Sparkle Designs

#91-check

Oh my it's really been a year since I started this 101 list!?! How is that possible? I really need to get going on this list if I plan to get them all checked. I love to read, but sometimes life gets busy and I don't make the time to read for fun. Over the past year I have read at least one book a month. There was even one month that I read three books. I know this isn't a huge accomplishment, but its nice to get some of the little things checked off my list. I think I need more motivation to tackle some of my bigger goals on the list.

#65-check

 

After the first and second attempts were a total flop, I finally made madeleins. I bought the pan last year in Paris, so evertime I made them I would be reminded of Paris. I really can't believe it's been a year since that trip. I am so ready to go back...anyone??? I know this is a small goal on my list of 101, but it's still fun. I am in the process of working on one of the bigger ones now.

#37-check x4

If it weren't for Elena, I wouldn't know that I met this goal. I sent in a bunch of cards ages ago and totally forgot about them. I was excited to find 4 of my cards in the current issue of Take Ten.

Now to work on some more goals since I have been slacking lately.

#93- check

You don't realize how much you use something until you go without it. I think I have a serious addiction to my computer and phone, but I spent Saturday without either. There were times that I had to leave the house, so I wasn't tempted to check out something on the internet. My brain goes a million miles a minute, so if I think of something I always just run look it up. Finally I just started a list of things I needed to look up.

I had Connor to keep me distracted most of the day, so it wasn't too bad except nap time and after his bed time. There were some good things I discovered though.

• It forced me to be creative. I have got in the habit of just looking up some ideas/inspiration online if I become stuck on a card. I forgot, I had some good ideas of my own ;) I can hopefully share them with you soon
• I didn't waste too much time. Usually when I hop online to look up one thing, it leads to another and another and then I am on for an hour when it should have been 5 minutes.
• I had to go visit people instead of just calling them for a minute.

So I think I'll make an effort to use my computer less. And I'll definitely not use it when I am creating as much.

I will try to post some crafty stuff soon. I have made a few things, just haven't got around to posting them.

Happy Monday!

#28-check

I love when you complete a goal without even realizing it. It seems that I haven't completed one of my 101 in a while, so I decided to check out my list to see if there was something I could complete quickly. And to my surprise, I discovered that I completed one last month. My 365 project definitely has me completing #28.

Here is a photo of our snow yesterday.

#39 of 101

For the first time EVER, I made and sent my Christmas cards. If you want real honesty, I think this is the second time I have even sent Christmas cards. Kinda sad huh? Maybe this year will motivate me to actually do it more.

I used this card from one of the VMAA challenges. For mass producing the card, I didn't add all the little details.

I made some green ones.

 

And some blue ones.

 

And here is the happy stack before being sent away to their new homes.

 

All stamps and notecards are A Muse Artstamps.

#72 of 101

Last week, I volunteered for a political campaign. I am headed out to vote early this morning and off to volunteer again for a few hours. I am a bit afraid of the lines today~ should be exciting huh?

Get out and vote today!! FYI - Starbuck's will give you free coffee and Krispy Kreme will give a doughnut.

#30 of 101

I finally organized ALL of my pictures~ both digital and prints. It took me forever to go through all my digital pictures and get them organized in a way that works for me. I have a million pictures of Connor and A Muse cards, so that was the hang up. I organized all my A Muse pictures by Season/Holiday/Occassion. Then all other pictures were organized by year with a folder for each month. OMG it is making everything so much easier. Now I just put them in the correct folder from the beginning and should never have to do this again. I went through all my prints and organized them in the way that I want to scrapbook them.

I am having so much fun with my list. If I feel bored, I go look at it and see if there is something on there I can work on. It is really helping me stay focused~ except this week when I feel completely swamped with things to do.

101 in 1001

In the past couple months, I have been reading everything photography; books, magazines, websites and blogs. I have found many blogs that I find myself looking at almost daily. One of those is Melissa Jill's. A few weeks ago she had a list of 101 things to do in 1001 days, then I found that many other people had done this on their blogs also and there are websites devoted to it. I thought it would be a great way to keep motivated and accomplish more. Granted some of my list are just for fun while some are more *serious* goals. 1001 days from now is June 3, 2011. I'll check off  each goal as a accomplish it. So here goes...

Financial Fun

1.      Buy a house

2.      Invest in the stock market

3.      Save 20% of what I earn

4.      Pay off school loans

5.      Use more coupons

6.      Have a month of no spending

Healthy Fun

7.      Learn to rollerblade/ finally use mine, since I HAD to have them

8.      Ride my bike 3 times in a month

9.      Learn to play golf

10.  Take pilates

11.  Run a 5K again

12.  Run the Peachtree Road Race

13. Run/walk a marathon

14.  Flatten my tummy

15.  Eat healthier foods

16.  Work out 3 times a week for a month

17.  Drink 32oz. of water everyday for a month

18.  Take Daisy on a walk 3 times a week for a month

Photo Fun

19.  Take a photography class (can be online)

20.  Join a photography group

21.  Create a portfolio

22.  Start a photography blog

23.  Start a children’s portrait  business

24.  Create a photography website

25.  Take photos of my grandmother

26.  Take photos of my great aunt

27.  Document “a day in my life” with photos

28. Take a photo every day for a month (completed 1/31/09)

29.  Enter photos into contests

30.  Organize photos (completed 10/27/08)

31.  Frame and hang one of my photos

32.  Visit a photo gallery

Creative Fun

33.  Blog every day for a month (completed 10/31/08)

34.  Throw a party

35.  Make a scrapbook for Connor

36.  Paint/create something on a canvas

37.  Have a card/project published (7/2009)

38.  Make a family heritage scrapbook

39.  Make and send Christmas/ Holiday cards (12/15/2009)

40.  Create my perfect craft room (after completing #1)

41.  Create cookbook/recipe box with pictures

42.  Visit local art galleries

43.  Attend a CHA show

44.  Teach more A Muse classes

Adventure Fun

45.  Take flying lessons

46.  Take a road trip

47.  Skydive again

48.  Ride in a hot air balloon

49.  Take a drive outside the city to view the night sky

50.  Swim with dolphins

51.  Go on a solo adventure

Travel Fun

52.  Take a train trip

53.  Visit Asheville

54.  Go to Seattle (complete Nov. 10, 2008) 

Learning Fun

55.  Learn a new language and travel to that country

56.  Learn to cook a great steak

57.  Learn to drive a stick shift

58.  Learn sign language

59.  Learn to sew

60.  Memorize the times table~ by memorization ~no I never learned that b/c my teacher told me I was stupid and I quit trying

61. Learn Excel ~ complete 10/18/2008

62.  Learn piano

63.  Take a painting class

64.  Take a wine class at the château

Cooking Fun

65.  Make yummy madelines

66.  Take a cooking class

67.  Visit a farmer’s market and create meal

68.  Go apple picking and make an apple pie

69.  Try a new recipe every week for a month (2/4)

70.  Learn to make French breads

Volunteering Fun

71.  Grow my hair to donate

72.  Volunteer for a political campaign (completed 11/4/08)

73.  Volunteer in a soup kitchen

74.  Work on a Habitat for Humanity project

Just for Fun

75.  Stay in a luxury hotel

76.  Take Connor on an overnight trip

77.  Go to a book signing

78.  Buy and wear a pair of heels more than once

79.  Go on a picnic

80.  Go to Atlanta Botanical Gardens

81.  Go to Fernbank

82.  Take Connor to the Center of Puppetry Arts

83.  See a movie at a drive in

84.  Fly a kite

85.  Build a sandcastle

86.  Find a great “little black dress” AND wear it

87.  Go to a spa

88.  Own a retro cruiser bike

89.  Have a girl’s only weekend with friends (8.16.2009)

90.  Take Connor to a baseball game (completed 7/20/09)

Miscellaneous Fun

91.  Read a book every month for a year (completed 9/11/09)

92.  Make lists to stay more organized and on task

93.  Spend one day without using my computer or phone  (completed 3/07/09)

94.  Read 3 books I was suppose to read in high school and didn’t

95.  Buy flowers for someone

96.  Keep my car clean every day for a month(25/31)

97.  Keep home organized for a month

98.  Watch a sunrise

99.  Floss every day for a month

100.          Create new 101 in 1001 list before this one ends

101.          Have a celebration dinner after completing list

Now if you feel motivated to make a list, I would love to see it so just leave me a link. Wish me luck on this new craziness.

Happy Friday.