The latest batch...

I had intended to post each of these layouts individually, but unfortunately, blogger wasn't playing - I've not been able to upload pictures for a few days. I've really had some fun with these layouts - I got the idea for the 18th at 3am! No, I didn't throw myself out of bed, rush downstairs and complete the layout then and there - I'm not that addicted to scrapping!

The journalling on the layout reads - 'Sometimes it's not enough just to slow down.' I was laying awake - yet again, when I started thinking about when I started learning to drive - I was 17, and had no idea of the way a car works. So, I thought that if you put your foot on the accelerator to make the car go faster, then you must have to take your foot off the accelerator to slow down - I honestly didn't realise that you had to use the brake as well! Obviously I knew that you needed the brake to actually stop the car, but I hadn't realised how little difference removing your foot from the accelerator would make to the speed the car was travelling. Not surprisingly, perhaps, my driving instructor became a little bit agitated, and yelled at me to put my foot on the brake, I did, and we stopped safely - no crash. So, what does all this have to do with anything? It occurred to me that it's the same in life - sometimes it's enough just to take our foot off the accelerator, and slow down just a little, but there are times when we really do have to slam on the brakes if we want to avoid a crash. I have found this to be particularly true since I've been ill - I'm really bad at listening to my body and to doing what it tells me! Consequently, on more than one occasion, I've crashed and ended up completely housebound for weeks on end - so, I thought it would be a good idea to remind myself of that fact from time to time! The picture is a part of the pier at our local beach - a place I love to go when I need some 'me' time, need to get my head straight. Somehow, spending time at the beach really clears my mind and helps me get back on track.

The second layout uses a picture taken by my 10 year old son. He came rushing into the room, asking for my camera - he was so impressed by the sunset that he wanted to try and capture it on film. I was, and am, really impressed with the pictures he took - there has been absolutely no computer enhancement - all I needed to do was to print them out. Seeing the fabulous colours just reminded me of how fabulous is the creation all around us - how much more inspiration do we need? Amazing colours, the play of light and shade, the list goes on....

The final layout in this post is a picture of one of my first attempts at a traybake - I had a sudden urge to do some baking, and this was the result. The journalling reads 'Success is not always about perfection' - the cake may not have looked particularly brilliant, but it certainly tasted good - the kids loved it, too - and they are possibly my harshest critics!

This hasn't been the easiest of weeks, everywhere I turn at the moment, there seems to be bad news - strange how it goes like that sometimes - and the week isn't over yet. Tomorrow is the funeral of a friend who died last week - aged 33, with a husband and two small children. I won't be able to go to the funeral as it's in Lancashire, but will certainly be thinking about her, and all those she has left behind. Something like that sure as heck makes you re-assess your priorities!