Taking a break

This blog is taking a break while I teach some paid-for courses.

"How to Blog" for yourself and your business and "Creative Writing Inspiration" - both 9-week online courses fully supported with a tutor and supportive learning group online - start on 29th September and 6th October, respectively.

You can make an enquiry by commenting on this blog which is moderated so your comment will not appear publicly.

Quotations - family

This week's writing and journalling prompts are sayings and quotations about the family.

Use the quote as a starter for your writing. Big family events and reunions can be wonderful or a little trying…

If you don't believe in ghosts, you've never been to a family reunion.
Ashleigh Brilliant

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO about a family reunion

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Quotations - sweets

This week's writing topic and journal prompts are from sayings and quotes.

Use the quote as a starter for your writing.

Families are like fudge - mostly sweet with a few nuts. Barbara
Johnson

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO about a favourite food of your family.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Quotations - the family as a gift

This week's journal prompts for writers and scrapbookers are all quotations about the family.

Use the quote as a starter for your writing.

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are
to them. Desmond Tutu

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO including every member of your immediate family

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Quotations – extended family

This week's writing and journalling prompts are from quotations

Use the quote as a starter for your writing. Is the following true for you?

The word family has taken on a wonderful and extended meaning... and can
include people like coworkers or roommates. Angela Shapiro

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a minibook with each page dedicated to a person who has meant a lot to you in your life.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Quotations – ruling the family

This week's prompts for writing and journaling are all quotations.

Use the quote as a starter for your writing. Who rules your family? Successfully? Does your family have rules or are you against them?

It is easier to rule a kingdom than to regulate a family. Chinese
Proverb

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO about rules that your family have whether formal or informal: “We always have scrambled egg for Sunday breakfast”

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Quotations – family as friends

This week we’re writing in our journals and scrapbooks following from inspiration of famous quotes and sayings.

Use the quote as a starter for your writing. Are your family members also friends? Or are your friends closer than your family?

Friends are God's apology for relations. Hugh Kingsmill

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO with this quote as the title.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Quotations - family

This week's writing and journalling prompts are inspired by quotations.

Use the quote as a starter for your writing.

Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family.
Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one. Jane Howard

What does family mean to you?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO with the title “family”.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Titles - slang

This week's writing and journalling prompts are about titles.

Can you write starting with a title that is a piece of local slang or traditional terminology?

Pearly princess
Yorkshire Pudding
Angel of the North

Titles – quotes

This week's writing topic and journal prompts are from titles.

Today - use a saying or quotation

"It's not the days in your life that count, but the life in your days."

Titles – similes

This week's journal prompts for writers and scrapbookers are about titles. Today, why not start your writing with a simile - a figure of speech in which two essentially unlike things are compared, often in a phrase introduced by ‘like’ or ‘as’:

Shine brightly like the star you are!

Titles – inspired by definitions

This week's writing and journalling prompts are about Titles of various kinds.

Today – be inspired by a definition - look up a word in the dictionary – or here’s one to get you started.

Accomplish (ac·com·plish ) 1. to succeed in doing or achieving something 2.
reach point in time: to arrive at the end of a period of time

Try to create your own definition for a strong word such as an emotion - add to the definition with a thoughtful extra that is more feeling than definition.

Titles – inspiration from literature

This week's prompts for writing and journaling are about Titles.

Here is inspiration from Shakespeare, no less! Romeo and Juliet…

What’s in a name?

Titles – inspiration from TV

This week we’re writing in our journals and scrapbooks about Titles.

Today - take inspiration from the TV

Top Gear

Titles – not quite puns

Simple writing and journalling prompts this week: titles

Create a piece of writing or a layout.

Rules of engagement

Computers – the internet

This week's writing and journalling prompts are about computers.

What are your favourite websites and why?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO about one of your favourite scrapping websites and what it has taught you about scrapping. Use a screenshot as your central feature.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Computers – the future

This week's writing topic and journal prompts are about computers.

What kind of computer would you like to have in future? How do you think computers will change?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a minibook about all the different aspects of computers and their use.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Computers – typography

This week's journal prompts for writers and scrapbookers are about computers.

Today – experiment – take a poem and display or print it out in different fonts, sizes and colours if you can. Download some new fonts. Does using different fonts make a difference to how you read? To how you write? Take a piece of your own writing and play with the font/print settings.

Does it inspire you in different ways?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO heavily focused on typography

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Computers – peripherals

This week's writing and journalling prompts are about computers of all kinds.

Today - write about the peripherals you have – do you like your keyboard? Is your screen big enough? What peripherals would you like to have?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO entitled “Through the screen”.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Computers - wordprocessing

This week's prompts for writing and journaling are about computers.

Do you prefer to write on the computer, using a word processor – or do you prefer to write with pen and paper? Compare and contrast…

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Use your journalling in your word processor and create a neat piece of text with various fonts that you can use as a journalling spot in a layout. Alternatively, create a beautifully handwritten piece and use it in a layout!

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Computers – my first computer

This week we’re writing in our journals and scrapbooks about computers.

Describe your first encounter with computers? When was it? Was it a success?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO about your computer.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Computers – software

This week's writing and journalling prompts are about computers.

First – what software do you find essential on your computer? Or do you hate to use one at all?

Why?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO about your favourite software.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Groups - events

This week's writing and journalling prompts are about groups.

Have you been in any large groups at organized events?

Write about the experience of being in a large group.

How did you get to know the others in your group?

Did the group come together well or were there frictions?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO about an event when you or a family member were part of a large group.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Groups – heritage

This week's writing topic and journal prompts are about groups.

Over the years you have probably been in groups at various celebration events, weddings, family occasions.

Pick one that stands out in your memory and write as much as possible about the event.

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a heritage LO about a wedding or other special occasion, focusing on the group rather than just the bride and groom.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Groups – uniformed groups

This week's journal prompts for writers and scrapbookers are about groups.

Have you or a child of yours ever been a member of a uniformed organisation such as a marching band, the scouts or brownies? Write about the organisation and what it meant to you or them.

What kind of events took place during membership?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO about a uniformed group.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Groups – pop groups

This week's writing and journalling prompts are about groups of all kinds.

Today – pop groups – or your favourite music group anyway. Have you ever met them?

Describe the encounter. If you haven’t met them write about what the encounter would be like.

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO about a favourite music or pop group.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Groups of objects

This week's prompts for writing and journaling are about groups.

Today the prompt is to write about a group of objects.

Pick a group of objects that mean something to you. Objects that are part of your daily life, or perhaps part of a treasured collection. Or even objects you can’t get away from.

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO about a collection of objects.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Groups – family groups

This week we’re writing in our journals and scrapbooks about groups.

Write about your family group.

How big is it? Does it include just your nuclear family or are there lots of relatives in an extended family?

How do you come together and when? Who do you like to see at family get-togethers?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO about the people in your family group.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Groups – party groups

This week's writing and journalling prompts are about groups.

Write about a group you were in when you had a lot of fun, at a party or festival.

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO about a party.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Travel - sounds

The Irish musicians in Dublin...

What kind of sounds characterised your holiday?

It might be the sounds of birds, or waves, or instruments, music, or people's accents.
What was different about the SOUND?

Travel - a sense of place

No picture to prompt you today. Start by closing your eyes for a moment and remembering the place you are writing about. Where are you standing? What can you see?

Now write - describe the place in detail using all your senses.

Travel - food

In what way was the food on your holiday or journey differrnt from what you usually have?

Travel - landscape

This was the entrance to a cave on a beach in North Cornwall. So enticing and exciting!

• How did the landscape strike you in your holiday location?
• Was it different from what you usually see?
• Did you like it?
• Would you like to live there all the time?
  

Travel - heritage

This week the writing prompts and journalling ideas are - appropriately enough for the summer holiday season - about travel. Write about a particular journey all week if you can. As a scrapbooker this should get you nicely advanced on your holiday album.

Here's my son on Brighton Pier. It was a very traditional kind of English seaside experience - must have been very similar to the seaside trips of people for generations - except for the prices!

How does your holiday compare with previous holidays and vacations? Ones that you have taken, and ones that earlier visitors to the same place may have experienced.

Travel - history

This week the writing prompts and journalling ideas are - appropriately enough for the summer holiday season - about travel. Write about a particular journey all week if you can. As a scrapbooker this should get you nicely advanced on your holiday album.

When we visited Fishbourne Roman Villa, we saw this Roman skeleton, thousands of years' old.

• How much do you know about the history of the place you visited?

Travel

This week the writing prompts and journalling ideas are - appropriately enough for the summer holiday season - about travel. Write about a particular journey all week if you can. As a scrapbooker this should get you nicely advanced on your holiday album.

• How did you travel?
• Was there anything unusual about the way you travelled?
• Did you go on any day trips?
• Did anything go wrong?

Teenagers - milestone birthdays

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout about a milestone birthday.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Teenagers - Gadgets

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout on “Gadgets”

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Teenagers - Prom

Teenagers - day in the life

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout on “A life in a day…” How does a typical day typify a teen’s lifestyle – or your own?

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Teenagers - Secrets

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout on “What ARE you wearing?”

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Teenagers - What to wear

This week’s writing prompts are about teens. If you haven’t had teen children then apply the prompts to teen relatives or friends, or your own teenage years. Or write about all teens or teenagerhood as a concept.

Teenagers seem to belong to tribes which dictate what their personal style is – emo or goth or whatever… Much of it seems to be black, whatever their style!

And when they’re not wearing strange combinations of layers, none of which are actually appropriate to the weather, they’re in fancy dress. There is a university city I drive through regularly and there doesn’t seem to be a time (except in the holidays!) when there aren’t groups of students in fancy dress walking into town…

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout on “What ARE you wearing?”

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Teenagers - attitude

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout with a bad picture – where someone has turned away or put their hands in front of their face or similar.

Add a humorous title.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Simple prompts - sound

Simple prompts for a lazy time of year (northern hemisphere anyway!)

Is there a sound which you associate with a particular memory? For me it's the sound of the ropes on sailing dinghies and yachts flapping against the masts - not a sound I hear often except when visiting a harbour or sailing beach - which is very rare in my life - but it reminds me of the seemingly endless summers we spent in North Wales on holiday when I was a child. It was a big sailing area, and the breezes set the ropes flapping onthe masts and that sound takes me back to my childhood like no other...

Write about a particularly significant sound.

Simple prompts - left out

This week's blog prompt and journalling topics for your creative writing and scrapbooking are very simple, though no less powerful for that!

Think about the last time you felt left out. Happens to us all one time or another. Someone went somewhere without you - forgot your birthday, or similar.

For me it was my 25th wedding anniversary when I started to organise a wonderful party months in advance and everyone said they couldn't come (months in advance?????). So I cancelled the party and when the time came no-one even sent a card despite the fact they must have known it was coming up.

I'm still gutted and I'm still smarting.... better not write any more!

Simple prompts - change

This week's blog prompt themes and journal topics for your creative writing and scrapbooking are very simple, as it's holiday time here.

Today's theme is "change":

The thing I'd most like to see change is...
How I cope with change is...

Simple prompts - creativity

This week's writing ideas and blog prompts are very simple.

Today's theme is "Creativity"

Write:

Creativity is...
My creativity...
What my creativity means to me is....

Simple prompts - dream house

Today's writing prompt follows this week's theme of simplicity.

What woul your dream house be like?

Simplicity...

This week's blog prompt themes and journal topics for your creative writing and scrapbooking are very simple, as it's holiday time here.

Check out today's news stories and take one of the headlines as a prompt for writing or journalling.

Simple prompts

This week's prompts are very simple:

What did you dream about last night?

OR

Write about a dream you would like to have.

Time - relive a moment #2

This week's writing and journalling prompts are about time.

If you could relive ONE HOUR of your life - AND if you could change it - what hour would it be?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO about something you regret.
Use hidden journalling

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Time - Relive your life

This week's writing and journalling prompts are about time.

If you could relive ONE HOUR of your life - but without changing anything - what hour would it be?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO about a special time in your life.
Often such times don't have photographs, so use journalling as your centrepiece rather than a photograph.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Time - the past is another country

This week's writing ideas and blog prompts are based on concepts and issues around TIME.

If you had a TARDIS and could travel anywhere in the past - to any era - when would it be and why?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a heritage layout.

Use the word "time" somewhere on it.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Time - making a date

This week's journalling and blog prompts are based on concepts and issues around TIME.

Today you are going to make a date with yourself. Set aside an hour tomorrow or the nest day when you are going to write and/or be creative. If you have to, arrange to get up an hour earlier!

When you've made a date, write it at the top of your page in your jorunal or new Word document and then write down all the reasons why you should make time for your creative self.

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Tidy up your space in preparation for a big scrapping session tomorrow...
If you're already tidy - create a small project, e.g., 6x6 LO or maze book, about your scrapping spacxe.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Time - timewasters

This week's blogging and writing prompts are based on concepts and issues around TIME.

Answer the question (and think carefully about it):

What are your biggest timewasters?

~~~Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout about the ways you LIKE to waste time.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Time #2

This week's journalling and writing prompts are based on concepts and issues around TIME.

Yesterday you did some freewriting.

Today, take the writing and look at it. Is there any word or phrase that jumps out at you or that you think you could contiinue to write from? Use that as a starting point for a more leisurely ten minutes' writing, developing that theme.

Alternatively if you have no freewriting to look at, start with

If I only had time ...

What would you do?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout with the title "Just in time".
Use a clock or watch face somewhere on the page.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Time #1

This week's journalling prompts are based on concepts and issues around TIME.

Today - give yourself a time limit and freewrite.

Freewriting is a great way to "loosen the writing muscles" especially when you're sitting down to start a writing session, or trying to get over a writing block.

Give yourself a time, say ten minutes, and just keep writing. The rules are:

1. Don't stop moving the pen (or typing)
2. Start with a word or phrase (one from any previous day on this blog would do!)
3. Keep writing even if it's just repetition or rubbish
4. Don't worry about punctuation or spelling, untidiness or typos!

When you've finished put the writing away for today.

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Find some photographs that reflect to you some aspect of the word "time"
Jot down a few details about the photos in preparation for layouts.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Quotations - friends #7

This week's journalling prompts are based on some inspiring quotes.

Today - create your own friendship quote. What does friendship mean to you?

A friend is...

Friendship means...

A true friend...

Use it to prompt further writing, blogging, or journalling

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout with your quotation on it.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Quotations -- friends #6

This week's journalling prompts are based on some inspiring quotes.

"To attract good fortune, spend a new coin on an old friend, share an old pleasure with a new friend, and lift up the heart of a true friend by writing his name on the wings of a dragon." - Chinese Proverb

Use it to prompt your writing, blogging, or journalling

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout with today's quotation on it.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Quotations - friends #5

This week's journalling prompts are based on some inspiring quotes.

"Don't walk behind me, I may not lead.
Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow.
Just walk beside me and be my friend."

Use it to prompt your writing, blogging, or journalling

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout with today's quotation on it.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Quotations - friends #4

This week's journalling prompts are based on some inspiring quotes.

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them."- Mother Teresa

Use it to prompt your writing, blogging, or journalling

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout with today's quotation on it.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Quotations - friends #3

This week's journalling prompts are based on some inspiring quotes.

Use them to prompt your writing, blogging, or journalling

"Make new friends and keep the old, one is silver and the other gold"

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout with today's quotation on it.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Quotations - friends #2

This week's journalling prompts are based on some inspiring quotes.

"I get by with a little help from my friends."- John Lennon

Use it to prompt your writing, blogging, or journalling.

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout with today's quotation on it.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Quotations - friends #1

This week's journalling prompts are based on some inspiring quotes about friends and friendship.
Use them to prompt your writing, blogging, or journalling

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."- Anais Nin

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout with today's quotation on it.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

The Seven Ages - Ageing

This week's journal prompts are based on the Seven Ages
Use them as daily writing prompts, blog prompts or to help you with your journalling

Today's topic: ageing

What's the worst thing about growing older?
What's the BEST thing about growing older

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout about the passing of the years. Use a birthday photo. How do you feel as you approach another birthday?

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

The Seven Ages - Parenthood

This week's journal prompts are based on the Seven Ages
Use them as daily writing prompts, blog prompts or as inspiration for your scrapbook journaling

Today's topic: Parenthood

Is parenthood necessary for everyone or can you have a fuilfilled life without children?
This can be a controversial and emotive topic - but you don't have to let anyone else see it!

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO about parenthood and how you feel about it. Your journalling should be hidden.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

The Seven Ages - Young adult

This week's daily journal prompts are based on the Seven AgesUse them as creative writing prompts. blog prompts or for scrapbook journalling

Today's topic: Young adult

When did you first start to feel "grown-up"?
Was it a particular incident or rite of passge that prompted it, or a gradual realisation?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO about a significant occasion or rite of passage in a young adult's life, such as 21st birthday, graduation, leaving home, engagement.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

The Seven Ages - Adolescence/teens

This week's journalling prompts are based on the Seven AgesUse them as writing prompts, blog prompts or scrapbooking inspiration.

Today's topic: Adolescence/teens

What advice would you give someone just turning 13 on how to get through this turbulent part of their life?
~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~
Create a LO about a teenager (your child, yourself, a relative, a friend). In what way are they a typical teenager and in what way are they not?

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

The Seven Ages - Schooldays

This week's journal prompts are based on the Seven AgesUse them as journaling prompts, blog prompts or to help you with your scrapping

Today's topic: schooldays

Were schooldays the best days of your life?
How? If not, why not?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO about a schoolchild - use a school photo. Include journalling about the joys or not of schooldays.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

The Seven Ages - Childhood

This week's journaling prompts are based on the Seven Ages
Use them as journal prompts, blog prompts or to help you with your writing

Today's topic: childhood

What is your earliest memory?
Write about a place you remember from childhood.

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~
Create a LO about yourself as a child. Include journalling about the place where the picture was taken.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

The Seven Ages - Birth

This week's journal prompts are based on the Seven Ages

Use them as writing prompts. blog prompts or to help you with your journalling

Today's topic: birth

Where were you born?
Does your place of birth impact on your life?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a LO about where you were born. Include a photo either taken by you or found on the Internet.
Journal about whether you feel you "belong" to this place?

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Play - cards and boardgames

Do you play cards – or boardgames?

What was the last game you played?
Do you like to win or do you play just for the fun of it?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout with playing cards on - either real ones or scanned.

Be inspired by the names of the suits: hearts, clubs, diamonds, spades

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Play - an instrument

Have you ever played an instrument?
If so, try to describe what it felt / feels like.

If not – what instrument would you play if you could learn now – painlessly – and why?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

If you were a musical instrument which would you be?
Create a LO inspired by playing an instrument (the singing voice could count as an instrument).

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Play - music

Writing doesn’t have to be perfect first time – and if it’s just for a journal or scrapbook, it is important to include the everyday – what might seem mundane but in a few years’ time will be part of the big picture of your and your family’s past.

Do you play music?
What kind of music do you like to play when you are writing – or do you prefer silence?What kind of music makes you feel playful?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

What music did you listen to most recently? Did you like it? Why? Or why not?

Create an "everyday" layout and use a reference to music to help you start journalling.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Play - insight?

The writing prompts this week are about play:

“Play is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold.” Joseph Chilton Pearce

Has playing or experimenting ever given you an insight?

e.g., Have you learned to use a camera or software by playing?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

 

You probably have pictures of yourself "letting your hair down".

Use one (or more) of these to create a LO or mini-book about how you have fun...

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Play - playthings

This journal prompt is particularly for parents and those with small children in their families.

If you have a child – watch their play. What do they say? How do they play? What’s their favourite plaything of the moment?

If you haven’t a child to watch, think about yourself as a child – what did you enjoy playing with? What was your favourite plaything?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Find a picture with a plaything on (or take one!) and create a LO with an account of why that plaything was liked and how it was used. If you haven't one of yourself with a plaything, find a picture on the Internet of one you remember.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Play - how do you play?

It’s important to write honestly and truthfully about how you feel about things. You may shy away from a word or topic “I don’t play – I’m too old for that” but play is essential in our lives – for relaxation and for creativity.

“Play is the beginning of knowledge.”

How do you play?

I play by....

I like to play...

My play is ...

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Is scrapping play for you? Take a pic of your stash or yourself or friends scrapping.,

What's fun about it? How do you play?

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Play

This week our daily journalling prompts are all about play.

What does play mean to you? Is it something you still do?

Creativity is all about play, whether you are playing with words, or playing with paper and glue as a scrapbooker. I do both!

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout with the subject "Play with abandon"

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Black and white - uniforms

All this week the journaling prompts are inspired by “black and white”.

Uniforms!

A lot of uniforms are black and white – what does a uniform mean to you?

Pick one of the following:

• I liked school uniform because…
• I hated school uniform because...
• My favourite kind of uniform is…
• Policeman look …
• Firemen look …
• If I had to wear a uniform I’d rather it were …

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout or mini-album or card featuring a uniform
Your journalling should concentrate on why the uniform was worn (e.g., first day at school, fancy dress party, on duty with St John ambulance….)

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Black and white - the little black dress

This week all our writing prompts and ideas for scrapbooking are inspired by “black and white”.

Little black dress or tuxedo

Do you have a little black dress? Do you love it? If so why? If not – what kind of posh frock would you prefer?

If not female (or not into little black dresses!) what do you wear when you go out to a swish occasion? Or don’t you like things too posh?

Dressing up is …

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a scrapbook page about a special occasion when dressing up was involved.
Your journalling should concentrate on the outfits(s) worn.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Black and white - crossing Abbey Road

Every day this week we offer writing and journaling prompts inspired by “black and white”.

Zebra crossing! Pelican Crossing!

Remember that pic of the Beatles crossing Abbey Road?
In any case - here it is…
http://www.btinternet.com/~digital.wallpapers/beatles_abbey_road.htm

What’s it like crossing the road?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Set up an Abbey Road-inspired crossing the road photo opportunity with your friends, family, children…
On a zebra crossing if possible!
Create a LO. Your journalling should have the word “road” in it.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Black and white - films

All this week the daily writing prompts are inspired by “black and white”.

Check out some old films in black and white./ There’s more difference to the ambience of a black and white film than just the colour – there’s a whole classic/antique feeling to them.

If you were in a classic film noir, what would be the plot?

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Take a picture in black and white see if it makes you feel differently about the subject
Create a layout in monochrome (any single colour) with the black and white photo
Your journalling should have an old-fashioned feel.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Black and white - animals

All this week the journalling prompts are inspired by “black and white”.

Zebra!
or panda, or lemur or badger or penguin…

if you were an animal which animal would you be and why?

A great one for the BOM (Book of Me) and you can do it about any member of the family, friend, celebrity, etc. etc.

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout about your animal
Your journalling should say why you (or the subject of your photo) is/are like that animal.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Black and white - lyrics

All this week our daily journal prompts are inspired by the colours “black and white”.

Piano keys!

Check out the lyrics of “Ebony and Ivory”

http://www.lyricsmania.com/print/86267.html

Pick one of the lines of the song and use it to start a song of your own…

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout based on this or any other Beatles or McCartney song
Your journalling should be in the form of song lyrics (whether a song you like or written by you).

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Black and White

All this week the journalling is inspired by "black and white".

Here’s the prompt:

What do you think of when you hear “black and white” – make a list – pick one off the list and keep writing…

~~~ Scrapbooker’s journalling challenge ~~~

Create a layout based on a newspaper theme
Your journalling should follow the style of a tabloid newspaper story.

~~~ Scrapper’s journaling challenge ~~~

Travel: coming home

Daily blogging prompts give you something to write about – even if you only blog once or twice a week or less. And writing prompts are a boon for the author with writer’s block. Scrapbookers too are often stumped for ideas. Try something a bit different about your journalling…

The last in this week’s special feature of travel, today’s prompt is about: coming home. As for all the prompts this week it’s better if you select a particular past journey or trip to bear in mind as you write, but you can if you wish write more generally.

What’s it like when you get back?
Are you delighted to be home?
Relieved that the house has burned down while you’re away (or is that just me!!!)?

Travel: transport

Today’s daily blog prompt (and for writers and journallers too!) is still in our weekly topic area of travel.

Modes of transport

What’s your favourite mode of transport? What makes you feel like you’re really on a journey?

I love ferries because they have that definite holiday feel about them. If it was work, I’d be flying, but the ferry trip is part of the holiday….

Travel: getting there

If you’re a scrapbooker you may have piles of photos from holidays and other trips – do they all look alike? It can be difficult to scrap holidays and journeys differently. Follow our journalling prompts this week for seven different ways to write about your holiday.

Today think of a particular holiday – look at the photos if you like, for inspiration, and ask

So what was it like when you got there?

Was it wonderful? Did it disappoint? How did you feel as you moved in?

Travel: the journey

Travelling and journeys is such a big area to write about – and if you’re a journaller or a scrapbooker you’re bound to have notes and/or photos from your past trips.

Dig some out and think not about the PLACE you went to but how you got there. Was the journey exciting? Relaxing? Part of the holiday? Or was it a nightmare, you took 2 days to get Los Angeles, had the meeting, turned round and came home?

Write about the journey and what you remember most.

Travel: the list

Our subject matter for the daily writing prompts this week is travel and today’s writing prompt is about: what you take with you on a journey.

What do you take? What’s essential and what’s not

Here’s some on my list:

An Englishwoman can’t go anywhere without tea, so the first thing I pack is my teabags. Sometimes I’ll pack milk in a thermos to keep it cool and a teapot as well, especially if going abroad where teapots aren’t usual.
I always take a picnic kit too. It’s much cheaper to buy the makings of sandwiches than the made sandwiches, but you invariably need a knife to cut up the bread, and picnic plates, paper napkins etc. are all very useful for a successful family lunch out.
I take a small towel and/or teatowel – someone’s bound to get wet the minute the family goes near the sea or water of any kind
Anti-mosquito spray and suncream are absolutely essential as I react badly if bitten (and am allergic to most antibiotics) and since I got badly sunburned in Pompeii one year, I never tan, just come up in heat bumps, so I need a high factor suncream….

Travel: setting off

Here are more ideas and journal prompts to get you started on your writing. Don’t face a blank screen, use our daily prompts to get your started with writing! Whether you’re a blogger, journaler, scrapbooker or writer, the prompts will get your writing muscles working!

This week’s writing topic is travel and today’s writing prompt is about: setting off

What do you think of when you leave to go on a trip? Excitement, trepidation? I hate packing – I am in the worst temper when I have to pack the day before a holiday or a trip. And I don’t sleep – it used to be excitement, but now I’m the one who’s responsible for all the arrangements I worry that something will go wrong!

Write about setting off on a trip.

Travel: planning

Ever sit there facing the blank page wondering what to write? Or maybe you know what you want to write but somehow you can’t get started? Here’s just what you need, a daily writing prompt that will start you off with your journalling and give you those warm up writing exercises to boost your journal writing

This week’s writing topic is travel and today’s writing prompt is about: planning

Do you like to plan? I do – the going away isn’t the same without the pleasure of weeks o0f planning.

Or do you prefer to just set out and not plan? Why not plan?

Gadgets in the future

What gadget would you like to see invented?

Gadgets – best buy

What was the best household gadget you ever acquired? Why was it such a success?

Gadgets - I wish!

What gadget (that exists in the shops) do you wish you had now?

Gadgets that don't work

Everyone at some point has had a duff gadget, that seemed like a good idea at the time but never worked...

Do you have any gadgets that never worked the way they were intended?

I had a slow cooker that was the rage when I first got it. It was a wedding present in the early 1980s. The idea was that you popped a selection of food ingredients into it and lo and behold when you came home from work your dinner was all ready and cooked. The trouble was it didn’t work – there was a good 10 hours between leaving for work and arriving home and that was too long for most of the programs. And who wants a meal that has been cooking on a very low heat for ten hours anyway? The slow cooker – I really should unearth it from that cupboard and just throw it away!

Gadgets in the kitchen

What gadgets do you use most in the kitchen?

Gadgets – my favourite gadget

What’s your favourite gadget?
And why?

I have just acquired a HTC TyTN II PDA/smartphone, and I love the idea of having all in one neat package a phone directory and phone, camera, calendar (synchronised with my laptop) and the ability to take notes electronically. For learning such devices have even more possibilities. Indeed, it was a seminar on the learning possibilities that convinced me I NEEDED one of these gadgets.

Gadgets

What are the gadgets you can’t live without?

From electric toothbrushes to broadband dongles, think about the gadgets that surround you. List them? Why are we so dependent on gadgets?

This should be a general survey of gadgets that surround you – we’ll look at specific ones later in the week!

Emotions: enthusiasm

When were you last really enthusiastic about something?

What was it and why did it make you feel enthusiastic?

It was really great to see Robert Kubice win the Canadian Grand Prix - not
that he's a big hero of mine or anything, but it was nice to see someone work
hard and get the result he deserved. In a race that was a big disappointment for Lewis Hamilton fans - because he managed to crash in the pit lane AGAIN, it was also great to see David Coulthard on the winners' rostrum again.

Emotions - joy

What does joy mean to you?

By atomicity on Flickr

Emotions - wonder

When was the last time you felt a sense of wonder?

Could it be a landscape, or a person - a baby, a loved one - a special musical experience?

Emotions - surprise

When were you last surprised? Do you enjoy surprises?

From Meredith at the Aussie Scrap Room site

Emotions - amusement

Amusement is a great emotion - what made you laugh most recently?

What makes me laugh is...

Emotions - pride

They say pride is a deadly sin - but sometimes it's a good thing to be proud.

When were you last really proud and why?

I was so proud when...

Emotions - happiness

This week our subject for journalling will be emotions.

Starting with an easy one - happiness.

When was the last time you were really happy and why?

Start with:

I was really happy when ...

Colour - writing with colour

Today is a practical suggestion rather than strictly a prompt - today take a different colour of paper and lots of different colour pens and try writing - you may find that different colours inspire your imagination in a different way.

Colour - quotes and sayings

Write down as many words/phrases/sayings/quotes as you can think of/look up/collect that are related to colour.

• You stop me feeling blue
• Colourful language
• Colouring between the lines
• He led a colourful life
• Rose-coloured spectacles

Now use any one of them to start off a piece of writing.

Colour - synaesthesia

There’s a condition called synaesthaesia in which people have their senses mixed up – they can “see” sounds and “hear” smells, “taste” colours…

How do colours taste? smell? feel?

blue - the moment just before waking, but also the pain of pulling my hair
red - the sharpness of cooking tomatoes, and heels stumbling on cobbles
yellow - Yorkshire cheese, the sound of a ship's horn in the muggy fog
brown - mother-love, buttered mushrooms and Guinness
white - the sound of silence, nothing but the ringing pulse in my ears
black - proud and strong, the tautness of chain, a clear bell chime
midnight blue - velvet to touch and deep knowledge of a lover
green - breezes gusting, and squirrels jumping from tree to tree

Take a colour – think about what it represents – jot down a few ideas…Write down each colour on a separate line and complete it as I did...

Colour - the way we see

Colour is not an property of what we are looking at – it is something created in the brain as a result of the way your eyes interpret wavelengths of light. Colour is an invention of the human brain. Without our eyes, there is no such thing as colour – so everything must be in the equivalent of greyscale. Were there aliens, colour might not be one of their senses and they might have an additional sense or completely different senses from our five…

What would it be like to see colours differently? Or not see colour at all?

Colour - a car

What colour car (or other vehicle) would you ideally like (or maybe you have it…)

Colour - flowers

What is your favourite flower colour? Why?

Colour - the week's theme

This week's prompts are about colour.

Two today, because one is specific to the married, and not appropriate to everybody!

• What colour(s) did you have at your wedding? (Bridesmaids dresses, bouquet & flowers, accessories, etc.; your outfit, if it wasn’t white)

OR

• If you had a party with a colour theme and a white church hall as a background, what colours would you use to decorate it – banners, tablecloths, flowers, crockery?

The Journey - words in support

What are the words that encourage you on life's journey?

What would you have liked someone to give you in the form of five simple words to keep you going through the rough and smooth of life?

For example

There is always:

• hope
• compassion
• laughter
• delight
• companionship

Stop at the five words, if they are meaningful enough.
Or write more about why those words are the important ones.

The journey - journey back in time

If you could journey back in time, where would you go? WHEN would you go? And why? Start:

I wish I could journey back to...

Do you have any photos of a time you would like to journey back to? That's a great way to inspire yourself...

The Journey - virtual journeys

Here are some links to virtual journeys.

If you could see a virtual journey on the Web, what journey would it be?

Imagine your journey and write about it.

Spain
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/ontheline/explore/journey/spain/spindex.htm
France
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/ontheline/explore/journey/france/frindex.htm
San Francisco ChinaTown
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/chinatown/intro.html

The journey - where would you like to go?

Todays' prompt is "Wish I were there..."

Where do you wish you were? Can you find a photo? Why is it your ideal place?

The journey - food for the journey

If you are going on a journey what would you need to take with you?

What food would you need for the journey?

This might be as simple as a picnic - and describing your picnic food. BUT it could be more than that. What about the "spiritual food" you need for a journey? What are the attitudes and characteristics that you would need to make a success of it? Determination, bravery, persistence, patience to wait for the bus? A sense of wonder?

The journey - your daily journey

Do you commute? Do the school run? Do you have a journey that you do daily, or at least regularly - the trip to the shops even?

Next time you take that journey be more aware of it. Keep your wits about you and lok around you rather than being lost in your thoughts, head down, scurrying...

If you drive you can't exactly look around - but you can get out of that "auto-commute" feeling and take notice of what you're driving through.

Now write about it. It's an important part of your life, and something worth capturing.

Today on the motorway I was amazed to notice the fields either side covered in a layer of frost. Having had just a taste of summer in the last couple of weeks it's grim to think we're back to winter - or perhaps it's just a typical spring! Monday can be a busy day on the roads as weekly commuters like myself head off for their week's work. But on a sunny morning when they other drivers are being careful, it's not the worst drive in the world - I could describe some nightmare commmutes and one of the worst was the nearest to my home - 45 minutes to go 5.5 miles!

The journey - theme for the week

This week's theme is "The Journey"

The journey can mean many things, from your daily commute to the journey through life.

Today - simple prompt

What does the word "journey" mean to you?

If you're a scrapbooker there are loads of great papers and embellishments on this theme. Start collecting them together for a fruitful week!

Finding your inspiration - ask the audience

Here's a simple one for Monday - ask a family member or friend (show them the photos, the layout, the journal, the inspiration spark or whatever if you have one) and say:

What shall I write about?

Either

• they will say something and you will think - oh yes, good idea OR
• they wil say something and you will scoff and think that's not what I want to write about!

Either way you are a step closer to knowing what to write about!

Finding your inspiration - looking back

Sometimes when you're looking for inspiration, a good place to start is things you've already written. Look through your notebook - does anything spark? Look through your old journals or scrapbook albums - is there any style or sentence there that inspires something in your mind?

Or - look through your blog! Is there anything there that can be polished up?

Last week I talked about writing letters, and one of those ideas was to write a letter to someone you love. This week I spotted lovely example of that from blogger Leo at Zen Habits. If you haven't written your letter yet, that's a great inspiration.

Finding your inspiration - the problem

Sometimes when you're faced with that blank paper/page/screen/journalling box you know vaguely what you want to put, but you can't start.

So approach it sideways. Start by defining the problem. Start with

• What I want to write about is...
• It's difficult to write about because...
• What I want it to end up like is...
• What I want people to think when they read this is...

By the time you've thoroughly explored the problem, you might find you've actually got the bones of what you want to write already there. At the very least you should have a better idea of how to start - so pick one of the other general journaling prompts and see if you can now start.

What I want to write about is our new garden - but it's difficult to write about because I usually journal about people and a garden isn't anything like as interesting.
What I want it to end up like is just a record of the garden changing from a mess to a lovely place to sit, after years of neglect. Perhaps I want to give a feel of why it's such a big thing - is it ok to mention cost? - and how it makes me feel already and how I hope it will make me feel?

Finding your inspiration - arguments!

Arguments? Who wants to write about arguments?

I love a good argument.

I mean argument in the sense of "An argument involves the process of establishing a claim and then proving it with the use of logical reasoning, examples, and research."

It's perhaps more like a debate - arguing your point of view against someone else. Such fun!

If you're journalling or writing about something, you could use an argument format. Explain why you made a decision. Be a bit split personality: put in a questioning point of view.

Why did you marry HIM then?
Because I couldn't imagine life without him
That's a bit wet, what if he'd turned out to be
I think I knew him well enough by then to know what I was letting myself in for.
Can you ever know someone well enough after a short acquaintance?
We had known each other for THREE YEARS before we got married (and we didn't live together either - it was a "proper courtship") I think that's longer than most
So what was it attracted you?
I think he was the first person I'd ever met with whom I never ran out of anything to say....

When you're finishing your journalling - putting it into your best journal or your scrapbook page - you can take out the questions and see how it looks without them. Even if you don't include them - you may find that that "questioner in your head" has helped you get at a deeper truth.

But don't spend time on the kind of arguing that leads to rows? No-one will want to read about those, least of all you!

Finding your inspiration – random words

It sounds silly, but have you ever tried just opening the dictionary at a random page and picking a word? A completely random word may be too far from what you are hoping to write about - although try it if you're COMPLETELY stuck for something to write.
If you have a topic or subject or particular photo or event to write about, I guarantee every page of the dictionary will have at least one word that relates to your subject, even if you have to hunt through the page to find it.
If you want to be a little more focused try opening at random a book about your subject (e.g., a book about Italy, or scrapbooking, or organising your home...).
If you're scrapbooking - try a random photo as well!


I picked a random dictionary page - turns out to be the first two pages of the letter J.

Jolly japes on a jaunt in the forest?
Maybe not!
Jam-packed visit from Jenny? getting warmer...

Sometimes I'm jealous of the fact that my friend Jenny lives on a beautiful remote island off the Gold Coast, where bellbirds sing and exotic flowers fill the garden with scent - and the weather's better! But just maybe Jenny is sometimes jealous of the lovely part of England I live in - traditionally green and pleasant, and packed with history from William Morrise to the Romans. I think we often come away from our (chiefly virtual) visits and chats grateful for what we both have...

Finding your inspiration: the notebook

Every writer, journaller or scrapbooker should always carry a small notebook and a pen or pencil with you. We have those big handbags (purses for you Americans) yes? It doesn't have to be a big notebook.

If you take a photo, you can quickly note down where, when, why, what... the details that you'll quickly forget.



If the weather is interesting describe it - it could come in useful in a story sometime.



If you have a brilliant idea - jot it down - a scrapbook layout, an idea for a plot, a memory that's fleeting.



I have a notebook by my bed as well - vital for captuiring those middle of the night or just-dropping-off-to-sleep thoughts - otherwise you NEVER remember them in the morning!

So it's not so much a writing or scrapbooking journalling prompt today as a task - get yourself a notebook. If you're really creative, make or alter one...



For some inspiration check out Clareyfairy's notebook on Flickr. She includes ribbon strings to use as page markers so I know where to find all my important information. What a brilliant idea!

Photo by Dano on Flickr

Finding your inspiration: brainstorming

This week is all about finding your inspiration and beating that Writer's block or scrapper's block.
Often you know what you want to write about, you know what you are trying to journal about, but somehow you’re feeling blocked and you can’t get going.

Try not to procrastinate! This week I'm offering various activities which will ease you into writing and boost your creativity.

Today's idea:

Brainstorm

Start with a word, then just sit down and scribble down as many words, phrases, ideas around that word as you can. When you've finished you'll have a collection from which you can pick the words or ideas which appeal to you most.

If you're scrapbooking a picture - look at the photo and write down as many words and phrases to describe it as you can come up with.

Letter-writing prompt: The future of the letter

OK, all this week we’ve been talking about letters, but I have also mentioned emails and blog posts, and blog comments as variants on the “letter”.

What do you think?

Will emails ever replace letters?
Are blog posts a completely different thing?

Start with:

I think letters are…

Letter-writing prompt: Write to yourself in ten years’ time

We’ve written a letter to our younger selves now write one to yourself ten years from now…

What do you want to be sure you remember? How are you feeling right now? What are your hopes and fears for the future, what are the values you live by and would like to be sure you continue to do so?

Letters - a quick prompt - write to me!

A simple prompt today:

Write to me!

Add a comment here and tell me about your day…

A letter in history

Now is your chance

If you could write a letter to any historical character:
Who would you write to?
Why?
What about?

If you can be bothered – now write the letter!

Letters to lost loved ones

Sometimes, when you are getting over the loss of a loved one, it can help to write them a letter with all the things you said or wanted to say. If you have lost a loved one, whether recently or a while ago, why not write them a letter, tell them what’s been going on and why you miss them.

A Letter To My Younger Self

Have you made any mistakes in your life? Who hasn’t, whether they’re big or smaller. Wouldn’t it be good to be able to write a letter to your younger self?
If you could have it sent back in time to offer advice, help or support, what would you say?

If you can’t think of an age pick 19 (unless you’re UNDER 19 of course!).

This week's theme - Letters

A letter is a great way to express yourself in writing, whether writing a real letter, one that is never meant to be read, or even using the letter format for any kind of writing.

Today's prompt is to: Write a letter to your loved one(s). It's probably something we never do in this day and age.

Tell them why you love them.
Tell them what you love most about them.
Tell them the things that you never usually get to say.
Write to your kids, your partner, your mother, your sister, or brother.
This would be an appropriate activity perhaps once a year.
If you’re brave, you could send the letter.
Or post it on your blog and send them the link.

Themes for baby books & Play

There are lots of possible themes for baby books:

• Animals theme


• Alphabet theme


• Colours theme: every page a different colour


• Definitions theme: baby, love, cute, motherhood, family, growing up etc.


• Play theme: teddies, bricks, dolls etc.

If a whole book is too much - try creating a single page on one of these themes.

New life prompt: PLAY

What does play mean to you?

How do you play?

Start with "The way I play is..."

or "I like to play at...

Books for babies and children

It’s a lovely idea for a christening or birthday gift to create a book for the baby itself. For example, leave space for mum to add pictures and names of all their relatives – this is especially welcome if family are far away and the little one won't see relatives often enough to recognise them otherwise. It’s lovely to look through before bed and maybe tell the little one the latest news.

Or you can create a storybook.

Even if you haven't got children to write for - and especially if you haven't ever tried it - write a simple story for a child - perhaps a bedtime story.

Writing prompt: Nursery rhymes

Simple prompt today after yesterday's being an entire book!

What's your favourite nursery rhyme and why? (Or your child's favourite)

Why not try writing your own nursery rhyme?

Nursery rhymes can be a great theme for a baby book....

Baby books & Inspirational Year Books

Baby books

If you have a friend or relative about to give birth, a baby book is a lovely gift - not one of those that records weight and height and so on, although that might be part of it, but a themed scrapbook readymade for the mother to slot in the pics and the journalling as she goes along. A big space for hidden journalling may be best, so mum can write as much or as little as she chooses, but doesn't run out of space. There are lots of ways to create baby books and themes to base them around (some of which we’ll cover later this week).

One of the most obvious, and lovely as a present for a new mum is

My first year

Create a book or adapt a bought journal or scrapbook with 12 or 24 pages.

Decorate the pages, leaving a space for a photo each month and plenty of journalling space on a tag tucked behind the photo mat or a facing page.

The new mum can add a photo every month as the baby grows through her first year.

New life prompt: My Inspirational Year Book

As above, create a book with 12 or 24 pages, decorate each page and add plenty of journalling space, e.g., on a journalling block, a tag or a facing page. Make sure there is enough space also for a picture.

Every month make a date with yourself on, e.g., the last day of every month (though you don't have to be prescriptive - fit it in when your busy life permits). On that date write a reflective piece about the month. Start with

"This month I..."

Babies & new life - the things they do

Oh, the cute things they say and do.

If you have a baby or young child now - I know it's difficult when you're so busy - but for heaven's sake write down those cute things they say or the funny things they do. You WILL forget them later! I wish I'd been a scrapbooker when my babies were young. Luckily I was keeping a journal, so putting the text together with the photos isn't too hard.

Journalling on my son's fourth birthday at Nursery School: I have to go and do a few things before I pick [my son] up. He had a little ceremony at Nursery this morning, which was lovely. They get to choose 4 birthday kisses, 4 birthday hugs, 4 birthday claps or 4 birthday tickles! He went for the tickles, as apparently they all do. Then they can choose the four children to give them the tickle. It’s sweet. He blew out four candles, was sung Happy Birthday and got a card and a birthday crown to wear. He was really tickled!!!!!!....