2 days to Christmas

With just 2 days to go to Christmas, I'm deeply grateful for...

• having the resources to be able to bless other people
• the wonderfully cool weather in Johannesurg, and lots of rain
• the opportunity to see my brother Michael over Christmas (he lives far away in the Karoo)
• friends and family who care about me and bless my life
• work that I enjoy and which challenges me to reach higher all the time
• scrapbooking
• my gorgeous kittens
• the gift of salvation - being a born again Christian

May you be blessed abundantly this Christmas
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3 days to Christmas

I'm still working until midday tomorrow so it doesn't really feel like Christmas yet. 

I attend a regular Wednesday evening Bible Study group - a wonderful group of people who bless my life immensely; I so appreciate their prayers and messages of comfort as I travel around the globe.  This past Saturday evening, we had our Bible Study Christmas dinner, once again a blessed time of sharing and comfort.  This group reminds me of the real reason for the Christmas season - the birth of Jesus Christ - our Lord and Saviour.  He is the real gift to us at this time of year.

The layout below is of the 2009 Bible Study Group Christmas gathering. 

Sunrise

like an egg dropped
by the slip
of a child's hand
the night lies spilled
the morning has broken
          **Dikobe wa Mogale**

I LOVE this beautiful poem - enjoy

5 days to Christmas

Just 5 days to Christmas - it's come too soon, almost as though it's snuck up on me when I wasn't looking!

5 things right now...

• I went scrapbook shopping in Pretoria on Saturday (LOVED it!) - Scrap-a-doodles have the best range of supplies and lowest prices right now
• we've had tons of rain and a bit of hail in the last 10 days
• new yummy finds : low-alcohol beer shandy and moroccan spatchcock chicken from Woolworths
• I'm packing for a looong trip to Richmond (Northern Cape / Bo-Karoo) on Friday
• I'm thinking about my 2011 goals and dreams - I'll let these simmer and unfold during the next few weeks

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Scrapbooking retreat

I have been scrapbooking with  a group called the Scrap Addicts since 1998. We scrapbook together once a month, and we set the dates a year in advance.  We also save money all year for an annual Christmas scrapbooking retreat.  This past weekend, we spent time on our annual retreat at the heavenly Maison Bordeaux guest house in Randburg - total luxury and comfort.  Here's a snapshot of the weekend...

We've just arrived on Friday afternoon - Lynn, Lynette, Leonie and I

The patio outside my bedroom

My bedroom - heavenly comfort

The living area became our scrapbook room

Lynn and I enjoy breakfast on the patio

Lynn

Dontcha love my page!?

Leonie

Lynette

Time to go home - Joyce was our hostess for the weekend and

treated us to tons of filter coffee and delicious meals

Rain

Johannesburg is soggy with all the rain that we've had since last weekend.  LOVE IT!!  This is a dry country and we don't get nearly enough rain, so I'm joyful right now. 

I love the sound of the rain, the smell of the rain on the dry earth, the feeling of wanting to huddle and find comfort in hot coffee and Christmas mince pies.  I love my kittens wanting to snuggle up against me because it's cool.  I even love their muddy feet traipsing mud into my home.  Thank you Lord for this gorgeous rain!

Layout to share

I just spent the most awesome weekend at Maison Bordeaux guest house in Johannesburg.  The 4 Scrap Addicts spent the entire weekend scrapping - totally glorious but more on that later when I have some pictures (drool!) to share.  For now, see www.maisonbordeaux.co.za


This is another layout to share using just scraps and leftovers...

I encourage you to look at your scraps of paper with new eyes - they can easily become cards, gift tags, scrap pages or covers to note books for 2011.

This past weekend, we discussed how to store scraps of paper, and there was no real consensus.  Some store scraps by colour, some by pattern.  All I do is sort through my scraps every few months, toss (into the recycing bin) anything smaller than half a page (probably A5 size) and keep the rest in a plastic basket at the bottom of my scrapbooking cupboard.

Random thoughts

Just some random thoughts today...

• there was sooo little traffic on the roads this morning - is everyone (except me!) on holiday already??
• I have a long and difficult Exco meeting today
• I'm on the 06h00 flight to Cape Town early tomorrow morning - I hate getting up at 03h30 in the morning!
• Through Ali Edwards, I have just discovered what 'tostadas' are - I'll try them out over the Christmas holidays
• I may get my new car today (YAY!) - a Honda CRV; I will really miss my Hyundai Tucson
• I'm loving the colour red right now
• I really need to unclutter my home - a lot
• I've been thinking a lot about how much I want to adopt a regular yoga practice in 2011.  What else are my goals for 2011...?
• I love Nokia / hate Blackberry

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Brookdale Health Hydro

I treated myself to an early Christmas gift (3 to 6 November) by spending 4 days at the glorious Brookdale Health Hydro in the Natal Midlands.  It was a loong drive of five and a half hours, but the roads were very good.  I met many courageous, talented women, all indulging in a bit of comfort and pampering.  The food was delicious, but 1200 calories a day does NOT go very far!  The environment was breathtaking.  I discovered some lovely new products (Clarins and Guinot); I bought some of the new (expensive) products.  So glad that I am able to treat myself.

Methinks I may make this an annual solitary retreat?

The spa - photo taken on a too-brisk morning walk - phew!

The early morning view from my bedroom, as I sip forbidden coffee

(they don't serve coffee at the spa, they encourage us to drink herbal tea)

My very comfortable bedroom

All oiled-up after another treatment

I don't look my best in a white gown.  I don't care

Layout to share

Just a little something to share on a Monday morning...

My girls Bella and Ruby - total comfort, especially in the middle of the night
xxx  LOVE them to bits!

This is a really cheap and simple but very effective page - some stamps, rub-ons, dimensional glaze and scrap paper.

Another day

At the start of another hectic week, this poem reached out and called to me

"This is another day O Lord...
If I am to stand, help me to stand bravely.
If I am to sit, help me to sit quietly.
If I am to lie low, help me to do it patiently.
If I am to do nothing, let me do it gallantly"
                                       **Anon**

Taken from my (unpublished) book "Whispered Comfort

Countdown to Christmas

Hello December 2010. 

Three and a half weeks to Christmas....it doesn't yet feel like December or that the end of 2010 is just a month away.  The upside is that I have finished 95% of my Christmas shopping, so I don't need to be in the shopping malls with the crazy people, the desperate and frazzled people.

We had an early family Christmas celebration this past Saturday.  Of course I bought my gorgeous niece Elizabeth far too many toys and gifts and stuff.  Of course I HAD to get her some red reindeer antlers.  Of course she looked fantastic in her little red dress from Scotland (thanks Aunty Rosie!).  Of course I had FUN! 

I'm looking forward to December, let the countdown to Christmas begin!
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