December Daily: Work Decs

My second story is a layout showing the decorations I put up for my colleagues at work. My journaling describes a great work day that I wasn't looking forward to but ended up surprising me in a great way. Thanks to the gang at work Danni, Ricky, Hannah and Greg for doing such a great job while I was away on holiday. 

Super simple and done! 

December Daily: First Story

My first story of the season.

In my home town our community celebrates the start of the season with a service and ceremony of light. It is completed by fireworks which I think is wonderful.

Ali's lantern.

Here are my pages, followed by the journaling:

The Christmas season always starts for me at our town’s lighting the lights ceremony which is started by the primary school children parading with their lanterns. I have been home 10 years now and Ali was just a baby when we first went. The first year I carried him in his pouch, then his buggy for a couple of years, then on reins (wishing I brought the buggy…) then he was suddenly old enough to join the parade in reception class along with Louis. Louis had been enjoying the parade as he was in Year 1 when we moved back. By the time Ali was old enough to join in Louis was an old pro and showed him the ropes. I was into papercrafting by then, I had bought an electronic diecutter and we cut out lantern shapes and made them that year with fake tea lights in them. I loved them and we used them for home decor that year too.

A couple of years later Louis headed off with his friends quite a lot. The town high street is quite small and the whole town is out or so it seems. I LOVE that, even though I don’t know many people here very well, I know lots of faces and that is familiar and comforting, especially after living in a big city.

It is great to see the little groups of youngsters running around, teenagers grouping and being excited but cool :-) It is great to see the little kids in buggies and pouches with wide wide eyes.

The year it snowed…unusual around here so a great sense of excitement, on a christmas event, wow. It only snowed for about 5 minutes, but still!

The year the jam jar broke on the way and the tears!

The past two years I think it has rained, one of them Ali was poorly so we only ventured as far as the church to listen to the service and hear the countdown and see the lights and fireworks from the opposite end of the crowd, (there were lots of people there too from my end of the town which surprised me and pleased me, older people, generally without children and I had a glimpse of my future).

This year was the last year that Ali is in primary school so I felt it as a bittersweet evening. He had made his lantern at school out of a nutella jar and tissue paper. Good job Ali. We headed up to the meeting point and it was great to see Jane with her niece, Chris was there and a lot of faces I recognised. Mum remembered to bring the long matches so we were in demand for a few moments at the start to get some lanterns going. Then it was time to be off. I haven’t been documenting with my camera lately, I don’t know why. I think maybe taking an unconscious break ready to start anew at Christmas? Anyway, I raised the big camera high to video us all parading down the steep hill towards the high street; a great big lovely kid noise of a parade. As we went along the high street with the crowds watching and joining in on our way to the Church and War Memorial where the service and ceremony always is. We managed to get a good spot, the phones and cameras didn’t run out of space or battery (a first in itself) and get the whole service and firework display. LOVE it.

The story I want to remember of that night? The way Ali took my hand without me asking on the way there, each time we hold hands now I think “is this it? The last time?” and squeeze a little harder, for him and for me. That was the very, very sweet. The bitter? By the time the evening and ceremony was done he was wanting to just be with his friends, dismissing my words, not in a bad way but just in a, well you know, my friends are more interesting right now way. On the way home he asked if he could hang with his friends next year. Yes, you can. 

November 26th 2015 6:15-7:00pm

Thanks so much for looking 

December Daily: The start...

I am not as prepared for the season as I have been for the past few years. Since we lost Dad and Rich it has been a season that we have tried to make as magical as possible under the circumstances. I am really proud that we have and that the kids (and us) have still had a wonderful season. Big thanks go to my Mum, losing a husband and a son is unimaginable and she has gone through it with grace, love, peace and her blimmin' lovely smile. So this December is for you Mum. 

This year we have a new young adult as Lauren just turned 18. Hang on, I just had to pause and think "what?" for the millionth time this past few weeks. 

Ali is into his second christmas as a non-believer. Jeekers.

Louis is 15 and getting his teenage bearings. You know.

It is different and enjoyable and weird. If you have been through it then you know; if you haven't then prepare yourself by enjoying every second of the believers, the excited-by-stockingers, the circling-the-tv-guiders, the wide eyed excitementeers.

So this year I decided that if I didn't do anything, then, well I wouldn't do anything.

So I bought the December Daily kit from Ali Edwards, I knew that if I paid out I wouldn't want it to go to waste. Usually I love putting together a kit but not this year, I knew I needed something different. 

I had a lovely couple of days last week putting together my foundation pages. For those that don't know I work in retail and of course we are busy in December. So finding creative energy isn't always possible. But now I have a whole album sitting here ready to just add words and pictures :)

Oh and I also need to find stuff to do that will include everyone. Ice Skating, Christmas Markets, but mainly seeing those I love.

Oh and find Peace and Quiet. Those are my intentions. 

Happy December everyone  

Week In The Life. Ta-Dah!

Ta-Dah!

Finally finished.

Considering Week In The Life took place in August and I thought I was going to be done by mid-september I suppose that mid-october is not too bad... 

I am so glad I perservered with it as I so enjoyed the project for the documentation, but I really wanted it scrapped as well. 

I loved making the kit for it. I chose a pack of paper Webster's Pages, Dream In Colour, some embellishments old and bought some new (the gold heart washi tape is a fab new purchase) and then I did some die-cutting on my Eclips, my BigShot and made some embellishments to go with it all. 

I had to throw every last scrap of that paper away after I finished as I know I am done with it  

There isn't much left though, so it was the perfect amount.

Ok, so here it is for your delectation 

So there it is, all done and dusted for another year, already there is stuff in that journaling that I had forgotten already. 100% the reason for doing it. Ok, 95%, I do love pretty paper and gluing and sticking 

Thanks for coming by...

Week In The Life: Mon&Tue

The title page to break the scrapping up in the album from the last story scrapped. I am including it in my yearly album. I generally scrap everything in one album chronologically, I generally have 3-4 albums a year, depending on how much scrapping I do. I generally do 12x12's for my favourite photos and then different divided page protectors for more day to day additional photos. I have copied Ali Edwards' love of 6x12 pages for the past year or so and often journal on those. I have done that this time too. I used the quote that Ali put up on her blog this Sunday as part of her One Little Word - Give project this year where she shares quotes. I am sure most of them would have been valid  for this project but of course this is the one that I saw this week.

On the reverse of this layout is a 12x12 with my favourite photo of Monday.

I will use this layout as an entry for UKS Monthly Challenge (I chose to use 2 photos, thickers, sequins and twine) 

I also used this gorgeous green lace and doily from a kit Sue made for us when I went to a crop on saturday. 

Then in a 6x12 protectors I put the journaling Facts on one page...

 And then the Feelings journaling on the next.

The additional photos are in a divided page protector next.

On the reverse of the divided page protector I started Tuesday with additional photos from the day. The colours were far too primary for my liking so I muted most of the photos. I was light on photos so I carved up some of the paper that I took out of the 12x12 that I used as a base for the main layout for the day.

 The 6x12 journaling pages...

 The colour was off as the light was way different by the time I took that photo 

And then the 12x12 on the opposite page for my favourite photo of the day and the final photo of the day.

I will use this layout to enter Sue's monthly challenge which is a sketch you can join in here.

I am so happy I have completed this much already, gives me hope that I will get it done 

Week In The Life: Thursday & Friday

Not much to report from the two days. I just basically worked and worked and when I wasn't I forgot to take photos!

Another selfie. getting ready for work. 

 And one of my name badge, a big part of our 'uniform' at work. Whether we wear uniform or civvies, we all wear the badge.

 Waiting for the bus, in the consistent and persistent rain!

 My Smart transport card on the lovely bus seat upholstery :-) 

 Another bus photo from friday morning, still in the rain!

Planning my to do list for today, tonight and tomorrow morning.

Thursday 06:00 - up and showered and got ready.

07:15 - left for bus.

08:00 arrived at work.

18:45 left work.

19:00-19:30 took a work call.

19:30 dinner, Pea Risotto, couldn't eat much of it, I was really feeling tired. Watched a bit of TV and went to bed, couldn't sleep for worrying about how much I had to do.

Friday 06:00 - up and showered and got ready.

07:15 left and caught bus.

08:00 Met Danni at Braunton. She drove us in to Barnstaple.

08:15 Farewell breakfast with Michael, Laurie, Josh and Jack to wish Michael well as he joins the army.

09:15 Get to work, work on rotas and payroll with Danni until 16:30 - Handover

17:30 Leave

17:55 get caught up in the traffic queue from a 3 car accident  on the Braunton road. It takes 2.5 hours to get home. More concerned about the news that an Ilfracombe girl had died. I see fb profile photos updated to her photo as a mark of respect all weekend. 

20:00 dinner and attempt to start packing but just can't. Put on the alarm for 04:30 and hope I can get up to start enjoying my holiday! 

Week In The Life: Wednesday

Wednesday was supposed to be my day off but it became clear from quite early on that I would have to go in in the evening. For this reason and that I was going to be having a busy weekend I tried to keep it a quiet one ☺️. It sure was eerily quiet with no children here.

A nectarine and a frothy coffee for breakfast. I have been trying to cut out sugar and have avoided coffee for a fortnight, but I felt like I needed a sugar hit this morning. I know that is nonsense and just an excuse to have sugar but my resistance was low as it always is after shifts and when I am tired, they do not suit me. One of my goals that I have been working on for a long time is to completely cut out fizzy drinks (check, I only have the occasional glass of lemonade), cut out coffee (getting there, but see above :-)) and just have water and fruit teas. I am so pleased with progress, but it is taking a long time and lots of will power to get over the horrendous headaches!

Getting Lauren's A Level books ready to put in the attic. Feeling for her as she works out what she has to do to realise her goals and not being able to 'fix' it for her.

You might have read my post here about joining the Women's Equality Party, I joined in today with a call to action. Joining in with a social media blast by fb'ing and tweeting my founding member card.

A shower and catching up with FB, blogs and Week In The Life. Feeling inspired by Ali Edwards' posts to keep going. A final job is to upload photos. Thinking that my expedit needs a serious tidy as everything is out. I will do it after my weekend away.

 My planner, I love it. It still has the power to get me more organised. 

Looking forward now that I am seeing the row of pink post-its for next weekend and week that indicate I am not working-So grateful for time off with my family, so frustrated that it isn't longer.

 Fudge having a nap. He has laid down at my feet for a good part of the day which is nice, I don't think he lies there much when I am out.

It is absolutely soaking wet outside, but I do love the colour of everything in the garden. I think briefly about how annoying it is going to be if it does keep up wet next week as I have a project in mind to move a flower bed, or two, put a few more pavers down and build a fire-pit. I won't be doing it in the rain!

 Loving the sight of raindrops on the plants.

Lunch, Ali is loving philly and crackers as well so that has been an easy new lunch or snack to give him. Of course he is not here today, so even easier!

 I had a nap, I was as tired as I look.

Watching some rubbish on tv as I rest. 

When Lauren came home from work she confessed to having had bars put in her wrists. I thought we were out of the piercing phase but it has come back with a vengeance :-) I can't say that I hate it, they kind of look pretty but I am too old I think to really see what the youngsters see!

I went into work as they were having an awful day to help recover the shop. I missed the bake-off, such an outrage! Thank heavens for the BBC iplayer! (and Sky Go and Sky+ and the internet in general!). I sat and painted my nails as I watched it before bed.