January Photo Challenge

"Write it on your heart

that every day is the best day

in the year."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy New Year!

Every once in awhile I challenge myself to a month of photos.  I would love if someone else joined in.  It seems to always help my creativity . . . and with the new year one of the things I want to work on is making more time to be creative.  I usually don't make resolutions . . . but this year I am.  Most of my resolutions are very simple.  The creative time will probably be my biggest challenge because the creative things I like to do tend to take a back seat to those things that need or have to be done.  What is so frustrating is may head is full of all sorts of ideas and projects that I want to do . . . so we will see how it goes.  For now . . . a photo challenge for a month.  I love photo challenges . . . This is the list that Richard and I came up with.  I think I may just get his help with this one.

January Photo Challenge

2016

1. Resolution

2. Cold

3. Blue

4. New

5. In your bag

6. Broken

7. Upside down

8. Ordinary

9. Makes me smile

10. Rust

11. Guilty Pleasure

12. Black & White

13. Keepsake

14. Books 

15. Out and about

16. On the screen

17. Unusual

18. Reaching up

19. Favorite photo of you

20. Old

21. Childhood memory

22. Snack

23. Technology

24. Photo & Quote

25. Sky

26. Beer

27. Trees

28. Neon

29. Inspiration

30. Once Upon a Time

31. Self 

relax . . .

relax:  |ri-laks'| - to reduce in intensity: slacken; to 

relieve from effort or strain; to take one's ease: 

to become less formal, aloof or tense

  

I have a friend who's husband declared the week between Christmas and New Years "Magik Week".

A week to just relax . . . be a bum . . . do what makes you happy . . . and just be.  I have always sort of done that anyway, but I guess Dick naming it "Magik Week" makes it official in some way.  :)

So I am spending this week doing whatever feels good at the moment.  Yesterday that involved coffee, the crossword puzzle, cribbage and a beer with Richard, followed by setting up and playing this fun little baseball game that he got in our gift exchange.  I read, I messed with my journals . . . I slept in this morning and get to start all over today . . . let's see what happens.  I am lucky to have this week off from work, but even if you don't . . . take some time to relax and just be.

Peace on Earth . . .

This was in my mailbox today . . . what a wonderful surprise!

Thank you Lorraine!

My dad used to make wood cutouts similar to this.  He would have liked this one.  I have a feeling he would have looked for the pattern and made a few.  

Lorraine also makes the most wonderful cards.  

I am always so excited when I receive one . . . and I love snowmen!

Peace on Earth!

create and find joy . . .

Looking at these pictures got me thinking . . . that this is probably just a good idea for everyone . . . playing dress up and painting.  Why do we quit doing stuff like this when we grow up?  We can learn quite a bit by observing life through the eyes of little ones . . . they may get upset, they may cry when they don't get their way, but they find some joy in every day and just go with it! 

 One of my favorite "Charlotte expressions" is . . . "I'm so excited!"  

Tomorrow I am going to take time just to be "so excited" . . . 

maybe I will even play dress up and paint.

fun day . . .

Surround yourself

 with those who make you happy . . .

tonight . . .

Outside my window . . . 36 degrees (way too cold for me)

I am thinking . . . that Winter Break is a wonderful thing.
I am thankful  . . . for a wonderful Christmas with family - a little chaotic and a whole a lot of fun!
From the kitchen . . . all kinds of delicious leftovers

I am wearing . . . leggings and a big sweatshirt . . . and my new Bumgarner socks!

I am creating . . . pages in my art journal

I am going . . . to enjoy a family movie day tomorrow - going to go see Star Wars

I am reading . . . The Emperor's Children - by Claire Messud

I am hoping . . . for some more rain.

I am hearing . . . the crackling of the fire in the fireplace

Around the house . . . after Christmas mess.  I attacked it a little bit today, but mostly I just relaxed.

One of my favorite things . . . my new CC beanie

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . sleep in, read, create, play, relax, clean, walk, journal, play tennis

From my picture journal . . .

paper chain and christmas charlotte . . .

I meant to post pictures of the paper chain that Charlotte and I made before now . . . and then I didn't get very good photos of it, but most of the fun was making it with her and talking to her while she was handing me the strips of paper.  She would get bored and I was left making paper chain by myself for awhile.  To be honest it went much faster then, but it wasn't nearly as much fun.  She would eventually wander back over, climb up next to me, and ask me what color I needed next.  The chain was long enough to go around the living room and the dining room . . . this may just be something I will do with her again.

Elves Rule!

Because I just can't help myself . . . 

Richard and I had fun setting this up . . . at first he just shook his head, then then started making sure the skeletons were steady, throwing in his own ideas, and laughing as much as I was . . . 

Christmas party . . . and ELVES RULE!

"Just be yourself.  Let people see the real,

 imperfect, flawed, quirky, weird, 

beautiful, magical person that you are."

~ Mandy Hale

skeleton & elf . . . day 23

just what I needed . . .

I have to spend at least one day wandering around Old Town just seeing what I can see.  It is my favorite kind of Christmas shopping . . . no hurrying, no lines, not really sure what I am going to find.  It was a rainy, blustery afternoon . . . perfect for putting me in the Christmas spirit.  I found a couple of gifts, enjoyed a hot cup of coffee and bought myself a fun new beanie.  Richard and I met up for dinner when I was finished.  Just what a needed a few days before Christmas.  

skeleton & elf . . . day 22