365 #31

Tea anyone?

365 #30

Today I have ventured out into the garden to take another wonder around as signs of spring are very slowly starting to emerge. Instead I have settled on an autumnal view of my climbing hydrangea. It has new leaf buds forming but what caught my eye were the old petals from heads that I hadn't removed.

365 #29

Why is it that Christmas is only just about over when all the shops start to sell these little gems. Mini Eggs. Well, it would be rude not to wouldn't it...?

365 #28

If I had to choose a favourite fruit it would be plums...but to be even more fussy, ones marked ready to eat from M&S. I hate nothing more than buying plums because they look so tasty to find that are still rock hard. These are from my short shopping trip yesterday. Juicy and sweet. Perfect plums.

Circle Journal

This year I have decided that I would take the plunge and do a circle journal. My theme is "Something Foodie" and last night I sat and made the covers and pages for it. As its my first one I have no idea what to expect really, but I'm looking forward to the challenge from other peoples themes, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what people have done with mine.

First posting isn't until the beginning of March so I still have plenty of time to make my first LO to go in it. Just got to decide what to do as I have a thousand ideas running round my head, but one thing I know is I will need to do some baking first....

365 #27

Socks seem to be the one thing that Jamie doesn't suddenly sprout out of when your back is turned, but the time has finally come for new socks.

365 #26

Normal service resumes. As the lurgy clears up my sense of taste starts to return, so what better than something foodie to celebrate that fact. Eggs! Ready for baking with.

365 #23 - 25

As the lurgy still lives on I'm having to play catch up again on my 365 project. Today's photo's have all been taken this morning. Hopefully normal service will resume from tomorrow!

365 #23

This is a sofa that lived in the conservatory of our previous house. Not it lives in the family room as we don't have a conservatory since moving.

365 #24

A glass jug, once belonging to my Nan, it now sits on my kitchen windowsill.

365 #25

Rechargeable batteries, from our huge collection of them. We seem to eat batteries in this house. It must just be down to the sheer number of toys which use them.

365 #19 - 22

As some of you may know I have either been in bed or stuck on the sofa this week with the dreaded lurgy. Today I feel vaguely human again, so should be able to take up my camera again. Don't you just hate it when everything feels like its just too much effort.

So as not to fall completely behind with my 365 project here are a selection of photo's I've taken during the project but for one reason and another they weren't selected as "the" photo for the day in question.

365 #19

365 #20

365 #21

365 #22

365 #18

Ibuprofen tablets. Needed after I took a rather unpleasant tumble during my first ever ski lesson. I laughed though when I did it, mainly because my legs went everywhere and I couldn't get up. I pulled a muscle in my back trying to get my ski off! I'm going back though, it was great fun.

The photo below is evidence that I did indeed go - and for a while stayed upright. That's me just turning to go down the slope. To the right is a group of 7-10 year olds, obviously at near professional standard!

365 #17

Popcorn! What says cinema more than popcorn? Nothing in my book. This afternoon Chris and I went to see Defiance. A brilliant film that made my eyes leak a little around the edges at times.

Being pair of skinflints that we are, we normally take a bag of sweeties with us, but today I wanted popcorn so I could take a photo of it.

Other news from me today - Kikimama has given me an award for encouragement! How lovely is that? It was so nice to come home and find that out. So - could it be coming your way soon? Wait and see....

365 #16

Time for some peace and harmony with today's picture.

A number of years ago I went by myself to Kagyu Samye Ling, the first Tibetan Buddhist Centre in the West, to do a weekend long meditation course. It brought me a sense of peace that I had never had before. I have been a number of times to this extraordinary place of peace and tranquility.

My Buddha is a reminder of that sense of peace and everytime I look at him, I take a deep breath and allow a feeling of calm to flow through me.

365 #15

My sliced Ammonite. I suggest that you click on it to get an enlarged image so you get all the detail.

365 #14

Phew - all caught up again.

This morning when I was sorting out Rosie's breakfast, I noticed a dew drenched cobweb on the washing line. I flicked off my slippers and ran outside armed with my camera. I must have taken at least a dozen shots before settling on this one for my 365 photo of the day.

Why is it spiders webs are just so magical?

365 #13

During my lovely shopping trip into York on Saturday, I found myself in Laura Ashley buying a new table lamp for the living room. A lovely glass and brass one. This is the base taken when it was switched on. I didn't appreciate how lovely it was until I looked at this photo.

365 #12

Money makes the world go around - or not given the current climate. This is Chris' "penny pot" where he empties all his loose change in to each day. I then ferret through it for parking money when I need to. As you can see, its getting rather full and needs a sort out. We do this every so often, bag up the pennies and take them back to the bank.

I used to have a penny pot as well, until Jamie knocked it off the bedside table and it shattered. Now I just keep it all in my purse!

365 #11

Day 11 and still here! I'm impressed with myself.

Today's photo is of one of my cacti. A plant that seems to take untold neglect. I never know what they are called, so you'll have to forgive me for not sharing that detail with you, but this is our fluffy one...

I'm finding that I am being drawn to texture in my pictures, and I love the contrast of the fluffy and spikes on this one.

365 #10

Yesterday afternoon I took myself off shopping in York, with trusty camera packed in my handbag. York Minster would be an obvious choice to photograph, but there are so many small and beautiful churches around the centre. On my way back to the car I walk by All Saints on Pavement and, as it was just starting to go dark, it was lit up.

The Church is the Guild and Civic church of York. It is also the Regimental church of the Royal Dragoon Guards.

I'm sure York will feature in more that one of my 365 photo's during 2009.

365 #9

I've had a hectic couple of days and on Friday night we just couldn't be bothered to cook. This is all that was left of a scrumptious Chinese take away. Three prawn crackers.... well we had just eaten half a duck between us and a portion of sweet and sour chicken with rice.

365 #8 and a diffferent girl

365 #8, something else from my home, but what? Not its not a huge ball of string that I have cunningly lit, but a light shade with the light switched on which give it a lovely warm glow.

As you can see Rosie's chicken pox have really taken hold now. Her scalp is absolutely full of spots and she's starting to show signs that it's bothering her.

365 #7

Today has been a difficult day. Rosie is now covered in spots and that means I am completely housebound and she's been rather cranky this afternoon with it. I've struggled for inspiration as a result, so here is today's offering. This is the detail of the frame for my living room mirror. It's probably my favourite mirror in the house.

Until tomorrow, thanks for stopping by and thank you for all your lovely comments. Hopefully I'll feel a little more inspired tomorrow and have something more interesting for you to look at.

365 #6

I was planning to go out later today, but as Rosie has now got chicken pox I'm hunting for photo's to take at home. Having taken about 30 pictures this morning I have decided that I have two for today. Both have been taken on macro and are straight from the camera.

The first one, above, is of Rosie just before she went for a morning nap. I think this must be one of the best photo's I have ever taken of her. It's going to find it's way into a frame at some point.

The picture below, I suppose is my true 365 picture of some of the pens I use for scrapbooking.

365 #5

Here I am, sat at the PC catching up on UKS, when I looked out the window to see this sky view. Luckily the camera was sitting on the desk next to me so I managed to get a quick shot. The sun was shining so brightly and it gave a dramatic contrast to the dark cloud rolling in. Two minutes later and my view is just the dark cloud.

In the spirit of 365

In September '08 Chris & I took our first trip to New York and I thought I'd share a couple of photo's with you that I took whilst there that, to me, are in the spirit of 365.

This photo was taken whilst in dock on the Staten Island Ferry.

I'm going to guess New Yorkers like their radishes and carrots. We came across a market where all the fruit and veg was stacked up like this.

365 #4

It was a wee bit on the frosty side this morning when I got up and the frost patterns on the cars made me run for the camera. Whilst running I thought it might be best if I got dressed..before I got a little more frosty than I'd like.

365 #3

We moved to our house 6 weeks before Rosie was due to be born in 2007 and as the gardener of the family I haven't had much chance to get out and do anything since. I managed to get some things done last summer, but Rosie is one of those children that means everything goes in her mouth, so when it comes to gardening - you don't really get much done.

Yesterday I took a little look around to work out what I need to do this year and came across this flower, standing all on it's own, tucked away, but what a welcome splash of colour this time of year.

Project 365 #2

A apple a day keeps the Doctor away. Well, we certainly have lots of apples.

Dear Santa....

19th December - a letter to Santa.

I haven't written a letter to Santa for a very long time, like most of you I dare say, but I do have one letter that I wrote when I was about 6. I've always worried about losing it or it getting damaged, so for that reason I have used an envelope on my page and tucked that childhood letter inside it. Next year maybe I'll write to him myself.

Food!!!!

Just a simple list of the ingredients for our Christmas lunch.

Grateful & Thinking of You

Grateful

On the 16th December 2008 I am grateful for so many things in my life, but this page lists the first things that came in to my mind that morning.

The ability to laugh - a small that keeps me sane at times.

Online shopping - an all year round pleasure in my house.

Sausage Roll Saturdays - a weekly ritual where we walk into town to do a few little things but it must always include a visit to the bakers for fresh baked sausage rolls that the children eat on the way back home.

Being married to my best friend - don't think there is much more to add to that. Chris is my best friend. I'd be lost without him.

Having a creative hobby - I need that outlet.

Being able to stay at home with the kids.

The love in my Life.

and finally - Nigella Lawsons cook books!

Thinking of You.

Each year I keep a list of present ideas for Chris. I'm not a spontaneous buyer for the most part. Some of the ideas on my list are one's that he has given me, some are my own ideas. Has to be said that my own ideas are often things he will eventually come up with himself anyway. maybe it takes the surprise away, or maybe it means I don't often get it too wrong.

Visitors

I've been a little lapse with JYC over Christmas, so here is the first of many to catch up on!

We keep Christmas Day to ourselves. No visitors or visiting. We relish the idea that we can all spend Christmas morning in our pj's and unwrap our presents without fear of being interupted.

365 - A Photo A Day.

I was looking for a project to start. Something that would challenge me, and not mean that I have to spend a small fortune on scrap goodies (as much as I love stash shopping). Having read the Shimelles article in SI, and then being reminded about it on UKS, I've decided to take part in the 365 Photo Challenge.

I don't have a massively sophisticated camera, and have just had PSE7 for Christmas, so this is my chance to learn more about both of them.

Having given it some thought, for now I'm going to blog my photos (and yes - I've not been too successful at blogging JYC - I'm still creating the pages for that!) but I haven't decided how I want to store them. What I do know so far is that I don't want to give myself a theme for the project, just go with the flow and take photo's of the things that stir an emotion in me.

Having said all of that, here is my photo for 1st January. Jamie ran up to me insisting I take his photo and then the day ran away with me. The photo (even with a little PSE work) is slightly out of focus as Jamie wouldn't stand back. Very much a right here, right now photo, but I love it.