SCUBA Discovery Class: part 2

Posted on January 21, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

So I obviously survived my SCUBA experience. Yeah! I tried not to feel too nervous about it but only partially succeeded. About half way there I realized I forgot the paperwork. But I figured they had copies on hand that I could fill out again so I didn’t go back. And they did.I was the first student to arrive. And after waiting for more to show up they figure out that I was the only one. There had been six at one point but they all dropped out the last few because they were sick. You wouldn’t want your first SCUBA experience to be with congested sinuses. So I ended up with a private lesson for the group price! Plus there was a second instructor in training. It was great being the only one because everything happened at my speed. The only down side was having no one to gauge against how I was grasping the concepts.

The equipment is so much nicer than what my Dad worked with. It was really cool. I want to take him to the Dive Addicts store so he can see how things have evolved in the last 60 years. I had a hard time breathing until the instructor reminded me to focus on inhaling and the exhale will take care of its self. I just learned the very basics of clearing the face mask of water and getting my ears to adjust to the change in water pressure as we went into the deep end. It is hard to do with the mouthpiece in but I did succeed in getting pretty far down in the deep end. I had a hard time controlling my body underwater. It was my first time in swim fins too.

It was kind of fun but mostly hard work. I figure it is probably a lot like skiing for the first time, the learning curve is steep and it only gets better as you master some of the basic skills. By the time I got out I was exhausted. As I drove home I realized I was a bit sick to my stomach. Lunch helped that but my head of off the rest of the day. I think I had a bit of motion sickness. At first it was the same feeling I have when I’m on the verge of getting car sick. Later in the day I realized it was the same feeling I get after taking a couple of airplane flights.

I’m really glad I took the class. In my older age it feels like it is important to try new things and not get complacent about life and learning. I doubt I’ll do it again. But I wonder if my Dad would like to try the new equipment and see what it is like. If he wants to do that I want to be there with him. Then he could show me some of the ways he taught SCUBA.

(The took a couple of pictures during the class but they haven’t put them up on their Facebook page yet. I’ll add them here when they do.)

Family Trees: tree of hearts

Posted on January 20, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

Family Tree of Hearts from PersonalCreations.com

This Family Tree of Hearts is customizable from PersonalCreations.com. Though you have no control over the arrangement of the hearts on the tree or which heart the names appear on, this would make a lovely addition to any home. Click on the image above to get the details.

If you have the time and desire you can paint your own version. Theirs is on canvas so you could pick up a pre-stretched canvas and get to work. Or you could use wooden planks to replicate the look of the background. Doing it your self you could put the hearts in a more traditional family tree arrangement, though I can see some advantages of the random approach. Doing it yourself would make it possible to add more hearts as new members join the family.

50 Button Crafts: idea #3 – simple button bracelet

Posted on January 19, 2015 by tellingfamilytales

button bracelet by Hope Studios

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:

This button bracelet would be so much fun to do at a family gathering. Have the supplies gathered and enjoy some storytellling, chating and bonding while everyone creates a one of a kind bracelet with ties to their family through the buttons and memories of making them together. Click on the photo for Hope Studios’ step by step tutorial.

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.

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?

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.

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.

Key West: update

Posted on October 15, 2014 by tellingfamilytales

Well, I don’t have total success to report but I did get some writing in (about half of the days). My parents are coming down on Friday, so I should get some time with my Dad over the next couple of weeks. When he called today he wanted me to find a road map for the 50s. I was glad I could tell him that I already had one. I even had it out on my desk from today’s attempt at writing about his cross-country drive to get to Key West from San Diego.

I also called about setting up a SCUBA class. Not surprising there isn’t anything available for October but they haven’t set up November yet. So they will contact me when they get that arranged. I have mixed feelings about taking the class. It’s just an hour so how bad can it be. But I think it will really be helpful in writing this history, so I’ll do it. Maybe it will be more fun than I expect.

I hope I’ll be reporting more writing progress with next weeks update than I did this week.