Don't even ask...

...that question! The time question! As in "where has the time gone?"!

Another week arrived and is already halfway done. And it's the 25th of November {gasP}. Just one more month to Christmas.  My list of to-do's is still very fresh, as in nothing has been ticked off. I have those gifts to do, those cards I so proudly spoke of, my December Daily album to take care of too!  Hmmm... seriously...where has the time gone?

I can leave you with some wise words on this crazy, busy Wednesday as I get to that list!

I'll be back with some inspiration.

A brand new week

It's Monday again, too soon these Monday's roll around. I've just done a quick count and there are a mere 6 more Mondays left this year. If you placed all those Mondays side-by-side, there would be less than one week of Mondays - scary, I know! Moral of the story... make the most of your Monday!

So this Monday I have a clean desk (finally). I do have a few exciting things on it, some designing, some creating, some just for fun - oh and the odd bit that still shouldn't be on it, but I have no idea where to store it for now.

This Monday also starts some SERIOUS planning for Christmas. I have gifts to make, some to send off in the post across land and sea. Oh, and Christmas cards. I have a "Christmas Card List" this year - so official of me - I have my usuals but then quite a few more who have touched my life since the arrival of our little soul and need to be added.

First on my to-do list is designing for this fabulous Home Studio Kit. I'm loving the vintagey colour scheme which will be just perfect for Christmas photos of all types. The kits go on sale the first week in December so don't delay, contact The Scrapping Studio to reserve yours. This is the perfect way to fast track your Christmas scrapbooking - make the page and then add photos - perfect.

Included in the kit is a sheet of these Creative Souls Christmas doodles.

If you saw them launch then you'll know they were a 'once-off'. But, by special request, these gorgeous Christmas doodle rub-ons are available... HOWEVER... they are ONLY available in the above Home Kit and then when they're gone, they really are gone (for good).

I have loved using them again on my layout - they rub-on really well, don't crack or tear and there's so much more you can do with them (see back of pack for more info).

And then, because it's Christmas, there's a little *sprinkle of goodness* from me - with a little love of course.

My creating this week will be finishing up one of these. It's been so much fun to create pages and add photos - calendar done, and gift done! Check out some fun downloadables here  or this one for something different or take a look at these options.

You'll need to print the calendar page, but other than that you're sure to have a stack of goodies in your stash you could use to decorate the pages. How about using some of those completed pages from various events that haven't found a home in an album yet.

Once I get through my list of must do's, I might just create a couple more of them...

Happy week to you.

{L}

1 +1 = 2

My love of reading, using and creating with quotes is followed a close second by my enjoyment of words themselves and their meanings!

I'm a great fan of this fabulous online dictionary and thesaurus and as the editor of Time & About magazine (another scrapbook mag no longer around) I spent many hours word hunting.

And today, just for fun, and because it's weekend inspiration time, I want to share 2 very special words with you straight from the dictionary...


cre·a·tive (krē-ā'tĭv) [kree-ey-tiv] –adj.

1. Having the ability or power to create
2. Productive; creating
3. Characterized by originality and expressiveness; imaginative

Related Forms:
cre⋅a⋅tive⋅ly, (adverb); cre'a·tiv'i·ty; cre⋅a⋅tive⋅ness, noun

soul  [sohl] –noun

1. the principle of life, feeling, thought, and action in humans,
2. the emotional part of human nature; the seat of the feelings or sentiments
3. a human being; person
4. high-mindedness; noble warmth of feeling, spirit or courage, etc.
5. the inspirer or moving spirit of some action, movement, etc
6. deeply felt emotion, as conveyed or expressed by a performer or artist.

Synonyms:
spirit. heart. essence, core


Put those 2 words together and what do you get...?



Yes, and about time there was a reawakening too! Check out our Creative Souls blog with some new updates, and a quest to continue to inspire all you creative souls out there.

This really is a busy time of year for all of us and it takes on a whole new dimension for me with the addition of my little soul. But it's also the time of year when we need to exercise our creativity - with our resources, with our time, with gifts, with celebrations.

We hope you'll join us as we create and inspire. Come share shortcuts and hot tips for creating during this time.

Fill me in - what inspires you, who inspires you?

One of my greatest sources of inspiration in this industry is this incredible woman who I am privileged to call a friend. I love her pursuit of happiness, the way she embraces colour, and her continual inspiration that spreads throughout the scrapbooking community.

She is a creative soul who has *sprinkled* my life with much joy.

Be inspired this weekend and know that you too, are a creative soul.

{L}

It's Wednesday (again) so...

somewhere....

...in my mess is my desk, in fact under my mess there might even be carpet. My inspiration is ALL around me, because all my STUFF is e v e r y w h e r e!!!!

Somewhere I will find THE storage solution. What a mission as I still try to contain the stuff I have accumulated, clear it, repack it. I change my mind about storage solutions all the time and it causes mayhem when I think I have found a better one. Interested to see how her new storage ideas work out. Some more cute ideas here.

And somewhere... I am going to use this stuff.

Love, love it!!

You can find it here. Check out the cutest Christmas ideas. They have sweet dispensers too. And there's a "translate" button if you don't understand Japanese :)

Enjoying a little technology break this week as I pursue my tidying, storage goals.

{L}

Happy, wise words...

... for a happy Wednesday, which I thought was Tuesday (may have had something to do with the fact that I posted a Monday message yesterday!).

(yes, photo taken by me)

On my desk Monday...

...a big m.e.s.s

Trying... to finish up my "nesting" process which had been rather suddenly interrupted... also a LOT of Spring cleaning which didn't happen and, well, we're pretty much into Summer here...

Not a whole heap of creative stuff happening here until I can have a CLEAN desk - it's my punishment - or should I say goal - can't play until the room is tidy.

Meanwhile I have been downloading some new photos from the weekend. 103 new photos in 3 days. Not all of them good (some not at all), but I'm trying and plan on playing some more until I feel I can almost get it right more often than not (plus I have the cutest subject on which to practice). I might even share one day, but in the meantime go and check here - photo not taken by me :)

I think I feel some encouragement coming on too... found this and this and this today. All so inspiring.

Got to clean some more!
{L}

...this post has been interrupted by an incoming storm...

:)
Be back later...

Inspired by...

While unpacking these the "product description" caught my eye:

you should always take time to smell the flowers...

and touch them...and maybe pick them -

Did you know that packaging can inspire too? Not just colour combos or the fact that the actual packaging can be re-purposed? How about a page title idea or even a spot of journaling?

If you're scrapbooking this weekend, hope this inspires you to add a cute note to your flowery layout... or read a few packages and see what sparks your inspiration!

Happy weekend!
{L}

Oh... and P.S. thank you for all the birthday wishes yesterday - I love being so electronically connected - phone calls, emails, sms's, blog comments, face book chats, Skye notes... and of course the good old fashioned card in the post!

It has been....

...busy!!!

Can't believe 20 days can go by so quickly. I'm busy with some updates from all the celebrations. Just one more festivity (tomorrow) and then that's October for me.

Time for me to put together some new ideas again to cure the itchy fingers I get while seeing others play with paper! I'm going to be putting out some of my older class layouts and mini books and projects again too. So if you're interested in these kits, let me know, there are only a limited amount available.

I need to get back to my scheduled blogging too... yes, I'll find normality again (I think/hope).

So...in age old tradition...here's Wednesday's Wise Words

A sprinkle of happiness

It's October, another new month! And I have loads to celebrate.



This month...
I get to welcome my friend all the way from Arizona,
I get to host a Polka Dot Party with 110 scrapbookers,
I get to remember a one year friendship anniversary,
I get to celebrate my birthday,
and this great month started off with a sprinkling of goodness from the wonderful Stacy Julian. Check out her stunning new website and take a little peek here too.

Here's to a wonderfully busy month...
{L}

Much excitement...

It's selling out fast!

Dream & Inspire

Inspiration as always here.

P.S. Love those little CreativeSouls heart wings!

It's a Party!

Hmmm...

...it's been a while!

I'll be back.
And there's other exciting stuff too.

Wise Words....

The wonderful thing about the game of life

is that winning and losing are only temporary...

unless you quit.
—DR. FRED MILLS

Could you?

All good stuff!

This is an excerpt from an email that arrived in my inbox today - made me smile - it's good stuff (and so true)!

It can be fun to see the hoopla, yet in a more profound way, we are missing the point of scrapbooking. Scrapbooking is first and foremost about the photo and the story behind it. It’s a moment in time which we are trying to capture and preserve so that we can remember the lives of those around us. ~ Dennis A. Conforto, A-Z Media Group, Inc.

And more good stuff... Jeanne sent me some photos of The Scrapping Studio's Mega Crop to share (thanks Jeanne)

Gift bags decorating the stage. Anyone recognise that handwriting?!

And happy scrapbookers at Table C: Kym, Natalie, Marian, Louise, Marie, Jeanne, Mary-Ann and Charlotte

And at last, halfway through a full 5-day week!!

{L}

Smiley, happy people...

Happy people are more creative

Happy people fix problems and come up with solutions

Happy people have more energy

Happy people are more optimistic

Happy people are more motivated

Happy people get sick less often

Happy people learn faster

Happy people make better decisions

Happy people worry less about making mistakes and consequently make fewer mistakes.

Why worry... Be happy!

I know scrapbookers worldwide are happy today as it's celebrated as {inter}national scrapbooking day; South Africans are happy with another long weekend; I'm really happy after spending the day yesterday with 100 scrapbookers at The Scrapping Studio's

Now the little :( for me is that I started taking some great photos first thing in the morning, only to discover that my memory card wasn't in the camera!! I had been downloading photos for my presentation and neglected to put it back in the camera. In my mission to travel "light" with all the other bits and pieces I took with, I didn't take my camera bag with the spare memory card either!

So hopefully I will get photos from the day and will be able to post some of them. It was a fabulous day - 5 double page layouts taught by 5 different teachers, tea with the yummiest cake and koeksisters and a lovely lunch. Fantastic lucky draws and prizes and some happy, happy scrapbookers!

Looking forward to the next one ;)

{L}