It's Wednesday (again)...

...the week has been a bit of a blur, and the next probably won't be too much clearer - publication deadlines for T&A are looming yet again!

Ever wish you had a filing system that looked like this for your current 'to-do' lists ?!




So... this Wednesday's {3} Wise Words come from my special guest at Live, Scrap, Play! and an awesomely talented friend Stephanie.

You need to check out her new "My Family Doodle".

Stephanie will design for you, a 5x7" (13x18cm) doodle with your family's names on it.

Now local SA girls... this is where you get lucky! Because Stephanie is coming to South Africa, THIS is your opportunity to place an order and have it personally hand delivered by the designer!! (if you're coming to a Live, Scrap, Play! event that is).

Today, the simply complicated gal even has a teeny, tiny, little sneak peek on her blog. Something she's working on for the projects she'll be teaching in Johannesburg at various scrapbook stores from 11-18 October.

Other exciting news - one of my favourite companies - Scenic Route Paper Co is sponsoring product for Live, Scrap, Play! Check out their fabulous new paper ranges just launched at CHA.

There are so many ways for scrapbookers / wholesalers / retailers to get involved in this year's charity event. Leave a comment here, or email for more info. I will keep updating details of classes, sponsors and projects right here!

P.S. Live, Scrap, Play! is supporting Scrapbooking for Hope this year - with funds going to Reach for Recovery.

{L}

Remembering...

Photo: 10 Oct 2007

Not exactly weekly 'wise words', just my thoughts as they are today....

(Miss you little boy...)

{L}

What colour is your Monday?

yes, those are my feet! And no, I am not wearing odd socks - just a little mismatched that's all!

I love wearing these (from the fabulous company Little Miss Matched) it's a little hidden secret. Nobody has ever said anything to me, I doubt they'd know what to say!

Love the colour combo - it sure beats that proverbial "blue Monday". Check this out for more missmatched color wheel inspiration.

The My Freedom prompts are about creativity this week. Who wouldn't feel just a little creative wearing these?

On my desk today is an amazing machine - the RX690 which the awesome people at Epson have lent to me to play with. It can do some amazing stuff with photos and I have been fiddling around with some possibilities.... an article for Time & About, a class for Live, Scrap, Play! and a step-by-step right here. Just need to fine tune my experiments a bit first.

So thanks to Epson and Eprofile who are awesome sponsors for my event again this year, such a fabulous company to work with. And these great scrapbooking stores who have already confirmed that they will be hosting classes: Scrapbook Emporium, Fourways; Scrapachinos, Boskruin; The Scrapping Studio, Boksburg. I'll keep updating with additional info.

I also got to chat with Stephanie today about the projects and products she'll be using. She is really excited about coming to teach and her first visit to South Africa.

Live life in full colour!

{L}

P.S. I have no idea why blogger is messing up my spacing. Not good for a straight-lined, graphic, editorially affected person like me!!

Wise words....

Photo: Sabie River, Jan 2008

Good old big mouth - remember that Chomp chocolate TV advert from waaay back?!

So on that playful note... there are lots of behind the scenes preparations for this year's exciting scrapbook events - there will be Live, Scrap, Play! with Lara (you can read more about on the Polka Dot Chicks blog or here), and we're pulling in my Scrapbooking for Hope to raise funds for breast cancer awareness.

So local girls, get your stores excited about hosting an event (12-18 October) with the talented Stephanie Ackerman. You can check out some of her creativity here and here and here.

We're so excited to be hosting this creative 'simply complicated' gal!
{L}

Circle of life...

A week of introspection... influenced by, amongst other things, exploring inspiration and aspirations as prompts in the My Freedom class.

These two photos are pinned on the wall to my left along with wall art that reads "Life!".

Yes, this is my life...

I see these photos everyday. Perhaps I consider this an idea of the 'older' me looking at the younger me. How much has happened in between those two instances- that's 30 something years - the thing called life!

How many times have you wished to turn back the clock?
How often do you wonder what could have been?
Given the chance, what would you change?

With these thoughts, here's a page layout idea: create a timeline of your life with an old photo and a current photo of yourself. You'll be amazed at how many memories will begin to surface. Perhaps leading to ideas for other layouts you'd like to create.

Have a great weekend
{L}

Words of wisdom

Photo: Grand Canyon sunset

Pondering on these wise words this morning. Amazing what "nice" words can do {wink}

The photos, and I have hundreds, don't do fair justice to the absolute magnificence of this place. The beauty of God's creation literally took my breath away at each look out point of the Grand Canyon. Many moments of personal inspiration.

One of my favourite columns in Time & About is "Inspiration Station". Readers are given an everyday object and asked to create a layout inspired by said object, selecting design, colour scheme or a single element. It's so interesting to see how differently people interpret their inspiration.

Where do you find inspiration, what inspires you?

On the creative front I've got a little behind on the prompts for "My Freedom" this week, hoping to catch up in the next couple of days. And a layout to create for tomorrow's class, fitting that in today amongst the echoes of the kind words!

Hoping to post pictures sometime soon.

{L}

Hot off the press

T&A issue #8

W.W.W.

Wednesday's Wise Words (pronounced WOW!)

Today was just the most amazing day spent with the talented ladies at The Heartfelt Project. Three of us travelled a long way in really horrid traffic, but the reception from the ladies who welcomed us like long lost friends was so worth it.

Martha and the heartfelt ladies were thrilled with the boxes of goodies we took them - pretty much speechless. It did my own little heart the world of good.

Our happy hearts carried us back home in some more traffic, but at least it was moving! Fi brought along the essentials: bottled water, snack bars, dried mango and some dry wors (real South African snack - can't explain, have to taste!).

The My Freedom prompt for today is "what's in your suitcase?". If I was on my own I would have at least had the bottle of water, don't travel anywhere without one, even 10 minutes down the road. So when you travel, whether it's down the road, down to the beach or overseas, what is your essential?

Loving these wise words too -

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart." ~ Helen Keller

{L}

On my desk Monday...

Time... the commodity that’s in hot demand.

I have wished for more hours in my day, but that really wouldn’t help as I would still have too much to do in my day. There was no choice but to embrace the 24 hours I do have. In doing so, I have recently had to do some serious decision making to fit it all in - the work, the play, the charity - and remain sane!

It’s all one thing - scrapbooking - but I have to compartmentalise to distinguish for myself which is which. So today it’s a decision to make a bit of time for me to play. I signed up for Shimelle’s My Freedom class, with the hope that I will actually have the time to do it!

In the spirit of finding or making more time....

Photo: one hot spot - Target, Mesa, Arizona

And physically on my desk (or just under it) is a nice pile of goodies ready to go to The Hearfelt Project.

Thank you to all who have already sent or delivered supplies for this awesome project that I mentioned here, I am planning a little trip to see the ladies at Heartfelt and will update with more details.

Please carry on sending... I would love to be able to have a continuous supply to give to the ladies!

News just in: Check out the Heartfelt News where we have received a little mention. It makes my heart happy too.

{L}

Beary wise words...

I love how this awesome scrapbooking industry brings good causes across our paths. And if there's some way that I can help... I just LOVE it!

Today's Wednesday Wise Words are in support of a "beary" special cause. A dear friend of mine, MrsC is collecting teddy bears for the Teddy Bear Clinic in Johannesburg. The Teddy Bear Clinic is an outpatient facility of the Johannesburg Hospital and the Department of Paediatrics and offers a variety of support services, counselling and care to sexually abused children. During each of the five visits, every child gets to choose a teddy bear to take home. You can read more about it here.



MrsC and Threadbear have challenged a group on the international forum - ToyVoyagers to assist in collecting teddy bears from all over the world. They are pretty close to the target, but I know with the help of blogworld we can help collect 1000 bears to give to the Teddy Bear Clinic.

Here are a some of the bears that have arrived at MrsC's doorstep from all over.



I paid a visit to Threadbear and "bear central" earlier this week, just in time to see one of many loads of bears come out of the wash and get fluffed up to dry in the sun. Every teddy gets a coordinated ribbon tied around its neck after receiving any amount of TLC necessary - seams sewed, eyes fixed, noses re-shaped etc.

Threadbear was recently nominated as the Toy Voyager of the Week.


So... if you have teddy bears - new, previously loved or even knitted - please show your support to Threadbear and his mentor MrsC as they bless the children who visit the Teddy Bear Clinic. You might even get your schools involved with a knitting drive, teach them to knit - something for kids to do during school holidays, any size big or small! It's easy to pop them into a padded envelope and mail them, or if you're in the Jhb area you might like to deliver.

Mail to:
P O Box 785
Douglasdale
2165
South Africa

And for you crafty people out there here are a few links to patterns:
Make a teddy
Bev's Country Cottage knitted bear
Bev's Country Cottage crocheted bear
Care wear patterns
Tripod little teddy


Thank you beary much!
{L}

Words of wisdom

On my desk Monday...

Ribbon jars... these are mostly for looking at, for throwing the offcuts into and also for digging into when I'm prettying up a small gift or a tag or something little. Just the bits and pieces. I'm playing, finishing off three mini books and so have some ribbons which need a home. The rest of my "collection" is also colour coordinated either in large plastic containers, on two long rods or on cards. Oh yes and my whole new supply of Bazzill's new ribbons, is right here next to me. Can't get enough ribbon - really.

Hope it's been a great Youth Day here in SA.
{L}

Weekend thoughts...

...it's the weekend and a long weekend here in SA with Monday, 16th being Youth Day.

Here is something really exciting for you to think about over the weekend...



Creative Journey - one of the Scrapbooking for Hope 2008 events - with special guest Stephanie Ackerman.

Download additional information, itinerary and booking forms here or email.

Scrapbooking and sightseeing all for a good cause.

Enjoy the weekend
{L}

Wise words...

Always leave
enough room in
your life to do
something that
makes you happy,
satisfied, or even
joyous.
~ Paul Hawken

On my desk Monday...

... yes today is technically Tuesday, but this was on my desk on Monday...

... an email from The Heartfelt Project. You can check out my previous post for more info.

If you're wondering what you can collect for them, here is a list of products the heartfelt ladies primarily use:
- felt (lots of it!)
- thread (all colours)
- needles
- buttons
- ribbon
- beads (all types)
- stuffing
- the ladies are continuously working on new designs so any other fabric / crafty type things you can think of will be most welcome.

Here are some of their gorgeous products






Thank you for warming my heart!
{L}

Heartfelt

...I really don't like goodbyes (at all). Had to say goodbye to a very special scrapbooking friend today, leaving for overseas. She has an album full of memories, we have some more photos from the day and every time we all get together to scrapbook, she will be in our thoughts. Miss you already E.

It's at times like these, when we're feeling sorry for ourselves that we should look "out there" and see what we an do - eyes off self (yes, easier said than done sometimes).

Check out The Heartfelt Project This is the place for a handful of African women who go to work full each day full of pride and hope. Creating heartfelt designs out of love and strongly believing that they can make a difference - not only to their own lives but to the lives of the community in which they live.

Each heart sold by the heartfelt project helps to feed and clothe the ladies and their families. It also gives back to the community by donating a small portion to a local charity to help fight TB, HIV/AIDS and look after children and old aged men and woman within their community. Its aim is to heal the hearts of people who don't have the opportunities we have on a daily basis. And to fill not only the ladies hearts but many others with hope.



You can buy their heartfelt products online. But... I'm sure some of you crafters out there have some felt, ribbbon, beading, embroidery floss etc that you have lying around waiting for a special project.

I'd like to set a challenge out there - to collect as much as we can. It's all really light stuff so you can pop it into a large envelope and mail it to me. Once I have a nice big bag of goodies, I will send it onto The Heartfelt Project.

So come on generous scrapbookers, crafters, knitters, sewers - let's see what we can do.

Mail to:
P O Box 785
Douglasdale
2165
South Africa

Looking forward to sharing this heartfelt love.
{L}

Starting to breathe...

....wow! What a weekend.
I know we're already half way through the week already, but it's taken me a while to catch my breath. Teaching 3 double-page layouts in 4 3-hour classes back-to-back over 2 days, losing a little sleep and then an early morning departure for a plane that was delayed could do that!

Thank you to all the fabulous delegates at South Africa's Top Crop event for making the weekend so enjoyable.
I got to meet local girl Venessa Matthews the creative, witty, mom of three cuties. And spend time with Candice Greenway the living far-away, super sweet, talented, mom to numerous furry babies.

Need to unpack my little camera and see if it captured some of the fun. There was some posing going on, so please send me your photos from the weekend.

Here's to catching up.
{L}

Wise words....

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Last bit of preparation underway for this.
{L}

Sneak Peek....

... Friday morning early I fly to Durban for the SA Top Crop weekend where I will be teaching 4 classes.

Here's a little sneak peek of the gorgeous Scenic Route papers I will be using in my classes. We are doing 3 double page layouts in each '{L}ife is in the details' session:
"Rules"
"Wonder"
"Happy Hour"



Looking forward to meeting the Durban scrapbookers, as well as those travelling there!

Take care
{L}

It's true...

... I am doing Scrapbooking for Hope this year! During October - internationally recognised as breast cancer awareness month.

We have a very dear family friend who was recently diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. It just reminded me again how precious life is and that we, as women, need to be aware.

The details will be included in the next issue of Time & About which will be on sale shortly.

My international blog readers... if you've been looking for an excuse to come to South Africa... this is going to be awesome. Updated info will be available for this awesome charity scrapbooking event here and here!

Have a great week.
{L}