Archives for January 2012

Annual Christmas Card Book

January 11, 2012 By JulieK

It happens every year… You pack up all the holiday decorations, and have a pile of beautiful cards that you don’t want to throw away, but really have no place to keep… Here’s the perfect solution!!! Take them with you to my next class at Ink About It in Westford on Thursday, January 19. Call the store to reserve your spot, and we’ll bind your own beautiful cards together in a book and you’ll have them to look through for years to come!! Here’s a preview of the book, it uses BEAUTIFUL SEI patterned papers that are foiled and glittered. We’ll make the covers in class, and then use the Zutter Bind it All to punch and bind all of this year’s cards into a wonderful keepsake!!

Sneek Peek at this year’s cover…

I had the last 3 year’s worth of books on the coffee table this year, and it was so much fun to look through all the old cards, and expecially the photo cards!! Here’s the details on the older books…

The 2010 Christmas Card Book

The 2009 Christmas Card Book

The 2008 Christmas Card Book

10 on Tuesday

January 10, 2012 By JulieK

So… Today’s 10 is part of my new found obsession… Replacing my Grandmother’s china… Which would be easy, right? well, yeah, IF I knew the name or even maker of the china… If, for example, some family member had the china and could read to me what it says on the bottom… Unfortunately, all I have is a vague memory… Until… Well, Here’s my Ten for Today…

1. I have no idea what happened to the vaguely remembered china… Kinda grey flowers, maybe silver trim… in the old hutch, which all seems to have disappeared when the old hutch was replaced in the 80’s…

2. Message all my friends and relatives on Facebook to see if I’m crazy and the china was a figment of my imagination… and some remember it… but no one has it…

3. Spend literally hours googling “White china, silver rim, grey flowers” Do you KNOW how many china patterns fit that description?? ummm, about a billion!

4. THANK YOU Kathy for the suggestion of looking through old pictures!!! I found some, and have emailed Replacements.com to see if they can figure out the pattern…

5-10 Look at just a couple of the cool photos I found while looking for china :)

Hmm… See that tea cup? That’s the back of the pattern :) This is my Grandmother on the right, I think my Grandfather’s mother in the middle, and his younger sister on the left… Could be wrong on the left…

So, my Dad in the middle (photo dated 1962, long before he was my dad :) and my Uncle Dave on the far right… Not a clue who the other 2 people are… but that’s “my” covered sugar bowl and creamer on the table! Look familiar to anyone? I’ll take any suggestions… If anyone has one in their hutch and can just look at the bottom for me…

Pics of the teacups and another shot of the fabulous sugar bowl!

And, here it is… the dinner plate… That’s right… I did remember it… now if I can only get my xray scanner to work so that I can read the back… :)

OK… last 2 have nothing to do with my global search for the china pattern, but, honestly, I HAD to scan them too… Who wouldn’t want matching crocheted vests and skirts for Easter… circa 1975-ish :) Kathryn’s already lobbying me to make her one… Me and my sister :) We’re pretty cute!

Oh, look! Who’s that adorable baby? Oh, me!! and my Gram. January 1970… So I was about 8 months old… Kathryn thinks Gram looks exactly the same as she remembers, but with brown hair!

Hope everyone has a fantastic week… I’ll be searching for china!!

10 on Tuesday

January 3, 2012 By JulieK

Happy New Year!!! I’m very excited about starting a new year!! There will be a new look on the blog, a little new year spruce up… And a new theme for the year. Last year’s theme was “Blessings” as in, count them… This year, hmmm…. I had settled on “Grace” I was pretty sure that was going to be the theme… But now I’m thinking more on an “Embrace the Everyday” kind of theme… I really would like to focus on stopping the running race that I feel like we’re constantly running, and taking time to realize just how lucky we really are. Nothing is “perfect” but we can stop to find the good in every day. Which may kinda tie in to my original “Grace” idea.

And, adding a new feature… 10 on Tuesday… Not original, I know… but I like the idea. So, (hopefully) every Tuesday, I’ll be posting a list of 10 things… sometimes random, sometimes themed. Today’s 10 on Tuesday is themed… My 10 resolutions for the new year… Here we go!

1. What would a new year’s resolution list be without “I want to lose weight”? but it’s 20lbs that I would LOVE to see go… I joined Weight Watchers online just before the holidays, and now that the holidays are over, it’s time to dig in and do something!

2. Clutter… I need to purge it. I started about mid-year, and it’s going pretty well. I don’t mind getting rid of things, but it’s finding the time to really go through things that is the hardest part… So, this year I’m going to really clean out those kitchen “junk” drawers and find real homes for the objects, and if I don’t NEED or LOVE them, they go…

3. Daily Audio Bible. Just like it sounds, it’s a podcast (or app) that reads the bible through in a year. I love Brian, who reads it… and I made it through til July last year before I got sidetracked and then got too far behind to “catch up…” this year, I’m going to make it through all year, and not worry so much about catching up…

4. House… Kinda goes with the clutter, but I’d love for the downstairs to be “drop in” ready… If someone stops by, the house doesn’t look like a bomb went off, and I don’t have to be heinously embarassed… So, downstairs should look decent…

5. Church. Another from last year… I just want to continue… I made it last year, I went to church most weekends, only a few did I miss, and they were because we were away, or I was sick… So, pretty good last year, I just want to continue this year!

6. Blog… Another from last year… Again, I made it through the summer then slowed down… Hoping to post at least once a week this year.

7. Cooking… Yes, I’m cooking challenged… I used to be a pretty good cook, before life got so crazy busy with the kids and the husband… So, now that we’re not eating in the TV room anymore and we’re eating at the big kids’ table :) , I’m going to cook more. Maybe with practice it’ll be better!

8. Craftiness… I made a lot of projects last year because I had to… They were assignments, well, this year, I’m hoping to make more crafty projects just ’cause I’m feeling crafty and inspired.

9. (Craftiness part 2 ) This year I’m going to actually FINISH some of those projects I got started on, but then didn’t finish, like those quilt tops and other half finished fun projects!

10. Fiber… My OCD craft of choice at the moment is knitting :) I don’t go anywhere without my needles and at least 2 different projects… Having fun with fiber is going well… My Gram would have loved some of the Christmas knits I made… Hoping to finish a few more projects (and remember to post them here!!).

Well… There it is :) Happy New Year!!!