Riding the metaphor train

It seems like a eternity since I had some time off, almost as long ago as I posted here! Life has barrelled past like a country train, throwing up rocks and dust, blowing hot air in my face and causing the landscape to blur. I feel that same sense of disconnection as I used to feel standing beside the tracks as a kid. Why wasn't I on the train, rushing to a destination far more glamorous and exciting than where I was, standing in a paddock in the sun?

How is it that I'm still not on the train? Surely if that's my life I should be in the driver's seat, heading for a destination of my choosing? Circumstance and opportunity are strange beasts. But for the next two and a half weeks, I am in charge of the train, I've switched tracks and am taking the scenic route. I may not visit this blog again but who knows I just may return and linger (wouldn't that be nice?!).

I also hear the refreshments on this service are a wonder to behold :-)

All aboard!

SFS Quote & Colour Challenges

It's a long weekend here - hurrah! And I've been scrapping :) Does life get any better?!

This one is for Donna's colour challenge:

And this one is for Charm's quote challenge.

If you're planning to get your scrap on today, why not pop over to SFS and squeeze in one of their challenges before the end of the month? You've still got a few hours, right?! 

Whatever your plans are for today make sure they include some laughter and joy :)

Axx

SFS sketch challenge

Happy Sunday!

When I saw the sketch challenge over at SFS, I knew I had to give it a whirl. I used my first-ever photo taken on my super fab and groovy instax mini camera. It's so much fun! Since my pic was a wee one I did an 8.5x11 LO. I used another terrific APOCD kit. 

And in slightly amusing news, I've installed a new app and this post was ridiculously easy to create! Insert humungous sigh and dramatic eye roll...

Thanks for popping by. It's been so lovely to see you calling in now that I'm blogging again :) Thanks for not forgetting me! 

An iPad post and a Top 50 sketch challenge

I'm feeling a little bit pleased with myself! Finally I've managed - all by myself - to get the various apps, software and hosting sites to play nicely together. Houston, we have a blog post with a photo created on the iPad. I was determined not to let technology get the better of me. Hurrah, take that Steve Jobs and those two blokes tht created Google! Anyway enough boasting and posturing!

There is only one challenge over at Scrapbooking Top 50 this month. Apparently big things are coming...I can't believe they're making me wait! But in the meantime here's my take on the sketch challenge. I used one of the super fabulous A Piece of Cake Design kits that arrived on my doorstep on Tuesday.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you're having a creative weekend. 

Vail Babcia

Today, I attended the funeral of my friend's grandmother. She was 91. She came to this country, post WW2 with her husband, a baby, a suitcase and a Singer sewing machine. She is survived by her son, three grandchildren and six great grandchildren. It was a simple beautiful ceremony of a life lived in peace. Of happiness and long Summer days.

Hers is but one of the stories that makes this country what it is today. We are a country built on immigration and inclusiveness. 

Now more than ever, I am reminded of the need for compassion.

97% refugees will never find a new country to raise their families in peace and prosperity. There are no queues, just endless roadblocks. Would you be prepared to wait 175 years to be resettled? 

My heart aches for our collective loss of humanity. I hope for better days and better policies. Ones reminiscent of those that allowed Babcia and her family to build a life here. 

My Month in Numbers

So, here it is my first Month in Numbers! I'm very excited to be joining the count for the first time - if you want more info or just want to know what I'm talking about visit Julie Kirk's notes on paper and check out her August Month in Numbers :)

First up we have the Communal Count.

Q a(1) To be honest I have no idea how many visitors we had during August, but I put this down to the fact I only started recording my Month in Numbers on the 29th. But looking back one of Zoe's friends seemed to be here every time I turned around, my Mum came over for dinner a few times too and some neighbours dropped by but I don't think anyone actually stayed the night.

Q a(2) Four - me, him, and two of them (both of whom are taller than me) plus a spoilt dog and supercilious cat.

Q b(1&2) I normally get up at 6.38am, weird but true, and since I can't recall any mornings of note that was probably the earliest I got up.

Now down to the nitty gritty. Here's how August looked. It was a month of low numbers. But included:

One important Birthday (and six others)!  

One very cool camera

One giant lemon (it weighed in at 800 grams)

Two books - which I've read and two CDs which I'm enjoying very much!

I completed all 6 challenges over at Scrapbooking Top 50 - my favourite is below -  I also did another 2 LOs bringing my month's total to a healthy 8.

I was sick for 16 days - a record I hope never to repeat - which meant I missed 2 out of 4 Sunday running group sessions with Team Bliss.

I attended 44 work meetings...

I also increased my washi tape stash to new grand total of 103 rolls. I now need to buy a new bag to keep them in. Here's the latest addition:

And that pretty much sums up August, an atypical month!

A Scrappy update!

Finally, after admiring all of the Jot Mood Board entries that kept appearing in my facebook feed, I played along.

Here's the board:

And here's my LO. Not my usual colours, I found this quite tough, but the subject made me happy!

I also had a play with a pagedrafts sketch (CSI#80) from July. Here's my take on it, I flipped it and used a Basic Grey kit from SFS plus a Charms Creations page runner.

I was terribly lazy and took the photos on my iPad, thinking I could just use it to post this blog update but no, I couldn't get Blogger to access my photos and had to switch back to the lappy. That'll teach me to cut corners! But because I am a recovering perfectionist I used the crappy photos anyway. Oh how that pained me! But you get the general idea of how they look, right?!

 Thanks for stopping by :)