PigPog

I enjoyed making the photogrid of Michael yesterday, so I decided to make another one. This grid features pictures taken in and around our home town, Tiverton.

Here we are then at the start of the 2nd themed “Thing A Day” week, and as mentioned in previous posts, this time the theme is Devon. To start things off, a photogrid featuring my delightful hubster as he shoots his way around the wonderful county we call home. Most of these were taken in or around Tiverton, but there’s also shots from Sidmouth and the North Coast.

And since both of us are now off work for a week (yay!), I’ll be taking the opportunity to dust down the D40 and get snapping. There’s never any shortage of great photo opportunities around here, even the pigeons outside our flat seem to be ready for their close-up.

Meanwhile, emberlexi‘s been busy making books… a lovely little mushroom journal.

So week one hasn’t been a complete success, since I didn’t make anything on Monday, and I haven’t made anything tonight. But, I’ve got a couple of fun projects on the go, and presenting a Fimo model of Mr Scale to Frankie was good fun, even though his eyes had fallen off.

Another good thing to have come out of this is that it’s got me playing again. I went months without even picking up a pencil, so playing with Fimo, ink and pastel has been a great deal of fun. And that’s really the point. It’s not about the end product, it’s about having fun making the thing.

So, back again tomorrow for the start of week 2, where my theme will be “Devon”, and I’ll hopefully be breaking out the Fimo again.

Put the cards on one side for now pending more inspiration for the messages, and now I’m getting on with an information board for group. This is going to be all about Flexible Syns, something us Slimming World members indulge in every now and again when we need a treat. It’s all about indulging in behaviour that’s considered off-limits in normal diet thinking, so I gave the ‘F’ of ‘Flexible’ some little devil horns and a forked tail. This was all done with Pentel Sign Pens and the Pentel Brush pen, purchased some time ago from hubster’s workplace.

This, along with snippets of info about Flexible Syns, how to do it and get the best out of it, will be mounted onto A2 foam board and presented to Frankie to use in group.

Week one is almost over and I’ve been giving some thought to what themes to cover next. Next week we’re off work and visiting Michael’s parents who are holidaying in North Devon, so next week’s theme will be Devon – our lovely home county. After that, I’ll be taking my inspiration from The Decade That Taste Forgot, and then… I don’t know, but I’ve got a couple of weeks to think about it.

In the meantime, heeeeere’s emberlexi!

Inspired by last night’s meeting (I told you I was doing research!) I set to work adding inspirational messages onto the cards.

Next step is to wrap each card in plastic film to make sure the pastel doesn’t smear everywhere.

And for the person who commented on my last post, this:

>All things considered, >Slash is beyond poetry. >Rock and ef-fing roll.

There you go! A two-fer. Bargain!

Meanwhile, let’s see what our friend in Georgia, Alexia, is up to…

Today’s Thing A Day work was done out in the field, soaking up wisdom and camaraderie from my fellow… Oh, alright. You got me. I haven’t done anything tonight because I decided to go to my Slimming World meeting instead. I did manage to pick up a few ideas for the cards, though, and I’ll crack on with that tomorrow.

Go see emberlexi instead. She’s bound to have made something nice.

Oh, on the subject of emberlexi, take a look at her Arrrt! Store on Etsy – beautiful handmade journals and other lovely stuff.

First stage completed on what will become a set of flash cards for Frankie to use in group if she wishes… imagine Oblique Strategies for slimmers. On the back of these cards will be little tips or inspiring quotations for anyone who’s struggling in any given week.

They’re cut up sheets of heavyweight watercolour paper, roughly covered with pastel pencil and smudged. Turned out pretty cool, I think. Next I need to decide whether to do anything to the backs and how to add the messages. Calligraphy set or label machine…? I’ll sleep on it.

Now let’s see how emberlexi’s doing with that there fish…

Today’s ‘thing’ is a simple photo collage put together in Paint Shop Pro. I’ve been feeling a bit short of creative energy today, having spent much of my time beating our kitchen with a big soggy stick. So here’s a picture guide to my weight-loss journey, staying with the theme of ‘Stuff for Slimming World’ and at the request of Frankie, my Consultant. Here you go, Frankie. Enjoy.

I did start painting a background for the cards, but I found I wasn’t in the right ‘happy little mood’ to carry on. I have to be in the right frame of mind for painting, while I can prat about with Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop no matter what mood I’m in.

Now you’ve seen my paltry effort for Thing A Day, go visit emberlexi to check out her latest adventures.

Kicking off the first week of Thing A Day with a batch of stuff for my Slimming World group. First up is a little Fimo version of the almighty Mr Scale – bringer of joy and sorrow, success and regret to Slimming World members up and down the country. I thought this little fella could go to the home of any members who get too fixated on what the scales say and forget about all the other good stuff that can happen when you get into this Food Optimising malarkey. Hm. I guess he’ll be spending most of his time with me, then.

Other stuff coming up this week…

• A set of motivational cards
• Visual displays
• And anything else that springs to mind

For more thing-a-day goodness, and for more talent than I could shake a stick at, pay a visit to emberlexi’s blog.

I’m bored. I’m antsy. I’m having one of those who am I and what should I do with my life existential crises that really should have stopped by now. I’m itching for something to do to fully occupy my mind, to absorb me completely the way ol’ Farty McGee gets completely involved with pens, calculators and insanely complex text editors. I need something to take my mind of that muddafuddlin eating plan. Something to put a smile on my face, a song in my heart and PVA glue on my fingers.

I need to get my creative groove back. So what’s it going to take to get me making stuff again other than tidying up and going on a shopping spree at an art and craft store*? Well, last year my friend emberlexi participated in something called The Creative Act – a month long challenge which involved creating something every day for the whole of February. Sounds like a larf. It also sounds like something utterly implausible that I stand no chance of sticking to, but hey, it’s worth a go. It’ll keep me off the scales.

Watch this space, then. And start taking bets as to how long I stick to it… if anyone fancies joining me, leave me a note in the comments.