Better late than never ...

These are some of the LOs I did during our 'at home CC'

Sick as a parrot ...

The home CC went really well but I've been so ill since. Mum says it's a rather drastic way to diet! I'm back at work today but still not eating properly :(

'Cyber' Crop

DD and I prepared our kits over the weekend so we are now ready for two days of scrapping :)

I've sourced classes from UKS CCs and Fairies with 'tude. DD picked the class names out of a hat and we have planned one every 90mins. I've given each class a score and DD gets 1.5 times the points if she has no help. Hopefully this will encourage her to just get on with it and leave me to scrap too.

Home 'CC'

It's half term next week and I've two days off with DD. Between us we have decided to have our own Cyber Crop. So I've printed the pdfs from old UKS CCs and I've prepared a supply list for each class.

Tuesday we will be getting our kits together and Wednesday we are having our CC. I'm really looking forward to it :)

Different Focus ...

Well I am using my new 2007 word but in a completely different direction to that intended. Following a school advert requesting people to join the parent's choral society I signed up and started practicing Faure's Requim. I love this work and realised how much I'm missing my singing. At last weeks rehersal flyers were put out about a concert of Karl Jenkin's Armed Man.
I know very little of this work - I love 'Palladio' and DH bought me a compilation of Jenkin's work which had this track and 3 tracks from the Armed Man. I liked them and couldn't believe a local choir was singing it. Anyway the end shot is I've joined that choir too and now sing twice a week. The school concert has about 6 rehersals and the Jenkins concert only 4! Plus at the first Jenkin's rehersal another choir in Prestbury were asking for people to join a singing day - this could spiral and loose focus but atm I'm really enjoying myself.

Free class ...

Not often you see free classes, but Shimelle is offering one this weekend. Pop over to her blog and check out her post on the 13th Jan.

Happy 2007

OK the Christmas Journal didn't go as planned - I did do more pages than I posted here but nothing significant.

So ... New Year /New Start ...

I am a subscriber to the AEZine Newsletter and last week we were challenged to choose one word - "a word that we can focus on, mediate on, and reflect upon as we go about our daily life." I'm stuck between organised and focus! So hopefully if I can incorporate either word into my daily life things will be so much better.

This is the cover of my Christmas Journal. I'm really enjoying this and feel rather festive.

Page 1 will follow shortly. Yes I know I'm already behind - no surprises there! :{

Christmas Journal

Manifesto: Noun. A declaration of one's intentions.

Starting December first, I will keep a Christmas journal. In it, I will write something every day to reflect on the season of my past, enjoy the season of the present and dream about the season of my future.

To some, this will be a stack of papers and trivial scribbles, but not to me. I am taking back my Christmas, I am letting it be something I relish and, most importantly, I am giving at least fifteen minutes every day to myself no matter how crazy this season becomes. I hope you will share, encourage and understand as I make something with my own hands, my own words and my own memories.

I may post some or all of my entries here. Other artists are doing this with me, and you can see their work here Or you may join

Above all: enjoy the season. I will.

Sonja

CC

What a great weekend hope you like some of the layouts I did

UKS Cyber Crop

Woot another exhausting weekend coming up. UK scrappers cyber crops are brilliant fun and this one is the biggest ever. Basically we scrap and chat all weekend. It starts a 5pm on Friday and finishes at 5pm on Sunday.

What about this for a fun weekend -
Friday 24th November
5pm Welcome Chat
Meet up in the chatroom as we prepare to get started
6pm class Notions and Potions
You’ll be a stamp addict after this stunning class with Mystik Nat
7pm challenge Charms
8pm KIT CLASS MagicalLynz puts those sequins to magical use in this class from Memory Avenue
9pm Chat
chance to grab a quick coffee before getting stuck in again to some classes
10pm KIT CLASS Spellbound Smiles
Grab those lippy chick books and make something special with Tracie from Little Cottage Crafts
11pm Chat
still up and busy? ome for a chat whilst you await the next challenge
12am midnight challenge Marauders map
Saturday 25th November
6am early bird Chat
wakey wakey rise and shine
7am early bird challenge Olivanders
8am KIT CLASS Golden Snitch
dig out those beads as allyf shows you how to make your own golden snitch bracelet
9am Chat
if you’ve had an early start you’ll be ready for a cup of tea and a bacon sandwich about now
10am challenge Divination
11am class Its Magic
You’ll need a quote to go with this gorgeous layout from Lousette
12noon lunch
time to take a break
1pm KIT CLASS Magic in the MiddleA fresh look at composition with Shimelle
2pm challenge Transfiguration
3pm tea break
time for tea and more chatter in the chatroom
4pm class Bewitched
Have a go at this creative class with Debbie70, you’ll never look at a sketch in the same way again
5pm challenge Madame Malkin
6pm Chat
early evening chat
7pm KIT CLASS Diagon Alley
a new take on the minibook with Gill from The Scrapbook Shop
8pm Saturday Night Games
to be announced nearer to the weekend
10pm Class Wishes
try a home made transparency with mei_lye
11pm Chat
late night chat session for all you night owls
12am midnight challenge History of Magic
Sunday 26th November
6am early bird chat
meet up in the chatroom for some early morning coffee and chat
7am early bird challenge The Burrow
8am class Herbology
Have a go with some paper layering in this stunning class by Kazc
9am chat
morning coffee time
10am Class Professor Sprout
A super class in hand cutting/sewing by Gertie
11am BINGO
Meet in the chatroom for our favourite cybercrop game.
12noon class You’re Magic
Stuff shows some hidden magic on this fabulous layout
1pm lunch
short break for lunch before our final afternoon of cybercropping
2pm class Magic Mirrors
A fabulous distressing class by Karina
3pm chat
time to grab a quick cuppa on our final afternoon break
4pm challenge Ancient Runes
OR
Double Potions
5pm upload deadline
7pm kids chat
clear the chatroom coz the kids are taking over for a while
9pm End of Term chat
meet up in the chatroom for the End of Term Party and to find out who won the school awards

I've managed to buy 3 of the Kits and I can't wait to get started. Hopefully the family will understand my enthusiasm and leave me to get on with it (in my dreams). BTW I'm in

A gift for Joanne Ward ...

I don't know Joanne but I was inspired to create this LO and send it to Kirsty (I know know her either)! Kirsty posted an appeal on UKS asking for happy 6x6 LOs she could give to her friend who has Cancer. She has collated all the LOs and will present them to Joanne on 10th November. Kirsty's Blog show the over whelming response she has received


Unforunately I didn't get a wonderful photo and the LO has now been sent :(
(The pile picture is Kirsty's - better give credit where it is due as she is a photographer!)See her blog - http://limegreenbogiegirl.blogspot.com/

Shimelle's classes

I have done virtually nothing with Shimelle's 'You think you know me class' I loved the prompts and work book but I really found it difficult to be inspired. The advantage with Shimelle's classes are that you receive a pdf so you can save the prompts and do them at any time.

The dilema I have now though is do I sign up for Shimelle's Christmas class. This includes 37 prompts! It sounds like great fun - BUT and yes it is a big BUT as I have never yet finished one of her classes should I really be signing up for another?

What a week!

I'm so glad this week is nearly over. Its been so so busy at least I have Shimelle's new class to look forward to - it starts Sunday :)

Shimelle's September class - Page 4

This blue sticker says "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars. Les Brown" My added text says Today I learnt, I can get ahead with my studying if I apply myself.

I'm studying for my second financial planning exam and I'm finding it really tough going. The exam is Monday! :{

Emotions

I received the workbook for Shimelle's latest class today. Talk about extremes - I have to think of so many different emotions and describe the actions, prompts that create them, my reactions, smells I associate with them ... Thank goodness I have a few days to think and mull over them before the class starts.

So what smells do you link with happiness, fear and anger? and why?

Page 3

Page 3 - they say a picture says a thousand words - most of these were blue - not because my car is blue!

The little blue strip says learn from your mistakes.

What a day - I had rushed all the way over the Urmston to pick up the cardstock and flowers I needed for Shimelle's class. I had to take the kids with me so I was rather hassled trying to shop. Hannah was in tears as Thomas had kicked her she had tried to avoid the kick and banged her head. So I was not in the best of moods as I tried to leave the car park! As I swung around I forgot to check all 4 corners! This poor little car has been mine for less than a year and already I've had 3 incidents in it! At least they have all been minor and it's only the car that need repairing.

Page 2

As Shimelle is starting a new class on 15th October, I've promised myself that I can sign up if I finish the last one. This may be tricky as I'm only on page 8 out of 30!

Anyway here is page 2.

The little blue strip says The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself - Mary Schmich.

I found this quote really thought provoking and went in web search for its origins. It is from a Newpaper article which was made into a pop song - Wear Sunscreen. The words are great - look them up sometime!

Grief it's October

I've been so so busy. I'm supposed to be studying for my 2nd financial planning exam but I've given up as I'm losing the plot! So everything has gone on hold - shimelle's class, UKS, scrapping, altered art, family life, LIFE - well its not actually that bad but it was grim. So I've now resigned myself to the fact that I'll fail but gosh don't I feel happier.

I also start working 4 days next week - this should help me take some of the pressure off. I have actually been doing a days work for my Mum for the last year so Thomas won't notice any difference but I'm actually looking forward to building my career - failing the exam won't help this - but I can resit in January so I'm aiming for that. I keep promising myself I won't leave it to the last minute - lets hope it works out that way.

Page 1

Well I'm only 4 days behind ... this is the page Shimelle set us for 1st September! I'm really pleased with it. Hopefully I'll catch up this evening.