46 days to Christmas

Yep - there are just 46 days to Christmas.  I'm grateful that I have already done a big chunk of gift shopping, so I don't feel frazzled about what still needs to be done.  It may be an illusion, but I'm feeling slightly in control of things at this stage.

As we head to Christmas, I want to remember

• that Christmas is about the gift of life and love and people
• that it's not about money and the stuff under the tree
• to make time to spend with the special people in my life
• to find joy in the season, and not get hooked into the drama
• to go more slowly and savour this special time
• to be kind and gentle with myself

And of course Christmas is about scrapping.  Here is a festive layout to share.

 

Spend time alone

"Smart people spend time alone.  They don't fill their days with appointments from 8am to 10pm, as many politicians and executives do. 

Great science (and great art) does not emerge from hard logic and grinding hours. 

It comes from activities like chopping wood and raking leaves, preparing dinner and reading to the kids. 

These activities soften the rigid pace of the day's pursuits and allow all our God-given intuition to work its unlogical magic. 

Only then can we reach our fullest potentials. 

Only then can we leap from thinking to understanding."

                                            ** Philip K. Howard **

The weekend is here.  Spend some time alone.  Reconnect with yourself.  Listen to your heart, to your own footfalls and your own breathing.  Go quietly.

Layouts to share

Hello November!  I love this time of year - the months October to January are my favourite months.  It's spring, everything is green and growing madly, it's hot, it's rainy, the afternoon highveld storms rage around us, the birds are building nests.  Just love it.  And I love the build up to Christmas, the cheesy music and decorations in the malls (uh huh - I really love it), the Christmas songs on the radio and on my CD player.  This time of year makes me happy.

Another thing that makes me really happy is scrapbooking.  No suprises there.  Here are 3 family layouts to share

I handcut these felt letters.  I love the texture of felt on a page. 

Hmmm - I should use it more often.

Reasons to be cheerful

I really don't like Mondays.  I constantly try to find ways to make Mondays meaningful and joyful and just a bit more bearable.  So in my ongoing attempts, here are my

reasons to be cheerful

• I got to scrap with the Scrap Addicts on Saturday - it was awesome!  We did some stamping and embossing (thanks for helping me Lynn!) and I started working on a mini gift album for my mom for Christmas
• we had quite a bit of rain over the weekend in Johannesburg
• I have aircon in my car - to keep me cool during the scorching midday summer heat
• my friend Greg (a helicopter pilot in Mauritius) is coming to visit for a few days this week
• SERVD will be delivering all my dinners in November - it will save me sooo much time and I'l be eating healthy meals
• I've made really good progress with my Christmas shopping, I'm probably about 80% done
• my friend Lynn is going to help my sister unclutter her home; this will make Rose-Marie feel a bit more in control as she fights cancer
• the Lions beat the Sharks in the rugby final on Saturday (yeah - I know, I dislike rubgy as much as Mondays, but hey, scraping the bottom of the barrel here!)

What are YOUR reasons to be cheerful this morning?

Made in Italy

The joy of my Italian holiday is starting to fade as my 'real life' intrudes.  Here are some final photo's to share..

The Ali Edwards ScrapMap Bella Tuscany Group in Florence

A last gelato in Florence before flying home to Africa

Handbags and shoes are my passion. 

I usualy buy a few (ok - several) handbags on each holiday.

This leather bag is a thing of beauty to me - soft buttery leather - love it!

And another handbag

filled with hot orange suede, it can be turned inside-out

so I have 2 bags for the price of 1

a gorgeous leather purse which I bought at the San Lorenzo Market in Florence

this was a gift for my younger sister Caron

the inside of the purse

and an Italian leather pencil bag to put into above handbags

hand-stitched leather kitty key rings

I bought a few Italian kitties as stocking-fillers

Of course I bought several scarves.  The Italian ladies stylishly throw on a

scarf with everything they wear - us tourists copied them. 

But we sweltered in the summer heat wearing scarves.

We didn't care, we wore them anyway.

I have a tradition to buy treats for my kitty children wherever I travel in the world. 

They have had kitty treats from London, Singapore, New York, and now Italy. 

Just a list

Just a little list this morning...

wearing : flowers by kenzo

eating : Woolworths low fat caramel yoghurt

reading :  "29 gifts" by Cami Walker

listening : to the summer birdsong in my garden

feeling : constantly exhausted

hoping : for a miracle healing for Rose-Marie

trying : to get back into a good food and exercise routine

wanting : to spend more time art journaling and scrapping

need to : finish downloading and printing my holiday photo’s

working on : the challenge to have a more gentle and creative life NOW

wishing : I could get to grips with the clutter monster in my home

can’t wait : for the summer rains to come

enjoying : my summer garden...

the last of the winter pansies

princess lillies

"hey mom, watcha doing?"

miss Ruby

Happy Birthday!!

Today is the 1 year anniversary of my blog - go me!  I have really enjoyed blogging, so the journey continues.

This past weekend was also my sister Rose-Marie's 50th birthday.  It started off with a party on Saturday night at the Harley-Davidson Club in Johannesburg

We bought Rosie some devils horns and bling glasses

and some black 'naughty angel wings'

Rosie, Mom and I - mom hated the crazy loud music!

I really enjoy spending time with my friend Pat

The monster chocolate birthday cake - it was delicious!

Rose-Marie on her Harley

I hosted a birthday brunch for the family on Sunday morning

My older brother and partner in crime - Michael 

We then headed north to Bidrest game farm on Sunday afternoon.

Despite the heat wave (it was 36 degrees in the shade!), we did a late afternoon

game drive and spotted this white rhino mother and her baby. 

They are desperately under threat from poachers,

2 rhino have already been poached on ths farm

These hippo snorted loudly while we sipped sundowners at the dam

It is an amazing sound in the African bush

and then the sun set in Africa