Hello 2022....January week One!

Happy New Year! 

So 2022 has arrived & with it hopefully, the chance to get back to more normal life, albeit a new kind of normal in some areas! I guess the way we view life from here on in will always be 'Pre' & 'Post' pandemic, but I'm happy to have enjoyed the first week of this new year in relative normality.

We saw the new year in with good friends at a dinner party in Hampstead.  Good food & wine, lots of laughs, reminiscing & putting the world to rights!  The local fireworks were going off from as early as 8pm, right through to 2am & we had the perfect view from the dining room window!  We stayed overnight & drove home to spend a lazy New Years Day at home & I had a blissful afternoon in my craft room

I was putting together a birthday card for a friends son. He's a big football fan & supports both Everton & Brentford, so some research was needed to get the kits correct!  The 'Goal' embellishment was made using a file from my silhouette Cameo design library, as were the player silhouettes. I used a font to cut his Name & the number 11 on my Cameo too, but the stars were made using two different sized star punches.

As much as I love the house all dressed up for Christmas, I enjoy dismantling it all just as much!

When the house looks clean & tidy again, and you marvel at how much room you actually have when there isn't a large tree dominating the lounge!

It never fails to fascinate me though, how each year I can never pack things away exactly as I got them out! There are either too many pieces of bubble wrap....or not enough!!

But once again tree, baubles, ornaments, lights & soft furnishings are all bagged or boxed & stashed away in the loft for another year. 

This week I returned to my Slimming World 

group!  I had last re-joined in October & had been doing quite well, but seasonal work shifts & a houseguest meant it was impossible to get to group for the last three weeks in December.

Not surprisingly I had to face a gain at the scales, but am undeterred! Fast on can be just as fast off in my book with a little focus...watch this space!!

We were all issued with new books this week, no change to the plan itself, just shiny new books to refer to & record our progress in.

I also got to spend a fabulous evening with a few colleagues at an amazing local Italian restaurant.  We were catching up with an ex-colleague who had left us to become a teacher. It was good to hear how much he is enjoying his new career.   My sides were aching from all of the laughter by the end of the evening. Much fun was had...& all on a school night too!

Finally, I have committed to completing a Project Life album this year.  I last did one in 2013 but only managed January - July as I returned to full time work that year & found myself with no spare time to craft at all!!

Now I work just three days I week & I am trying to ensure I build in as much crafty time as I can, between laundry, housework & gardening chores!! 

I'm keeping it simple this time, a single page spread each week, documenting the highlights. So much simpler than 

attempting a daily photo in a double page spread! So far so good...

So, that's my week. I hope your new year has got off to a good start? What are your resolutions? Commitments? Anyone else documenting the year for posterity?

Thank you so much for dropping by! If you'd like to, please leave me a comment so that I can drop by & visit your blog too.

Take care & stay safe

Sandi x