WOW!

     I can not believe it has been so long since I have blogged! I am such a slacker in this area, one of my few new years resolutions are to blog more and make more time for friends and family.
     I always see family at events (birthdays, holidays) but to actually make plans to meet up with them is alot harder to do with all that everyone is doing these days and work schedules. (see an excuse already! lol) It is always easier to say lets meet up but to actually do it is a another thing.So I am going to be that person this year to reach out and say hi (yes actually pick up that phone and have a conversation and mail out cards to say hi and that you are an important part of my life.)
     This year I was able to go to Leadership for Stampin' UP! and the guest speaker, told a story about a letter he lost and how much it would mean to him if he still had it.(It was the last letter his Father wrote to him). It really made me think of how often I think of my friends, family but that is as far as it goes, always put it off, how easy it is to put off but to take action does not take much effort, a quick email, text, phone call, card just to say hi i love you, how are you? I am thinking of you! How the art of it slips away. 

     So my 1st 2015  New Years resolution is to reach out each month to my friends and family and make that connection! 2nd is to spend quality time with my animals take walks, just be there. and my 3rd is to be a better blogger and my 4th is to spend at least part of one day a week being creative in some way.

 Hope you do well with your resolutions this new Year!

Christmas

Yea, I said it!  :)  28 days til Christmas day. How is your shopping/decorating going? I am going to make most of my gifts this year. Lots of Scrapbooking.





This is my goal for This holiday season to enjoy it as much as I can spend it with family and friends and document the whole month long with blog posts lots of pictures and journal all month long!

Enjoy your Holiday Season and bring on the snow!
Tina 

Cup Koozie

Big Shot Project -- Cup/can Koozie

Material needed: Su Fabric, Big Shot, Buttons, Scallop Circle Bigz die, Fun Flowers Bigz Large Die, batting, Sewing machine, Bakers Twine Ribbon (Early Espresso, Lucky Limeaide)

Directions: Using the Big Shot Cut out 8 Scallop Circles using SU fabric of your choice, 4 Scallop Circles out of Batting, 3 Flowers using the Fun flowers Bigz L die

Assemble:  Place 1 SU Fabric Scallop Circle face down, place Batting down next, then add the 2nd Su Fabric Scallop Circle face up on top of the batting. (make sure scallops all line up) Sew together in a circle pattern. you can tell on my picture I used a designer stitch. I could not sew a perfect circle so this is what worked for me! :)  
  When all 4 scallops are sewn you then sew the first 2 together with a small seam allowance.(from top to bottom instead of a circle) Then sew the 3rd scallop to the 2nd, also use a small seam allowance, next sew the 1st and 3rd together so the first 3 circles are sewn together. Now sew on the bottom using the same seam allowance. All done! 

 
 

Birthday Resolutions

Today I turn 4 3, and have decided instead of making New Year's resolutions I will start making them on my birthday. I have also been seeing these 365 days or 52 weeks of something and that got me thinking! I have 3 resolutions i am making this year  ok I just thought of another one so 4 sesolutions for the up coming year. Here they are.

1. 52 weeks of blogging. I am going to blog something every week.
2. 365 pics of my pugs and me. Sounds easy enough right?
3. Keep in touch with friends/family and make an effort to meet up with them at least once a month.
4. Actually finish the class/project I start!

Quick album for my parents

This is an album I made for my parents! I have to say it was really quick and easy with Shutterfly.

Click here to view this photo book larger

You'll love Shutterfly's award-winning photo books. Try it today.

Opening of the Presents

Seems to remain the same year after year. When we gather with family on Christmas eve, the presents must be opened after dinner presents are passed out and everyone can open their gifts right away. On Christmas day we also open them after dinner but we pass out all the presents and sit in a circle. We all take turns opening one present at a time, so everyone can see what you have riceived. Then the next person gets to open one so on and so forth until it is your turn again. Lot's of pictures are taken and it is a fun way to enjoy all the thoughtful gifts everyone has received.

Oh Christmas Tree

How bright your twinkling lights glow. Thursday was spent in Seattle shopping with Jerilyn. We saw all kinds of Christmas trees all lit up and very festive, it was a wonderful day. This is a tree in West lake Mall area, which is where we spent most of the day. In Pacific Place ( a mall a block away) It Snows inside the mall! It is really fun and amazing it feels like snow, but it is warm inside the building. We have been talking about seeing it for years, so this was our year to enjoy it.

Tina

Christmas Music

...is so happy and fun! I find my self singing along to the Christmas music at work and notice alot of customers doing the same. I like the tradition of the songs and just the happiness they bring. I saw mommy kissing Santa Clause, Hark the Herald Angels sing, Frosty the Snowman, Jingle Bells, Let it Snow Let it Snow Let it Snow, O'Christmas Tree, Rudolf the Red nosed Reindeer, Silver Bells, Santa Clause is coming to town, to name just a few good ones. What a great way to spend a day decorating the house for Christmas and listening/singing to the holiday music. Of course mom will be listening to her favorite... Elvis singing his Christmas songs just to her!

Christmas Morphing...

 Christmas in our family has changed and seems to morph a little each year. When Grandma Engstrom was alive the entire family would go to her house for Christmas Eve. Once she passed, all the Aunt & Uncles would take turns having Christmas Eve at their houses. Now it is either at Aunty Rains, Marilyn's, or Todd and Crissy's. This year Christmas Eve is at Marilyn's and Christmas day is at Cory & Brandon's. Change is good, we spend the holidays with the ones we love the most.
Tina

Wrappings

Wrapping of gifts (that I still need to buy) is always fun. Until you get to mom's wrapping at the last minute, stressed out, but not this year I have from the 22nd to the 25th off so presents will get wrapped, put under the tree with time to spare. Yeah for being able to change my work schedule around and get Christmas eve off. I love the bows and have made all the Christmas tags with Katie's help so  Bring non the wrapping.

Tina

Traditions

One of my favorite traditions is Baking with the family. Today at Todd & Crissy's we gathered to start the Christmas baking. Mom and Dad, Tye, Katie, and Me were all there to eat and bake and eat some more. We are going back next Saturday to finish the baking and this time Jerilyn is going to join the festivities. We have so much fun baking together, lots of flour and powder suger flying in the air. Lot's of tasting of the good Scandinavian baked goodies. We bake Spritz, Lefsa, no bake cookies, home made crackers, rosettes, Krumkaka, fattigman, and snickerdoodles. Yummy

Tina
 

T'is the season...

To be jolly fa la la la la... with Holiday lights and Christmas decor all though the neighborhoods That I love to explore. As for our house the mantel and living room are all festive with lights and holiday decor. Now on to the tree that will go up this week when we find it. I love to decorate the tree, yes I like putting on the lights and tinsel and the ornaments. It just makes it feel like Christmas even if we get no snow.
Tina

Another List...

Yep its that time of year again when lists are being prepared and lost and then re-done, at least that's how I work. So far this year there has been no list for me I think it is still tooo early. OK only 13 days until Christmas Eve and yet there is no written list, maybe by the end of the week I will write one. I am not inspired to this year, I know what I am giving almost everyone I think. My goal is to get my Christmas cards out first and then lists will follow. Maybe.. : )
Tina

Memories..

As I was making my Calender this year I came upon a picture I had forgotten all about, It made my eyes a little misty. It was of my Grandma Engstrom sitting on a couch napping with a big smile on her face. It was at a family gathering most likely Christmas or Thanksgiving at my Aunty Rain and Uncle Wilmer's house in Lynwood. She looked so peaceful and happy, I think we had finished eating and were just relaxing. I miss the holidays with her, she was a wonderful woman and great cook. (If you know me you know my best memories  come from food.) I am glad I found the picture of a Christmas almost forgotten.
Tina

The Countdown Begins

The Christmas season is once again here. Work is crazy with shoppers bustling with their bags of presents and little patients. Christmas is a time of giving and kindness, unless you are working in retail. Early mornings and late nights, frenzy shoppers looking for just that perfect gift, that will no doubt be brought back to the store in January by the receiver of the "I can't believe they thought I would like that" gift and the poor sales associate who has to tell them no cash back, so sorry. The moral of this story PLEASE be kind to your sales associates most of them are only holiday help with little knowledge of what you are going to be needing. Smile and say Hi back, it won't kill ya. lol

  So.. the count down to crazyness begins, be patient not much longer!

Tina