January 2nd

CAPTURE

(Caught)

(adore)

(Philanderer)

(23 years of marriage)

I have a feeling a lot of my CAPTURE photos are going to include Teddy.

We had a long lie in,surfing the net,before taking down all the decorations.It looks so bare and soulless now.

Thank you for the comments on my Christmas photos.

Its funny that different pictures were chosen as the best.

This has made it even more confusing for me now!

Here are some others I’m having problems choosing from.

Black and White or colour?

All these shots were taking on the same day.I am so glad it snowed.I’m dead chuffed with my efforts as it was my first month using a DSLR camera.I’d always used a point and shoot before.I can only choose 6 photos from December.

I need one from “a festive photo walk” But oh which one to choose.

Toni commented on my last blog post about whether I print my own photos.I have been unable to email you Toni.so I posted a reply in the comments section of my last blog.I hope it helps you decide and here's a link to my blog post about my printer.

Here's my last page of JYC.

Boo Hoo.

I had this photo in mind from the beginning.I pretty much journalled what I wrote for my blog yesterday concerning my Word and goal for the year.

I hope you have enjoyed my version of Shimelle’s Journal Your Christmas 2009.It was much easier than I thought it would be to keep up with.I couldn’t have done it without my new camera and printer.Initially putting the album together in October may have seemed like madness ,but it was a great help and I would recommend people to try it for themselves.

January 1st 2010

For last years resolution,I set myself the goal to try and become a scrapbook layout designer.I started on January 2nd and by the end of March I had applied for 4 positions and was chosen as a guest designer for Creatively yours,scrapagogo and Willowtree crafts.

I drove all my friends mad teasing them about how I was now a professional scrapbooker.But I didn’t like how restricting it could be.I love to mix things up and use lots of embellishments and colour,and this was sometimes hard to do with what I was given.So I was glad when my time was up and I could go back to just scrapping for me.

Check out my Flicker site here if you’d like to see some of my past work.

This year I have chosen to set myself the goal of becoming a better photographer.I am hoping this lady will be helping me out.I have my name down on a very long waiting list for one of her photography classes.I learnt so much on Cheryl Johnsons class ,but I would like to expand my knowledge and be given hints of how to take a great photo.

As well as a resolution this year I have chosen a word that I hope sums up my year.The word I have chosen is CAPTURE.The idea for this came from Ali Edwards (she’s chosen STORY).If you’d like to choose one ,here is a great site with some interesting ones.

This fits in nicely with my resolution of being a better photographer

Now I would like some help from you please.Could you help me choose my 6 photos to enter for Cheryl's final piece.I have so many I like I can’t choose.These are some of the ones I like.

No 1

or this one

No 2

I really can’t choose between these either.I love them all for different reasons.I have used Picasa to focus on the bauble.

N0 3

No 4

No 5

I think I HAVE to include this one

But this one is my favourite.Its just a little bit out of focus though.

I’ll share some more with you tomorrow.I want to choose some outside shots as well.You know mix it up a bit.Not put all my eggs in one basket.

Here's my JYC New Years Eve LO.I used the photos I took last night.Under a flap I’ve included a very old,out of focus,photo of my children,me and my sister in law in London on the eve of Millennium.I used a block of journaling which I found on the internet about the event in London.

I would like to take this opportunity to apologise for my lack of grammar and atrocious spelling in my blog.I read through my journal and found loads of spelling errors and as my daughter likes to point out,my blog isn’t much better.

Believe it or not I was one of only 3 in my whole class allowed to take an “O”level in English.That's how bad my school was.I managed to get a C. God knows how .

I didn’t have a clue where to put full stops or paragraphs and used to just guess.But I think it was because I was a good story teller and they must have liked that.

Anyway Happy New Year.

December 31st 2009

Well,there goes another year.

For me its been a great one.

No parties for me tonight.Thank God.

A night in ,in front of a coal fire with a Chinese takeaway.

This is Tasmins plate,mine was probably bigger.

Ryan is staying in London,clubbing for the New Year.

Today's JYC layout is a montage of 12 small photos (2 to be added) one for each month.Behind which i have journalled things that happened during each month.

My biggest low of the year was losing my beloved dog Buzz.He died in my arms on the 27th January.But our new puppy Teddy has worked his magic and although he is still like a naughty toddler in the house,he has really grown to be part of our family.I’d be lost without him now.

Who would have thought we would have to worry who was looking after our money and that we couldn’t trust banks.Who would have thought that it would be better to spend than save.So that's what I am going to endeavour to do more of this coming year.That is until the interests rates go up.So I’m looking forward to my 2010 trips to Utah,Chicago and China and anything else that takes my fancy.

I’m looking forward to finally finishing our home.My sister is starting a new adventure in 2010,literally rebuilding a house.I wish her well,I couldn’t do it.

Redecorate yes but not rebuild.Oh the mess and dirt.

So goodbye 2009 and HELLO 2010

I wonder what adventures we will get up to?

December 30th

My daughters boyfriend bought me this for Christmas.I have no idea what it means?

Me bossy,surely not.

I wanted to go out today,I’ve been cooped up for to long.But it was hard as I didn’t really want to traipse around the shops.So we decided on a few hours in Cambridge,and to stop at our favourite Indian restaurant for a spot of lunch on the way.

It poured with rain again all day today.We parked right next to the river in the city ,and it looked like it was about to breach its bank in places.The current was so strong ,but you always get some mad people thinking they can beat the elements.

These two had obviously decided to have a nice punt down the river,but they looked like they were going to fall in at any moment.Check out his bum crack!!!

It got funnier when he bent over minutes later.

This amazing new shop has just opened.The staff are in old fashioned uniforms and its packed with all types of sweets.Some I'd never heard of and lots of old favourites.I can see this will be extremely popular with tourists.But for now it was full of English people ohhing and ahhing

There was nothing in the sales worth buying,just a fab cake decoration I’d coveted before Christmas at half price.(here’s a picture I took of it before Christmas) So I dusted of my moth eaten purse and snapped it up.

I’m sat here watching Mary Poppins.I just love the songs in this film especially “Feed the birds.”Its amazing how you remember every single word of all the songs.They just don’t make films like this anymore.

What is your favourite song from this film?

Even as a child I always admired the old buildings and the way the houses were decorated.I can’t believe I now live in a house fit for Mary Poppins.She could even slide down my banisters ,well a little bit.

I had forgotten about some photos I had taken on my old camera .This one made me laugh.There were a few windows decorated like this in Sheffield where my Daughter goes to University.Lovely place!

No JYC today as haven’t had time yet,but its all ready to go.I just have to decide on lots of individual pics or words.

December 29th

What a disappointment it didn't snow today.It’s just been dark and wet all day.I was so looking forward to some more snow.

So,instead I stayed in my new nightie and scrapped,whilst watching my favourite film The Holiday,and then I had a play with Bokeh again.

Has anyone tried the site I suggested?

Teddy ate the heart filter I made,so I’ll have to make another one.I have some ideas for some pictures ,but I need a willing volunteer to help me and believe me there are no willing volunteers,here.

I have to choose 6 photos to enter for Cheryl Johnsons final piece and I don’t know which ones to choose.Any ideas?

I put 3 on to this site and when I checked back there are now 22,717 photos!!! So I wasn’t surprised when mine didn’t get picked.There are some amazing photos on there.

I just took the easy option for JYC and made a collage of pictures from yesterday.

I’ve definitely decided to stop on January 1st.I’ve had a peak at the prompts from last year and there isn’t much that takes my fancy.I’ve printed off a fab photo for the last page of my Journal,but you’ll have to wait until January 1st.

For today's page I used the only group photo of us from the entire holiday.Even Teddy is posing.The journaling talks about how I have enjoyed making the journal and that I hope my children and any future grandchildren enjoy looking back at Christmas 2009 and take on some of the traditions we have.

My Sister has so far been the only person interested in the entire journal.Other people have just given it the cursory look,then abandoned it.

It so weird how different people are.I love reading other peoples Journals and blogs.But then again I love Big Brother,so maybe I'm just a nosey parker.

Sorry I’m off to rescue Teddy who’s fallen head first into his toy basket!!!!

December 28th

Well as you can see me and my Sister are very close!!!

I took hundreds of photos ,but the light was very bad and there was always someone moving in the group.

Look how lovely this shot would have been.But yes you guessed it Hubby was a bit merry from a bottle of red wine.So I have a selection of lovely family group photos with him gurning in them.

Don’t worry after his night sleeping in the cellar I think he will have learnt his lesson.

After lots of sulking ,and the occasional malicious pinch from one of the nieces,I managed to get some lovely shots.

Its such a shame that my Sisters oldest daughter is very withdrawn.She likes to get attention from inappropriate actions.

I must admit I would not want to be her Mum when she’s a teenager.She wouldn’t eat much of her meal,so of course she later asked for food.Off they went and got her a McDonalds.

If you watch her closely ,you see the hint of a smirk thats she’s won.In some ways I can tell what's going on in her head as she has a little of the younger me in her.

This one on the other hand is just like my sister.She's a bit of a tomboy and is like a bull in a china shop.

Because she is so cute it winds her sister up even more.

The ice cream bombe went down a treat.Thanks Jamie Oliver for the idea.It had mint chocolates,maltesers,Ben & Jerrys macadamia nut ice cream and the cake outer was from my travels in Italy.All topped off with melted Mars bar Celebrations and a firework fountain.

I’ll have to complete my JYC tomorrow.I need to tidy the house and put my feet up.

December 27th

Today the worst thing happened.

My laptop stopped working!!!!

We shot in the car to our nearest Sony shop,to get a new lead(which was the problem).But the miserable manager told us they are not included in the guarantee (he was wrong),and we would have to go back to London to the Sony shop we bought it from!!! and that they often go wrong ,and just buy a new one for £90,I’d had it for 2 months and its never left the house?

His lovely employees were so helpful and were flabbergasted at what he was telling us (all lies)We rang the shop we bought it from and they gave us a number straight away to ring to be sent a new one after the holidays.

As we left,the two young boys handed us,sneakily,one of the shops defunct computers leads,so that I wouldn’t have to be computer less.How sweet are they.

I have been practising a bokeh technique today using a homemade filter for my camera.

Here's a fab link to how its done.In fact they have lots of photography advice on this blog

Tomorrow I have my sister coming and I hope to take some pictures with real people in.

I left JYC till the end of the day,so that I had some photos.Tasmin completed her jigsaw she got for Christmas,and we tucked into a cooked breakfast and lots more fattening junk.For me washed down with a McFlurry.

I hear we’re in for another bout of snow this week.So I’m looking forward to that.

Boxing Day

Yet another Christmas over with.

After 389 photos there are about 2 of me without a double chin.Thanks Chris for taking all sideways on photos.

I got a lot of use out of my new 50mm lens,its great in low light situations.Plus the ladder shots worked a treat.

Teddy had obviously nipped out to the shops at some time to buy me some new knickers to replace my holey ones

My friend Linda gave me my favourite present.At first glance I thought it was a journal for people who like lists(me) ,but when I looked through it, it was amazing It’s called “lithography your life in lists”.There are lists of everything even the strangest places you’ve had sex!!!I can’t recommend this book enough.I can’t wait to fill it in.

As usual my lot burst into tears.So some of my favourite photos of the day,were of them fighting back the tears as someone opened a present.

Chris is crying about his favourite present I gave him a-40p booklet from our old village.He used to get it delivered every month and hadn’t seen one for 2 years.So it proves a present doesn’t have to be expensive.

Tasmin is crying at my Sons reaction(crying) to a photo montage of him playing football that his Grandparents gave him.Again an inexpensive present.

Here’s my JYC layout for Christmas Day.Behind the collage of pictures are a selection of gift tags from the presents.

Today,Boxing Day,I have stayed in my new nightie and been stuffing leftovers.

For my JYC layout I wrote about our old family tradition of going to Chris’ Nan's on this day.

I felt I could be a bit cheeky and write the truth about my thoughts concerning this day.Chris’ family,yesterday, were not interested in reading through my JYC,so I felt I didn’t have to pussyfoot around their feelings anymore.One of his Nan's just used to sit there like part of the furniture,farting!!!For the whole of Chris’ childhood he only remembers her giving him, the same thing every year, a game of blow football .As he got older it was nothing at all!

As you can imagine she’s remembered with such fondness?

Anyway did you all have a great Christmas?

Did you hit the shops today or are you like me chilling out?

I have another house full for dinner on Monday so tomorrow will be spent preparing for that.

The table is all set ready.I’m going to make a Ben & Jerry's ice cream bombe.Mmmmmm