Wilson Wilson Collection - Childhood

I am about to embark on a journey.  It will be a long one, one that will be filled with joy, laughter, smiles, tears, heartache and maybe even sadness.  But the biggest gift will be the memories and stories that I will get to uncover.  I have no finish line in sight because I want to tread slowly, sit with each memory, and take it all in, how each of these moments has moulded me into the person that I am today.  I want enjoy this amazing gift that I have been given.  

I have my photos and they are in no order, they are all jumbled up, some have stories written on the back but most have nothing.  This is the part that I am excited about.  Looking at a photo and writing down the memories that come to mind.  The photos that have no story and ones that I have no memory of will be the ones that I pick up, delight in the possibilities of memories and stories, then sit down with an older relative and get lost in their stories.

Why am I doing this?  That's a very good question.

As you know I am lucky enough to be on the Creative Team for Wilson Wilson and this Friday the 3 March 2023 a beautiful collection will be released - "Childhood" and this collection is full of inspiration to document your own story or maybe the story of your own children.

This beautiful collection is filled with journal cards, templates and much more to document your story.  The few photos that I have shared here are only just a few, there are so many more but each one is of a time that was long ago, some I remember and some I do not.  They include precious images of people that I know and love well and those who I met as a young child.  Each has a story, an amazing story and details that I am itching to find out.

I will be sharing many of my pages and stories here, on my blog and on Instagram.  I hope that I can inspire you to embark on a similar journey.  Lets celebrate these memories the only way we know how, by documenting them, to keep for generations to come.

xo me
 

OLW 2023 - January

... and that's January, well near enough.  I don't know about anyone else but that went quick.  I thought I would share my pages and thoughts about my choice of OLW and going digital to document my word this year.

When I started the process of picking a OLW I was struggling.  I didn't have a word, which is unusual for me and I had now ideas at all at what I was looking for.  I had several words picked but none really sat right.  I listened to the zoom call between Ali and the other contributors, taking notes and still nothing was coming in the way of a word.  Ali starting talking about her word, Joy, which was on my list but not a front runner.  But, then Ali said "I want to reclaim JOY" and "boom" that hit me in the face like, WOW, that's it.  Until that moment I didn't really think I needed to reclaim anything, but my thoughts were going crazy, my heart was beating fast and then I had this realisation that although I am on the other side of cancer, I still wasn't allowing myself to fully embrace being free of cancer.  This was a shock to me, really it was, but I started to realise that I was still so scared and not game enough to say I was free of cancer, because what if I did, what if I jinxed myself.  It was at that moment that my word was born and I begun my OLW journey for 2023.

So far I love it.  I really do love it.  I gave myself permission to just go slow with January's prompt, not rush to get my pages finished (like I usually do) and really be mindful about my OLW and how I wanted to document it.

One of the BIG advantages of going digital is that my pages are not set in stone, until the book is printed really.  So I made my pages slowly, playing with the digital kit and other digital supplies that I have.  I changed some things, changed them back to the way they were and also played a little in procreate to make my own digital elements.  If January is anything to go by, my choice to go digital was a good one.  I love that I can change my mind, re-order my pages, add a page in etc etc.  While I am calling January done I am not ruling out adding more in or taking more out.

The only down side that I have found so far is not having the physical pages to flick through.  Looking back at my notebooks/albums (from past years), during the year was something I loved to do.  However, so far I have more positives than negatives so I will continue on my digital journey and see how we finish up.

How have you been going with your OLW?  I hope you are enjoying the process, no matter how you have decided to document this journey.

I am excited about February...

Love me :-)

 

CREATIVE PLANS FOR 2023

Hello 2023 and hello to writing in this space.  Don't worry I'm just as shocked as you are that I am back here posting.  I'm not really sure why I'm here other than I had this feeling to go back to blogging.  I am not sure how long this is going to last but I'm just going with it.  One of my goals with my OLW is to do things that make me happy, bring Joy to my life.  I used to really enjoy blogging and not really sure why I stopped so I'm giving it another go.  I won't lie, I'm not sure how long this will last but I'm jumping in.

At the moment everyone is sharing what their creative goals are for 2023 so I might as well join in, although I have been known to go completely away from my initial idea, and, if you have been following me for awhile you know that I'm super amazing at starting shit, not so great at finishing them. 

So here is my list, in no order and with little hope that I will actually do them LOL!

1.  Gratitude Notes

2.  Documenting in my Memory Planner

3.  Photobooks as in finish them - this covers all that I have started (and there are many), all those I wish to start (there are also many of them) and probably some that I haven't even thought of yet.

4.  Digital memory keeping - I have dappled in it for several years now but have never fully committed to it but I have two projects that I really want to try and stick to.  These are a 6x9 photobook that I am calling "digest" a digital journal (totally inspired by Shannan) and I'm doing my OLW in a digital photo book.

5.  Talking about OLW - as I mentioned I am going to do a photobook this year.  I nearly did it last year but chickened out at the last minute but this year I am going to give it ago.

6.  Play with my stamps more. simple.

Well there you have it.  I'm sure I will add to it because I can't help myself.  But one thing is for sure, I am going to give it my best shot.

Happy New Year and here's to lot of creative fun, whatever that is for you.

love me :)