Reflection on 365+1 for 2012

Kits: Funky Brights - DSD by Athena, Snap - by Maya de Groot

 Here we are at the end of 365+1 for 2012, somehow I've managed to complete every day. I've not always managed to post everyday but caught up later.  Sometimes I have used photographs not taken on the day either, but I am pleased that I have completed.  I set myself an extra task of digitally scrapping each of my photographs and am pleased to say that I managed to do that too. 

What I have gained from taking part in 365+1, is more than a collection of photographs and digital layouts, I have 'met' and made friends with my fellow travellers on this photographic journey.  Some of us are continuing at Lucky Snapping in 2013 in a slightly different format.  Be sure to check it out.

Finally, many thanks to Suzi for hosting 365+1, I would not have liked to be responsible for posting a prompt every day even with some auto-scheduling and Suzi never let us down, even if she didn't manage to finish the challenge herself.

To finish off, I've picked my favourite layout from each month to share again:

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Wishing you all a very Happy and Healthy 2013

End - 365+1

I've been trying to take a photograph from the Clackmananshire Bridge since it was built, you get a great view of the Ochil Hills.  On Christmas Day as we drove up to visit my Mum, I was a passenger so could take some pictures.  The sky was blue the sun was out, but the photos were not that great, some had the wing mirror reflecting and the barriers were just at the height that they got in the way.
This photo was taken towards the end of the bridge, I've processed it in my new Lightroom software to give it an interesting tonal quality.  Love the little film strip which was a freebie designed by Laura Bavin which came with Papers and Pixels Digital Magazine.

Frozen Primula - 365+1

It's a free choice today, so I've gone back to the beginning of December for this photograph of the primulas in our garden when we had a hard frost.  It may be a little more frosty tonight, but last night it was very windy and wet, I could hear the wind howling round the house and down the chimney as I lay in bed.  I prefer the frost!  The digital kit is Botanica from Coppercurls Designs.

Something you'd change - 365+1

Another wet and blustery day here, I've spent most of the time in the kitchen, although I did manage to do a little bit of sewing this afternoon. 

I've chosen my husband's cacti as the thing I want to change, I really don't like cacti and I'd love to have the window sill at the top of the stairs back for my own purposes!  However,  I think it is unlikely that this will happen, I've gradually eased the cacti out of all the other rooms and they are restricted to this trough on one window sill.  Maybe one day! The Kit is Desert Flower from Designs by Mozz.

Special - 365+1

There are so many special things going on over the Christmas holidays that it is hard to decided what to show.  I made these 'Cookie Dough' truffles for our family party in November, they are full of butter and sugar and chocolate chips, very rich and very special.  Those with a sweet tooth just love them.

I've had a quiet day, making soup from the turkey carcase and baking the 'Herman the German' friendship cake I was given just before Christmas, it had reached day 10 and was ready to be made.  It's a lovely cake, but I had to freeze it as we have so much cake in the house!  Not long to go on this 366 journey, can't believe we are nearly at the end already.

Christmas 365+1

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and are enjoying Boxing Day too.  Here is something that was on my table, not today or yesterday but could well have been as it is Delia Smith's Christmas Fruit Compote.  I'm very taken with the red and white Scandanavian look which is prevalent at the the moment and pleased that I have Maya de Groot's Santangles digitial kit in the same sort of design.

This photo epitomises the delight of spending time with our grandson on Christmas morning.  He really wasn't intrested in opening his presents, he wanted to play with his grandpa.  The kit is Kate Hadfield's 'Deck the Halls'. 

Mouth Watering - 365+1

My festive lunch for one today was a toasted bagel with ham, cheese and homemade cranberry jam, finished with some watercress for 'greens' and it was 'mouth wateringly' delicious.  Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all my fellow 366ers, I'll be back posting on the 26th.

Janice

Festive - 365+1

A little festive view of my Christmas cake complete with woodland scene!  We managed to get home in daylight today after a long drive through the rain and wind to visit our son in Glasgow.  It was good to see him and we exchanged our gifts, hoping he will be down to visit us soon.

Something Green - 365+1

Today I have been busy in the house, washing floors, hoovering, baking cookies and wrapping presents.  No photos taken today, but last weekend I did walk out to one of our fields which has just been re-fenced.  I got this shot of a gorse bush, so that will be my 'something green'.

I hope everyone is getting on with their preparations and will soon be ready to enjoy some time with friends and family.

Something Red and Christmassy - 365+1

A little festive 'Something Red', a cupcake Christmas tree bauble.

Another Christmassy themed layout, this year we won't all be together although I will see both my sons, just not on the same day in the same place. Maybe next year. This photo is from Christmas 2009.

Drink - 365+1

I'm saying NOTHING!

Grey and Slippers - 365+1

I wasn't sure what to choose for the prompt 'Grey' then spotted this lovely monochrome Christmas card which arrived the other day from some distant relatives who live in Canada. It's the nicest sort of  grey.

I've featured my slipper boots before, so this time you get a view of my husband's slippers.  As we live on a farm, shoes and boots come off at the back door and slippers go on!

Weath - 365+1

Chocolate money is such an integral part of Christmas and although my sons have grown up, I still include some chocolate coins with their Christmas presents.

Blanket - 365+1

We keep this lovely fleecy blanket on our leather sofa.  The leather can feel a little cold in the winter so it's nice to sit on the soft blanket at the end of a long day.

Health - 365+1

I've been sent some of this Baobab Superfruit powder to review on Farmersgirl Kitchen.  I haven't tried it yet, but it popped into my mind when I saw the prompt. 

Edible - 365+1

This prompt is an easy one for me, I have so many photos of food!  These are my Choc-ful Cranberry Muffins a nice alternative to mince pies and Christmas cake.  I have a bagful in the freezer ready for Christmas visitors.

Three days of 365+1

Tree 101212

I never did choose one tree, and just now it is dark when I leave in the morning and dark when I get home, so here is the 'Pinus Mugo' in our garden taken a couple of weeks ago.

Look Up 111212

Another photo from the same day,  looking up at the ivy on the ruin at the top of our road, I love the seed heads that form on mature ivy even though it is a destructive plant.

Obligation is a difficult prompt, so I looked up the definitions and found this one.  Marriage is a legal contract and so must be an obligation, that seems a dull and tedious word and does not feel like an obligation at all.  We have been married for over 30 years and it feels just like yesterday that we met and fell in love.

I've used the same papers for all the layouts for the last three days, the colours worked iwth all the photographs.

Lights - 365+1

Today I had a day out with my friends at a Christmas Fair, we had a good time.  I deliberately didn't take my camera so I could concentrate on being with my friends.  I've gone to my 'archives' for this Christmas Tree Lights photo, as our tree will not go up until next weekend.

365+1 Week of Photos and Layouts

Curved 031212

Some of my grandson's toys which stay in our house.  This ball has entertained him since he was very little.

Couple 041212

I love this digital kit by Maya de Groot, it's called Santangle and is well matched to the double pot, which I have Christmasfied and filled with a 'couple' of pots of preserves to give to my friend as a gift.

Corner 051212

This cosy corner is in our living room, on the floor below the  light are my many Scrapbook magazines.

Curly 061212

Since I had my hair cut short, I haven't needed my straightners, but when I let it grow a little longer, it curls up at odd angles and they are required again.

Comfort 061212

We received this Christmas card from Viking River Cruises, we have a river cruise booked for March, it can't come soon enough!

Mundane 081212

My Birkenstocks are my everyday slippers, easy to wear and very comfortable. I love the purple straps, but as I see them every day, they do seem mundane.

Well that's the end of the catch up, I thought I woudl hvae more time to scrap last week, but it hasn't been possible.  I just have to get through this month to complete my 365+1 for 2012.

Fly North! - 365+1

It's been a very cold day here in Scotland with frost and ice on the roads, it's never really thawed out the way it did yesterday and in places it is sheet ice.  Nice day for photos though, so I went out for a while to see what I could take.  I thought these geese flying back up north in their ragged, sweeping formations were perfect for the  'Random Aysymmetry' prompt.

Here are a few more photos I took today.

Ice in the road

Robin Red Breast

Frosty Ferns

Snow on the distant hills

Around the Home - 365+1

DSD by Athena - Home

I have been around my home today.  We woke this morning to see snow on the hills but it had been raining outside on the frozen ground and the yard was a sheet of ice.  We went next door to visit our grandson with a little advent gift and the ground was treacherous.  It's freezing again tonight, so the view 'Around the Home' is from the top landing looking down the stairs.