Project Life - week 1 of 2014 in photos

Well I have thus far in 2014 managed to keep up to date with my Photo 365 challenge, I have posted to instagram more often too (@mafswife), and I am on day 10 of a 30-day green smoothie challenge. I have been to the gym every other day so far in 2014 doing a combination of spinning classes and body pump/boxfit and I am happy to say I lost weight last week for the first time in a few months. I have been off track with my healthy eating and training ever since I bust my left thumb up last summer but it looks like I have my mojo back!

I also have week 1 project life layout completed and most of week 2 planned out with the photos to print off ready for scrapping this weekend. So I haven't photographed my week 1 layout yet but here are my photos.

Flowers for Nan & Grandad x 

Cinema to see American Hustle & 12 Years a Slave

New Scrapping goodies

Spinning classes at the gym

Playing with my new Soup maker

Read my new book from Ellie "The Edge of Never"

January Photography Scavenger Hunt with ATMDL

Why not make 2014 the year you take more photographs! I have for the last two years taken part in a photo a day challenge. I didn't manage every day the first year but in 2013 I did and you saw the other day a sample of those photos, all taken on with the camera on my phone. This year, with my new compact camera and a desire to scrapbook in a project life style format, I am planning on taking even more. To assist others like me and provide a bit of a focus for what to take photos of each month I write the monthly photography promptsover on the Created-by-ATDML blog. Why not pop over and join in with January? There are just seven prompts to kickstart your camera clicking this month

January photo prompts
1. Celebration
2. Sales/New Purchases
3. Resolutions/aims
4. Footwear/Footsteps
5. Something you've made
6. Self Portrait
7. Winter Chill

I look forward to sharing more photos with you as the months go by.

A layout with scraps

A nice quick layout using twenty 2"x2" scraps of paper and three 4"x4" scraps. I created this class based on a sketch I had seen and it was a bonus kit for my ScrapMates Christmas crop held last month.  All of these were cut from four 6"x6" pieces. I inked the edges of each before creating a background of the 2" squares aligned towards the top of the page and then layering the 4"x4" squares over the top. a 3" x 4" photo was then mounted an added with finishing touches of some washi tape, a doiley, ink splatters and embellishments to create a quick page. If you would like receive the full instructions for this page, drop me an email annfreeman1971@gmail.com and I will send them to you.

Adventures of Timmy the Elf

I admit to being a little sad when on Christmas eve it is time for Timmy the Elf to retreat once more back to Lapland. For those of you who don't know Timmy arrived December 1st 2011 at our home from the North Pole. He is a child watching elf who keeps an eye on the children in the family and reports back to Santa to say if the children should be on the Naughty or Nice lists. Each morning he returns somewhere different in the home, usually causing a little mischief but always ensuing a smile or two from our boys.

I created this page for the December ATDML gallery which features three photos of Timmy and his antics of 2013. It is one of several pages I have done of Timmy - pop over to the December gallery and see what the rest of the design team created along with another Timmy layout from me!

A Winters walk

Few of my fave photos from a winters walk we took at the end of December on what was probably the last dry day! Feels like it has rained every since and I am wondering if I will need the wooden pallets I have been saving for my veg beds as ark material instead!

  

 

Looking forward to when the weather perks up again enough to go do this again. 2 hours spent walking around getting fresh air and exercise with my family - perfect! Definately need more of this in 2014.

Happy New Year to you all.

A year in photographs

As mentioned previously we have had quite a busy year - so without further ado,  my 2013 in photographs . This list is made possible by the use throughout the year of a photo app called My 365 on my android phone. So these aren't fab photos - but capture everyday and fab moments. I was lucky enough to be bought a new compact camera by hubby for Christmas so whilst I will keep up My 365 in 2014 - I will also have better photos from my camera, and finally this is by no means exhaustive list but represents the highlights of 2013

JAN -  A 40th birthday for hubby (and our weekend away to New York) and Matt Cardle meet up

FEB - Jamie turned 6 and we spent quality time with good friends

MAR - World book day, Marathon training and Ellie meets Lewis Watson

APR - A crafty weekend away, Excitement on the Thames and the boys start cricket

MAY -  Matt Cardle at Union Chapel and I walk my 2nd Marathon

JUN - Surgery for hubby, GCSE Art Exhibition & Prom for Ellie, Cub Camp for Rob

JUL - Sports days, Summer Holidays begin, Olympic Anniversary Games

AUG - Gromit trail in Bristol, Harry Potter World, Stonehenge with Friends, My injury :(

SEPT - Town Show success, Rob turns 9, Jamie becomes a Beaver Scout, 80s night

OCT - Conkering, Another crafty weekend away, Halloween

NOV - Home comforts, Children in Need, Ellie turns 17

DEC - Adventures of Timmy the Elf, Wet Wet Wet concert, Christmas!

Hope you've enjoyed my year in review. In 2014 I am going to continue with my 365 photos but also scrap along the year in a Project Life style album. This was I can put my year of photos into one album and cope with the numerous shots of the same event I tend to take!!

Wising you all a very happy new year - see you on the other side!

Time for a revival

Well I knew that I had been busy in 2013 - particularly after the moonwalk marathon I walked in April when work got crazy busy right through into the summer, but I hadn't realised that I had not blogged for that long. I have been asked recently by two or three people why I don't blog any more and if I am starting up again and I thought, you know what, I think I will.

So, not so much of a resolution as such, but I will plan on blogging more often, I would say at least once a week but hopefully more. Indeed I am thinking of many things I can share and can feel a list coming on - and if you know me, you'll know I love a list!  

So first up a layout I created for the 1st day of Christmas challenge over at Created-by-ATDML. As today is only the 4th day of Christmas there are several days of inspiration posted by the team with many more to come.

The layout features a cute bow design that Katherine Sutton taught at the Autumn ATDML retreat, instructions on how to make it are featured on the blog post at Created-by-ATDML.

Off to make that list now of blog ideas I have. Back very soon, indeed this year with a round up or two.