Mini book to share

Hello.  In what feels like the blink of an eye, I'm doing my 115th blog post.  I started blogging as a personal challenge to myself - as both a technical and creative challenge.  Truth - I love it.  I love that my blog is an electronic map of my life.  I love that blogging connects me to people around the world - HELLO  YOU in South Africa, America, India, China, Japan, Canada, Germany, Malaysia, Denmark, Ukraine and the United Kingdom who regularly visit my blog.  Thanks for stopping by.

And now, a little project to share.  This "this is my life" project was initiated by Stacy Julian; it was intended to be a real mini-book which fits into the palm of your hand, but I made my album 15cm x 15cm.  I like doing projects which are a snapshot of my life at a specific point in time, like Ali Edwards' "a week in the life" project - go take a look, Ali's 2011 project is starting shortly. 

The world changes so quickly and we are changing and growing all the time, so these snapshots of what I like, think, feel, wear, eat, drive, do, etc. are awesome to look back on as a piece of the puzzle that makes up my life.  For this project, I took photo's of my everyday life - from my shoes to driving in traffic, the goodies on my bedside table, my office workspace, the water bottle which is always by my side, and even a photo of my dishwasher which makes my life just a little bit easier!  I put the album together with as little fuss as possible - just some doublesided paper, handwritten notes, bound together with an O-ring and some ribbon.  No fuss, no hassle.  Just the way I like it.

Just some cardstock which I covered using sticky plastic to protect

the front and back covers; the stamp is by Heidi Swapp (I think!)

This is the little basket which is home to my mini albums;

it lives in my craft room

8 things on 8 July

Just a list

1. I am starting to feel so much better after a bout of mumps last week
2. I've been going V E R Y slowly this week, going to work a bit later and leaving a bit earlier than usual, practicing extreme self-care
3. I am having such fun shopping for Miss Elizabeth's birthday in August; I'm the aunty who spoils her rotten!
4. I have been doing monster uncluttering at home during the past few weeks; I took the donations to my local SPCA yesterday and it blessed my heart to be able to support them
5. I'm loving the colour red right now
6. My friends Lynn and Richard are coming over tomorrow to help me with some home maintenance (thank you!!!); I may even put up a little chandelier in my diningroom
7. Lunch today is tomato soup and Tuc paprika crackers
8. I'm loving my lacy green scarf today

Layout to share

It's very cold in Johannesburg today but beautifully sunny.  I'm working from home, I'm still in my warm pyjamas and my study looks out over the garden; the birds are crowding around the seed feeder and my cats are playing (read - fighting, chasing, jumping, stalking, pouncing, LOL) at my feet.  Today's word from Joel Osteen has reminded me to slow down and savour the day, instead of rushing through the day as I usually do.  My to do list is always so long, there are always so many things that are urgent.  My dear friend Sylvia always said that when we die, our inbox will still be full. 

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom”
(Psalm 90:12, NIV)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

Sometimes, our days can be so full and busy that we forget how precious and fragile life here on earth really is. It can be so easy to allow little things to creep in and steal our peace and joy. Maybe something doesn’t go our way, or someone says something upsetting. Even traffic can cause us to get our focus off if we let it. We have to remember that each day is a gift. If we choose to focus on what’s wrong, we’ll miss the beauty that each day has to offer.

I encourage you today; don’t let the precious moments of life pass you by. Don’t wait for holidays and birthdays to show people that you care. Remember, each day is unique and irreplaceable. You have been given time that can be invested or wasted; hours that can be used or misused. That’s why the psalmist prayed to God, “Teach us to number our days.” He was saying, “Teach us to value every moment we’ve been given.” As you keep a proper perspective, you’ll gain a heart of wisdom. You’ll draw closer to God and experience the full blessing that He has for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of today. I choose to focus on the blessing of each moment instead of allowing the little things to steal my joy. Keep me close to You always as I submit every area of my heart and mind to You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

— Joel & Victoria Osteen


And now a quick layout to share

This was a 1-page layout which I bought from The Scrapbook Company in Pretoria

I adapted it to a 2-page layout and as usual, added lots of photo's

of my beloved children

A handwritten note

I was paging through some of my old books on water colour painting when this handwritten note slipped out onto my lap.  It is a note of encouragement from an old boyfriend of 10 years ago.  My heart went a little fuzzy for a while.  I loved that he took the time to write a note of encouragement at a time when I didn't feel like a great (or even mediocre) artist.  I doubted my ability to paint, to create anything beautiful.  I was struggling.  And then he added the little PS note at the bottom.  There is such unbelievable power in words.

Words have the power to heal, to give hope, to encourage and to build people up.  Go write a handwritten note of encouragement to someone today.

Layouts to share

News from the battlefront : I have been laid low with mumps since last Tuesday.  I didn't know what mumps is, and we were so busy at the office that I worked straight through to Friday morning before I eventually limped off to the doctor and got a fright about the diagnosis.  Hope I haven't infected half the office!  So the awful result is that I missed high tea at the Farmhouse on Saturday afternoon, I missed the big 40th birthday party that I helped plan and was so excited about.  I stayed at home feeling very sad  and unloved while the party raged on without me.  The upside is that I got to see our very own Charlene Wittstock marry Prince Albert of Monaco.  And I got to scrapbook a few layouts and tidy a few shelves in my scrapbooking room.

Here are 2 layouts to share about recent trips to London...

My usual style of adding lots of photo's

and travel memorabilia

This paper actually depicts the River Thames

so I left a large chunk of the left hand page blank.

Our London office overlooks the Thames river

Chipboard which I inked with Ranger inks

and then got carried away with Tim's gold glitter spray.

AND then I covered it all with dimensional glaze

Book review

I love books, I love to read, and I never seem to have enough time to read all the books that I want to.  I keep a list of books that I have read, and I rate them on a scale of 1-10.  Here's part of my list with the ratings, which are:

7-10 : Excellent
6 : Good
4-5 : Average
1-3 : Don't bother

7-10 : Excellent

• 3 cups of tea by Greg Mortenson (10)
• A thousand splendid suns by Khaled Hosseini (10)
• The happiness project by Gretchen Rubin (9)
• A guide to the birds of East Africa by Nicholas Drayson (9)
• Julia's Chocolates by Cathy Lamb (8)
• Baking cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin (8)
• Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (8)
• Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (8)
• My sisters keeper by Jodi Picoult (8)
• Sky Burial by Xinran (8)
• The promise of rain by Donna Milner (7)
• Red tape and white knuckles by Lois Pryce (7)
• Message from an unknown Chinese mother by Xinran (7)
• Body Clutter by Cilla & Ely (7)
• Two little girls in blue by Mary Higgins Clark (7)
• Fabulously 40 and beyond by M Orford & K Schimke (7)

6 : Good

• The Good Women of China by Xinran
• The camel bookmobile by Masha Hamilton
• The Rabbi's daughter by Reva Mann
• Tears of the desert by Hamila Basheer
• 90 minutes in Heaven by Don Piper
• Do I look fat in this? by Rhonda Britten
• Daddy's girl by Margie Orford
• When hungry, eat by Joanne Fedler

4-5 : Average

• Valeria's last stand by Marc Fitten (5)
• Five wishes by Gay Hendricks (5)
• The Russian concubine by Kate Furnivall (5)
• The cross country quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini (5)
• The handbag and wellies yoga club by Lucy Edge (4)
• The fall of lucifer by Wendy Alec (4)
• Mercy by Jodi Picoult (5)

1-3 : Don't bother

• The bodies left behind by Jeffery Deaver
• Chicken Hawk by Robert Mason
• I usually stop reading books by chapter 3 or 4 if I am really not enjoying it

This is my personal list and the ratings are based on my enjoyment of the books, so relax if there is a book on the list which you enjoyed but I didn't. I can highly recommend the books on my 'excellent' list - enjoy!

Be the one

You know that I love the work done by Melody Ross over at the Brave Girls Club, and their daily "a little bird told me" messages.  This is the most awesome message ever, so I have to share it with you...

Dear dazzling girl,

One kind person can make such a difference,  one compassionate hand placed on a hand in distress can make such a difference.  One phonecall, one thank you note, one sweet text message can make every bit of difference.  One job well done, one child rocked to sleep, one lunch packed, one single daisy given away can make such a difference.

One smile in the grocery store, one proclamation of forgiveness, one loaf of freshly baked bread, one handmade card, one offer to help can make such a huge difference.

It's the little things, gorgeous friend, that make the heroes.  It's the one thing, after one thing, after one thing.  It's that one person who makes the difference.

Be the one.

You are amazing ... and making such a huge difference in the world.

xoxo

I am striving to be the one for my friends and family.  Now go on and be the one for the people in your life.  Have a great weekend