From Screen to Scrap January

Here is the January  'From Screen 2 Scrap'  Movie Poster ...

TED

Extra Criteria

1pt = White base card stock
2 pts = Large BOLD one word title (any colour)
3pts = A teddy bear on the page (stamped image, sticker, embellie)

and here is my sample layout for this month

Aren't the teddy bear cake toppers just so dang cute !

You have until the end of January to get your entries in so I hope to see some lovely creations on site.

One Little Word 2013

One Little Word 2013

I have been doing this for a few years now - finding inspiration through the months from a single word.  It takes me while at the beginning of each year to mull over my choices.  Sometimes a word jumps out at me and I run with it immediately, other times I have to ponder over what might lie ahead for me - what major plans I might have for the year ahead.

2011 was a years of change for us all - Rachel moved off from school to start the next phase of her life studying for a career and was slowly leaving childhood behind. Chris moved from the security of primary school to high school and all the differences that entailed,  growing up both physically and emotionally..  John moved into a more intense role at work, developing and taking on higher responsibility  while I set myself personal goals and challenges in my day to day life and within the things I do with scrapbooking.  CHANGE was an easy choice for that year.

2012  Last year was my year to REDUCE.  I set myself some goals to clear out a lot of the things that cluttered my life.  To file away, to store away and to throw away and to dwindle away. I achieved my aim only partially, I simply did not have as much time as I intended for the labour intensive plans I had in my mind and I will again work on some aspects of reducing my life this year.

2013 is the year I live with PURPOSE.  

This is the perfect word to describe what I want to achieve this year.  I hope that every challenge I set myself, every item I focus on, I do with purpose in 2013.  I want to complete unfinished projects, consolidate others.  I want to have direction and purpose in the things I do and undertake this year, I don't want to just drift through 2013 letting each day week unfold as it arrives.  I hope to know where I am going and feel a sense of achievement in what I am doing this year.


pur.pose

Noun

The reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.

Verb

Have as one's intention or Objective

Welcome to 2013 ....

A new year - time to reflect on the past and look to the future.  I'm not one for making resolutions but I do think we should all ponder over what we need to do for the coming year. 

For me this year I'd like to focus on getting healthy and being healthy.   I need to eat better, concentrating on wholesome and nutritious food - more fresh vegetables and fruits and drinking more water.  I need to try to lose some unwanted kilos.  I wan to keep at the gym at least 3 days a week and try to walk a little more in between.

I need to stress less. As I like to say "Don't sweat the little things" and I need to listen to myself more  on this topic.   I need to take each day at a time and be more realistic in my expectations. I need to relax more - do the things that I like to do to lower the pressures of everyday life.   I want to continue to read, to meditate, to listen to my favorite music, to go out with friends and to do enjoyable activities that matter to me and stay away from those negative “influences” that can ruin my day!

I want a better relationship with my daughter.  I want to listen more and say less. 

I want to enjoy and work on my passion - scrapbooking.  I need to do what makes me feel happy, creative and contented.

I'd like to learn in 2013 and acquire a new skill. Last year I decided I would join a book club and try mediation and I did and enjoyed both.  I intend to continue on with these.  This year I'd like to explore my digital scrapbooking and take it to another level.  I need to develop and make use of it.

This year I need to clear my house and unload if of unwanted stuff. I need to declutter my life and the lives of those under this roof and I need all of us to feel good about it!

I need to spend better time with the ones I love - family and friends. Life is too short - we need to enjoy each other’s company while we can.  We need to do the unexpected, talk about things that make us all laugh and smile and do spur of the moment activities.  Each day is a blessing and I want to enjoy every single moment of it.

Our cruise ...

Thought I might get some pictures up of our recent cruise - this is the condensed version. 

We did 14 days - 13 nights aboard the Celebrity Solstice from Sydney around New Zealand and back.  It was the first cruise for Celebrity in Australia. This is no ordinary cruise ship - more like a floating 5 star hotel.  We had a sensational time !!

Our first glimpse of the Celebrity Solstice berthed at Circular Quay - Sydney.

It was overcast and drizzling rain.

Our room on the 11th deck.

At the very top is lawn - real lawn.  The only cruise ship to have a green keeper and lawnmower on board.

Out door pool

Central atrium - looking down

Sydney skyline

Helipad

Indoor solarium

Explorer Lounge

Kids on their balcony

Sydney heads -  we are off !!

Sun glistening on sea

Milford Sound NZ - windy, light rain and heavy mist - needless to say we couldn't see much

Room service breakfast

Dunedin

Dunedin Botanical Gardens

Inside Dunedin train station

Dunedin port - timber and wood chips

Christchurch Antarctic Experience (we'd rather not thank you!)

Mucking about at the aircraft museum

Akoroa - so very, very pretty

Rotorua - Maori carving

 

Thermal activity

Family activity

She's one BIG ship

Auckland from sky tower

Its a long way down !!

Now which is the ship and which is the building?

Bay of Islands

Bay of Islands - traditional welcome

Historic township of Russell

NZ fush and chups and milkshake

and yes there was scrapbooking on board the ship

Now who is this smart couple?

Dawn over Sydney

Boo Hoo - I want to do it all over again

Childhood memories coming in 2013 ...

Next year I will be working on a year-long class called Childhood Memories for Soul Scrappers.

Do you fancy making an album full of your childhood memories to pass onto your children and/or grandchildren?  Want to show them how different things were when you were young, pass on interesting family stories (or scandalous anecdotes) or just relive your glory days?

This year long Soul Scrappers class will be for you !

For further information and pre-class instruction please visit Soul Scrappers and follow the links.

ARTastic December ...

The December inspiration for ARTastic challenge blog is up and ready for your interpretation.  We'd all love to see what you make of it so plase play along with us this month.

The December inspiration will come to you from canvas and body artist, Emma Hack, and is hosted by our creative team member Sarah.

Added Criteria - large, bold patterned paper or paint

A little about Emma Hack

Adelaide-based artist, Emma Hack, has been exhibiting extensively throughout Australia since 1999. Through a combination of painting on canvas, body painting and studio-based photography, Emma's works evoke a rich array of visual narrative and magical realism.

Emma's recent collaboration on Gotye's 'Somebody That I Used To Know' has seen her profile skyrocket with the single in UK, Europe and US charts and over 100 million hits on YouTube.

http://www.emmahackartist.com/artist.php

There are some delightful layouts from the creative team - please stop by and check them out.  Here is my page, bright and bold as requested :)

Cosy does equate to small ....

Over on Arch-scraps this month Julene is calling for layouts with fences or gates shown somewhere and I'm happy to oblige.  I hope she will excuse my digital page this time around but I am extremely time poor at the moment and digi equals fast for me.

ARTastic November ...

Our November inspiration on ARTastic comes to you by the very talented fabric artist Kay D. Haerland with her gorgeous art quilt Under the Canopy. (yes people, this is a quilt!!).

Additional criteria - fabric and stitching

 

She's a local to me and will be having a solo exhibition in December.  If you would like to see some of Kay's quilts up close and personal her work will be on show at the Gosford Regional Art Gallery from December 1st until January 9th.

Gosford Regional Art Gallery
36 Webb St,
East Gosford, NSW 2250 (1½ hrs North of Sydney)

For further information please see Kay's website.

The ARTastic Creative Team have done some wonderful work so please stop by and check it out.  We'd love to see some of your work submitted as well.  Fabric can be as easy as using ribbon and sewing on a button can count as stiching so please give it a go.

I used a fabric heart and then did running stitch around it plus through the lace - sewed on a few buttons and hey presto!!