jumpstart

is it september already? the past months seemed like a blur.

right now, life is a challenge especially with having a new baby and an active pre-schooler in tow. very daunting that it has consumed all my time, energy and effort, shuffling in between the many hats that i have to wear each day. i have totally not forgotten about my goals but more often than not, when i am about to do my stuff, something would come up - a baby that needs soothing or a cry of help from a boy who can't find his fave toy or even an errand to be done for hubby.

right now, there's a nagging feeling to organize and get back into the groove again. yet again, i am overwhelmed. early this year i made an attempt to take my memory keeping into a different level. and so i did (and is still doing) project life. although i want to keep it current, i also intend to work backwards to january so i could get the whole year of 2011. yes, it is a tough thing to do, with the time that i have in my hands. but when i saw what i did for the months of february to half of april, it made me soar. especially when i see my son flipping through its pages. he just loves seeing his photos in an album. and the good thing is that i haven't lost the urge to take photos and jot down bits and pieces of everyday life. when i went through my project life photos, i noticed that there are weeks that come with few photos and there are weeks that come aplenty. i am totally fine with that. i know that when i come face to face with project life again, i can come up with something to make it fit my liking.

right now, i need to make all things work on my side. as the month of september sets in, i intend to update my project life, make it more current and simple. and when i am fully adjusted to being a mother to two adorable kids, i would love to dabble on traditional scrapbooking.

right now, i continue to be inspired by others who share the same passion as mine. their works have ignited that love for creativity that has been put off for quite a time now. i am keeping the spark to make mine aglow.

yey for project life

i am soo excited that finally my project life is here!!! i am happy to be able to get hold of this product (even if it costs me a lot!) but i really believe that system will work for me to record our life now, especially that we will be having baby #2 very soon. this should work because i was only able to put up 1 album for euan - his baby photos (my bad). all the photos are stuck in my computer.

so on top of arranging all the page protectors and title cards, one of the things in my to do list is to select the pictures that will go in this project. since i am so bent to try this out in january (but decided to order on february), i have been taking snapshots of our lives. at first i admit, i planned to do a picture-a-day approach but there are days that i am so stumped, that i decided to go on a weekly approach. i have never taken so many pictures than now so i decided to organize my pictures on a weekly basis and select from there which would go to the PL and which would be for regular LOs. also, since i started with lots of pictures in january, i have been doing some journaling that i have written either here in my blog or in my journal. although i have read in PL community that backtracking is not really recommended as one can really start at any month of the year, i intend to start with the current week and work my way backwards to january and see if i can make the whole of almost 3 months worth of photos. i hope i can manage it since i am almost complete with the journaling. it's just a matter of putting it all together. but if not, then it's ok, i can use those in the regular LOs.

so this is my gameplan. i believe i can do this. all i need is to focus (olw) on my gameplan.

in a drag

lately, i noticed that i have not been keeping up with the goals i set for myself - stuff that i need to focus on. there is that nagging feeling inside me - longing to create, wanting to document life, craving to get out of the rut.

but i find comfort in knowing that i don't intend to do all this as a task meant to burden - i want to do this because i enjoy doing it regardless of time. i don't want to be bounded by time, although i have known myself to work best given a deadline.

although i have not been literally creating LOs, i noticed that i am writing more, scribbling ideas and taking notes of little stuff which would merit a LO in the future or something that would be included in project life (once i have those in my hands). and although there is a feeling that i should be doing it now, i feel somewhat assured that i have something tangible that i can go back to because i have written it down. my memory always fail me that's why i love the idea of scrapbooking and preserving memories. my journal and cellphone are a mess with scribbled notes and ideas but i like that it allows me to remember my simple joys. for now, i like how it keeps me in the know, how i am more sensitive to the people around me, how i more attuned with my son, how my life is revolving around my family, how i am learning more about myself as a mother and as a wife. and that is what's important.

joy

i am excited today because it is the start of the joy of love by kelly willette. it is a free class that i joined and for the whole month of february. and i will be in for a real good tutorial to enhance and brush up with photography!
i really wanted to improve on my photography, and with my one little word focus, i think that i'm moving along with my goals for the year! yey! although it is still a constant struggle to not get swamped in cyberworld but i think i now have a good grip of how to spend my time. properly.
on with joy of love, today's lesson is sooo cool and i find that it is also a perfect way to capture the everyday moments for project life (but still haven't found a way how to get that turquoise edition! im still on the look out for cheaper shipping options! and i'm getting frustrated about it!)...
can't wait to get home tonight to take some pictures....

my one LITTLE word

my hopes for this year are high.

i want to capture life as it happens. i want to write more. i want to hone my creativity. i want to brush up with photography. i want to do this altogether. frequently. consistently.

yet these desires are overwhelming me. my intention to do this not just for my family but for myself as well makes it all daunting.

and for quite some time now, i've been doing a lot of thinking on how to channel all my energy into achieving all this. i've been working on how i can motivate (*challenge* would be more fitting) myself to put all these hopes into something that is realistic, something that is tangible.

this year, i am inspired by ali edwards' one little word. i am not joining her class though. but i like how this one little word is meant to inspire. i like how this word would lead you to endless possibilities.

and so my one little word for this year is focus. my hopes need my full concentration, my whole attention. i see that this little word would move me into making all my hopes come together.

i am happy with my one little word. it excites me. i feel that it will guide me. it will lead me to the right track. and my heart just beats for it, and that's what matters.