MANAGING THE MUNDANE plus Blog Hop Fun!!!

Do you have routines or rituals that structure your day to day or your week?  Some people like routines, infact some live their life by knowing what they will do from one minute to the next. 
Me? 
I like change and variation in my life.  So my shift work pattern suits me, and one week is never the same as the next.  Last week, Shimelle suggested that we observe what we do day to day and find ways of recording this.  I like to make more of the mundane and will do things to vary any routine, and so I often take things to work to do during my break, usually something creative .  On one occasion I was in London with time before my training resumed.  So I took my camera outside and took as many photos as I could in 10 minutes.  I went back to the training buzzing with excitement!  I was really pleased with the photos I took and the change in activity and pace gave me renewed energy for the rest of the day.  You can see some of the photos here and it is certainly an idea I will repeat again and again.  


This weekend I planned to continue painting my new workroom.   But then my daughter invited us to up Suffolk, where she is on holiday.  And so my plans immediately changed & Saturday morning we headed off. I recorded the day in photographs (many of them!) and here is just a quick snapshot:

 

 

And then our plans changed again.  Because it was suggested we stay over night as we were tired after our busy fun day and the sea air.  We were completely unprepared, had no change of clothes and we had to improvise with bedding, but what the heck!!  Life is about grabbing opportunities and making the most of every given situation, and so this weekend took yet another turn of direction and my paint brushes still remain untouched!

A change of pace or routine usually gives me a lift  and just like after the 10 minute photo shoot, I am feeling renewed with energy and ready to face another week.   I hope yours will be filled with good surprises and some fun, and to kick off you are invited to join in with some celebrations......

It's time for some BLOG HOP fun!!  

Congratulations to Jemma, whose blog is one year old today, and to celebrate she has organised a number themed blog hop.  If you have come to me from Jemma, then play a long.  Otherwise you may want to visit Jemma at just-jimjams, and then come back here.

So, ready to play along?  Here's what you do:

Collect a number from each of Jimjams' Blogiversary friends, put them in numerical order and then e-mail Jemma with the number which is missing from the sequence.

Here is my number.  I thought I'd have some fun so can you work it out from these clues?

a.   I am a prime number
b.   I have two digits
c.   Add these together and I am twice as many
d.   I am the first repeating number
e.   I appear four times this year as unique dates
f.    I am the number of years that a sun spot cycle repeats
g.   and the number of players in many popular team games
h.   Apollo ??  made the first lunar landing
i.    I am the record number of Oscars for one movie


What number am I?


Make a note, then head over to Furrypig for the next number clue. 


Good luck!!  I'm looking forward to playing along.

You've got mail

I LOVE getting post through the mail, don't you?







Recently I was the lucky recipient of Sian Fair's monthly Pass the Book.
I couldn't wait to unwrap and read the pages, which I did at every available opportunity.  Such a lovely thing to receive through the post.

I will say more when I offer to Pass the Book next week.  So if you would like to join in this fun and gesture of sharing look out for the blog post and leave a comment.

 
I also received another wonderful surprise through my letterbox, an amazing original painting by the very talented Natasha May.

Called 'Changes' this painting is based on Alice in Wonderland and it formed part of a story told by Natasha.  I love the vidid colours and whimsical style.  I was the very lucky name randomly drawn, so imagine my excitement and gratitude!

If you want to check out Natasha's other wonderful works of art she also has an etsy shop.  



 

And finally, they postcard that I sent to myself arrived! My husband asked who it was from and when I said 'me' he quietly said something about 'Billy no friends' and walked away.  Well, I wouldn't know where to begin, in explaining, so I left it as that! I know he said it in jest, and that he appreciates this is part of my wacky world of creativity.  He also knows he would never understand and so he watches and supports me, and more than that he tolerates my chaos and mess.  I consider myself lucky.
 
But I digress......  this postcard was part of the new Explore online course that I am taking part in and mentioned here.  There are daily prompts as usual life is happening and I am not able to participate every day.  But I am collecting ideas and materials so it will all unfold in its own time. I am quite excited by some of the ideas and yesterday's prompt suggested writing directly onto a photo.  And if you like this idea or want to experiment Photojojo also shows ways of doing this.

I like the idea of receiving and sending postcards.  So I have signed up toJulie Kirk's 'Going Postal'.  This is involves another fascination of mine, Pinterest. I regularly add to my boards and if you have not signed up you need to be invited before you can create your own boards.  I am happy to send you an invite so just pass on your email address to me.  But be warned - it is addictive and even more hours will pass in front of the computer screen!

And I have also signed up for The Great Big Postcard Swap.  In fact, I got so excited I have signed up twice, but that means double the fun!  The idea is that you create a postcard using any medium, but must include a stitch or two.  Then you post it to your assigned partner and receive your swap.  I took part in last years swap and was inspired to join in again.  So I need to start making my two postcards ready to post and to look forward to more mail dropping through my letter box.

My workspace this week is covered with a dustsheet and tins of paint.  Yes!  I am STILL painting and it feels like the 4th bridge.  I wonder when it will end?  The excitement has gone and is replaced by frustration and an aching body.  Only the knowledge that this will have a good outcome keeps me motivated, and perhaps a paint party would have been a good idea! To see what other people have on their workspace go to Julia's site here.  I will persevere and at least I am full of creative ideas ready to burst when I have the time and space.  Meanwhile I did manage to quickly make my two grand daughters a Smash Book each to take on their holiday.  I am just as excited to see what they put in them.
More about this another time, because the day calls.

Have fun what ever you are doing and I hope some lovely mail drops through your door too.