• Art - Blog - Creativity

    Devoted

    I worked on a new journal page yesterday in the cold basement. UGH! The furnace struggles to keep the lower levels warm in these constantly below zero temps. Here’s a current weather screen shot.

    Today is actually warmer than it has been the past few.  It took a bit of devotion to creativity to ignore the chill and create.

    devoted art journal page

    The word popped out at me from a dictionary page in my stash. I’m using my word of the year every day!  I am renewing myself.

    devoted art journal page

    I did a bit of journaling on the page with a few words and phrases that will continue to inspire me on my quest for renewal.

    This maybe be the very last entry in my polka dot journal…it will be adhered to the inside back cover. I’ll have to see if there is possible room for one more page after this one is placed.

    Speaking of devotion and renewal…I am happy to say I’ve been not only sticking with the goals I’ve set for myself but am enjoying it. Having a positive attitude about it and making strides in the right direction.I’m keeping on task with the help of my little notebook and therefore accomplishing more.

    As well as trying to make every day look like this one…

    This was my best day so far of the year but we are only 5 full days in and I’ve lost 4 lbs! Super excited! Let’s keep this momentum going!! My next goal is to hit all “greens” on the goals two days in a week. I figure if I set small goals I’ll have a better chance at success therefore not setting myself up for failure as I have so many times in the past.

    Have a great day!

  • Blog - Kitchen

    T Tuesday: lefse edition

    Trying something new for this edition of T stands for Tuesday. Mini-me helped make the first batch of lefse for the season. I took a series of photos and linked them as a slideshow. Fingers crossed that this works.

    [KGVID]http://www.halleshobbies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/lefseday.mp4[/KGVID]

    It’s been a busy, weird week that has included but not limited to:

    ~an overnight dog visit that went reasonably well with Marvin the dog hater cat

    ~two turkey dinners

    ~precipitation of all kinds and in all directions: rain, snow, sleet and hail

    ~one panicky ER visit which turned out very benign

    ~one partially dislocated jaw (unrelated to the above)

    ~all four of us on vacation for 5 overlapping days plus extras on both ends

    ~late night scratch made brownies

    ~4 teen boys Black Friday shopping (for themselves)

    ~one Christmas tree set up and was still standing in the morning (amazing!)

    I’m absolutely positive there was more but that is all I am able to wrap my mind around at the moment.

    Kids go back to school after a 6 day break…and a mountain of laundry awaits. Living the dream boys and girls. Actually, that is serious! Yes, we all love to complain about the pesky chores of life but I am so thankful for every day that I am able to be home caring for my family.

    What are you doing today?

  • Around home - Blog - Creativity

    T Tuesday: in the ‘hood edition

    Neighborhood that is.  Over the weekend one of our neighbors hosted a chili cook off.  Eight years ago the same family hosted a similar get together but our numbers have drastically changed in that time period. The majority of the kids are either gone off to college or working now…although we have added to the adult total with new families.

    chili

    My white turkey chili was not the winner but I’m not at all sad. It was a fun day!

    A couple days previous to the party I returned a scoring plate that I had borrowed form my crafty next door neighbor.  One of these days I actually finish the card I started using the board. Anyway…I never come away empty handed from her house. She has a vast network of folk that are always looking out for each other and trading this and that.

    goodies

    She had a huge bag of stamps for me to look through, bottle caps from a former co-worker that saves them for me and some tea her DIL didn’t want. Look at the awesome stamps! Can’t wait to play in an art journal with them. The Passion tea by Tazo is a favorite of mine. The Calm I’ll likely use for tea dyeing as I don’t care for chamomile but I do enjoy lemon!!

    I’ve also been working on a couple…well, three, oh maybe four projects over the past couple of days. As soon as they come together I’ll be sure to share. To my T Tuesday gals…sorry I never made it around last week…Tuesday got away from me with numerous things including these….

    busy-night

    Mini-me’s first season of competitive volleyball is done with the exception of the end of season banquet. Choir concert season has just begun for J. The concert was wonderful.  Did I mention they will be traveling to Manhattan in the spring to sing at Carnegie Hall!?!  So excited for them.

    Today’s schedule has yet to be determined for me. It’s kind of nice to have a fairly blank slate for a change.

    What are you doing today?