Favourites

Another sunny day!  Spring has sprung!  Yesterday I grabbed the opportunity to visit one of my favourite local places where the daffodils take your breathe away.  I was not disappointed, this year was even better than last. 

As much as I would love to throw myself whole heartedly into Blogging for Scrapbookers class, I need to be creative with my time.  So when Shimelle asked to think about favourites I also thought about her other prompts so far.  What are my intentions and how much do I want to share of my personal life?  For me, blogging was not something in my game plan but I discovered it led me to a whole new exciting world where I can share my own creativity and what I love, and more importantly, meet people who not only understand but share my passion.  I didn't expect to make friends a long the way.  A bonus indeed!!

Todays prompt from Shimelle is how do we blog when there is not much to write about?  Again, it made me think of mundane days and I remembered a post I enjoyed writing about cooking a meal.  We decided to set ourselves a challenge to make it more fun.  Jamie Oliver is one of my favourite chefs so we used one of his cookery books   Go here if you want to find out more.

And that got me thinking about other favourite postings.  Here is a list, just in case you'd like to have a quick browse:

http://itchifingers.blogspot.com/2010/10/gypsy-camp.html

http://itchifingers.blogspot.com/2010/11/wonderful-weekend.html

http://itchifingers.blogspot.com/2011/02/storytelling-sunday-butterflies.html

http://itchifingers.blogspot.com/2010/10/my-notebook-and-pen-all-ready-to-go.html

http://itchifingers.blogspot.com/2010/10/whats-on-your-workdesk-wednesday.html

I'd like to list favourite blogs that I visit but I have just noticed the time and I need to get ready for work!  I will list these another time but as I have got the link ready I will quickly mention this one:    

http://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/

I love making my own things from scratch so this blog is not only huge fun and inspirational, but it also offers great tutorials and ideas on how to make counterfeit kits and embellishments.   It's worth checking out.

One of my plans was to try posting shorter and more regular blogs.  Achieved!!

Have a good day!! 

Blogging... so far

I should be doing this and that... but I am trying to distract myself from difficult decision making, and where better to do it than on line!! 

Have you heard about Shimelle Lane's Blogging for Scrapbookers class?  I subscribed after I had set up my blog and have been waiting for it to go 'live' again so that I can be part of  an online community.  Lots of the members met on an earlier course and set up their blogs around the same time.  How lovely to be part of something so special!  Some even got together on Skype last weekend!  Luckily I have got to know some of these people a long the way and  blogging has opened up a whole new world of networking and friendships.
I wonder where it will go from here?

I had no plans to be creative today, but I was inspired by 'scrappysue' a member who posted her scrapbook page on the forum.  I just had to lift her idea and do it!  It's my first page where I have not used a photo, and because I could do it quite quickly and without getting out loads of stash I could not resist the urge. I'm not satisfied that it is finished and when I have more time I will revisit and make it more my style, but for now it does what I want.  It was good looking back over the history of my blog, something I've not done before.  It made me realise that I don't blog as frequently as I'd like, and when I do I tend to do a big post as I have so much to say!  Something to work on!

I'm looking forward to learning lots of new ideas and techniques.   I still consider myself new to blogging (since June 2010) and with much to learn, and hopefully this class will give me a lead. 

So, what else is on my Workspace this Wednesday?  This useful pin cushion with an attached pocket that I have made for a friend.  I saw the idea at the recent residenttial, and thought it an idea gift.   A friend asked me to make one for her too, so with no pattern but just an idea I got out my fabrics and sewing machine.  I may make one for myself when I have more time.   I love to see other people's workspace and what they are busy doing. Go to Julia's blog to see more.

The sun is shining and I should be doing 101 other things so that's it for today.  Enjoy the weather, creating, or what ever it is you are doing.  My plan is to write shorter and more regular posts.  There - I've said it!!

TRUE STORIES

Today is the start of a new e-course, 'True Stories'. I am rather addicted to Shimelle's courses and am learning so much from them. This one is different from others I've enrolled on. This one focus's on writing, something I love to do. But most of my writing these days is work related and as much as I like the idea of adding journalling to my scrapbook pages and mini albums I'm not really sure how to go about it in a way that is meaningful. I've even got a couple of projects half finished so I hope this course will liberate , challenge and inspire me. Shimelle encourages you to take a pen and paper for this course. She's quite right, while I love my computer it can not replace the feel and look of a beautiful pen, and the tactile cover and pages of a book. Like many others I love stationary, am often tempted into buying notebooks that I do not need, and so it is really good to put one of them to use. I love the pink one with the embroidered satin cover, but for this course I think I will choose the floral one. I have piles of pens, but for this course I think I will treat myself to one that is a bit more special. Tomorrow I will go to the shop and as I have to use black ink at work, I will choose one that is NOT black.
Shimelle reminds me that typing and writing by hand are completely different processes to the brain. I have missed writing in a notebook. I am looking forward to doing this again.
If you want to know more about the course go to http://www.shimelle.com/
I'll let you know how it goes!

UNRAVELLING

Today see's me starting yet another e-course. This has become quite an obsession, but a healthy one since I am learning so much and meeting so many new and amazing women. It really started with Kelly Rae Robert's 'Taking Flight' and I do feel like I have been flying creatively ever since. Each course has been very different, and I am sad that Shimelle's 'Learn Something New Everyday' finishes this week. I am way behind with making my daily recording, and it has been a good learning experience and reminder that I need to keep things simple. I find it hard to just do minimum and because of this things often get unfinished or not even started as they are too big to comtemplate.

So, with this new course I plan to try and approach it differently. I will give it my best but be realistic. I love the fact that this week is about feet.

This morning I took lots of photos and I have posted this one to remind me that I am in the driving seat as I complete this e-course and that I can control the speed and the direction I take. Something I learned from LSNED, so perhaps I shouldn't feel too bad about the amount of time and energy I am putting into e-courses right now. They say 'Practice makes perfect'!

OUT WITH MY CAMERA

After a stonking headache, and a duvet day to recover, I am taking it easy today. The sun is shining and inviting me to go outdoors so I plan to take a walk with my camera. This is something I often do, but today I will be on the look out for textures. I am trying to create different techniques using Photoshop and I have lots of ideas but little skill. The only way I can grow comfortable and confident is by jumping in... sometimes I sink, sometimes I swim, but it's the only way to learn.
Some of my ideas have been inspired by Shimelle's 'Love your Picture, Love your Page' e-course. Sadly this is in it's fourth and final week, but fortuantly it does not end as I can continue to post photos and take part in discussions. I recommend this course to anyone interested in photography and scrapbooking. I have lots of new ideas to try, and ways of taking these a stage further. So while I'm sad I will not be receiving the daily download, I also need time to try out those I have!

The course gave me reasons and opportunity to try out Photoshop, which was great as I need a prod. I find it so overwhelming! Two books I bought have also been a great help and source of inspiration:

'Digital Expressions.. creating digital art with Adobe Photoshop Elements' by Susan Tuttle (published by North Light Books) .

'The Photoshop Elements 7 book for digital photographers' by Scott Kelby & Matt Kloskowski (Published by New Riders).

You need a basic skill of Photoshop to use the first book, so if like me you need some help with this, I have the second book invaluable. Both talk you through techniques stage by stage and I am amazed how easy some of these are, once you know how.

You can download textures from the web, while 'Digital Expressions' includes a CD with brushes , photos and textures for you to experiment with. However, I think it will be fun to create a texture collection using my own photos and techniques. So I will share some of these later. Meanwhile, the sun and camera are calling!