Day 2 of my Week 5 layout SR - Personal Happiness equals...

As I said yesterday, the task for this week was to look at the things that mean bliss, happiness or joy to us, as well as those things that bring about feelings of loss, guilt or feeling yucky in us. We were given some prompts but I added some of my own.

The happiness "hearts" are colourful, the yuckiness is a black, cracked heart. The last page leads from the blackness but shows I choose to get through the yuckiness, to recognise the things that lead to feeling yucky, and then choose something different wherever possible :) x

SR Week 5 - My idea of...

I've been away from this for a week, as it's been son's half term, but I was finding this week's tasks difficult - to identify things that mean bliss, happiness or joy to us, as well as those things that bring about feelings of loss, guilt or feeling yucky in us. I always find ideas of good things and me difficult, but for the Art Journal Caravan (2010) we had to explore our greatest joys, and this is the page that I came up with for my joys...

Which gave me a lead into my idea of joy etc. The top page is just the first page for this week, as my hubby and son don't define me, but me being a wife and a mother obviously are my main "jobs" nowadays. But in being with them, particularly on holidays etc, what we do together makes me feel joy, see my situation as truth and from their love, I get my enthusiasm to do things together and for me, etc. My family life isn't always sweetness and light, but whose is? It is however a source of joy and bliss quite a lot of time.

x

AJC10 Week 6 - Leisurely bliss

The photo came from a walk I took last Autumn around a local lake. The water was so still and reflected the blue sky beautifully. The extract is from a poem ("Leisure") that I had to learn off by heart at secondary school (high school). In the first year we had a weekly lesson with the Head teacher and she was very intimidating when you were only 11 years old. We had to learn the words and the punctuation of the poem so that we could write it out unaided as a test the next lesson. Needless to say I only remember bits of it now, but the words seemed appropriate for the photo.

Credits:
Paper - Studio Flergs, Apartment D Quick Page kit
I can't find the details for the tag, sorry, forgot to write it down as I put the page together earlier in the week

AJC10 Week 6 - Seaside Bliss

This two page spread explores my love of the seaside. From most of my childhood, I lived near the seaside and there is something about the sights and sounds of the sea that I love, although I now live the furtherest you can get from the sea. The salty taste of the air, beachcombing, exploring and bracing walks on the beach or paddling... :) The photos are from two family holidays and the day on Brittas Bay, Co. Wicklow is one of my favourite hours of my life. That day was our last full day in Ireland and it had been raining all day. We decided to go for a walk on the beach and the rain cleared up for our time there. I was sitting on the beach and my son came up for a cuddle and I asked my hubby to take a picture as I felt the happiest I had for a long time. I wanted a photo to remind me of that joy. The shells I've used to embellish the quick pages I cut out from a 3D scrapbooking border.

Credits:

Pages - Studio Ztampf, Seashore Quick Pages kit

3D shell border stickers (dismantled) - Inspirations

"Pure Bliss" - Studio Ztampf, Seashore Kit, alphabet

AJC10 Week 6 - My idea of Bliss

Week 6 and this week is all about blissful living. The journalling prompts are:

• What brings you bliss?
• What gets you excited and energetic about life?
• What can you do to fill your life with more bliss?
• What can you change to allow yourself bliss?
• What does your heart whisper to you about blissful living?

Well for me, bliss is a day out or holiday away with hubby, son and a camera, although a solitary walk with my camera can be just as good. I love the opportunity to watch the world go or have an adventure. I have so many photos that bring back memories of those bliss-filled days.

Credits:

Paper - Studio Vivarant, It's Only Natural Quick pages kit

Metallic butterfly stickers - unknown designer, from stash