Memos, Mail, Me: It's Monday - Jan 30th

Giving a Monday greeting to all & linking in with our hostess Sian at:   From High In The Sky

In the mail box this week only some flyers advertising a sale for the local hardware store.


Weather Canada has confirmed what I & many others already knew; there was a minimum record of sunlight during January 2017.  In this part of Canada we had just about 12 hours total in sunlight!  Come on February, show us what you have got in not only love, but sunshine & plenty of it. Oh & let's not forget about the rodent, Wiarton Willy,  who foretells whether winter lingers or not this Thursday coming.
 

Mournful Dove

Summer Manifesto, 2017 has a tentative list of adventures!

And just a tempting taste of what some of those plans are, they include these 2 places ...

Source: Location 1

Source: Location 2

"Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for.  Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us."  Maya Angelou
 

WOYWW #399

Linking in with our hostess Julia & the WOYWW community at: WOYWW

This week my desk is filled with ideas & some beautiful papers but alas my time for scrapping is at empty this week as I am busy with writing procedures & protocols for work as we are introducing a new service for patients.  As I write the steps necessary to conduct this service,  I use myself as a test case, can I follow along exactly as the steps are written.  It has been back to that drawing board not my scrap/crafting table that I have been going.  

So this is how I left my crafting space Monday night.

I am putting together some papers to design 2 Valentines & February double page layouts - I did get some of the papers grouped into which to use with which.

I have also been in the thought & crafting idea stages for capturing photoless stories about my GrandMother & Mother before I forget & I wanted to give a heritage feeling to them - I did a mock up/rough draft of a title page.  The jars are cut from vellum.  Early stages ...

 


You don't stumble upon your heritage.  It is there waiting to be explored & shared.   Robbie Robertson

Memos, Mail, Me: It's Monday - Jan 23rd

Giving a Monday greeting to all & linking in with our hostess Sian at:   From High In The Sky

Well what came through the mail this week? 

The first piece of mail was from a boxed frozen food shop & as their advertisement tells me, they sell real food (as opposed to fake food?).  I have purchased items from this shop before; they have a gourmet stuffed cheese broccoli potato that is quite tasty as a treat for special dinners at home.  Their meal guide has several suggested meals including the main, veg & sides,  all easily to prepare via their boxed frozen products.  Oh & let's not forget afters (dessert) - oh now here is where they really shine with product.  (just say no, just say no -  think of the long game, not the short term delicious indulgences ...)

 

 The second flyer that came through the mail was from our liquor control board.  With our provincial liquor laws coming under review, the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) is creating a need & connection before any changes come about - you think,  I need liquor, & think oh the LCBO & not the corner shop.  Clever advertising.  Oh yes I have shopped here! (just say no, just say no).

What's new from the patio?  Extremely dreary overcast weather for the last 2 weeks. The forecast is no sunshine until next Saturday!  While it has been rather mild & most of the snow & ice are gone, the lack of sunshine is wearing everyone down & I am certainly no exception.  Today is another day of heavy fog although when this photo was taken Sunday afternoon, I could at least see to the end of the fence line.   More snow to come Monday night.

And while it is dreary outside, I have spent my inside time thinking happy thoughts about story telling, something Alexa wrote beautifully about here: never-mind-the-photos-what-about the stories . I have created a list of stories I want to tell before they are lost & I want to tell them in the scrapbook page format.  Some if not most of these particular stories do not have accompanying photos but I have an idea or two for solving that.  So once the sun returns to this part of the world, I will be out there capturing symbolic photos for my stories.

I shall leave you with this thought for the day, it is most appropriate today: “The universe is made of stories, not of atoms.”   ... Muriel Rukeyser

WOYWW - #398

Linking in with our hostess Julia at: WOYWW
 
This weekend I was working on a scraplift layout from Ruth


While Ruth's layout was Christmas themed, I really liked the use of papers & the placement of photos.  I had the perfect set of photos of the fur girls' adventure in a cardboard box & oh do I have a stash of the perfect paper ...

stages of the process

I spend quite a lot of time arranging & rearranging.  One of the things I did in the end was to round all the corners of the paper & photos & I like that look.  One thing I would change if I was to re-do this page, would be to use a grey background sheet rather than white, but I am going to call this layout done in Wabi-Sabi style.  And as my dear & admired scrapping blog friends, Sian & Alexa call it; a Japanese notion of impermanence & imperfection, that nothing lasts forever, nothing can be finished ...

The finished, or is it .... 2 page layout

And I believe that the best learning process of any kind of craft is just to look at the work of others. Wole Soyinka
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/craft.html

And I believe the best learning process of any kind of craft is just look to the work of others ... Wole Soyinka

Memos, Mail, Me: It's Monday - Jan 16th

A Monday wave to all & linking in with our hostess Sian at:  From High In The Sky

What is new from the patio this week and/or what came through the letter box this week?

We do not get home delivery of mail,  our mailed is delivered to the community mailboxes up & around the street from us.  Outgoing mail gets picked up every few days & we go several days without any mail at all.  This week's delivery was a few flyers with coupons for discounts on Harvey's & McDonald's fast food & some deals at Costco.

The new for us this week was picking up the new company vehicle - another white SUV & because Mr Man is still unable to drive I got to drive the new car before him.  The best feature is the rear view camera.
 

I shall leave you with this thought;The New Year lies ahead

With books to be read, & adventures to be led.  May you find fulfillment & joy all year long!

WOYWW #397

Connecting with the crafting community through our hostess Julia at: WOYWW

This week I have been working on putting together a few scrap kits I had bought ages ago.  One kit was specific for January & the instructions were not as clear as this lady needs & unfortunately the shop I bought it at has closed up, so I cannot call for clarity or help.   I do not think I am going to have the same results as the kit intended, but that's OK, I am having fun creating with such pretty papers & embellishments.   These pages are destined for use in my garden album.

The kit came with several pre-cut (beautiful) snowflakes, several are in foil in both teal blue & silver along with the teal blue paper ones.  I have to keep counting as one of the fur girls keeps taking them off my desk!

 
Hope everyone has a happy crafting week ...  "it's not enough to know your craft, you have to have feeling.  Science is all very well,  but for us, imagination is worth far more."   E. Manet

It is not enough to know your craft - you have to have feeling. Science is all very well, but for us imagination is worth far more. Edouard Manet
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/craft.html

It is not enough to know your craft - you have to have feeling. Science is all very well, but for us imagination is worth far more. Edouard Manet
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/craft.html

It is not enough to know your craft - you have to have feeling. Science is all very well, but for us imagination is worth far more. Edouard Manet
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/craft.html

It is not enough to know your craft - you have to have feeling. Science is all very well, but for us imagination is worth far more. Edouard Manet
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/craft.html

It is not enough to know your craft - you have to have feeling. Science is all very well, but for us imagination is worth far more. Edouard Manet
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/craft.html

Memorandum Monday - January 9th

A brave new world wave to all & linking in with our hostess, Sian at: From High In The Sky

I am not sure at this moment, what Sian's plans are for our Monday morning memo routine, so I think I am going to stick on the fringe  with  ...

What's new from the patio this cold Monday morning?  My new thoughts about picking one word to guide me through 2017.

I have given a lot of thought to picking a word for 2017 & joining in with the One Little Word community.  Three years ago, I did sign up for the online year long workshop, hoping for further connection & inspiration.  I acknowledge the brilliance & creativity of Ali Edwards, she is amazing in so many ways.  BUT - (isn't there always a but) those monthly exercises did not resonate with me, I was not that inspired & certainly felt a failure because of my lack of brilliant revelation & change.  What was/is wrong with my word me.  

These last few years the failing Canadian dollar has kept me out of the online course world & feeling disconnected.  BUT (there we go again ...) I pretty much had resolved to join in, in 2017, I had asked for & received some Christmas dollars to spend on One Little Word, BUT I have not been able to settle on a word.  Oh I have been thinking almost non stop about which word.  There are so many posts guiding us how to pick your one word.  I applaud loudly & enthusiastically for those of you that have settled on a word - I think you will have so much success with your word.

For me, the decision is, I am settling on not one word but all my words.  I have noticed over the last days, months & even years, especially in the news reports, how our words have impact, how words can heal, help & bring humour BUT (there it is again ...) I have noticed how our day to day negative words can bring you, me down, make mountains out of mole hills & just be negative, presenting situations in an inflamed manner.  So this year I am choosing a softer kinder use of my words.  I will not hit any key, I will press the keys, I will not shoot a video, I will create a video, I will not pull the trigger on a new purchase, I will make the purchase, my winter weather is not a killer storm  but being typical winter gusting. I will not have an awfully good time, but a good time.  I want to think of how my chosen words present me to the world, how my self talk words either lift me up or tear me down.

So there's my new for this Monday morning.  Oh & the Canadian dollar is not failing, it is being compared on the world stage ...
 

Five In Five On The 5th

Five In Five On The 5th - January, 2017

Linking in with Sandie & the other Fivers at : Itchifingers  The idea is to take five photos in five minutes on the 5th of the month. 

Today we were at the mall & watching them disassemble the Christmas decorations & Santa area.

WOYWW #396 = What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday

A new year, a new beginning, a new method of connecting within the blogging/crafting community.  Our hostess Julia at: WOYWW

Because it's a new year & a new, for me, connection, I am wanting to start with a good impression - a tidy work desk.  It is from this spot I have big plans for my artist way this year.  I am also sharing, now that they have all been delivered (I believe) my last creative project - Christmas Cards.

My Work Desk:

My Christmas Cards:

WPSH - First Finds

Here are a few of my first finds for the Winter Photo Scavenger Hunt.  Linking in with Eileen at:  WPSH


1. Layers: snow, evergreen, snow

 
3. Key: my Santa key

 
4. Signpost With Image Of Animal: seems everything wants to cross here

5. Fur or Feather:  My morning Bluejay

7. Glassware: my cookie plate

 14. Repetition: ah the memories already

19. Bird Table or Bird Feeder: already half empty!

Alternate A - Pinecone: this one is from my travels to the great redwood forest in California; it is about about 6" high.

Alternate C - An Angel:  One of my favourites that hangs on my Christmas tree.

 



 

Memorandum Monday - Jan 2, 2017

Good Morning, Happy 2017 & a quick wave to all through our lovely hostess, Sian at : From High In The Sky

What is new from the patio?  Lots of newly fallen snow.

All The Solar Lights Wear Snow Hats

As we burnt the good bye candles of 2016, we said our thanks for all the blessings of the year & hello to a new year.

Ice cream Cake - Afters Of A Special New Year's Eve Dinner

  A new year to begin us all on journeys & promises of a better day. 

The Changing Morning Light

The most discouraging new has been reading that so many blogging ladies have decided it is time to call an end to their blog.  I am sad about it.

I have made no new year resolutions - I am not even sure where or how I want to improve; not saying that I don't have areas that  needing revamping, it's just I have no energy for it just yet. 

 A short start to the new year ...  you cannot stop the future, you cannot rewind the past, the only way forward is to press play & begin.