Well, it’s been a wonderful year, hasn’t it?! Can’t believe it’s over, but so grateful for the year it’s been…
Just a couple of journal pages to celebrate it’s passing & the coming of 2013—with great hopes and expectations for another wonderful year…
…a page to remember the blessings of the year & thoughts of the next…
Wishing you and yours the happiest and safest of New Year’s Nights!
See you soon with something new…
Julie
My last post before Christmas, I think…
My parents are here, and the season is in full-swing, as I’m sure it is for ALL of us!
But, before I sign off for the week, just a few more views of my Christmas Memories journal to share with you…
I really do think starting this little book has helped me think a little more about the traditions we keep and the importance of keeping them going for our children…
…traditions—simple though they may seem—that really bind us together from one generation to the next. An invisible binding, but a binding nonetheless…
…and I wouldn’t break it for anything.
So, I’ll continue with this journal and the memories it holds next year…
And I’m quite certain this new journaling joy of mine will continue to make the holidays—and every day—sweeter in the days to come…
Pictures I’ve found here and there that spark something in me—a memory, a bit of nostalgia—and then a bit of a story. All parts of me, and the people that have made me who I am…
…all bound together in one place. Just like a family.
And being bound together with your family for Christmas is just about the sweetest thing I can imagine…
Wishing you and yours the most wonderful Christmas season of all.
See you soon
Julie
Well, here we are—the week before Christmas! Is everything ready at your house? I’m almost there…
Just a few more things to plan, many more presents to wrap…
…parents to pick up at the airport, cookies to bake, meals to prepare…
…stories to read, a trip to San Francisco to enjoy, favorite Christmas movies to watch, traditions to keep…
…wishes to make.
Dreams to dream, childhood memories to recall and treasure…
…favorite old songs to sing, beautifully lighted Christmas tree to enjoy…
…thoughts to think…
…greetings to send…
…and in all the busyness, so much joy to have!
Wishing you and yours joy in every single moment of this Christmas season!
Julie
What a joy to have a Christmas journal—I find myself sitting with it while watching old movies with my family—reminiscing & doodling away about Christmases past & not-so-far-away past…
About things & traditions near & dear to my heart…
…ways in which the season has influenced our family’s life in very real ways…
…memories of all the years I can remember of finding that “perfect” Christmas tree…
…sometimes just illustrating a favorite Christmas carol or thought…
I’m finding it’s helping me keep the spirit of Christmas very close to my heart this year…
Wishing you the warmest & happiest of Christmas reminiscing…
Julie
A Victorian Christmas party must have been a wonder to behold…what would we give for more candid photographs from times like that!
The best glimpses we can get, if we’re lucky enough, are those drawn up by a talented hand or written by a thoughtful, observant one…
I’m lucky enough to have a written glimpse of one certain homey Christmas of 1876.
My great-great grandmother, Ida was just sixteen years old at the time. Auburn-haired and vivacious, she was well-loved by all…
Work was hard, pleasures were few and far between—but more joy was taken in simple things. Friends & family gathered, good food prepared, lively music played, good conversation had by all—these were the best of times.
While living in southern Utah—very rough and just forming it’s settlements at the time—a Christmas gathering was recorded. Just one paragraph, but it gives us a glimpse, just the same…
“At Christmas, so many of our associates traveled to be with us….and such an amount of fun and merriment we had! Uncle Joe’s folks took the bed from their largest room and we danced, played games, recited, sang, had step dancing, etc. every evening, and Christmas Eve, we spent nearly the whole night in Jollity. Our parents took part with us, and did all they could to make the time pass pleasantly for our visitors. Uncle Joe and Hy were good singers and step dancers, and added much to our entertainment. Our friends went home feeling well paid for their trouble in coming to see us.”
Had Ida not been such a modest girl, I’m sure mention might have been made of her playing for the gathering as well. Others have written of her playing her guitar {which a cousin in our family still has!} on many occasions, and singing, as she so loved to do…
Wishing you a wonderful season full of everything good—family, friends, and plenty of the simple things that have always brought such joy…
Julie
A new journal begun…such a good thing to have a few going at once—different books holding different thoughts & ideas…
This new one, solely devoted to Christmas. It may be all filled up this year, or it may spill over to Christmases yet to come…time will tell…
While looking for images, I picked the ones that sparked something in me—be it memory, nostalgia, magical childhood feelings of Christmas joy—or they just made me smile…
And then, I just started writing. This will be fun—looking forward to the holiday memories it will bring out of me…
For even more Christmas joy, stop over and visit my good friend Meri.
She creates vintage wonders like no one else, and she’s giving away two FABULOUS wreaths!
Wishing you many happy thoughts of Christmas…
Julie
Vintage Christmas or Retro Christmas…I can never decide which makes me happier…
I guess I’ll just take both of them—equally! There’s something so elegant and magical about the beautiful Victorian style at Christmas time…
…and something so wonderfully kitschy, nostalgic & childlike about Christmas retro-style…
A couple of projects made this week for the season: a little card all ready to give and an ornament to keep for our tree…
All bits used for both come from the wonderful Vintage Street Market—chock-full of authentic vintage elements to make any of your projects just right…
For instance, for the Santa ornament, Santa is an original piece of Victorian scrap—was so hard to glue him in place! But I love the results…old golden tinsel, vintage Christmas sheet music, and a bit of vintage dresden that I love so much-- “Merry Christmas”, it says…
Wishing you all a wonderfully festive start to the Christmas season!
Julie
