Planning for Christmas album and decorations

Today Lauren and I grabbed our Christmas planners for December Daily and filled in the activities for the month.  If I don't do that now I will have too many days with nothing planned to photograph or journal.  We managed to fill in something for each day but I have to say that this December is not going to be exciting.  Corona is messing with all the activities we usually do.  Sigh.  I really need a vacation!  I have been thinking of November around my birthday and back home before Thanksgiving.  But...where is it safe?  And close enough to drive because I am not flying right now.  

But, back to December Daily.  This is a scrapbook activity that I found on Ali Edwards Facebook page.  She does an album documenting activities in December with her family, travel, activities, etc.  I really liked the idea because I had done an album of my Mama and Daddy's Christmases through the years until I was 20.  That is when I got married so I had photos at our home after that (which are only partly scrapbooked).  I am seriously in love with doing this project every year now.  She takes orders right now for supplies for this activity.  You can find her at aliedwards.com.  She also has a Facebook page.  You can view all her past albums on her website for ideas.  

We also went over some ideas for our Christmas trees.  I think we will put up 25 this year.  That is not set in stone yet.  I have to make my Excel tree spreadsheet soon.  We will start to put them up at the end of September.  I start upstairs in the kids rooms and the loft and in October I will move to the Tennessee room and the Disney room.  Then the lights outdoors go up. I have to wait until after Halloween to do the kitchen as it is where all the Halloween treats and decorations are!  I will decorate the kitchen for Christmas before Thanksgiving.  In fact the only room I leave Thanksgiving decor in is the dining room.  It works for me.  I love having my house glowing with Christmas lights and trees for about 8-10 weeks.  I really love Christmas!  My parents always did over the top Christmas decor and they adored Christmas.  It was inevitable that I would too.

I am collecting my ideas for this year and putting them in my folder.  I have a folder that has 10 pockets and is red.  I labeled each section and I put the information from magazines, ads, addresses, lists, food, etc in each section.  It is actually 13 years old!  LOL!  I empty it each January and put back the things I will need the next year.  It is ready then to collect an idea here and there as the year goes by.  I also use 2 binders for planning, a smaller binder with my spreadsheets in it to use when shopping for new decorations, and my Land's End Christmas medium size open top tote bag.  See the photo of all this here.  Is it too early to think of Christmas?  For some it might be.  But, since my entire home is decorated for Christmas and there are nine of us since Mama and Daddy spend their Christmases in Heaven now it is very helpful for me to plan this way.  We miss my parents a lot at the holidays...and every day.  Planning to follow their traditions makes it easier to get through the Christmas season without so much stress.

Debra's Chocolate Gobs

Today I am sharing my recipe for Chocolate Gobs.  I intended to have Pumpkin Gobs with cream cheese filling but there was not a can of pumpkin to be found!  This is my own recipe from many years ago when the children were small.  I am not fond of  buttercream icing for filling.  Instead, mine is a cooked filling.  After the cookies and filling are cool enough to make the sandwiches I fill them.  Then I wrap them individually in waxed paper and store in the refrigerator.  The cooked filling will not hold up if stored at room temperature.  Here is my recipe and some photos of Debra's Gobs!  Enjoy!

Our Family

 Every family has a story to tell, welcome to ours. 

This is us.  Our life.  Our story.  Our home.

Each day holds an opportunity to create beautiful memories.  We share our stories by creating beautiful and meaningful scrapbook albums.  What we love most about scrapbooking is collecting these memories and stories together. 

Nana has scrapbooked since 1996.  Isabella and Caroline have been interested in photography and art since they were toddlers.  Nana gave them art projects to do and through the years they grew into young artists with a passion for scrapbooking. 

Our pages we share here are from three generations collaborating to create scrapbook albums for future generations…because every picture tells a wonderful story.

Weaver Barn Workshop

Today we drove to Sugarcreek, Ohio to drop off two Anderson windows and a fiberglass Pella door.  We are having a workshop built for John.  It will also hold my John Deere tractor and cart.  We went over the details one last time and paid our deposit.  It will be finished and delivered by the end of August.  We are so excited to have this new building for John's wood projects!  He has a lot of tools and other stuff and he will have fun organizing everything for once!  It is being built by Weaver Barns.  They are a fine company and their products are beautiful!  I want to make an Autumn wreath to hang on the door of his new space.  Recently he has been refinishing my Pennsylvania House furniture.  After Hurricane Ivan I painted several of my pieces creamy white.  I liked it for a while but eventually I decided I wanted it all to match like it was originally.  I am still deciding between Red Mahogany or American Walnut by Old Masters.  I buy my stain from my local Benjamin Moore store called Colorize of Pittsburgh.  It is on Route 19 in Canonsburg, PA. 

When I bought this furniture I ordered the brown cherry finish.  It was also available in the red cherry finish.  The two colors of stain I chose closely match the stains that were originally available on the furniture.  It will be gel stain for the color and the finish coat will be a liquid finish called Masters Armour.  You can call Old Masters at 1-800-747-3436 to find a store near you or check their website at www.oldmasters.com.  I will post the first piece when it is finished!

Freshly painted entry

Freshly painted entry and campfire dinner!

Yesterday was a busy day!  We had our hot Cream of Wheat cereal and hot tea

for breakfast and got to work getting things done!

My first project yesterday was to get my post on here about the big painting job we are doing in our home.  I have happy news...the painting in the entry and upstairs hallway is complete!  This photograph is of the entry and the old stair railings.  It will be coming down and replaced with the red oak railings.

I love the new color, Benjamin Moore Thunder AF-685!  It is a fresh gray color with an ever so slight warm undertone.  It is so beautiful!  My decorating style is modern farmhouse, traditional...oh, let's face it, I am just trying to redecorate for the new decade and I haven't a clue what to call the style I love!  I will send photos and perhaps soon I will figure out what to call my style...other than messy with magazines and books and toys everywhere!

The living room is underway also.  So far we have half of it painted with intention of leaving one wall Hale Navy HC-154.  

The three new Anderson Low-E windows that still did not bring in enough light.  In that window I hang my wreaths back to back so I don't have to look at the frames from inside.  

Yes, we painted around the Christmas decor.  I could not take it all down because I will still have company.  Notice the Hale Navy on the fireplace wall?  That is the wall I am leaving navy at least until the cabinets go up on either side of the fireplace and the new mantle is installed.  I might change my mind but most likely I will leave this wall navy and use some of my old decor.

I have loved this color and hated to paint over it but I needed more light.  When we did the big remodel after Hurricane Ivan we replaced our Anderson windows with new Anderson Low-E glass windows which I love!  I have three windows in the front of the living room with a full glass door in the entry which opens into the living room, but there still was not enough sunlight.  It was beautiful and cozy but I wanted more light.  The color I chose for this room is Benjamin Moore Wish-680.  It is a lighter shade similar to Thunder.  So far I like it...and am thinking of using it in the dining room which also needs more light.  When I have my beloved solid brass Steifl chandelier turned on the light is lovely in that room and the light color floor helps too.  But the large window is actually at the end where we added a small family room during Hurricane Ivan reconstruction.  It will be perfect for Papa and the boys to watch television and play board games.  I have a beautiful light wood Ethan Allen square coffee table with huge drawers for puzzles and games.  The matching television cabinet is so convenient and I LOVE it.  There are doors to shut to make the room look less messy and storage for all our dvd's underneath.  The equipment for Comcast is all on shelves below the television.  I am sad to move it from my living room but who knows...I might watch Hallmark movies in the new family room when the boys are not using that space!  I love Ethan Allen furniture!

The second project some of my family worked on yesterday was the spring call layouts for Scrapbook and Cards Today magazine.  

We did not get as many finished as we had hoped but we are photographing all of them today except two that I set aside as they are more summer than spring.  So, with my daughter and granddaughters help I did very well considering I only had about a week to do them after Christmas.  They are being photographed right now and then they will be sent off to the magazine to check for publication.  

I have never been published in this magazine even though I have submitted over 100 photos in the past year.  So I am praying that this group of layouts contains one that they love for their magazine!  Here is a photo of the latest edition.  They sell it at Barnes and Noble.

We had a great dinner made totally by my 16 year old grandson, Jackson.  He is becoming quite a good cook!  He made Campfire Packets over the grill.  It was cold outside and a few flakes were coming down but he had a great time cooking and they were so delicious!  He had meatballs, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, carrots and corn in foil...the whole family loved his recipe and I must add it to the children's recipe books.  He basked in the praises from all of us!

  

After we ate, my youngest daughter and granddaughters and I went to Hobby Lobby.  I am looking for a periwinkle paper but so far have not found the color I need.  We got a few Valentine decorations in the store.  They have a handful of Christmas things left at 90% off but they are mostly broken and a mess.  We love that they have their spring and summer and Valentine's day decor out already, although they still have a lot of shelves to fill.  I love their sales and yesterday all spring was 40% off everything and The Paper Studio which is their brand of scrapbook supplies was all 50% off.  I found a few things that I had to bring home.  Ha!  My scrapbook room is way too full of my impulse purchases.

After we got home we popped popcorn and watched one of our recorded Hallmark movies, Time For You To Come Home For Christmas.  It was excellent.  It was sad to look at our list on Comcast DVR recordings.  We don't have many left to watch.  We are watching two of the new winter series tonight.  It is our favorite thing to do in the evenings!

We have barely any snow on the ground.  I will be shocked if we ever get a real snowfall this year.  If you are lucky enough to be in an area where you have snow I hope you have a fun activity to do today!  The kids wish they could sled ride...but they would have to ride their scooters in the grass today!  Brrr...cold so I am staying inside!

January 2...Time to choose our new paint colors!

Benjamin Moore's Colorize of Pittsburgh

This morning I got out my paint decks and books and looked over the colors one last time.  I have been checking out Benjamin Moore's Color Trends 2020 book.  The color of the year 2020 is First Light 2102-70, a refreshing alternative to white or beige.  I try to incorporate their color of the year some where in my house every year.  This year I will be using this color in my master bath.  I am so excited.  Pink is my favorite color!  Last year it was Metropolitan, a beautiful gray with green undertones.  I added this color in pillows and cute sayings for my kitchen.  My favorite is IN THIS KITCHEN WE DANCE.

It hangs above the sink on a window we salvaged after hurricane Ivan struck our home and took most of it down.  Having the window frame there reminds me of the weather related issues that we survived.  I thank God that we did not lose our photos or most of the things we treasured.  By the end of 2005 we had just installed new pipes for the bathrooms and they burst on Black Friday.  What else to do after cleaning up the second mess in a little over a year?  We painted the entire house including the addition we had been working on.  It was then that I discovered Benjamin Moore paint.  We use Regal Select which is their trusted premium brand that delivers dependable performance and is also washable!  I love that paint!  Since it is time to change all the beautiful colors I have had for the past five years or so, I have decided to go with a fresh palette.  You can view the new colors here.  I am certain you will choose one to freshen an area of your home or maybe even several to brighten your home for spring!  Check out their Facebook page here for decorating ideas.

Since we are installing the railings for our new staircase to the second floor (stained Old Masters American Walnut also available at Colorize of Pittsburgh), I decided to paint first.  It took no time at all to look at the new 2020 colors and realize that I have been needing a fresh look for my home.  I chose 2020 color Thunder AF-685 for my entry, staircase and upstairs hallway.  I have been wanting to change three walls of my living room to a light color because I have been cross stitching in that area while we watch our Hallmark movies.  The gorgeous Hale Navy HC-154 will remain on the fireplace wall and the rest of the walls will be painted Wish AF-680.  It is a dual purpose choice!  We are huge Disney fans and our favorite song is When You Wish Upon A Star.  The name has us singing our song of course!  It will brighten the living room and make my needlework so much easier.  We have so few days of sunshine in southwestern Pennsylvania.  I know this new color will brighten those cloudy days and our dreams will come true!  *smile*  Work has begun with the entry and staircase and hallway upstairs first...just a bit more patching and sanding with drywall compound from Lowes and let the painting begin!  I can't wait until it is done and hope to have photos to show by Monday!

The colors have been the same for my entry, dining room and Tennessee room for for close to ten years.  The color is Shelburne Buff HC-28.  Thunder is a totally different look.  I am so happy with the clean modern traditional look it will bring to the first floor of our home.  I am not certain of the color for the dining room but as it flows into the smaller family room area I am certain I will use Thunder in that area to remind me of my beloved mountains of Tennessee.  I will paint it after the entry to see if I can more easily choose for the dining room which is between the entry and Tennessee room.  I have been looking at the 2020 Colors booklet this morning and love the blues and greens they have chosen for this year's palette.  Since the Tennessee room has accents of Hale Navy in pillows and also a red and Shelburne Buff windowpane check sofa from Ethan Allen, I want to be sure the color I choose for the dining room blends there.  I have set aside my paint chips and books for another day.  I will choose the dining room paint last for the first floor.  In fact I think I will paint my master bathroom on the second floor next...after all this hard work I deserve a beautiful new color for my relaxing evening bath with a cup of tea and a good book!

Have fun looking at all Colorize of Pittsburgh has to offer!  You can pick up your paint chips and color booklets at any of their four stores.  The closest one to me is the Canonsburg store on Route 19.  Erin works there and will be happy to help you with any of your painting questions and help with color choices!  Be sure to click on the name to get to their website and check out the great sales and discounts!    

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Last day of 2019.  The end of another decade.  

The beginning of fresh new things...learning to be a better photographer, continuing to scrapbook and hopefully be published again, working on my counted cross stitch, finishing some quilts and getting rid of fabrics I won't be using again and writing.  I enjoy all these things but want more of them in my life.

So here is a brand new year to plan activities and holidays, change my home decor to match the seasons, and watch new Hallmark movies of course! I love Hallmark and I have since I was a child shopping with my Mama for cards and stationery.  I can't wait to get my Valentine cards!  I think they are already in the stores so I better make a trip to get first choice of the cards for those I love.  Be sure to get your stationery for thank you notes for Christmas gifts and stock up on cards for birthdays and Valentine's Day.  I love to look at the cards and read all the sayings inside before I choose.  I can spend a long time getting just the right cards!  

I still have all the trees up!  Yes, all of them are still dressed in their Christmas best.  I know the Coke tree is staying up through Valentine's Day because we are in love with Coke!  And well let's face it the colors are perfect-red and white.  I know we will leave the gingerbread tree up as well as those two flank the large white hutch.  It makes a beautiful backdrop for the sweet candy bar.

Well, a new decade is beginning!  What a fabulous time to make things new and go after bigger goals and dreams.  We are learning life is too short and health is unpredictable and family is all we have in the end.  We want to spend as much time together as possible!  We will be watching the Waterford crystal ball drop in New York City while we cozy up on the sofa.  At midnight we will bang the pots outside and shout happy new year to our neighbors.  We hope your family is blessed with good health, good times and love in this new year!

Be sure to check my Pinterest page for great Valentine's Day cards, scrapbook layouts, and decorating ideas!

Have a wonderful day and Happy New Year to all!