all little prompts in a row!!

It's a Miracle!!!

Here she is , a little Christmas Day miracle - Jorja Simolin born at 5:29 pm weighing in at 6 pound 9 and 51cm in length. People present, mum, dad and MOI!!! Yes I was the birthing partner and kept saying there is no way this baby is going to be born on it's due date let alone Christmas, but God had other plans. Mum, Alina is fine dad is in complete shock and I am simply overwhelmed ans as a consequence my Christmas journal is a little behind but will catch up tomorrow as Stu and I are going to Sydney to see Deb, Darren and the kids so we will scrap until we drop so to speak. I hope all our friends and family had a superb Christmas and we will catch up soon.

This little elf is sooooo tired!!

No journal entry done as yet as I'm too tired to even think about it.All the presents are wrapped- that took for absolutely ever but it's done. I'm just about to bake a pudding and it's 9 pm ( christmas sends us all burko!!) I even got up at 6 30 today to do a pilates class, can you believe it??? The highlight of my evening is that while I have been wrapping pressies I have been sampling my Donna Hay vanilla and pistachio nougat and it's positively divine!!! I'm off to rehydrate. A very happy christmas to Barbara, Crunch and Warren in South Africa we miss you and will be thinking of you as always, especially over this christmas, we hope you all enjoy yourselves and that santa is good to you.

Prompt 21 yes I was out or order

We had to photograph our house, as is for today's journal entry.Our house always looks immaculate from the outside but on the inside, although usually neat, there is always chaos!! Especially the kitchen bench loaded with scrapping supplies, cook books and evidence of baking!!!Yes Donna hay has a lot to answer for- I got measured at the gym today, 1 month since starting and to my horror I have put on 1 kg!!!!However as the young lass tried to reassure me, I have lost overall body fat, I'm going to have to be satisfied with that but I can feel desperate measures are in order post Christmas if I'm to win this battle of the bulge!!!

hubby

A photo of my gorgeous husband, Stuart

Prompt 22

I cannot believe I did this page in 30 minutes - I was so stuck on the previous prompt it took me hours and I was less than pleased with the result but I just ran with this and am quite pleased. ahh the fickle world of the scrapper!!!I still have some things to do before Christmas but I'm not stressing about them, wrap a few pressies, buy a few food items and clean up around the house!

prompt 20

Talk about special delivery's!!! Deb sent me this gorgeous photo of the kids today with our Christmas card. It is such a natural shot, the wind in their hair, sunny, childlike carefree days, Oh, I remember when....

Please can I have.....

The journalling on the inside of the card reads as follows: Dearest Santa, Firstly, may I start off by saying thankyou for all the years you really came through for me - there were some tough calls there over the years!! This year is a biggy....you're gonna actually have to collaborate with God on this one, but if it helps it's a joint present for Stu and I- We would really like a BABY!!!Yep, that's right, one with ten fingers and ten toes, two arms and two legs, a smile would be nice and beautiful eyes to be able to see our faces when we scream in delight- Boy, girl, doesn't matter, OK??? By the way Michael, I have to concede you were right- your comment is there for the world to see and was there any doubt that my brownies are the best???

More Chocolate please!!!

Day 18 of the christmas journal is all about the food we will be eating on christmas day and of course the lead up to the big day is filled with chocolate and more chocolate. Don't for a minute think that I'm not picky about my chocolates, because that said there are certain rules that must apply; it has to be dark, not milk nor white ( now obviously I would resort to these if there were only say, brussel sprouts instead!);preferably fridge or even freezer temperature, room temp is not palatable for me and if were talking flavours well then it's gotta be peppermint, orange or caramel at a poor third! There are of course certain brands that spring to tummy, like toblerone, club and lindt, yum yum....To balance all of this sweetness I make sure I consume copious amounts of honey baked ham, roasted turkey and potato bake! Ah, the gym where will that fit into my christmas week - I fear the new year will surely work that one out when I can no longer fit into my work clothes or when the love handles have finally become safety rails or when I can no longer look at a muffin top without recollection of my expanding waistline. But in the meantime where is that piece of dark rocky road?????

Prompt 17 "the perfect gift"

This for me the scrapper is the perfect gift. Something home-made, from the heart designed to really make someone feel special! That someone special is my neice, Olivia, who is 2 years old and I have made for her a min-book of her life in photos thus far. I hope one day when she is older she will look at this and realise just how special she is to me and what a unique little person she was as a child. I scrapped all night tonight to finish this book, almost there, and to finish my page for the journal so it's nearly midnight and I'm off to bed. Today was my last shift on ward 5G, very non-descript, I worked with no one I really knew -2 casual staff and then walked out of the door into a new season I feel for me .My prayer for this year is that 2007 will be a year of fulfillment for myself and Stu, that life will be full and meaningful to both of us, that we don't waste time with unnecessary happenings, see more of family and friends and live a more healthy lifestyle- these are not new years resolutions but ideas to be put into practice !!

Prompt 16 "Grateful For"

I was getting a little over all the reds in my christmas journal so i decided to go for something a little fresher like these blues and greens to list the things I am especially grateful for this season.I think we should always be thankful for what we have been given and wait on God for the rest .

Who do you visit at Christmas? Prompt 15

This was the easiest by far we had strict instructions about what we could use on the page and that was it so it took me about 1o minutes! The quickest page I've done in my life. I'm just about to do prompt 16 and I'm up to date alright for some!!I love the fact that we spend Christmas with my family but that it's not a special occassion as we see each other all year round and that's the way it should be. I'd hate to spend my Christmas with people I didn't see all year but felt obliged to, Yuk! The only disappointing thing for Stu and I is that he's family is so far away in South Africa so we can't spend it with them as well but we celebrate whenever we see them, presents galore and it doesn't matter what month of the year it is we are just partying the whole time!!!

A caroling we go!!!

Today's entry was all about Christmas carols and I guess the one that I've always loved is "SilentNight" - it's just a beautiful melodious tune and I always feel it has to be sung by candlelight. I love carols and I wish we had people coming around to our houses on christmas eve singing like they do in the states. I'm quite pleased that this year I'll get to go to carols by candlelight because normally I'm working so this will be a real treat. For today's page I used some of last year's "delish" christmas papers- yep, I sure have been usung up the stash. Looks like in the new year I may have to restock!!!!!

pressie's pressie's pressie's Prompt 13

I've been making chocolate brownies and I have to confess I've been licking the bowl. You know the first time I ever heard of them was when I was a wee child watching "My Favourite Martian" when Mrs Brown from next door would knock at the front door with a plate of them and I remember thinking wow they look delish!!! Well I've been making them for a while now and I just hope my gym trainer doesn't hear about it!!!

Prompt 12 Christmas Past and present

I was so stuck on what to do , had a little helping hand and amazingly have met the deadline so I'm chuffed. I am not even going to look at tomorrow's prompt until the morning so I will feel fresh and renewed after slogging it out at the gym, leisurely lunch with a friend, then I might think about it. Oh hard days!!!
My thoughts on today are that we should embrace today for what it is because once it is gone it can never be reclaimed, therefore Time is one of our most precious gifts.

prompt 11

Ornaments , decorations and Christmas Trees!!!!I did this prompt in rapid time to catch up with my friend deb in Sydney who is spurring me on.

Prompt 10

I am so enjoying this journal, I'm getting to use all of my supplies and I'm up to date!!

prompt 9

I really found this day 9 hard, I just couldn't picture what tradition I really had but I thought the one thing I do without fail is put up the tree every year and decorate it " vintage " style. I'm not a modern type girl so I'm not real fussed on all the pastel coloured decorations or really the Australiana type either. Nope I like the "traditional" stuff. Very European. I just wish it snowed here at Christmas so I could be sipping on eggnog by the fire instead of rubbing ice cubes across my face!!!!

Prompt 8

Today's prompt was about noticing all the things around us that remind us that christmas is on it's way.I made up a little poem to the tune of the old favourite, "twas the night before christmas" so enjoy and sing along!! Which reminds me I went looking for the book and have looked everywhere but cannot find it, instead the shops are offering this nerdy Australiana version, PLEASE!!!

I'm so stoked with this photo of our tree, thanks to Deb for tutoring me on iso numbers!!!

Prompt 7

Shop. shop. shop until you drop! There's madness in the air but I refuse to buy into it. I'm shopping at my pace, nearly all done, just have to purchase a few more pressies and some gourmet food items to get me through the festive season. I was at the shops today when I heard a lady say, "just get it , it will fill up the stocking for the kids" and I thought , no, no, no I refuse to give in to the materialistic madness I've buying for the sake of buying. I buy people gifts because I've put some thought into them and into their likes and tastes, I really can't stand this commercial garbage!!!

PROMPT 6

Today's prompt for the Christmas journal was to write about our worst christmas and our best christmas.Thank goodness most of mine have been good! The bad ones really help you appreciate the good ones. I just pray that everyone has a safe and gorgeous Chrissy , filled with love and spent with those precious people in our lives. Remember it is far more rewarding to give than to receive so if you know anyone who has no family, is incapacitated in some way or just needs a bit of cheering up, go out there and make their christmas by sharing God's love to all who cross your path!

PROMPT 5

Yeh,I know, I'm a little behind schedule so that's why I stayed up so late tonight doing this page - you probably can't tell, but all the little squares are sewed around the edges- there is no limit to my artistic genious!!!! I'll have prompt 6 logged on by noon tomorrow and then I'm up to date! I resigned from work today, such a liberating experience and I now get to have Christmas off which is just lovely - I truly have been blessed. This advent calendar has little surprises when you open the miniature paper bags as you get closer to Christmas. I must I must put our tree up tomorrow otherwise I won't get the enjoyment out of it, Stu has already hung fairy lights all over the back of the house which look fab.One other thing I want to do by monday is send out my christmas cards, what a busy little weekend it's going to be, plus I'm working!!!

Prompt 4!!!

My perfect christmas is full of red fastive baubles with lots of tinsel and glittering lights. Ribbons, silver are all a delight! Nothing like a bit of eye candy at this time of year.

I feel in the festive mood as I scored a new job today which is the sort of job I've been looking for for years! Break out the bubbly

You've Got Mail

I love mail! Emails and phonecalls just don't make the grade.I love being able to look at the envelope and try to guess whose writing is it. If something glittery and pretty falls out it must be Alina, if it's a stunning photo matted in a stylish and artistic way then it has to be Deb; if the writing is a lovely flourish it's probably mum; if the writing is skakey and childlike it must be Gran; but then there's always the surprise ones from long ago friends that still hold a corner of my heart and the brief and succinct ones from my brothers are such a man thing but I guess the one I always hang out for is the one from my husband which is always unpredictable, it could be gushy and mushy or artistic and creative or just hilarious fun, can't wait !!!!

Day 2 of Christmas journal. I must have been artistically deprived as a child because I attempted to paper cut a snowflake over the course of an hour- about 20 snowflakes later I realised that I just had to accept this was a skill I would never master so I cheated!! I downloaded a stencil design of one, traced it on to vellum, cut it out and pasted it on to a sheet of red and sprinkled green glitter all over it and hey presto!! A snowflake- besides I have never really seen a free floating snowflake in my life - that's my excuse anyway!!!

Gorgeous Jessie, emotionally scarred by all the weird things her mother makes her do just to get a photo!! She looks so christmasy with the tinsel wrapped around her!

The forward page for my christmas journal, my manifesto if you like. I would just like to see christmas thought of the way in which it was intended. That love could be shared amongst everyone; that we could just think of others before ourselves, just once in the year and that people without anything could have something, just once. Anyway, show mercy to someone today, that's the challenge!

Finally, the cover of my christmas journal!! Who says I'm not computer literate??? Stay tuned for page 1

It's Race Day!!

I had my work christmas party today at broadmeadow races.Everyone really got into the swing of things, had a little flutter, some champagne.I was utterly devastated that one of the horses in the second last race had to be put down as it broke it's leg - I mean is it true that you can't splint it or plaster it .I ask what is the go here?? Or are they just miffed because it won't make any money for the owner??
I've also added some pics of my christmas journal cover and the first page, I'm starting to get into it but am worried about making a snowflake!!

Manifesto: Noun. A declaration of one's intentions.Starting December first, I will keep a Christmas journal. In it, I will write something every day to reflect on the holidays of my past, enjoy the holidays of the present and dream about the holidays of my future. To some, this will be a stack of papers and trivial scribbles, but not to me. I am taking back my Christmas, I am letting it be something I relish and, most importantly, I am giving at least fifteen minutes every day to myself no matter how crazy this season becomes. I hope you will share, encourage and understand as I make something with my own hands, my own words and my own memories.

I started this shimelle.com thing, christmas journal with Deb, man this is stressful, having to complete a page a day - these people obviously do not work and their houses must be bomb sites but hey I'm never one to resist a challenge so here goes.I'm just about to start page 1 and finish the cover so I will post it on my blog tomorrow.

And so it begins.....

hi my name is Michelle and this seems really kinda weird. This is my first attempt at setting up a blog and I'm not the most computer literate person in the world so I'm just flying by the seat of my pants here!!!!
I don't want to sound all stilted and introduce myself like I'm at some AA meeting - no personal attack intended- so I'll just leave it at; I'm 30+, married to a gorgeous South African, work as a nurse when I have to and am the proud mother of a beautiful chocolate brindle staffie called Jessie. I'm a christian, I love scrapbooking, I'm a pretty good cook, my favorite colour is green ( although I asked my husband what colour best describes me and he said coffee brown, uhm?), I cannot believe Bill Granger is not gay ! I adore il Divo and I am definitely a mattress back sort of person.