Just Life

Currently in December

- Tobia 12 Comments
currently in December craftaliciousme seeking creative life

After blogging the entire month in November for NaBloPoMo and then taking off a day felt weird. So here I’m again. But don’t get used to it – there won’t be daily blog posts. Ha. I am trying to catch up on work and work ahead of time to take off time staring December 17th. Let’s see how good that will work – as a freelancer it is not always possible but I am determined to make it happen. And as always my plans and thing I want to do and craft are piling up. Why is this season always so short. We have month of summer but that have to cram in the best time of the year in 4 weeks. Not fair. Lets see how my currently in December looks like. Thank you Anne for making us think about decorating, feeling, sending, smelling, and wrapping.

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November Reflections and December Intentions

- Tobia 8 Comments
Grace 2021 time for those resolution green leavery

Wow, what a whirlwind of month November has been. Not only did I do the NaBloPoMo challenge and blogged daily which did take a bit of time and commitment I also had a lot to do for my job. The entire months was so filled with content creation that I am a bit surprised I have any ideas and thoughts left. But as I said yesterday already once you start creating you can’t stop. It is that flow thing. Which is a whole other post I didn’t get to do in November. But I’m rambling. Best way to get a grip, is to do some November reflections and December intentions

But before I dive into that here is my favorite quote this month.

Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.

Henry David Thoreau

NOVEMBER Reflections

Reflecting on my set intentions.

  • I will make a traditional Stollen using grandmas old recipe – and maybe making my own version
    Check. I did last weekend. It was not as difficult as expected but I also haven’t tried any of the Stollen yet. It still needs to sit and develop its flavor.
  • I will join NaBloPoMo and will blog daily throughout November
    Another check. You can see an overview of all my posts here.
  • I will host a dinner party for my mom – her birthday present
    I am on a roll. Dinner party was a success.
  • I will participate in my annual volunteering for “Christmas in a Shoebox” with my sister
    This happened last Friday and I took you along here too.
  • I will meet my sisters new boyfriend
    As I said I am on a roll. We were invited for coffee and Christmas cookies. It was a nice afternoon.
  • I will drive to my families country home and spend a few days
    I guess that also has happened this months. See,s so far away. I actually went twice. And I took you on a stroll.
  • I will look for charity organizations to send Christmas letters to elderly citizens
    Half done. I signed up to sent letters to 7 elderly people and tomorrow a sign up form opens for Post mit Herz.
  • I will step out of my comfort zone – not sure how yet
    Mhm I am not sure what my intention was here. I think I need more actionable intentions
  • I will do some blog work behind the scenes
    I bought a new theme and hope to give the blog a new look. Other than that I didn’t do all the things I keep telling myself I would.
  • I will get the most of the Christmas shopping done.
    Surprisingly for me I really do have about half the presents done or at least ordered. Still needing some ideas and lots of time for execution on those ideas I have.
  • I will do that detox week
    HA! Finally one I didn’t crush. I guess that detox things is something for 2022.

How did I incorporate my word of the year GRACE?

Also most done with my check-ins of my word 2021. Trying to be extra mindful for the final weeks with my word:

  • Taking mornings walks when I was in the country.
  • Helped an old lady that got stuck with her walker in a door.
  • Put some new outfits together that made me feel good.
  • Worked on my patience.
  • I listened at a co-worker who needed to talk
  • Accepted my moods and tried to acknowledge the feeling
  • I took different routes one my way home
  • I learned Spanish and gave myself permission to break my 188 day streak because it was too much this months
  • Enjoying a bath after a long day
  • Lunch with myself and not reading or scrolling. Just sitting observing and having my thoughts fly by.
  • Took a very hot shower and it was amazing

DECEMBER Intentions

I have already written my winter bucket list so some of the intentions I have already mentioned before but lets put a date to it, shall we:

  • I will read some Christmas books. Looking at you “Die schönsten Wintermärchen“, “Schöne Bescherung” and an Adventkalender book I was gifted many years ago.
  • I will send out Christmas cards.
  • I will find my guiding Word for 2022
  • I will set intentions and goals for 2022
  • I will hopefully celebrate Christmas with my family
  • I will sell another 3 items on eBay Kleinanzeigen
  • I will clean my office / craft lab before going on Christmas vacation
  • I will clean the oven after all the baking shenanigans
  • I will do the pine cone DIY
  • I will enjoy the time and season and try not to put too much on my plate
  • I will watch snowflakes dance
  • I will watch all the Christmas movies and some
  • I will do at least 15 prompts of the December Actions for Happiness

So excited for December. After cramming my calendar in November to have more time for fun stuff, DIY time and enjoying the holidays I hope that it pays off.

Do you have some fun intentions for December?

Happy Holidays

Tobia

Bye Bye NaBloPoMo – It’s a wrap

- Tobia 8 Comments
recap Nablopomo challenge

And just like that November is over and I finished another NaBloPoMo challenge. It is always surprising how – once you are in the middle of a challenge the end is coming up so fast. A lot of fun posts appeared on this blog in the past 30 days. One of my creative role models Elise Blaha Cripe always says “creativity is breeding creativity” and I couldn’t agree more. I have so many ideas of blogposts and just couldn’t write them all.

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Sisterly Tradition – Volunteering at the Christmas Factory

- Tobia 6 Comments
Volunteering at the Christmas Factory shoeboxes with Christmas paper

How does the saying go? Two times a charm and three times a tradition? Or maybe that doesn’t even exist then we have to make it one. My younger sister and I have once again taken an afternoon to volunteering in the Christmas Factory for Operation Christmas Child.

When I suggested the idea back in 2018 and asked if she would join me we didn’t know it will become our own little Christmas tradition. But every October or November we sit down and start looking at dates that would fit our calendar and book us a slot in the Christmas Factory. Even through the pandemic it was important enough for us to not cancel.

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My winter bucket list 2021

- Tobia 11 Comments
winter bucket list 2021 craftaliciousme seeking creative life

Today when I opened up Instagram my bookclub people from Munich showed the snowflakes dancing. So it is close to winter. I know it officialy starts December 21 but I always feel like December 1 is the day we can say it is winter. Meterologist predict it will be a very cold winter in Germany 2021/22 and I don’t object. I love it. Bring it on. If I can make a wish: let it be freezing cold for a week so all the ice in the lakes freezes all smooth and then add a bit of snow to make the rest of the country look great too. Best winter conditions. Oh I am ready. Can you feel it? Of course I share my winter bucket list for 2021 again.

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