This is the first day of my second November class Shimelle's Blogging for Scrapbookers. I hesitated about taking the class, because I'm been blogging for a while now, and sometimes I find it difficult to keep up with the social side of online classes. Once I drop out of that loop, it is easy to step away from the class altogether. In the end, I figured we could all use a little blogspiration from time to time, right? And even if I can't keep up with the boards, I'll discover some great new blogs that I stick with after the course ends. 

I have been in a phase of self-exploration, a kind of autumnal feeling and feeling a little shut down and self contained. I've been trying to take it to my journals, but even there have felt wordless, playing in colour and collage and putting off the writing. I bought an inspiring book from Jen Lee, called 'Take Me With You - a journal for the journey' and I feel that it may tip me over, may break the dam and let the words flow forth. I'm greeting this course with the same attitude, challenging myself to dig a little deeper, to share more openly.

The layout above was in Scrapbook Inspirations a while back. It features a rare photo of me, with my old laptop and my old blog layout. I loved that layout, but the white text on blue was hard on the eyes for some of my favourite readers. The 'download here' tab attaches to some hidden journalling:

 In July 2005, I started my blog at kelspace.typepad.com. I wasn't too sure what I would write about, but I wanted some gallery space for my layouts and photography. Over the last 3 years, I have found my voice. I mostly write about my creative journey and my views on life and I continue to share my photography and artwork. My blog allows me to keep up with far-flung friends and family more easily. I have made several new friends as well, some of whom I have even gone on to meet in real life. I also read the blogs of friends, people I've met at art classes and events, and artists I admire. These offer me inspiration, laughter, comfort, advice and new techniques. Blogging brings more art into my life and allows me to share and reflect on my own creative work. I love it.

 Happy Halloween!

PS, I've got to get up stupidly early to go to college, but I will be back later on and joining in the fun.

I love my 'internet friends'. Don't get me wrong, of course I love my 'real life' friends too, and in a very different way. Many of my internet friends are people that I have met face to face, but only once or twice. The intermawebs allow us to make connections with folk that we may not meet otherwise, with shared interests and values. Sure, some of those connections are more real and lasting than others, but even at it's most shallow, you get that happy feeling that a good gathering can give.

Recently my online class habit has grown out of control. That's a confession for another time. November sees me with only two though. 

This OR That?

fabric OR paper

ink OR paint

grungy OR clean (totally depends on the project)

cut with scissors OR tear with bare hands (ditto)

measure OR just guess

careful OR haphazard

hoarder OR minimalist

Christmas OR Summer holidays

music OR talk radio

drive OR walk

gym OR beach

cook a meal OR buy take-away

fruit OR cake

ironing OR crafting

ironing OR vacuuming

my friends OR my own company

talk OR listen

you OR them (we'll take turns nicely)

always OR never (both make me feel panicky)

half-full OR half-empty

yes OR no

Feel free to share your answers.

I don't like to do people's advertising for them, but there is a human impulse to share when you find a good thing. I didn't really get the point of *genius* playlists before, but maybe I didn't have enough music loaded yet or something. I let *genius* loose on "Cinnamon" by The Long Winters (found them through Shimelle's cream cheese frosting recipe, bizarrely) and suddenly by bizarro eclectic collection of tunes seems ultra cool. Not sure I'll be able to pull myself away from it, it has been perfect for all manner of creative and house-tidying ventures this week.

Cinnamon	The Long Winters
Breakin' Up	G. Love
Fresh Feeling	Eels
Kathleen	Josh Ritter
Such Great Heights	Iron & Wine
There is so Much More	Brett Dennen
Mykonos	Fleet Foxes
C'mon C'mon	The Von Bondies
Six Different Ways	The Cure
Forever	Ben Harper
Bohemian Like You	The Dandy Warhols
Fell in Love With a Girl	The White Stripes
Scared Straight	The Long Winters
Off the Hook	Barenaked Ladies
Hold on Hope	Guided by Voices
I Don't Know	Lisa Hannigan
You Don't Make It Easy Babe	Josh Ritter
Caring is Creepy	The Shins
The One Who Loves You The Most	Brett Dennen
Oxford Comma	Vampire Weekend
Free	G. Love
Three Marlenas	The Wallflowers
Catch	The Cure
Walk Away	Ben Harper
Caroline	David Gray
Fighting for My Love	Nil Lara

In my fridge this week, pumpkin cupcakes. Get the recipe from Shimelle.com and make sure you make the cream cheese frosting with brown sugar and cinnamon too. The real secret - bake them, try them and take them to work to share (it saves you from becoming a pumpkin!!!). The plate is one that I painted at one of those paint-your-own places. I had forgotten about it, but it was perfect for these!

Oprah's magazine takes a little longer to get over here to the UK, but I am already excited about November's issue. The indie biz chicks posted about an online quiz from the new issue, so I rushed on over to check it out. I love quizzes. Of course, I realise that they never give you the full picture and it is pretty easy to tweak the results in a direction that you want them to go (we've all done that with the "Is he the one?" type quizzes, right?). However I do still think that they are a useful tool for a bit of self-reflection. Even if you are tweaking the answers, it tells you something about the sort of person you want to be, even if that isn't where you are yet. 

That is exactly the focus of the quiz: who are you striving toward being? Who am I meant to be? It was written by Anne Dranitsaris (link kindly provided by Heather). Many people are reporting very accurate results for this too, which is intriguing. I did it twice, on two different days, because that's the kind of thing I do! I've decided, not surprisingly, that the first results are more honest.

So what did I learn?

I came up most strongly in the areas of striving to be knowledgeable, striving to be creative and striving to be spontaneous. What this means for me is that I learn about myself through being in learning situations. I need to be creative in some way, in order to feel authentic. Stimulation and movement feed me and give life meaning.

I was very interested to see the warnings in the results too. I should watch out for withdrawing from situations where I feel less knowledgeable, isolating myself through my creative practice, and feeling trapped (and lashing out) when in a stable situation. These areas are all ways in which I am already seeking balance, to maintain beginner's mind, to connect with other creative people and to embrace a degree of routine to anchor me. If you know me, you will be laughing a little by now at the truthfulness of what I strive for, and the pitfalls that occasionally befall me! 

If you take this quiz, do share your results, I find it just fascinating! Either chat in the comments, or feel free to link to your own blog.