Sunday, September 30, 2012

Monday Mail

Sending a handful off today.

Firstly, my handmade envelope, how cute!  It's off to Stephanie, my trinket penpal. First letter!


Stephanie 1
Have to buy a stamp first before posting.


Then a bunch of postcards through Postcrossing.


Monday Mail
A range of totally different postcards today!



If I'm lucky I might get something in the mail today too!


Now, off to run errands, and to complete my first photo for #FMSPhotoaday!!
Enjoy your Mondays people

xx

Saturday, September 29, 2012

October Challenge

It would be great if I could finish something I start. I think the problem is that I often have too many things on the go at one time.

So for October, I'm forsaking all projects (and I might just require reminding) and am going to complete the October Challenge from FatMumSlim for the Photo A Day.


You might think that it's not that hard to just take a photo every day and post it. But when you have other things to do, and you have to think about a prompt, take a photo, upload it etc etc etc EVERY day, you can sometimes put it on the backburner, and before you know it, you're five days behind and just give up.

And just in case I forget, I've made the Photo A Day picture above, my Desktop Background. I'm on the computer EVERY day. So when I boot it up and see it there first thing, there are no excuses I can find.

So. My mission for October? Start, AND finish this October Photo A Day.

I'll be using my twitter to post them.
Join the fun?

Friday, September 28, 2012

Trinket PenPal Partners

Hi guys!

Please find your trinket penpal partners below.
Make contact through swapbot, and you can decide who wants to write/send first and if you want to write letters, or notes or just send trinkets.
I hope everyone is happy with their partners~!!!


Kickasspeanut and Devilyn

Moonkitty and Jadesmus

Marge and thefruid

Dragonwolfe and Kcody03

Tanjch and Bearbear23

Michellewillow and TryshaH81

Bontemps and principeta

Happygirl and rainbowafterrain81

:Changeling and dreamlily

Any problems, just send me a message either here or at Swapbot.

Jasmine.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Mail for Thursday

Since I now have orange hair (I don't want to talk about it, ok?!) getting a postcard in the mail today improved my mood!

I don't think I've ever shown a message from a postcrossing postcard before, but the back of this postcard was so lovely that I just had to.




photo 1
From Finland.


photo 3
Rear of the card


photo
Card recieved yesterday from the States in a Private Swap



Tuesday, September 25, 2012

This makes me feel a little better...









 Source: http://www.incidentalcomics.com/2012/09/we-are-introverts.html

Day 5 of 365

What do you collect? Work with a collection of objects you have in your home.


I collect postcards. And so I decided to try and make a card tower out of them.  Between my clumsy fingers and the cat trying to stand one everything, I managed to make something that resembles a card tower.  I couldn't go any higher :(


Day 5 of 365
My finished postcard tower!

Monday, September 24, 2012

Oh finally some mail!

FINALLY! After two days without mail, I was beginning to get withdrawals! haha!
But today an order of the cutest little dolly postcards arrived, along with an awesome Spirited Away postcard from Taiwan. How thoughtful of her to send this since she knew I liked Studio Ghibli! :)
Thanks Iris!


Dolly Set
Set of Dolly postcards



Spirited Away Postcard

I've yet to do my photo of the day, and my creative activity of the day so I'll post about them later.
The day here is quite nice, hardly a breeze, and I wouldn't be surprised if hubby tried to come home early today to take the boat out onto the water.  I might even go down with him and read on the beach whilst he does some fishing.

A Post for E.

Am recommending some reads for someone here since twitter only allows a sentence or two.


From recollection, you love your vampire books - that's easy, walk into any library or bookstore and you'll find a host of them...no famine with those kinds of books.  So I'll suggest some others.

At the moment I'm reading The Maze Runner.
It's actually a YA book but got me hooked.  Teen boy wakes up with no memory of who he is, in a world where there are only other teen boys who have formed some what of a community to survive. Their main task, of course, is to try and escape through a maze that has been built by 'the creators'. But the maze walls shift every night, and there are monsters/techno bugs that watch their every move.  Not everything is as it seems, as a girl turns up one day.  The only girl, but she has no memories either. but is key to their puzzle apparently.  Good, easy book to read and keeps me interested. The only thing I DON"T like about it, is the made up slang the boys use. It's just annoying.

I know you can't read books about children getting hurt and being sad, so I'll steer away from them although I've read some fantastic ones recently.


The Snow Child is a breathtaking read.  It's not Young Adult, but it's very beautiful.

The Kite Runner is a must read for anyone, and I wonder if you may have already read it?

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is one of my favourite books and I probably would have recommended it to you before.  It follows the friendship of two chinese girls, bound together by fate. One rich, one poor. But destiny flips things around, husbands are choosen for the women, circumstances alter. It's lovely.  A movie was recently made about it, but it's NOTHING compared to the book.

The Cuckoo - chic lit. Got some twists in it. This is good if you feel like something edgy.



There is an author called Mauve Binchy, who writes good books. You might like Full House.

Sarah Dessen is another you might enjoy. YA books.

Hope that gives you some suggestions!
You can check out my profile on Good Reads if you like.



Sunday, September 23, 2012

Day 4 of 365 Creative Days

Take a five minute walk, then make something using whatever materials are available where you've ended up.  Leave it there for someone else to discover, but make sure to document it first!

After a full morning of running errands I was exhausted, so I decided to head out to the back yard to do this one.  Looking around I saw a beautiful weeping tree which I wanted to do something with. The little flowers on the tree reminded me of fairydust, so I decided to make a wreath for my head.
When I'd finished, I went around the corner and put it on the fence for someone else to find.


Day4 of 365
Me with the wreath on my head.
Day4 of 365
Birds Eye View!
Day4 of 365
For someone else to find.

Photo a Day for OCTOBER

See this?



I wish I knew about this at the beginning of September! And so I'm going to do it for October. 
Photo a day, following the list.  Since October has 31 days, on the last day (since it's Halloween) I might do something spooky, but I'll see.
Feel free to join me.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Day 3 of 365 - Rainbow in a Pocket

Make something out of paper, but don't use scissors or glue or draw on it.
What now?

What the hell? I had to put my thinking cap on for this one.
I ended up tearing up pages of a magazine and creating a rainbow.


Day 3 Rainbow Day 3 Rainbow2


So I'd done half the prompt. But it asks "What now?" Well. What now indeed. I can't use glue or anything to stick it down to a scrapbook. I can't draw on it. So what do I do? Put it in an envelope to send to a mystery person as a RAINBOW IN A POCKET.

Day 3 rainbow in a pack
Rainbow in a pocket


 Instructions: Open envelope Construct rainbow as per photo above

Blow all the pieces into the air off the table and make a wish.

Pack it up again and send it on to someone else, with these instructions.

So I guess I've just made a chain rainbow letter! Who wants it? Comment here.

I've made the instructions with a place to put your name on the back. Just add your name and send it on.  At the end my address is there to send it back, so I can see where it's travelled to!  (Hopefully overseas!!)

Day 3 envelope
Ready to be mailed to you!
 

2 of 365

What is your favourite animal? Use that today as your inspiration.

Cats are probably my favourite animal so I decided to take photographs of Little Girl at various times of the day and mash all the photos into a collage through ipiccy.
As it happens, Little Girl doesn't do much moving around today, and spent most of her time on the red wicker chair, or on the carpet in the sun.


Number 2 of 365

The bottom right and left photos are a little hilarious, with Little Girl looking quite desperate to get away from my grip!

Friday, September 21, 2012

Guiding a Teenager

My mum has kept ALL my school records through HIgh School and Primary school - including a Certificate of Achievement (what a joke) for "Being the Sweetest Girl in Camp" at Allambee Year 7.
Funny looking back on subject grades. I wonder why the hell I didn't go into Psychology since I was better at it than I thought I was. So many things obscure your decisions and choices when you're 17 years old and trying to figure out what to do at university. And how can anyone expect a 15 year old to know what subjects they want to pursue in VCE at the end of Year 10?? It's too young, and almost irresponsible to give someone of that age decision making powers about their life.
I'm actually getting a bit upset about it to be honest. If I were a career guidance counsellor looking at my results from years 10 to 12, I would absolutely recommend that I go into the field of Psychology/Science. Instead I went and did a year of a Bachelor or Music at University. Knowing it wasn't going to get me anywhere (I was already teaching music without a degree and whilst uni was soooo much fun, it was a waste of time in that field for me) I deferred and went into Investigations, becoming a Private Investigator for several years. Then at age 23-ish I turned to administration work, progressed to Personal Assistant, Executive Assistant and then Events and Marketing followed by International Audit Planning.
I hate to say that I have regrets, but I'm a little angry with my teachers and adults around me for lack of guidance. In my late 20's I had always said I wished I went into Psychology. And looking back at my grades, I really should have, but just didn't have the confidence to think I was good enough.
Confidence seems to be a consistent theme through all my school reports. Even from Primary School, I had such little self confidence.  I was so quiet, and hesitant to join other kids or put my hand up to try something new. It's so important that children have confidence in themselves, but I'm unsure what my parents could have done to improve that. 
 

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Number 1

Make something that fits in the palm of your hand using only the materials in your immediate environment.




1 - Crane

 Seriously, I'm starting something ELSE? I don't know why I do this to myself. I started this 365 thing a couple of years back and never kept it going. It's a book by Noah Scalin, and it gives you a challenge to do every day. Feel free to follow along and join in if you like. I'll TRY and keep it going every day. At least every other day. (I love how I say that, and then I don't!)

Today I made a paper origami crane. Do you know how hard it is to make one? The instructions are so obscure I resorted to following step by step on youtube. This little one sits neatly in the palm of my hand.


I read an article about a guy who started doing this 365 creativity because he had lost his job and he needed something to 'achieve' every day. Just to keep him active. What a great idea.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Owl and Alice

Owl and Alice by olivewasabi
Owl and Alice, a photo by olivewasabi on Flickr.

Two postcards recieved today! The owl (I collect owl postcards) and the other is a version of Alice in Wonderland which was a private swap. I instantly fell in love with the antlers on her head and the crown of vines she was wearing. Love love love.

Lists

Let's be honest. I'm a list maker. I may very well be the best list maker in the world; however when it comes to carrying out things on said list, well...*cough* I lost my list this morning.
And Mondays are my errands day so it's quite a list of things I have to do, drop off, pick up, write, pay, shop, post...whatever. And I only realised how much I relied on my little lists when I started to panic a little! And I have to laugh, I really do. Because losing a list of errands is hardly the end of the world. But this morning, it was the end of MY world.
After spending a frenzied 15 minutes searching for this tiny piece of paper, where do I find it? In my handbag, ready to go. Of course, last night I was super organised and put it in there so I could just up and go. *sigh*
 Are you a list maker?
 I thought I might keep a bunch of the lists that I make (usually shopping lists I'm afraid) and stick them into my scrapbook. Just for fun. Reading back on some of them could be kind of funny.

Some lists I found this morning

Thursday, September 13, 2012

The Perfect Bun

I have a love/hate relationship with me hair. When it's short, I want it long. When it's long, I am enticed to cut it short again. At present, it is medium length, and whilst on youtube the other day I found a really nice way of wearing it. It's a high bun, teased to look much bigger than your hair really is, and it looks both elegant and smart. I wore it the other day and got comments on it, so I must have done it right! Here it is: The Perfect Bun 1 (View from the front) The Perfect Bun 2 (View from the top) I love the way it looks so messy but classy at the same time.

We are only Pretending to be Grown Up

Not many people realise that it is, in fact, the suffering of the child inside them. Everybody tries to protect this vulnerable two three four five six seven eight year old inside, and to acquire skills and aptitudes for dealing with the situations that threaten to overwhelm it. So everybody develops a whole armour of secondary self, the artificially constructed being that deals with the outer world, and the crush of circumstances. And when we meet people this is what we usually meet.
Ted Hughes gold

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Morbid

Death is a terrible business.
Even when it's expected, if someone has been ill for a long time, it still comes as a surprise, doesn't it. And it's still just as sad.  It doesn't make it any LESS sad just because we know someone isn't doing well and we expect them to leave this world anytime.

Death is a horrible business.
Listening to all the questions you need to answer. And listening to a funeral home representative prattle along, trying to keep things upbeat.  It's tiring, when all you want to do I suspect is get the funeral organised and over and done with.  You don't really want to hear about what she thinks is funny, or how she thinks the day is very nice, or that she thinks we might get rain tomorrow.  You don't really want her opinion on how it's 'okay to feel relieved' like she needs to give your permission how to feel.  You don't want to hear how he's 'sleeping' now. Because he's bloody not asleep. He's dead. He doesn't feel anything.

Death is undignified, no matter how you look at it.
Deciding what to dress the deceased in for the funeral and cremation.
Being told he's been shaved and cleaned.
Knowing at that very moment, he is in a cold refridgerated room.
Gone.

I helped, yesterday, sitting in on funeral arrangements for husbands grandfather. And it made me realise how grateful i am for the family that I have around me.  Grateful for the people that are my friends.  And yet at the same time it mades you wonder about the mortality of all those people, and yourself.  How long do you have left? How long does anyone have left? Will it be sudden? Will you realise it's happening? Will it be long and drawn out? Will there be time to say goodbye?
I usually avoid thinking about these things. And even now my brain wants to push the thoughts away but maybe it's important to think about these things. Because you just never know.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Budget Meals

The other week one of the Current Affair programs had a story on making budget meals for the family. As usual, a lot of the meals (I felt) were rubbish. Full of carbs and processed foods.

A store here in Australia, NQR, claimed that they could feed a family of 4 for $80 a week.  I watched the program and thought something was a bit 'amiss'.  So I got onto the website, and had a good look at what NQR was actually promoting.  I read the fine print.  And guess what? That $80 didn't include FRESH FRUIT OR VEGETABLES OR MEAT.
What the heck??? What amount of processed foods are you spending $80 on a week then????
It made me really annoyed, because I know that a lot of people who are feeling the financial squeeze would turn to the website in hope of feeding their family for cheaper.

I, myself buy most of our groceries from Safeway.  I find that Coles is a lot more expensive for the items that I purchase.
For meat, I use the wholesale butcher here on the peninsua.
For my fresh produce I use a farm out in Boneo (only a 10 minute drive for me) which harvests it's produce itself, and has a little shop onsite.  You literally can watch the wheelbarrows of produce being wheeled in, washed down and wheeled into the shop still dripping wet.  Now THAT is freshness for you and now I refuse to buy anything from supermarkets unless I absolutely HAVE to.

I'd like to start a collection of healthy budget meals in a notebook I have here.  It's difficult to eat both heathily and cheaply, and unfortunately eating frozen pies can sometimes be cheaper than eating a salad. (Sad, isnt it?)

Anyway, regardless of my disdain for the budget meals report, I DID try a budget recipe from their website tonight.  It's a little high in fat considering the cream and butter but as a 'sometimes' quick meal, it's not bad.  Tasted rather good actually.  And instead of using meatballs, you could always substitute them for mushrooms or similar.

Swedish Meatballs and Noodles

1 pack of meatballs, cooked and kept warm
1 pack of spiral pasta
2tbl flour
3tbl butter
1/2c cream
1c beef stock
salt/pepper/paprika
2tbl soy sauce
mustard to taste (optional)

1. Put the pasta on to cook
2. Melt butter in a saucepan
3. Add flour and cook until combined
4. Add remaining ingredients and cook until thick
5. Combine the drained pasta, meatballs and sauce together and serve.

(I paraphrased this recipe but the link can be found here)

Saturday, September 8, 2012

How I Store My Postcards (Swap-Bot Swap)

This is a SPECIAL post for the following people as part of a swap through Swap-Bot...

Laura ( mimisfrog )
Brandy ( swellmomma )
Christina ( LiliasCraven )
Kelly ( JingleKeys )
Kimberly  ( KimberlyvAalten

Hi guys!

I'm so glad that this swap went up because I'm always interested to see how others store their postcards.

Ok, firstly I recently started collecting postcards a couple of months ago through postcrossing - it's amazing and I've been getting some really cool cards, not to mention awesome stamps and messages on the back.  I've done a few private swaps too.
If you like you can check out my profile here.

I started out thinking i would use a SMASH Book to keep them all in. Using washi tape to put on the edges so I could flip them over and still see the backs.
So I started doing that. I took a quick video of it here so you can see what I started doing: Click Here

But then I decided that in time, I might not appreciate that I've used TAPE on my postcards, so I took them out.  Still wondering what to do with them, I looked around the internet to see what other people did and found proper Postcard Albums.  I found I could buy plastic type 'pages' that I could put into a folder and insert my postcards in. Like this:

The slots are large enough for my bigger cards, and the page is see through so that I can see the rear of the card when I flip it over.  I'm going to order these from ebay, and start using them. They will keep my postcards from getting damaged as well.

In the meantime, I've been putting my most recent ones up on a shelf, and then as new cards come in, I simply take the old ones down and replace them with the new ones.  This shelf is visible as soon as you walk in my front door so it's a good talking point for when people come over.  Also my husband can see what new cards I've received that day if any when he comes home from work!



I hope you guys got something out of that! If you have any questions please feel free to ask by commenting on this post or dropping me a message through swap-bot :)

Dreamlily.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Favourite Postcard No.2

  by olivewasabi
, a photo by olivewasabi on Flickr.

Another swap, this swapper got permission to use an artists watercolour picture to create a postcard with it. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to have it. It's so clever - you can see the rosiness in her cheeks and the wind pushing back her hair a little. Beautiful!

Favourite of the Week

Untitled by olivewasabi
Untitled, a photo by olivewasabi on Flickr.

This is one of my favourite postcards that I got this week. It was a private swap through postcrossing from Europe.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Where's the Culture?

A few months ago we moved down to the Peninsula, and I have to say that it's been great. I love it here and I would never ever move back to the suburbs.
However, the lack of culture up here is surprising.  It should be called Snowflake City because everyone is white.
I think I've seen one Chinese man, and a couple of Indian people.
It's a shame to have no multicultural influence up here really.  The nearest sushi place is 20 minutes up the road, and if I wanted to go to an Asian Grocer, I'd have to travel approx. an hour to get to one.
It's just funny how you don't miss something until it's gone.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

A not so remarkable impression

The last couple of days has gotten me wondering if (at the age of 32) I've left ANY kind of impression on the world and people around me at all.  Have I changed anyones life?  Does someone think about me as a fond memory?  Or am I forgotten as soon as I walk out the door?

I discovered yesterday (through an absolute mishap might I add) that the High School I attended during the 90's is hosting a Performing Arts night for Alumni students of the 90s.
As soon as I saw it I thought...."what?", because I had no clue it was even on.  And I had a moment where I had a (perhaps slightly ridiculous)moment of why-wasn't-I-told.
Why?
Well, it's simple.
You see, I had a musical arts scholarship for the entire time I was at the school, which paid for half of my fees. 
And so, was I wrong to assume that since I had a MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP during this time that I might be involved or at least invited to a Performing Arts regroup?

I went to the facebook page (yes, they made one) and saw they had some photos.
Oh, I thought. Perhaps I'll be in a photo!

Alas Alas.
Strangely and absurdly I was disappointed and annoyed and had a 'centre of the world' moment.  You see, I THOUGHT that perhaps I had left a larger impression.
I thought that people MIGHT remember me.
I thought that the bloody hard work I had to put into every concert, musical and singing event might be remembered. Because to be honest, I had to work hard to keep a scholarship and get good results.
Actually, my music was so serious that in the last two years of schooling I learnt from a concert pianist.

So yes, I'm surprised that I'm not performing. Or invited. Or pictured.
I'm disappointed that I don't 'exist' in the memory of these people. 

I was different back then though I guess. Quiet, no confidence.
The pictures that are posted are of the popular group of people mainly. That irks me too. That a lot of people who have next to no talent are pictured there because they looked cute in a musical costume.  But wait...now I'm just having a bitch and sound jaded.  Back to the point.

What impression have YOU made on the world?
Do you think you HAVE made an impression on people?
Do you think you have been remembered, or forgotten?
Because I'm feeling a little like a ghost at the moment. A little like I never existed. Like that hard work was nothing. It's not a pleasant feeling. And I know I'm making this all about me when in fact the purpose of the gala is to raise money for children in Bangaladesh but still.
Just. Meh.
I kind of want to be remembered. And I never thought about it until now.

/rant.