Here is the #2ndhandspirited December Daily Prompt Calendar. Hoping you have a wonderful December!
Tag: life
30 Days of Thankfulness
November Thankfulness Journal Prompts
The Someday Afternoon Society and the Birthday Tea
Someday Afternoon Society and the Birthday Tea
The Someday Afternoon Society is one of my side projects. I often don’t focus on it but it is always hovering in the background of my mind. The Someday Afternoon Society is a promise that I make to myself to continue to engage in fun, fulfilling activities that I always said I would get to “someday”. Over the weekend, I had a Someday Afternoon Society meeting. I held a tea party for my sister’s birthday. The event was inspired by a recent St. Valentine’s Chocolate Tea and by my amazing and unique sister, of course.
I was browsing around at the Salvation Army during the weeks before my sister’s birthday and I came across a beautiful, 14 karat gold tea set. It was not a completed tea set but it was one of the most complete sets I had ever come across. I am not much of a tea drinker, but I was captivated by the old set. My sister collects old tea cups and her birthday was on the horizonso I snapped a picture and sent it to her to see if she would like it. I almost left it there. At the last minute, she responded and the set was purchased. There were 6 tea cups, a creamer, a dozen saucers and 6 shallow bowls. The dishes are adorned with a small blue and red cabbage rose inside the cups and gilded edges with the perfect amount of crazing. Having just attended the Victorian tea at the Mary Stegmaier Mansion, an idea formed inside of me. I would hold a tea in honor of my sister’s birthday. All of the pieces came together at the perfect time to inspire this Birthday tea!
My sister also noted this would be her “Year of the Gnome”. In honor of her current gnome infatuation, I looked for some gnome-y décor. The Dollar Tree and Dollar General provided some cute and inexpensive little gnome and fairy garden figurines. Those were used to decorate the table and cake. A few other décor items were purchased, white doilies from the dollar tree, a sparkly rose gold table runner and rainbow backdrop from Five Below, and Bigelow Tea, variety pack, from Amazon. I also borrowed a fancy ceramic tea pot from my younger sister. I used my vintage tatted table covering over a white table cloth and added candles and mini daffodils I had transplanted into a vintage planter to adorn the table.
The menu included cucumber sandwiches and small ham finger sandwiches prepared with fresh Italian bread. Fresh grapes, pretzels, crackers and jam were also available for nibbling. My mother provided fresh cheese buns from Sanitary Bakery, one of the birthday girl’s favorite treats. I took a chance in making a cake and some cake pops. I used two funfetti cake mixes to make two small, round cakes and a larger cake for the cake pops. I also used simple syrup to sweeten the cake. To match the theme, I made a gnome home cake. The cake was decorated with chocolate melting candy “bark” and green frosting “moss”. Some of the cake pops were fashioned in to mushrooms to add to the fallen log gnome home cake.
To make the event more special, we dressed up and wore hats. In addition to tea, I served mimosa’s with champagne for the adults and sparkling cider for our under-age attendees. It was small, intimate girl’s tea for my mother, sisters and nieces. We spent our time talking about memories and future plans while French café music floated around us. It is a fun and beautiful memory of time spent with people I love.
February Printable
Some February printable images, just copy and past in to a word document. Use them for February dates in your planner or journal or just for fun!
Word/Intentions of 2022
This year I am trying to keep my “word” and my intentions in my mind. Last year, there were times when I could not remember what my word was! Last year was the first time I wrote out my intentions or my mission statement for the year. That worked really well for me. I was writing as though I had already achieved what I wanted, as if my vision had come to fruition. This year, I scripted my vision and made sure to include my “word” of the year to remind me of what I want to accomplish and why.
My word this year is DEVELOP. I want to develop many things I have already put in to place. I don’t feel my life is in need of any massive shifts, but there are some aspects that need tending. If I want my life to be a garden, I need to keep honing my gardening skills! So it goes for 2022. I want to make sure that I can continue to develop my life personally and professionally.
I am trying out a monthly workbook page or check-in. A few years ago, Café Analog created a monthly check in, and I really felt like it was helpful for keeping my word in mind. Though this workbook page is not quite as extensive, I am hoping it will keep me motivated to keep my intentions and word in focus!
December Daily – Day 30
Begin
I love the idea of a new beginning. New years, new weeks, new quarters. I can think of reasons to start anew all the time. The truth is that there is nothing particularly magical about a new year. Your ability to change and grow is a power you hold within yourself and you may choose to exercise your ability to change at any moment. In fact, life does not wait for new years or Mondays to inject a life-altering change. Change can happen to you in any moment. In line at the grocery story, in traffic, or in ways that you never expected. Though change is hard, it also brings growth. We are programmed to fear change. However, when we change and look back the person before the change is almost unrecognizable. Without change we do not grow.
I wish you luck in whatever changes you wish to make this year. I wish you peace for whatever unexpected changes occur in your life. Most of all I wish you the strength it takes to face these changes and integrate them in to your life.
December Daily – Day 28
Transition
The transition between the new year and the passing year can be a time of reflection and hope. 2018 fades away and 2019 waits patiently to bring new possibilities. What has brought you joy in 2018? What do you wish for 2019?
2018 was a good year for me. It followed a particularly hard year and I am grateful. In 2018 I completed a year of my Master’s degree, visitied Disney with my family, and spent lots of time by the ocean. I feel closer to my family than ever. My daughter is growing and learning so fast it takes my breath away. I began a new career and continue to grow and change personally and professionally. 2018 was good to me.
2019 is shaping up to be intense. My last year of my Nurse Practitioner Program requires intense focus and I know it will be challenging but worth it. We are working on a major home project that will bring much change and excitement. 2019 will be busy and demanding. That is ok. Whatever challenges await me, I am ready. I know I have all the tools to get me through, most importantly the backing of my incredible family.
December Daily – Day 18
Lights
I have a love affair with white lights. I think they are so beautiful and classic. My husband loves color. He would put colorful lights up everywhere if he could. And so, we learn to compromise…white lights everywhere. Just kidding, of course. We have mostly white lights around the house. Our front porch has blue icicle lights, which are very pretty. We also added a cool snow fall effect this year, which I was able to get for a steal at LTD Commodities. Tell me about your lights.
Urbinwoodcraft (The Mr. to my Mrs.) wrote this response to my blog post:
I have grown to really enjoy the white lights over the years. Although adding some color isn’t a bad thing, the white lights, just like you babe, are classy and beautiful, and I really enjoy them.
December Daily Day 17
Spirit
When I was younger (not that I am ancient now, but less experienced) I used to complain about the fuss over Christmas. All the stops we would have to make and people I would complain about seeing. I would think about how taxing all of this was instead of recognizing the love that was expressed on this day. I was immature and ungrateful. Time has a cruel way of revealing the truth. I look around now on Christmas and I am so thankful for my family and for the opportunity to show how I love them and spend time with them. It isn’t until members of your family start to disappear that you understand their importance in your life.
Growing up I was fortunate to have both sets of grandparents and a network of extended family. These people helped to shape me in to who I am today. Now I look around and their numbers have dwindled. Time has taken them away. I believe the old saying “youth is wasted on the young”. Wisdom and appreciation arrive with experience and it is sometimes too late. There are times I wish I could go back to years that I wasted thinking about what an inconvenience it was to spend time with my family. I know now that the only thing that I can change is the present. Live in the now and show thanks for what and who you have. Sometimes the present is the present.
December Daily Day 16
Heritage
Wigilia Dinner
One Christmas Tradition that our family observes every year without fail is Wigilia dinner. Our family is of Polish and Slovak descent, so this tradition Christmas Eve Dinner is a practice that has been occurring for generations. My mother has been the host for as long as I can remember. She always sets the most beautiful table complemented by the Christmas flowers my father sends her each year. Prior to the meal we break bread called Oplatki. This tradition is meant to symbolize the unity of the family. It also symbolizes forgiveness and reconciliation which can be particularly important this time of year.
This dinner is meat free and typically begins with mushroom soup. Although this dish may not be a favorite of everyone, we still eat it because tradition, right? Additional
dishes include shrimp, fish sticks, pierogies, and pagach. It is very carbohydrate friendly. Often times my grandmother will make homemade nut roll for dessert. Which is delicious, particularly warmed and smeared with butter.
Wigilia dinner is a great tradition. Though we celebrate our family with weekly family dinners, Wigilia is special, and it feels special.
2nd Hand Spirited 