The first day of spring

official that is - at least here in this hemisphere anyway. And I have lost my mojo somewhere - if you find it please send it back!!
I have been a very poor blogger of late - lost my mojo and done nothing creative except shuffle papers from one place to another without actually making anything at all - so what was the need to keep this blog up to date as I started it as a place to upload my "makings"????
I have signed up for Shimelle's new class in the hope it would give me the kick start I am so desperately in need of - and as usual it is a brilliant class - with some awesome participants, whose work is fabulous as always - but me - did I make any pages? start an album? make a hole in some of my stash? A resounding NO!! And I do feel as if I am letting myself down - as I so WANT to make something - but am not!! Not sure I actually know what to do about it - since I have already tried the suggestions my classmates have made for others in a similar situation - - I haven't even made one post on the class forum for this class - which is unlike me. So - what now?? Any ideas gratefully received - please feel free to leave a little comment if you stop by. :)

Gura mie ayd Jx

Why I Scrapbook

I DO - I promise! I just never seem to find time to keep this up to date or upload my creations!
However - my resolution this year was to try to do better.
Shimelle has a super little video on her blog saying why she scrapbooks - and asking us the same question.  So why do I scrapbook? Surely Shimelle's reasons are mine - she has put it into words for me - well yes - but - - -
It made me think -  - and I realised - mainly I scrapbook for pleasure. To make something - to be creative - to relax - its my therapy - to escape, to play - to de-stress, to just BE ME - not wife, mum, sister, aunt, daughter, its fun, it gives me a social activity I can enjoy and share with others, both in the real world and online -
and the resulting records of our lives are a bonus, all be it a very "pretty"collection of pictures & words.
Take a peek at her video for yourself - here
And whilst I am thinking of Shimelle -
She made me really smile on her video when she took a moment to explain her name - it is totally unique since it is, as she says "made up" - It will therefore never appear in the Baby Names books - which give meanings to names - you know - the ones we buy when we discover we are expecting a first baby - but when I think of Shimelle, or participate in her online classes - INSPIRATION lights up in my head like a beacon - so forever for me Shimelle will mean just that. Thank you Shimelle - I envy your real life students - whether they be those teenagers who studied GCSE English with you when you were tied to a school timetable - or those very lucky ladies who manage to attend any craft workshop you are running. I am so glad you run online classes!!

Gura mie ayd J x

On the 3rd day - -

- - of December - - I am getting so excited - only 2 days to go before I visit the beautiful City of Bruges. I am going on a day trip to the Christmas Markets there - on a direct flight from the island - along with a group of friends from work!
You have no idea how excited we are - - we are worse than the teenagers in school!! It is our main topic of conversation each time we have break or lunch - - goodness knows what we will be like next week when it is all over! It doesn't even matter that we have to be at the airport at some ungodly hour on Saturday morning!
I have printed out maps from Google, been on Trip Advisor to find any reviews and on Flickr looking at photos!! Last year one of the highlights of my Christmas was our short break in Munich with my friends from work to go to the Christmas Markets. We can't afford to do it every year {sadly :(} - and now we are saving up for a trip to Sorrento - - but have managed to scrape enough together for this one day excursion, and I think we are all really looking forward to it!

Thanks for stopping by

Gura mie ayd J x

"Oh the Weather outside -- --

- - is frightful" - seriously - not snow {I wish, I wish - - well JUST for Christmas day really} but wild weather is battering my island home! We are experiencing real "Sou'westers" - gusting, blustery winds, - - the sky grey, heavy & menacing, looming over the hillside crushing the light, emptying its load in sheets of rain onto the sodden fields below - - can our tiny island really soak up any more water? - already the farms are waterlogged from earlier downpours! - - whilst the sea races in - - crashing over the seawall, on to the road to catch the unwary motorist, - - heading home through the storm, blown spume skipping across the windscreen then dancing madly in the headlights like mischievous little imps!

Coming in from this, buffeted down the steps, hair tangled, damp and not a little breathless - my home feels so welcoming, - - - once indoors the cottage settles into the hillside - drawing its thick stone walls closer, wrapping us in safety and protecting us from the worst of the weather - I do so love my home!

It made me think about the weather - and actually had me pondering what would be the perfect weather for Christmas Day - and I have come to the conclusion that I am very much a traditionalist at heart, hopelessly romantic and completely taken in by the "cosy Victorian Christmas" illustrated in "A Christmas Carol" - I blame Charles Dickens myself!!! So ideally I want snow - just enough to turn my world white and sparkly - just for one day - - cold , bright & sunny - - the kind of day that makes you want to go for a walk after Christmas lunch!
It doesn't seem to happen much anymore - and I can't remember many when it did - snow was almost always before or after Christmas when I was growing up - -and these days I live by the sea - so very rarely see any snow at all. We do get some lovely sunny Christmas Days though! -Perhaps not this year - will have to wait and see.

Please feel free to leave a little comment if you stop by.

Gura mie ayd, J x

"I Declare - - -

- - that I am going to make a Christmas Journal - to capture  my December 2009 for eternity - to look back on and remember and to reclaim the magic that this season of the year is to me. I will GIVE myself a few minutes each day to make an entry in my Journal without stressing and purely for the delight and pleasure it brings me, so that at the end  of the month I will have a record of this Christmas. Along the way I will post entries here, try to share my creations with other Christmas lovers around the world and make a little time to admire and be inspired by THEIR creations too - - but most of all I declare my intention to re-claim my enjoyment of the season."

Today is the start od Shimelle's JYC class for 2009 - I am an alumni of a few years now being on. I think,  on my 4th or 5th journal so - really I think I ought to know what I should be doing. The class is such fun to be a part of - -  even if I fall by the wayside as the month gets busier! I do have all my stuff collected together and all my blank pages cut ready to go - so if I print out my manifesto - - as above - - I'm good to go!!

I have managed to make a couple of ATCS for Craft Club swap tonight  as well -  so I good start so far - long may it last!
Do feel free to leave a little comment if you stop by,
Gura mie ayd! J x

Life

has got in the way a little this last couple of weeks. Not only have we had auditors in at work - but my home has been flooded with the sheer volume of surface water so the drains in my village couldn't cope!
I now need plasterers and floor fitters to get everything sorted - but  getting estimates from them is proving to be rather a nighmare.
Will be back when I can!

Birthday Celebrations

Its Friday - - Yay - - its as good as it gets as we say where I work at present.
As you know it was my birthday on Remembrance Day - -  however its not a very practical day to celebrate with friends - so this evening we went (as usual on Fridays, to our local hostelry) as my friend Heather's husband David was 65 on Remembrance Day and this year we were having a get together in honour of his retirement. We have had a lovely evening - - - though we came away to go home before many would be going out. We had lovely grub - - AND a really great chance to chat!