Almost there...

Been far too long between posts, but I guess life moves on and other things interfere and it gets difficult to make time to post on a blog.  I have one more professional practice day at school before I am eligible to apply for a casual number to begin teaching mathematics at high school in term 4.  Just a little excited!

Exam preparation

So, working on my exams for the second semester of my part-time Graduate Diploma of Education course.  I'm

Worth sharing

Starving blog for want of posts! But now something worth sharing... Thanks so much to Donna for the inspiration based on the card she started at a craft day I attended on Saturday.

Very simple, used a rainbow of Stampin' Up! ink colours stamped across whisper white card. I overlapped Gorgeous Grunge lines stamp just slightly to get all 7 rainbow colours across the card.  Old school rainbow of Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet.  Silver Glimmer cardstock used for three of the hearts and the Love sentiment is from the Expressions Thinlits.  My tip, put wide double-sided tape on the back of your glimmer paper before cutting with the Thinlits.  Hearts all adhered with two-way glue pen.

Stamp set: Gorgeous Grunge (130514)
Materials: Whisper White, Silver Glimmer (124005), cardstock scraps for the inks below (except Rose Red - might have been Cherry Cobbler card-scrap).
Inks: Rose Red, Tangerine Tango, Crushed Curry, Gumball Green, Island Indigo, Midnight Muse, Elegant Eggplant.
Other: heart from Stampin' Up! Owl builder punch (118074), Stampin' Up! Expressions Thinlits (132171)

And she lives!

I haven't completely fallen off the face of the earth.  In my defense, I have been studying.  This year I started the Graduate Diploma of Education at Macquarie University.  At the other end, I'll be a qualified secondary mathematics teacher, able to teach year 7-12 in NSW.  Two credits for my first two subjects aren't too bad considering a lack of any study for 15 years or so.

Its been a while since I could get at my desk for a variety of reasons, including a new family member's penchant for wee-ing near my desk.  We have now applied a bunch of behaviour modification for the cat and copious amounts of wee-cleaning stuff.  Possibly too much information, but that's the honest truth.

I needed to do something for a fellow demonstrator today and this is the result.  Possibly needs a tiny bit of refinement - her head is a little "long" - the crown of the hat is a bit disproportionately far from the chin.  But you get the idea.  Its a beginners version of the card I made a while back for "chic" punchart.

Stampin' Up cardstock used: Basic Grey, Blushing Bride, Whisper White, Basic Black.  Stampin' Up stamp sets "Creative Elements" and "Feels Good" for the sentiment.  Here's the punch-art "map": I used the XL-Oval, small oval, curly label and a square punch to make the face-shape and hat.  I did punch the hat-brim a second time to reduce the size a little more to fit on the oval shape.

Will try not to leave it so long between posts.

Christmas cheer

A twist on the Peek-a-boo Frames Bigz L Die making a tea light candle surround.  This is open at the top and bottom, but I'd recommend using one of those little battery operated tea lights rather than a naked flame this close to cardstock. I've used 'Be of good cheer' Designer Series Paper from Stampin' Up's new catalogue, Cherry Cobbler cardstock and some silver glimmer card.  I also used vellum card stock for the "windows".  The Petite Pennant punch made the tree and the star is from the mini punch pack in the Holiday Catalogue.  Very sweet, easy to make.

Couldn't bring myself to discard the frames leftover from creating the peek-a-boo tea light surround.  So using a card sketch from PageMaps, I made this card using more of the "Be of good cheer" DSP.  Love how it turned out.

Apologies for the long delay between posts and hope you enjoy these two simple projects.

The prodigal mother returneth

So, I'm back in Sydney now.  Nothing to show in terms of Stampin' Up pretties.  But the retirement list is now available - email me if you would like a copy.  A new holiday catalogue will be available shortly, and a new annual catalogue starts on 1 September.  So please contact me if you'd like details.  Also available for workshops, classes and anything else at the moment.  Full-time Mum-hood has been a bit of a shock to the system after 5 months off.  Check out my Stampin' Up! Demonstrator site for regular open days.

Plus 2 weeks

So I'm now two weeks over my contract end date.  I've managed to do something, consciously or unconsciously, which will very likely result in my not being invited back again.  Makes decisions easy, I suppose.  Made my bed and now I must lie in it.

Returning to Sydney very soon now, so will be available once again for P&C-ing, general mothering duties, stamping and crafting.  If nothing else, there is an enormous backlog of scrapbooking which needs doing.  Might dust off the photo printer and see if I can get it working properly again, go through my stash and look at culling, consolidating and responsibly repurposing.

Set some more goals, will attempt to obtain a tax return in order to do some further training or possibly a slightly longer course.  Would very much like to catch up with crafting buddies...  Will arrange a schedule, methinks.

Willingness to change

I had an experience this weekend which has caused me to reflect. My struggle with depression began when I was a little girl. I remember being mostly sad, burying myself in books to escape and spending hours and hours reading every night, not sleeping enough. Parent's separation, access visits, divorce, teen angst, my father's suicide, struggling with year 12, trying to please everyone else, I probably could have done with some counseling. It is not really surprising that when having kids without much extended family support, the walls crumbled.

In studying psychology, the biggest lesson one must learn while dealing with other people is a recognition that no one can help someone unwilling to help themselves. When rebuilding resilience after ceasing medication, I think it is important to remember that not everyone is willing to help themselves.

When our mental resilience is fragile, removing ourselves from conflict in order to build extra structures to support our resilience is a retreat of self care and strength. There is little virtue in denying recognition of the choices made regarding our mental health. Ultimately, everything is a choice, including the choice to help ourselves. And to help ourselves we must choose to surround ourselves with people who will help, not hinder, our progression through to mental stability.

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New Autumn mini catalogue

Playing with some new toys from the 2012 Autumn Mini catalogue from Stampin' Up! I've created this card using the clearmount set "Rue Des Fleurs", rather appropriately whilst watching Dr Who "The Impossible Astronaut" and "Day of the Moon"... Love the pun.

Stepped up version of the same card. I think I used Pink Pirouette and Pretty in Pink to do the shading of the parasol. Sahara Sand, Crumb Cake and Soft Suede were also involved. I quite like the result, but the intimacy of the message means it will only be given to a very close person or people.

I do love the pun involved in this one too, as well as loving the corset. Its a great idea, possibly, for recycling some of my corsets as vases too, although they'd require a massive bouquet to fill them. Working on fitting into them once more. With the amount of computer time I've been spending, I'd be grateful of the support too!

Lastly, colours inspired by the new paper available in the mini catalogue called Twitterpated. Twitterpated fabric brightly combines Pear Pizzazz, Island Indigo, Riding Hood Red, Blushing Bride, Baja Breeze, Whisper White, which is what I've used on this card. See ryn.stampinup.net to download your copy of the mini catalogue.

I'm enjoying this catalogue so much! And even though I'm in Canberra until June 30, I can still place orders for you and have them delivered right to your door.

My birthday celebration

This morning I arose far too early and went to muster with many other bleary eyed bodies in the Foyer of Questacon. Dawn Drifters and Balloons Aloft set out from the building at about 6.15 to find a field large enough to blow up hot air balloons. My 40th birthday present.

Picture from inside the basket looking up inside the balloon.



One of the many balloons flying for the Canberra Festival celebrating Canberra's 99th birthday.



Side of the balloon basket with another balloon below me, and homes around Yarralumla below that.



It was the most awesome experience and I am so glad I chose this as my present.

While I was up there, I was taken back to when we lived in Miller Street, O'Connor and I'd wake early on Sunday mornings to the sound of conversations right above my bedroom. It took me far too long to work out it was balloonists above our house. I also remembered the week Ryan was born. I was in Calvary Hospital with ruptured membranes waiting for his arrival. I woke very early, around 6am, and opened my curtains wide. Each morning, balloons would rise behind Black Mountain and I wondered what it would be like to be one of the passengers.

Many photos which may actually result in some scrapbooking, especially as Stampin' Up! has a stamp set called Up, Up and Away I the current catalogue.

It was a fun birthday experience and my wonderful husband also allowed my a nap between ballooning and my birthday brunch at Pork Barrel Cafe. Lovely day spent with family. Not sure when or if a birthday party will eventuate... Time is becoming slightly precious at the moment. Long personal post finished! Enjoy the photos!

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