WOYWW 332

Well hello desk dashers I'm here this happy Wednesday to share my desk with you.

Pop over to Julia's Stamping Ground to see what this is all about and join in!

So my desk - 

 Right side as usual -  home of lots of pens. That's my colouring journal (Smash Book) that I started when I first took a colouring class online with Kit and Clowder. I often practice my colouring and keep examples in there. I also write down colour combos I love too.

The window side is fairly tidy. My latest WIP book art and my open notebook where I'm planning my blog posts. The book with the magnifying glass on it is my Daily Q & A journal which gives me prompts and questions. I decided to start using them on here.

My daily Q & A journal asks -

What expression do you overuse?

Not sure it's a proper expression but Keagan and I decided I say, 

'Boo, come here!' 

It's Keagan's nickname and I'm usually asking him to look at something or shouting for help!

What about you? What do you say often?!

Take care Zo xx 

Positivity!

Good morning! 

So another Tuesday has arrived & many are already counting down to Christmas. I'm usually bouncing off the walls with excitement, but with Keagan being away this year, I'm not so bothered. Looking on the positive side of it I don't have to spend as much this year as Keagan won't have space for lots of presents!! 

My daily Q & A journal asks - 

You have no patience for ........?

Well I have to say it's negativity.

Those who know me say I'm one of the most positive people they know. It's how I am. Even before all my health issues I chose to look at life with a glass half full mentality. This has increased since my diagnosis for all my conditions.

I'm the same with football. I look for the positives even in the games that are utter rubbish!!

Crafting too, I focus on my improvements in technique and design rather than worrying I'm not good enough with what I do.

 Am sharing this card I made for my niece as an example of points of view. The positive is the card itself, love what I've done, but if I was a negative person I may say the photography was not so good and I may not focus on the creation itself.

So my challenge to you this week is to see the positives and put them first.  You have to learn to accept the not so good of course, but don't let it drive you. Look for the positives and make that your focus.

Take care Zo xx 

I am determined!

Today is weigh-in day. The day I check my progress with my Slimming World journey. I started back in Feb and have lost 9lbs. I did lose a stone, but that was through illness so it went back on once I started eating again!

It's not so easy for me; I can't do the exercise to go with the food plan. I would do better I know if I actually stuck to the plan all of the time. I do sneak the odd treats in. 

Why am I talking about this? Well my daily Q & A journal asks - 

One word for today.

My word has to be Determined. 

I am determined to lose some weight. I know it will benefit my body. Perhaps helping to ease some pain and improve the way I move. I joined online at http://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/ I knew I wouldn't be able to attend a group regularly cos of my conditions so online was perfect for me. You still get all the support and resources. You can join in on video chats, forums and there's the recipe menu that inspires.

Diet Cola chicken has to be one of my favourite recipes. I do tweak it taking out things I don't like and adding what I do. 

The plan is easy to follow. 

I try to fill out the planner daily on the website. It helps keep track of free foods, syns and healthy extras. It's amazing how much free foods there are. I actually end up eating more while I'm sticking to the plan than when I don't

The plan works. Even with little exercise.

But you do have to be disciplined and determined.

Take care Zo xx

 

A pin = simple sharing.

Today's Q & A daily journal asks -

What makes you feel wonderful?

Like most of us, receiving compliments from friends and family is always lovely, but for me the one thing that makes me feel wonderful is when you get those compliments from strangers.

Through crafting and colouring we crafters get to 'meet' each other online. Plus many other crafters will pop by our blogs, pin our creations for inspiration etc. This is wonderful.

Only the other day I saw a pin on Pinterest of my colouring combinations that I coloured years ago. I had put it in a Smash book for reference. My colouring has come a long way since then but I still see that pin being repinned often. That is a huge compliment.

This is the page that people keep pinning. This is the original in my smash book! I want to do a more up to date version. I will share that when I do.

Take care Zo xx

 

Saturday Share!

So I'm back for a Saturday Share - something I've made. Because I decided I needed to make the effort to share what I'm doing regularly. I've been teaching myself how to create book art as many of you know.

My plan is to make them as Christmas presents for friends and family.  Here are two of my latest makes for our friends - 

  So I've made this one for Sarah. Her favourite colour is green so I've decorated the cover with pretty green papers.

This one is for Imogen. Again I used pretty papers to decorate. The ribbons not only look pretty, but act as a tool to balance the book. The folded area can make the book tip forwards, but by tying it with a ribbon it rebalances the weight to stop this.

The other thing you have to remember is to check that the parts of writing that can be seen don't have anything inappropriate for the recipient ie swear words etc. It doesn't look good if there are any!

So I've checked my daily Q & A journal and it asks - 

Write down someone you had a good conversation with recently.

Well that is easy for me this week as my best friend Debs, who also has a blog

 http://debspenpot.blogspot.co.uk/

came to see me on Monday. So we had a really good chat and put the world to rights as per usual. Seeing Debs always boosts my mood. I am lucky to have friends who support me and help me whenever I need them.

You should pop over to Deb's blog - she has just had her story about her cat Ebony published!! Very exciting!  

Take care Zo xx

 

Learning to Drive!

So how many years ago was it that you learned to drive?

It's been 22 years for me. I passed my test just after my 18th birthday. It was my second attempt. I failed the first as I messed up my reverse parking (parallel parking). 

The lady who taught me has since passed, but our longstanding joke was that I couldn't reach the pedals properly. She had to put a Yellow pages book (remember them?) opened to the lawnmowers section in order to get the right depth underneath the mat. This obviously raised the floor so that I could reach the pedals properly!

Back then it was totally different to now. I didn't do the theory test. It didn't exist.

Keagan has just started to learn. Our friends own Belt up school of motoring so were able to give us good advice. Keagan had his first lesson with Jo on Wednesday. He's taking the automatic test. Mainly due to cost. You don't need as many lessons so our plan is that Keagan will do automatic, but when he's earning if he wants to go back and do the manuel test he can pay for it himself!

Back in 2012 Keagan went on Belt Up's young drivers experience. Here he is behind the wheel!

Before I go let me do my daily journal prompt. Today's is

You want a new.................?

How very apt. Of course, the obvious answer is a car for Keagan! 

I'm joining in with Annie's Friday smiles today!

Take care Zo xx  

Kick up the blogging backside!

So I've stopped posting again. I sat back last night and realised now I don't have that schedule of craft DT work to post I'm seriously slacking at remembering to not only write a post but to actually ... you know ...push that publish button!

So I decided to freshen up the look. Again! Changed colours. Faff about till I was happy. Then I dug out my notebook that I started to jot inspiration ideas etc in. I WILL use it to plan posts.  Another thing I did was to pull out my daily Q & A journal. Basically it has a question for every day and the idea is over the next 5 years I answer them. But I haven't so I thought I could do so on here. Though probably not every day, but at least a few times a week!!

Right let's find today......

What is your biggest dream?

Oh I had many. But since being a mum. Since Keagan started on his own path towards achieving his own dream. Right now. Today. It is that I want to see him achieve as much as he possibly can. 

Most of you will know Keagan's dream is to be a Jump Jockey (National Hunt). But there are small dreams a long the way. The main one being to gain a place at The British Racing school in Newmarket. The best racing college in the world. Many thousands of students apply, but the school only take around 200 a year so no mean feat. However, Keagan sailed through the fitness test, maths and English tests and handled himself well in the interview that he was offered a place and starts on Nov 2nd. Yep less than a month away now!

Over the next few years, Keagan will have many small steps to overcome but I'm right behind him. Supporting. Encouraging. Keeping his feet on the floor. All that stuff a mum needs to do!

I will blog about his journey, celebrate every little dream achieved and share it with you all.

 Here's an action of Keagan doing what he loves most. Jumping!

Take care Zo xx