WOYWW 233 - Winding down...

Hello again!

I'm afraid I've been rather absent from the desk party lately...

You may know I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sheer size of the party, and you gave me some very thoughtful and helpful comments, so thank you for that!!

I've also been busy on this course with Susannah Conway

I've been doing a lot of thinking about why I blog, and what kind of blog I want to create...

This is why yesterday I created a brand new blog, where I plan to pull together my favourite bits of writing and photography from my past few years in Blogland. I created my first blog in September 2006!

I've only just started 'another deep day', and there's A LOT to be done, but it is up and ready to receive visitors :)

All this means I'm thinking of winding down this blog...

I will keep posting each week up to the end of the year, but my main focus will be the new blog...
I don't know where it will go, and in what form, but I do know a new start is called for.

I hope you will drop by my new blog home from time to time. It's been such fun meeting you all over at Ms Julia's, and I know I'll stop by occasionally, to say hello and catch up a bit :)

In the meantime, I wish you all a really wonderful WOYWW, and a fun-filled crafty week xxx

Focus of Life - Week 46

This week's prompt was so much easier than last week!

This time of year, as the days get shorter and colder, is the perfect time to Reflect...

This Sunday is both the Full Moon and the local Celtic Service. It's always my favourite - the ancient church full of candles, songs and readings preparing for Advent.

It's always a time for reflecting on the past year, and the family festivities to come...

I've added the words of my daily mantra to this photo - I burn a lot of candles at this time of year :) I can't remember where I first read/heard them, but they centre me each day, and they reflect my daily endeavours to still my racing mind and just BE.

Focus on Life - Week 45

Wow, week 45! Oh my...

This week's prompt caused some consternation: Industrial Photography - gulp!

Grantham is a small market town, with almost no industry - especially where we live, so what to do??

Thankfully, on my way into town, I pass a small food factory, hidden behind trees and shrubs...

.

... and using all the zoom my wee camera can manage, I took this close up of the top of the factory.

I love the contrast between the smooth curves of the pipes and the straight lines of the railings and the corrugated factory sides.

Plus, the sun was shining, even though it was bitterly cold!

How I suffer for my art ;)

PS Thank you for visiting last week! I'm so sorry I didn't return the compliment :( I've started a course of hydrotherapy, and it just wipes me out for days on end! Then, a poorly boy, a husband away, Dad visiting to help out... took away any spare energy and computer time. I will try and visit this week, but I can't promise - sorry!

 

 



Focus on Life - Week 44

Ummm... The prompt this week was Saints, Souls, Sugar Skulls or Scares.

Now, Halloween isn't a big deal in our house - not since the kids have grown, anyway.

But we do always have one on these on the doorstep, so the Trick and Treaters know they'll be welcome :)

But to me, this picture captures the spirit of November...

Last weekend we changed the clocks in the UK, so it gets dark earlier and earlier. The temperature is dropping, and certainly, I for one, get into hibernation mode...

Warmth and shelter are paramount, and knowing all are safely gathered in around the fire brings me peace...

WOYWW 230 - All the pretty things...

I missed last week - full of cold and missing our girl - she spent half-term in Italy on a school art trip! And on my desk, you can see my beautiful gifts...

There is a beautiful watercolour from a street artist in Florence...

... and he drew a quick sketch on the wrapper, so I'm keeping it too!

Then a beautiful Venetian brooch...

... and a stunning leather journal embossed with the Bridge of Sighs.

She had a really wonderful, if exhausting, time, and I shall treasure all these pretty things :)

Hoping to visit lots of desks over at Ms Julia's Stamping Ground this week to catch up!

With love xxx

PS We were very lucky to miss the worst of the storms battering the UK on Monday - our thoughts and prayers go to those who suffered damage, injury and sadly, some fatalities...

Focus on Life - Week 43

This week's prompt was a real challenge - In the Shadows.

Mainly because all week in the UK, it has been dull, grey, rainy... No real light source from which to find even one lonely shadow!!

I feared I'd have to resort to an old photo somewhere...

Then, thankfully, Thursday began relatively bright and breezy - phew!!

In one sudden burst of sun, I captured this...

... a patch of sunlight on the wall showing the window pane and a bush in shadow.

Personally, I hate these windows - especially on a modern, tacky, Mock-Tudor house - but we rent the house, so I'm stuck with them. I see them only as obscuring what little light there is at this time of year, but I admit, they do make cool shadows :)

The sun didn't stay long and by the afternoon, we were back to dull and grey and rainy *sigh*

Looking forward to seeing all your shadowy photos...

PS Daughter has returned from Italy - early hours of Friday morning, again! - full of stories, photos and souvenirs! She had a really great, if exhausting, time :)

Focus on Life - Week 42

Another great prompt for this week: All in a Day
So here's my Friday...

Started really early at 2am (hence the fuzzy pic) - had to set the alarm to get our daughter to her school for 3am to catch a bus to Heathrow. She's on a school art trip for 6 days - first to Florence, then Venice *sigh*

Then back to bed for a few hours... I still got up to see the dawn and have my breakfast at 7am - being diabetic, I need to eat at regular times as much as possible.

Molly had to get in an the act, enjoying some early morning sun, sitting on my desk, till I shooed her off as most of the day was taken up making my Full Moon journal spread...

I wore the necklace you saw on my altar last week, and the bottom first 3 photos show its construction from random images at 11am to the finished spread at 3pm (I took lots of breaks, as I can't sit upright that long!)

You can read a more about the spread here :)

The fruit features as regular snacks throughout my day, and the hot chocolate and wee muffin were my naughty treat before I went to bed - early!

One very full Friday :)

Looking forward to seeing all your busy 24-hour images...