Create :: a layout or 2

I've been thinking about CREATE a lot this past week, and it has been working its way into daily life quietly and gradually. I have so many ideas for creating I want to do this year and it's fun to begin putting them together. So take a look at my creations so far. There is another layout I promised Sheila I'd do today but it turns out I don't have a good photo of Conor this year so far. I know, shocking! Especially with it being 10 days into January and all! There are photos, but probably not ones he'll appreciate me having documented for him!

 

I made this mug at Eden Pottery which isn't far from where I live and is the nicest place for coffee and treating yourself to some pottery you were unaware you needed! I went with my friend Debbie on the last Friday of the holidays for some creative and child-free time. The mug does look even better after glazing but I've been too lazy to photograph it since I got it home. I am loving how it looks, and am slightly disappointed that neither Debbie nor I have been asked to work in their studio on a full time basis! Oh well, it'll have to be the photography then.

 

The first of the two layouts I did at Sheila's on our Christmas scrap night. We had such a lovely time at our Mountstewart Santa visit that I had to get it scrapped quickly. Love how it looks! And that I have a healthy stash of Basic Grey Christmas papers that look as good each year I bring them out.

 

And the second of the layouts from our scrap night. Just a quick page about my trip to London with Lesley and my mum in June. I'm aware that there's a theme creeping in with the 'Baby' titles - can only assume it's my inner lovey coming out!

I do hope to do more creating tomorrow, or at least take some pictures of the new system for organising the crazy amount of Star Wars Lego and toy collection we have going on around here. Patrick did take a moment out from his Lego Batman game on the Wii to look at said system but was, quite frankly, nowhere near impressed enough with my ingenuity!

She is beautiful.......and just a tiny bit crazy!

 

 

and I can't wait til that bambino comes out here!

So how was your 2008?

Ours looked like this....

 

Looking at the highlights like this makes me feel all warm and fuzzy! It's an interesting thing to do, look back at 100's of photos from a year and narrow it down to 2 for each month. It seems I only remember the good parts and the fun we had. I know if I looked back through the archives from this blog for the past year I could probably find plenty of things that irritated or angered me, but that's not what has stuck in my memory. Now if only I could carry that piece of knowledge with me during the tantrums and traumas of the incoming year, how sweet life would be!

Christmas came and went in a flurry of wrapping paper, Star Wars, monster trucks, food, mulled wine, family and good friends. I have a ton of photos and may post some later this week, but I may not! I have had the loveliest week of just spending time at home with my family and catching up with friends who were home for the holidays, and the lack of pressure has been a blessing. All too soon a new term will begin, routines will pick up and the daily patter of life will go back to its pre-festive pace, but until then I am allowing myself the pleasure of not having to do anything unless it is necessary or thoroughly enjoyable.

The one other thing I do want to do today is share my 'one little word' for 2009. I went with simplify in 2008 and enjoyed trying to pare life down and focus on the things that are important. I am pretty sure that with the news full of stories about the credit crunch and impending recession that keeping things simple will continue to be part of what we do in the new year. But for me, my word for 2009 is CREATE. It turns out I am in absolute heaven when I am creating something, whether it's a photo montage, scrapbook page, anything Nigella, my long-suffering wrist warmers or doing a jigsaw (don't ask - I think there may be an addiction I have hitherto been unaware of!). And so I am going to make creating a priority for this year. I've also been thinking that there is much else to be created. One might create order, create a new look, create an atmosphere of calm, create the illusion of being the mum I wish I was, or, indeed, create merry hell! I think it could be fun. I am toying with the idea of having a creative angle every couple of week that you might want to play along with, or just observe, but I am wary of setting myself goals that are unrealistic. Think 365 - a photo a day challenge from last year! And with that I shall leave you to get on with a bit more creating myself while Michael indulges his video game addiction at his sister's house for the evening! And with a special Jonathan Creek on BBC1 in just over half an hour, I shall create a little bit of bliss for just me:)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Apologies for lack of blogging, although if you're anything like me, you'll have been too busy so far this Christmas to even be checking the blogs out! Things really do get crazy at this time of year, no matter what my initial plans for chilling out and just enjoying the season were. But no matter, let me regale you with photos and tales of December so far.

It was girls' night at my house a couple of weeks ago, along with crazy secret Santa fun. Now given that this is meant to be a group of Christian girls meeting for some food, lots of laughs and some encouragement in any area of our lives which need it, I'm not sure that anyone who happened upon the secret Santa would have guessed that! There was opening, oohing and aaahing, stealing, goading, shock, realisation that those we hold dear in our hearts are in fact greedy, rough and altogether selfish! Haven't laughed as much in ages. And I totally stole back the fab red string bag I bought as my gift in Avoca! Ha!!

 

 

Patrick and I had a fun afternoon writing his letter to Santa. It is amazing how much his writing has come on since the start of this term. He is obsessed with writing and spelling words. So much fun to watch. He loved writing his letter, starting with the obligatory thank yous for last year's presents, just like mummy had to do, and asking for two things and a surprise. Just like mummy! I can remember so clearly sitting at the bureau in our lounge writing my letters to Santa, following the same pattern every year, and it makes me wonder if the boys will remember the traditions we create.

 

There have been parcels in the post. A couple of weeks ago I received this one from Japan - I ordered it from etsy, and I have to say, rarely have I received such a cool parcel! It came so beautifully wrapped, with some cute little snowman paper bags as well. And check out the Japanese text on the front. I can't say too much more about it, but it won't end up looking like this!

 

There has obviously been the buying, arranging and decorating of the tree and house in general. We've opted for a real tree this year, and I absolutely love it! It is the perfect shape and size and smells just gorgeous. I'm sure I'll be cursing it in another couple of weeks as I sweep the needles up on a frequent basis, but for now, it's perfect. Patrick was allowed to stay up specially to help with the decorations - he was so pleased!

 

 

Yesterday we had a gorgeous morning at our favourite Mountstewart, complete with Santa and woodland trail around the lake. The boys were excited to see Santa, and the setting was perfect. A jolly, friendly Santa in a grand living room beside a giant tree and with a smiling helpful elf. Patrick was on his best behaviour, answering all Santa's questions carefully and taking it all in (even the elastic string on Santa's beard as he later told us it wasn't the real Santa because he wouldn't have a string on his beard! No flies on that boy!) Conor was slightly more interested in the train set under the tree which had some Thomas trains - he hasn't been well and wasn't buying the experience at all! But we got some nice photos, enjoyed a stress-free Santa visit and came away with 2 presents. Both of which we already own! Not the ending we had hoped for and it necessitated an unscheduled trip to Smyth's toy store later in the day, but let's not mention that! The nicest part for me was the trail around the lake afterwards and the obligatory coffee and bun in the coffee shop.

 

 

 

 

And that about sums it up so far. Last night saw our first bout of croup for Patrick this winter - it came out of nothing and makes such a frightening noise for little people. Conor we thought had a tummy bug, but after a late visit to the doctor this evening, it transpires he has tonsilitis. Poor pet. Looks like an exciting winter of fun coming up! But only 2 more days of school for me, so it's all good:)

Cozy

Apart from the fact that it's completely baltic outside, there are many things I love about the chilly weather. There's my knee socks from Fat Face, my lovely velvet neckwarmer which has escorted me to bed for many nights in a row, my 'jedi' jumper and, of course, the fire. On Saturday we lit the gas fire for the first time this winter and it was soooo cozy!

 

 

Undoubtedly there is nothing to beat a real fire, but until the sweep comes this Friday I'm not prepared to take the risk of lighting the fire in the front room!

On another note, a friend popped this little lad out a couple of weeks ago.

 

 

Oh, he's almost enough to tip me into broodiness. Almost - but not quite!

Layout a Day :: Day 4

Thoroughly enjoying the whole 'get it done' side of this scrapping every day. Again, I'm not sure I'm dying about this layout, but it certainly records the highlights of my birthday in October!

I realise that it's a bit hard to see the edge of the layout and the scan is a bit rubbish, but I'm glad to get this one done. It almost ended in tears over rub ons that wouldn't rub on and a printer that apparently won't print on cardstock. Handy! Anyway, before I go, a quick photo from a recent session. I must post a few more because I've been a busy little photographer and there are some incredibly cute shots!

Layout a Day :: Day 3ish

Ok, I know it's day 5 but the important thing is not the days but the creating. Besides, it's been very busy round here, what with my mum's birthday and setting up her new blog! (Go on, have a peek and leave here a comment!) Today's layout was totally inspired by the 'Handsome' title I had and a photo of Patrick which is slightly blurry but which just takes my breath away.

 

And with that I'm off. It's the second part of a very exciting Grey's Anatomy and my sister has come round to help me through it! Lots of bleeding out, apparently. And she has formal dresses for trying on later for the posh do we're going to at the weekend. How very exciting for us! I have no doubt that they'll all be too big and make me look waifish as I'm on day 4 of Weight Watchers and feel like I might start chewing my own flesh I'm so hungry! I'll post photos as proof next week - bet you can hardly wait!

Layout a day :: Day 2

Much better, I think!

Layout a day :: Day 1

I recently received a fabulous parcel of scrap goodies from America and have been dying to play with the contents ever since. But no matter how hard I try to make time for scrapping there always seems to be some dull task in the way. Maybe it's just procrastination, I don't know. However, the lack of scrapping needs to be dealt with and so I have set myself the unrealistic challenge of doing a layout a day for a week! Pretty funny, I know! But I have set my sights on 7 layouts by the end of next weekend, and, darn it, 7 layouts there shall be!

Number 1 is before your very eyes, and by my own admission it will never win any prizes for clever use of product or design. But no dout in years to come Patrick will appreciate the half hour I took to document his fun day meeting Star Wars characters! And so I am at peace with it. (Although the only new product I got to use was the who what when where stamp - must try harder tomorrow!)

A bag

Made by me, for Patrick. And jolly pleased with it I am too! I've had an itch to make a tote bag for ages. Especially since I bought this book and this one. Finally there was an actual need for a bag (I know, I know, you don't ever have to need a bag to have one - and I will be teaching the boys from an early age that you can never have too many. Their wives will love me for that!) I have decided that Patrick needs a bedtime activity bag to keep him amused while I put Conor to bed. Bedtime at the minute is just too long altoghether with trips downstairs for Charlie and Lola and other assorted programmes, so a new ritual will be kicking in at the weekend. And it will kick in in this.

 

And despite all the lovely patterns in the lovely books, I made it up as I went along. I wouldn't say the seam allowances were perfect but Patrick thinks it's great and that's what counts!

Tonight we also enjoyed a fun Hallowe'en party with friends, who graciously hosted and had to deal with the mess afterwards. We had lots of fun food and games and safe play with sparklers where the only person who was injured was me. It's a rather pathetic injury but it hurts like mad! Anyway, the party has helped me make peace with the unnecessary holiday and the boys (or at least Patrick) had a great time, so all is good.

 

 

 

[poor quality photos, I know, but sometimes you have to leave the dslr down and be part of the fun!]