And So I Don't Forget...

Running Late for New Year

I feel like I am running late for the New Year.

I am definitely not ready for 2011.

When I finished work before Christmas, the time before I had to head back into the office seemed to stretch endlessly. That week between Christmas and the New Year was heaps of time, certainly enough to finish my December Daily album and go through all those cupboards that were dying to be cleaned out and reorganised. Now it is New Years Eve and that week seemed to disappear in the blink of an eye. And, of course, neither of those tasks are complete.

However, I have picked my One Little Word for 2011, or rather I think it picked me. One Little Word is an Ali Edwards concept that encourages you to find a word that relates to what you want for yourself in the upcoming year. Tangible or symbolic, it is a word to consider, reflect and focus on. A catalyst.

My word is AUTHENTIC. 

And, in view of that, I'll finish with this photo. Not my most photogenic.

 
Photo credits to 5 year old Talia.

A Simple Summer Tradition

This was the tag on one of my presents that I opened Christmas morning. 

 
Mum asked me to guess what it was but I had no idea. She was a little bit cryptic. I unwrapped the present to find this:

 
A puzzle of the Spanish Steps in Rome.

The three ways: Mum and Dad sent me to Rome on a school trip when I was 16, they met me in Rome for a holiday in 2003 and now the puzzle. Thank you Mum and Dad. Although seriously, how on earth was I meant to guess that? :)

It seems to have become a tradition that I do a puzzle every summer.

 
2007.

 
And 2008.

When I lived at home it became a bit of a family project with Mum and Dad adding the occassional piece. Mum particularly got sucked in, stopping and searching for a piece each time she passed the table.

I don't think I did a puzzle last summer, my first living out of home, but a few weeks ago I had the urge to do another one. Mum knows me well.

Today I started this summer tradition one again. So far I have got as far as separating out a few of the straight edges. I'll get there though. I think I might invite Mum over to help. It's tradition.

 

In fact, Mum was over here yesterday but we were much too busy doing this.

 

 

Assembling ikea furniture. Oh what fun! But, I think it was worth it in the end.

Introducing my new entertainment units:

 
Thanks for your help Mum. We rule the flat-pack!

This is Christmas

 
I love this photo, from a get-together with friends a few days before Christmas. The decorated table, plates full of good food, paper crowns and bad jokes from crackers.

This is Christmas.

Back to Normal

With Christmas Day over for another year, my place is slowly returning to normal. I don't mean taking down the Christmas tree or anything like that. Firstly, I am really not that organised and secondly,  I'm not ready to part with it for another year just yet. Nope, I mean tidying all the mess and piles of stuff that accumulated in the few days before Christmas.

I have a bit of a way to go yet though.

 
At least it is now confined to my bedroom and if someone drops by I can close the bedroom door and not be cringing in embarrassment from the mess. Actually, just realised that I haven't showered yet today. For the record, today is not a good day for unexpected visitors. 

Hope you are enjoying some lazy, post-Christmasness.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

 

I'm just back from Carols by Candlelight and have 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' running through my head. The Carols is one of my favourite traditions and, when the singing starts, the sign that Christmas is really, truly here. No more shopping, baking or running around. No more time for that. 

Simply enjoy. And sing.

The clock has ticked past midnight - officially it is Christmas Day already. I'm heading to bed now. When I wake it will be time to celebrate.

Can't wait.

 

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin; 
Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

I Love December

 
How could you not love coming home to this?

 
Or sitting out on the balcony and seeing this.

There are few things more magical than fairy lights. Love them.

Love December.

 

I have another couple of December Daily pages to share. I copied the wording from my last blog post to create Day 19. It went through a few variations but I am happy with how it finally turned out.

 
Here it is how it will look in the album.

 
The Christmas tree trim is sewn, creating a pocket in the page protector. You will be able to see through to the page beneath.

And this holds our family Christmas letter. I love that this is in the album to read in the future - such a snapshot of our lives this year.

 
Loving my December Daily.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

A storm raging outside.

Christmas Carols are cranked up loud.

Cleaning, tidying, doing a load of washing. Everything is better with Christmas Carols.

Thoughts of what to buy for the remaining few (or not so few) on my list running though my head.

Only 6 shopping days till Christmas.

A Sunday afternoon in December.

December Daily: Days 3, 8 and 9

I'm still steadily working on my December Daily, although I haven't even started this week's pages. Oh well, I've still enjoying the process. And enjoying the month. :)

Here is the back of Day 3. (I posted the front the other day.) Sorry for the lousy photos - this page is a transparency and was particularly hard to shoot.

 

And this is how it looks in the album.

  

For Day 8 I had cut a transparency into a circle shape. I decided to simply number the transparency and add a page behind for my content.

 

 

This photo might explain it better.

 

And behind the transparency.

 
And on the back.

 
These photos are actually from later in the week but I had room here and the topic seemed appropriate. Although you can't really tell in this bad photo I have pop-dotted the photo with the star which was our favourite from the night.

This is Day 9, which is definitely my favourite page in the album so far.

 
 I promise, the lines are actually straight in real life. :)

If you are completing a December Daily, how are you going?

Enjoying.

I did have a post written about how I am enjoying working on my December Daily album. How I think it is increasing my enjoyment of the season as I am noticing and reflecting on the little things, rather than them simply being passing thoughts. But, just as I was about to post it got eaten. So you just get these photos.

Day 2.

 
Front.

 
And the back.

I do have other pages in progress but not finished. I'm fine with that though. I'm enjoying the process and I'll get there eventually. In the meantime I'll continue taking photos and recprdong thoughts.

I Wish I Was Here

 

 

Maria La Gorda, Cuba. The English translation, Maria the Fatso, doesn't have quite the same ring. After days of rain and humidity, with forecasts of more to come, I wish I was here, sitting on this beach. Two weeks ago today I was - it seems so long ago now.