Day 5

Well here's day 5 entry, did a paper one, but didn't like the end result, so resorted to digi instead, papers and ribbon from ShabbyPrincess.com

Becoming a mother was not something that I expected to be, I was told in my late teens I had a million to 1 chance of ever becoming pregnant and even less of being able to carry a baby full term, so when we found out I'd fallen pregnant naturally it was somewhat of a shock! Caitlin is our little miracle, the day she was born was the start of an extraordinary journey for us all.

Part of my 21 day challenge was to value what I have and who I am more, so this was a gentle remindered to myself of just how blessed I am to have my little family.

21 day challenge - Day 4

Well afraid I got distracted from university work, made the most of my creativity before it vanished again, since last year my scrapping mojo has been very fickle. But this challenge is really making me do something creative each day. I think I kind of hoped that doing the 21 day challenge would encourage me to do something creative each and every day (well within reason).

'Doing, being, becoming' is a very occupational therapy phrase and it fitted with today inspiration, so I based my entry round the phrase. I am doing my degree, being a student so I can become an occupational therapist.

Spring is finally coming

It's the very end of March and it finally feels like the warmer weather this last week has woken nature up. My garden is now full of daffodils, with their cheery yellow flowers and I can see catkins on the trees out the train window on way to university.

Have finished day 3 for 21 day challenge, every quote so far has spoken to me, I love the choices Rhonna has made. Off to have a look at day 4, before tackling my critical appraisal for uni assignment, even if crafting feels far more appealing.

21 Day challenge day 2

Another fab quote from Rhonna.

Have gone digital today. The stitches are from Keep Em' In Stitches
Part 4 kit by Lisa Carter at digitalscrapbookplace.com, the lettering in the heart is from lettering delights 'passion pen'

I'm finally beginning to have a chance to fulfill my dreams with the support of Tim. It makes me happy that I now have the chances that haven't been possible in the past.

Rhonna Farrer - 21 day challenge

Completed my first days challenge (for details see here) I've decide as my overall theme for the 21 days to try and value myself and what I have. I have this fab scrapbook paper from Sweetwater which says celebrate where you came from, celebrate where you are and celebrate where you are going. At this point in my life it seems appropriate, It seems that everything has changed in the last few months with me going to university and Caitlin growing up, Tim's role at work developing and his growing responsibility. It's all positive stuff, but it's sometime easy to look at the negatives. So I'm going to spend next 21 days Celebrating what I have, a beautiful daughter, loving partner and opportunity to better myself.

First day was about goals, so took this quite literally, used the quote around the edge, background is a shabby princess digital paper.

Kirsty's Challenge

Still not got a picture of me for Kirsty's challenge, so I improvised. Took pictures of various pieces of me instead, resisted the clevage shot LOL! Anyway, pretty pleased with the result. Managed to include some primas courtesy of Caroline's little packs of them. I did some doodling in bronze colour, both round the title and over the bird,which unfortunately doesn't want to photograph, but never mind. Being a beader, also did some beaded doodling for the swirly bits. Even wrote on the LO in the bronze colour and I hate my writing, but I guess Caitlin would like to know what it looked like.

I called the LO 'Reaching My Potiential', as that's how I feel about me now, after years of just doing a job for the money, getting out of violent marriage and other stuff, then being either Tim's partner or Caitlin's mum, I'm at university making the most of my skills and using my brain to get my degree and being known as Emma, I'm finally able to do something for me that I want to do, although hopefully it will benefit the family in the long run. None of which would be possible without Tim's suport and help I hasten to add.

I love this basic grey paper, the bird taking off just seems to symbolise where I am. Tim looked at the LO and suggested that I was, 'More than the sum of my parts', which I thought was quite inciteful. Have written a letter for Caitlin explaining my feelings, which I've put behind the LO, so if anything happened before she grew up she could read about how I feel now. Anyway thank you Kirsty for challenging me to scrap myself, even if I've not quite got to the whole face picture.

We took Caitlin out to the tropical butterfly house, wildlife and falconry centre yesterday. Had lovely day. Caitlin had a bag of food for the hens, geese and turkey and loved throwing them a handful, then giving us some to feed the adult goats, who were a bit big for her. Then she got to give a baby goat it's bottle of milk, she thought it was great fun. Didn't managed to get any decent pictures because of the number of people around, but it didn't matter, was nice not be be wielding the camera for once and let Tim have it. Meant I could just enjoy the moment more. Sometimes as a scrapper it's all too easy to be focused on getting that elusive perfect photo that you miss out on all the fun.

Spent yesterday at Carolinez Craftz lovely to see Caroline and her mum, it had been a while. Had nice chat and tied lots of bows round boxes. Treated myself to some patterned paper, a new xyron 150, (being as I finally killed my old one with help from Caitlin) and these lovely buttons. Yup I have a thing about buttons, so couldn't resist buying a few.

Still feeling exhausted after this cold, so didn't do much today, having a go at kirsty's challenge, but pottering really, still haven't got decent piccie of me, so have had to improvise. But at least I'm actually scrapping with paper.

Spent most of day doing SPSS for university, took practice test online and got 10/10 so bit less panicky about the assessed test I need to do any time in next fortnight, wil try to do asap while it's still fresh in my memory though, maybe even tomorrow if I can shift this cough, can't imagine it would be popular in the quite study area of the uni library.

Tim not well today and at home, he managed to fall on the stairs and has very nasty looking bruise on his big toe, not sure what he's done, bit difficult to tell with the shape of his feet. But very painful, just hope he hasn't broken it.

Spent evening playing with digi LO of the photo Tim took at weekend, very simple, but whenever I tried anything more intricate it just looked over fussy and I really wanted the photo to shine through. The grungy edge was from www.digitalscrapbookplace.com and the button and string bow were from Heather Ann designs, but I've changed the colours. Definately my favourite photo of Caitlin this year so far.

She looks so adorable in this photo, unfortunately like most 2 year old she can throw the tantrums from hell, like this evening, she ended up not only on the naughty step, but in time out in her room (very rare occasion) but she would not stay on step. Oh well I guess that's what we get for having a child as stubborn as me and as perverse as Tim. Thankfully she went off to sleep ok, leaving Tim and I to recover.

Not the only jewellery maker in the family!

Well been good day, went out to Doncaster to the Clarks outlet and found shoes for wedding and new pair of boots to replece my ones that are dying. Even better boots were an extra 40% off today and were less than half RRP to start with. Then went through to Adsa where we not only picked up a whole load of new t-shirts for Caitlin, but finally found the georgia pacific cardstock in earthtones I've been after for ages. They do the white card which is fab for journalling and pages for mini books, now I have another 4 colours to play with.

This afternoon Caitlin got to play with some wooden beads for the first time, bought these a while ago from ELC, but she was too little to use them. She loved making necklaces and made one for each of us. The look on her face had so much concentration on the task at hand. Caitlin made her's first with Caitlin on and choose the other beads. Then she insisted on making daddy one and mine with mummy.

Spent the morning at Old Moor, an RSPB nature reserve nearby. Caitlin loved playing in the playground, so much so she ran out of steam before we'd managed any real walking. But I did get Tim to take a few photos, this is my favourite one, not a bad photo of me. The whole playground is themed around nature and the like, so this one is a snail, the slide was a frog, so Caitlin bounced round the playground being a froggie going ribbit. Sometimes it's just exhausting watching her!

Photo phobia

There's a reason that I take most of our family photos and it's not just that Tim tends to shake a bit. I hate my photo being taken and feel much happier behind the camera. It's mainly about weight I guess, never happy with how heavy I am, but even when I was fit and healthy in my teens I hated it. Perhaps as even then my father used to refer to me as the fat daughter, I've never been slim and petite like my older sister, I had curves and DD bust at 14.
Kirsty has launch an international challenge here which I think is a fab idea and I'd love to take part, but I have no photos of just me to use. The last picture of just me was 7 years ago I think and there's precious few of Caitlin and I. Made me think that if something happened tomorrow Caitlin would have no knowledge of what I looked like as her mum. Which is kind of sad really that my hang ups about how I look and feel could affect Caitlin's knowledge of me. I think it makes me realise that I need to get over my hang ups and maybe let Tim take some more photos of just me. I suppose a record of how I was the year I turn 30 will be good to look back on. After all my BOM should have some sort of thoughts and feeling I have on turning 30.

None of the snow yesterday settled, I suppose it's a good thing really with it being a 'school day'. Caitlin just loves imitating me and was very insistant she should have a 'big girl umbrella' like mummy's, so we got her one a couple of weeks ago. She loved using her umbrella to walk home after nursery, saying, 'me a big girl, me got big girl umbrella.'

I had day at home, the cards arrived for Gav and Flo's place cards so have got those finished, well 89 of them, the company sent 11 short, which is bit annoying, but can post on the others on later if they need them. Also got my jewellery made for the wedding, so feel like it was a productive day, even if I was still feeling rough.

Today I have to do some work, we have a multiple guess assessment for this piece of software called SPSS, a programme designed for health and social work stats. I can't say I enjoy it, but at least it's an open book multiple guess test! Anyway have to do the test soon, being as I haven't done any work on it since the first half of the module in October, have to get going again, seems quite logical, but I'm still confused about the actual stats terms, rather than how to use the software. Tim's got hold of a copy so I can work on it from home.

In other news have lost a pound this week, so another 5 lb to lose before Gav and Flo's wedding to reach the next target. Then another half a stone before my 30th in June. I think that setting smaller mini targets is working better than straight out I need to lose 2 stone, that just seems too daunting. Whereas half a stone at a time is less stressful and feels like less pressure on myself. I guess we'll see if it works this time, still want to get to the final target by this christmas.

Mother's Day approaches

Well not long until mother's day, so spent some time this afternoon doing two cards one for my mother, one for Tim's. Used some basic grey fusion papers for a different look, bit different to pretty pinks and the like. Patterns for these can be found at Mirkwood design here
Really easy to make, just cutting and sticking, They all fold up into a little parcel tied with ribbon, so they can be opened out to see the flower. The rub ons in the centre didn't photograph well, but say Mother's day, one is gold and the other silver. not sure which I prefer, but should be a bit different. Sometimes think that's the problem with card making, you end up doing same style in different colours or themes. Neither mothers have had this design before.

Still in process of making necklace to wear for Flo and Gav's wedding. Have all the place cards to finish, the little decorative squares are done, just waiting for the cards to stick them on, h opefully they be here tomorrow. so I can get them finished and on the way to Flo to write.