Colours of autumn

Autumn is one of my favourite words. I like all the vowels in it. It's also my favourite season, so that's worked out nicely. This acorn and oak leaves was much harder to sketch than I anticipated it would be, but it's done now. The best thing about keeping a sketchbook journal is that if I don't like a page...it doesn't matter because I can just turn to the next one.

Scrapbook Sunday (2)

I don't often used 'themed' embellishments, but this deer was too cute to pass up. I bought it especially because I wanted to scrapbook our trip to the New Forest and then when I had it...I got stage fright. What if I used it and it didn't look right? What if I put it in the wrong place? Silly me.

The thing is, if I have a beautiful embellishment sitting in a box, I'm never going to look at it. Eventually I might have a clear out and make an effort to use it, or I might give it away. The only way all these pretty things make sense is if I use them. I am gradually working my way through my stash and turning pretty things into records of lovely memories.

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Making the best of it

Photos of a small fluffy thing moving quickly? In a cage, in poor light? Never going to be brilliant. But the story was far too important not to record. Little Waldy is one very persistent degu, and quite inspirational.

Loving layered embellishments, stickers and paint splashes. And life with the degus.

Scrapbook Sunday

Photos scrapped within a month of taking them? Yes, it's true. Sometimes I just have to go with what inspires me, and yesterday it was these pictures. I also have a new photo printer, which makes printing small photos for a collage like this so much easier. The photo grid inspired me to try a more streamlined design and instead of layering elements on top of each other, I worked to build a grid with different embellishments and journalling cards.

I've had that card with a sweetcorn on it FOREVER, so this was the perfect opportunity to finally use it. Everything else came together from that, and luckily I had enough elements to make the rest of the grid. The folded circles came from a discount basket somewhere, but they worked just perfectly for this, and I like how taking them outside of the grid adds a bit more movement. I don't normally do double-page layouts, or use 8.5x11 card, but for some reason it just happened with this page, and I like it.

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Preservation tactics

Life doesn't get easier. But if I have learned anything at all, it is that focusing on gratitude and action helps me through. So despite wanting to hide under the duvet most of the time, I am keeping going. Things that I am grateful for right now?

• Wonderful love and support.
• Small fluffy animals who depend on me.
• Making things (both the jam and the chutney were delicious).
• A sketchbook. I've just started a new one.
• Cosy blankets on the sofa.
• Autumn picnics after work.
• Scrapbooking. There are still lots of happy memories to record.

Take a deep breath and carry on

Gran was the bravest person I knew. She never complained, never grumbled about life, never faltered in her determination to carry on. I am desperately trying to follow her example but I don't think I'm doing very well. There haven't been many new sketches in my journal lately so I thought I would catch up and share some I did earlier in the summer. Happier times.

You can see this sketch in larger format here. Flickr has increased their free photo storage allowance so I can upload there again.