Monday morning checklist

Melissa says:

Love a good productive day. Nothing quite like the school drop off and coming home to an empty house where I can do what I like and when I want. Today, it's all about finishing off the little bits and pieces that have been gathering on my workroom desk. It's only a few days until my next class and I still have a double layout to start. But until I get all of these other things out of the way, there are just too many other distractions. Consider this another item off the list.

In the wee hours...

Melissa says:

Since the nasty cold and flu I had a few weeks ago, I have undergone a complete sleep transformation. Early to bed, early to rise has been my new pattern for a while now, but low and behold I have been awake since 3am this morning. As I lay there wishing myself back to sleep, my mind generally starts to tick over about the coming few weeks of school holidays. I'm sure I am not the only parent who (at times) dreads 2 full weeks of keeping their child busy.



Finally at 4.30am, I gave up the idea of a few more zzzzz's and threw on my slippers and decided to get in a few hours of creative time before the rest of the household surfaces. While tinkering with my Lifescrap album and this month's photo's, I realise that there only a few days left before my baby turns 10 and zips into those double digits. I shouldn't be dwelling of how frustrating he is, or cheeky for that matter. It's the time spent, not where you went or what you saw. But how many times I sit in his room to play Lego, or watch his favourite movie (Star Wars is still fantastic after all these years). So these holidays I have a few ideas planned for us, but chances are they will go out the window when he climbs into my bed for a warm snuggle and then maybe we can catch those extra zzzzz's together.

The last of May

Melissa says:
This month I really got into the swing of taking more photo's than previous months. Using my camera phone was just so much more convenient, especially when I tend to use mini prints in my lifescrap album and the quality was really good.

A little reminder to Jill when she reads this. You promised to create a post about how you plan your month. I'm dying to see how you do it.

Goodbye March

Melissa says:

There is one thing that became obvious this month. I was inspired by everything. From making a costume for my little man to cosy night in the lounge. I found that instead of my usual 2 ATC pages, it stretched and was filled so easily. Here are the first few photo's to inspire you to either start appreciating the little things or get your lifescrap up to date.

Melissa says:

Finally the month of February has been finally been put to bed. Sometimes it takes me a bit longer as I like to add my own personal touches to each of the journalling cards. Either stitching, rub on's and embellishments can make each month look so different.

I have March well and truly under way. My design was inspired by a few of my workmates interpretation of a kit we worked with recently.

Photos for January

Jill says:

Well January is over with very quickly for me as well. Here are some photos of what my journal looks like with January complete; in order of title page, goals page and January's ATC's. The end of January and so far this month, I have had quite a challenging time, personally, with a family member being less than healthy. The best thing about this challenge is it has made me look for things I am doing each and every day to work towards my goals. It does at times feel like this health issue is all consuming so to peek out from the cloud to see a bright shining light is enlightening to say the least. And as this health issue no longer incorporates my health goals, I have found my health goals have been something that has aided keeping me focused and in good spirits. Must be the endorphins!

Mel and I managed to meet for lunch last week and we discussed our journals and had a show and tell. We were both pleased and amazed at how different they were. We were also pleased we had scrapped separately (for the first month anyway) so we weren't influenced by each other and we could see what we each came up with separately. We also discussed how our styles are different anyway, and therefore two completely different journals have been created. I am definitely looking forward to our next get-together (whenever that may be-was booked in for tomorrow and has had to be postponed, story of my life so far this year!) to share our inspiration and enjoy each other's creations.

Goodbye January

Melissa says:
I am exactly like everyone else and have no clue where the month went. Though I can say that I have kept up with my goal of trying to spend more time doing things for myself and spending down time NOT scrapbooking continually for work. I can also say that my January lifescrap is completely done and I have loved every minute so far. It really was my go-to-project when I hit a scrapper's block or when I was talking to Jill on the phone. What I discovered during this time, as I snapped photo's, that it was easier for me to write the "26th - Australia Day at Cudgen Creek" and then I could elaborate when I had a little more time and felt like journalling the finer details.

I have emailed and txt Jill most days to update her as I get something else done. Maybe bombarded her might be more like it. I have truly felt so inspired that I can't help but shout it from the rooftop. Sometimes it seems hard to squeeze in one more thing, funnily enough 5 minutes here and there really made a difference in January.

Simple ideas

Melissa says:

So with Lifescrap 365, some of you maybe wondering how that will work for Scrapbooking. I thought people might like to see how I've set up my album, how I plan to maintain and keep up to date while working towards my goals.

Last year was personally a very tough one, overwhelming to say the least. So in 2010, the plan is to have more inspired balance when it comes to work, home, family and friends. More on that as the journey continues!!!

My album is a 3 ring binder from American Crafts. I'm going to use a combination of refills made to fit the 6 inch by 12 inch size, as well as some ATC page protectors. Jill and I are both using the same ones but I've cut mine down so there are only 6 pockets. These are where my mini size photo's and journalling notes will be.

When Jill and I discussed what our committment would be, I decided that 1 full page protector and 2 ATC pockets would be enough for me to store a months worth of photo's, journalling and memorabilia in.

Each month is set up so all I have to do is drop in things as I go.

Right now, I'm working on January and you'll be able to see how it looks with some well deserved colour.