Journalling

I am taking part in a 'Journal Round Robin'. There are 5 people involved and 5 journals get passed between us.
I wasn't really sure what a journal was, I assumed it was a diary/old fashioned blog entry, but as we say at work 'never assume'.

My past notebooks and diaries dating back to 1990


So, I have done a bit a journal reseach; first I searched 'journal' on flickr. While flicking through the photos I noticed a few where tagged with Wreck this Journal. I had seen this journal before and I remembered that it looked interesting so I did another search and found Kerri Smiths Blog (she's the author), scroll down a bit on her blog and there is a list of ideas which then takes you to a pdf of 100 ideas to do in your journal.

So, I printed it off and cut it up (that's what it said to do).

Some of my favorites from the list are;

10. Draw your dinner.

39. Write about your relationship with your washing machine.

48. Make a useful item using only paper and tape.

70. Do nothing.

88. Write an entry about a secret. Cut it up and glue the pieces randomly.

My current notebooks and diaries

I have never kept a journal (if I had I would have know what one was!). I have notebooks on the go all the time and if I lost my desk diary I wouldn't know what was going on. I blog sporadically, so keeping a journal is going to be interesting.

The 'Round Robin Journal' isn't starting for another month but I might have to start keeping a journal to get some practice.

2008 2008 2008 2008 2008

Peace Dove inspired by Bella Dia

Well, this is my first post of 2008! Thank you for wishing me luck with my New Year Resolutions. The plastic bag one is the one I'm going to really try hard with. It's just getting into the habit of having one on you just in case you pop into a shop. I'm fine if I leave the house to go the shop, I always grab them but it's when I'm on my way home from work and just pop in somewhere to pick something up for tea. A friend sent me the link for these cool ONYA bags which fold up small and attach to your keys, perfect!

Advent Swap

I've been deleting old emails, putting photos in files and tidying the blog (e-sweeping) and it's made me realise just how many things I've made and how many people have liked them. I want to say thank you to everyone who has read my blog and posted comments. I know it's not why we do it (blog that is) but it's so nice to get feedback. thank you.

loopy scarf made on my Craft course.

My email thingy (technical term) changed a couple of months ago, which was about the time I stopped blogging. Part of the reason I stopped was that I lost my bookmarks which stopped my usual daily read of fave blogs and these inspire my blogging.

So I've sorted that now, updated my 'to do' list and edited my 'blogs I read' list.

And here are some photos which should have been posted before Christmas, but hey! stuff happens.

Mincemeat (10lb of it), which turned into......................

yep, you guessed it, mince pies. Not the whole 10lb, the rest was sold at school.

Decoration inspired by One Crafty Mumma

Do you think he's pleased?

Meeting Huskies at the Frost Fair.

Must remember it's 2008! I haven't had to write the date yet and I usually spend January writing the wrong year!

Happy New Year!

Right, my new year resolutions:

• Blog more regularly
• Take my own bags to shops, no more plastic ones.
• Not to buy any craft stuff (discourage my Mum from buying stuff for me as well)
• Use up all the craft stuff I have
• Sell craft stuff I don't need
• Get Etsy shop going (watch this space!!!)
• and my usual one- drink more water

Happy New Year everyone.

hello, i'm back!

did you miss me? I haven't actually been anywhere but just haven't found it in me to blog.


I was trying to figure out why this was and one reason I can think of is that we have moved to computer from the warm, comfy spare bedroom to the drafty, wooden floored back end of the living room. I used to start to blog when the boy's were having their bath in the evening, then put them to bed and carry on into the night. Now it's all changed, if I'm down stairs I have to get up to shout 'stop drowning your brother' or 'well that will teach you not to put soap there again won't it!!' and that stops the train of thought.


And I have realised in the last week that if I'm cold I can't think or function properly.


Our boiler broke on Monday and was only fixed yesterday (don't get me started on the incompetents of British Gas, but that's a whole other blog entry and email to Watchdog) but once it was fixed and as the radiators warmed you I felt like I was coming out of hibernation and my brain started to work again.


My friend Jo and I have been organising a Winter Gift Fair at our kids school, (it's tonight btw at 6-8pm at Rathfern School in Catford) and before the boiler was fixed I couldn't seem to do anything but as the temperature rose I was ringing people, making lists and potting up 10lb of Mincemeat.





I haven't just been sitting in the cold since my last entry, I have been making things, I was trying to think of them all, I'll try and list them now-

• Mincemeat


• Loopy Scarves x2


• Pom poms x8


• Yellow Beetroot and Ginger Chutney


• Washcloth


• erm, I think that's it.

no, didn't make this, but saw it recently while away with friends in Camber.

but I do want to make one of these, this is by pixiegenne and it's fantastically perfect!

Slack-arse Housewife!

Slack-arse was a phrase coined at college to describe a co-student who; 'cut corners, was a bit lazy and lackadaisical', and that's how I feel about the domestic arts.
Don't get me wrong I love to cook, knit dishcloths and make jam but I can't be arsed with dusting and the like and don't get my partner started on my lack of ironing!

Spider cake inspired by Not Martha

But some tidying had to be done today, we had a Halloween Party on Wednesday and there was a trail of spider sequins, feathers and glitter through the house that I had ignored for long enough.

But, I think I might of found the answer - Craft Podcasts!

There is a whole list of them at Craftypod, first I listened to a couple of festive podcasts from Crafty Chica, (that was the sofa wiped (it's leather), toy's put in a pile(there still there), wand making materials put away and floor swept) then I half listened to a Craftsanity interview with Amanda Blake Soule while I swept the kitchen, moved a rug and plumped cushions.
Great!

I usually resent spending time on my day off cleaning, but this way I feel like I'm crafting and it takes my mind of the domestic drudgery!

Haven't got much crafting in during the last week or so. I have been experimenting with the felted Christmas decorations and come up with some prototypes.




I'm happy with the red heart but I think the green one needs something, I'm on the lookout for small bells and the yellow star needs a button or something.


There's a lot of chat at the moment about blogs and books making the authors lives look perfect and how this makes others feel inadequate.
When I had my first son there was a lot of mums making out that their lives and babies where great and perfect and I resolved then to tell it how it was; sick and wee covered, sore boobed, boring hard work! (that was on the good days ;-)And it's quite easy to make your bloglife look perfect in the photos you show. I love the idea of moving the camera a bit to the left or zooming out to show what's really there, so here is the corner of the kitchen where the above photo was taken.





It doesn't look that bad when you can't see the whole of the smeared bin and half eaten cat food!


We're looking forward to my Mum & Dads Annual Bonfire Party tomorrow night; three hours of fireworks followed by hot soup, baked pototoes and smoking fags with my Dad by the bonfire (shh, don't tell anyone!)

Tagged.......again!

I thought I'd been tagged for two different tags, but just looked properly and it's for the same one tag.
So here is how these things work;
Karyn and Coco have tagged me, I list 7 Honest/Interesting things about myself, then I tag some more people (I think it's meant to be 7 but I can only usually manage 2) by going to their blog and telling them they have been tagged and to come back to your blog to see what it's all about. I think that's it.

So, I have been trying to think of Seven Honest/Interesting things about myself, it's quite hard and I'm sure I've forgotten the more interesting/honest things!

OK, number One.

I wanted to be a chef when I was at school, but I went on work experience when I was 15 to the Theatre Royal Stratford East and changed my mind.

I decided to train as a Stage Manager and went to The Central School of Speech and Drama in London, graduated in 1993 and had a great time working in London and touring, but finally got fed up with the demands of the job and attitudes of some of the people I was working with at the time and had a baby or two. I might go back to it one day, we'll see.

2) I'm a CSI Las Vagas fan,

I have a thing for Gil Grissom, especially with the beard.

3) I believe Seabrook Crisps are the best in the World.

4) I love buttons

5) I'm a rubbish housewife

6) I can't sleep on laying on my back or sitting up.

7) Joseph Fiennes rubbed my bump when I was pregnant. (we were working together on a play at the Royal Court) I wonder if he remembers?

OK, who to tag?

How about two new blogs I've been reading recently-

greetingarts and shimandsons

Fridays

V.glad it's Friday. Earlier on this week I was sitting trying to think about all the things I needed to do and I thought to myself 'what day is it?' and I realized it was only Monday!!!!!

This doesn't usually happen to me until at least Wednesday. So it's felt like a looooooong week.

It's been crazy, mostly because I am taking part in the Big Draw next Thursday, so I needed to get a mailout done to let everyone know about it. I am going to wrap lining paper round the Arc Shed for the kids to come a draw on, then the drawing will be displayed at our Family Learning Funday the following Saturday.

Also, local superwomen Leena was having a crafty coffee morning and I was taking arts & craft stuff to sell for Arc, which meant I wasn't going to be in the office until next Tuesday which meant tidying the Arc shed and tying up loose ends.

Also, Peter is working during the evenings, in Milton Keynes this week, so I see him roll over in the morning and then for 5 minutes between me getting home and him leaving for work and there seems to be a school uniform shortage in this house so I have to wash them every evening, but the nice thing is the boys getting dressed in the morning while the clothes are still warm from the dryer!

So, v.glad it's Friday, I should be cleaning, tidying, cooking, typing minutes, going to post office etc but it's cold and raining so I think I'm going to get some lunch, watch a film and knit, the dust's not going anywhere and it is my day off!