Lost in Blog-land

I can't believe it has been a month since I last posted! Arrgh - such a bad blogger. I won't beat myself up about it as the reasons are I had been 'spreading myself too thin' and something had to give. I have found parenting a challenge over the last few weeks - exam time for the oldest and it has been a bit stressful for all! Plus work is very busy - and I need to work to keep us fed etc :-)

I have done a bit of crafting but not as much as I would like. I haven't been spending much time at the Craft Beutiful forum either and I really miss them......

This month is my youngest's birthday so I am in the middle of making some party invitations - a bunch of 11 year olds going paint-balling! Sometimes I wish I had a daughter to do something girly with (sigh) but not often as they are both treasures!

Ayway if there is still anyone out there in blogland who is interested ( and I don't know why you would be!)here is what I have created lately

This is a birthday card I made for a friend. The tag is her 'gift' - I'm shouting her to the movies (Sex and the City) as well as a meal somewhere. Only problem is we have been too busy to find time to do it. Planning on going this week

Serious loss of mojo

What a bad blogger I have been. I've been an even worse crafter. Not sure why but my work -life balance has gotten seriously out of kilter.
I named my blog 'Live Laugh Love' because I have a real longing to Live life passionately; Laugh loud and often and Love unconditionally, something that has got away from me over the last 4-6 weeks - I have been doing really long hours at work and in the time remaining have been spending with my kids (trying to over-ride that single parent/working mother guilt!).

Anyway since tomorrow is the start of a new month I am setting myself a challenge to do something creative everyday during the month of May and post it on my blog. Hopefully after a month of this I will be back in touch with my mojo - which has up and left me again!

So if anyone reads this (Hello out there!) please stop by again and give me some encouragement :). If you have a favourite blog, website, book etc that inspires you please leave me a comment - just incase I am in need of inspiration during my month long challenge!

Hello Monday!

My youngest left for his school camp this morning - he is gone all week! Being ten and all he was too old to give me a hug when I left him (how will I go a week without a hug?) but he did offer me a 'virtual' hug as in "Don't come any closer mum- virtual hug time!" On the positive side it means I get to 'bond' with his older brother this week - we don't get the chance to hangout much so this will be nice.

I made a couple of cards tonight as well - it is amazing how much time you have when you don't have to make school lunch, do laundry etc! (Sorry not great photos)

Living life one day at a time

I have been inspired to set up a blog by the very creative people that hang out at Crafts Beautiful forum - I've spent so much time reading their blogs that this has taken forever - procrastination could be my middle name!

Earlier this week I attended the funeral of a friend who was taken by cancer after a long painful illness. She was 41 and lived life to the full. It gave me a good nudge - and reminded me that life is short and I have a habit of putting things off - and then they never get done. So now I am working on a list of all the things I am, not I want but I am, going to do.

“Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, drink in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “WOO HOO what a ride!”

One of them is stopping to smell the roses more - while I work hard 9-5 I tend to drift when I get home so I am making more time to spend with my children, more time to spend doing the things I want to do and more time to spend with friends.

One of the items on my 'list' is to spend time doing things I enjoy such as crafting - inspired again by the gals at CB forum - and this is a card I made earlier today. The picture is a birthday gift for my (ex)MIL - whose birthday is today and I am a bit late sending it as she is in Liverpool and I am in New Zealand. Can I blame the postman?