Thursday, January 3, 2013

Fresh Beginnings & Sunshine...


With a new year comes the feeling of a fresh beginning.  An opportunity to start with a clean slate.  After all isn't that why I did all that extra house cleaning and organizing?  Well...actually I didn't do much organizing, but I did think about it and that should count.
Our weather is glorious with sunshine every day since January 1st.  I love the sunshine as it truly gives me energy and that gives me the desire to get things done.


So today I tackled the dreaded putting away of the Christmas decorations I had put up this year.  I didn't do that much decorating and never got a tree but for some reason I have a lot to put away.  I realize those mice I love so much and have so many of are very tiny and take a lot of care in packing them away safely for their hibernation until next December.  I really hate to put them away but my mouse house does not have room for Christmas themed critters and I can guarantee there will be no building permit approvals by Mr. C to build an addition to their current condo.


Ahh...blue sky!  I love seeing the blue sky so much I am taking a break from my chores to walk outside.  Oh yeah...we still have snow and ice on the ground as the first photo shows.  It was a white Christmas here as it did snow all day but didn't accumulate too many inches right here.  However it has been so cold every day and night that what we got has not been able to melt.


One area where I have completed the task of clearing the decks.  Mr. C would be very happy if all horizontal surfaces were this empty.  I will fill them up...just not today.


Back to packing away my treasures.  I did promise Mr. C when he got all the boxes out of storage that this year I would go through everything and reduce the stash.  Honestly I did try.  In fact I was able to eliminate one large box due to selecting items I will donate now that Christmas is over.  So I really did fulfill my promise to him.  I am just so sentimental and love all my old treasures I have had for so long.  I also realize that the products made now are just not the quality of past years.  Vintage and I get along very well.
Yesterday was the birthday of one of our "Ladies Who Lunch" group and therefore we spent the entire day celebrating and eating and shopping and celebrating.  We had lots of fun and it was good to just take a day to get away.  Tomorrow I better spend time in the studio putting away Christmas wrapping items and clearing the deck for real creative projects.  There are a few unfinished things that have been waiting patiently long enough.  I am ready to tackle them while the sun is still shining.
I feel like I am back in school struggling with my annual word selection.  Actually my word has found me and has waited for at least a year.  I will major in MAGIC with a minor in CALM.  Each of those words has been at the top of my lists for several years as I look back at my calendars.  This year I will focus on enjoying the magic that is in every day if we just let it happen.  I must remain calm in all I do and experience in order to enjoy the magic that is part of life now.
I am already seeing Valentine Hearts and reds and pinks and lace and lots of creative fun in your blog posts. May we all have Creative Hearts as they are Happy Hearts...

28 comments:

  1. A creative heart! Now that is magic!

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  2. Glad you have sunshine. We have had mostly over cast days and lots of snow. Just starting the take down project myself tomorrow. I hate putting Christmas away. My word is "spirit". Means lots of things to me on multiple levels. hugs to you, t....

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  3. Dear Sherry,
    I think you are the sort of person who always has a little sunshine.
    Hugs and JOY to you my friend,
    Kimberly

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  4. Hi again! I have been catching up on your last post and this sweet one, Sherry! I most definitely need to organize and donate and discard...soon, very soon...maybe. I try. I do. I really do...try...sort of. I love your two words, magic and calm. I thought I knew my word last week. I thought for sure it found me and was all set and chosen before New Year's Eve. But, then, I just wasn't so sure afterall. I am usually not the least bit indecisive, but for some reason, I am attaching a lot to this word, this year. It's in my heart and at the tip of my tongue, but I didn't uncover it completely yet. I feel it's almost ready. Hmmm. Anyway, enjoy your sunshine and your fresh new beginning! Love, kathy

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  5. oh, enjoy your sunshine, Sherry, and send a little bit my way, okay? lol
    Sunshine seems to spark happiness and lightheartedness for me, as well as energy. I could sure use some of that energy. It's been very cold here, with a high today of -8C! brrr.
    Have a wonderful day in your studio tomorrow.

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  6. LOVE the trees and the sunshine! Glad you had a mild, white Christmas - it was COLD here, but no snow. I need to follow your lead and get my "stuff" packed up - XOXO

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  7. LOVE the trees and the sunshine! Glad you had a mild, white Christmas - it was COLD here, but no snow. I need to follow your lead and get my "stuff" packed up - XOXO

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  8. Here's to a magical, but calm, year for you, Sherry dear! So happy you're enjoying some sunshine-filled days!
    Look forward to seeing where your creative spirit leads you next.
    xoxo Jane

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  9. Lucky for you to have the beautiful sunshine! Have fun organizing and do stay calm, you are already good at making the Magic happen. ~Diane

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  10. I tried to reduce our stash, too, but I didn't do a very good job. I was just so ready to get it all up! Oh well, maybe next year! Love your blue sky, enjoy and Happy 2013!

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  11. Sounds like you've been busy Sherry. i finally got all my Christmas put away too. It does feel fresh and new.

    Magic and calm, such well thought out words. Enjoy the magic in every day of the new Year.
    Hugs Lynn

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  12. Hi Sherry. I am sure you are busy putting all the holiday decorations away. I am doing the same, but with 7 trees plus all the other knick knacks, it has been a huge task. Thankfully I did not have the village up this year. Hopefully you will be done soon. I don't like getting rid of my christmas things either. That is really hard for me, so I just promise again for next year and the year after and so on. I just add to my collection.
    Hope you are able to find the MAGIC and are able to have the CALMNESS you want. The stores are all full with Valentines day stuff, CRAZY, but they also have at Joanns atleast St. Patrick's day and some Easter stuff as well. Very Crazy.
    Happy crafting to you. Ana

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  13. Hi Sherry. I am sure you are busy putting all the holiday decorations away. I am doing the same, but with 7 trees plus all the other knick knacks, it has been a huge task. Thankfully I did not have the village up this year. Hopefully you will be done soon. I don't like getting rid of my christmas things either. That is really hard for me, so I just promise again for next year and the year after and so on. I just add to my collection.
    Hope you are able to find the MAGIC and are able to have the CALMNESS you want. The stores are all full with Valentines day stuff, CRAZY, but they also have at Joanns atleast St. Patrick's day and some Easter stuff as well. Very Crazy.
    Happy crafting to you. Ana

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  14. You chose some wonderful words for this new year. Staying really CALM is difficult, I mean the calm feeling we want to experience inside us, such as peace.

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  15. Your posts are magical Sherry, and I feel like you create magic wherever you go. I wish you a magical and calm 2013!!

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  16. Have a lovely holiday season Sherry.Sunshine is such a cheery thing in Winter.Hope more sun shines on you!
    Love Judy x

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  17. We have had grey skies up above for so long now that it is almost the norm. The weather has got milder in the past day but it is set to plummet again. roll on spring. Hugs Mrs A.

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  18. I put the Christmas stuff away already. I can not deal with it after Christmas!! We down sized when we moved here, but not enough. This year my little house will become my little "doll house". New paint everywhere, new furniture, new lights, trim, everything! and the old stuff will just have to go. I can't fit everything in here!!!
    I love your 2 words for the year. I could use some Magic and Calm myself!!
    xxD

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  19. I just got mine put away too, I thought I was going to thin out, but ended up just repacking! Focus on the magic sounds perfect!

    Carol

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  20. Hi Sherry,
    What a wonderful post to inspire clearing out and getting organized. What do they say? "make hay while the sunshines"
    I love to regroup this time of year and start with a clean slate too. You have been busy already and I love your words for the year. Wishing you a wonderful new year.
    Hugs, CM

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  21. Beautiful photos and love the organization! Always seems weeks before everything is put away at my end - or I redo how I stored everything! ;)

    Happy New Year to you!

    Nancy

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  22. Love you sun photos. Sounds like lots going on at you house with cleaning and packing and tossing a few things.
    Magic...good word.
    You are full of wonderful magic.
    Hugs, Cory

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  23. Happy New Year dear friend. You are way ahead of me at putting away away the holiday. I think your post has helped me choose my word for 2013. I must contemplate this for a day or two... then I shall decide. LOL

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  24. Oh Sherry,
    I smiled big reading your not doing that well with the organizing,- and the try of giving up on some older christmas pieces...I just tried to do the same muyself today...very,very hard..but I also managed to part with half a box......but still have left all the organizing...that be in my studio!!
    I wish you a lovely weekend,dear.
    Hugs,Dorthe

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  25. I am so late getting around to visiting your blog and personally thanking you for the kind gifts that you sent to me for Christmas, I did a shout out on my blog but not sure if you saw it or not. I am using the cute stick pin that you sent me in a project, and wanted you to know that it will be published on Monday if you want to stop by and check it out! Other than that, I still have decorations to put away, and I managed to downsize some of my sentimentality this year! ;) waving hi from the hills of North Carolina :)

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  26. I love your words. I think Magic will be a wonderful word to live by, and it will be a good guiding light for you. Very, very appropriate!

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