Week in the Life : Tuesday Photos + Words (and a workshop giveaway)
Just a note that Stacy Julian organized a really cool project encouraging everyone to give ourselves the gift of the present moment. This is precisely what we are doing with this week in the life journey. Check out her blog today.
From Tuesday:
Went with the simple list idea again - not as detailed as day one, but still much more than I would ever do without this project.
1. Super happy Simon wake-up this morning. He came into our room around 2am. I stayed for a bit and then went to his bed (which happens to be a bit more comfortable because of a firmer mattress). He joined me at about 5:45am just before the alarm went off at 6am.
2. Breakfast routine same as Monday: bagel + cream cheese for Simon, cereal for Chris, and me, I have to wait a bit for my thyroid medication. I usually eat after Simon leaves for school.
3. Every morning that Simon is cheerful I am so very thankful.
4. Working on a project for Australian Creating Keepsakes.
5. Listening to OPB.
6. Head out to the Farmer’s Market. Pick up spinach, carrots, celery, red onion, raspberries, and flowers. Grab a toasted bagel from Bagel Sphere.
7. Ship package to Australia.
8. Look up some recipes at www.allrecipes.com. Do a bit of meal planning for the week.
9. Text Chris to pick up a couple things at the grocery store.
10. Make German Apple Cake + eat hummus and pita chips for lunch.
11. Clean up kitchen.
12. Move laundry around.
13. Back to work. Internet. Emails.
14. Talk to Mom on the phone. Ask her about how to get the cake out of the bundt pan.
15. Totally bummed that Mothering.com message board has been down today.
16. Simon comes home on the bus.
17. We check out his Communication Notebook. Looks good. He brought home the same library book he brought home almost every trip last year.
18. On comes the Darth Vader costume and Star Wars video.
19. Chris talks on the phone. Mom reads about cloth diapers.
20. I take a little nap.
21. Dinner is tostadas (Chris cooks). Dessert is the German Apple Cake.
22. Simon does his math homework (no complaints tonight) at the table and then puts on his PJ’s.
23. Reading homework on the couch.
24. Family light saber battle.
25. Simon in bed. Read Green Eggs + Ham.
26. Back to work for a bit.
27. Watch Tivo’d John Stewart.
This week I am excited to give away a spot in Kolette Hall's Giving Well (In 2-hours or Less) online workshop at Big Picture Scrapbooking.
Kolette is one of my favorite people and happens to be having a baby right around the same time as me next year. She is a fabulous product designer and instructor who really keeps the emphasis on things being meaningful and coming from the heart.
Here's the basics of Giving Well:
Gift-giving is an art. From the gift tag and wrapping paper to what's inside the package, you are saying something when you give a gift. Back by popular demand, Kolette Hall has designed a fresh round of fabulous, manageable gift ideas for the holiday season and all year long. This class is literally packed with everything you need to give well for the holidays or any special event all year long - and Kolette has designed every idea you will see in this class!
Every other day, you will receive a new idea for "Giving Well (still in 2-hours or less!)." True to form, Kolette has also included her exclusive downloadable artwork to help you create the perfect gifts, holiday cards and gift tags. As those of you who joined us last year for Giving Well know, you will be amazed with what you get in just four weeks of class time.
You asked for it, so we're starting class a month earlier than last year to make sure you have plenty of time to get those projects done for the holidays! Whether you are mass producing one gift idea or choosing to craft a different gift for each person on your list, you'll get tons of ideas for creating personalized gifts in less than two hours. Come join Kolette as she guides you in your new art form: the art of Giving Well.
You can read all the details about this online workshop here. It runs October 9 through November 5th. While you are there you can also check out her year long workshop for 2009: A Life Well Crafted.
To be entered leave a comment below and let us know if you have started planning for the upcoming holiday season yet. Comment section will be closed at 5pm today (Wednesday) and the winner announced shortly after.
A complete list of posts related to the week in the life project can be found here.
Hi Ali~ I am totally in to the Week in the Life. I had so much fun with it yesterday at work and just when I thought I'd have nothing to photograph! Thanks for the guidance and inspiration!
I have also been doing handmade gifts every year and am running out of ideas so this class would be fantastic!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I have ideas fluttering around in my head but have not say down to plan it ":officially" I have some time set aside this weekend so we'll see what happens
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I'm planning on making the holidays simpler this year. I'm going to put together a 31 days of photos album ahead of time so all I have to do is add the pictures throughout the month of December. It will be easier and I'll have more time to enjoy the holidays.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I've been thinking about it . . . Trying to think of great, meaningful gifts for this year. Began listening to Christmas music the first week of September. :-)
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I guess you could say I've started thinking about christmas cards and a few projects that I want to make as gifts. But it hasn't gone beyond the thinking aspect yet:)
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Bought some return address labels this summer for Christmas cards, does that count? haha. That's about it. Gonna make Christmas very simple this year. Every year I do photo calendars for grandparents, and kinda wanting to get a little more creative this year w/that effort.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I have definitely started! Only making my Christmas cards but it is so much fun! Soon I will think about the little thanks you favors for our Christmas Eve party! Can't wait!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Loving the idea of making the whole gift a work of art, including wrapping and tag. Sometimes, it seems like the whole experience of the holidays is a whirlwind of going through a lot of motions, but I think it's important to infuse it with sacredness.
Sounds like this class would be a good way to start in that direction.
Melissa L.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
i have started organizing supplies for tag/card making and gift wraps and i've started looking through catalogs but haven't started buying any gifts yet! i love the photos you posted.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I have not started planning for the holiday season yet...I know I need to start soon, but I have just been putting it off.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Afraid so, got friends coming to stay from New Zealand for Christmas and New Year so planning for their visit.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
PS - Ali our company is coming from Philadelphia - we are in Calgary, AB, CAnada - we are excited to have a houseful. Have been busy making quilts, bags and some photobooks for gifts. Probably only about 1/2 there .
Nicky
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Planning to make the holidays a lot more simpler than years in the past. Homemade gifts...is a good place to start: one of the stocking gifts I'm thinking of making is a CD of all of our favorite Christmas songs!...still brainstorming....
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I have a friend that buys all of her Christmas gifts at garage sales, or thrift shops. She shops all year for them. This year I already have a pile of used books, a puzzle and a few other items. I'm going to try to find things for my family that are gently used. My mom and dad and my brothers and sisters exchange handmade gifts we've made for each other. Last year we exchanged homemade marshmallows, tie die matching socks and underwear, newly oiled and painted garden tools (that mysteriously went missing from our shed a few weeks before Christmas) and other thoughtful, homemade items. It's so much fun. The kids gave and got only homemade stuff. There was no complaining or whining. And they were actually more excited to give the gift they'd made than to get anything.
I'm really enjoying this project. Thanks for the inspiration.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I have recently started planning for the holidays, but find myself wanting to do something different than the normal buying spree for many. I feel like we have so much and want to give more than just a thoughtful or expensive gift. This seems like the perfect solution for the thoughts I have been rolling around. Thanks for sharing all with us.
Holly
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Nope, I've done nothing yet! It'll be here before I know it though so I should get a move on huh? My twin girls are 5 and this year I think they will be telling me what they want for Christmas instead of me picking for them.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Other than ordering the Basic Grey "Wassail" card kit, I haven't done anything. I would love to be ableto take Kollette's class - I love to be inspired! Thanks for the chance!!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I'd love to be able to make my own gifts for Christmas! I've been baking for my friends for the last few year and would love to have new ideas and inspiration. Thanks Ali!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Hi Ali!
Would LOVE a spot on the Giving Well class. Have not started preparing for the holidays, but have been thinking a lot about it! Love your challange for this week (and Stacy's too!)
Kathy
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I am so loving the opportunity to watch your process as you complete the week-in-the-life project. I am truly inspired. Kollette's workshop looks great...thanks for the chance to win it!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I just stumbled onto your site from Soulemama...what a wonderful blog! I look forward to reading your archives sometime soon.
I have started to plan for the holiday season, making bean bags for friends' kids and hopefully making Soulemama's gratitude wrap with homemade cards for some friends. I would love this class as an opportunity to discover more wonderful ideas! Thank you!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Hi Ali,
I started thinking more about the holidays a few weeks ago. I tried to get a head start on our annual Christmas letter. I've been looking at catalogs for cute decor. This is our first Christmas in our home together. So parents & grandparents have already said Christmas is at our house! Eeep!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I was actullay just thinking about holiday gifts last night. With the way the economy is going I pledged to make as many home-made gifts this year to help save some money. It might not help the economy but it will help my budget. As far as plans I'm not there yet still thinking.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
The only thing I have done is start brainstorming gifts. :)
Sign in or sign up to comment.
The only plans I've made so far is to keep things simple!
Sign in or sign up to comment.