Picture the Holidays -- Days 8-12

You can tell it's been finals week and a weekend of Christmas parties and graduation because I haven't had a chance to blog in several days.  So 5 days worth of Picture the Holidays prompts and photos!

Theme for Day 8 was Reflecting on the Season.

Spotted the reflection of our Christmas tree in the glass of this print on our living room wall.  It was a nice surprise.

Theme for Day 9 was It's a Sign.

This prompt was hard for me until I sat down with a book written by Jen Lee that I ordered and received in the mail that day along with the brochure you see above.  I didn't really notice the face on the cover of the book until I took that picture.  I also like the words on the brochure, so I've got two photos for this prompt.

Theme for Day 10 was Twinkle Twinkle.

I must like Christmas trees because we've got 4 of them.  The big one in the living room, a 3-4 footer in Meredith's room, a one-footer in Miles's room, and then one other 3-4 footer.  The last one I haven't gotten around to decorating.  It still has on the lights from years past.  Miles thought it needed a star.  So he took a star-shaped stickie (whatever you call those things) and placed it on the tree.

Theme for Day 11 was Shaping Up.  This prompt was getting me until I noticed this lamp in the living room.  It reminds me of the curves of the red ribbon on a candy cane or swirling garland on a Christmas tree.  After uploading the picture to my computer I noticed the diamond shapes between the "ribbons."  And the base's overall shape is almost that of an upside down, fat Christmas tree.

Theme for Day 12 (today) was A Whole Lotta Happy.  Again, at first I was a bit stumped.  I knew I had many ornaments with smiles on them in a box waiting to be placed on the tree in the photo above, but tonight I am tired from staying up late grading and don't feel like rummaging through said box out in the cold garage. 

Oooo, but then I remembered my Christmas Ziggy.  I don't tend to decorate with child-like things at home.  (Though I admit I do have cheesy kid stuff like this in my office at work, but that's another story.)  Ziggy holds such fond memories for me.  He was very popular in the early '80s when my best friend and I would give each other Ziggy friendship cards on a regular basis.  (I still have all those cards, too.)  There is just something about that short, bald-headed dude.  And what did I do today?  I spoke to this best friend, who lives back in Texas and I don't get see very often at all and don't talk to often enough either.  I think it's actually been a few months!  But she's the kind of friend that when you talk to her it's like no time has passed.  And that makes me happy. :)

Here's hoping you've got friends like that!

Picture the Holidays -- Days 6 and 7

Theme for Day 6 was Every Little Thing.

On a table in my office at work are these two Hallmark ornaments.  They are miniature versions of the classic Fisher-Price toys that I remember playing with as a child.  The clock has a knob on the back that can actually turn so one can hear the familiar tune.  The school has a tiny bell at the top that one can ring.  Cute little reminders of play.

Theme for Day 7 was Express Yourself. 

Many who are doing Picture the Holidays right along with me have chosen to do a self-portrait for this prompt, but I just wasn't feeling up to it.  So I got the idea for this photo yesterday when this sweet book of poetry arrived in the mail.  The poems were written by Tara Sophia Mohr.  (You may recall that I joined in her Girl Effect blogging campaign last October with these two posts.)

Also, in the photo above is this original painting seen here by Danielle Daniel, of Her Painted Word.  She is called Hazel--she write one poem a day.  For now she sits right by my bedside as a reminder to not forget to express myself through writing.

(All photos taken with my iPhone and uploaded to Instagram.)

Picture the Holidays -- Days 4 and 5

Theme for Day 4 was You Hold the Key.  Most of us already have within ourselves "the keys" to know how to care for ourselves during the holidays and throughout the year for that matter.  I remembered that I recently bought these keys at a parent-teacher store thinking I could use them at some point in a creative way.  On each key I wrote down reminders of things I can do to unlock self-care in my life.

Theme for Day 5, today, is The View from Here.

So here was my view earlier today while sitting at my desk.

A reminder (via zena moon candles).

The label says

There is more to life than increasing its speed.

—Gandhi

Picture the Holidays -- Days 2 and 3

Theme for Day 2 was Reframing the Season.  Looking at the holiday season in new ways.

My husband put up the tree on Friday night and I decorated it.  I was tired.  I remembered the prompt and thought it'd be cool to take this shot just straight out of my iPhone via Instagram.  I love that the shot is imperfect as well as my living room: items strewn about, tree skirt not on yet, etc.  Imperfect.  Just like life.  Just like the season.

And the ironic thing I'm willing to admit is last year we bought a new, skinnier tree because a) it fit better in this space than our other fatter one and b) it takes less time to decorate.  Every year I end up decorating the tree on my own.  And I don't like that because it feels like a chore.  But this year Miles helped out a little, and then I realized one reason why I end up doing it alone.  I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to a stupid thing like a Christmas tree.  I want all of the ornaments of a certain kind spread out, I want my favorite ones front and center, and I want the angel, star, and heart ones near the top.  Meredith was gone at a football game while I decorated it this year.  I just asked her and she said she would have helped.  Lessons learned.

Theme for today, Day 3, is All You Need is Love.  Can't help thinking of the Beatles whenever I hear that phrase.  Again, I remembered the prompt in the evening.  Otherwise I may have gone looking for hearts outside while it was still daylight.  So instead, I searched my tree for some hearts or the word "love" when I found this glass or crystal heart.  I don't remember if it was gifted to me or if I bought it in a shop somewhere.  All I know is that I love how it glistens.

As I went to upload photos in my camera I found a series of self-portraits by my daughter.  This really filled me with love.

Picture the Holidays -- Day 1

Today's prompt: Holding Onto Gratitude

It's been one of the most difficult semesters for me since starting teaching almost 12 years ago.  So grateful it is coming to the end.  It may not be the most artistic photo, but I am at work today, my "long" day, and I forgot my good camera so my iPhone, Instagram, and Flickr will have to do.  Evenso, it IS my truth for today.

Picture the Holidays

I am participating in Picture the Holidays, a class by Tracey Clark through Paper Coterie.  Tracey is the founder of Shutter Sisters.  (Incidentally, I was part of Tracey's I am Enough collaborative through this post.)

I am loving this class creed.  I loving the chance to play and exercise my creativity.  I will try to post my pictures to the daily prompts as much as I can, but I don't want to do anything to add to my stress level especially until the semester is over on Dec. 12 when grades are due!