#Ch-ch-ch-ch-chaaangessss...#

This year has been an interesting one for me.

Managed to survive a few things I didn't expect to.
As a result I have some goals for 2010.
(note - these are not resolutions as I do not stick to them. Goals have more of a check list feel to them and as such I shall complete them to the best of my ability as I do like me a good ol' check list. That was a long note...)

So, in no particular order -

*Stop doubting myself.

*Draw more. I enjoy it. Just need to keep reminding myself it's only paper so it's not the end of the world if it goes a bit wrong.

*Experiment more with my photos. Take it off auto setting.

*Create more. I don't do enough and I like making little projects.

*Try a piano lesson. I've always wanted to learn to play with both hands. Yeah I can play the organ with both but it's not quite the same thing. I also want to learn to play the guitar. And the cello...maybe I should take it one step at a time...

*Do a bit more gentle exercise. Not so many pulled muscles if they're used more often. Or at least that's my theory...

*Bloomin enjoy life more. Stop lying in bed all day when you do have the strength to stand. Read a book if anything - or do some more of that drawing thing.

This could be the st. johns talking here but I do feel a lot more positive lately. Who knew that herbal stuff worked...

So anyway, heres to the new year.

Wishing you love, laughter and days full of sparkles, as everyone needs sparkly days.

Urgh...people...

You know, shopping would be such a lovely experience if it wasn't for all the other people in the town that insist on going at the same time. How rude.

Actually it wasn't too bad - it was just the getting in and out that was the problem. They really didn't plan the shopping centre out properly. Ignoring the fact that the car park started falling apart about 6months after it opened (and has been propped up and netted over underneath ever since...2/3 years now?!) they've muffed up the entrance/exits. You end up getting bottlenecked at some points and if you get stuck in a certain road trying to get out, unless someone at the front rams another car you could easily not move for about half an hour. Such fun.

I did manage to get a few bargains though -

Kings of Leon 3CD set £10

Paramore - All We Know is Falling - £3

Paramore - Riot - £5

Paramore - Brand New Eyes - £5 (I blame my cousins obsession completely for those 3!)

Seasick Steve - I started out with nothing - £3

Lykke Li - Youth Novels - £5

I'm mostly impressed with the Lykke Li album - I was looking all over for it but could only find import versions for £20ish. I was going to give up and download it (I needed to for The Perishers...oh fudge - I should have looked for them too!!...hmm...anyway...) but then suddenly thought I'd check for it and there it was. I picked up the one that said £5 and the only other one there said £17...hmm...

I can't believe I forgot to check for them...I remembered Cast Spells and Good Old War! Oh for goodness sake...

Also managed to pick up a couple more silver rings, some pretty clips to help me cope with the new do, couple of bangles and a cardie...I'm sure I've forgotten something...ooh, knickers! What's the Festive season without a pack of new knickers? That's what I always say...!

Still haven't worked out my photo schedule for next year...probably should get a wriggle on with that huh?

We should be going up to see my nan at some point but with this new cold snap bringing ice and snow her way I doubt we will be - wonder if we'll ever get there!?

You know,

for someone who quit posting, Tag seems to still be popping into quite a few of my pics...

Today was another lazy day.
Phew.
Who knew the festive season was quite this exhausting?!

I keep eyeing up the sales online - have yet to spend anything though I swear! Though Etsy keeps calling my name...shh...

That fresh start

that people keep talking about is just around the corner...again...planning anything?

I have few ideas that I'd like to put in place but I always worry about writing them down - 9 times out of 10 I never get round to it and just get annoyed with myself. I figure if I don't write it down then I'll no doubt forget what it was in the first place then I won't even know that I should care I didn't manage it

...

did that make the slightest bit of sense!?

Maybe that should be something to work on. Speaking English.

Mmm...

I have a plan for my next years 365 photos.

Tags adventures were fun, but I'm not sure I could come up with 365 of them! So I was thinking, maybe a schedule of sorts? For example...Mondays could be...umm...photograph out the loft window at 5pm day. Tuesdays could be photograph my cuddly friend day (whoever that is - I'm still holding auditions).
Maybe a TTV day...
Black and white day...
Self portrait day...
how many is that?
A Pip day?...

I think the idea of taking a photo of the same place at the same time once a week is a good one (in my own humble little opinion) just to see the changes over the year

Of course if I go away the 'rules' would have to be bent a fraction but I think it could still work. Hmm...I'll have to work something out.

I have other plans too. I think I will write them down. So many changes I would like to make.
Whether they'll be worth it who knows - check back this time next year I guess!?
xx

Laa-aaazy day

Sofa + DVDs + choc tin = one very chilled out turtle

hey - I wasn't the only one there you know

I know...!

I was thinking...well...maybe, now that Christmas is technically over I might stop posting?

Aww, why?

Well, I know there a few more of your friends that might like to post in the new year and I am some what of a festive turtle - I'll be back next year though!

If you're sure...it'll be sad without you on here though!

I'm sorry...

It's alright little man. I hope you have a nice year off!

Me too!
Byeeeee!
xTx

Boxing Day fun

Cuddles from delicious babies
Daft grandparents and giant cardigans
Random tree presents
Diet cola (no no)
Leftover Turkey
Too many chocolates
Early night

Ahh...tis the season...
xxx

(I had a nice quiet time at home on my own. Nice and snoozy... xTx)

Happy Christmas!

Lovely sunrise this morning!

Pretty table setting - though apparently there won't be room for me on the big table...not fair!

Mmmm...nice and toasty...

Did you have a lovely day? We did! Lovely food, lovely company...and some quite lovely presents too!

So you had a lovely first Christmas then?

The best! How long till the next one!?...

...sigh...

Christmas Eve Day

It's both an Eve and a Day! It's a Christmas miricle!

You're a little bit ridiculous tonight

Indeed I am. I've been hit by the Christmas spirit - wasn't that your mission?

Oh yeah...you know I can't help but notice that once again I haven't been in the photo.

Well, no, but I wanted to get a picture of our lovely new fish and I couldn't find your scuba gear anywhere!

Hmm...

I promise to make sure that I get a pretty picture of you tomorrow!

Opening my presents?!

Umm...sure....err...

Hey where you running out to?!...

Nothing, nowhere, be back in a sec!

...what was that about last minute shopping?...

For my Magpie Friends

I'm sorry I wasn't able to get actual cards to you!

Thank you so much for your lovely cards, they're so pretty!

I tried so hard to get Pip to pose nicely for you but apparently he learned from last year and this was the only shot I could get that didn't involve claws or fangs...!

I truly hope you all (and your families) have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year :o)

Love Samm xxx

(and Tag! oops...sorry, I've missed you out again haven't I!? That's alright, I'll let you off today...Thank you!)

Hey good lookin'

You were right, today totally made up for missing 2 photos!

Hmm...I thought you might enjoy it! Say thank you to Stacey for the yummy recipe

Thank you Stacey!

(me and my mum thank you too!)

xxx

New do

Sooo....I can't help noticing I'm missing from the photos...again...

Err...yeah, I'm sorry about that - I forgot to take the picture until midnight and I figured you wouldn't want to be woken up. That's why I took it with my web cam

Hmm...you better start making it up to me soon you know

You're getting very demanding little man - can't I have one chance to model my new do?

I guess...you seem to be getting into it

Ahh, yeah, I'd just been on Elsie Flannigans blog. She always inspires me to take self portraits...

Oookay. I think people will start missing me soon though...

It's only been 2 days! Trust me when I say you'll *love* my idea for you tomorrow....

New toy

So...what's this then?

I bought a new/old camera to have a play at TTV with

And ttv is?...

Do you really want to know or are you just being polite?

Weellll....

Yeah, I thought so - just type it into flickr and you'll see what I mean

This whole post is full of words I don't understand...

I'm sorry.

So...why wasn't I in this again?

You were all full of cold after your insistance to go play in the frost - I don't want a snotty turtle in my pictures...sorry!

Fair enough...I guess...Pip does look funny when he realises what's going on doesn't he!?

Indeed he does, I think he was a bit annoyed at being woken up though...ah well!

Frosty morning!

I'm s-s-s-ooo c-c-c-cooo-llld

Well, I did warn you - you were the one that insisted on going out to see the pretty frost crystals

I kn-n-n-ow but I didn't think it would b-b-be thisss c-c-collld

How about a mug of hot chocolate to warm you up?

Y-y-esss pleassse...d-do you think it's too l-l-late t-t-to assssk sssanta ff-for a c-c-coat annnd s-sscarf?

Not yet little man, I'll see what I can do

Th-thank y-y-you

Todays lesson

So, apparently, when the news man says that the whole country is covered in snow what he means is that the big cities have had snow...
I'm not sure I understand...

Me neither little man!

AND our town has its own...micro climate? (that's it) and even whenever they say something will effect the whole coast it will actually do the opposite here...
I'm so confused!
I want snow!

I know - me too!

It looks so pretty! And you say your nan lives near those pictures I'm looking at?

Yup, just round the corner...practically...

...lucky...

I know...but at least we're safe and warm


I guess...but I want to make a snow turtle!

...we'll see...

!!yay!!

*sigh*...oh dear...

Soft hail or hard snow?

Apparently it was too cold for little me to go outside, so can you settle our argument?

There is no argument little man, it was hail!

But I want a white Christmas like the man on the telly said!

Oh dear...

Movie time

Apparently it's a nice Christmas film with lots of singing and dancing...

Looking at him...I'll wait to be convinced

xTx

Craft rush

Today was...interesting...
She suddenly decided she was going to make her Christmas cards after all (not leaving it that late...!)
Lots of sparkles though...
xTx

And there's light!

It's been over a week since the de-tangling but she finally felt well enough to put some lights and tinsel up :o)

Tomorrow we start work on the tree....!

xTx

Not feeling great...

We didn't feel too well over the weekend so we settled for taking photos of other peoples handy work...

Beautiful sunset on Saturday
Dad did a great job putting up the lights in the freezing cold on Sat

Aaand a prettyful tree (or 2...) for Sunday. Mmm...it's starting to feel a bit like Christmas round here now!

xxx

Mmmm

Check out what arrived this morning!

All those chocolates...

...

She wouldn't notice if one went missing would she?....

Hey!

New Friends

Had fun meeting a bunch of new festive friends - apparently it's their job to guard the presents under the tree. Fun!

Also met this guy - not too sure about him...

We forgot how excited he gets when he sees tinsel...whoops...

Santa made an early stop

And I *mean* early - still, worth the wake up call :o)
xTx

Thank you Secret Santa Magpie xx

Music for christmas

Today I helped upload some music onto something called an MP3...

I was curious about her...*interesting* taste in music, she tells me it's a surprise for her mum. She's giving her the MP3 pre-filled with all her favourite albums (assuming her mum's out of the house for long enough periods of time to sneak them on...)

Who knew Westlife had soooo many albums?!
xTx

(I know *I* bloody didn't! I'm exhausted sneaking back and forth from the CD shelf - everytime I thought I'd finished I'd find another one!!! Argh!! Now for Will Young...)

So far so tangled...

So, I thought for my first attempt I'd get her to put a string of lights up in her room. She tells me she doesn't think she can as they're a bit tangled, so I offered to help...

Not my best idea...

Did manage to get a smile out of her though - stage one somewhat complete!

I'm taking over!

My name's Tag and here's my story -

See, I saw this girl wandering around my new hang out looking a bit lost so I decided to jump in her basket and go home with her to see if I could try and bring a bit of the festive spirit back to her life. I'm trying to convince her to photograph my attempts. She tells me her photo skills aren't all that good but I'm sure we'll manage...

See you soon!

Finally

Every year I drag mum to the local garden center as, in this day and age of the nanny state, it's the most christmassy thing around. I always forget to take my camera though - not this year! Yay me!

They had a pipe organ thingy set up out front too which was nice....well, apart from when I got the songs stuck in my head for the rest of the day - I know far to many songs from the 30s aparently. Mum thought it was funny though - sure, she doesn't know the words!

Stupid organ music. I wish I could find something a bit more modern to play on mine, maybe I wouldn't keep singing Georgia and #Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen, salty old queen of the sea...# whenever the news goes foreign...sigh...

Was nice being surrounded by all the festive bits - I'm determined to get more into the festive spirit this year. Last year went by far too quickly. Wonder if I can get the tree up this week?...Hmm...

Was impressed I managed to get out of there without buying anything...well...sort of...see, this one thing turned up in my bag, but it's a mystery to me how it got there...

Excuse my mad photo skills

I hate adding multiple photos to this thing - they always end up upside down and back to front...though it *is* Alice in Wonderland so I suppose it's fitting...

Okay, like, a million years ago (or Oct 08) my wonderful UKS teamies (go Crafty Magpies, woop!) and I started a CJ, aka Circle Journal.

I didn't have a blitherin' clue what to base mine on but was re-reading Alice at the time so decided to force them all to contribute to an art journal based on the book.

In order, from top to bottom (so actually back to front...)

1. My sign in page - which I wouldn't have bothered putting on here if it wasn't for a few very adamant teamies that swore blind I had a photo sign in page.

Hmph.

Like I don't know my own CJ ladies?!

I shall accept your grovelling apologies in the comments box below.

;o)

2. Close up of Irene's accordian picture pull out bit

3. Irene's pages

4. Kathy's pages

5. Shirley's pages

6. Stacey's pages

7. Vanessa's pages

8. Karen's pages

9. Emma's pages

10. Becky's pages

11. Debbie's pages

Phew! I hope that's right...

I'm sorry I forgot to bring it with me to Cambridge ladies! I'm impressed I didn't forget anything else to be honest...!

Hope you all love it as much as I do

xxx