Embrace Life

Create | 31 Things | 29-31

With these three remaining layouts this project is officially finished. My 31 Things is complete. Sad, but wow, I'm so glad it is done :) It really got me back into a writing groove. Fantastic!

DAY 29 | SMELL

DAY 30 | 3:35 PM

DAY 31 | JOY

And with that, I'm off to find another project. That should be easy, I have so many "in progress" it's nice to know I can finish something! So nice, in fact, I think I'll go finish something else :)

* * * * *

Great news! Ali Edwards announced on the message board of 31 Things that she is going to return with another version from September 30 - October 30, 2012. If you didn't get an opportunity to participate in this class, maybe you'll consider joining in over at Big Picture Classes in the fall?

Create | 31 Things | 22-28

Looking back at this project, I realize I could have used each prompt and written a whole new collection of words in response. I love that this project caught me at a time and place I will never be again.

DAY 22 | SPOT

DAY 23 | WRITE

DAY 24 | RELATIONSHIP

DAY 25 | OUTSIDE

DAY 26 | COVET

DAY 27 | HOBBY

DAY 28 | DRINK

Create | 31 Things | 15-21

Perhaps I should have written the date on the layouts, but suffice it to say that all of them were written between the start of class on May 15 and June 30. Because things were a bit hectic through this project, my timeline jumped around a bit. That and I didn't respond to all of the prompts in order, well, not always. I suppose I could have made my entries a bit more generic, but I liked taking my day as it was and write from where I was at - physically and mentally - right then.

Here is the third week:

DAY 15 | 9:15 AM

DAY 16 | UNIFORM

DAY 17 | TECHNOLOGY

DAY 18 | SHOES

DAY 19 | LISTEN

DAY 20 | CARRY

DAY 21 | THINK

Create | 31 Things | 8 - 14

I was determined that life was not going to get in the way of my finishing this project! Though I did get caught up in other things - parenting, exams, inventory - I did keep up. Below is the second week of prompts and my interpretation:

DAY 8 | TRANSPORTATION

DAY 9 | PURCHASE

DAY 10 | EVENING

DAY 11 | NOURISH

DAY 12 | WATCH

DAY 13 | CHORES

DAY 14 | VIEW

This has been such a wonderful project. The prompts have been very thought provoking. I've really enjoyed the process.

Create | 31 Things | 1-7

I joined 31 Things over on Big Picture Classes and I have to say, it has been a wonderful outlet for stories that haven't been told or that continue to evolve. I've been stumped a couple of times and that has been a wonderful thing. It makes me think and provides a wonderful opportunity for perspective and creativity! I've enjoyed everything about it: the community, the re-connection with old friends, the validation from new friends and the cathartic exercise of writing about things that don't get nearly enough attention in my Project Life or other child-focused projects.

Early on I decided a few things:

• All pages will be 6" x 12" and put into a corresponding 6" x 12" album (still using up what I have, and I have A LOT!!)
• All pages will use the Karla Dudley "Breezy" digi-paper package
• All pages have been modified to use a 4" x 6" photo and a place for the story, the Ali Edwards' templates have been tweaked just a little bit
• All pages repeat in formula to keep the focus on the story, not on the "stuff"
• After the 4x6 photo and the "pretty", the 7.5" x 6" remaining leaves enough space for about 450 words. It forces me to get to the point and not waste one word!
• All pages use three fonts: Arial, Garamond and Hurricane
• All pages will be 100% digital and sent to Persnickety Prints at the end of the course for photo processing
• Content will be completely honest, no apology, no holds

My first week of layouts are all done. Some are different from those in the BPC Gallery as, for some projects, I am a bit of a perfectionist and needed each to read "right" so by Day 4 things had to change! At least I caught it early, I had only four layouts to adjust - not all 31!

DAY 1 | JEWELRY*

*Apparently there was a bit of an issue with the way the word was spelled. Canadian English is such a mish-mash of British and American, I am just sticking with the assignment. The British spelling is Jewellery. Who knew?

DAY 2 | MORNING

DAY 3 | READ

DAY 4 | SPIRIT

DAY 5 | CONVERSATION

DAY 6 | YOU

DAY 7 | WORK

I want this project to reflect exactly where I am right now. I did a similar "about me" project last year and since this is so far away emotionally and physically from that project, it was important to me to get as much out and on paper as possible, in as much detail as I can.

Registration for the class is now closed. I hope you joined when you had a chance!

Create | 31 Things

Today is my day to start of the Ali Edwards' lead 31 Things course over at Big Picture Classes.

To say I'm pumped would be an understatement. THIS is what I've been looking to do for a while: a writing course. I printed up all of the worksheets and downloaded all of the templates a few weeks ago - before I went to Arizona. Of course, I left them all printed on my desk and went blissfully away with plenty of time on my hands and no prompts!

Around here things are more full than normal as the school year is winding down and the end is in sight. There seem to be 101 things on the go. Between music nights, championship series, exams and assignments, things are more than hectic. Simultaneously we are starting up baseball, football and rowing seasons.

I will not be deterred!I really want to do this and participate in the on-line community.

I think I can do it. I'm really enjoying my journey back into creative and productive groove with my Project Life well in hand and my A Week In The Life completed for another year. I've fallen off on a couple of things: Move More, Eat Better; The Art of Observation; One Little Word; Blogging from the Heart; Ordinary Courage and simply posting here on the blog. Okay. More than a couple.

No matter. I shall focus on the positive and productive :)

Let me know if you'll be in class!