{Day 7}-One week done!

I used some of Rhonna's products I purchased, brushwork, vintage images and stickers.

Day 7
Today's quote: "Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success. " Dale Carnegie

Today I did my journal post digitally, printed it out and worked on it some more with stickers, pen and journaling. SO glad the weekend is over, I love weekends, but not this past one... due to it being a difficult date. I feel like I failed a bit lately, but as Rhonna said on her blog, failure is no excuse to give up! And so I press on....
I love what she said for day 6...when you feel like giving up...do what your best self would do!
That struck a cord in me...my best self...I have two selves...my everyday self and my best self...I want to be my best self everyday! What a great thought! A HUGE thought and such a motivating one!

Looking forward to Tuesday...to be being my BEST self and to not giving up.

{day 6} 21 Day challenge

Oh why did I bother getting out of bed this morning? SUCH an opposite day to what I had on Friday...nothing much to journal about...here's wishing for tomorrow....

and....

I KNOW I can do it...just need to take each day at a time.

{Day 5} 21 Day Challenge

I hardly ever use my pc on the weekend never mind blog! But Rhonna's challenge is still on going even over the weekend, so I thought I would stick to it and be CONSISTENT.

It's not an easy weekend for me as it is 6 months since my brother passed away. I am battling to hold it all together, to stay positive, to stay consistent. I have relapsed since Friday due to this, but I know tomorrow, Monday, will be better as then I am back in routine. Weekends are hard, I loose focus cos I have no routine or direction. I haven't given up, I just need a breather and tomorrow will be back on track.
I have, however been creating and this has helped a great deal. It makes me feel worthwhile to know what I creates inspires others. Sharing my story is not always easy, but I feel if it can help someone else, then I need to do it.

I have tried to leave comments of a few of the 21-ers blogs, and it asks to choose a type of account, which I do, and then write my comment and press "post comment" and then my comment disappears and it does not end up on the blog I just commented on! It is so frustrating!
So if one of the blogs is yours, please tell me what I am doing wrong, as I would love to comment on your posts!
Treasures
Michelle Roycroft { I wanted to tell you that I Can help you with your blog !) give me a shout
scottshandmadecrafts
They all ask for the same format, so I don't know if that has something to do with it.

Can anyone help or tell me why I can't post?

21 Days-Day 1, 2 and 3

I am doing Rhonna's 21 day challenge. The thought behind this is that it takes 21 days to make or break a habit. Who would of thought? LOL! I of course have a huge MOUNTAIN of things I need to change about myself-who doesn't? But I figured I would concentrate on 3 things that pretty much set the scene for a lot of things to follow after that.

1} Be POSITIVE and Show ENTHUSIASM

I used to be a very optimistic, positive person, and in a lot of ways i still am. It's not like I go around like Eeyore with a little black rain cloud over my head...I am generally a happy person, I smile and joke a lot, everyday. The smallest things amuse me...I guess being positive as in I can make a difference, I can be a good influence in others lives...but it has to start with me. I also need to show more enthusiasm....the weird thing is that when someone does something great for me or gives me a compliment or a gift, I SO appreciate it and inside I am squealing with excitement, I just have a hard time bringing that across, I need to be visible so that I don't offend others.

2} Be on time!
I am so often late for things: late to take my kids to school, late for gym classes, late for important meetings, late , late LATE. It has to change! ha ha!!

3.} BE Consistent!!

I always seem to know what I want, it is just how I end up getting it or achieving it that is the problem. I do things in a very round about way sometimes, get side tracked, de-motivated and this ties in with point number 1-feel powerless and so get negative and then don't get anything done or little of what I plan to do! I achieve lot most days, but sometimes not the things I really need to get stuck into...It's a nice mixture of procrastination, despondence, and feeling over whelmed sometimes. I just need focus and to concentrate on one thing at a time until its done and then move on... This point is very general, but it applies to lot of things I am working on in this challenge, some of which are personal.

So with that in mind.. Day 1
{click on image to view larger if you wish}
I've had fun cutting, pasting, sticking, decopaging, painting!

day 1

Day two:




Day 3

I'm having fun with it, and I know it's only the beginning, I have done the challenge before (see sidebar) so I know there are BAD and GOOD days and you just have to take each day at a time, you might fall, you might relapse...don't give up...keep going...I did it last time, and I know I can do it again and if you are a fellow 21-er, then you CAN do it too!
Today I actually was on time in getting my son to school-granted it helped my husband took my daughter to school, but I left early and he got there with time to spare instead of running like the wind as the bell rings!! -amazing and it felt so good because I got at least 30 minutes EXTRA out of my day!!

21 Days!!! I am so excited!!

I am so excited!! Rhonna Farrers 21 Day challenge is starting again! I took this challenge in 2007, it was such great fun! I am definitely doing it again, starting today!

I have already got out my paints and brushes, and goodies and started!! Will post my pages as I do them.


I just wanted to show you this beautiful clock I bought for my studio..it is so pretty...
And since I am feeling all arty and inspired today, I made you this little word art. Please do not claim as your own. Copyrighted. I just love this quote and it sets the scene for me today.

Enjoy!!

Days like this...

I love them! It's Saturday, I don't normally post on the weekend (and theres no link today) but I gotta post my LAST page of the 21 challenge! Cos I made it!! Yay!

Thanks Rhonna!!!!
I loved this challenge. It IS true that it takes 21 days to make or break a habit! I proved it! yeah!! Some of the habits were too personal to share but the ones I didn't mind sharing were:
-to work in my garden everyday -which I did unless it rained!
-To create everyday-which I did! This was important to me and something I try to do anyway because I am a firm believer that if you make time for yourself each day to do things you as a PERSON not as a mom, wife or friend, but just YOU like, (and 15 min a day is fine too, it doesn't have to be like an hour or two!) then you will happier for it, you will be more fulfilled as a person, which in turn will make you calmer and more productive in other areas. Less crabby or irritable cos you are getting the things you want to get done-done and in turn those around you will be happier too! Everyone wins! I know from personal experience that if I go for long periods without doing anything for myself, I get moody and take it out on everyone around me ! I become Bonnie the Beast-a fire breathing dragon! ha ha.
-To do something positive and fun with my children everyday-which I tried to do.
(the last one at times for me was the hardest cos I am not really the type of mom that likes to sit down and play Polly pockets or go sliding around on my knees pushing a car around the house making ridiculous brrroooommmm sounds! I love doing crafty things with my kids or playing with them outside or doing puzzles. And I let them bake and make a huge mess cos I know it is teaching them good things.

Thanks to you all who shared your hilarious and embarrassing stories yesterday-oh man I had such a chuckle! You should read some of the comments!
I could write a whole book on the things I did as a child or the things my kids get up to!
{couldn't we all?}

WARNING: LONG STORY
Take this scenario for instance: Going back in time to when I was about 8. ...
I remember it was school holidays- summer holidays which was about two months long.
At the end of the holidays it was time to get all my school stuff together and get my bag ready for school for the next day. I remember I had one of those leather satchels with the buckles in front. I thought it was cool! {could barf now thinking about it!}

Anyway there I was happily hunting for my cool little brown satchel, finding it, opening it....
That's when things go blurry for a moment, the lights go out, utter darkness! {the smell must of been so bad it blocked that bit from my memory}.

I am not sure if I was the inventor of some type of new gas but the smells eeking out of that bag were lethal!! I'm surprised I lived to tell the tale! Now, if you think the SMELL was bad, oh my word, you should of SEEN what was inside the bag!!

Some time of bomb had gone off inside of it-there was green/brown fungi growing all over the inside and my lunch box was bobbing up and down in some type of fermenting liquid.
"WHAT DID I HAVE FOR LUNCH TWO MONTH AGO?" I wonder to myself.
Terrified of the "thing" growing in my cute little brown satchel I wondered what to do!
I had two options:

1) Tell dad about the "thing" in my bag and risk a long lecture and possible punishment-cos really the bag was totally WRITTEN OFF! There was no way on earth I was ever using it again!
2) Dispose of the evidence-claiming the bag was eaten by the dog in a moment of sheer starvation or possible case of rabies.

I went with option 2. I waited until no one was around..put on my shoes, gingerly picked up the bag and dumped it into a plastic bag {whilst holding a sock over my nose} and set off to destroy all incriminating evidence. I went down to the little forest across the road from us and there in the bush, I dumped the bag. I said goodbye to my cute little brown satchel, skipping off happily -already thinking about the cool little pink Barbie bag my daddy would buy me...

By some unknown , amazing and awful chance the bag came back to haunt me!
I still don't know to this day how it happened! But later that evening my bag was there-staring up at me with those scathing satchel eyes "Why??? why did you leave me to rot in the field?!" I couldn't believe it.! What kind of sick joke was this?? Who would do such a sick thing??!!

I don't know what happened after that...I seriously have no memory of it..{must of been pretty bad!} cos I don't remember ever getting that cute little pink Barbie bag!!

more tales to follow another day!

I love Fridays...

Why:
-Cos I don't cook
-I get the kids Mac-Donalds normally on a Friday after school (the only day we get take-outs, that is my rule, the rest of the week we eat healthily, so once a week we can binge! although I wouldn't call a happy meal binging! ha ha)
-It's movie night with Hubby
-Saturdays I can sleep in! yay!

So I'm standing in the kitchen yesterday, minding my own business-actually I was preparing dinner, when I feel what is like an earthquake start to happen! But it wasn't..it was my daughter standing behind me, thinking it would be hilarious to place both her hands on my butt and shake it with all the strength in her 4 year old hands! I didn't know whether to laugh, or grab the custard out the fridge and pour it over my jelly bum! ha ha!!!! Anyway after a few minutes it stopped wobbling (okay so I am exaggerating a bit, but man, I really need to do more butt exercises at gym! ) Isn't it lovely the things our kids do? Or remind us about?
It reminds me of all the times I have been out with them as much smaller toddlers and them saying things like (normally at a busy, packed shopping mall)
"Mommy, look at that man, he has no hair...like daddy" (lol!) DH is a tad bald! He shaves it really short though so you can't really tell! ha ha.
Or in the change room (which I haven't done since then with either of them,-I refuse!!) Once my daughter (she was much younger about 2 and a half) knelt down and peeped into the next doors change room and popped her head back in and said really loudly,"Mommy lady has big bum!!!"
*earth you may now swallow me up!*
Actually speaking of embarrassing moments the other day I took my daughter to a public bathroom at the mall and it is one of those where the stalls walls go all the way to the bottom, but is open at the top and under the door. So we are in there and the bathroom is really quiet, I thought we were the only ones in there. Then I hear this loud splash like a cargo box falling out a airplane and landing in a river. My daughter shouts at the top of her voice "SIS! SOMEONE IS MAKING A POO!!" I nearly fell over trying hard not to laugh out loud. I had to really control myself and say, "Shhh, you mustn't be rude! "I had a choice : either get out of there as quickly as possible or wait until cargo lady had left and then leave, saving us both the embarresment. Thank goodness cargo lady left first!

Okay I am caught up with Rhonna's 21 day challenge! one more day! Just waiting for her to post day 21 today.

Day 14 "It's not that some people have willpower and some don't.It's that some people are ready to change and others are not" James Gordan.Day 15: Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow. "
Day 16 "Human beings by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives. "William James
Day 17: "You have to have the confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through." Rosalyn Carter
Day 18: "It seems to me that people have vast potential. Most people can do extraordinary things if they have the confidence to take the risks. Yet most people don't." Philip Adams

Day 19: "The secrets of greatness is simple: do better work...and keep on doing it. " Wilfred A PetersonDay 20 " "We are made to persist. That's how we find out who we are." Tobias Woll
I can't believe I have {almost} made it!

HERE Is link 4 { THE REST ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE- will leave link 4 up until Monday}
Enjoy! And have a great weekend! Remember no links over the weekend, see you on Monday for link 5!

Question if you have the time before you go: What is the most embarrassing thing your kids have done {or lately} to you?

Day 12 and 13 challenge...

Just posting my day 12 and day 13 of the challenge.
Day12" Be your own best friend. lift yourself up, and be happy that you are you. Never give up."
Day 13: "Men are born to succeed not fail."
see you Monday!

True colors

I have done day 10 and 11 Rhonna's 21-day challenge.


I have do been enjoying the comments left on 4shared! For leap into Spring from day 1 until day 18 I have had a whopping 4664 downloads. The comments weren't anywhere near the same, but you know what? I am glad! LOL! can you imagine sifting through 4664 comments??? Oh my heck! I would be old and gray, bent over and senile by the time I ever got through all of them!
I so appreciate those though who show your true colors and are leaving me little tidbits of your time and self! Some make me laugh -CHER you always crack me up with your crazy comments! Elaine-so glad you are enjoying my blog. Colleen -are you caught up yet on the downloads? lol!

HERE is link 19.
Tomorrow is the last link for Leap into Spring! I will be removing all the links on the 30th, so please download what you haven't before then. This kit (except for the pieces with the swift bird as that is a free image I got off the net-but not for me to sell) will go on into my shop. I will probably be adding other elements to it to make up for the ones I had to take out the ones with the bird in them.

Thanks again!! Have a great day! See you tomorrow!

catching up {21}day 3-9

Here in South Africa, today is a public Holiday. The family is all home and more are coming over soon for a "braai"-the typical South African term for a "barbecue" or "cook out". Today in South Africa is also national braai day! ha ha, any excuse for us South African's to bring out the braai thongs, start a fire, and smack some chops on the grid!
It's been a good weekend so far. I have caught up on my 21 day journal challenge Rhonna Farrer is hosting. Check her out, it is amazing! Everyone is doing so well in it.
Never heard of it? It is basically about breaking or making a habit in 21 days. Everyday Rhonna gives us a quote to get us going. Each person will have a different goal, different outlook, different habit to make and break. But we can all gain inspiration and encouragement from each other.
Here are my pages...You can click on them if you wish to view them full size.

Day 3


Day4


Day5


Day6


Day7


Day8



Day9

HERE is link number 16 for Leap into Spring. Each part is still available until the end of September. Please do not share the links or files in yahoo groups or any other method. Rather send them to my blog where they can come download for themselves. For those faithful commentor's-thank you, your comments and kind words and thanks mean a lot to me! You know who you are!

{21 days.....}

I cannot believe it! About a week or so ago I planted some seeds. I always think "They aren't gonna grow" but anyway I persisted, watered them everyday loyally. I went to go and check today (as I have been doing everyday!) and guess what I saw??? Some shoots!!! I couldn't believe it, I was so excited! It looks like they are either the snapdragons or fox gloves I planted!


Aren't they the sweetest ?? They are about 2 cm at the moment-my babies!! The packets say flowering should occur in around 2 months, so I reckon by December-the heat of our summer, they will be quite tall and hopefully I will be cutting them to put in a vase!


I am playing catch up with Rhonna Farrer's 21 Day challenge. I have another 4 days to catch up. I started today with my cover and the first two days.
So this is my cover...kinda the feeling of reaching or flying high and achieving your dreams.... My day 1. It has a door to reveal the quote and journaling.
Inside the door.
Day 2 .
HERE is link 15 for Leap into Spring. Enjoy! Remember ALL links for this kit are still available until the end of September!