One of the things I've been looking forward to all year is the beginning of the next One World, One Heart (OWOH) Blog Party and giveaway! I participated in it last year, and I credit the event for making this blog come alive with readers and with making some wonderful new friends! During OWOH, I made a point of bookmarking all my favorite participating blogs, and visiting them again as time allowed in the weeks following the event. That's how I met so many of YOU!
This year, OWOH has the theme of Magic Carpet Ride. The organizer, Lisa, aka A Whimsical Bohemian, is hosting the event on her blog this year. She recently sent out an informational email to those of us who participated last year, which included this bit of direction:
"One thing I am asking this year is that whatever your giveaway or giveaways are that you find a clever way to present it on your blog when the event begins. Since this year we’re riding the Magic Carpet perhaps you can find some way to use that theme to photograph or present your giveaway. This gives everything a more festive look rather than a simple photo and a couple of lines. BE CREATIVE! Have fun with the theme this year, get people to stand up and notice you!!"
I'm thinking about just the right giveaway to offer! (Last year it was a handmade pillow.) I'm also beginning to think of how to present that giveaway in the way Lisa has suggested. Sign-ups begin on January 25, 2010! I hope you will all think about joining in the fun!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
End of the Year Business
As much as I love the holidays, I'm always happy for things to get back to "normal" afterwards, how about you?
I enjoy the week between Christmas and the new year as a "tying up loose ends" kind of time. This is when I typically delete unnecessary files and back up my computer files (both computers) onto CDs. I also try to organize and transfer all of my thousands of photographs onto CDs as well, and order prints of any that I might not already have printed through the year. It's so important to stay on top of that! I use Snapfish and get my photos by mail -- it's my favorite service, and I've tried a lot of them.
The photograph organizing isn't as daunting as it sounds because I use Google's Picasa application. It catalogs all of my photos on each computer, streamlining the process, and is especially helpful for emailing photos to friends.
And in the spirit of closing out the year, I am also going to highlight the Etsy Blogger of the Month for December: Calkat, and her blog Calkat the Jewelry Junkie! Just as her blog's name implies, she blogs on her very colorful site about jewelry and all things creative and beautiful! Be sure to visit - it's an eyeful!
She also has an Etsy store called Calkat, where she sells jewelry designs and beads, but you can also find her on Etsy at: Ametista.etsy.com, TheClayShoppe.etsy.com, and YogaFairies.etsy.com. This is one busy lady! Be sure to visit, as right now she's offering free worldwide shipping from her shops, through New Year's Eve.
***
So, what end of the year tasks or projects are you contemplating this coming week?
I enjoy the week between Christmas and the new year as a "tying up loose ends" kind of time. This is when I typically delete unnecessary files and back up my computer files (both computers) onto CDs. I also try to organize and transfer all of my thousands of photographs onto CDs as well, and order prints of any that I might not already have printed through the year. It's so important to stay on top of that! I use Snapfish and get my photos by mail -- it's my favorite service, and I've tried a lot of them.
The photograph organizing isn't as daunting as it sounds because I use Google's Picasa application. It catalogs all of my photos on each computer, streamlining the process, and is especially helpful for emailing photos to friends.
And in the spirit of closing out the year, I am also going to highlight the Etsy Blogger of the Month for December: Calkat, and her blog Calkat the Jewelry Junkie! Just as her blog's name implies, she blogs on her very colorful site about jewelry and all things creative and beautiful! Be sure to visit - it's an eyeful!
She also has an Etsy store called Calkat, where she sells jewelry designs and beads, but you can also find her on Etsy at: Ametista.etsy.com, TheClayShoppe.etsy.com, and YogaFairies.etsy.com. This is one busy lady! Be sure to visit, as right now she's offering free worldwide shipping from her shops, through New Year's Eve.
***
So, what end of the year tasks or projects are you contemplating this coming week?
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas!
Merry Christmas to all my friends the world over, who open their blogs and their hearts to meand make this a wonderful place to hang out, all year long!
I hope you have warmth and happiness, and surprises under the tree tonight!
I hope you have warmth and happiness, and surprises under the tree tonight!
Love,
Laurie, Ben, and DennisWednesday, December 23, 2009
One Last Sprawl
This morning I took one last sprawl out on our sofa while I watched some of The Today Show. Any minute now, the furniture truck will bring us a new sofa, ottoman, and entertainment console. Dennis and I moved the old sofa out into the garage to await a friend's picking it up later today. It's been cleaned and had its insides examined for stray Lego pieces, change, and peanut shells. I hope that, despite our snow overnight, the friend will come to get it. We have nowhere to put the thing!
The new sofa is smaller, so it will fit much better in its allotted space. Because it doesn't have the reclining feature of the old sofa, I insisted on getting the matching ottoman. I'm short and need to put my feet up to be comfortable sitting for any length of time. Furniture just doesn't fit people my height!
The entertainment center is just lovely -- it's long (80") and will look great in the family room. But, for now it's going to live in the dining room. I'm of course going to be rearranging the whole family room after we take the Christmas tree down, in honor of the new furniture. I'm excited to be having a new look for the new year! The "old" (7 years young) entertainment unit and TV will go downstairs into our unfinished basement, and become the Gaming Center for my soon-to-be-teenaged son. There is already a smaller version of the sofa we're getting rid of down there!
All of this arranging and re-arranging is due to the fact that we've pooled the Christmas fund to buy ourselves a family gift this year: a flat screen, plasma TV that my husband and son have been longing for. Over the last couple of weeks we've learned more than we ever knew possible about the beast: LED vs. LCD vs. plasma screens, dp, dpi's, 1080, 760, etc., etc. If this is all Greek to you, it was to me a week ago. But I've learned.
Now we've settled on one we all want. But, we haven't bought it yet. Experience tells us these things tend to go on sale after Christmas. So we're going to wait and see if we can get a bargain!
It's complicated!
The new sofa is smaller, so it will fit much better in its allotted space. Because it doesn't have the reclining feature of the old sofa, I insisted on getting the matching ottoman. I'm short and need to put my feet up to be comfortable sitting for any length of time. Furniture just doesn't fit people my height!
The entertainment center is just lovely -- it's long (80") and will look great in the family room. But, for now it's going to live in the dining room. I'm of course going to be rearranging the whole family room after we take the Christmas tree down, in honor of the new furniture. I'm excited to be having a new look for the new year! The "old" (7 years young) entertainment unit and TV will go downstairs into our unfinished basement, and become the Gaming Center for my soon-to-be-teenaged son. There is already a smaller version of the sofa we're getting rid of down there!
All of this arranging and re-arranging is due to the fact that we've pooled the Christmas fund to buy ourselves a family gift this year: a flat screen, plasma TV that my husband and son have been longing for. Over the last couple of weeks we've learned more than we ever knew possible about the beast: LED vs. LCD vs. plasma screens, dp, dpi's, 1080, 760, etc., etc. If this is all Greek to you, it was to me a week ago. But I've learned.
Now we've settled on one we all want. But, we haven't bought it yet. Experience tells us these things tend to go on sale after Christmas. So we're going to wait and see if we can get a bargain!It's complicated!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Speaking of Red and Blue Together...
I was thrilled to learn that I won the 14th Day of Christmas in The Twelve Days of Christmas from Where Women Create Contest!
Here's what I won:
This beautiful print "A Creative Woman" by artist Sandra Evertson!
Here's what I won:
Monday, December 21, 2009
Let the Countdown Begin!
Only a few more days until we celebrate Christmas! I'm feeling happy (and, honestly, kind of smug -- shame on me!) as I've finished all the holiday prep, shopping, wrapping, etc. I had planned. All that's left is to go grocery shopping for Christmas dinner, which I plan to do today. Today we have sunshine and highs in the '50's, but the weatherman tells me it will be cold the next couple of days (slight chance of snow.)
When I make my grocery list in a little while I have to decide, once and for all, if I will be baking. My son wants to make fudge. Once upon a time I made dozens upon dozens of all varieties of Christmas cookies; we always made a gingerbread house, and decorated sugar cookies. This year, my heart is just not in it!
What kind of baking have you been doing?
I just had to show you these amazing vintage glass ornaments I found on Thursday at the thrift store:
They're incredibly thin and delicate!
These are the kinds of finds that make me want to go thrifting every day, sincerely.
Besides being Winter Solstice, today is my brother Jeffrey's birthday! He's 21 months older than me. Here's one of my favorite photos of us:
Happy Birthday, Jeff!
Have a wonderful Monday-before-Christmas, everyone!
When I make my grocery list in a little while I have to decide, once and for all, if I will be baking. My son wants to make fudge. Once upon a time I made dozens upon dozens of all varieties of Christmas cookies; we always made a gingerbread house, and decorated sugar cookies. This year, my heart is just not in it!
What kind of baking have you been doing?
I just had to show you these amazing vintage glass ornaments I found on Thursday at the thrift store:
They're incredibly thin and delicate!
These are the kinds of finds that make me want to go thrifting every day, sincerely.Besides being Winter Solstice, today is my brother Jeffrey's birthday! He's 21 months older than me. Here's one of my favorite photos of us:
Happy Birthday, Jeff!Friday, December 18, 2009
Red and Marie Blue, Together
You may have noticed I'm really into combining red and teal-ish blue lately!
I did it here, in my Homage Box:
And here in my funeral card scrapbook:
The other day, Melissa blogged about this color combination and got me thinking about how much I love it! I think I first began noticing how well the two colors go together when I bought some Anna Griffin scrapbooking paper that had some pretty designs in those shades. From there, I went nuts.
Here is some more inspiration from Etsy Bloggers Street Team Members! Click on the name under each photo so go to the listing on Etsy.
I did it here, in my Homage Box:
And here in my funeral card scrapbook:
The other day, Melissa blogged about this color combination and got me thinking about how much I love it! I think I first began noticing how well the two colors go together when I bought some Anna Griffin scrapbooking paper that had some pretty designs in those shades. From there, I went nuts.
Here is some more inspiration from Etsy Bloggers Street Team Members! Click on the name under each photo so go to the listing on Etsy.
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