and not enough spots).  So, after we were married and there were no obstacles like this, his dream came true.  I was thrilled; I'd lost my military ID card when I turned 18 so I was very happy to be getting it back!  Anyway, I digress.  So, here he is, third oldest person in his recruit training class.  He was an enlisted sailor for 17 1/2 years and then was commissioned as a Medical Service Corps officer and as such, he's at least 15 years older than most of his peers.  Guess what that makes me?  I'm surrounded by the wives of his peers, thirty-somethings with toddlers and infants, with conversations full of breast-feeding and cloth diapering and finding the right preschool.  Yes, I'm a fish out of water.  That's ok, though, because for the most part, they see me as just another Navy wife, and value the experiences that Vic and I have had over the years, even though I'm sure it does sound like some of them are straight out of the good ol' days.  What, you didn't have email when Vic was first deployed?  Quel horreur, no Skype, no FaceTime?  No, my dears, we wrote letters!

2.  What's something you're always fishing for in your purse, wallet, desk, or kitchen junk drawer?

My sunglasses.  There are a lot of pockets in the inside of my purse but there needed to be one more for my sunglasses.  As such, I'm always fishing for them in the bottom of my purse.

3.  Your favorite fish tale of movie?

Finding Nemo, so cute.

4.   Are you sunrise, daylight, twilight, or night?  Explain why you chose your answer.

I'm sunrise.  I do best first thing in the morning.  I love to see the dark turn to light, if there's a sunrise within sight that's even better.  I can face anything after I've had my early morning coffee, and a little time to catch up with Facebook and blog friends.

5.  What's the oldest piece of clothing you own and still wear?

Inside the house or out in public?  Inside the house would be a grey tracksuit/sweatsuit jacket emblazoned with a cardinal.  Mum bought the suit for me when she and Dad came to Florida in 1995 so that makes it 22 years old.  The pants have long since been retired to the rag bag but I still throw on the jacket in the house when I need an extra layer or feel particularly nostalgic.  Out in public would be an even older item - my green Christmas dress that I bought in 1994 for Sophia's first Christmas.  It's an evergreen, long-sleeved dress that I have worn to Christmas Eve service almost every year.  I didn't wear it last year, and I'm going to need a few more Whole 30s before I can get into it again this year, but it's as much a part of Christmas as any of the house decor.

6.  We've got one more month of (officially) winter here in the Northern hemisphere.  Are you feeling the need for a getaway?  What's been the best and worst part of your winter so far?

No, not feeling the need for a getaway from the winter weather.  I like the colder temperatures so I'd rather go north in the summer to get away from the heat.  The best part of winter was the winter storm we had - everywhere looked like a Winter Wonderland (before it started to melt) and Vic was off for a few days since everywhere was closed down.  The worst part?  We live in a historic home and it's pretty drafty so that jump in the electricity bill wasn't fun.

7.  The Wednesday Hodgepodge lands on National Margarita Day...will you be celebrating?  Frozen or on the rocks?  Are you a Jimmy Buffet fan?  If so, what's your favorite JB tune?

No, I don't really make margaritas at home but I do enjoy one, frozen, if we're out at a Mexican restaurant.  There's just something about chips, salsa, and margaritas.  Yes, I like Jimmy Buffet but I wouldn't really say I'm a fan.  I had to look him up to see what else he sings besides "Margaritaville"!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Along the fishy lines, and tying in with National Day celebrations, mark your calendars for April 16 - Dolphin Day and July 14 - Shark Awareness Day.  I know these things because I recently purchased a set of Random and Wacky Holiday stickers from my favorite planner sticker shop, shout out to Bottled Tea Designs.  If you'd like a set of your own, check them out here.