Emily's challenge

An Art Journal challenge posted on Em Falconbridge's blog about 8 weeks ago caught my eye. Take a deck of cards and create 52 mini layouts (for want of a better name) over the next 52 weeks. Each week Em has added a prompt and I'm trying to keep up. I searched around the house and couldn't find a deck of cards so I'm following the rules of my own challenge for this year, using all the product I already have, and I've made my own cards out of scrap cardstock. I think mine are a little bit bigger than a playing card but not much. All of them have journalling on the back and I am half way through knitting a pouch to hold them all. Definitely having fun. It's not too late to join in.

Week 1 - Something you are proud of.

The journalling tells about the number of half marathons that I have walked and how I would like to compete in the Auckland half this year and walk across the harbour bridge. It's not looking too good so far as I am more a slug than a walker - but I still hope to find the motivation to get out on the road and do some training.

Week 2 - what is powerful to you

Hmmm, struggled a bit with this one but then Mike and I went for a drive to Hamilton and on River Road came across the most amazing houses being built....and I realised that having a dream is a very powerful thing to have.

Week 3 - I am

When this week's came up a couple of weeks ago I was helping to build the block retaining wall that we have just created around our house. Definitely after that I thought, I am CRAZY! Here I am out in the hot sun slaving away, lifting heavy, heavy, blocks that the men were worn out lifting. Definitely crazy.
Week 4 - a symbol you love
Hugs and kisses. Very few people can live without them.

Week 5 - use some ephemera from your week

Still thinking of something good for this one. I walked out from work one night this week and discovered the battery was flat in my car. Had to use jumper leads to get it going then up to the garage for a new battery - cost $137!! This one actually fits very well with something else in my life so I just have to do it.

Week 6 - Love Love Love

John Lennon wrote "all you need is love" So I used a beatles album cover for inspiration for this one. I made the card then altered it a bit in Photoshop I like how it came out. It doesn't actually look like this IRL. It's much cleaner looking.

Week 7 - Shoes

Don't you just love shoes. I have fat feet and fat ankles, yep I do and no way can I wear pretty shoes - but that's not to say I wouldn't love to. When I saw these ones in a catalogue I felt like dancing.

Week 8 - who or what do you miss
When I first thought of this I thought of my mother who died over 30 years ago and who I still miss every day. The other day I was speaking with someone who had been to a funeral and she said something like, it was so sad, her children were so young. and I said, how old were they, and she said 23 and 25 and I suddenly thought to myself. Well I was only 25 and my brother was only 20. I wonder if anyone said that about us. "how sad because her children are so young" or maybe 30 years ago people didn't say that. You were just expected to get on.

Then I realised that missing my Mum is always with me and that the one thing that I really miss is something quite different so I created this card. The journalling is on the other side but it is not for sharing.