Photo a Day

Yes, I've started this again this year. Last year I managed a full month, but this year I'm hoping for more!
I've downloaded the app onto my phone and fingers crossed it helps me to get taking photos!
So here are this week's photos...

I do know one thing... I need to keep better track of the date!

About me...

I've decided to use one of my Bo Bunny Misc Me albums for an album about me.
It's going to include stories about my past, who I am now and my dreams for the future. Really anything I feel like putting in it.
So over the weekend I've worked on the binder cover and this is the result...

Be patient for the pages as I will share as I do them!

I also have another one of these which is going to contain my year in review/planner/photo a day photos, and other bits from this year.
Fingers crossed I don't get swamped and discontinue it like I have managed every other year.
I will share once I take the photos!

Yes, I've been playing...

But do you like the new look?
Maybe if I can keep myself on track I might get some things done...
So in that spirit I'm here to share a layout I did last week, and also a money box I completed!

The layout is a review of 2014... just the main points of what ended up being a very busy year!

I pulled out a set of rubons that needed using to add detail around the photo.
I am trying to use up everything I have here on hand without buying anything new (yeh right she says... we won't mention the order from Dusty Attic will we?)

I also was inspired by a Birdhouse Moneybox that Mistra Hoolihan had made using the Kaisercraft range Sandy Toes collection last month and decided to do one of my own.

Though this was originally a birdhouse, I've covered up the hole to give it a beach house feel. It's the perfect spot to save the pennies for a summer holiday!
But more than that, it's given my the push I needed to start creating again... Thanks Mistra!

But I do love this range, being perfect for beach photos, which for some reason I have a lot of! And also with a holiday coming up in September to Streaky Bay, it'll be perfect for a holiday album that I'll only have to add journalling and photos too!

But with an almost free day today, I think it's time to get creating! Have fun...

And a New Year begins...

I didn't see the New Year in, but was up at 4am for work, so I headed down to the foreshore to see get a photo of the beginning of sun rising on first day in a new year.
I was hope for a spectacular photo of the sunrise but unfortunately there was misty rain around so this is the best I got. Even though I don't have the gorgeous colours of a sunrise, I do love the reflection on the wet pavement with the lights and the hint of the sun in the clouds. A good start really!

I guess with the start of the New Year, we're meant to have all of these New Year Resolutions like losing weight, exercising more, being a better person, blah blah blah... and really most of these are unrealistic, though the intentions are there. I don't think I've ever kept a New Year resolution for the full year and I've decided not to put pressure on myself to keep any either.
This year is about being happy with whatever I do and whatever the year brings.
Will I slow down... probably not! There's always something I want to do, and even more that needs to be done. I'll take those moments of quiet when I get them I guess and try to make the most of them!
I will probably look back on this post in 12 months and laugh... wondering what the hell I was thinking.
As someone said to me, As long as you wake up in the morning and can put one foot in front of the other it's looking good!
That sounds like a plan to me....

I hope everyone has a wonderful new year and it brings them all they hope and wish for.

And another year winds down....

Can someone tell me what happened to 2014 as I really have no idea.
It still feels like it's January, let alone a full year gone past.

Reflecting on 2014 though, it's been a very big year! Looking back I think I need to try to acquire a few more time management skills... for some reason there hasn't been time for a lot of things I'd like to do and I really don't think things are going to slow down much more in 2015. I think this is the new normal (not that there has anything being remotely normal here!)

So in summary of this past year....

• Work has taken off with flying colours, whether my new graphic design business or barista at McDonalds! I'm loving it, and even though I know why I didn't do it all before, I still wonder how I managed to hang on so long at the Express. The stress is so much less, even though I do have some tight deadlines sometimes. I've met some really wonderful people working at Macca's and even though you get some less than polite people, the majority really are great!

• Of course hockey has played a big part - Nicholas was selected in the WA State Country side that played in Queensland. Tshumba's (Nicholas) and Cascade (Kristofer) played in the Men's senior grand final here in Esperance with Cascade coming out winners of a very 'rough' game - I've actually never seen one so bad here! Kristofer and Jonathan both played in Bunbury and Narrogin carnivals, and were playing 2-3 games each week from juniors, U17s and seniors. And, of course, Nicholas came home at the end of the season with the Highest Goal scorer trophy!

• For the fourth year running, Nicholas was nominated for Esperance Sports Star of the Year Award. The luck must have been in this year as finally he won! Very proud moment and I will always keep the articles as he actually thanked his parents for their support - I have it in writing!

• Kristofer started high school - found all about being in a big school. We've had some trouble getting him to actually knuckle down and do the work, but I think we might have got somewhere by the end of the year. He's also started his first job at Macca's and absolutely loves it - not sure if that's the job or the fact he's earning some money but he's learning about responsibility!

• Jonathan spent his last year in primary school as Head Boy - from all reports he conducted himself very well and they've all told us how sad they are that he's going. At the graduation awards he came home with the Leadership Award. Yes all the boys are now finished at primary school and are all growing up!!!

• Nicholas finally got his driver's licence and with a girlfriend (Liv) he's never home! I think he's found his freedom.

Well that's 2014 in a nutshell... 2015 is looming and looks like it's going to be even busier than 2014!
Already we have Nicholas heading off to uni, Mum and Dad's 50th wedding anniversary and a wedding to attend in Northam - all before March!
Let's throw in a holiday somewhere and work and I'm certain we're going to be busy little Vegemites!

So here's to a New Year, may it be busy, but hopefully plenty of time for creating!!!

It's getting a bit busy...

So much going on right now it must be the lead up to the end of the year and Christmas.

In the next month (besides Christmas!) we have Junior State Fire Brigade Championships, Cadet wind-up dinner, friends birthday, year 7 graduation as well as working and I have a couple of design jobs on the go so not really much time for anything at all....

But on the up side, Chook Scraps had a CC a week or 2 ago which I actually managed to find some time to scrap...

This one was a scraplift (still one of my favourite photos of Kristofer!)...

Can't remember the criteria for this one but I remember it had lace, birds and a dry medium)... but a nice simple one anyway...

And then a card challenge using a new technique using salt resist. I actually had to google this to find out what it was but did have a lot of fun. The leaves on the card have been cut out from paper I used the technique on. Basically it's wet media (stains don't work well unless you're very quick!) and then sprinkled with salt. Rock salt is the best. The salt absorbs the colour and you get the 'tie-dye' look.
The leaves came up really well....

And I even managed one of the 12 weeks of Christmas challenges.
This weeks challenge included using 7 ribbon... OMG!!!! I actually had to use some of my stash of ribbon... I'm still hyperventilating... lol

So besides working, there's not much been happening. I have managed to work out a new way to hang layouts for display though and will share that next time.

Otherwise if you find a housework fairy, please send them my way... I'm in desperate need of help!

lalalalalalalala....

Yeh my reasoning is it has been a very hectic couple of months!!!
And of course, because I mentioned it, the mojo ran away again... *sigh*

But we've had the Esperance Show, Mum and Dad were here for a visit and work has been flat out! Who would have thought people would want so many coffees????
And I've had a declutter, clean and reorganising of my studio....
Not a lot of reorganising, more just sorting out the paper into collections as it had all been mixed up, and getting rid of things I know I will never use.
But I decided to pick up some new baskets rather than the plastic tubs I did have and groups things together properly.
Another thing I have done, is sort out my 'colour centre' with all my stamps, inks, stains, paints and tools so they're all in 1 spot and easy to access.
I was going to make up a new stamp index, but I saw a suggestion for digitising them into Evernote, loved the idea and a couple of days later all of my stamps are now digitised, as well as my masks and stencils, stains, distress markers, colour washes and my new purchases - dies to go with my new BigShot... oops one happen to fall into my studio from somewhere... :)
I'm also slowly adding in sketches from PageMaps, and with everything labelled with any word I can think of to search for it should be easy to search through for something that will fit in with what I'm looking for!

And pictures... of course I have pictures...

My new Colour Centre...

Paints are still in the diamond in the middle, Stains on the left, Sprays on the right...
On the top of the bookcases I've run a piece of wood for a sehlf to hold my masks and stencils (in a letter holder), the holder for my distress markers, and my Big Shot.
In the bookcase on the left I have my dies on the top shelf, Stamps are all on the shelf in the middle (in numbered folders), and cloths in the basket at the bottom.
In the other set of shelves I have all my tools and inks, all within easy reach.

I still have my large shelves...nope they're not going anywhere! And my chipboard are still sorted into my drawers on the top. I haven't done anything with them as I like they way they are sorted, the same as my ribbon and flowers.
I've replaced the plastic tubs with the baskets as it does look better. All my BTP projects are still stacked at the bottom waiting to be sorted, though I'm finding it hard to consider getting rid of any of them.... Maybe I'll just do them and give them away...
The biggest declutter was all of my pattern paper and I now have a pile to give away. I have to say I was fairly ruthless, but still have plenty to play with.

One thing I did come across is an inspiration jar.... it's a jar with numbered sticks. The idea was to use them to complete unfinished projects but as I don't normally have them, I've instead set it up to use my stash more... stamps from a particular set, a sketch, a collection, or to do an BTP project.
I can update and change it as I use I've set the challenges up in Evernote. It's pretty my my personal challenge jar which I hope will help kickstart the creativity!