Gathering my thoughts

Some days you just need to sit down and gather your thoughts, don't you.

I think, Christmas is pretty much on my mind most of the year really. I love it. No getting away from it, I'm obsessed. So today, you'll find me making some notes on things like, colour schemes, crafting projects, new recipes to try and cookies to bake.

You'll also find me thinking of new and unusual passwords, as sadly my PayPal account was hacked.

So all in all, its defiantly a sit down with a cup of tea, and make some plans and well, pretty planners, make it all that much more fun.

I do of course have more than one Christmas board over on Pinterest, but here's the main one, if you're interested.  I share some of the others with you another time.

Follow Sandra's board Christmas on Pinterest.

Do please let me know, if you have a Christmas board, as I'd love to pop over and have a look.

My Creative Challenge

I've actually been feeling much more creative recently. I think that has an awful lot to do with the bears settling down a bit more and finding a routine for them, but also I'm an autumn and winter girl at heart. So I always think this is when I feel comfortable in me, so that pushes me into my creative mode.

Anyhow, I set myself a little challenge at the start of the month ... nothing too big or anything, just to do something creative each day, and so far, so good.

I've made a Christmas card (or two), worked on my hexies, decorated my planner, done a fair bit of baking and even managed two layouts.  I'm better if I set myself a goal for sure.

Anyway, here are a few of the pretty creative things I've been doing these past few weeks

I will share in more detail in later posts, but the autumn picture was done using my Silhouette Cameo, and is all part of bringing autumn into our home.

I did a similar one for valentine last year, and am already planning my Christmas one.

Title Pages

And we're off ......

Off to a flying start that is.  I shared with you my plans in my last post, and while looking back at them realized that I set myself up for failure with having so many ideas on the go at once. So with that in mind, and the fact that I hadn't as yet chosen my own word of the year ... I've now picked it.

Yup, I need to simplify my life ... and by that I mean stop the worrying over silly things. I need to make our home and life work for me and Simon.  De-cluttering and organisation is a major task for me this year, and I think all that falls under my word. I really need to get back to basics.

So I followed Caroline's  idea and put my word in the front of my planner.

Actually, I'm really loving the planner and using it as a creative tool and brain dump, and to help with project life.

Talking of which, I have completed my title page for the 2015 album, and almost week 1 too.

Now, I said earlier that I picked my own word for 2015 ... well, Simon and I always pick a word together too. And really, there could only be one word. AWESOME!

Mainly it came from the Lego movie and the song, "everything is awesome", which we watched over Christmas and couldn't stop singing lol.  So yup, we're hoping this year will be an awesome one for us.

Surprisingly although I did more altering on this page, it came together pretty quickly - I changed a word on the bottom card, from "me" to "us" with painting over it and then using alpha stickers, and sewing shut one of the pockets with sequins in, so they don't fall out all the time.  But my favorite is the quote card that came in a previous Studio Calico kit and I always kept it out ready to use on a special layout or spread and I feel like it pretty much sums up how I feel.

"because when you stop and look around, this life is pretty amazing"

I'll be back with a later post on how I'm using my planner and also my week one of project life ... can you believe we're already in week 3! 

This Year I will .....

I've set myself some goals .... If I don't, I tend to faff and time just runs away from me. Now I'm not saying this is going to stop me faffing and personally, I think that if Faffing were a sport, I'd have won the gold medal for it.

Its a work in progress plan, and I'm also hoping that I'll be adding to it; but I thought if I at least share my goals with you, it may somehow keep me on track.

So right ... here we go, oh and I apologize now, its a wordy post;

Creative Plans 

DO SOMETHING CREATIVE EVERYDAY

Try and keep up to date on PL ; longest to be behind … 2 weeks

Scrap Italy and Birthday album

Silver Anniversary album

SCRAP MORE ; and scrap older photos ... don't beat yourself up with rushing or being up to date
LEARN TO CROCHET

Organize my desk for house/planner etc.

Quilt and hexis

SORT OUT A WORKING CRAFT ROOM, ONCE AND FOR ALL!!!

Make at least 4 cards ready for birthdays/anniversary a month

Get planner organized

Check out my classes on Big Picture

Sort out my Pinterest boards

Have a “crop” bag at the ready

Get some kits together to be able to scrap whenever

Get inspiration book organised 

Send photos to print from Photobox

Sort out a Project Life area

Sew more – complete dressmaking projects and also Sewing projects for our home

Do a quilt square a month

Those were my creative hopes for 2015; now onto what I'd like to get into the routine of sharing on my blog;

Blogging Plans

Project Life spread

Scrapbooking share - try and join in with a few more challenges

Little House updates

How I'm getting on with this being my year of de-cluttering and organisation

Sewing projects/Quilting ventures 

Now each month I'm hoping to do some decluttering and sorting out of our home. These will often go into the next month, and the one after that, no doubt. But again ... I hope to share my plan for that month with you all at the start of each month, as a way of also keeping me on track.

JANUARY – main list

Major clean after decorations down and put house straight
clear out kitchen cupboards; check dates etc.,
Start on the dining room makeover

o    New covers for chairs

o    Empty and sort through sideboard

o    Remove all books from cases and have a good clean and sort through

o    Paint Fireplace

o    Paint Sideboard

Organise "household desk"

Write up calendar

Write up and decorate Filofax

Sort out 2015 budget and files

Clear/delete and file emails from machines

Start sorting out photos

Download and clear off 2014 photos from phone

Get a blogger planner in place

Make up a decluttering and organization planner in place for this year

Puppy proof the house and garden

Right, I think I'll leave it there as yes, I've faffed with this post for too long lol. 

While writing this Mr Postman knocked on the door and handed me a parcel from Studio Calico ... and the gorgeousness inside has made me very happy ... So, that's another tick for one of my lists ... get my planner organised.

Thanks for reading through all this x