{Day 31} ~ Gather Your Thoughts

Prompt for Day 31, and last day, for Picture the Holidays: Gather Your Thoughts

I've read about the idea of choosing a word for the year on Kim Klassen's blog and have been thinking this past few days about which word I might choose for 2011. At the end, I let my Angel Cards decide. I made them myself over 10 years ago, when I was living and studying in China for a year. One of my flatmates, a girl form Canada, had these and one rainy afternoon, I sat down and myself a set. I found them earlier this year in a box and now I occasionally take a card. The card they came up with for 2011 is Inspiration, which sounds like an excellent choice to me.

So in 2011 I'll keep my eyes and my mind open for all the inspiration around me, to allow me to delevop my photography further, to learn more and to grow. But also to be inspired to find new ways to make those changes I've been wanting to for so long.

I have found plenty of inspiration on Flickr and in the online classes I took in the past 10 months which has helped me immensely in learning about photography and post processing, and I know I will continue to be inspired by the skill, creativity and friendship in 2011.

Have a wonderful and inspiring 2011! 
Happy New Year!

Textures by Shadowhouse Creations, Kim Klassen and AlicePopkorn

{Day 30} ~ Now, There's No Looking Back!

Well, I've already said what I think of the year that's coming to an end (and a triple hurray to that!!) in my last post, so this is now about LOOKING FORWARD to a new and (hopefully) better one.

Today's prompt would also make a good mantra for me, as I tend to live in the past far too often and am often uncomfortable and sceptical about and far too much of a pessimist for looking ahead. But now it's all for LOOKING AHEAD and no turning back!! :-)

On the other hand... Funnily enough, I've just earmarked a page in a novel this morning while at the hairdressers (which is why my hair is looking decent for once :-) ). A woman who has a career in the big city has come back to her home town and the house of her grandmother. She tells herself that she should take more time to think about her grandmother and reflects about who determined that it was better to concentrate on the now anyway? I liked the sentence "Jag har många rum i mitt minne..." - I have many rooms in my memory...

It's important to live in the present, it's good to look forward but there's nothing wrong with remembering the past. It's up to us what we choose remember: to cherish the good memories and not to dwell on the bad things.

May the new year hold many happy memories to look forward to :-)

Textures by SkeletalMess / Shadowhouse Creations

{Day 298} ~ A Toast

All things considered the past few years havn't really been my best ones and 2010 in particular has been a pretty rotten year. Let 2011 be a really good one for a change!! :-)

Textures by SkeletalMess / Shadowhouse Creations

{Day 28} ~ Through The Looking Glass

We got into a hell of a snowstorm right on a busy motorway when driving on to stay with our relatives after the family Christmas gathering. It was scary but we all finally arrived safe and sound :-)

{Day 27} ~ A Breath Of Fresh Air

We were promised a white Christmas - and we got it! :-)

Frau Holle got out all her pillows and duvets and started shaking them out by midday on Christmas Eve and she didn't stop until the next day, turning everything into a beautiful winter wonderland for Christmas. I went for a long 2 1/2 hours Christmas morning walk into the snowy forest with my Mum, and it was magical :-)

Textures by SkeletalMess / Shadowhouse Creations and Kim Klassen

{Day 26} ~ The Day After

 

All packed and ready for traveling to the family Christmas get-together on Boxing Day and for spending some days with the relatives.

{Day 25} ~ This Magic Moment

After the long walk in the wintry and snowy forest with my Mum, a long hot soak in the bath, with a good book and a special Christmas bath bomb from Lush was just the perfect thing to do on a lazy Christmas day :-). So relaxing!

Texture by Pareeerica