December Daily #2

Day 2

The Story...

On this VERY cold December 2nd, my good neighbor Glen arrived at my door and offered to put my lights on my fence. What a sweet man he is!! I had bought all new lights this year and he had quite a time getting them all straightened out... laughing all the way! He twisted them all over the top of my picket fence and set them on a timer. Last night my yard was lit up so brightly. Soooooo beautiful! Thank you Glen!! I love you! Santa comes in many forms. You were my Santa today!! Now I need to pay it forward.

  Love to all!

joni

December Daily #1

I just got home the night of the 30th and CRASHED! But I didn't want to get behind with my December Daily album. Soooooooo...

I found this photo of some vintage luggage months ago and saved it in my 'Christmas 2010' file just for this day. Good planning , joni... as I broke my camera on our trip. So happy to have a photo ready! I added the airplane and a few words, mounted it on red paper, and it is done. I also added a 3-D red number 1 in the top left hand corner.

I wrote the story of "the day" on Word and added it on the page on the left side.

I'll get photos of the actual pages as soon as I can get my camera lens repaired.

Love you all!

Joni 

"DECEMBER DAILY"

My 3rd year of recording December memories.

Ali Edwards hooked me a few years ago with the concept of a "December Daily" album.

I'm hooked!!

I couldn't wait to get this year's album organized.

But first I curled up with a cup of Chai Tea and went back in time

to the Decembers of the past 2 years.

2008

A 2008 sample page...

2009

A 2009 sample page:

Tah, tah... 2010!!

Although I still have Autumn decorations up I couldn't wait

to pull December mini albums and books for my small

shelf (Pottery Barn Kids) above my computer table.

 My 2010 album is nestled in a metal basket...

awaiting my return on December 1st from a

trip to see my daughters in Denver and Phoenix.

The papers are cut and punched and ready to begin

recording this year's memories.

If you haven't attempted a "December Daily the time

is perfect to give it a try this year. They're fun and quick

to put together and you'll love reading it over and over.

My sweet mom used to say, 

Memories bridge the gap of time."

Soooooo true!

Love you all!!

joni 

A Blog that you'll love!

http://mytwobutterflies.blogspot.com/

Meet Jenn Brasher!

She is one VERY creative young lady (mom and wife too)!!

My daughter Kristin met her in college and they've stayed

in touch through the years.

Jenn lives in Denver and has helped make Kristin feel 

welcome in her recent move.

Jenn loves photography and did this self-portrait

for Project 365. 

She's so talented at seeing a piece of clothing at a

thrift shop and creating something wearable from it.

BEFORE 

AFTER

A Grandpa's sweater cardigan.

BEFORE

AFTER

 She's just as talented making jewelry.

Jenn is having a GIVEAWAY.

Visit her Blog and leave a comment.

I sat and read her entire Blog the other day.

It is so motivating and inspirational.

ENJOY!!

I do each day!

~Joni

PS Jenn and her husband went to Italy with my daughters in September.

Daylight Saving Time Coming to an End

A REMINDER...

It's time to turn back your clocks tomorrow night (in the USA)

and get an extra hour of sleep.

Enjoy that Extra hour on Sunday morning!

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

Joni

Lurking in the gloom...

As long as I can remember we have had Better Homes and Gardens magazines in our house.

BUT NOW... http://www.bhg.com/ has become a favorite read!!

The following ideas are from their daily site that you can subscribe to free and get inspired by hundreds of exciting ideas and projects. They arrive in the form of an email... subscribe and you will be adding a daily smile to your life.

Simple black upholstery tacks.

I adore these painted pumpkins with a touch of Bling!

Unique idea for a door or a fence.

Shortbread cookies with almond fingernails.

Little fabric ghosts tied to painted branches & stuck in a pumpkin.

Love this on a gate!

Add some fake black birds or crows to an existing wreath.

Better photo of the painted pumpkins!

Easy to make!

But the squirrels are feasting on all of my Indian corn.

Thanks Better Homes and Garden website... http://www.bhg.com/.

I anxiously await your daily email!!

Have a creative Halloween!!

Joni

Marathon Shopping

Kristin and Wendy were home for the weekend. It is always sooooo good to have them both under my roof!! We laughed and laughed and shopped and shopped. Kristin lives in Chicago (anyone want to rent or buy a cute condo on Michigan Ave?) and although she has access to great stores in Chicago, the sales tax is 10%. The moving van is coming to her Chicago place this week and she wanted to shop for her Denver place (Cherry Creek) as our sales tax is only 5%.

So... we shopped Friday evening and most of Saturday.

FUN, FUN, FUN! 

 She got the car packed and the realized that her suitcases needed to squeeze in someplace and so did Wendys. And... she was picking up her friend Katie and her luggage in Milwaukee and giving her a ride to Chicago.

 Kristin bought 16 place settings of FiestaWare in yummy colors!

And lamps, towels, etc.

I got a text saying they had arrived home safely!

I can't wait to hear the story of how they all fit in the car.

See you at Thanksgiving!

I'm flying to Denver for a few days to see Kristin's new home and then the 2 of us will fly to Phoenix together for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving at Wendy and Daren's is always a blast!

XOXO

Joni

Apple Pickin' Time

It's that wonderful time of the year... apple pickin' time! It's time to find an orchard and pick those apples right from the trees. A Fall tradition here in Wisconsin. 

Jerry, his daughter, two grandchildren, a little friend, our two dogs and I, went to his brother's orchard loaded with baskets and bags.

It was a beautiful sunny day!

The trees were laden with every type of apple you can think of and we picked some of each. The most inviting are always at the tippy-top and this 'basket gadget' was perfect for reaching up high.

It doesn't take long to fill a bushel basket with so many big and little hands working together.

I just love this time of the year... jeans and sweatshirt time.

My dog Otter just loves Jerry and he is so good to Otter!

Jerry's dog Dixie isn't in the photos as her legs are soooo long and she moves sooooo fast that I didn't get even one clear picture of her as she ran laps around the fields. Dixie's a Doberman.  

Otter had his first experience running in a farm field. All I could think of was, "I hope that his flea and tick medicine works well!" Just the thought made me scratch!

These apples are headed to the oven to become apple pies, apple squares, and apple bread. Jerry's daughter was going to make applesauce with a lot of her apples.

YUMMERS!!

Have an apple, polish it up, and crunch right in!

ENJOY!!

Enjoy the season that your part of the world is experiencing !

Joni

PS The photos of Jerry's grandchildren and the friend they brought along, are adorable. I was asked not to put the children on my blog and I want to honor their mother's wish.

Icky, Sticky, Icecream

This is a page from my "Summer 2010" album.

Jerry deserved a big icecream cone for taking me all the way to Appleton to Archivers. Most men dislike that place, but he's a pretty good sport. I don't go there very often now that I do mostly digi scrapping, but I was in the mood to organize my "December Daily Album"... which is hybrid. I'll share photos of the collection I picked out for it on another day.

We stopped at Vande Walle's Chocolates for some really good icecream and it was indeed YUMMY!

And drip, drip, drip it did!

Make this a great day!

Joni 

Picnic in the Park

Always Time for a Picnic

We are very blessed to live a few blocks away from one of the largest inland lakes... Lake Winnebago! The park along the lake is lovely... Menominee Park. There's an old-fashioned carousel, a little red train that carries happy children through the park, a great zoo, a built-by-the-community playground (yes, I hammered some nails), Sea, Sand and Sailorland... another playground, a lagoon with paddle boats, bike and walking paths, and every sport you can imagine being played! I love to just sit under a tree and read!

Today, Jerry and I headed to the park with my picnic basket in hand. We munched  tasty but very messy egg salad sandwiches... as the photos show. Everything slid out of the bread as we took a bite! 

Jerry was gathering odds and ends of his sandwich to feed the ducks.

This photo gives you a better view of the shoreline up to the swimming pavilion.

Jerry took an afternoon nap while I played with my camera. The sound of the water, the ducks and the seagulls make a very conducive atmosphere for napping.

There are lots of boats on the lake... especially sailboats. These boats were returning from the end of a race. It's actually one of my favorite photos of the Summer.

I love our little Midwest city!

A lovely place to live and raise a family.

When we want a taste of an urban life, we just hop on down to Chicago.

But then we get to come home again to fireflies and quiet.

Make this a great day!

~Joni

Lovin' Italy!!

Ten Days in Tuscany

Celebrating Kristin's 40th Bday

Kristin wanted to do something special for her 40th so she decided to rent a villa in

Tuscany... and invite 8 other close friends. They all chipped in for the Villa.

As a 'thank you' to them for helping her celebrate, Kristin hired an Italian chef

to come to the Villa and give them a cooking lesson and serve them a complete dinner.

Kristin said that this was the highlight of the trip her... being able to share this meal

with her wonderful friends.

 

This photo is out of order, but special to me.

This is the town of Portofino. A much-loved spot by me and

full of wonderful memories.

Wendy and Kristin

This is their Villa and they said it was much better than they ever expected.

You never know when you make all of your arrangements online.

They went to the small nearby town of Greve where they

were having a festival-of-sorts.

The town put on a version of "Grease".

They gathered in Florence for a glass of wine and to discuss

plans for the rest of the day.

Fried cheese balls!

Just like being at home.

Kristin, Wendy, and Wendy's husband Darin spent several days in Rome and

went to The Vatican.

They're on their way home as I write.

I pray for their safe travel.

Make this a great day!

~joni