Project 365: Week 4

January 22nd - Fortune Cookies

"
Your talents will be recognized and suitably rewarded." Opening a fortune cookie is always a surprise! The Mr. and I have a favorite Chinese Buffet we like to eat at. I saved a few of the fortunes we have collected over the last few months. I wonder what my next big fortune will be!


January 23rd - Starving Artist Art Show

Saturday we spent the entire day looking at art! The frames are worth getting, even if you don't buy a painting. They are one third the cost of buying them anywhere else. And they are nice frames. We arrived in SLC at the Sheraton, just as the art show was opening. By the end of the day we had purchased several wonderful paintings for the new house... thanks to art students! My favorite - three rabbits (Country French style). We also got some very modern and unique paintings to hang in the theater room (we'll use them instead of movie posters). Very fun day!

January 24th - Hot Chocolate kind of day

So cold outside.... a cup of hot chocolate hit the spot!

January 25th - A room with a view

The basement is going up; the windows are farmed. Our view - the orchard and field below. Peaceful!

January 26th - Avatar in 3D

Wicked! In a good way. I didn't think I would like the movie, but after seeing it in 3D, it was totally awesome! We usually go to the local theater, but had to go to the Megaplex in Odgen for this one. Love our moive dates.... eating nachos with hot cheese and jalapenos, drinking a large coke, and sitting next to my hub. Can't get any better than that!

January 27th - Wii Fit

I'm getting fit with the Wii! Thanks to Kelsey's family. Makela and Alia show how it's done. Bowling was a blast! I guess I won't be pulling the wool over Wii... it's tracking my weight and personal goals. No more excuses!

January 28th - Mom' heart

Mom's heart has been out of rhythm for the past month. She's not been feeling well so the doc at home sent her to the U of U to see her heart doctor. She manages to give a half smile even though she has no idea what's going to happen next. That's one of the reasons I love my mother... she can still keep her sense of humor when the going gets tough!

Project 365: Week 3

January 15th - Happy Birthday Misty!


Misty is my son's wife and mother of my grandchildren. She is a good wife and wonderful mother! I am honored to call her my daughter and am glad she is a part of our family. She and Steve are avid Ute fans. We went to a game with them and had a blast.

January 16th - Books

The Mr. and I love to frequent the DI. I was so excited when I found this hardback book set of Work and the Glory by Gerald Lund... all for $25.00. Now I have no excuse to read them, even though it's been how many years!

January 17th - Vintage Blue

What does the color blue and an old plate have in common? Blue has always been my favorite color. Blue adorned my wedding, I asked for blue dishes for my graduation gift (which I still have!). I look for blue everywhere I go! I also have a passion for vintage plates. This was a find... also from the DI. I was so excited to display it on my shelf. But I am even more excited to showcase it in my new living room..... you guessed it! My future living room is going to be light blue and white with displays of paisley, stripes, and solids.

I'm a Cottage kind of girl.... I want cozy, a combination of textures and colors, painted furniture, and things I love surrounding me. A place to read and meditate. Maybe I'll do a splash of red somewhere in the room to create an element of surprise! Walls a creamy yellow. A wall of bookshelves to house my books and treasures. A coffee and end table were picked up at my favorite thrift shop - $30 for both. They have been painted white, distressed, and glazed to give them an antique look. A simple, yet beautiful table lamp was picked up at the DI for $5.00. Now, I just have to find the perfect lamp shade..... maybe add fringe and a tassel to give it a unique personality. Think I can pull this all together?

January 18th - Who says only your hairdresser knows for sure!

Every woman needs to have their own hairdresser... NOT! Anyway, not me! However, I need my own clock man, my own wood man, my own custom furniture painter, my own..... you get the picture! They have to know me, and I them! The Mr. and I found a beautiful grandfather clock at the DI of all places for $275.00.... wow! It's pictured on the right. We purchased it and promptly took it to our clock man for a tune up. Mr. George is a quaint old man, who owns a little shop called the Clockworks in the heart of SLC. You would never guess! It's like stepping into another world. Coo coo clocks, grandfather clocks, big clocks, little clocks, unique clocks... all can be heard... tick, tock, tick tock! It's like walking into a music store with the soothing and rhythmic sounds of ticking and chimes. It's a wonderful place to get lost in! I could sit and while the day there watching our old friend meticulously and patiently work the small and intricate instruments of a clock until they submit to his command.

January 19th - Minnie Me!

Children are natural mimics--they act like their parents in spite of every attempt to teach them good manners! -Anonymous



Audrey has a minnie me.... darling little Alia! She's got her purse and baby and ready to go! She can also be spotted organizing and cleaning throughout the day... dust cloth in hand while holding a cell phone tucked up under her chin, chattering away! Audrey takes a break and sits down on the floor, legs bent.... and suddenly Alia finds her way to her mothers side and mimics the same position. Can't have a kiss and hug without Alia! Time for prayer.... Alia folds her arms and listens intently until aMen is heard. Oh... you can hear please and thank you regularly in her vocabulary. She exercises... she does push ups and runs in place by mom and dad's side as they work out with Wii Fit. So stinkin cute to watch!


So.... moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, brothers and sisters..... watch what you do and say everyday. Someone small is always watching! How else are they to know what to do, how to act, what to say, in this world we live in! Are they learning good manners, or bad manners?


January 20th - I'm a budding ArTist!

I'm going to paint! I'm going to learn once and for all! I have always wanted to... my whole entire life! My grandmother was an artist. I love paintings, especially when someone I love paints them. I found this paint set (you guessed it... the DI) for $15.00. It has chalks, oils, acrylics, watercolors, and colored pencils.... oh, what a deal! This is my year.... I am going to become an ARTIST!

January 21st - Country Village

I love the drive through Sardine Canyon to Logan for more reasons than one. It's not only beautiful, but I get to drive by the old house and visit one of my favorite stores. The Antique Mall is just around the corner and down the street a block from where our house was in Logan. It used to be Griffin's when we lived there. The kids and I would frequent the store.....a mom and pop animal and feed store. We bought baby chicks and rabbits there and just loved to browse. It was familiar. A home away from home kind of feeling! Growing up on a farm with baby chicks and rabbits was part of us! When the kids and I moved over the hill, Griffins went out of business, and soon the Country Village made its home there. It was strange to see Griffins gone because we loved it, but it wasn't long until the Country Village became familiar and a well loved store, too! We're always finding a hidden treasure in some corner of the store.

Project 365: Week 2

January 8th - The Hundred Dresses


Our Relief Society Birthday Dinner this year is centered around The Hundred Dresses written by Eleanor Estes. Wanda wears the same faded blue dress to school every day- yet she says she has one hundred beautiful dresses at home, "all lined up." The other girls don't believe it, and when Peggy starts a daily game of teasing Wanda about the hundred dresses, everyone joins in. Maddie, Peggy's best friend, goes along with the game, but she secretly wonders whether she can find the courage to speak up in Wanda's defense. It's not until Wanda fails to come to school one day that her classmates learn the truth about the hundred dresses- and Maddie and Peggy learn the meaning of kindness and generosity of spirit.

As chair of the Birthday Dinner, it is my job to head up a humanitarian project in search of a women's shelter, etc. to donate dresses and other clothing to. Each sister in our ward will be invited to donate a dress or other articles of clothing to this effort. As I begin my search, I hope to be guided to the right place. There are many deserving places, but I know there is someone, somewhere, just right, waiting for our dresses!


January 9th - Snow

Freshly fallen snow is always a beautiful sight! We are getting our share this year.


January 10th - Sunday Lessons - Faith is like a Mustard Seed.....

...we will compare the word (of God) unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, ....it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves-- It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul: yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me. Alma 32:28

My girls and I are working on the YW Personal Progress together, and our first value is Faith. The goals we have chosen to work on have brought us closer together and as we discuss and share the truths we believe in, our faith and testimony in the gospel of Jesus Christ grows. Through FAITH, we hope for things which are not seen, but are true. We look to the future with hope and faith... believing that The Best Is Yet To Be! (refer to January 2010 Ensign article, pg. 23, by Jeffrey R. Holland)

January 11- Housework

I mean... the new house work. The foundation is poured and the earth is moved in mighty ways as the trackhoe pushes it in no time to back fill the foundation.



Janary 12th - Europe Pictures

I'm finally organizing my Europe pictures into an album. Even though I love to scrapbook, doing that for all our trips would require way to much time and work. So, I'm shortcutting. I'm adding memorabilia to some of the pockets, and journaling along the edges of the pictures. I think I'm going to like this!

Janaruy 13th - My New Computer

I finally got my new PC today! It is a Christmas gift from the Mr. He set it up in no time... love him!

January 14th - New addition to the family

And he's got personality! We adopted our rooster from one of our favorite thrift shops. He originally comes from Indonesia. He's hand carved from wood; hand colored, too. He sports colorful and folksy colors of red, orange, yellow, and brown. He's rather tall.... about 3'. We'll call him RED! He sits on the bench in the kitchen, head cocked, breast puffed, eyes peeled keeping watch.....

Project 365: Week 1

Jan 1, 2010: Day 1 Santa Collection


Remember Speigel?

If you are not old enough to remember, Speigel was a mail order catalog. Christmas was always an extra fun time to order unique gifts. I mail ordered a Santa around 1978. He stands about 18 inches tall, is hand carved from wood, wears a colorful red coat, and holds a basket with a goose in it. He has faithfully adorned our shelves every year during the holiday season. In fact, my Speigel Santa was the start of my ever-growing Santa collection. It's usually the last thing to pack up and put away. Until next year....

Jan 2: Day 2 Boden Stick Candy

"Little girl, you'd better learn how to make this stick candy; it might help you make a living some day." This prophetic advice was given to Annora Coleman Boden when she worked in a candy factory in Wales. Annora was born in 1828 and learned the candy trade at an early age. After her marriage to James Boden and ten children later, the family migrated to the United States and settled in Brigham City, Utah. Annora became a widow shortly after their arrival and started making candy to make ends meet. The tradition has since been carried on with consecutive generations. Our dear friend gives us the Boden Candy every year for Christmas... Annora was his great grandmother!

Jan 3: Day 3 Hometown Artist and a Lang Calendar

One of my favorite artist's live in my hometown. Every year my sister saves me six calendars from her drugstore. Most of them are usually Ned Young's Homeland, sold my Lang. This year's calendar was his Still Life. I like it for the most part, but was missing the home scenes from around town that are so familiar to me. So.... you can imagine my unexpected surprise when I went into a downtown bookstore and saw his calendar hanging on the wall. I said "I have got to have that calendar!" It was the only one left in the store and it was used by employees to keep track of time. The manager graciously sold me the calendar for $7.00. I was so excited! I took it right home and put it in my calendar holder in the kitchen. It wasn't long before I noticed that the calendar had been signed by the artist himself.... sweet! An added bonus - the house pictured is my neighbor's house!

Jan 4: Day 4 Scales do not lie!

....even though I wish they did! Yep, I have some weight to lose. Next time you see this... I'll be!!!!

Jan 5: Day 5 Shabby Chic Shopping

My favorite stores are consignment and thrift shops! I took the Mr. to this totally awesome shop that I frequent, thinking he wouldn't like it. Surprise...he loved it! Now we shop together! We find hidden treasures from other countries, vintage plates, painted furniture... unique and full of personality!

Jan 6: Day 6 To be young again!

A painting the Mr. and I fell in love with... purchased it for $120.00. It was painted in 1880, with the artist's signature and looks as if it may still be on the original canvas. We have yet to verify it authenticity. At any rate, now the Mr. and I can admire it and dream of a time when we were younger...much younger! It's a beautiful painting!


Jan 7: Day 7 Shopping for paint colors

Shopping for paint colors is a real challenge. So many choices! I love blue, green, and yellow for some rooms and some as accent walls, while keeping the main color a warm toast. The Mr. is designing the theater room.... thinking about red and black.... cool, very cool! Now, here's hoping we can pull it all together!