Hot Flushes, Heart Strings and Help

What a week, constant hot flushes had me sure menopause had snuck up and grabbed me a tad early, but no, apparently stress has the same effect. What stress? You might ask.

The stress that comes to a teacher when she cares, perhaps too much and even after all these years retains her idealism, the stress that comes when you don't want any child to hurt and you see it happen. A hard week.

Help came in the form of moments at my desk putting this little lady together, in the time I spent photographing her in Autumn sunshine, and in wearing her to work one day.

Help came in the form of this beautiful art work from Gaye: the colours; the quote; the stillness; just what I needed.

Help came from friends and family, from cuddling the most beautiful woofy face in the world, and help came from above. Thank you Jesus. May the next week be one of peace and wisdom.

The Brotherhood in Action

Scene
A warm summers day, and the teacher (me) sits at her desk working with one of her favourite classes. 22 boys, all about 15 years old are working fairly quietly and the male deputy (MD) appears at the door carrying a huge basket, full of flowers and chocolates, a bottle of pink bubbly tucked under his arm.

Boys: Who are they from Miss?
MD: Someone thinks you’re special
Me: A dog
Boys: (chorus) That’s not nice! He is trying hard to make up. That must have cost a lot. Maybe a hundred dollars. More than that. Give him a chance. No one is perfect Miss. You have to listen to him Miss..
Me: (Struggling to be heard) A real dog!
More chanting and calling out …
MD: (Catching on) It must be a very clever dog.
Silence descends, reluctantly
Me: I looked after my friends’ dog for a few weeks and they have sent me these in the dogs name: Pipepee.

Boys: Can we have a chocolate please?

The teacher shares.

Archer, with his dear friend Pipepee, hogging the couch and blissfully happy. They wear matching pearl collars (Archer's is blue) and influence each other to get up to all sorts of mischief.

Happy New Year

One of the high lights of 2009 was my time at Creative Soul Retreat held in Melbourne earlier in the year, the house swap was a lot of fun. Finally I have about 2/3rd's of my houses mounted on this 12 x 12 canvas for my classroom wall. I am sure it will intrigue my students.

Another art high light was the 12 Days of Christmas Swap help on Aust Art Sisters. I had no idea I would be so excited by opening a gift every day. Pictures are some of the wonderful items I received. I took the photo a day early and some decorations were already in use.

Happy New Year everyone, may you be blessed with peace and health.

Just Sharing...

Another crazy couple of weeks and yet I have still managed some creative time and a laugh or two (usually at myself) so all is well in life. Many thanks to all of you who commented on the earrings in my last post, I am often uncertain when I try new things, this weekend I am aiming to do some more in a similar style. However, for this past week or so it has been back to paper and pieces of history floating on my desk.

One of these giant pegs has gone to a new home as a result of a monthly 1-4-1 swap I am a part of, the others will reappear at Christmas.

A page from an Altered Book Round Robin with the theme Still Life.

A breath of spring; the print I was blessed to receive from Julia's blog give-away.

Tags made for no reason other than the fact I felt like playing wi th paper and thread.
A rare picture: Charles and Phantom keeping each other warm on a cold morning.

A season of giving and receiving.

It was only after I photographed this pair that I realised they were not opposites - and had to rehang the roses :)

It has been too long since I blogged so I will load as many photo's as I can tonight.

My life is truly crazy at the moment, I am acting in a promotional position at work and loving the adrenalin that comes from stretching myself, learning new skills and conquering my emotional responses to high pressure situations. I am not even minding the looooonnnnnnggg hours or the cakes I cook to bribe, er encourage, my team to attend meetings.

At home, the heater died and a water pipe burst in the back yard so I have been co-ordinating tradesmen - aaaaaaagh, how is it they are never on time? Even, when I am the first one they come to in the morning. Is it part of tradesman school; How to Annoy the Client 101. I wish they could replace it with:
Putting the toilet seat down 101
Picking up your own Rubbish 102
and
Wiping your feet 103
That said it is nice to have some heating again, and time will tell if I made the right choice.

It was fun to draw balls on sterling silver wire to form the basis of these earrings - gifts

for three dear friends with birthdays in the same week, and another skill from Stephanie's class practiced.

My beautiful hand sewn owl and crocheted sari silk nest were my Art-of-the-Month

gift from Jacky. I was so excited when this little fellow arrived as I had 'lusted' after him on Jacky's blog - hoping he might wing this way.

The tin covers are another Etsy purchase and brighten my desk at school, the happy puppy is also a gift from Jacky - I just love his squishy nose!

Bright vintage style ATC's received from Gaby; I so enjoy swapping with this kind

overseas artist.

Cheerful ATC's from a swap with Doreen, very beautiful the felted card too. Thanks Doreen!

I'll try and get back later in the week to add links. oxo

CIF Received and Elegant Ladies

I recently took part in a Create it Forward (CIF) hosted by the wonderful Steph from Belgium. Last week (yes, I am running late to post) these wonderful items arrived. A pendant that made my heart sing - that spoke to where I am; and the most comfortable bracelet in the whole world.

I have worn both of these pieces almost all week.

These elegant ladies dancing in a row make me smile; tiny antique dolls heads, vintage swarovski crystals, pretty beads and perhaps a little lace.

I am enjoying creating.

Perhaps they will sell from my Etsy, never mind if they don't , I will let them dance in my cave...

Craft it Forward and a Treat

I made three of these 'junk' pins this week- so nice to have my fingers fiddling with little pieces again. I have listed two for sale on Etsy.

Steph is hosting a Craft-it-Forward on her blog, and I am in awe of the diversity and talent she demonstrates in her jewellery making. I could not help myself I had to participate.

The rules are quite simple.
The first five people to respond to this will get something handmade by me. There are some restrictions, though:

1. You must be willing to blog about Crafting it Forward
2. You need to make something for 5 people
3. Leave me a message with your intent to participate
4. Then leave me another message with the link to your blog post

I will take your color preferences into consideration and am also willing to make it for someone you love and send it to them in your honor as a gift from you.
Not so long ago I ordered something from here. I can't show you what because they have not gone to their final home yet - but they are beautiful! Wonderful! Perfect! And they were packaged in the little box to the bottom left of this picture. Their creator is a friend of mine and opening this order felt like a surprise birthday party for me - lots of wonderful treats. I am so looking forward to showing you what I bought, but for now I think I will indulge in cookies and hot chocolate....

Trying to be still ...

Have you seen the wonderful birds Leighanna makes? I feel so blessed to have this one, he makes me smile each time I walk passed.

I really do need to make time to be still, to find my center to be with God and know it, to breathe and relax. I am trying, and most days there are at least a few minutes, even if it is those in the shower, or the blissful few minutes on the deck, late night. I love that, when the stars are out, my neighbours in bed, I will go outside to hang washing and then pause - listening to the quiet, gazing at the stars and being awed for the 'nth time.

This assemblage was a surprise/RAK gift from Melissa a blog friend my heart knows. I came home after a blue day to find a box on my doorstep and nestled inside was this rusted art work and a very kind card. Thank you.

I am so very excited to be going to Creative Soul Retreat in a weeks time.

OK I just scared myself again. By this time next week I will have delivered Archer and his belongings to my friend Nikki, popped Charles and Phantom in the Willows (5* accommodation for purr babies) organised with the boy across the road to see Harvey twice a day, prepared lessons for approximately 150 students and so much more.

Luggage tags - the only thing close to art I have worked on in the last week.

One of the "much more's" is creating a bigger need than usual for being still. Three months ago I had a spot removed which turned out to be melanoma. I had my three monthly check last week and my wonderful doctor removed two more suspicious spots. One of those has turned out to be another melanoma. So on Monday I am having wider margins cut around where it was. This one has rocked me, made me think, it paralysed me for a couple of days. Slowly I am processing the fact this will now become a life-long journey. Checking, having others check me, needles, cutting, stitching... Finding my humour, my ability to use trials to entertain, my coping mechanisms.
Can you guess what happened when Archer finally gave in to temptation and reached for the tail? Yes. Yet another game of crazy chasey.

Always the furies are my non-judgemental, cuddlers, all quite sure that they are the most important thing in my life, and I in theirs. Again, I am astounded at the depth of friendships and the care of my human friends.

While Charles tried to sleep.

Charles may have regretted his commitment on the weekend. I dropped a glass as I dried the dishes, he dropped onto it and off to the vet we went. One little cat with a slit paw one sorry Mum, who was (despite her sorrow) heard to mutter, 'On the weekend again!'. I can't remember the last time my animals were hurt between 8.00am and 6.00pm Monday to Saturday... Perhaps I should give up glasses and just drink straight from the bottle - less dishes, less to drop... but no, it is never the same injury twice. Such is life.

How is your week shaping up?

A llittle bit of this and that...

I made this notebook over the last few days, the background is lace and texture paste with one coat of shellac and several paint washes over it.

I like the back as much as the front because there you can see the detail in the background.

Two precious gifts a wet felted birdie from my friend Dawn and a needle felted needle case from Jane. Do you see my little Archer in the small frame?

The notepad below was made by covering core board with assorted postage stamps. I then over stamped them with one of my favourite Tim Holtz stamps, the quote is: "To those who can dream there is no such place as far away.

I then applied several layers of shellac and an image from a vintage Sunday School card in the postage frame. I think this one is for me!

Gorgeous Gifts

It was my birthday earlier in the week and I have been blessed with gifts for seven days straight. I thought I would share the hand made ones here. The address book above has as much detail on the back and inside as it does on the front, layers of tecture and colour and images all blended perfectly. A stunning gift from my wonderful friend Dawn. I love it soooo much I am going to use it - and have already put all my addresses in.

More goodies from Dawn, including a DJ Petit postcard just to remind me we are going to Melbourne for a retreat in March! Don't you just love the clay dangle?

I was thrilled to receive a beautiful parcel from Dotee too, including my very own birdie with a little Dotee Chick to tuck in the pocket behind her wing. Beautiful, and I am in awe of the time and skill in placing so many tiny embellishments just to.

Despite the kitch 70's look to this photograph this is a very cute Dotee Christmas bug - love it.

Genevieve made me this little treasure with a diorama on the inside, a wonderful mystery muse gift.

Now I must be off to finish wrapping Christmas Presents, and tidy up a little, but first a nap...

Thank you

I don't like those crutches I don't, what if my tail gets caught?

Thank you so much to everyone who sent mails and left comments over the past week. It has not been an easy time, however my foot is healing, and some work issues are being resolved. I have been so blessed by your kindness and checking in online has been a joy.

This beautiful ATC came from Genevieve, a West Aussie who surprised me by sending the ATC while generously sharing her stash of a fibre I particularly liked. Thanks Gen.

These three ATC's are all stunning, all different, and all one-of-a-kind they are the results of a swap with Debbi.

Debbi has her beautiful work published in almost every issue of Somerset Studio and I was so thrilled to be able to swap with her. Debbi is another West Aussie.

While my foot healed I stayed out of the art cave and read a stack of books, Harvey, however, maintained his rituals and spent part of each day watching the birds through the window, while keeping the arm of my chair warm.

Bits and Pieces

I made the notebooks above using some of my scrap paint backgrounds and my Zutter (current favourite tool) for the binding. Quick easy and satisfying.

The bag on my left is a "Just because ..." gift from my friend Ky and her Mum. It is a bag which folds down into a pocket on the front and is one of a collection they have made for the Animal Protection Society fundraiser. I am so blessed to have received this, and in a work week that has had some particularly difficult times it was especially nice to come home to. The dollies there will appear listed in my Etsy just as soon as I get time.

This wonderful copper (and you know how much I love copper) collage is my INKrediblyRt Mystery Muse gift from Vanessa. I keep running my fingers over that embossed background.

I couldn't resist this picture of Phantom and Harvey - but I get the impression Harvey wishes I had :)

I am hoping the shame of having a blog photo up revealing my dirty windows might also make me clean them...I will let you know how I go w ith that one.

Enjoy the weekend.