It's been an interesting few weeks in this corner of the world. It's funny how, often, just as you get used to doing life in a particular way, everything seems to change at once - and you have to learn how to negotiate and juggle and order all over again. I don't mind changes, not at least when the foundational, fundamental things - family, faith, friends - are unaffected, but transitioning from one phase to the next can take some concentration. So far I think I'm doing okay; everyone's had clean underwear in their drawer and fruit in their lunchbox, anyway!

The upshot of all this is that I haven't had much energy left over for high-octane scrapping. I did, I confess, find myself just starting to reproach myself for that, but - hip, hip and a big fat hooray! - this time I managed to catch myself before I slid into a scrap slump. (Frankly, I call that a giant leap forward in personal growth...)

Had to remind myself that scrapping is meant to be enjoyable, not another thing on the to-do list. I really do want to do a layout a week this year, but I really don't want it to become a burden. So I took a slightly different approach this week. I usually leave bits out on the desk for a few days so I can see how they work together and evaluate objectively. This time I gave myself 5 minutes or so to pick stuff - purely going by instinct - and then 15 minutes to put it together. (Although I gave myself an extra 5 minutes since I'd picked alpha stamps. Why can't somebody invent self-cleaning stamps? Why? Why??)

You know what? It worked. While I wouldn't call it my favourite layout ever, the satisfaction of completing a page - and quickly! - snapped me out of the reluctance and got me buoyed up to do another page. Which, incidentally, is sitting in bits out on the desk for a few days, so I can see how they work together and evaluate objectively...

Anyway, here 'tis:

Here's to not over-thinking it!

One last thing. I don't usually post anything that's not scrap-related, but since I mentioned my knitting fever last time, I thought I'd show my latest finished project. This was for a friend's new baby grandson, and I'm quite proud of it. Had never knitted a toy before, or done anything in the round, so it was a challenge, but one I loved doing. Can't imagine being able to come up with the pattern for this. Aren't people clever!

Have a wonderful week :D

Two Weeks in One

Well, hello to you all. I didn't quite get a post or a layout done last week; had a couple of other projects on the go instead. (There's something about Autumn and cooler weather that makes me want to break out the knitting needles.Yes, knitting. Actually, my sister once gave me a fantastic birthday card that read, "You can't help but love a lady who is not afraid to do nanna craft." Sums it up, really :) )  Anyhow, this week I've played catch up and have no.s Nine and Ten ready:

Nice and simple, these ones. I find I usually veer toward (even) simple(r) after an (for me) involved layout like the sewn tree one. (Although that one set off a bit of an idea for an upcoming page. I'll have a play and see if it works.) The second page has been sitting on the desk for weeks - nothing I tried was really working. I actually wanted a vertical row of photos, but despite repeated efforts, the page wouldn't cooperate. Eventually it stopped speaking to me altogether, so I put it aside until it had finished sulking.

Ultimately they ended up being two versions of the same layout, but I'm okay with that. After all, why reinvent the wheel if you don't have to?

Have a wonderful week :)