One World One Heart 2011

Date: 02 February 2011 16:04:16

Ooh, this is a new experience for me...I hope I manage to follow all the (not at all) complicated steps to join in.

This is the description of "One World One Heart":

One World One Heart is a worldwide event for bloggers only. It gives all those who blog a chance to meet and mingle and form connections with those they may not have otherwise met from all over the world. In the past 4 years this event has grown to over 1,000 participants with lasting friendships (and even one love connection) formed along the way. Think of it as a GIGANTIC open house allowing you to travel without ever leaving your home........going from blog to blog(in various countries) seeing the wonder each one has created and meeting all the fabulous people behind those blogs. As a bonus each blogger participant will offer up a "door prize or prizes"....just for dropping by, saying hello and seeing their world. It's really that easy.

More details can be found here. I'm supposed to put in a lovely logo, but I'm struggling to work out how to do that... (Techno-idiot strikes again!!) I did it! I did it!! Thanks to Mr D, my personal IT technician!)

Here are the rules:

It's open to all active bloggers worldwide

Please leave a comment, making sure there is a way for me to contact them if you win the door prize and so I can visit your blog

TheWinner will be announced Feb. 17th and that you will email the winner as well as post it...so I need to have an email address for you.

I found out about it via Floss's blog (Troc, Broc et Recup' - see the link to the side) and started browsing through the blogs on offer. I liked the thought of it, and was encouraged to join in by one of the other participants. So here we go.

This is me, with one of our "babies". This is George, but he has grown up quite a bit since this photo was taken in May 2010.This is Mr D, also with George. We brought him home to us in August, together with his sister Millie (For UK readers: George and Mildred) We both love cats. If you read back over other posts on the blog you'll discover other pictures of Pomme, George & Mildred.

We moved to France in September 2005. It had long been my plan (and Mr D's dream) to move to France, and finally in 2004/5 everything fell into place. We live in a small village in the Monts de la Madeleine, halfway between St Etienne and Clermont Ferrand. I was a primary school teacher, in the UK, before becoming a Local Government worker, so I was able to train to become a TEFL teacher without too much difficulty. Now I teach English, for about 20-30 hours a week. Mr D worked in reinsurance, but has now formed his own business designing websites, and has just got a job as the town correspondent for the local newspaper. We have no children, just the three cats, but are very happy to be aunt & uncle to children aged between 9 and 25 - the children & stepchildren of my brother and sister, and Mr D's brother & sister.

[caption id="attachment_689" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="A photo of our village"][/caption]

If you want to see other photos of the area then have a look around my Blog.

I'm a Christian, and go to the Eglise Reformée in Thiers (about 30 km from here). I do struggle to understand it all sometimes, as my French isn't as good as it should be. In the UK I was a Licensed Lay Minister, so I preached on a regular basis. I preach here, on a much less regular basis, but have been avoiding it recently, as my faith is a bit wavery. Still, despite my waveriness, I know that God my Father is waiting, patiently, hand outstretched, eager to lead me forwards when I feel ready to take my next steps. This is just a blip. Thank God he knows that...!

But this is about craft/art...What is my skill? I make cards and decorate boxes mostly, although for Christmas I branched out a bit making other things to sell at the Christmas Markets. Here is my most recently decorated box, designed for a friend who had recently lost her husband. She wanted a box to keep certain small mementoes in. I chose the leaves as Paul was very interested in the natural sciences. Inside I wrote some verses of scripture in French and a couple of other sayings in English (as Danièle speaks good English)

As you can see I enjoy calligraphy too. My problem is I'm not too hot at taking photos, so the images don't show the full glory of my creations ( :-) )

Here are some photos of cards I have made, and like:[gallery]

Oops, a couple of stray images got in there! Having struggled to add the logo of OWOH I find I've added it again!!! See what I mean about Techno-Idiot!)

I play about with different techniques: I'm just starting doing some stamping, but mostly use a mix of collage, calligraphy and my own painting/drawing (which isn't that good!)

So, what am I offering as my "Giveaway Gift" or "Door Prize"...Well, it's not done yet, but for two of you, I plan on making a little decorated magnetic frame, which I will send to you with three handmade cards (one especially made for the OWOH event). If there are any shown that you particularly like then let me know. I'll also throw in a handmade bookmark. (I have several ready made...some have religious texts, some don't. If you would particularly like - or NOT like - a religious one then let me know.)

When (if!) I have a photo of the Door Prize then I'll update you. Otherwise, you'll just have to take me on trust!

Sunday 06.02.11: Browsing my own blog (what vanity!) I've just discovered that somehow - without realising it - I've added photos of the mini frames that are door prizes. They are the last three photos on the "mosaic" above. There's a better description of them on the next blog post, if you can't see them clearly. (The photos of of random children from clipart. Nobody special.) So you can now have some idea of what you might receive.

I hope that is sufficient for you... And I hope that people enjoy browsing my Blog - or at least bookmarking me for a visit later on! I've been calling in on Blogs all round the world, and loving it. Why don't you join in if you can?