How's that working for you?

I'm in a new class from Online Card Classes, Kickstart. Their classes offer a lot of content. This one has 2 videos each class. This one is my favorite so far. It's about kick starting your creativity which has included tips about organizing your ideas and inspiration and our space. After the interactive class, classes are available as self paced classes. I've been rethinking my organization - again! What is working - my storage/organization of wood mount and cling mount stamps, 8 1/2 by 11 card stock, and ink pads. My clear stamps are organized but it's not working. When I arranged them in clear CD cases I took them off the plastic. So - what do I do now? I'm also thinking about how my space is arranged. It's time for some rearranging!

 I bought this shelf at a local stamp stores garage sale. I like looking at some of my favorite stamps, and it helps inspire me when I'm in a rut.

Tip of the Day

Most rules are universal - we all have heard - if you haven't worn a price if clothing in a year get rid of it! I think for craft supplies it's longer. But what about the stamps, embellishments, and paper you have never used - not once after a year? To quote one of the only 'N Sync song I know, " Bye, bye, bye, bye, bye"!!!

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My Big Idea

I recently participated in the Big Idea Festival at Big Picture Classes. By participate I should clarify, I read the big idea of the day and watched the video. The first day Stacey Julien talked about making and sending cards. She used elements from a certain company. I realized I needed to revisit something I did a while back - write a note to a student once a week. The card did not have to be elaborate. I decided to make 4 bar cards, which are are smaller than A2. Why - 4 bar - well my mom had envelopes left over and of course I said I could use them! I used stamps I bought at a Garage sale. Now I did I link the card to the class - well no. Procrastination -1 - Edie 0! This was a free class which is a good way to get introduced to some different crafters.

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10 Things September

10 Things I forget about school over the summer




The later I leave for the work in the morning, the amount of school buses on the road seem to quadruple.

Students reading skills decline over the summer when they don't read.

My listening skills decline over the summer when I'm not listening to someone for 30 minutes.

The energy 5 year old children have is insane!

The first week of school is harder on Kindergarten parents than the kindergartner.

Walking in the hall is a skill.

Five year olds can still twirl, cartwheel and hop to a destination.

NO ONE likes the first day of school.

Former students will come back to school with their own children.

Former students will be employed at school.

Kids under 7 have enthusiasm for life that is boundless.

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Round up August

I picked 5 questions to answer for August.

What reading/learning did I do this month? (books, blogs, magazines, ebooks, podcasts, classes, etc.) 

First - a story about my podcasts. I was making copies at the administrative center. I had my iPod on and was listening to the Paper Clipping Roundtable. The superintendent (BIG BOSS) asked what I was listening to. I told him I was listening to a podcast about scrapbooking.  He said that would be as boring as watching paint dry!!!! Then  he said  I needed a hobby - like golf! GOLF more exciting than listening to Noell and Izzy - AHHHHH! I did not say anything that would have gotten me fired! Now if you love golf that's great - but I have tried it. My father loved golf - so yes I had to take some group golf lessons one summer. It's not for me.

I also read the book Whitewater Walking Club. A nice easy read. I finally went to my local library and checked out a playaway. Its an audio recording of a  book in it's own device. You supply your own head phones.  It's helping me with the lovely low impact stationary bike!

What fun things did I do with my family and/or friends?

Went to visit a friend  I've  known  since first grade. I had a great time - shopping, eating, and lots of talking. She owns her own business, sew baby. I told new I wanted a sewing machine. She suggested one which was less expensive than the one I had investigated. I ordered it yesterday!


What special or unusual purchases did I make?

I went to the Rubber stamp convention and I did my part to help the economy. The best part for me is watching the demonstrations and talking to the presenters at the booth. They show you those little tips and tricks that you do not translate well in a magazine or blogpost. During my visit to my friend we went shopping, I bought 2 coats! I can spend hundreds of dollars on crafts but I have to force myself to buy clothes. I also bought clothes to start the school year.

My friend had some Containers for cricut cartridges. I found a similar one at Michael's - it's their brand Recollections.  Now to transfer all the cartridges to the containers. My not so fun purchase was a new hot water heater.

What illnesses or health concerns did I have?

I'm still working on strengthening ankle.  I  started using  the program My fitness pal to track my eating and exercise. It is a little time consuming at first to enter all your foods, but then it gets easier. My menu doesn't change that much.


Anything else noteworthy to include?
School started!  I was ready to go back to work.  The school year started out well.

Today's Tip
Cricut cartridge books - tear out the foreign language pages. It saves space. I've started tearing them out when I use the cartridge. Make sure you check both sides. I almost ripped out a page I needed! I read this somewhere but have no idea where I lifted it from.

Hopefully I will have more blogposts than a round up and 10 on the 10th for September.  My goal is 6! Five to go!!!

Roundup June and July

I thought I would try a round up that Katie the Scrapbook Lady talks about for June and July. She is a co-host for the Digi Show Podcast. I'm not a digi scrapbooker - and never will be. Most of their topics apply to paper scrapbookers.  May is the  end of the  school  which s a big blur. I'm starting with Memorial Day. Yes, this has been on my iPad a while.

Reading
My summer goal was to read  10 books! I know - what was I thinking. Well I've read 7! I've read the 50 shades Trilogy. I'm not sure it's worth the hype. Getting to Happy by Terry McMillan. It's the sequel to Waiting to Exhale.  I really related to the characters in this book.  I've read both books when I'm at a similar age of the characters. The other 3 strictly beach reads. There’s been a lot of blog surfing due to Pinterest.

Entertainment

Went to one movie - Magic Mike - great eye candy. I saw  the musical Dream girls at the muni - amazing. Jennifer Holliday played Effie. I watch a lot of TV in the summer. My summer series include Drop Dead Diva, Bunheads and Longmire. I also have enjoyed daytime TV. that are reruns, but new to me which include The Nate Berkus Show, the View, and Judge Mathis.  I started watching judge Mathis because his show is between the View and the Chew. I love the Chew. I record it during the school year. I love the way the Judge talks to people. There is also a local show I started watching when the View's hot topics are to intense. They have 4 co-hosts  that just crack me up. One co-host does a Pinterest craft occasionally.

 Fun things with family and friends
Memorial day weekend I attended a good friend's wedding. My Mom and I decorate over  25 graves at 3 cemeteries that weekend. One cemetery is military so it is organized. The other one is not so easy to navigate. I somehow manage to find the section but it's never easy. We buy the flowers after Memorial day when they are marked clearance, and store them until the following year.

I went to Florida for a week. It was very relaxing. I  saw Winter the dolphin in A Dolphin's tale, at the Clearwater aquarium. It was my 3rd time at my friend's time share. It is definitely the way to start my summer break. Raspberry vodka and lemonade help too! I also attended a family reunion with my mother, brothers and their families.  I met a cousin who lives 20 minutes away from me. The reunion was in Springfield Illinois and  included a visit to the Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library. Everyone needs to visit the museum. I need to go back when I have more time.

Gifts
My Birthday is in July so one highlight is having dinner with my friends.  We went to one if my favorite local restaurant - lots of laughs, the best Ahi tuna, and bottles of Polka Dot Reselling. My birthday dessert - creme brûlée ! We had a private dining room so all our laughter did not disturb other diners. Going to dreams girl was a gift from a friend. I also received a magazine subscription to Craft Stamper. It's from the UK. Cash and gift cards  are always appreciated. I gave a friend a cropadile for her birthday. She has  started making banners with her Cricut. I think everyone should own a cropadile.

Health
Well my ankle was getting better after I tore ligaments in March. I had physical therapy for a couple of weeks.  I got a little to energetic and over did it. Now I have to do low impact exercises for a while. – NO ZUMBA.

Disappointments
My house is still for sale. NO ZUMBA

Goals
I always make a summer list. I've done some things.  The yard work has not happened thanks to the lovely heat wave in the Midwest. The weeds are still growing even though the grass is dead! I started my Christmas cards.

Hopefully I will be more timely with August. I love having summers off - but it is very unstructured. It's very easy to procrastinate or just blow things off - like organizing my drawers! I made some cards.  I took a class, Stretch your Stamps from Online card classes.  I never uploaded them to the class gallery. So that's June and July. Katie"s questions did make me think about the month(s), and what I did or didn't do!

This card used a collage stamp. I really need to work on my photography.

10 Things - August

Yes - I've been absent here for a while. So for this month -

10 Things  I love about this Summer - In no particular order but 1, 2, &10 are my top Three!

1. Sleeping in
The one big perk for being in education. For me - that means staying in bed until 8 am.

2. Hanging out with my people
I have met my friends almost weekly for breakfast. My local Panara may not thinks it so great, but I do! Having fun it is not a quiet thing. I have had 3 scrapbook/crafting dates with friends. My friends help keep me on track. I tend to get distracted!

3. The beach
Florida for a week. The biggest decisions - what swimsuit do I wear? Is it 11:00 somewhere?

4. Staying up late watching TV

5. Staying in my Pj's until??

6. Losing track of the days of the week

7. Reading until the book or should I say Trilogy is finished!

8. Summer TV series
I've started watching Longmire  and Bunheads.   

9. Wasting a lot of time playing games on line- Words with Friends, Bejeweled Blitz and Mahjong

10. More time with Family
I attended a family reunion - my Mother's paternal side. It's every other year with 4 branches of the family. My Mom, brothers and their families were also there. I always meet new cousins and have a great time. We visited the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield, Illinois. There is so much to see.

So I've been doing all these things and no blogging!





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Stamping through the pain

I actually made this mother's day card last week! I am still a procrastinator! I tore ligaments in my heel - still not sure how. I wore a boot a.k.a. Frankenstein foot! I had lots of time to craft! The boot was more painful and uncomfortable than the injury. I love this stamp but I hardly ever use it. I recently reorganized my un-mounted rubber stamps. They are now closer to my work table.


I did make some cards for my mom as part of her gift. I'll show those soon. I need to work on my photography. That's on the summer "to do" list!
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