I finished my kitchen cupboards and drawers today and started on my closets. I also took the cover off my loveseat and washed it, so things are moving along nicely. I haven't painted or done anything creative but I feel like I am creating a clutter-free, space making room for the new to come in.

I spent quite a bit of time journaling this morning and I am listening to The Secret now just to get myself in the right mind-set to create a good year for myself. Out with the old negativity, in with the new postive thoughts and actions.

Time for bed now!

I finally got to my cupboards. I cleaned five kitchen cupboards, it feels great. Lots of empty space! The kitchen is the easy part with my other cupboards it will be a little more difficult to decide what to throw away

I bought a really pretty cushion today, it's white and covered in ribbon embroidery roses. Very girly, to go with the Victorian feel I want to create in my apartment.

I also did a lot of journaling this morning before I got up - something I used to do daily. I am using two books right now, Stand Up For Your Life by Cheryl Richardson and Simple Abundance by Sarah BanBreathnach. I have had Simple Abundance for several years and go through it in parts every year, it's a good way to keep in touch with yourself and your home.

My word for 2010 is self-nurturing, I am going to have massages and manicures and pedicures. Lots of pampering.

Went out today to buy a new journal for 2010 and ended up buying two and a small address/phone book. The one I have is about 20 years old and I don't even know who some of the people in it are any more. Anyway, if I bought two I got one free and they are the most beautiful journals. A bit over the top but who can resist a beautiful journal?

I bought the one on the right a couple of weeks ago.


The copper one on the right is the free one.

I also visited my favourite store, The Cross, I go there every so often to feed my soul. I can't afford much there - I've mentioned it before, $275 for a cushion - but today I found fabric samples for $5 a bundle. I bought seven, couldn't resist, they will be lovely for crazy quilting. I meant to clean cupboards today but I needed some groceries and I HAD to have a new journal so no cupboard cleaning - maybe tomorrow! lol
































These are the two necklaces I made for my daughters for Christmas:

This one is smokey topaz and clear swarovski crystal with marquisite 6mm beads and sterling silver.

This one is a real leaf coated in copper with green garnet, topaz and smokey topaz swarovski crystal.

So I had a very nice day shopping and I finished off with sushi and a Starbucks coffee with the Starbucks card I got for Christmas.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE

LIFE ISN'T ABOUT WAITING FOR THE STORM TO PASS

IT'S ABOUT LEARNING TO DANCE IN THE RAIN

I started out writing about what I have been doing and decided to delete it all and just write about this being a New Year. I turned 70 two days ago and so it really is a new year for me. I put my Christmas decorations away today and tomorrow I will start going through my cupboards and getting rid of things I no longer use. Things I have been holding onto because they have sentimental value but I no longer have use for. I hope my daughters will take most of it. I feel like my life is cluttered up with what my life used to be. I have things that were my Mom's that I have held onto but there is no need to any more, she is, and always will be, in my heart. I live in such a small space that I really want to feel uncluttered. I don't need to carry STUFF around any more. I hold on to STUFF long after it has outlived its usefulness. A habit learned growing up during WWII.

I had a long conversation with my Granddaughter on my birthday and I thing we are well on the way to healing our relationship. I also had a phone call from a dear friend that I haven't spoken to for two or three years. It was a healing birthday!

Yesterday my youngest daughter took out for lunch for my birthday and we wandered up and down 4th Avenue buying little odds and ends. It was a fun day. I hope the rest of the year is as positive as the start.

I made a couple of ATC's, thought it would be a good way to get into the swing of things, after not creating for a while.

I hope to post more regularly now and reconnect with my creativity.

HYBRIDJ'S GIVEAWAY ZENTANGLE - THE COLOURS ARE MUCH CLEANER, IT DIDN'T PHOTOGRAPH VERY WELL BUT IT REALLY IS LOVELY.

My two DDs and I celebrated Christmas last Saturday and had a really nice 'girl' Christmas. It was very relaxing and it was so nice to spend time with both of them, we don't often all get together these days. On Christmas day one DD and I might go to see It's Complicated. The other DD has gone to Nova Scotia to spend Christmas with her boyfriend.

Today I received a Zentangle from HybridJ and I love it, she has a real talent for doing unique, very simple ones. Thank you HybridJ.

I got my cards and a small parcel off today, so they will be late arriving at their destination but it will still be the holidays and before New Years. I had a chuckle today when I received a card from a friend with a Starbucks card in it. The card was addressed to me but the card inside was to someone else. I had just been thinking this morning that I hoped I hadn't put the wrong card in an envelope. I phoned her and we had a good laugh and she told me the Starbucks card was meant for me and she had also sent one to the other friend whose card I got, so that was very thoughtful of her.

I hope everyone has a Very Happy Christmas and that the New Year is filled with fun, laughter, lots of creativity and good health.

My DD stopped by today and we went for a drive out to Spanish Banks. It was very cold so we didn't walk very far. It's supposed to have snowed the past couple of days but it hasn't happened yet, at least not in the area where I live.

I feeling like getting back into my creativity and will start this evening. I was going to do some earlier but went out with my DD instead.

We had our Chirstmas party on Thursday evening and it was a lot of fun. A couple of people who live in the building play violin and, along with two friends, entertained us with some lively music. Another tenant played the saxophone and yet another sang some Russian songs. Lots of good food and conversation resulted in a very pleasant evening. This is rather a unique apartment building where we have tried to create a supportive community. When someone is sick, we help each other and we have parties. It's a little like living in little village. There are, obviously, personality conflicts and gossiping but all in all it is very positive. The newletter has helped to make people feel like they matter as well. I have noticed some people coming out of their shells after they have been mentioned in the newsletter for their gardening contributions, photography and being mentioned when they have lost a child. So many of the tenants are alone in the world so I think it helps them to feel a sense of belonging. I hope so anyway. There are lot of very lonely people in the world!

I am going to go and make a necklace for one of my DD's now.

Okay, so I haven't been posting, I have been mired in this letter-writing, trying to get the conditions in our building improved. Our week-end relief caretaker has been diagnosed with non-operable lung cancer and has quickly gone done hill. He is such a nice man, is so helpful and willing to do anything for anyone. At the beginning of September he won some gold medals for sprinting. He is such a healthy living man, taking supplements, eating healthy. Everyone is in shock. The doctor kept telling him his cough was nothing. So, we are all praying for him and hoping the radiation helps and the chemo if he has it.

Like I said in my last post, I would love for something really nice to happen. This is getting really depressing.

We have been granted a meeting with the property manager and the general manager of the company so hopefully we can get our message across to them.

After that is dealt with I am really going to focus on the positive as much as possible and get back to creating.

I am still having some problems from the spraying, hope that ends soon as well.

I will be 70 years old on the 30th of December and will give some thought to what I would like to accomplish in 2010. It's kind of nice to start the new year with a new year in my own life at the same time.

I said on Hybrid J's blog that I will have a give-away in the new year to start the year off right. Don't know what that will be yet but am going to think about it. So stay tuned!!!