January 11: Tell Me a Story

Discussion in 'MOC 2021 Challenges' started by bestcee, Jan 11, 2021.

  1. rlucasmn

    rlucasmn Headed to Craigh na Dun... and beyond

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    Definitely a challenge to get the story part done, especially when I wasn't feeling inspired. However, I asked one of my daughters what memory(ies) she most wanted to be sure were documented somewhere and she replied "when we used to have Christmas with Grandpa B!" So here is my page:

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    Journaling: (708 words)
    Just this past Sunday, our family put away all our interior Christmas decorations. It is traditional for us to wait until the weekend after Epiphany to do so. In my family, traditions for Christmas have always been strong, but they have not remained static. As circumstances in our lives changed, so did our ways of celebrating. This story documents the "used to be" traditions, those that we observed when my parents were alive. However, it is not a melancholy story. Rather it is meant to celebrate and document those memories.
    I come from a large family, four sisters and a brother, with ages that span almost 20 years. My memories growing up were of Christmas's full of people, Santa surprises on Christmas morning, and, as my sisters moved out and had families, of everyone returning to our house during the holiday week.
    My parents loved having everyone home for the holiday. There was always enough for everyone - good food, laughter, games, and alcohol. Gift giving, though, got harder, especially as we got older. One Christmas my siblings and I got together on an idea - we needed a theme that would result in gifts for the "house" and pay tribute to the warmth, hospitality, and welcoming nature of our parents. Thus the idea to name the house the "Triple B (BBB)" was born. From that Christmas on, we would always find a way to incorporate something from the BBB as gifts for all.
    By the time this became our tradition, I had moved to Minnesota for work. Every Christmas I would use my vacation to travel home and spend the holiday with my parents, my siblings, and their kids. We would definitely party during those days - as the invitation to the house was open to friends and family alike. There would be noise and laughter in the kitchen with the adults and in the basement with the kids. Being single, I looked forward to those times together so much and nothing would stop me from the yearly drive home.
    Eventually, I married and we had kids. Tom's family got Thanksgiving; mine got Christmas. And no matter the circumstances, we would make the drive to be with family - even through my pregnancies and with young children. And my siblings and their kids, and eventually the children of those kids would also be there. Some would come for a short time, some longer. There would always be a day and time though when most of us were there. And the fun, games, and party would carry on. I can still hear the laughter from around the kitchen table as we played one type of trivia or board game or another. Or when a practical joke would be played on an unsuspecting individual or the rules would be made up for the eventual game of beer pong as the night wore on.
    It was always understood between Tom and me that we would keep making that journey as long as my parents were alive. Even after my mom passed, my dad stayed in their house, welcoming one and all for the holidays. I think one of the main reasons he never changed his living circumstances was because he understood how much having that home base meant to us all. And how much it meant to me to be able to give our children the same experiences that I grew up with, and that my older sisters and their children experienced.
    Now that my dad has also passed, and the old home is no longer in our family, we still remember those days fondly. My daughters sometimes feel sad because they have so many fewer years with Grandma and Grandpa B at the BBB. We see my side of the family more rarely too, as we are dispersed through the US and have no "home base" any longer. We do make an effort to keep our traditions alive through stories and through family reunions. And we have moved to make our own traditions for Christmas here in our own home base. I have hope for the days when our house will ring with the laughter of generations, the warmth of welcome to family and friends, and the spirit of tradition coming full circle.
     
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  2. plumdumpling

    plumdumpling CT - Krista Sahlin

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    Word Count 721 words...and after I finally saved it all, I realized I still had more to say, ugh.

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  3. CaroB71

    CaroB71 Why, yes, I DO know the answer!

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    Phew! 501 words :) Thanks for the challenge - it really stretched me.

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  4. AJK

    AJK I plead the 5th ...

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    Whew. I don't mind journaling, but getting this much on the page is areal challenge!
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  5. janedee

    janedee Is a craft project ever really finished?

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  6. PaperWings

    PaperWings Well-Known Member

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    [​IMG][​IMG]

    (635 words)
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2021
  7. bestcee

    bestcee In love with places I've never been to

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    I'm not positive which program you use, but I can copy my journaling in Photoshop (and Elements) and then paste it at TLP.
     
  8. CindyB

    CindyB Proud to be a Hoofer!

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    [​IMG]

    Journal reads (553 words):
    Sports has always been a part of my life, and back in the day I was pretty much just born a Buffalo fan. Whether hockey, football, or baseball, we haven’t had the easiest road, or the most success, but it’s a culture that the fans around here can relate to. We are a blue collar town, we work hard, and we expect nothing less than that from our sports teams. Give us 110% and we will accept the outcome, just show us the effort.

    This year has certainly been a special year for our Bills Football. It’s been many years of rebuilding and we always seem to start the season with the same optimism. We weren’t even sure if we would have a season in the midst of this pandemic, but seeing this team grow leaps and bounds this year without the opportunity to be in the stadium has been a real struggle.

    We acquired Stephon Diggs from Minnesota during the off-season and the connection between him and our quarterback Josh Allen has been absolutely magical. The vibes have only spread to the rest of the team, and to see them support each other every week win or lose has been a bright light that we all so desperately needed.

    The night before we played the Seattle Seahawks on November 8 [week 9], Josh Allen lost his grandmother. He could have easily skipped the game and Bills Mafia would have totally understood mourning the loss. Instead, Josh Allen played and delivered an exceptional performance and the team winning the game 44-34 without anyone knowing the significance behind his effort. Coach McDermott announced the loss to the team after the game, and almost immediately after word reached the fans something amazing happened. Bills Mafia started making $17 donations [increments of Allen’s number] to Oishei Children’s Hospital, a hospital that Josh Allen supports and visits. By Monday afternoon the hospital tweeted that $34,650 was donated by Bills fans all over the nation and world. That number just continued to grow. When it was announced that the donations reached $483,000, Josh Allen pledged $17,000 to make it a half million dollars.

    At last count it was over 1 million dollars. The hospital dedicated an entire wing to the memory of Patricia Allen. It’s been really heartwarming to see the community rally around a guy like Allen. He’s embraced our city and really feels like he is the future of our franchise. We haven’t had this for 25 years, since the days of Jim Kelly and those great Super Bowl teams of the 1990’s. The Bills took the AFC East title and we won our first playoff game in a quarter of a century this past weekend, and it is like a breath of fresh air around here.

    We may not be going to the Super Bowl this year, but we’re pretty confident that this team and it’s QB has definitely turned the corner. It’s nice to feel the buzz around town again, with Bills flags waving proudly. It definitely started when we rallied around Allen. It’s amazing to see what a community can do when it pulls together for a common cause.

    Hope we can continue through the playoffs…not because were afraid to lose…because we truly don’t want the season to end. Love our Buffalo Bills!
     
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  9. chastml

    chastml Shock me, Sinead O'Rebellion

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    Words: 832
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  10. Kegger

    Kegger Well-Known Member

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  11. AlyciaIN

    AlyciaIN Well-Known Member

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    01_11 Tell Me A Story - pages 1 & 2 - MOC9, There are 881 words.

    Created with NBK's Bittersweet collection
    https://the-lilypad.com/store/Bittersweet-choose-from-different-Options.html

    Font is Cookie

    Note: This is a true story that we've been living for the past week. If you prefer not to read about US politics, please go on to someone else's layout. Thanks in advance for your understanding.

    https://the-lilypad.com/forum/galleries/01_11-tell-me-a-story.457224/ Page 1
    https://the-lilypad.com/forum/galleries/01_11-tell-me-a-story-page-2.457225/ Page 2

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  12. LoveItScrapIt

    LoveItScrapIt I'm a poet, and everyone knows it!

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  13. QuiltyMom

    QuiltyMom I'll never run out of things to do!

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    I put this in the wrong thread... ha!

    Got it done! Whew! It's not like I had planned but ... oh well! lol! There are 563 words. I'll put the text below because it's too hard to read on here.

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    I knew I was having hearing issues when I could HEAR my daughter talking yet couldn't HEAR what she was saying. All I could think was that I was too young to be dealing with this. Yes, I already had tinnitus that had popped up after giving birth to her, but I wasn't ready for anything else. A visit to the Internist lead to a visit to the Ear Nose & Throat doc which lead to a visit to the Audiologist, and before I know it I'm being fitted for hearing aids. I thought that my problems would be solved. No longer would my family have to repeat what they've just said or having to turn up the TV volume again (yes, I would still use closed captioning), and all would be well. Yet I had no idea what my life would really be like from then on.
    While I am thankful for this amazing technology, they are both a blessing and a curse: I have mini amplifiers in my ears which means I can hear everything. EVERY. BLESSED. THING. Everything I don't want to hear and nothing that I want or need to hear because the loudest noise will always prevail. Always. And life is LOUD. I hear every burp, sneeze, sniff, slurp, munch, crunch, sigh, or expletive that's uttered. I can't tell which direction a sound is coming from and I often don't know if you're talking to me or someone else. Distant noises sound like they're directly behind me. I hear a sound in the house that I can't place so I run around trying to figure out what it is. And I will physically cringe and cover my ears if any sound you're making is more than I can handle, so please don't twist your plastic bottle before you throw it away once you've finished drinking the water. My nerves will thank you.
    About that whispered conversation you're having while seated in the row behind me in church... I can hear every word you are saying. I'm sorry to hear why you were late - again. Same goes if you're standing behind me in line. You want to yell at your kid while you're out and about? You're not having a private conversation. And please, please stop getting angry at me when I kindly ask you to repeat your question for the second time because you refuse to speak up and look at me when you talk. I can hear the noises or conversation behind me better than you simply because they are louder.
    Sadly, it's only become worse with the use of masks, shields and partitions due to the pandemic. I can't hear anyone talk anymore. My audiologist explained that masks can dampen 5 decibels of sound, and the addition of any shield or partition another 4-plus decibels each. All she could do was increase the levels and hope for the best. I dream of the day when these safety measures are no longer needed. It can't come soon enough.
    While I still can't hear what the mask- and shield-wearing clerk who's standing behind Plexiglas is saying (sigh), I do believe it's time for you to clean out your purse so you can more easily find your wallet. Yes, I'm speaking to you. You've been complaining about it for quite some time while digging around looking for the thing, didn't you know?
     
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  14. crlin

    crlin Well-Known Member

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    I can't seem to copy off my scrap page and paste. Not sure what I am doing wrong. I use Photoshop Elements 2020.
     
  15. rdutch

    rdutch Well-Known Member

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  16. 3BluEyedBabies

    3BluEyedBabies Falling for pumpkin ...

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    I honestly had no idea what I was going to scrap, but then it just hit me to do one of our day trips! I chose the Catoctin Wildlife Preserve. We had never been there before and I'm so very glad we went! It was a beautiful day! I had to include as many pictures as I can because who doesn't love animals?!

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    {518 words}
    On Thursday, August 20, 2020, we all got up at 5:30 a.m. to spend the day at the Catoctin Wildlife Preserve in Thurmont, Maryland. It was about a two-hour drive. We had packed a cooler with drinks, sandwiches, and snacks the night before and we also took a change of clothes. None of us had been to this zoo before, but it looked like a nice place online. We were also planning on going to Gettysburg Military Park on the way home. It was a nice drive and we got there a little before 8 a.m. After paying for admission, we were given a map and the kids got a cup of animal food to feed the animals. There was lots of lush greenery as we walked into the preserve. The first animal we saw was some beautiful Macaws. The first area we walked through was Madagasgar. Here, we saw a very unique animal called a Fossa. I don't think I've ever seen one before. It kind of looked like a cat and a mongoose. Next, we saw some really cute black and white lemurs that were really active and hard to take a picture of! We also saw some really pretty birds of Madagasgar. The next area was Australia where we some wallabies, singing dogs, and black swans. Next, we saw some very rare booted monkeys from Indonesia. They were quite funny, actually, swinging in the rope enclosure and playing together. There were quite a few babies that were adorable! Next up were the lazy sugar bears. They were sleeping most of the day! We went into the Giant Reptile house next. There were lots and lots of huge snakes in there. I took lots of pictures, but my skin was crawling the whole time! Back outside, we saw some baboons and some sleeping otters. Then we were able to feed some adorable deer and koi in the pond. We were having a great day, so far. The preserve wasn't crowded and it was nice and clean. Next up we saw a beautiful 24-year-old jaguar named Evita. She was rolling all around when we saw her! We saw two huge iguanas and some tortoises, next. In the North America section, we saw a lynx and a bunch of alligators before we went on our safari. The safari guides were amazing! Like Collin, they were full of goofy jokes! We got to feed bison, camels, watusi, goats, emus, and we saw zebras and it was so much fun! Next. we stopped by the monkeys again and then went to the car for a picnic lunch. After lunch, we saw the new koi pond and fed them, too! We saw more snakes, a horned crane, a capybara, and went to the petting zoo area to feed more animals! It was so much fun! I would definitely go back again and I would recommend it to anyone who loves animals. It is very obvious that all the animals are very well cared for! After leaving the preserve, our next adventure was to explore the Gettysburg Military Park!
     
  17. honeyandcheese

    honeyandcheese Digging the island vibe

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    @bestcee - Does it need to be new journaling, or could it be something written previously that hasn't been scrapped?
     
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  18. bestcee

    bestcee In love with places I've never been to

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    It does not need to be new journaling, it does need to be a new page.
    So, feel free to copy out of an old journal, diary, email, or whatever!
     
  19. bestcee

    bestcee In love with places I've never been to

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    Here's how I do it in PSCC, it should be the same for Elements. I know it was for Elements 11-14.
     
  20. slfam

    slfam Chocolate or vanilla? I can't decide!

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