GOODBYE 2010 - HELLO 2011

This photo was taken exactly one year ago. We had invited neighbours round to celebrate the New Year in. And what a year it has been. Much unpredicted and unexpected, and undoubtedly a good one. Incidentally, the yellow post-its were part of a game!

I started by taking part in Project 365. Taking a photo a day was an interesting idea and at times my enthusiasm waned when photo opportunities were lacking or the light was poor. But I enjoyed the challenge and look back with a sense of achievement. My album is here if you would like to see it.

Year two on the allotment was successful and besides pickling and storing, I needed to buy a second freezer for the rest of the produce that I grew. I enjoyed pouring through Nigel Slater, Jamie Oliver & other favourite cook books & cooking new recipes. One major success was the Green Tomato cake. Well, I needed to use the glut somehow!

In May I discovered ecourses and signed up for Kelly Rae Roberts 'Taking Flight'. This led me on to starting a blog. If you told me this would happen a year ago I would have laughed! Nothing had been further from my mind. But it has introduced me to some wonderful new friends, new ideas, and an unhealthy addiction to the computer! I went on to take a number of other e-courses, and my creativity has really taken off this year. It has been a productive and positive experience, best of all, because I have been able to share my experience with others and this has made it all the more exciting and worthwhile.

I have had some wonderful trips away with family and with friends. The Gypsy Camp was a weekend to remember, and I made lots of new friends at the Belstead Residential. Further weekends are mentally planned for the coming year!

One of my most exciting events was the birth of my third granddaughter, Wren Blossom. I am so lucky to have my family live nearby and to see them regularly.

My circle of local friends continue to meet regularly, to write, create, or just talk. But my social network has really grown this year. As well as meeting new people on-line I joined a local group that meets monthly. This has also taken my creative journey on to new unexpected paths and little did I know a year ago how much my world would open up. I have picked up my knitting needles again, and taught myself to crochet (still very novice & learning!). Oh... and I also learned how to make felt and how to use my overlocker. So much in so little time. I can't wait to see what 2011 has in store!

One thing on my list for 2011 is to teach myself how to use Photoshop Elements. I have the software, good inspirational books, and enthusiasm. I just need the perseverance and commitment. So as I say goodbye to one year, I look forward to another. I hope your own journey has been as exciting and rewarding. And I hope you have a wonderful new year with
everything that you wish for.

Slowly... slowly....

... my Journal Your Christmas Album is coming together. Today my workdesk is covered with papers and photos as I try and catch up, I have now done page 4 so only 25 to go!! Though I have not had time to work on the album my mind has been busy with ideas, photos are printed or planned, and it is quite exciting snatching today and tomorrow to bring things together. As always I am going into detail instead of a quick page... no wonder why it takes me so long! Do you do this too I wonder?
It has been nice thinking about each page. What kind of Christmas cards I send, who to, and whether I hand make or buy. It made me think about how pressured I often end up, trying to make so many cards and to include letters to people I don't have contact with during the year.
This year I bought most my cards, and wrote a short hand written note instead of a round robin letter. On my page I printed a photo I used on the cards that I did make, and behind it I journalled on a card I had bought.


















I have always wanted to use this next photo in a page, so thinking about what makes Christmas perfect was the ideal excuse! The is photo was taken last year at my granddaughters pre-school nativity. It was called a 'Christmas Happening' because a group of 3 year olds are unpredictable and all kinds of unexpected things might happen. It went quite smoothly, a part from Mary leaving the stage to go to the toilet, and a couple of boys poking each other playfully. The highlight for me though was the expressions on my granddaughters face. This angelic picture melts my heart and I used it on my last year Christmas cards:

I also treasure the other photos I took during that performance and I could not leave them out. So I printed them wallet size onto a large tag and slipped it into a wallet, made by glueing two pages together. I laminated the tag to make it stronger. You can see this on the table top and some of the photos here.

In a recent post I spoke about experimenting with my new Big Shot. Since then I found a YouTube video where someone was cutting out snowflakes from a drinks can. Today I tried it out. First time it embossed the metal rather than cut through - an interesting technique in its own right. However, I wanted to cut the shapes so I added one of the tabs and put it through again. Then I embossed the shapes them, using the Big Shot, and I am quite pleased with the result.

I am looking forward to collecting more dies and embossing pads. I did wonder at first if my new toy was one of those impulsive buys that might end up on the shelf, but so far I can say I am quite excited about how versitile it is proving to be.

Must get back to my album now and finish acouple more pages!!

I hope you had a good Christmas. Mine was lovely, spent with my family, and I have lots more photos added to my collection.

A very Happy New Year to you. I hope it brings you lots of good things and that it is a healthy, happy & creative one!