Wordless Wednesday: Orvieto 2011

November 2011

Monday Memory - Getting Ready for Christmas

No it isn't even Thanksgiving, but this photo takes me back to shortly after Dick and I were married. I'm thinking this is 2003. My hair was still red, I was still wearing my contact lenses, and the kitchen was starting to take the shape of the renovation we would do. Soon that old stove would be gone - that stove that had burners than never really boiled pasta and a totally dead oven.

I'm not sure who I was wrapping Christmas presents for, but we did buy more in those days as our grandchildren were still young. Now they are just as happy with something small and plastic! Lots in that kitchen changed but then so did we. I still do like red though.

11.11 11:11 Always Remember

til they all come home

Technique Tuesday - Making a PSE Overlay

This is a good video showing you some of the steps you can take to make an overlay from a texture image you may have.Don't you just love retired people like Karen who shares her wonderful talent freely?

Be sure and go visit her site to see the wonderful array of tutorials she has! Thank you Karen!

I'm asking you...

Look at that brush in the top right. Is this not a health code violation?

Flashback Friday - That Old Kitchen

Ever since we've remodeled, I've said I'll take the old shots and take new ones in the same directions. Maybe it will finally get done? But here are two shots from Christmas 2002.

kitchen help is hard to get so I kept him

There is now a bathroom where that window is. Where the old range peeps out is now a wall of cabinets.  I am standing at an adhoc island which is gone to be replaced by a 7'x4' island going in the other direction. Those windows at the back are now a sliding door!  Many changes, much improvement.

Thursday 365 Catch Up

Finally got back to the 365 pages. December has been quite a month but all is well that ends well, isn't it.

Only two more layouts and the 2011 album will be done. I'm so glad that I have been able to keep up with it and not have it lingering on into 2012.  There are some pages to do from the New Orleans trip but that's ok. They will just get stuck into the proper section once I do them. They are next on the list!

How's your 365 or 52 or Project life coming along???

Tuesday Tutorial - Jen Caputo

Anthopogie items just seem to inspire so many crafters to say "I could do that!" and then do it! I saw this tutorial of Jen Caputo's and liked it.  I hope you will too! Think Spring!

Anthro Necklace and Earrings

AAM Me and Him

Merry Christmas 2011

Take Time for a Laugh

If you haven't seen this old old (old as me!) routine of Abbott and Costello's, here's the video. Then once you've see this, you will be able to imagine Bud and Lou doing a modern day version. Enjoy!




If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch, 'Who's on First?' might have turned out something like this:

COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: Thanks I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer..

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.

ABBOTT: Your computer?

COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.

ABBOTT: What about Windows?

COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?

ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?

COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?

ABBOTT: Wallpaper.

COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.

ABBOTT: Software for Windows?

COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?

ABBOTT: I just did.

COSTELLO: You just did what?

ABBOTT: Recommend something.

COSTELLO: You recommended something?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: For my office?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!

ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.

COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?

ABBOTT: Word.

COSTELLO: What word?

ABBOTT: Word in Office.

COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.

ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.

COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?

ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue 'W'.

COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue 'w' if you don't start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?

ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.

COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?

ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.

COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?

ABBOTT: One copy.

COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?

ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.

COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?

ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!

(A few days later)

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?

ABBOTT: Click on 'START'.

Celebrating Christmas

Today is our family dinner, early so we can all scatter like birds in the wind over the weekend.  So here's an early card for you. Drive safely today!

From a photo to a layout

Ah yes, you may recall this photo from yesterday. I was in the mood for an artsy page and went on to do this with it.  The majority of the supplies are from Anna Aspnes. 

I hope you have a warm home (or a cool one if your down under) and that your toes are as cozy and warm as your heart!

Wordless Wednesday- Signs of the Season

 Hope your toes are red and toasty!

Let's Make this Texture Tuesday

I have recently come to love textures, not that I'm really good using them but I love them. A fellow scrapper introduced me to the wonderful work of Kim Klassen. I signed up for her newsletter but hanging head in shame...I still have not tried out one of her textures or 'recipes'.

Fortunately, I got one of those nudges from the universe today when I saw somewhere in the blogosphere that Kim has a 12 Days of Textures going on on her blog. The Cafe. High tail it over there to catch up with the amazing textures. You'll see what she has done with them and read her inspiring story.  When the clouds are the darkest, it only means the sun is sure to come back. 

Oh she also has these simple elegant calendars for sale. Yummy, aren't they!

Tomorrow is the Winter Solstice. Time to go within, and remember the Light is coming back!

AAM Monday - Memories, Memories

Going back over the Christmas photos from my past, a lot of memories come back. Some good memories, but mostly feeling the sadness of some of those years. Years where my parents' marriage was not living up to the hopes and dreams they both had had. I never heard from my father about his side of marriage but I often heard my mother's side. I can understand my natural inclination to side with my mother, the only parent I had known during those war years. But today, I look back and feel the sadness and wish it could have been different, not just for me, but for them. 

My father died in 1973 and my mother died in 1981. That's a lot of years to be without parents. I do, however, feel that they are both at peace now and once again sharing the love the brought them together. Today, thinking of them brings me as much joy as it once brought sadness. Feeling those feelings was worth it.

Sunday Serendade - How Can You Mend a Broken Heart

Well today my dh is going into his 5th day with a 'fixed' heart.  Modern medicine is amazing!




Hope your Sunday doesn't include any kind of 'broken heart' but if it does, maybe the BeeGees can lift your spirits for a while!

Flashback Friday ...My Transition Kitchen

2003, which seems ages ago, we were in the planning stage of our house renovation. The old stove was gone, and in its place was a new refrigerator.  My dh built me a red counter top for my new cook-top, and while I didn't have a full oven we did have a micro/convection oven on  the opposite wall.  I loved having the new counter space and was able to get myself ready for the next stage...tearing down walls and really renovating. 

Christmas 2003 saw a lot of red, and a nice family visit.  Two good cooks smile for the camera!

Hello Thursday

After a week or so of more serious life, it's good to have just an ordinary Thursday. No real worries, nothing urgent, no musts or gottas.  I'm really glad that I planned to make this Christmas super simple, with bare minimal decorations, and no shopping or cooking frenzy.  That was all because of the planned cruise. With my dh's sudden angioplasty and stent,  and the cruise cancelled, all that simplification was very well timed.

Last night, it was nice to be able to say yes, at the last minute, to going out for breakfast with a friend today. Annapolis now has a "Miss Shirley's"  and it was one of our faves up in Baltimore. We  had a nice walk to and from our house, not too cold, and in the sun.  Thank you Mike for treating us to a very nice morning out.

It's good to be back to a more normal life.

Wordless Wednesday- A New Lease on Life