bolshy babies, beautiful views and lots of wine...

yes its extended family holiday time. eight reasonably sane adults, two toddlers and one feisty eight month old depart Yorkshire for the equally beautiful, if not more breathtaking, Lake District.

we do an annual jaunt away with Did's family, often the Lakes, usually in Spring, and its a few days of quality time with the family with lots of laughs and plenty of fresh air. in years gone by, before babies came along, it was daily walks and activities and late nightly drunkenness. we're still trying to walk a few miles and put away as many units as we used to but nap times and sheer tiredness are creeping in and interrupting.

what we all love about a week away, and it can be anywhere to be honest, is the pure fact its away. its away from day to day chores, work and stresses. as i write this i am sat in the large bay window of the front sitting room of our holiday home with views across farmland and fields towards Penrith. at home there would always be something else to do that would take presidence over just sitting and enjoying the art of writing.

so far we have spent a few gorgeous hours walking along the banks of Ullswater, skimming stones and taking photos. the boys have climbed Blencathra via Sharp Edge (apparently Wordsworth described this as the most treacherous part of the Lake District), the girls and babies have visited Keswick for a Sunday wander and suffered the diners of Abraham Cafe the most chaotic lunch. We've played in the park and sampled the offerings of the village pub.

ive also taken this holiday as the first opportunity to really give photography a go. my dad has passed me down one of his vintage cameras to get started with while i save up to buy myself a digital slr. ive not got the most technical brain but ive really enjoyed studying the manual, circa 1987, and getting tips and hints online. its frustrating knowing im restricted to 24 photographs but im choosing my subjects carefully and im looking forward to seeing the results.

im still not quite used to searching for 'family activities' when we're away but its quite exciting seeing familiar places through the eyes of a child. over the next couple of days we're hoping to take a boat trip (photograph opportunity for me) and visit a wildlife sanctuary. right now i need to make another cup of coffee before the boy wakes up (that will put the kiss of death on his nap...) and continue with my holiday.

a photo a day cont...

week two of the challenge and I missed a day...

onwards and upwards though:-

something beginning with t (a tea cosy)
paper (book poster)
one o clock (something i bought at one)
water (a globe)
circle (a tea pot lid)
something yellow (a yogurt pot)

a photo a day...

i have always enjoyed taking photographs. from snapshots at school every few months which, when i look now, capture my teenage years like a dream. both my dad and my brother have a great technical knowledge of photography and cameras. myself on the other hand just snaps away and hopes for the best. i have an eye for what i like and if things captivate me i take it. the invention of camera phones and in turn I phones has meant that people like me, who see things all day everyday, have a camera on them permenantly. 

towards the end of last year I decided to take part in the photo a day challenge. call it an excuse to get arty and self indulgent everyday. i didnt want to just take them for myself though, i wanted  to find somewhere to share them with like minded individuals and also link it to my shop, blog, twitter, the works. i searched for the right place but websites were either too international, too pompous or just looked a bit naff. the same name came up again and again though in my searches, fatmumslim. Written by Chantelle, a mum and all round nice lady from Australia, she started taking a photo a day to record her changing shape after having her baby and, like a lot of bloggers, writing for her own pleasure.

nowadays she launches a prompt list for every month. you can take a photo a day for just a month, or for a year as I plan to. Her print lists are great inspiration and along the way who know what else you might see. you can share your photographs via twitter, instagram, on her Facebook page, lots of places. you just hash tag FMSphotoaday and you're linked!

i'm going to make my project a weekly posting on here. and as my online store expands and develops then it may be some of the images might be available to buy one day soon. if they're half decent that is.

so, week one. themes were as follows (in order):-

today

something new

heart

the view from here

movement

mine

street.

and the photos...

let the fun begin...

so the hangover should be over by now and those of us not drinking (or seriously cutting down) in January are hopefully still on the bandwagon.

time to look forward and make a list of things to be done. I've spent a good bit of this afternoon, when not watching Girls or X Files, sorting though my work space and deciding on which new projects to take first. i've got an exciting pile of cards, paper and odds and ends for some new post card and note card prints I have in the pipeline. so much is bubbling in fact that I wish I had a few days uninterrupted to work through it all but unfortunately some of us have to work a day job...I've tried out a couple of new designs and will post some pictures once the paint has quite literally dried.

i've also spent the last few days increasing my reading list of blogs and i've found a couple of beauties to get the creative juices flowing. first up was Chantelle from FatMumSlim who birthed the whole photo a day challenge (more of that in a couple of days) and whose blog is an inspiring candy coloured treat that i have been checking out daily. secondly is Nicole Lavelle who I discovered via Urban Outfitters website. she's an illustrator and general all round arty lovely and has a taste and talent for font. check them both out if you get chance.

finally, i've been mulling a separate section for my blog, more style and fashion focused but ill let that simmer a little while longer.

i was never much a fan of January before to be honest. the whole new year new start thing didn't really sit with me, i found September was better for that. i think it takes a while for the school year to get out of your system. 12 years in my case. but this time i have felt refreshed. even more so when I spotted this pink winter blossom on my New Year's Day walk with the family. pink blossom holds a special place in my heart because it was one of our wedding flowers. flipping bright pink blossom on a bright blue day. perfect.