karenika

Note to Self – Week 15

This week’s page takes its inspiration from Rachael Rice’s lesson from Life Book 2015. She had us make a dreamcatcher and I decided, once again, to honor my core desired feelings so I wrote each of them on the feathers of my dream catcher.

I feel like I want to remind myself again and again that I get to choose how i feel. These are my choices. These are the words, the feelings I want to surround myself with these feelings. I cannot remind myself enough.

here’s a front view it’s not as shiny:

i love the shine:

Note to self: choose to feel these feelings. you do get to choose.

Note to Self is a project for 2015. You can read more about it here.

David and Nathaniel’s Books of Happy Memories – Week 13

Here’s this week’s offering from David:

David’s got a card from his parental grandmother and a gold doubloon from the pirate store in 826 Valencia.

And one from Nathaniel:

Left side is shinky dinks we’ve done. And right side is stickers from doctor’s office and a yogurtland card he loves.

the shink a dinks that are in the little containers we made.

David and Nathaniel’s Books of Happy Memories is a two projects I’m doing with my kids for 2015. You can read more about it here.

Stories of Twenty-Fifteen – Week 14

Here’s this week’s story:

Title: Valentine’s Day Cards
Story:
One would think that, as someone who is into crafting, I would like making Valentines for the kids’ schools. But it’s never been one of my favorite things to do. Though I also refuse to buy them when they are so easy to make. As the day approached this year, I was dreading coming up with a plan.

About a week before, we got an email from David’s teacher explaining that they were planning to do something different this year. Each kid would only make a Valentine for one other kid. It would be more personal and it would be hand made and it had to have three things specific to that kid. I loved this idea! I wish all the grades did exactly that.

Alas, not Nathaniel’s class.

So as we scoured the internet for ideas three days before his party, I kept thinking we were going to have to go back to our idea from a few years ago when we made little paper airplanes. I wasn’t looking forward to hand folding forty airplanes again.

Then we found these cute printables that used googley eyes. I remembered that I had bought googley eyes for David almost five years ago when he and I were doing our year-long crafting project. I dug in the closet to see if I could find them and was overjoyed to find that not only did I still have them but that they would be perfectly sized for these Valentines.

Nathaniel picked the printables he liked the most, we printed and cut them and then glued the little eyeballs on each of them one by one (so thankful for glue dots!) And then he stamped his very long name on each of the cards and we were done!

All in all, the project took us maybe twenty minutes. And I think they turned out very cute. He said that everyone in his class enjoyed them.

I feel like this year might go down in history as one of the most painless Valentine prep years ever. Three cheers for fun, easy, and cute!

Stories of Twenty Fifteen is a project for 2015. You can read more about it here.

You Choose – Week 12

This week’s pick painting. I love paint. I love the feel of it on my fingers. I love how alive it makes me feel. I love color. I love learning. I love its texture. I love how it makes me feel. I am so grateful that I discovered mixed media and never looked back. Here’s to painting for the rest of my life!

here is a side look for the shimmer; a subtle one:

You Choose is a project for 2015. You can read more about it here.

A Book a Week – Astonish Me

I read Astonish Me for book club, too. And here’s what I thought of it: Meh.

Meh.

The other Maggie Shipstead book I read was also Meh. I am apparently not a huge fan of hers. I like her books okay but they don’t impress me all that much. I’ve read so many better authors and books. In my opinion, of course. My friend Lauren loves her.

So your mileage might vary. And if you’re into ballet, this is one for you.

Fifty-Two Stamps – Week 14

This week I wanted to make some wings. For me, wings are hard and time consuming and i’m generally bored by the time I am done with the first one and dread having to make the second one. So I picked this simple design I saw and was thrilled to have fun with both sides of it. Though they still aren’t exact duplicates. Eh, what can you do?

Here’s what the stamp looks like:

I can’t help myself, I love wings.

Fifty-two stamps is a project for 2015. You can read more about it here.

Note to Self – Week 14

This week’s page is my version of the wonderful Joanne Sharpe’s Life Book lesson. I love Joanne Sharpe and she never disappoints. Nor did she this time.

The text for this week says: feel the fear and do it anyway.

This quote is what my word of the year is all about. Not “not being afraid” but just doing it anyway. Taking chances. Trying things. Going forward anyway. Not being too shy to try. Listening to those tiny inklings in my soul. Leaping. Celebrating the journey.

Note to self: do it anyway, baby. do it!

Note to Self is a project for 2015. You can read more about it here.

Everyday Brave – Week 13

This week’s page is one I did during the holidays, months ago. I wanted to draw some Christmas stuff and then I decorated it with stickles which are my happy place. I love the shimmer they add.

it’s really shiny in person:

The left side is a little tree. And angel wings are in the middle.

More wings on the right side, and then some ornaments. Nothing special, I know but sometimes that’s how they turn out.

And there we are. Here’s another week.

Fifty-two stamps is a project for 2015. You can read more about it here.

David and Nathaniel’s Books of Happy Memories – Week 12

Here’s this week’s offering from David:

Percy’s schedule apparently…. David loves Percy Jackson.

And one from Nathaniel:

Nathaniel’s friend Alexandra’s card. Her mom was David’s second grade teacher.

David and Nathaniel’s Books of Happy Memories is a two projects I’m doing with my kids for 2015. You can read more about it here.

Stories of Twenty-Fifteen – Week 13

Here’s this week’s story:

Title: David’s Tenth Birthday at Universal Studios
Story:
When David and I first talked about his upcoming tenth birthday, he wasn’t sure how he wanted to spend it. The more I thought about it, the more I knew I wanted to do something special. He was turning two digits. Two digits. I can’t even believe it.

After some talk back and forth, he mentioned he would like to go to Harry Potter Land. He loves the books and he had heard it was wonderful. I did some quick math and quickly realized that the vacation to the other end of the US would be relatively expensive for all of us and told him that we likely couldn’t do that. He was sad but he understood. So we made plans to go to Los Angeles instead. About a week later, I was still thinking about our conversation and feeling bad that I couldn’t do what he wanted for his birthday. The more I thought about it, the worse I felt.

And then I had this idea: what if I could take him to Orlando on his actual birthday for just two days? just him and me. I asked Jake if he would be okay with it, and he was. So I told myself to not overthink it and, within the hour, I’d booked a plane and a hotel room.

I decided not to tell David anything. The plan was to pull him out of class on Friday and go right to the airport. I was a little worried about how Nathaniel might react but I knew we couldn’t tell him until right before we took David. It was hard work to keep it all a secret but I managed just barely.

When the day finally came, Nathaniel was a total champ and said okay. We flew off to Florida (despite the four hour delay, which is a story for another day) and spent two magical days just David and I. We saw all of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and we even managed to go on several rides all over Universal Studios. In the end, David enjoyed the Terminator and Transformers and Men in Black rides almost as much as he enjoyed all the Harry Potter loveliness.

All in all, I hope it was a wonderful birthday, for you, my sweet boy. I am so very grateful to you each and every moment of my life and I hope that every single one of your dreams, small or large, always comes true. I love you with all my heart.

Stories of Twenty Fifteen is a project for 2015. You can read more about it here.

You Choose – Week 11

This week’s pick is another honor for serenity. There is nothing like books to bring peace into my life. A cup of tea and a good book can get me through the toughest days. Books can help me forget everything. They can help me find my center. They make me feel full. Grateful. Serene. There’s not one moment in my life that I am not near at least five books. I never, ever leave the house without my books. Ever. They have always been my very best friends in the world. I am deeply grateful.

here is a side look for the shimmer; you can barely see it but there are tiny pearls on the butterflies:

You Choose is a project for 2015. You can read more about it here.

A Book a Week – capital

I read Capital for book club. It was a book I would have never picked up on my own. And while I enjoyed it okay, I didn’t love it.

It would have been okay if I’d never read it. But I don’t regret it like I do some books (I’m speaking about you, Gone Girl!) so, all in all, if the subject interests you, I say go for it.

Otherwise, there are many better books.

Note to Self – Week 15

David and Nathaniel’s Books of Happy Memories – Week 13

Stories of Twenty-Fifteen – Week 14

You Choose – Week 12

A Book a Week – Astonish Me

Fifty-Two Stamps – Week 14

Note to Self – Week 14

Everyday Brave – Week 13

David and Nathaniel’s Books of Happy Memories – Week 12

Stories of Twenty-Fifteen – Week 13

You Choose – Week 11

A Book a Week – capital

projects for twenty twenty-five

archives by month

archives by category

savor every last drop

projects for twenty twenty-four

projects for twenty twenty-three

projects for twenty twenty-two

projects for twenty twenty-one

projects for twenty nineteen

projects for twenty eighteen

projects from twenty seventeen

monthly projects from previous years

some of my previous projects

me elsewhere

past classes