Monday, 28 December 2009

Calendar Challenge and snow

Hello again! Hope you all had a fab Christmas and happy times with family and friends. This snowy scene is what we woke up to on Christmas Eve and it continued to snow and get deeper and deeper. Santa brought my children lovely new mountain bikes for Christmas and they haven't been able to get outside on them yet!

Thank you all for your very kind comments on my article being published in Somerset Art Journaling. My mag arrived just before Christmas WOO HOO!

Now onto the 2010 365 calendar challenge. If you are joining in the calendar challenge you have four days to get ready for January! Here is my December page almost finished (click on it for a closer look). I tried this for a month to see if I could keep up with it and if I enjoyed doing it before I committed to doing it for a year, and I have really enjoyed it. December is a frantically busy month and I haven't had time to do as much art as I would like but however busy my day I could find 5 minutes to fill in a small square. When I look back on these pages I realise why I get so tired!
Here, I am working in an A4 Moleskine and each square measures about 1 1/2", but feel free to do this in any way you like. Every day I write, doodle or draw a picture of what I have been up to as a record of the minutiae of every day life. So far the following people have said they would like to join in the 365 challenge (I think), and remember, if you're thinking about it, it's not too late to join!

Sharon (livewire jewelry blog)
Sharon (my-little-pad)
Kate B
Amanda (all kinds of wonderful)
Suzie (Weaving Life's threads)
Irene (sorry, no link for Irene..)
Craftygirl (This is my daughter and IF she keeps this up I will post it here!)

If you have changed your mind / don't want to do it or whatever just let me know, it's not a problem. This is how it's going to work: At the end of every month post a picture of your completed journal page on your blog or flickr, link it back to here. When I post my journal page I shall link back to you all. Simples! We'll maybe throw a little blog candy in along the way. I think and I hope that this will be a great way to encourage each other to keep going!

Jill, over on Third Age Musings blog was my inspiration for doing this. She is also running a calendar challenge but at a slightly more sedate pace - a month at a time. Have a look at Jill's blog as she has posted a step-by-step on how to create your page. If you want to see my step-by-step have a look here. And finally for more inspiration, and to see different ways to set up a page have a look at the pictures posted on this Flickr group

Bye for now :-)

58 comments:

  1. Hee hee, think blogger must have been on the Christmas spirits, I've just emailed you about this but your post hadn't come up on my blog yet! Yup, definitely count me in on this. Going to post about it later. :) Happy Christmas!

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  2. Yes please, count me in I love the idea.
    Just going to get my book sorted.

    Happy new year!

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  3. OK I'm going to take the plunge and do this!!!! Please add me to your list of participants...........ooo errrr this is a bit scary but I am determined and it looks like such fun.

    I shall start my preparations over the next few days as family drift back to their post Christmas lives and I can reclaim my craft room............

    I'll blog about it at the weekend before we start.

    Good luck everyone.
    Lesley x

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  4. I finished preparing my double page layout in my A4 PINK PIG spiral bound book last night and now I am going to decorate the front cover and the first inside page saying who the book belongs to etc. I just love it and the idea. I should be ok so long as they don't start ringing me from school asking me to work!
    Kate thanks for the comments about my dogs, I think they are cute too and they love the snow.
    Pat

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  5. its our garden!!!!!!!!!!
    i think i will join the calinder chalenge!!!
    loving your art!!

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  6. Hi Kate, count me in please, can't wait to get started. Ann xx

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  7. I am plunging in too....WOO HOO!! Looks like sooo much fun, I hope I can keep up! Yours is fabulous!! Thanks Kate for the motivation and great idea!

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  8. I've only gone and done it!! I've talked myself into joining in your challenge! I've prepared January but I think I might have to go out and buy a bigger journal! I've posted on my blog so there's no backing out now....

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  9. Hi Kate

    Have added myself as a follower of your blog

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  10. Well that's me almost finished the January LO - just got to stick it down and add the dates - have just posted the preview on my blog...

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  11. Me too please. I'm keeping Kirsti company. Another one needing a bigger book though.

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  12. Oh my gosh!! This is TOO cool. I think I'm going to HAVE to do it... Count me in. I'll get my pages prepped and a post ready before the first LOL

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  13. ooohhhh four more days! okay! i'll get to preping January today... on my to-do list!

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  14. Better get my skates on then. I bought a spiral bound book from Paper Mill yesterday. It is A3 - hope that isn't too big to play.

    Love the new look blog by the way. You've inspired me to try one of my own to play this but I'm not very technically minded so whether I'll ever actually manage to link....
    Promise I'll keep up my daily squares at least as long as other New Year Resolutions!!!!

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  15. Can I join in too please? I read about it on Kirsti and Sonjas blogs and it sounds like fun.
    Thanks

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  16. Ha ha - I may have set a sedate challenge, but I have every intention of completing a 365 day calendar (I have 6 months already - does that count!!?)

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  17. This sounds like fun. I've been wanting to try art journaling for a while now. This looks like a good intro. Hope I can get sorted in time. Please can I join too? Thank You. Gez.

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  18. Hi there - I'm a new follower and have never taken part in a long term challenge before but I'm going to give it a whirl! Will try my hardest to get sorted by tomorrow - wish me luck!!!

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  19. ooooh, I've been undecided all day but I will give it a go, so can you put my name down too, thank you.
    Why am I such a last minute minnie - its a rush on now to get it all set up for the 1st! My New Year resolution of being organised is surely being tested,lol!

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  20. Well I'd love to try this! Never done any journal work but I will give it my best shot! Have a very Happy New Year. x

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  21. I have never done anything like this before but i cannot wait to have a go.
    Good luck everyone, Emma

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  22. oooo can I have a go too please my lovely???!!!! This looks like a great keepsake to make!!! XXX

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  23. This looks like fun! Count me in too please :)

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  24. Can i join in please. I am Chris (Scrapnanny)

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  25. I think I would like to try. Can I have a go please. As a child I never managed to keep a diary going but then it was never visual. Will you be very cross with me if I fail?
    My blog is here

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  26. Is it too late for me to try this? with all of you? am I correct that I have till end of january to show a pic of the competed january calendar ??
    Let me know
    XMichele SperaX

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  27. Ohhh my goodness what have you done??? I already have 6 journals on the go! Well i guess this is just gonna have to be no 7.
    Huge congrats on your art being published in Journaling Mag - I haven't got the current issue yet (Santa wasn't quite on the ball this year!) but i know that it's on it's way so really looking forward to having a good read when it arrives. Well i'd better start prepping hadn't I. I'm already 2 days worth of journaling behind.

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  28. Kate, thanks for posting this challenge, I had a half-hearted attempt at this last year but it dwindled away... So, I am hoping that with the encouragement of all you lovely folk I will keep it up this time. So, please add me to the list.
    Happy New Year to you all.

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  29. I would love to join in on this :) it sounds like a wonderful and fun way to keep a journal!! Happy new year!!

    Linda

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  30. Sign me up too please. This is a whole new thing for me xx

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  31. I hope I am not too late to join. I have been enjoying all your art work. I will have to see if I can figure out how to actually my journal page to Flickr at the end of the month.

    This sounds like fun.
    Robbyn

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  32. can i join in please---have already started :D

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  33. Oh Kate, I found you from Sharon over at Livewire Jewelry, and I love, love, love this idea. I think I am going to have to create of for my very own. Cathe Holden from JSIM, has really encouraged me to be more creative, doodle, draw, and what a wonderful way to make sure this happens. Thanks so much for sharing this. Just a simply wonderful idea. Glad I found you!
    Kate

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  34. Great idea. Can you add me please.

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  35. Have so far kept up with the calendar. I hope it's not too late to join. I haven't done a lot of blogging in the past, but it's a new years resolution!!

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  36. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  37. Looking forward to starting a new month

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  38. have added my completed January pages onto my blog--and my 'empty' Feb pages too

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  39. Thanks, Kate! I'm already having fun! ;)

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  40. Love this idea, I have fallen behind on my January page, but I am aiming to complete it this week, I have my February one up-to-date, fingers crossed I can keep it up.

    They are on my blog

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  41. Well this is too cool! I am going to start right away!

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  42. Just read about this on Dylan's blog - very cool idea, looking forward to seeing the months add up. I'm too far behind to join in yours now so will start one of my own today! Very apt for the 1st of March :0)

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  43. this looks brilliant i have just come from Quenies blog as we are on the same DT wonder if it is too late for me to join as would love to try this hugs cheryl xxxxxxx
    too late to start but could do one for this monthxxxxxxxxx
    oh sorry yours is brilliant by the way sorry found it so ineresting nearly forgot to leave you a comment

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  44. Loving your pages!
    I'd love to join your dairy challenge please if it's not too late?
    I've prepared my Feb pages and have dairy entries ready to use to fill in the journaling.Starting the March ones soon.
    I can put my work onto flickr, but not sure how to link it back here?

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  45. oh i wish i had seen this earlier! i had been wanting to do some sort of mini journaling, perfect timing really.
    please do count me in if you can. i have prepped my first page spread, for april.

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  46. This sounds really interesting. I'm a newbie to art journaling, and I think I will join in for the month of May.

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  47. i would love to do this as a start to art journaling....i dont suppose that it matters wether its decemeber or not :D

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  48. Finally posted April and May very late http://www.craphtyfingers.blogspot.com x Christine

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  49. Kathryn, this looked like so much fun I decided to just dive in ;-) Made my October pages and ready to fill it with text and other stuff. Thanks for this wonderful idea !

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  50. Please add me in, I've already started my January page.

    Thanks
    Bobbie

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  51. Please count me in. I've created the January 2011 calendar and am going to try (for January, anyway) to choose a word of significance to inscribe on each day's date.

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  52. I'm racing against the clock to join this calendar challenge, and wish you a safe, fun filled, joyous New Year. I hope it's not too late. I'll be a few days getting mine together, but I've so admired your blog for too long and now must play along with you, if you'll let me. Happy New Year, dear Kate.

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  53. Please add me to the list.. I'd love to take part in this.. I'm getting an a4 moleskine as we speak.. I'd love to do this!!!!
    bonnierose
    http://alifeunrehearsed2.blogspot.com

    hugs

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  54. I'm so happy that I found your blog! I actually started a new journal on Jan. 1...going bigger than usual. I made my first calendar page that day and have been faithfully keeping it up. I would love to be part of your calendar challenge.

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Thanks so much for leaving a comment!