ZOOMING IN AND OUT

Hello lovely people......I'm joining in (yet again belatedly) with HELENA'S weekly photographic meme 

I confess that I have taken my inspiration this week from MIRIAM , who cleverly chose not to venture outdoors and used what she had in her kitchen...mainly tomatoes and garlic! There wasn't actually anything keeping me indoors, but I loved the idea and seeing as strawberries are back in season here...and are particularly delicious at the moment....that's what I chose as this week's subject

ZOOMING OUT

ZOOMING IN

I'm eating lots of strawberries at the moment, as they are supposed to  be very good for fat-burning (!?)...maybe they helped me lose that 0.75kg (1.65lbs) this week!...here's hoping I can keep it up!!

If you would like to see other ZIZO pictures, check them out HERE..in fact why not add your own?

Hope you find some photo opportunities this weekend!

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

PROJECT LIFE AND ME

You might remember my mentioning that I had decided to join in with PROJECT LIFE, after looking on from the sidelines for so long.

I made that decision while I was in the US which was, technically speaking, Week Three (assuming that I was starting on Jan 1, which I decided to do knowing that I HAD some  photographic evidence of those first two weeks).

I did buy a few some ready made 4x6 and 3x4  cards especially made for pocket scrapbooking, but on actually making a start to my pages I soon decided that I could easily use my existing cardstock and papers  (I have a bit of both, you know ;> ). I have been using 6x6 pads, which are perfect as the 'matching' bit is done for you!

I have used my SILHOUETTE to cut out the page markers and printed some of the sentiments directly onto blank cards.

Weeks one and two only warranted a page each...I reckon this may happen quite often, so I'm not worrying about it.....

Week 3, however, took up THREE pages..plus a mini-insert I made by just cutting up one of the pocket pages.

You will notice I've not got to grips with photographing PL yet!...in saying that the light's not been so good here today.

I won't be boring you with every week of PL, but I thought I would share my approach- such as it is!

After my first panic attacks trying to work out photo orientation, I am actually enjoying this ..and finding time to just do a little bit here and there.

Hope your week is going well.....I'm back to SERIOUSLY trying to lose weight , having gained almost a stone of what I had originally lost and tomorrow's my first weigh-in...I'm hoping for a loss because I have been good(ish) since last week!

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx 

HELLO WEEK!

This week I'm saying:

HELLO to an early morning trip to the Airport tomorrow, to wave goodbye to Craig again :(

HELLO to two lunches out...whilst trying to get myself back  on track diet-wise!!....that should be interesting

HELLO to the gathering together of all the items I'm responsible for, for the Seminar JVH are running on Saturday

HELLO to three of 'the girls' arriving on Friday ( the other arriving next week)....they're visiting for just over a week this time!....which in turn leads to:

HELLO to lots of fun and laughter! :)

I do hope there's some fun and laughter in your own week!

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

SIMPLY A MOMENT

JANUARY 17 8.05AM

My consciousness begins to stir and I half open one eye to check how light it is outside...as I do so, I am thinking 'What day are we at?'! It takes a couple of seconds for my still-sleepy brain to get the message to me that it is Thursday..... great!I don't have to be out particularly early, so I lean over and switch the electric blanket on and decide to have a sneaky extra ten minutes cosied under the covers. I also switch on the little blower I keep at the side of the bed to take the chill off the room, and as it starts to whirr gently I open my eyes properly to have a look out of the patio doors to check out how the day is looking.

I see the sun beginning to rise to the left of the house, and even through the voile curtains, it looks as there aren't TOO many clouds in the sky. It is very windy again, though...... the trees  are waving madly at me! I am suddenly aware of a gentle snoring on my left hand side, and turn to see Boo curled up in a ball beside me...she obviously has NO notion of rushing up either. 

My mind starts to go through the list of 'to do's' for today....Slimming Club this morning, Committee meeting this afternoon, baking a banana loaf for said meeting, sorting out bags of wool from the Charity shop for a new knitting class about to start at the DROP IN CENTRE in the village, and as the alarm on my mobile phone plays its merry (too merry actually!) tune, I know that it's time to get out of my cosy nest and start my day.

Thanks to ALEXA for the inspiration to 'Share a Moment' every month!

NB.....for anyone interested I lost all of a pound (0.4kg) this week- not a lot, but a start!

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

WAS I ACTIVE?.......

......Yes, I think I was, my bloggy friends! 

I chose ACTIVE as my OLW for 2012. As in 2011 I didn't take part in the online course or even keep a written record of how I was doing, but I did find it helpful to have it at the back of my mind.....in fact it actually ended up practically taking over my life in some areas!

I declared my aims as follows:

to continue being physically active, with my Keep Fit and Line dancing classes ....and get back to walking Boo 'properly' (i.e. not just 'round the block'!! -I continued with both Keep Fit and Line dancing, but poor Boo didn't get much further than round the block!!

does she look bothered?!

to lose at least another stone (14lbs/6.4kgs)......FAIL!! I lost and gained the same two pounds all year :(

to become more active in our local community....I intend to volunteer to work in our local Charity Shop, and have already volunteered to be part of the 'Front of House' team for our local Theatre Group- not only do I now work in the Charity Shop, but I have ended up on the committee of the Charity itself- my main focus is on helping with the  planning for the numerous fundraising events we have.                                                                                                                     I have continued to do 'Front of House' at our theatre (in fact it's panto time again....THE WIZARD OF OZ- and I'm 'on duty' three times next week!)

to actively join in with blogging and online scrapping challenges.....I did reasonably well with this, though never actually finished the couple of classes I took!

to actively limit my time online (am not at all sure how that one will go!!)...AHEM!!

to actively make an effort to find some new recipes to keep me on target for losing that other stone.....see previous comment re weight-loss!

to actively support DD as she makes her decisions about her future...this is her final year in Barcelona and she has to decide 'what comes next'-and it's not likely to include staying here in Spain.......an ongoing activity! 

I reckon that I am going to continue being ACTIVE this year, so am using it again (also known as a cop-out, I know!)

Thanks for dropping by!

take care of you

Alison xx

ALL TURKEY'D OUT!

Thought I'd just drop by and let you that I have survived THREE Turkey dinners this week....I love how so many of you commented on the fact that two of them were with my Exercise and Slimming Group!

It actually made me stop and think why that seemed so strange (apart from the irony of course)...and when I thought back to my life in the UK, I realised that when I went to any of these groups there they were quite impersonal, and that unless you went with friends you didn't really socialise. Here though, after every class most people stop for a coffee or a drink and a chat...I'm not sure whether it's because the ex-pats are in a minority and so stick together more, or whether the lifestyle here is just more suited to socialising, but I must say I have no complaints! 

Lots of eating, drinking and singing!

I hope you too have had a festive week!

Thanks for dropping by!

take care of you

Alison xx

HELLO MONDAY!

This week I'm saying:

HELLO to a (much-needed) pedicure this afternoon

HELLO to a haircut for Boo 

HELLO to a haircut (and colour!) for me

HELLO to a funeral at some point.....a lady I met through the Slimming Club died suddenly yesterday- she was a lovely lady and everyone has been left stunned.

HELLO to the possibility of seeing Craig by the end of the week

HELLO to having the fan in the living room on constantly ......it is just too hot to sit outside, or in the Naya (sunroom), so unless I'm in the pool I'm hiding indoors much more than ever! We do have AC, but I hate it..would much rather have the fan!

HELLO to doing as little housework as possible..for the same reason!

Whatever you're saying 'Hello' to this week,I hope there's something fun/relaxing in there for you

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

Last year's EFFORT

I promised in THIS post that I would  let you know how I got on with my OLW for 2011. My word was EFFORT and I had created this LO for it

So  how did I do?

• Weight - definately my biggest success!....by last week I had lost 3stones 1lb (43lbs/ 19kgs)
• Walking- started out well, but lost momentum over the summer when it was too hot for both of us! I DID start going to Keep Fit and Line Dancing though- not so good for Boo, but certainly for me!
• Getting out and meeting people- my Slimming Club, Keep Fit and Line Dancing too k care of that too
• Photoshop- FAILURE! Never got round to that at all
• Short-term future- another difficult year, with DH away from home too much, but my keeping busier helped me cope with that too.

All-in all I am quite happy with how I did, and even though I didn't keep any record after this LO I did find it helpful to remind myself of my word on my 'off' days....let's see how this year goes.

Thanks for the enquiries about dad's finger...it IS improving. He took the dressing off a couple of days ago, and it looks ghastly- I definately couldn't have done anything to help with it. Mum's better too...and they go home on Friday! Almost six weeks this time,which I have just about survived...

Thanks for dropping by!

take care of you

Alison xx

Nearly There!!

Only Christmas Day left to do for JYC and then the cover.....have still to photograph a few, but here's the 18th-22nd (minus the 19th...for some reason I haven't photographed that yet!?)

I reckon one (maybe two)more posts and we're through!

Life is slowly getting back to  normal...back to Slimming Club this morning and had only put on a pound over Christmas and New Year. Given that there have been years when I have put on almost half a stone(!!) I was well-pleased.

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

Life on December 16th

I have been watching reports on UK TV News about how quiet the Shopping Centres are, for the time of year. I popped into the one nearest to us (about twenty minutes drive away)on Wednesday afternoon, and reckoned it wasn't going to  be busy, by the ease of which I parked...I did not, however, expect it to be this quiet!

I suppose part of the reason is that the Spanish themselves don't make such a huge thing of Christmas as we do in the UK and USA, but the expats are certainly not out spending at this point either. There are certainly no huge queues to be waiting in.

Yesterday was my last Slimming Club weigh-in of the year, and although I didn't achieve my goal of losing 3 stones ( 42lbs /19.05kgs), I only missed it by .05 kg (which is not even half a pound)! I reckon I'm not even counting that miserly amount and am considering it a done deal!!

 I am hoping to lose another stone next year...now all I need to do is try not to put too much of it back on over the next few weeks! 

I have to say that I had a funny sort of a day today.....after a quick pop to the shops, and getting DD's bedroom and the spare room ( which mum and dad will be in as of Monday) straightened out ,I discovered that I had time to sit down and do not -a-lot. The cards are all posted, the house is decorated, the presents are wrapped (I'm still waiting with fingers crossed for a parcel from Amazon) and it's too early to start the food shopping. I felt quite panicky actually, but on checking my lists, couldn't really find anything that I really needed to be doing, so sat and watched a Christmas DVD (SCROOGED) 

Just want to leave you with a picture of the sky tonight...it has been totally amazing to watch!

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

I Couldn't Believe It!

When I went to 'MASYMAS' (our equivalent of TESCO or SAINSBURY'S) on Saturday, I was absolutely astonished to see this:

They were beginning to set up the Christmas display of chocs, sweets, cakes etc.!  This is SPAIN for goodness sake!....we usually have the display, but I'm sure it was much nearer Christmas before it went up in previous years! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Christmas, and by November I'll have the Christmas DVDs out to watch....I was just so surprised to see a Spanish supermarket getting ready!

I have managed to put together a 'kit' of patterned papers for Prompt 3 of  SHIMELLE'S PRETTY PAPER PARTY , but the light had gone by the time I had done so, so I shall photograph it tomorrow.....I haven't dared to cut it up yet! I can't believe that I have NO idea of the pictures I'm going to use with these papers...this is something well outside my comfort zone!!

Thank you to everyone who left a comment about my 'Weight Watchers' LO...I have taken the advice of many of you and changed my profile pic!

Thanks for dropping by!

take care of you

Alison xx

A Little bit of Cheating......

...here and there, is acceptable...obviously not in exams or really important things...not that Shimelle's  PRETTY PAPER PARTY  is in any way trivial or unimportant (certainly not to us scrappers!), but you know what  I mean!...yes? 





Well, I cheated a little on Prompt 2.....I was trying to kill two birds with one stone, you see! I'm trying not to fall too far behind with the prompts (but I know I will anyway!) and I also wanted to play along with SUSANNE over at SNAPS AND SNIPPETS. Her  'In Good Company' challenge this week was to use 'Making Memories' products......this is where the cheating comes in! Due to my hectically busy life obsession with the most recent jigsaw, I have found myself with a rather untidy house ...and DH is due home tonight! I am trying to avoid him actually realising that very little work gets done around here while he's away...LOL!....so it's been a cleaning day here!


So instead of choosing random papers from my stash, they are all MM ones....the patterns are 'DILLY DALLY'and the plain one is 'PAPERIE'...oh! and it's 8x8, as it's for my 'A-Z of ME' album, which is on my hitlist to be finished by the end of the year! :

With DH arriving soon (am off to the airport again-I swear my car could get to that place without me!)....and DD on Saturday, I reckon there won't be much scrapping done now till after the weekend.

This was weigh-in day and I put a half pound on :( ........oh well! onward and upwards downwards!!!

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

SATURDAY STARTING POINTS

I had great plans for getting lots of scrapping done yesterday. There was only one problem.....it was 40 degrees here, and my scrapping space is actually our 'naya' ( basically a conservatory/ sunroom without a glass roof)...and it was literally like an oven for most of the day! Even with the fan on, my brain was frying and I had to give up till later in the evening.


In the end, I managed to get another page of DD's NYC album done, using Shimelle's  STARTING POINT

I've adapted the sketch to 8x8, and I'm trying not to get too carried away with embellishments for this album. I'm using BASIC GREY 'SWEET THREADS' collection, as it's quite urban, but 'girly' at the same time. 

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

P.S. I lost 1kg this week (2.2lbs)!! YAY!

In Good Company......

........is the name of a great challenge I found, when I dropped in on SUSANNE over at her blog 'SNAPS AND SNIPPETS'. 


Here's the gist of it.


'...for the next several weeks, I’m going to spend time with some of the various manufacturers’ products that I have buried in my scrapbooking stash – company by company, week by week.'


She then goes on to invite her blog readers to play along.....if you pop over to her blog you will  get the full details.


This sounded like something new and a bit different...'I'm up for this' thought I, and off I went to search through the stash.


There was only one little major problem......Susanne's manufacturer of choice this week, was COSMO CRICKET, and I haven't bought any of that for ages (imagine a very sad face here).  I knew it would have to  be in the VERY OLD stash file...in fact I had convinced myself that I had none at all (now the face is sad and grumpy...I really wanted to play!). After the second rummage through, there - right at the back - was a sheet of CC 'Get Happy'!

As you can see, I was very lucky in that it was lots of strips, which I was able to chop up (and do some happy dancing while I was at it) and produce this

I am actually indebted to Susanne, as it jump-started the album I want to  do for DD's Christmas, of the photographs she and her friends took in NYC last December, while they were there celebrating DD's 21st. I felt the paper had just the 'urban' feel/look I wanted for some of the pics!

Needless to say, as I had no CC embellishments, I had to make my own...and the 'OH BOY!' phrase worked perfectly as the title!

I then went on to do the first page, now having an idea of how I want the album to look...

I used sketch #269 from SCRAPBOOK CHALLENGES  for this page.

So my thanks go to Susanne...not just for a 'new' challenge, but for getting me started on the album!...why don't you pop over and play along?

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

P.S. Lost all of 0.2 of a lb yesterday...but given my stressful weekend expected worse, so was happy...back on the bandwagon though!

LSNED DAY 28

Today I learned that I was still as hooked on jigsaws, as I was when I was younger! Dad has developed a taste for doing jigsaws recently, and we borrowed one from one of my neighbours....there is constantly one or other of us sitting at the table!

My scrapping mojo has been working on all cylinders this week, as I managed another LO  last night, for a Quote Challenge over at SCRAPBOOK CHALLENGES and also for a Colour Challenge over at SCRAP FRIENDZY.

...and today it was weigh-in day! After gaining a pound last week (which I was actually quite pleased about, after 'the girls's' visit and my Barcelona trip!), I had lost two pounds...so I'm back on track for having lost three stones by Christmas!

Just a reminder that this is STORYTELLING SUNDAY over at  SIAN'S BLOG....lots of interesting stories to read, from some lovely bloggers!

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

Learn Something New Every Day (LSNED) Day 1

The lovely Shimelle  has a new (for me!) class starting today. For more info on it, check THIS POST.


There are many ways to approach and record the responses to the daily prompts, and I have decided that blogging is going to be my best option. This is mainly because I have realised that I am either away, or have houseguests for most of this month! I am hoping that I will be able to blog  about something I have learned (with a photograph), each day...and maybe be able to create something more tangible at a later date- though no  promises about that!


So for today:

I received my shiny, new slowcooker (crockpot) and learned that I cannot simply just throw ingredients into it ....it would appear that you actually have to brown your meat before putting it in! I was always under the impression that you literally just placed things in it and switched it on! Tomorrow I am going to cook chili in it, as DH and DD both arrive home tomorrow night-and they just don't appreciate salad as much as I do!

I also learned that my weight stayed the same this week!

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

P.S. If you want to be entered into the draw for 'PASS THE BOOK', please leave a comment  at the end of THIS post!

Summer Scavenger Hunt....Graffiti Art

Graffiti Art doesn't seem to be a big thing in this little corner of Spain......and I certainly didn't find any whilst in the UK either...what is a girl woman to do?


The answer appeared a couple of nights ago, while the News was on ......I'm out of the box again for this, people!

To be honest, I'm not even sure where this was taking place....I just heard the word 'graffiti' and ran for my camera and started snapping! It's not a great photo, but I felt  rather pleased with myself anyway!


It was weigh-in day again today...and I lost 1.8kg (4lbs)!!! It's the most I've lost in a week for a while, so it was happy dance time .......I think the amount of time I'm spending in the pool, out of the intense heat is helping...that and the fact that I'm surviving on salads. I haven't cooked a meal for yonks, though I have sent for a slow cooker (crockpot) today, in the hope that it might encourage me to get back to it. Also, DH and DD are home next weekend, and they expect something a bit more substantial than  salad every night!


Thanks for dropping by!
Take care of you
Alison xx

Have you ever......

...known a 'slimming' group like this?


Although I refer to my Thursday morning weigh-in as going to Weight Watchers, this is not strictly true. It's not an 'official' WW group at all, but a group of women who follow various diets (WW just happens to suit me!) and who are weighed and 'chivvied along' by two very encouraging, fun but firm ladies.


It's actually a very sociable event...and,up until this week, we have had a lovely lady who served tea and homemade scones (with Philly Light and chili jam-yum!) throughout the meeting...of course no-one ever ordered until they had been weighed!! To be honest, I very rarely had a scone but when I did, they were rather delish!


Yesterday was Sam's last day, as she is going back to a 'real job' after the summer. My friend Rhoda and I had shared a scone....it was our last chance, after all.....when in walked a friend of Sam's with these!

They were for a little goodbye celebration.....and it would have been SO rude to refuse one, after the work she had put into them. She had made all the cake-holders and little embellishments herself..they looked ALMOST too good to eat, though I DID manage to overcome that feeling, once I had taken the obligatory photographs!


This was my choice...and yes, it was mainly for the butterfly

and I DID keep it till my afternoon coffee ...and it WAS delicious...and I AM being very good today!

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx