Learn Something New

I have been joining in with Learn Something New Every Day - and been lovin' it - both the scrapbook bit and the journalling. Have you been joining in?
This is my title page:

It is run by Shimelle and runs for September but you can join at any time.
It has been apt for me to join in during September as we have been back to school since 1st September. A lot to do and a lot to learn too.
I have done my book 6x6 and been doing a journal page like a diary entry with my lesson for the day and my photo scrapbook page faces opposite with my lesson as a phrase caption to go with it for the day.
Iam gradually getting there with the actual scrapping. It is taking me a while but I am keeping up with my journalling lessons each day - the scrap book pages will follow - eventually.
I am amazed at the lessons I am learning each day: the simple, the funny, the complex, lessons from the heart, the hard to learn, the ones I learn and re-learn and need to learn again, the surprise lessons.
I will share them with you as I scrap them andget good photos of my pages.

Comfort

I wonder what brings you comfort?
COMFORT is the prompt word over at Sunday Creative for this week.
Comfort: given meanings are- to give strength and hope- consolation- freedom from pain/trouble/anxiety - or something that gives such freedom...

Here is my list of some of my favourite things that bring me comfort,in no particular order- they all work for me!

1. Where would I be without Dairy Milk?

2. A nice soak in the bath.

3. Words of comfort.

4. My Cosy blanket.

5. My slippers.

6. Sausage and Mash, almost ANY cake, lasagne, fish and chips with lots of salt and vinegar, bacon sandwich, Sunday Roast.

7. A hug.

8. A comfy sofa or a cosy armchair.

9. A nice cuppa really helps bring happiness for me.

10. Flowers.


What do you have on your list?

Why not checkout some other photos of bringing comfort and creative thoughts on the subject at Sunday Creative?
Be inspired!

Feeling more human this week of 365

Yes,I am pleased to say that I am feeling more human again. The early nights of the last 2 weeks whilst transitioning back into routines of being back at work have paid off and I have even begun swimming again after work again this week.
Sunday 255/365 Still too nervous to cut the material for my quilt project

Monday 256/365 A chance to chill

Tuesday 257/365 A favourite book

Wednesday 258/365 Beautiful flowers.

Thursday 259/365 Party Rings to share

Friday 260/365 Ah, the weekend.

Saturday 261/365 Catching up with life.

First Week Back to School for 365

After the first few days of being back to work last week, the first full week back has still been a shock to the system!
Early starts, packed lunches, smart clothes needed each day and busy days have meant coming home to food in the slow cooker -yum- and lots of early nights and the familiar snooze button in the mornings.
Sunday 248/365 A little scrapping for Learn Something New Every Day.

Monday 249/365 Coming home food cooked and ready to eat is the best.

Tuesday 250/365 Another of my Learn something New Every Day pages

Wednesday 251/365 My sister is very kind to shop for me.

Thursday 252/365 Cheese and biscuits night with the girls.

Friday 253/365 Yummy meal with friends. It was very nice wine too!

Saturday 254/365 Time with friends and time to catch up is great.

Turn the Page Tuesday Great Summer Reads

The beauty of August is that I get a chance to read as I have the month off work. In between friends and family visits,that is!
I re-read GILEAD by Marilynne Robinson as I had frustratedly previously picked it up and put it down repeatedly. It was the 2005 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.It turned out to be a really beautiful story. A Dad, a church minister, the Reverend John Ames, writing to his son. I now want to get the second book - HOME - to read.
My second book, I picked up in a charity shop and quickly realised perhaps why its' previous owner had put it in the charity shop. I abandoned reading it and have it in a growing pile of items to take to the charity shop myself!

Book number 3,by Francine Rivers looks at the life of 5 women: Tamar,Ruth,Rahab,Bethsheba and Mary in the Bible. Beautifully written called UNVEILED. Sensitively and powerfully written and contains stories of hope and love and courageous women.

Know your strengths by Marcus Buckingham includes your own magic password for you to do an online test - it is not about your personality but rather your strengths - there are over 30 and it comes up with your top 5. The ethos of the book is about us as individuals harnessing and developing our strengths, rather than as often is the case to work on improving our weaknesses. The online test is run by Gallup. I did it a couple of years ago but it was interesting to see my results and read the book again.

My holiday find was pure delight.I walked into an amazing craft shop,stuffed full of quilting fabrics and funky knickknacks to browse over. It was the words LAYER CAKE that drew me in. Imagine! Me with my love of cake and discovering a connection between cake and quilting! I made a quilt when I was 17 - just the patchwork bit, so the quilting bit is my new challenge. Layer Cake, Jelly Roll and Quilt Charms by Pam and Nicky Lintott is both beautiful and inspiring.It seems as if quilting has become a little easier these days. The hexagonal quilt I hand made with paper pattern magazine cutouts is apparently a thing of the past. I have had fun looking through this and now am the proud owner of a now seemingly huge pile of fabrics to begin my winter project - a quilt.

I am loving reading The Ivy Chronicles by Karen Quinn - funny,lighthearted novel as a newly become single Mum re-builds her life in NYC and sets up her new business as a kindergarten admissions advisor. Similar to a Marian Keyes novel perhaps. A fun read and - a brilliant bargain charity shop find.
Turn the Page Tuesday is the place to check for more fabulous reads and people to meet.
What have you read lately?

Time Worn

When I read the prompt for this week's Sunday creative: TIMEWORN there could only be one thing for me to write about and photograph.
Meet Merrythought.

My much loved and worn with time teddy bear.
I have had him since I was 1 years old.
So he is 44.
He has been cuddled, sat on - I used to sit on him in church as the pews were hard when I was about 4 - his nose is slightly squished and off centre,now.
He used to have a growl but then he needed a big thump in his tummy for it to work and now it doesn't work at all. I can still feel it in there somewhere.
He sat in the garden for many a tea party and attended several teddy bear's picnics.
He has been into hospital with me and once came out of theatre wearing an eye patch and those dark green theatre knickers!
He used to sit on my bed,along with my other toys all lined up nice and tidy when I went to school.He would then be dragged down the stairs everyday when I was at school by my dog,Fred, when he was a puppy. He was a small poodle, who used to systematically collect from my bed each toy in turn from the bed and drag each one thump, thump, thump downstairs before running back upstairs to repeat the exercise with the next item until he had either completed his mission or my Mother caught and scolded him.
Before I went to college, my Mother insisted on re-stuffing him, on account of him looking rather thin. He know has red thread stitches to mark the occasion and still looks quite stuffed.
He was named Merrythought as he bore the label "merrythought", which has now worn out and disappeared.
He is still very loved and proudly sits on a little chair.
A little time worn or worn with time, perhaps.
I like to think of Time=Love.
If that be so,then Merrythought, my bear is very love worn.
For other timeworn stories,creations and photos checkout the Sunday Creative!
Enjoy!

Some Fun Rhino

Here are 5 rhino I discovered that I thought were rather fun!
The ladybug

The Racer - at the Racecourse - where else?

The Bulk.

If you like ice cream,then this Banana Rhino Split would appeal.

Splodge was definitely a cause of merriment for my family, who thought he was a great find at the zoo.

The Rhino King and a Few other delightful ones

The King of Rock he may be, but is this the King of Rhino?
He was number 1 on the list of 62 Rhino to find but he was not my favourite.

This one, Rodney, was my friend Rod's favourite Rhino. I wonder why?

Blossom was one of my favourite ones,she is so intricately designed and shows all 4 seasons. Clever and beautiful.

The Wallower really made me smile. Imagine, a rhino in a pink polka dot bikini!

Fleur is really beautiful. I really really like her. Maybe it is because she is pink?

She might well just be my favourite.

Week 6 of 365 and Back to School

Just where did the holidays go to?
The last week of the school holidays, the beginning of September and I am exhausted already!
It is such a shock to the system to say goodbye to the holidays and friends, catch up with laundry and sleep and re-start work and the start of a new academic year in a week.
Thank goodness for weekends!
Sunday 241/365 A beautiful day out in Wales, leaving the rain behind in England.

Monday 242/365 A newly discovered book, purchased and parcelled up to send to a friend.

Tuesday 243/365 curling up with a book,a quiet day ready for going back to work.

Wednesday 244/365 First day of September.Off to work with new diary in hand.

Thursday 245/365 Pure delight to catch up with the girls!

Friday 246/365 Ready for the weekend.

Saturday 247/365 Front page layout for Learn Something New Every Day 2010