Today I'm loving.

I've started a little thing....let's see how long I can keep it up!

What inspired this little "thing" of mine?

Well, I had been taking part in a few photo challenges...as you do....

There was the photo a day over on Fat Mum Slim.*
Then there was Project Life 365...**
And there was A month of over on Just B....***

I tried them all.
I tried them all at the same time. Which was, like...3 photos a day.

Phew! That was a bit much.

And then I thought I would just pick the prompt that I liked the beast and do that....and then I found myself wandering round my house, or my garden and just snapping the same old crap.

It all became a bit of an effort.

Then....I met Hayley Bartholemew at the Voices of 2013 masterclass (well, I didn't actually meet her face to face, you know, but I FEEL like I've met her)
She started a project called 365 grateful and I encourage you to go and check it out - it is awesome.

So I was feeling a little flat, stressed maybe, feeling quite negative about myself and my lack of energy some days.
I thought I needed a boost....something like 365 grateful, something uplifting, something to help me see the positive, the bright-sun-shiny-side of life.
I also do quite like having to take a photo a day, to document itty-bitty-bits of my life.

I wanted to choose things that would make me feel good, but with a wider scope than being grateful.
I want to find something every day that I like....no, LOVE.

It could be something around me, or an activity, or something I've seen on-line, or a book, or a song, or a movie.....or food or drink!

It can be ANYTHING at all!

But the main thing is to find something every day to love, no matter how small or silly, or radical.

So now that is my daily "thing" now.

Feel free to join in, if and when you desire....could be fun, yes?

Tomorrow I'll post some of my photos from the start of my little "thing".
come back and have a look.


* there still is here.
** it has gone.
*** it's still going on here.

Learning something new or finding inspiration

Where do you go when you want to extend yourself or learn a new skill or technique?

Some people take classes.
Others may find the answers to their questions in on-line tutorials.

Me? I subscribe to beading magazines.
This is how I've learned (almost) everything I know about beads, beading and beadwork in the 16 years that I've been playing with beads.

Bead and Button was my first infatuation, and I have copies going back about 1998 I think.
I've kept them all of course but it's almost impossible for me to find anything in the very old copies.

I can't remember when I first discovered Beadwork, but I used to just buy it occasionally from the newsagent until I finally succumbed to a subscription.

Both these mags are bi-monthly and conveniently arrive in my letterbox on different months, so spreading out the beady joy.

They have both also had babies - with an emphasis on quicker stringing design rather intricate beadwork ideas.

And, yes, I found their charms irresistible too!

I love all these for different reasons, and they all have great "how-to" sections as well as general information, trends etc and always check out the advertisers for supplies.
Mostly the projects are submitted by contributors and tested by the magazine's team, so you know they are going to work for you.

Do you buy magazines for your craft?
Do you subscribe as I do?
Where else to you get tutorials and instruction?
Ideas and inspiration?