day 59

"I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all." Laura Ingalls Wilder

What simple thing in your life made your day just perfect?

My best pal DD Dee is up for this spot today as she just runs up to me for a hug when I come in from a quick visit to a friend and that just lights me up inside. She can always make up feel like I've had a perfect day. (She can cause the opposite too!) Thanks Dee I love you.

day 58

"Look at what you've got and make the best of it. It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” Proverb

This is my big brother, he and I haven't really got along for a very long time. But in this last year or two it's been getting better. I was thrilled about the way he has chatted to me in the run up to Mum and Dad's party last week. Mum even broke down and cried she is so happy to see us getting along better. When he sent me a text to thank me after the party and said some really lovely things my heart sang, I felt so happy and relieved, I truely believe that we're friends again. He is in the RAF and is frequently in areas of the world we all wish he didn't have to go to. I worry about him so much as many of his colleagues will never come home.

I am so grateful I have him in my life, and I pray I will do so for an extremely long time to come.

day 57

"Joy enters the room. It settles on the windowsill, waiting to see whether it will be welcome here." Kim Chernin

I asked DD to help out today to get this shot. Joy is very welcome in my home and in my heart, but having had some very bad news about a friend today and another friends father dying this week, I feel I'm searching for the joy rather than it entering the room. I'm determined to find something positive each day though no matter how small, and move forwards with that thought.

day 56

"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you"
Dr Seuss

I can't bring myself to scrap a picture of my rubbish bags. So I've taken an extra picture of me (well nearer a dozen than one but you know how it is.) The result I have incorporated into the LO 8 pencil lines sketch provided, and I quite like the result. A nice opportunity to be honest with myself and take a look at where I am, so I can look hard at where I want to be!

day 55

"Adopt the peace of nature" Ralph Waldo Emerson
Photography prompt 2
“Simply look with perceptive eyes at the world about you, and trust to your own reactions and convictions. Ask yourself: "Does this subject move me to feel, think and dream? Can I visualize a print - my own personal statement of what I feel and want to convey - from the subject before me?” Ansel Adams

I thought long and hard about this prompt and took a number of pictures until I got this one that was whilst we were travelling around Oxfordshire caching today, at Gostow Abbey. The remains were so peaceful considering the noise and bustle that is so very close by. It made me stop and think about times gone by that were considerably simpler. I would not wish to have lived back then but a glimpse of the peace and tranquility of an area like this does make me day dream at least.

day 54

"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.” Audrey Hepburn

This picture captures the joy my parents shared yesterday, whilst celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. They were surprised by us getting the family together for them but after being shocked they were thrilled. I'm really quite sure my 88 year old Mum didn't really believe she'd ever see both her sisters together again. The beauty that shone from those three octogenarians and my overwhelmed Dad, led to toasts that made us cry and the certain knowledge that they will always feel loved and cared for, means that they never need feel alone.

day 53

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful" William Morris.

Well this is surely the week for this, I have pigged out my craft room here is the result as evidence I'm no longer keeping anything that is not useful or beautiful. I used to run craft and scrapbooking clubs at school but since I've lowered my hours I had to stop. This meant all the items stored for the children to use and abuse are just not needed anymore. To be honest a lot of it is pure tat but I'm a bit of a hoarder and therefore always keep hold of it in case it could be useful. I'd rather get my knees under my desk though so it had to go.

day 52

"Fashions fade, style is eternal" Yves Saint Laurent.

I don't know about fashion, or don't even know too much about style but I know what I like, and I always feel better for having my hair cut. This was so lucky, that it's half term this week and therefore time for hair appointments for Dee and I today! Here's today's result and I'm chuffed with it, bet it won't look like this tomorrow though.

day 51

"Be the change that you want to see in the world" Mohandas Ghandi
A great reminder of why we are doing this.

One of my goals was to lose weight this year, well tonight I collected my certificate from last week losing my first half stone. Followed my this week having lost another 3 pounds so how chuffed am I. Here is my certificate that's now centre place on my fridge as motivation to keep going!

day 50

"For happiness is anyone and anything at all that's loved by you.” Charlie Brown; Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz

Find what makes us happy today, well the LO I've just completed using one of the earlier photos from this project has certainly made me happy today. I'm really quite pleased with it. Added on is the picture of my LO 6 aswell, using the valentines picture with a couple more to complete the story.

day 49

"The Sound of Music" We all listen to music everyday. Whether it be on the radio, IPod, CD Player, the TV or sounds of birds singing, children laughing. Find the music in your day.

I took this while having a coffee break during shopping today, if Dee isn't wired for sound there's something wrong. The instant you get in the car the IPod is plugged into the tape player for us to share our fav's and then the rest of the day she has her ear plugged up. Her concession to politeness is that she only puts one ear piece in so that she can still talk to me aswell.

day 48

"Edward Scissor Hands" I am guessing we all have scissors in our hands at one point in the day, whether you are a crafter, a seamstress, a hairdresser! Edward was an artist, so are you.

I actually finished this mini album for my Mum and Dad's Golden Wedding next friday, the other day, but I couldn't resist using it for this. I do tend to fiddle with in my craft room most days, but having bought an extra paper rack yesterday, I needed to spend yesterday and todays spare time reorganising to fit it in and also to fill it!

day 47

"Chocolate" Think of chocolate, baking, love. Which one will inspire you today?

I have been really strict in my weight loss for the last four weeks, so strict that the box of chocolates you can see, is still full! I was given these as a thankyou from a child at school 4 whole weeks ago andI haven't touched them. I'm so pleased with myself. I can happily ignore them and will put them in the staff room soon and feel even better when the swarm of locusts desend.

day 46

"It's a wonderful life"

This picture encapsulates what this film title means for me, I can just feel the fun we were having and that surely is a wonderful life.

day 45

"Love story"

My DH is the real love of my life, I've known him for 25 years and we've been married for 15. He is my rock and my best friend. This mini heart album was part of his valentines gift just to remind him how much I love him as we don't always remember to say.

day 44

"Hairspray"

Today's prompt needed some big hair, Shirley helped me out with a reminder of a picture of me dressed in fancy dress as bananarama with backcombed hair! I unfortunately can't locate it so I remembered this chap who has big hair and could do with some hairspary!

Sorry about the photo quality it's an outdated camera phone and from the safety of the car!!!

day 43

Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Today we are to see what this film title inspires in us. Well I'm afraid it just sent me immeadiately to my bedside cupboard for my favorite box and bag. A few years ago on Christmas Eve we were in Harrods (a particular place we like to spend that day if not in Bruge, as this year) and my husband announced that he hadn't had time to buy my present so what would I like? Well I'd always wanted a Tiffany's bag, to be honest I wanted that far more than the contents! He helped me choose this very special modern cross which I adore. But I'll never be able to part with the packaging that satisfied my peculiar need.

day 42

"Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some, and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some." Robert Fulghum

I'm lucky again another LO that plays right into my hands. I needed to scrap my sis-in-laws Barn dance and now it's done thanks to Anna.

The prompt asked also for why these pics mean something special. My journalling on the LO is about how following a major family row on Boxing Day this year it is a relief that we were invited to, and attended this event! That all is obviously healed, and we could enjoy a really fun and carefree evening was a bonus we were not expecting but are very thankful for. It's probably one of my most open LO's ever as this is the sort of thing we'd keep to ourselves normally. But open communication is the new by-word in our family and we're sticking to it, to save ever having to live through that awful situation again.

day 41

"Beauty does not exist to be ignored, rather it is a reflection of the soul that invites our participation" Linda Saccoccio.

Well DH decided to get in on the act and helped out by taking this reflection of my DD and I in the car rear view mirror. Thanks Chris would have struggled with this one without you!

day 40

"We really need only five things on this earth. Some food, some sun, some work, some fun and someone." Beatrice Nolan

Ok I missed the sun as I was at work all day but I managed all the others at a barn dance for my sister in laws 40th birthday. The dancing was great fun, Heather my Sis in law is my someone and the girls (Dee and her bessie mate Anna) worked hard giving out the cake which followed the fish and chip supper. How good was I though I didn't eat either as I took a box of kedgeree with me for my tea and stuck to my diet. I also drove to allow hubby a drink or three so he actually jined in and danced half the dances much to all our amazments. That's a first in over fifteen years!

day 39

"Never frown, because you never know when someone is falling in love with your smile." Carol O'Leary

This smile makes me fall in love (again) with my beautiful daughter every single time I see it. It lights up my day and my life. Thanks Dee.

day 38

"We can do more than imagine, we can create." Dan Zadra

My latest creation is this mini book for my SIL's Fortieth birthday on saturday, just need to go and do Mum and Dad's for their 50th wedding anniversary the week after next now.

day 37

"The world is a mud-lucious and puddle wonderful." E.E.Cummings

It's not quite mud but certainly a giant puddle, our boat in the recent floods with no sign of the 40 foot bank between us and it!

day 36

"The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work." Oprah Winfrey.

Well I'm moving along on the goal list, Mum has her eye sorted and ears half way there, no move on Dad yet and I've lost some weight so all in all a really good start to the year.

day 35

"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with complete abandon or not at all." Harriet van Horne.

LO 5 using day 32's photo, oh what bliss playing with chillis, I couldn't be happier! Thanks Anna.

day 34

"You don't stop playing because you are old; you grow old because you stop playing." Unknown

Ollie doesn't realise he is getting old when it comes to a ball or stick, he pays for it later if he goes too mad, but playing is always the first thing on his mind!

day 33

"Let memories be beauty in your life, like song and roses in winter sun." Sascha

No winter sun to light my beautiful magnolia tree but memories of it's stunning appearance is enough to have me waiting for it's blossoming every year with baited breath. It only lasts a week but it truly is worth the patience.

day 32

"If I don't have blue, I use red instead" Pablo Picaso

There's an abundance of red in my life, chiefly due to my obsession over chillis! I love them my kitchen is covered in them including the cupboard handles.

day 31

"Me and my shadow" Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.

This is my faithful shadow, Ollie has a great sense of fun and is always under the feet. He does go to sleep quickly though when I go into my craft room!