SCUBA Discovery Class

Posted on January 15, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

image from diveaddicts.com

On Saturday I’m taking an introductory class to SCUBA diving. The idea makes me a bit nervous. I’m not all that comfortable in the water and not a great swimmer. But my Dad suggested it would help me write about his time as a SCUBA instructor and I think he is right. I planned to take it in November but when I broke my hand a couple of weeks before they class that just wasn’t going to work. So I got to put it off. But now the day of reckoning is almost upon me. I’m sure it will be a learning experience and who knows maybe I’ll really enjoy it. I’ll let you know next week how it went.

Have you ever done something just so you could better understand a person or a subject? Are you glad you did?

The Family History Writing Challenge: 2015

Posted on January 14, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

I realized this morning that we are almost half way through the first month of the new year. Feels like I’m not getting enough done each day. How about you? After taking a long break from working on my Dad’s Key West history I need to get back into it. I’m thinking Lynn Palermo’s Family History Writing Challenge might be just the perfect motivator. If you’ve done it before jump on board again this year. February is just around the corner. If not check out her website, register and then get set to more writing done this year.

Family Trees: a colorful clan

Posted on January 13, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

photo by Aaron Dyer from parents.com

A project doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective. This idea from parents.com is easy to put together with a panoramic frame, your printer and some colored paper. Click the photo above for more detailed directions. If you register on their site they have a cutting template too. But I’ll make it my goal to put together an InDesign template to make it super easy to put in your families names. Watch for it on Thursday.

I think this format would also lend its self to putting photos in place of the colored paper. Maybe all in black and white or sepia tone. It could be fun with tightly cropped photos too. Some great possibilities with this. I’ve got to try this out asap.

50 Button Crafts: idea #2 – 3 strand button necklace

Posted on January 12, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

three strand button necklace by Jodi Nobles

Got a box or jar full of buttons carefully saved by your mother or grandmother? For 2015 I’m in search of great ways to put those buttons to use. Here is this week’s idea:

I love this eclectic mix of buttons. It looks like Jodi used a similar wire-wrap technique as last weeks post on button pendants. (Jodi made it for her Etsy shop but is no longer available. You can click on the photo above to look at her current offerings.) So if you have a fun collections of buttons and want to tackle a more complicated button necklace this could be the perfect project.

It would be a good idea to document where the buttons for your project came from and any relevant stories or information about that person or family. If you are looking for more button crafts, check out my Pinterest board.

Inktober catch up

Posted on January 9, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

If you remember a couple of months back in October, I was participating in an ink drawing challenge. Each week I posted my drawings here. Then the last week of October I broke my hand and life shifted. I was only a couple of days from finishing the challenge so I decided to finish the last 3 days with my left hand. It was a fun experience and I learned a lot plus I want to get back to drawing soon to develop my skills. Here are the rest of my drawings for Inktober.

left handed day 1

left handed day 2

left handed day 3 & my pen ran out of ink so I used a sharpie

Trust

Posted on January 8, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

Inspired by my friend Shannon Christensen, I decided to pick a word as a kind of theme/resolution for 2015. After some contemplation I decided on trust. Trust in the Lord. Trust in his guidance. Trust in my ability to understand that guidance. Trust that I’m on the right path. Trust in my skills. Trust that if I follow my plan, I’ll get the things that are important done. Trust in reaching out to others and building relationships. Trust in the future, etc. etc.

I’ve never tried picking a single word for the year but I like it. I’m looking for a song to go with my word. If you have suggestions let me know. Do you do goals or resolutions?

Family Trees: family photo diagram

Posted on January 6, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

photo collage by Cactus and Olive

Sometimes the best ideas come when you are solving a problem. This is one of those ideas. Loni Harris wanted to send her brother a family photo but the most recent one was a couple of years out of date and missing some new members. So she came up with this circular format showing three generations of her family. It is a brilliant solution and very adaptable do different numbers of children. Her readers loved it so much that she now makes custom version in her Etsy shop. At the time of writing this post she is taking a break from her shop. Hopefully it will be back up soon.

She did her’s project in Photoshop and Illustrator. I think I could do this pretty easily in InDesign. Maybe I’ve got myself a new project for Mother’s day or my Mom’s 92nd birthday. I’ll be sure to let you know how it comes out.

I’ve decided to regularly share ideas I find for family trees, so stay tuned. More to come over the coming weeks and months.

50 Button Crafts: idea #1 – wire-wrapped pendant

Posted on January 5, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

button pendants from craftsy.com

Got a box or jar full of buttons carefully saved by your mother or grandmother? For 2015 I’m in search of great ways to put those buttons to use. Here is this week’s idea:

What a simple and beautiful way to use some of those unique buttons in your stash. Click on the photo about for a very clear and detailed tutorial on how to wire-wrap your buttons to make them into pendants. I’m going to put this on my project list for the near future.

If you are looking for more button crafts, check out my Pinterest board.

Pupdate: Emma

Posted on January 2, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

Emma

It has been almost two months since we got the dreaded phone call that Emma would not be a guide dog. The official cause: luxating lumbar. Which means that her lower back isn’t stable and it moves in ways that it shouldn’t. This is our first career change for medical reason. It is sad because Emma would have mad a wonderful guide dog. She was born with this condition and in hind sight there were signs of it. She was terrible at tug. Sometimes when you pulled her on your lap (while sitting on the floor of course) she would let out a little yelp. She was always very slow to sit when given the command.

There is no way to know just how her future will progress. Hopefully her condition can be managed with pain meds and lifestyle choices. But she might need surgery. This makes her placement in a new home by Guide Dogs for the Blind more challenging. Not everyone is up to taking on a known medical challenge like this. Emma’s mom’s family met Emma when they brought Mauve to campus and seriously considered adopting her. But after talking with the vet at GDB they realized that their lifestyle is too active for Emma. We get a monthly update on her, which is really awesome. Here are the two we have gotten so far:

Emma #52J1 is “spunky, smart, and a lot like her mom”, per one of the Training Department staff who happened to be filling in in the whelping kennel when Emma and her littermates were born, and who is now working in the kennel where Emma is living. An dog adoption applicant family is considering adopting Emma, pending some thought about her orthopedic issues.

Emma #52J1 is “willing and very nice” per an employee who has been caring for her. Emma is building a rapport with a staff member who has recently been assigned to Emma as an appropriate permanent adoptive home is being sought for her.